cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differentially expressed patterns of glycosaminoglycan structure in heparan sulfate proteoglycans and free chains

The metabolic relationships between heparan sulfate proteoglycans, free chains, and oligosaccharides in different cell locations were evaluated by comparing their glycosaminoglycan structure. Metabolically labeled heparan sulfate proteoglycans of BALB/c 3T3 cell layers and in conditioned medium were compared with the heparan sulfate free chains (modal mass = 10 kDa) and oligosaccharides (modal mass = 3 kDa) of the cells. Nonlytic, in situ digestion with heparitinase I indicated that 90% of proteoglycans, 70% of the free chains, and 20% of the oligosaccharides were enzyme accessible, but there was no evidence using competitive iigands for binding of the products to the cell surface via the glycosaminoglycan moieties. Structurally, the membrane proteoglycans were the most O-IN-sulfated and yielded more tri- and tetra-sulfated di- and tetra-saccharides by nitrous acid degradation. In contrast, the side chanis of medium proteoglycans were less sulfated and more polydisperse in mass, suggesting that most medium proteoglycans are not processed from membrane precursors. The heparan sulfate free chains were of lower mass, less sulfated, and more heterogeneous in distribution of the anionic groups than were proteoglycan side chains. Corroborating analytical heparitinase I digestion indicted that generation of di- and tetra-saccharides proportion-ately increased from membrane proteoglycan, to cell free chain, to medium proteoglycan categories. Because the structural patterns of the heparan sulfate free chains did not reveal a clear relationship with the side chains of the major proteoglycans, their origin was further probed by [3H]BH4-labeling of the reducing terminus under varying stringencies. The end-labeled residues obtained by nitrous or strong acid hydrolysis of the free chains showed insignificant amounts of galactose and xylose, but rather glucosamine N-sulfate and a residue likely generated from glucuronate. The effective labeling that was achieved with weak alkali indicated that covalent oligopeptide is not present. In summary, the heparan sulfate free chains, which in part are components of the cell surface, are of relatively low mass, are unassociated with covalent peptide, and most probably have a disaccharide motif of glucosamine N-sulfate and a uronate residue at the reducing end. Taken together, these observations suggest that the free chains originate by processing of precursor heparan sulfate proteoglycans on the cell surface via an endoglycosidase acting on an N-sulfated portoin of the original polymer.
THE FATE OF ARGININE PRIOR TO SPOROGENESIS IN SYNCHRONIZED ORDINARY COLORLESS CELLS OF BLASTOCLADIELLA EMERSONII.

Abstract Experiments were designed to determine if arginine was involved in sporogenesis in the aquatic Phycomycete, Blastocladiella. The total activities per cell of a very labile l -arginine ( l -arginine ureohydrolase; EC 3.5.3.1) and l -ornithine carbamoyltransferase ( l -ornitine transcarbamylase; EC 2.1.3.3) were measured during the ontogeny of synchronized single generations of this non-filamentous fungus. l -Ornithine carbamoyltransferase was not synthesized until late in development, but shortly before sporogenesis it increased sharply and remained high up to generation time. In contrast, l -arginase activity per cell rose steadily to 95% generation time, levelled off, and then decreased. Assimilation of exogenous arginine began at about 60% generation time and ceased at the end of growth. Arginine was incorporated into various protein fractions. One protein component, which appeared late in ontogeny, contained more arginine than other fractions. Its possible identity as a histone, and the role of arginine in development, are discussed.
Stop codon read-through with PTC124 induces palmitoyl-protein thioesterase-1 activity, reduces thioester load and suppresses apoptosis in cultured cells from INCL patients.

Infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (INCL), a lethal hereditary neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder, affects mostly children. It is caused by inactivating mutations in the palmitoyl-protein thioesterase-1 (PPT1) gene. Nonsense mutations in a gene generate premature termination codons producing truncated, nonfunctional or deleterious proteins. PPT1 nonsense-mutations account for approximately 31% of INCL patients in the US. Currently, there is no effective treatment for this disease. While aminoglycosides such as gentamycin suppress nonsense mutations, inherent toxicity of aminoglycosides prohibits chronic use in patients. PTC124 is a non-toxic compound that induces ribosomal read-through of premature termination codons. We sought to determine whether PTC124-treatment of cultured cells from INCL patients carrying nonsense mutations in the PPT1 gene would correct PPT1 enzyme-deficiency with beneficial effects. Our results showed that PTC124-treatment of cultured cells from INCL patients carrying PPT1 nonsense-mutations induced PPT1 enzymatic activity in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This low level of PPT1 enzyme activity induced by PTC124 is virtually identical to that induced by gentamycin-treatment. Even though only a modest increase in PPT1 activity was achieved by PTC124-treatment of INCL cells, this treatment reduced the levels of thioester (constituent of ceroid) load. Our results suggest that PTC124-treatment induces PPT1 enzymatic activity in cultured cells from INCL patients carrying PPT1 nonsense-mutations, and this modest enzymatic activity has demonstrable beneficial effects on these cells. The clinical relevance of these effects may be tested in animal models of INCL carrying nonsense mutations in the PPT1 gene.
Surface photoacoustic spectroscopy - a new technique for the study of surface vibrations

Abstract Photoacoustic studies of SF 6 adsorbed on Ag surfaces have been performed with a CO 2 laser. Simultaneous XPS measurements clearly demonstrate submonolayer surface sensitivity of photoacoustic spectroscopy under UHV conditions. The photoacoustic spectrum at 0.2 monolayer surface coverage shows a characteristic SF 6 vibrational band. Furthermore, XPS spectra exhibit fine structures indicating distinctive SF 6 -Ag interactions.
Monotonicity methods for noncooperative elliptic systems

We show how monotonicity methods combined with infinite-dimensional sandwich pairs can be used to solve very general systems of equations that are not semibounded.
Modular indirect calorimeter suitable for long-term measurements in multipatient intensive care units.

OBJECTIVE The construction of an indirect calorimeter capable of long-term automated sequential monitoring of multiple patients in adult and pediatric ICUs. DESIGN A prototype system utilizing modular engineering principles, including central respiratory mass spectrometer; validation by organic solvent combustion and nitrogen dilution methods, and Tissot spirometer. SETTING Surgical and pediatric ICUs in a tertiary care university hospital. RESULTS When expired minute volume was measured over a range of 4 to 28 L in six intubated patients, expired minute volume measured by the prototype system demonstrated a correlation coefficient of .998 compared with simultaneous expired minute volume measured by a Tissot spirometer. Organic solvent combustion demonstrated a maximum error of 3.8% for oxygen consumption (VO2) and an average error of 1.73 +/- 1.25% (SEM). The maximum error for the respiratory quotient was 3.0%, with an average error of 1.75 +/- 1.07%. VO2 (predicted) vs. VO2 (measured) demonstrated a correlation coefficient of .997. Validation with the nitrogen dilution method over a range of FIO2 from 0.21 to 0.60 demonstrated a maximum error of 7.9%, with an average error of -1.72 +/- 1.1% (n = 51). CONCLUSIONS Indirect calorimetry by means of a shared system for measurements in multiple patients in ICUs is feasible and cost effective utilizing modular principles and a centralized respiratory gas analyzer.
Bridging intergroup difference in a community youth program.

This article provides an intensive case study of a change process in which members of a youth program developed relationships with and altered attitudes and behavior toward diverse groups, includin...
Stereotype threat and working memory: mechanisms, alleviation, and spillover.

Stereotype threat (ST) occurs when the awareness of a negative stereotype about a social group in a particular domain produces suboptimal performance by members of that group. Although ST has been repeatedly demonstrated, far less is known about how its effects are realized. Using mathematical problem solving as a test bed, the authors demonstrate in 5 experiments that ST harms math problems that rely heavily on working memory resources—especially phonological aspects of this system. Moreover, by capitalizing on an understanding of the cognitive mechanisms by which ST exerts its impact, the authors show (a) how ST can be alleviated (e.g., by heavily practicing once-susceptible math problems such that they are retrieved directly from long-term memory rather than computed via a working-memory-intensive algorithm) and (b) when it will spill over onto subsequent tasks unrelated to the stereotype in question but dependent on the same cognitive resources that stereotype threat also uses. The current work extends the knowledge of the causal mechanisms of stereotype threat and demonstrates how its effects can be attenuated and propagated.
The Need for a Culturally Relevant Approach to Gifted Education: The Case of Cyprus

This article presents an overview of the status of gifted education in Cyprus and argues for the need for a culturally relevant approach. First, the history of education in Cyprus is briefly review...
Triangular prisms for edge-based vector finite element analysis

The paper deals with the derivation ad validation of edge-based shape functions for the distorted triangular prism. The distorted triangular prism allows for meshes which are unstructured in two dimensions and structured in the third dimension. This leads to substantial simplification in the meshing algorithm and many printed antenna and microwave circuit geometries can be easily tessellated using such a mesh. The new edge-based shape functions presented are validated by computing the eigenvalues of three different cavities (rectangular, cylindrical and pie-shell).
α1-AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Regulates Hypoxia-Induced Na,K-ATPase Endocytosis via Direct Phosphorylation of Protein Kinase Cζ

Hypoxia promotes Na,K-ATPase endocytosis via protein kinase C zeta (PKC zeta)-mediated phosphorylation of the Na,K-ATPase alpha subunit. Here, we report that hypoxia leads to the phosphorylation of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) at Thr172 in rat alveolar epithelial cells. The overexpression of a dominant-negative AMPK alpha subunit (AMPK-DN) construct prevented the hypoxia-induced endocytosis of Na,K-ATPase. The overexpression of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger catalase prevented hypoxia-induced AMPK activation. Moreover, hypoxia failed to activate AMPK in mitochondrion-deficient rho(0)-A549 cells, suggesting that mitochondrial ROS play an essential role in hypoxia-induced AMPK activation. Hypoxia-induced PKC zeta translocation to the plasma membrane and phosphorylation at Thr410 were prevented by the pharmacological inhibition of AMPK or by the overexpression of the AMPK-DN construct. We found that AMPK alpha phosphorylates PKC zeta on residue Thr410 within the PKC zeta activation loop. Importantly, the activation of AMPK alpha was necessary for hypoxia-induced AMPK-PKC zeta binding in alveolar epithelial cells. The overexpression of T410A mutant PKC zeta prevented hypoxia-induced Na,K-ATPase endocytosis, confirming that PKC zeta Thr410 phosphorylation is essential for this process. PKC zeta activation by AMPK is isoform specific, as small interfering RNA targeting the alpha1 but not the alpha2 catalytic subunit prevented PKC zeta activation. Accordingly, we provide the first evidence that hypoxia-generated mitochondrial ROS lead to the activation of the AMPK alpha1 isoform, which binds and directly phosphorylates PKC zeta at Thr410, thereby promoting Na,K-ATPase endocytosis.
Dialysis Facility Safety: Processes and Opportunities

Unintentional human errors are the source of most safety breaches in complex, high-risk environments. The environment of dialysis care is extremely complex. Dialysis patients have unique and changing physiology, and the processes required for their routine care involve numerous open-ended interfaces between providers and an assortment of technologically advanced equipment. Communication errors, both within the dialysis facility and during care transitions, and lapses in compliance with policies and procedures are frequent areas of safety risk. Some events, such as air emboli and needle dislodgments occur infrequently, but are serious risks. Other adverse events include medication errors, patient falls, catheter and access-related infections, access infiltrations and prolonged bleeding. A robust safety system should evaluate how multiple, sequential errors might align to cause harm. Systems of care can be improved by sharing the results of root cause analyses, and "good catches." Failure mode effects and analyses can be used to proactively identify and mitigate areas of highest risk, and methods drawn from cognitive psychology, simulation training, and human factor engineering can be used to advance facility safety.
Optimal information collection for nonlinear systems- An application to multiple target tracking and localization

Active sensors need to be optimally deployed or configured so as to make the best measurements at any given time. Then of immediate concern is the problem of characterising or measuring sensor performance before the measurement has been taken. In this paper, the well known concept of Mutual Information is chosen as the utility function for optimizing the sensor parameters. The standard problem of multiple target tracking using a configurable sensor mounted onto a UAV, or a ground based robot vehicle, is formulated in an optimal control framework such that the trajectory traced by the UAV maximizes the Information gain. An example of airplane tracking using an UAV is illustrated.
Formal hardware specification languages for protocol compliance verification

The advent of the system-on-chip and intellectual property hardware design paradigms makes protocol compliance verification increasingly important to the success of a project. One of the central tools in any verification project is the modeling language, and we survey the field of candidate languages for protocol compliance verification, limiting our discussion to languages originally intended for hardware and software design and verification activities. We frame our comparison by first constructing a taxonomy of these languages, and then by discussing the applicability of each approach to the compliance verification problem. Each discussion includes a summary of the development of the language, an evaluation of the language's utility for our problem domain, and, where feasible, an example of how the language might be used to specify hardware protocols. Finally, we make some general observations regarding the languages considered.
STUDIES ON A PARATYPHOID INFECTION IN GUINEA PIGS IV. THE COURSE OF A SECOND TYPE OF SALMONELLA INFECTION NATURALLY APPEARING IN THE ENDEMIC STAGE.

The course is considered of a second type of Salmonella infection naturally appearing in a guinea pig population during the endemic stage of an earlier outbreak. After a quiescent period of 5 months the percentage mortality increased abruptly; fluctuated, with a second rise during the 9th month; and then declined. With the exception of a high rate during the 2nd month the percentage mortality from the initial infection tended to remain on a low level. The spread of infection in the cages of the breeding stock is recorded from the time of the first fatal case. There was a slow but general dissemination of the second organism through the group. Fatal cases were confirmed solely to the sows. It is suggested that a lowered individual resistance occuring during pregnancy might be associated with the regular cage spread and with the apparent difference in susceptibility of the sexes. Natural host resistance, virulence of the organisms and acquired host resistance are discussed from the standpoint of their bearing on the unequal distribution of deaths from the two infections.
Shirking on the Court: Testing for the Incentive Effects of Guaranteed Pay

Prior work on long-term contracts and the incentive to shirk has focused almost exclusively on Major League Baseball. The current inquiry is the first to examine shirking in the National Basketball Association. We employed two different measures of player productivity. When the NBA’s measure is used, we find evidence consistent with allegations of shirking behavior. But when productivity is measured in a fashion more consistent with economists’ definition of marginal product, the evidence of shirking evaporates. (JEL J41, J44, L83) I. INTRODUCTION
Whole arm grasping control for redundant robot manipulators

An approach to whole arm grasping of objects using redundant robot manipulators is presented. A kinematic control which facilitates the encoding of both the end-effector position, as well as body self-motion positioning information as a desired trajectory signal for the manipulator joints is developed. A joint space controller which provides asymptotic tracking of the encoded desired trajectory in the presence of system uncertainties is presented.
Making male gametes in culture.

Making sperm in a culture dish has been a long-term goal of reproductive biologists. In 2010, a group of investigators from Yokohama, Japan, reinvestigated an organ culture system that was originally used for testicular tissue in the 1960s (1⇓–3). By using better molecular markers, they were able to demonstrate that some cells in this culture system underwent complete meiosis to form round spermatids (1). This work was followed by a study from the same research group that showed that the efficiency of the completion of meiosis and even the formation of flagellated cells was increased by the addition of knockout serum replacement to the organ culture medium (4). The investigators also showed that cryopreserved testicular tissue could be used in these cultures, and healthy, reproductively competent murine offspring were obtained after microinsemination using the haploid cells produced in culture. This technique was further extended when it was demonstrated that spermatogonia grown in culture in the absence of somatic cells could be transplanted into recipient testes and proceed through meiosis to form reproductively functional haploid gametes (5). Sato et al. now expand their observations again by showing that their system can be used to correct spermatogenic defects in vitro (6). The kit ligand (KITL), a cytokine type of growth factor, is produced by Sertoli cells in the testis and must interact with the kit receptor found on …
Parasite-free 3D finite element vector boundary-value solutions on C/sup 0/ elements

Initial evidence is presented which supports the parasite-free nature of a specified Helmholtz-based weak form in three dimensions. This weak form is recommended for finite-element solution of electric field problems. Representative results are shown for a simple 3-D spherical geometry where completely erroneous results occur when the double-curl equation is discretized on C/sup 0 /physically correct solutions result when the proposed weak form is used on the same mesh. >
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

This report summarizes our current understanding of how monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) affect risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This is a topic that has attracted considerable scientific interest,1 2 3 in large part because of uncertainty regarding whether MUFA or carbohydrate should be substituted for saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and the desirable quantity of MUFA to include in the diet. MUFAs are distinguished from the other fatty acid classes on the basis of having only 1 double bond. In contrast, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have 2 or more double bonds, and SFAs have none. The position of the hydrogen atoms around the double bond determines the geometric configuration of the MUFA and hence whether it is a cis or trans isomer. In a cis MUFA, the hydrogen atoms are present on the same side of the double bond, whereas in the trans configuration, they are on opposite sides. The American Heart Association Nutrition Committee recently published a scientific statement regarding the relationship of trans MUFA to CVD risk,4 and the present statement, therefore, will be limited to a discussion of dietary cis MUFAs, of which oleic acid ( cis C18:1) comprises ≈92% of cis MUFAs. In the United States, average total MUFA intake is 13% to 14% of total energy intake, an amount that is comparable to (or slightly greater than) SFA intake. In contrast, PUFAs contribute less (ie, 7% of energy). The major emphasis of current dietary guidelines involves replacing SFAs with complex carbohydrates to achieve a total fat intake of ≤30% of calories. There is evidence suggesting that the substitution of MUFA instead of carbohydrate for SFA calories may favorably affect CVD risk.5 6 7 The American Heart Association dietary guidelines for healthy American adults recommend a diet that provides <10% of calories from SFA, up …
‘BIG DATA’, THE ‘INTERNET OF THINGS’ AND THE ‘INTERNET OF SIGNS’

SUMMARY This paper examines the relationship between so-called ‘Big Data’, the ‘Internet of Things’ (the ‘Internet of People and Things,’ and the ‘Internet of Everything’), and the ‘Internet of Signs.’ In particular, we investigate how the ‘things’ in the ‘Internet of Things’ generate ‘Big Data’, and how both are used to generate semiotic ‘signs’. In addition, we analyse the importance of context in and the relationships between ‘Big Data’, the ‘Internet of Things’, and the ‘Internet of Signs’. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the superposition of oscillatory and shear flows of viscoelastic liquids

Important flow enhancement effects take place when the motion of a non-Newtonian fluid is driven either by pressure gradients pulsating around a non-zero mean or by longitudinal and transversal boundary waves superposed on Poiseuille flow. Flow enhancement in the latter case is an order of magnitude larger than in the former. A regular perturbation in terms of the amplitude of the oscillation is used and closed form formulas given for mass transport rates at the lowest significant order. In particular it is shown that a mean flow may be generated even when the pressure gradients oscillate around a zero mean or the boundary waves are superposed on a fluid at rest if the frequencies of two superposed waves are in certain ratios.
Regulation of Growth Differentiation Factor 9 Expression in Oocytes In Vivo: A Key Role of the E-Box

Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) is preferentially expressed in oocytes and is essential for female fertility. To identify regulatory elements that confer high-level expression of GDF9 in the ovary but repression in other tissues, we generated transgenic mice in which regions of the Gdf9 locus were fused to reporter genes. Two transgenes (-10.7/+5.6mGdf9-GFP) and (-3.3/+5.6mGdf9-GFP) that contained sequences either 10.7 or 3.3 kb upstream and 5.6 kb downstream of the Gdf9 initiation codon demonstrated expression specifically in oocytes, thereby mimicking endogenous Gdf9 expression. In contrast, transgenes -10.7mGdf9-Luc and -3.3mGdf9-Luc, which lacked the downstream 5.6-kb region, demonstrated reporter expression not only in oocytes but also high expression in male germ cells. This suggests that the downstream 5.6-kb sequence contains a testis-specific repressor element and that 3.3 kb of 5'-flanking sequence contains all the cis-acting elements for directing high expression of Gdf9 to female (and male) germ cells. To define sequences responsible for oocyte expression of Gdf9, we analyzed sequences of Gdf9 genes from 16 mammalian species. The approximately 400 proximal base pairs upstream of these Gdf9 genes are highly conserved and contain a perfectly conserved E-box (CAGCTG) sequence. When this 400-bp region was placed upstream of a luciferase reporter (-0.4mGdf9-Luc), oocyte-specific expression was observed. However, a similar transgene construct (-0.4MUT-mGdf9-Luc) with a mutation in the E-box abolished oocyte expression. Likewise, the presence of an E-box mutation in a longer construct (-3.3MUT-mGdf9-Luc) abolished expression in the ovary but not in the testis. These observations indicate that the E-box is a key regulatory sequence for Gdf9 expression in the ovary.
An affordable, long-lasting, and autonomous theft detection and tracking system

The AutoWitness project aims to deter, detect, and track theft of everyday objects using a combination of ultra low-power mobile tags and a wide-area network of static anchors. Key research challenges include dramatically driving down the cost and size of tags and increasing their lifetime, discriminating between normal activities and theft using motion detection and classification algorithms, reconstructing getaway trajectories from sparse anchor rendezvous, and ensuring sufficient coverage and connectivity in a sparse, wide-area network of anchors. The demonstration will show AutoWitness in operation including motion detection, classifying theft signatures, and tracking the trajectories of "stolen" objects near the conference venue.
The Role of Plant Disease Epidemiology in Developing Successful Integrated Disease Management Programs

The role of initial inoculum (yo), rate (r) of pathogen or disease development (infection), and period of time (t) that the pathogen and host populations interact during the cropping period is revisited in modeling plant disease epidemics. The importance of quantitative informations and the relationship between initial inoculum and the rate of disease development represent key elements for identification of the most useful disease models to be used. For effective Integrated Disease Management of monocyclic or polycyclic epidemics, temporal population growth models of plant disease epidemics (monomolecular, exponential, logistic and Gompertz population models) are presented. Sanitation and disease management principles (exclusion, avoidance, eradication, protection, resistance and therapy) are described. Finally, the integration of IPM practices, at the disease components level, with Lieberg’s Law of the Minimum is discussed.
A mathematical model of rat cortical collecting duct: determinants of the transtubular potassium gradient.

In assessing disorders of potassium excretion, urine composition is used to calculate the transtubular gradient (TTKG), as an estimate of tubule fluid concentration, at a point when the fluid was l...
HASHIMOTO THYROIDITIS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with several autoimmune diseases. This study assessed whether vitamin D deficiency is associated with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT). Methods: Two groups o...
Natural Antibodies as Rheostats for Susceptibility to Chronic Diseases in the Aged

Natural antibodies are spontaneously produced in the absence of infection or immunization, and are both anti-microbial and autoreactive. Autoreactive natural antibodies can bind noxious molecules, such as those involved in clinical situations of atherosclerosis (oxLDL), malignancy (NGcGM3), and neurodegeneration (amyloid, tau) and can affect the fate of their targets or the cells bearing them to maintain homeostasis. Clinically relevant natural antibodies have been shown to decline with advancing age in those few situations where measurements have been made. Consistent with this, human B-1 cells that are thought to be responsible for generating natural antibodies also decline with advancing age. These findings together suggest that an age-related decline in amount or efficacy of homeostatic natural antibodies is associated with relative loss of protection against molecules involved in several diseases whose incidence rises in the older age population, and that those individuals experiencing greatest loss are at greatest risk. In this view, natural antibodies act as rheostats for susceptibility to several age-related diseases. These considerations suggest that administration of natural antibodies, or of factors that maintain B-1 cells and/or enhance production of natural antibodies by B-1 cells, may serve to counteract the onset or progression of age-related chronic illness.
Assessing the impact of graphical quality on automatic text recognition in digital maps

Converting geographic features (e.g., place names) in map images into a vector format is the first step for incorporating cartographic information into a geographic information system (GIS). With the advancement in computational power and algorithm design, map processing systems have been considerably improved over the last decade. However, the fundamental map processing techniques such as color image segmentation, (map) layer separation, and object recognition are sensitive to minor variations in graphical properties of the input image (e.g., scanning resolution). As a result, most map processing results would not meet user expectations if the user does not "properly" scan the map of interest, pre-process the map image (e.g., using compression or not), and train the processing system, accordingly. These issues could slow down the further advancement of map processing techniques as such unsuccessful attempts create a discouraged user community, and less sophisticated tools would be perceived as more viable solutions. Thus, it is important to understand what kinds of maps are suitable for automatic map processing and what types of results and process-related errors can be expected. In this paper, we shed light on these questions by using a typical map processing task, text recognition, to discuss a number of map instances that vary in suitability for automatic processing. We also present an extensive experiment on a diverse set of scanned historical maps to provide measures of baseline performance of a standard text recognition tool under varying map conditions (graphical quality) and text representations (that can vary even within the same map sheet). Our experimental results help the user understand what to expect when a fully or semi-automatic map processing system is used to process a scanned map with certain (varying) graphical properties and complexities in map content. We discuss the impact of graphical quality on automatic map processing.We include a comprehensive experiment covering a wide range of map products.We report our findings on the tested map products under varying image resolutions.
Endobronchial Ultrasound: Clinical Uses and Professional Reimbursements

Endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS) has become an invaluable tool in the diagnosis of patients with a variety of thoracic abnormalities. The majority of EBUS procedures are used to diagnose and stage mediastinal and hilar abnormalities, as well as peripheral pulmonary targets, with a probe-based technology. Nearly 1,000 articles have been written about its use and utility. New Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes have been introduced in 2016 to better capture the work and clinical use associated with the various types of EBUS procedures. The existing 31620 code has been deleted and replaced by three new codes: 31652, 31653, and 31654. These new codes have been through the valuation process, and the new rule for reimbursement has been active since January 1, 2016 with National Correct Coding Initiative correction as of April 1, 2016. The impact of these new codes will result in a net reduction in professional and technical reimbursement. This article describes the current use of EBUS and explains the current codes and professional reimbursement.
Robust speech recognition from ratio masks

Robustness against noise is crucial for automatic speech recognition systems in real-world environments. In this paper, we propose a novel approach that performs robust ASR by directly recognizing ratio masks. In the proposed approach, a deep neural network (DNN) is first trained to estimate the ideal ratio mask (IRM) from a noisy utterance and then a convolutional neural network (CNN) is employed to recognize estimated IRMs. The proposed approach has been evaluated on the TIDigits corpus, and the results demonstrate that direct recognition of ratio masks outperforms direct recognition of binary masks and traditional MMSE-HMM based method for robust ASR.
Strategies for Effective Eating Development—SEEDS: Design of an Obesity Prevention Program to Promote Healthy Food Preferences and Eating Self-Regulation in Children From Low-Income Families

Abstract Objective To develop a scientifically based childhood obesity prevention program supporting child eating self-regulation and taste preferences. This article describes the research methods for the Strategies for Effective Eating Development program. A logic model is provided that depicts a visual presentation of the activities that will be used to guide the development of the prevention program. Design Randomized, controlled prevention program, pretest, posttest, 6 months, and 12 months. Setting Two sites: Houston, TX and Pasco, WA. Each trial will last 7 weeks with 8–10 mother–child dyads in each arm (prevention and control). Participants Recruitment at Head Start districts (Texas; n = 160) and Inspire Child Development Center including Early Childhood Education and Head Start (Washington; n = 160). Sixteen trials with 16–20 parent–child dyads per trial will provide adequate power to detect moderate effects. Intervention Multicomponent family-based prevention program incorporating a dialogue approach to adult learning and self-determination theory. Main Outcome Measures Child assessments will include observed taste preferences, caloric compensation, and eating in the absence of hunger. Parent assessments will include parent-reported feeding, feeding emotions, acculturation, child eating behaviors, child food preferences, and child dietary intake. Heights and weights will be measured for parent and child. Analysis A multilevel growth modeling analysis will be employed to consider the nested nature of the data: time points (level 1) within families (level 2) within trials (level 3).
Chemopreventive properties of 3,3′-diindolylmethane in breast cancer: evidence from experimental and human studies

Diet is a modifiable factor associated with the risk of several cancers, with convincing evidence showing a link between diet and breast cancer. The role of bioactive compounds of food origin, including those found in cruciferous vegetables, is an active area of research in cancer chemoprevention. This review focuses on 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM), the major bioactive indole in crucifers. Research of the cancer-preventive activity of DIM has yielded basic mechanistic, animal, and human trial data. Further, this body of evidence is largely supported by observational studies. Bioactive DIM has demonstrated chemopreventive activity in all stages of breast cancer carcinogenesis. This review describes current evidence related to the metabolism and mechanisms of DIM involved in the prevention of breast cancer. Importantly, this review also focuses on current evidence from human observational and intervention trials that have contributed to a greater understanding of exposure estimates that will inform recommendations for DIM intake.
Importance of hyperglucagonemia in eliciting the sepsis-induced increase in glucose production.

The plasma concentration of various catabolic hormones, including glucagon and catecholamines, is elevated in sepsis. Furthermore, the infusion of these hormones into control animals increases the rate of glucose production. Previous studies by our laboratory have demonstrated that adrenergic blockade alone is not able to reverse or prevent the sepsis-induced increase in glucose metabolism. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine whether the sepsis-induced hyperglucagonemia was important to maintain the elevation in glucose metabolism. Hypermetabolic sepsis was produced in chronically catheterized conscious rats by repeated subcutaneous injections of Escherichia coli. Glucose kinetics, assessed by the constant i.v. infusion of [6-3H]- and [U-14C]-glucose, were determined in septic and nonseptic rats prior to and for 3-4 hr after the infusion of somatostatin with or without insulin replacement. Sepsis increased the rate of glucose appearance (80%), recycling (276%), and metabolic clearance (88%), as well as the plasma lactate concentration (140%), compared to nonseptic rats. Lowering both the insulin and glucagon concentration with somatostatin did not attenuate the sepsis-induced increases in glucose metabolism. However, when the hyperglucagonemia was selectively reduced by replacing insulin, and euglycemia was maintained by a glucose infusion, the elevated rate of endogenous glucose production returned to levels not different from nonseptic animals. In contrast, the sepsis-induced elevation of glucose clearance was unaltered under these conditions. These results indicate that during hypermetabolic sepsis the elevated glucagon level is an important mediator of the enhanced rate of gluconeogenesis.
The carrot: Executive compensation, risk-taking, and innovation

Managers of firms with excess cash tend to misuse it. We extend the Radner-Shepp- Shiryaev framework, to create an incentive mechanism (the ‘carrot’) to motivate managers to pay out the cash instead. The problem cannot be solved in closed- form, and we devise a numerical technique to solve it. We find two main counter intuitive results: First, our mechanism results in higher firm value, and the greatest value goes to firms that are mid-level in their innovation. Second, we find that our mechanism increases risk-taking and interestingly, this is optimal to firm value maximization.
On the Possibility of Generating Doppler-Like Frequency Shifts of Spectral Lines by Scattering from Space-Time Fluctuations

It has been demonstrated in recent years that the statistical properties of a source affect the spatial distribution of energy that the source generates1Within the last few years it has also been shown both theoretically2 and experimentally3 that, in general, the statistical properties of a source also affect the distribution of energy in the spectrum of radiated fields; and that the changes may be such as to result in frequency shifts of spectral lines4Very recently it was predicted that similar spectral changes may also occur on scattering from random media5In the present paper we will show theoretically that scattering from media whose physical properties vary randomly both in space and time and are suitably correlated will imitate the Doppler effect, even though the source of the radiation, the scattering medium and the observer are at rest with respect to each other.
National Spherical Torus eXperiment

Abstract The National Spherical Torus eXperiment (NSTX) is a medium-sized, low-aspect ratio, spherical tokamak (ST) whose aims are to study 1) the unique physics properties of the ST, 2) complement higher aspect ratio tokamak physics and support ITER, and 3) establish attractive ST operating regimes for future ST-based fusion energy producing devices. Research on NSTX over the past 15 years has been broadly based. Transport and turbulence studies focused on identifying the source of the highly anomalous and dominant electron energy transport, as well as electromagnetic effects on turbulence, in neutral beam and radio frequency heated L- and H-mode plasmas. Macrostability research has identified the importance of kinetic effects in determining high-b T stability, and a multi-parameter-based algorithm was developed capable of predicting plasma disruptions with a near 95% success rate. Energetic particle driven Alfven Eigenmodes were found to have a significant effect on the fast ion population and resulting beam-driven non-inductive current drive profiles. High heat fluxes were mitigated successfully by operating in a “snowflake” divertor configuration, and test stand studies revealed the surface chemistry necessary to understand lithium wall conditioning, a technique used routinely during the last half of NSTX’s operational lifetime. Finally, solenoid-free operation studies explored non-inductive generation and maintenance of the plasma current; non-inductive operation is a critical component of future ST devices. NSTX has just undergone a major upgrade, which allows for an expanded operating and physics parameter range. The Upgrade also includes the addition of a second, more tangentially directed, neutral beam injector for added power and pressure and current profile control. NSTX-Upgrade operation commenced in 2015.
Interethnic Communication: The Context and the Behavior

Issues of ethnicity and interethnic interaction have been extensively investigated across social science disciplines for several decades. This essay presents an overview of some of the concepts that are prominent in the literature and proposes a conceptual framework in which many of the existing concepts can be integrated from a communication viewpoint. The current description of interethnic communication is grounded in some of the metatheoretical assumptions of pragmatism and systems theory, which emphasize the inseparability and interdependence of the context and the behavior of communication in any given interethnic encounter. Based on this perspective, interethnic communication is conceptualized in the form of a transactional matrix that consists of the behavior (encoding and decoding) and three layers of the context: the communicator, the situation, and the environment.
Terrestrial–aquatic linkages in spring-fed and snowmelt-dominated streams

ABSTRACTThe importance of trophic linkages between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems is predicted to vary as a function of subsidy quantity and quality relative to in situ resources. To test this prediction, I used multi-year diet data from Bonneville cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki Utah in spring-fed and snowmelt-driven streams in the high desert of western North America. I documented that trout in spring-fed streams consumed more (number and weight) aquatic than terrestrial invertebrates, while trout in snowmelt-driven streams consumed a similar number of both prey types but consumed more terrestrial than aquatic invertebrates by weight. Trout in spring-fed streams consumed more aquatic invertebrates than trout in snowmelt streams and trout consumed more terrestrial invertebrates in snowmelt than in spring-fed streams. Up to 93% of trout production in spring-fed streams and 60% in snowmelt streams was fueled by aquatic invertebrates, while the remainder of trout production in each stream type was f...
Paranovirus: Bridging Realities Using Digital Media Simulations

What is "real" can become muddled when immersive media, the imagination, and our senses overlap-as anyone who has read a scary novel on a stormy night will tell you. In the spirit of making dreams tangible, this paper reimagines how concepts from science fiction films and novels can be applied to interactions between physical reality, simulations, and the imagination. Models of presence and cognition inform a set of design principles and tactics for displaying simulations in the form of subliminal or preconscious media, which evoke the imagination to cause the simulations to appear to be physically real. Potential for abuse of such technology is illustrated through Paranovirus, a malicious software concept which infects Augmented Reality (AR) glasses and enables bad actors to covertly influence the behavior and mental states of individuals.
Abstract 1779: Chronic NSAID use increases survival inPIK3CA-altered head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Background: PIK3CA is the most commonly altered oncogene in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Chronic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) use has been shown to reduce mortality in PIK3CA-mutated colorectal cancer through an unknown mechanism. In this retrospective cohort analysis, we evaluated the impact of NSAIDs on HNSCC survival, and sought a biologically plausible explanation for the observed effect. Methods: The PIK3CA status of tumor tissue was determined by FISH and next generation sequencing for 266 HNSCC patients treated at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. Cox joint proportional hazards models were used to generate multivariate projections of disease-specific (DSS) and overall survival (OS). Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) secretion and NSAID sensitivity were then assessed in HNSCC cell lines with or without PIK3CA mutation. Results: Chronic NSAID use (≥2 days/week for ≥6 months) was associated with greater disease-specific (HR 0.24; 95% CI, 0.09 - 0.62; p = 0.0032) and overall survival (HR 0.31; 95% CI, 0.14 - 0.69; p = 0.0043) in patients whose tumors harbor PIK3CA mutation and/or amplification. Survival was unchanged by chronic NSAID use in patients with wild-type, unamplified PIK3CA. Chronic NSAID users with PIK3CA-altered tumors had an increase in estimated 5-year DSS from 25% to 72% and in OS from 45% to 78%. Benefit was independent of age, stage, and human papillomavirus (HPV) status; all of which were controlled for in the model. HNSCC cells with endogenous or engineered PIK3CA mutation secreted higher levels of PGE2 and were more sensitive to growth inhibition by NSAID treatment. Conclusions: Chronic NSAID use was associated with markedly improved survival in patients with PIK3CA-altered HNSCC, but not in those with wild-type, unamplified PIK3CA. Preclinical studies implicate the PI3K-COX-PGE2 signaling axis as a potential mediator of NSAID response. A prospective, randomized controlled trial of NSAIDs in patients with PIK3CA-altered HNSCC is warranted. Citation Format: Matthew Louis Hedberg, Noah Peyser, William Gooding, Hua Li, Toni Brand, Victor Olivas, Trever Bivona, Simion Choisea, Lin Wang, Jonas Johnson, Uma Duvvuri, Robert Ferris, Daniel Johnson, Patrick Ha, Julie Bauman, Jennifer Grandis. Chronic NSAID use increases survival in PIK3CA-altered head and neck squamous cell carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1779. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1779
Stress Analysis of an Artificial Human Elbow Joint: Application of Finite Element Analysis

The elbow joint is frequently affected by two kinds of arthritis (degenerative arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis) following some kind of injuries. There have been efforts since the eighteenth century by various individuals and organizations in modeling permanent implants for the elbow joint, but some of the prostheses have been disappointing because of lack of understanding of the biomechanics of the elbow joint. This paper presents investigation of the stress analysis of the fixation of artificial elbow joint into the humerus bone of the human arm. The Finite Element Analysis (FEA) technique is used to study the stress distribution. The Amira software is used to develop the humerus bone model from a Computed Tomography (CT) data set. Then, the MSC Marc Mentat software is used to create implant and cement-mantle models from geometrical entities. The Magics software is used alongside to achieve appropriate models for the analysis. The maximum principal and von Mises stresses are obtained for varying lengths of the implant at a fixed diameter and with the elbow at an angle of fixation.
Using software reuse to drive requirements

Software reuse can reduce development and maintenance costs. Reuse of software artefacts early in the life cycle increases potential savings, with the greatest savings possible when reuse is used to drive the requirements for a system.