cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A framework for transparently accessing deep web sources

An increasing number of Web sites expose their content via query interfaces, many of them offering the same type of products/services (e.g., flight tickets, car rental/purchasing). They constitute the so-called "Deep Web". Accessing the content on the Deep Web has been a long-standing challenge for the database community. For a user interested in obtaining information about products from alternative Web sites it is a daunting task to manually access them. Providing a uniform access to these sources is therefore of practical importance as it facilitates users to search and compare services/products of multiple providers. We aim to construct an integrated system that makes the access to individual sources transparent to users. To achieve this goal a number of problems need to be addressed. First, for a certain domain of discourse (e.g., real estate) a uniform query interface to the data sources has to be constructed. Second, a query formulated on the integrated interface needs to be translated into queries against interfaces of specific sources. Last, returned data by individual sources needs to be correctly extracted and the results ranked in descending order of desirability (e.g. price). In this dissertation I present a technique to extract Web query interfaces into a hierarchical representation and argue why the hierarchical representation is desirable in practice. I will also present a technique for constructing integrated Web query interfaces. Finally, I will discuss directions for future research: e.g., constructing meta-search engines over search engines that advertise spatial data, such as restaurants.
Essay #17: On Being Purely Psychological

This essay begins with a brief review of R.M. Chisholm’s quarter century of attempted analysis of what it is to be psychological. This process begins with his endeavor to support Brentano’s Thesis, which essentially connects the psychological and the intentional. My main objective is to give an exposition of his essay “On the Nature of the Psychological”, which has to be the deepest and most sustained analysis of the psychological of which I am aware. (This effort of Chisholm’s is not recommended for anyone unwilling to engage in sustained & deeply entwined conceptual analysis.)
A Randomized Phase II Study of Metformin plus Paclitaxel/Carboplatin/Bevacizumab in Patients with Chemotherapy-Naïve Advanced or Metastatic Nonsquamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background In the absence of a targeted oncogenic driver mutation or high programmed death-ligand 1 expression, systemic therapy with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab has been the standard treatment in advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Metformin has been shown to have antitumor effects via a variety of insulin-dependent and insulin-independent mechanisms and to be potentially synergistic with chemotherapy. Materials and methods This open-label single-center phase II study (NCT01578551) enrolled patients with chemotherapy-naive advanced or metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC and randomized them (3:1) to receive carboplatin, paclitaxel, and bevacizumab with (Arm A) or without (Arm B) concurrent metformin for four to six cycles followed by maintenance therapy with bevacizumab ± metformin continued until disease progression, intolerable toxicity, or study withdrawal. The primary outcome was 1-year progression free survival (PFS). Secondary outcomes included overall survival, response to therapy, and toxicity. Results A total of 25 patients were enrolled from August 2012 to April 2015, of whom 24 received at least one cycle of therapy administration. The study was stopped early due to slow accrual and changes in standard first-line therapy of advanced NSCLC. The 1-year PFS on Arm A (n = 18) was 47% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 25%-88%), which exceeded the historical control 1-year PFS of 15%. Median overall survival of patients treated on Arm A was 15.9 months (95% CI: 8.4-not available [NA]) and 13.9 months (95% CI: 12.7-NA) on Arm B. There were no significant differences in toxicity between the study arms. Conclusion To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to show a significant benefit in PFS with the use of metformin in this patient population and is a signal of efficacy for metformin in advanced NSCLC. Implications for practice The anticancer effects of metformin continue to be elucidated. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first trial in nondiabetic advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients to show a significant change in outcome with the addition of metformin to standard first-line chemotherapy. Well tolerated and widely available, metformin is a drug that should be considered for further study in the lung cancer treatment landscape.
Surgical Avoidance and Management of Operative Complications

Open radical cystectomy is associated with overall complication rates approaching 70 % when utilizing strict reporting criteria. There is increasing popularity in the use of robotic assistance when performing radical cystectomy with the goal of decreasing patient morbidity through minimally invasive surgery. In this chapter, we will briefly review perioperative and postoperative outcomes while focusing on the avoidance and management of complications during robot-assisted radical cystectomy.
Inhibition of backpropagating action potentials in mitral cell secondary dendrites.

The mammalian olfactory bulb is a geometrically organized signal-processing array that utilizes lateral inhibitory circuits to transform spatially patterned inputs. A major part of the lateral circ...
Malignant melanoma of the oral cavity. Report of a case.

Abstract We have discussed in detail a case of malignant melanoma of the alveolar mucosa in a 64-year-old white woman who died of widespread metastases. The tumor had developed from a pre-existing pigmented patch which had been present for at least three years. The neoplasm was considered to have originated in the oral mucosa, since it met three reliable criteria set up by Green and associates. 7 Finally, it has been suggested that the higher incidence of malignant melanoma in the maxilla could be due to the presence of an increased number of active melanoblasts at this site.
Application of Computational Neural Networks to the Prediction of Protein Structural Features

The importance of a protein’s structure to understanding its function, interaction with other biomolecules, stability and even its possible redesign is apparent to the current generation of biochemists and molecular biologists. Unfortunately, while everyone would like detailed structural information about the protein of his or her interest, physical methods of structure determination, X-ray crystallography and multidimensional NMR can not realistically fulfill this need. Theoretical methods have so far failed to demonstrate their power in protein structure solution. Currently, the best prospect for satisfying the need for protein structural information appears to utilize the large database of three-dimensional protein structures which have been determined experimentally in correlation with the even larger database of protein sequences to find common features relating sequence to structure and conserved features of protein structures themselves. Computer simulated neural networks are a powerful, flexible and easy-to-use tool for extracting empirical relationships between sequence and structure. In this review the use of neural networks for the prediction of protein structural features will be discussed from a practical point of view. The capabilities and drawbacks of this approach will be highlighted and a summary given of what has been accomplished so far.
Photosynthesis and Sucrose Production

Starch and sucrose, key substrates for the development of dental caries, are exclusively synthesized by plants. They are made in plant leaves by a process called photosynthesis, which utilizes sunlight as the energy source. This chapter outlines the light and dark reactions of photosynthesis and compares the light reaction with mitochondrial electron transport (Sect. 1). The key dark reaction, the production of phosphoglycerate by the enzyme ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (rubisco), is described along with the production of fructose, sucrose, and starch (Sect. 2). The chapter concludes with a detailed discussion of the roles of starch and sucrose in plant metabolism (Sect. 3).
Social Space Diffusion: Applications of a Latent Space Model to Diffusion with Uncertain Ties.

Social networks represent two different facets of social life: (1) stable paths for diffusion, or the spread of something through a connected population, and (2) random draws from an underlying soc...
Place-based Curriculum Design: Exceeding Standards through Local Investigations

Place-based Curriculum Design provides pre-service and practicing teachers both the rationale and tools to create and integrate meaningful, place-based learning experiences for students. Practical, classroom-based curricular examples illustrate how teachers can engage the local and still be accountable to the existing demands of federal, state, and district mandates. Coverage includes connecting the curriculum to students’ outside-of-school lives; using local phenomena or issues to enhance students’ understanding of discipline-based questions; engaging in in-depth explorations of local issues and events to create cross-disciplinary learning experiences, and creating units or sustained learning experiences aimed at engendering social and environmental renewal. An on-line resource (www.routledge.com/9781138013469) provides supplementary materials, including curricular templates, tools for reflective practice, and additional materials for instructors and students.
Digital Technology: Impact and Opportunities in Dental Education

Dental schools are complex social systems that depend on human capital. Thus, change to permit innovation is also dependent on the behavior of people. Rogers described the challenges of adopting digital technology innovation in such settings.[1][1] He noted there will be ambitious early adopters and
Lattice methods for students at a formal TASI

These lectures about lattice field theory were written for, and given at, TASI 2019, ``The many dimensions of quantum field theory.'' The students at this TASI were mostly interested in formal things, and so these are slightly unusual lattice lectures: I wanted to give the physical motivation behind lattice calculations rather than describe all the technical details. A quick outline: (1) The really big picture: lattice basics, lattice confinement, getting rid of the lattice. (2) A walk through the parts of a lattice calculation -- an overview, to show what's involved. (3) Chiral fermions on the lattice. (This part might be interesting to lattice people.) (4) Case studies: the three dimensional Ising model, and QCD.
Delivering a Post-Partum Weight Loss Intervention via Facebook or In-Person Groups: Protocol for a Randomized Feasibility Pilot Trial.

BACKGROUND Postpartum weight retention contributes to long-term weight gain and obesity for many women. Lifestyle interventions with numerous visits are logistically challenging for many postpartum women. Delivering a lifestyle intervention via social media may overcome logistic challenges to participation in in-person weight loss programs. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to conduct a randomized feasibility pilot trial of a 6-month postpartum weight loss intervention delivered via Facebook or in-person groups with 72 postpartum women with overweight or obesity. METHODS Women with overweight or obesity who are 8 weeks to 12 months postpartum (N=72) will be recruited from the Hartford, Connecticut community. Eligible participants must also own an iPhone or Android smartphone and be an active Facebook user. Participants will receive a 6-month postpartum weight loss intervention based on the Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle intervention and adapted for postpartum women. Participants will be randomized to receive the intervention via a private Facebook group or in-person group meetings. Assessments will occur at baseline, weekly during the intervention, at 6 months (at the end of the intervention), and at 12 months. Primary feasibility outcomes are recruitment, sustained participation, contamination, retention, and feasibility of assessment procedures including measurement of costs to deliver and receive the intervention. We will describe 6- and 12-month weight loss as an exploratory outcome. RESULTS Recruitment began in September 2018. The first wave of the intervention began in February 2019, and the second wave of the intervention is expected to begin in fall 2019. We anticipate completing follow-up assessments in fall 2020, and results will be analyzed at that time. CONCLUSIONS Results will inform the design of a large randomized controlled trial to assess whether delivering a postpartum weight loss intervention via Facebook is noninferior for weight loss and more cost-effective than delivering the intervention via traditional in-person groups. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/15530.
The more-than-human right to the city: A multispecies reevaluation

The right to the city theory was born from a desire to challenge power and decision-making processes in the urban space that privilege certain groups over others. Growing neoliberalist ideals have ...
Therapeutic Effects of Lyophilized Conditioned-Medium Derived from Corneal Mesenchymal Stromal Cells on Corneal Epithelial Wound Healing

Objectives: The conditioned-medium derived from corneal mesenchymal stromal cells (cMSCs) has been shown to have wound healing and immunomodulatory effects in corneal injury models. Here, the thera...
Application of three methods applied in detecting plague antibody in plague surveillance in Junggar Basin

Objective To compare the effects of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),indirect hemagglutination test(IHA) and colloidal gold immunochromatography (GICA) in detecting plague F1 antibody in Junggar Basin.Methods The three methods were applied synchronously,and the positive rates and reaction titers of plague F1 antibody were compared.Results Of the 265 samples of rodent serum collected in the nine regions,the positive rates of ELISA,IHA and GICA were 10.5％ (28/265),7.17％ (19/265) and 6.79％ (18/265),respectively; the average titers of ELISA(25.107) was higher than that of IHA(23.894,t =2.358,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The sensitivity of ELISA is higher than that of IHA and GICA,which provides a useful information in choosing appropriate method for detection of plague F1 antibody.Synchronized application of the three methods in plague surveillance could improve the accuracy of surveillance data. Key words: Junggar Basin; Plague; Antibody
Nurse, oncologist, and patient impressions of electronic symptom monitoring via patient-reported outcomes in community oncology practices: Qualitative results from the U.S. national PRO-TECT trial (AFT-39, NCT03249090).

7044Background: There is growing interest to implement electronic patient-reported outcomes in oncology practices for symptom monitoring. It is not well known what nurse, physician, and patient imp...
Anticoagulation in COVID-19: Effect of Enoxaparin, Heparin, and Apixaban on Mortality.

Background Mortality in coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with increases in prothrombotic parameters, particularly D-dimer levels. Anticoagulation has been proposed as therapy to decrease mortality, often adjusted for illness severity. Objective We wanted to investigate whether anticoagulation improves survival in COVID-19 and if this improvement in survival is associated with disease severity. Methods This is a cohort study simulating an intention-to-treat clinical trial, by analyzing the effect on mortality of anticoagulation therapy chosen in the first 48 hours of hospitalization. We analyzed 3,625 COVID-19+ inpatients, controlling for age, gender, glomerular filtration rate, oxygen saturation, ventilation requirement, intensive care unit admission, and time period, all determined during the first 48 hours. Results Adjusted logistic regression analyses demonstrated a significant decrease in mortality with prophylactic use of apixaban (odds ratio [OR] 0.46, p = 0.001) and enoxaparin (OR = 0.49, p = 0.001). Therapeutic apixaban was also associated with decreased mortality (OR 0.57, p = 0.006) but was not more beneficial than prophylactic use when analyzed over the entire cohort or within D-dimer stratified categories. Higher D-dimer levels were associated with increased mortality (p 10 µg/mL derived the most benefit. There was no increase in transfusion requirement with any of the anticoagulants used. Conclusion We conclude that COVID-19+ patients with moderate or severe illness benefit from anticoagulation and that apixaban has similar efficacy to enoxaparin in decreasing mortality in this disease.
Do Managers Learn from Short Sellers? Evidence from Corporate Acquisitions

We examine how the exemption of short-sale uptick tests due to the Regulation SHO pilot program affects managers’ decisions to abandon value-reducing acquisition attempts. We find that when deciding whether to abandon value-reducing acquisition attempts during the pilot program, managers of pilot firms, whose stocks are less subject to short selling impediments, are more sensitive to stock price changes than managers of nonpilot firms. We find no difference in managers’ sensitivity prior to nor post the program. These results suggest that, despite managers’ repugnance toward short sellers, they learn more from stock price changes when short sellers are less impeded.
Aligning and Forecasting Caregiver Needs Within Consumer Health Informatics Design: A Patient Ergonomics Perspective

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has subjected affected families to rigorous, unprecedented demands. Consumer health informatics (CHI) is suggested as a formidable intervention to aid in necessary health management for people with AD. Although CHI’s have been developed to support chronic disease management, research is still needed to translate knowledge gained regarding patient work into CHI design in order to better represent the needs of AD caregivers. Patient ergonomics recognizes the efforts (i.e. work) that individuals put forth towards the treatment and maintenance of their health and thus was used to inform the design of targeted CHI. Participatory design and human factors methods were used to produce AD caregiver-generated data which were translated into recommended CHI application features for this population of health consumers.
Outside, Inside, Inside, Out: Different Genes Contribute to Cardioembolic Stroke in Indian Populations.

It is the goal of genetic researchers to discover new genetic loci associated with specific phenotypes that influence systems biology affecting specific phenotypes of disease. The working hypothesis is that “outside” expression of phenotypes such as stroke are affected by the “inside” genetic variation that influence the biology and biochemistry of humans. In the case of stroke, these genetic associations often aid in the prediction and causes of stroke. However, the true scientific value of stroke genome-wide association studies (GWAS) is the identification of new biological pathways affecting the penetrance of stroke phenotypes. In this context, genes are not merely purveyors of risk but act as tools for identifying key biological mechanisms that offer new solutions such as drug targets and nonpharmaceutical clinical approaches. There are an estimated 30,000 genes in the human genome. Each of these influence subtle and complex molecular mechanisms. One gene in the context of 1 environment, or gene ecology, can have a very different effect in the context of another clinical environment. By studying ethnically distinct populations in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium within their environments, we can see how stroke is influenced by different genes in different environments.
Sharing dark sides on game service platforms: Disruptive behaviors and toxicity in DOTA2 through a platform lens:

Toxicity continues to have a strong presence in online environments. This is particularly true for digital entertainment like online games. Toxicity is an important topic as it impacts game develop...
Phylogenetic Perspectives on the Origins and Evolution of Nodulation in the Legumes and Allies

Despite the importance of the Leguminosae, the third largest family of flowering plants with some 670 genera and 18,000 species (Polhill et al. 1981; Polhill 1994), many questions remain concerning relationships both within the family and between it and other families. Recent advances in legume phylogeny have been spurred by the availability of molecular data, and are thus part of the more general explosion of phylogenetic studies in the flowering plants (Doyle 1995).
The State of Constitutionalism in Kenya in 2012: Embarking on a Journey to Reestablish a New Order

After a strenuous journey of 20 years, perhaps longer, Kenya adopted and promulgated a new constitution on 27th August 2010. Before the adoption and promulgation of the constitution, the highly controversial and long standing constitutional review process had been the subject of debate and inquiry for years, including in earlier editions of the State of Constitutionalism reports. The review process encompassed the aspirations of Kenyans who sought to address multiple constitutional and governance problems that had blighted constitutionalism and Kenya’s democratic evolution for decades. Kivuva captures these aspirations aptly:66 [...] those clamouring for a new constitution did not just want to restructure the government and redefine their relationship to it; they also wanted to solve a number of governance problems associated with the country’s previous governments. These included: rethinking the logic of state power vis-a-vis the citizenry; re-asserting the correct relationships between the three branches of government; reforming state institutions; re-defining the relationship between the central (or national) government and the sub- national (or regional) governance structures; and instituting a new culture of leadership oriented towards redressing social exclusion. In summary, it can be stated that Kenyans yearned for a more inclusive, accountable and caring government founded on the rule of law. Arguing that the aspirations expressed during the review process have been achieved, largely with the adoption of the new constitution, this chapter documents the state of constitutionalism, democratic evolution and governance in Kenya for the year 2012. As emerges from the report, significant milestones were achieved. Other than the year 2010 when the constitution was adopted and promulgated, it can indeed be argued that 2012 was perhaps the most critical year in Kenya’s evolving constitutionalism. This is the year when the implementation of the constitution gathered steam as the country prepared for the 2013 general elections – the first under this constitution. Other than outlining key features of the new constitution, the report outlines key timelines, legislative developments, key policy decisions and major court decisions related to the evolving constitutional and governance project in Kenya.
Advances in Methods to Characterize Ligand-Induced Ionic Lock and Rotamer Toggle Molecular Switch in G Protein-Coupled Receptors

Structural biology of GPCRs has made significant progress upon recently developed technologies for GPCRs expression/purification and elucidation of GPCRs crystal structures. The crystal structures provide a snapshot of the receptor structural disposition of GPCRs itself or with cocrystallized ligands, and the results are congruent with biophysical and computer modeling studies reported about GPCRs conformational and dynamics flexibility, regulated activation, and the various stabilizing interactions, such as “molecular switches.” The molecular switches generally constitute the most conserved domains within a particular GPCR superfamily. Often agonist-induced receptor activation proceeds by the disruption of majority of these interactions, while antagonist and inverse agonist act as blockers and structural stabilizers, respectively. Several elegant studies, particularly for the β2AR, have demonstrated the relationship between ligand structure, receptor conformational changes, and corresponding pharmacological outcomes. Thus, it is of great importance to understand GPCRs activation related to cell signaling pathways. Herein, we summarize the steps to produce functional GPCRs, generate suitably fluorescent labeled GPCRs and the procedure to use that to understand if ligand-induced activation can proceed by activation of the GPCRs via ionic lock switch and/or rotamer toggle switch mechanisms. Such understanding of ligand structure and mechanism of receptor activation will provide great insight toward uncovering newer pathways of GPCR activation and aid in structure-based drug design.
Lipids of ocular tissues. 3. The phospholipids of mature bovine iris.

The phospholipids of mature bovine iris were studied, with the following results: (1) Phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine are the major phospholipids (38 and 29%, respectively), followed by sphingomyelin (14%), phosphatidyl serine (9%) and phosphatidyl inositol (5%). (2) The fatty acids of the glycerophospholipids are mostly 16 and 18 carbon saturates and mono-unsaturates, with small amounts of 18:2 and 20:4. Sphingomyelin is made up entirely of saturated and mono-unsaturated acids of chain lengths 16 to 24.
Time course of ion channel development in Xenopus muscle induced in vitro by activin.

During the process of mesoderm specification in Xenopus embryos, cells of the equatorial region are induced to form mesoderm in response to signals from the underlying endodermal cells. One mesodermal cell type resulting from this in vivo induction is skeletal muscle, which has a very specific and tightly regulated course of electrical and morphological development. Previously, electrical development could be analyzed only after neurulation, once myocytes could be morphologically identified. In vitro, activin triggers a cascade of events leading to the development of specific mesodermal tissues, including skeletal muscle; however, the precise role of activin in vivo is less clear. Much is now known about the mechanism and control of activin action, but very little is known about the subsequent time course of differentiation of activin-induced muscle. Such muscle is routinely identified by the presence of a small number of specific markers which, although they accurately confirm the presence of muscle, give little indication of the time course or quantitative aspects of muscle development. One of the most important functional aspects of muscle development is the acquisition of the complex electrical properties which allow it to function normally. Here we assess the ability of activin to drive in vitro the normal highly regulated sequence of electrical development in skeletal muscle. We find that in most, but not all, respects the normal time course of development of voltage-gated ion currents is well reproduced in activin-induced muscle. This characterization strengthens the case for activin as an agent capable of inducing the detailed developmental program of muscle and now allows for analysis of the regulation of electrical development prior to neurulation.
Provision of environmental goods on potentially abandoned land : the White Carpathian protected landscape area

At the beginning of the transition, the economic decline of agriculture partially relaxed the pressure on the wildlife. However, the policy continued to concentrate on regulating the intensity of production rather then creating incentives to produce environmental qualities. The structural adjustment process in agriculture caused the low return (poor) land to be released from production, especially, in protection zones with severe environmental restrictions. Land abandonment resulted in a rapid degradation of wildlife and landscape in places where these natural values were legally protected. The article examines the organisation of the provision of landscape and wildlife in the White Carpathians protected landscape area after 1997, when the new agricultural legislation and policy recognised compensations for restrictions and has gradually introduced incentives to cultivate potentially abandoned land. It was found that there was more than one governance structure, and that these were not necessary supporting each other. Our investigation concluded that solving the conservation problem is not separable from the rural development problem of the region, and therefore, that there is a need for participation of local community in terms of contributing producers but mainly consumers of high natural values.
Separation of Folic Acid Reductase from Streptococcus faecium (ATCC 8043)

A strain of Streptococcus faecium (ATCC 8043) which is highly resistant to the antifolic acid compound, amethopterin, was gently ruptured by exposing protoplasts of the organism to a hypotonic solution. The crude lysate resulting there-from was treated by various chemical and physical techniques designed to separate folic acid reductase from dihydrofolic acid reductase. In the process, the enzyme was purified approximately 160-fold; however, throughout the process, the enzyme preparation maintained the ability to reduce folic acid to tetrahydrofolic acid. Attempts to isolate mutants showing a deficiency in either folic acid reductase or dihydrofolic acid reductase were unsuccessful. Based on these results, it is concluded that folic acid is reduced to tetrahydrofolic acid by one enzyme in S. faecium (ATCC 8043). The crude lysate was also subjected to ultracentrifugation. An analysis of the supernatant fluid and the sediment indicated that the reductive activity is located in the soluble fraction of the cell.
Properties of Bacillus subtilis small, acid-soluble spore proteins with changes in the sequence recognized by their specific protease.

Abstract Alpha/beta-type small, acid-soluble proteins (SASP) of dormant spores of Bacillus subtilis bind to DNA and increase its resistance to a variety of damaging agents both in vivo and in vitro. When spores germinate, degradation of alpha/beta-type SASP is rapidly initiated by a sequence-specific protease, which is termed GPR. Three mutations have been introduced into the B. subtilis sspC gene, which codes for the wild-type alpha/beta-type SASP SspCwt; all three mutations change residues in the highly conserved sequence recognized by GPR. In one mutant protein (SspCV), residue 33 (Ser) was changed to Val; in the second (SspCDL), residues 30 and 31 (Glu and Ile) were changed to Asp and Leu, respectively; and in the third mutant protein (SspCDLV), residues 30, 31, and 33 were changed to Asp, Leu, and Val. All three mutant proteins were rapidly degraded by GPR during spore germination, and SspCDL and SspCDLV were degraded by GPR in vitro at rates 8 to 9% of that for SspCwt, although not exclusively at the single site cleaved by GPR in SspCwt. These results indicate (i) that the sequence specificity of GPR is broader than originally imagined and (ii) that GPR can cleave the sequence in SspCDLV. Since the latter sequence is identical to that cleaved during the proteolytic activation of GPR, this result further supports an autoprocessing model for GPR activation during sporulation. The properties of these mutant proteins were also examined, both in vivo in B. subtilis spores and in Escherichia coli and in vitro with purified protein. SspC(v) interacted with DNA similarly to SspC(wt) in vivo, resorting UV and heat resistance to spores lacking major alpha/beta-type SASP to the same extent as SspC(wt). In contrasst, SspC(DL) had much less effect on DNA properties in vivo and bound strongly only to poly(dG) . poly(dC) in vitro; SspC(DLV) exhibited only weak binding to poly(dG).poly(dC) in vitro. These results confirm the importance of the conserved primary sequence of alpha/beta-type SASP in the binding of these proteins to spore DNA and alteration of DNA properties and show further that the GRP recognition region in alpha/beta-type SASP plays some role in DNA binding.
Penalized Ordinal Regression Methods for Predicting Stage of Cancer in High-Dimensional Covariate Spaces

The pathological description of the stage of a tumor is an important clinical designation and is considered, like many other forms of biomedical data, an ordinal outcome. Currently, statistical methods for predicting an ordinal outcome using clinical, demographic, and high-dimensional correlated features are lacking. In this paper, we propose a method that fits an ordinal response model to predict an ordinal outcome for high-dimensional covariate spaces. Our method penalizes some covariates (high-throughput genomic features) without penalizing others (such as demographic and/or clinical covariates). We demonstrate the application of our method to predict the stage of breast cancer. In our model, breast cancer subtype is a nonpenalized predictor, and CpG site methylation values from the Illumina Human Methylation 450K assay are penalized predictors. The method has been made available in the ordinalgmifs package in the R programming environment.
The Numerical Optimization of Distributed Parameter Systems by Gradient Methods

Abstract : The numerical optimization of distributed parameter systems is considered. In particular the adaptation of the Davidon method, the conjugate gradient method, and the best step steepest descent method to distributed parameters is presented. The class of problems with quadratic cost functionals and linear dynamics is investigated. Penalty functions are used to render constrained problems amenable to these gradient techniques. Also considered is an analysis of the effects of discretization of continuous distributed parameter optimal control problems. Estimates of discretization error bounds are established and a measure of the suboptimality of the numerical solution is presented.
New tests of cumulative prospect theory and the priority heuristic: Probability-outcome tradeoff with branch splitting

Previous tests of cumulative prospect theory (CPT) and of the priority heuristic (PH) found evidence contradicting these two models of risky decision making. However, those tests were criticized because they had characteristics that might ”trigger” use of other heuristics. This paper presents new tests that avoid those characteristics. Expected values of the gambles are nearly equal in each choice. In addition, if a person followed expected value (EV), expected utility (EU), CPT, or PH in these tests, she would shift her preferences in the same direction as shifts in EV or EU. In contrast, the transfer of attention exchange model (TAX) and a similarity model predict that people will reverse preferences in the opposite direction. Results contradict the PH, even when PH is modified to include a preliminary similarity evaluation using the PH parameters. New tests of probability-consequence interaction were also conducted. Strong interactions were observed, contrary to PH. These results add to the growing bodies of evidence showing that neither CPT nor PH is an accurate description of risky decision making.
A Major B Cell Epitope Present on the Apoptotic but Not the Intact Form of the U1-70-kDa Ribonucleoprotein Autoantigen

Apoptotically modified forms of autoantigens have been hypothesized to participate in lupus immunopathogenesis. This study identifies a major B cell epitope present on the apoptotic but not the intact form of the U1-70-kDa ribonucleoprotein lupus autoantigen (70k). Human autoimmune sera with strong recognition of apoptotic 70k and minimal recognition of intact 70k were identified and tested for reactivity to truncated forms of 70k by immunoblot and ELISA. Patient sera that preferentially recognized apoptotic 70k were specific for an epitope dependent on residues 180-205 of the protein. This epitope was also recognized by 19 of 28 (68%) intact anti-70k-positive autoimmune human sera with Abs also recognizing apoptotic but not the intact form 70k, but only 1 of 9 (11%) intact 70k-positive sera without such Abs (Fisher's exact, p = 0.0055). Immunization of HLA-DR4-transgenic C57BL/6 mice with a peptide containing this epitope induced anti-70k immunity in 13 of 15 mice, including Abs recognizing apoptotic but not intact forms of autoantigens in 12 of 15 mice. Anti-70k responder mice also developed spreading of immunity to epitopes on the endogenous form of 70k, and proliferative lung lesions consistent with those described in patients with anti-70k autoimmunity. Thus, a major epitope in the B cell response to U1-70 kDa localizes to the RNA binding domain of the molecule, overlaps with the most common T cell epitope in the anti-70k response, and is not present on the intact form of the 70k molecule. Immunization of mice against this epitope induces an immune response with features seen in human anti-70k autoimmune disease.
Climate Change and Disasters: How Framing Affects Justifications for Giving or Withholding Aid to Disaster Victims

This research examined whether framing a natural disaster as the product of climate change impacts attitudes toward disaster victims and humanitarian relief. Participants (n = 211) read an article about a famine caused by severe droughts, with one condition attributing the droughts to climate change and the other condition made no mention of climate change. All participants then responded to measures of justifications for or against providing aid, attitudes toward the possibility of donating, and climate change beliefs. As predicted, those high in climate change skepticism reported greater justifications for not helping the victims when the disaster was attributed to climate change. Additional moderated mediation analyses showed there was an indirect effect of climate change framing on attitudes toward donating through donation justifications. Language: en
Disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow - chances and consequences of microscopical detection methods.

The detection of disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the hematopoetic system is important for various reasons. It is essential for tumor staging. According to the International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) only the cytomorphological examination of bone marrow smears is accepted despite the fact that an infiltrate below 0.1%, can hardly be detected and even infiltrates of more than 10% are sometimes overlooked. Another important aspect is the monitoring of the disease response to cytotoxic drugs by quantifying DTCs. Moreover, bone marrow aspirates represent an ideal source to determine the genetic and biological make up of DTCs at diagnosis and during follow up. Key issues that can be tested on DTCs are: determination of the proliferation capacity, the apoptotic rate, the drug sensitivity etc. The prerequisite for such a bone-marrow diagnosis, however, is the unequivocal identification of disseminated tumor cells. Thus, in order to avoid false positive and false negative results, which are a risk in bone-marrow diagnostics, a system was developed to distinguish tumor cells from non-neoplastic cells and to facilitate the gain of insights into the biological make-up of tumor cells more easily [1,2].
Spectrum analysis of random noise generators

A method is introduced for evaluating the spectrum shape of random noise generators. This method uses only one selective filter and a variable chopper-carrier to select within a wide band, the frequency which is of interest. The random noise at the frequency selected is then squared and averaged over a sufficient length of time. This process being repeated at various frequencies yields the spectrum shape. The spectrum to be examined by the variable-chopper scheme is preshaped by a wide-band filter of known characteristic. The deviations of the output of the selective filter from the wide-band characteristic indicates the deviation of the original spectrum from a flat-shaped spectrum.
Pathogenic mechanisms of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus

Goats infected with caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) show chronic arthritis and cachexia, which are progressive in nature. The immunopathogenic mechanisms responsible for these progressive clinical symptoms have not been fully elucidated. Various haematological and immunological parameters were evaluated in experimentally-infected goats showing typical signs of CAEV-induced disease. Infected goats showed recurrent lymphocytosis that may be due to constant presentation of antigen by infected cells of a monocyte/macrophage lineage. The serum alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyl transferase concentrations were elevated in infected goats, a characteristic of hepatic and bone disorders. All other serum chemistry parameters were similar between infected and control goats. Importantly, the serum tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were higher in infected goats. The cachexia seen in infected goats may be at least partly due to altered metabolism as a result of prolonged elevation of serum TNF-α levels. Depressed natural killer cell activity was observed in infected goats and may contribute towards the establishment of a persistent infection with CAEV.
Working Memory in Music: A Theoretical Model

Many psychologists have accepted a dual memory system with separate short-and long-term storage components. More recently, the concept of working memory, where short-term memory is composed of both storage and processing segments, has been considered. Baddeley (1990) proposes a model for working memory that includes a central executive controller along with two slave systems: the phonological loop and the visuospatial sketch pad. The model allows for both storage and manipulation of information. However, this model does not seem to account adequately for musical memory (Clarke, 1993). Through a review of relevant literature, a new model is proposed in which an additional slave system is added to the Baddeley model to account for musical information. Consideration of this kind of cognitive processing is important in understanding the significant demands placed on working memory in such activities as taking music dictation, where there would be a tradeoff between storage and processing functions.
Experimental Studies of Liquid Water Droplet Growth and Instability at the Gas Diffusion Layer/Gas Flow Channel Interface

Experimental investigations were carried out to visualize the dynamic behavior (contact angle hysteresis and droplet shape) of liquid water droplets on carbon paper gas diffusion layers that are typically employed in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The experimental technique mimicks the generation of liquid water and formation of droplets in an air shear flow at the gas diffusion layer – gas flow channel interface of a simulated PEMFC cathode. Images obtained of growing liquid water droplets yield information on the contact angle hysteresis and droplet height, which were subsequently used to map droplet “instability” diagrams. These instability diagrams provide quantitative guidance on liquid water droplet removal at the gas diffusion layer/gas flow channel interface under the conditions of interest. The experimentally mapped droplet diagrams are compared with those predicted using a simplified model based on a macroscopic force balance and reasonably good agreement is obtained.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Photoacoustic detection of gold nanorods tagged prostate cancer cells in vitro

Abstract: Our recent efforts are to develop a system for the detection of extremely low number of prostatecancer cells tagged to gold nanorods. Such a system provides an attractive platform to detect theearly metastasis. By monitoring the metastatic prostate cancer cells, the physicians are providedwith more time to act and design the treatment and also provide better hope for the prostatecancer patients. We developed an optical flowmetry system which employs photoacousticexcitation coupled with an optical transducer ca pable of determining the presence of cells withinthe circulating system in vitro.The particles were tagged to gold nanoparticles at Dr.Kattis lab.This provided the required optical contrast to detect the individual prostate cancer cells.Detection trials resulted in a detection threshold of the order of a couple of individual cells in thedetection volume, thus validating the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism.Keywords: photoacoustics, prostate cancer, optoacoustics
Antibiotic treatment and post-handling survival of reindeer calves in Alaska.

Free ranging reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) are driven into corral systems and handled each summer on the Seward Peninsula (Alaska, USA). During June and July of 1995–96 reindeer calves were inspected for injury, handled, weighed, and randomly treated with long-acting oxytetracycline. Calves that returned to subsequent handlings within the same year, received treatment only if they had been treated during their first handling. The effects of prophylactic antibiotic treatment and other factors, including weight, handling related injury, and sex on post-handling survival in reindeer calves were evaluated. Return rates of yearlings in 1996 and 1997 were analyzed using logistic regression. Weight change of calves between handlings was examined using a general linear model. Calf weight and handling injury were the only factors that significantly affected calf survival. No factor had a significant effect on calf weight change between handlings. Apparently, long-acting oxytetracycline was not an effective...
Exploring the Relationships of Women's Sexual Assault Disclosure, Social Reactions, and Problem Drinking

The goal of this exploratory study was to examine correlates of sexual assault disclosure and social reactions in female victims with and without drinking problems. An ethnically diverse sample of sexual assault survivors was recruited from college, community, and mental health agencies. Ethnic minority women were less likely to disclose assault, and women with a greater number of traumatic life events disclosed assault more often. Although there were no differences in disclosure likelihood by drinking status; of those disclosing, problem drinkers told more support sources and received more negative and positive social reactions than nonproblem drinkers. Correlates of receiving negative social reactions were similar for normal and problem drinkers; however, negative social reactions to assault disclosure were related to more problem drinking for women with less frequent social interaction. Implications for future research and possible support interventions with problem-drinking victims are provided.
Spinning particle and gauge theories as integrability conditions

Abstract Starting from a new four dimensional spinning point particle we obtain new representations of the standard four dimensional gauge field equations in terms of a generalized space (Minkowski + light cone). In terms of this new formulation we define linear systems whose integrability conditions imply the massive Dirac-Maxwell and the Yang-Mills equations.
Prediction of physiological strain of workers on the production floor

A group of twenty volunteers from difficult production jobs was used to evaluate the hypotheses that (1) the physiological strain resulting from production floor stress will be high, (2) production floor strain can be predicted from apparatus tests and (3) production floor strain will adversely affect performance. Each subject had his heart rate and respiration rate measured as he performed a sot of apparatus tests in a laboratory and as he performed his job on the production floor. The psychological stress and the resulting physiological strain were found to be low for experienced production workers. The apparatus test failed to predict production floor strain because of the discrepancy between the stress levels in the laboratory and on the production floor. The low stress levels on the production floor made it difficult to evaluate the effect of stress on performance, however, there was evidence that stress does affect performance.