cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fetal Origins of Adult Disease: Concepts and Controversies

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Define programming. 2. List the adult diseases that have been linked epidemiologically with low birthweight. 3. Describe the fetal insulin hypothesis. 4. Delineate the cellular consequences of fetal malnutrition. 5. Describe the vulnerabilities of beta cells that may occur in the fetal-neonatal period. The period from conception to birth is a time of rapid growth, cellular replication and differentiation, and functional maturation of organ systems. These processes are very sensitive to alterations in the intrauterine milieu. Programming describes the mechanisms whereby a stimulus or insult at a critical period of development has lasting or lifelong effects. It has been recognized for nearly 70 years that the early environment in which a child grows and develops could have long-term effects on subsequent health and survival. As discussed in the article by Matharu and Ozanne in this issue of NeoReviews , multiple epidemiology studies have linked low birthweight to the later development of a number of adult diseases, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, and breast cancer. Studies controlling for the confounding factors of socioeconomic status and lifestyle factors have strengthened the association further of low birthweight with increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. In 1976, the Nurses’ Health Study was initiated, and a large cohort of United States women born from 1921 to 1946 was established. The associations of low birthweight with increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes remained strong in this cohort, even after adjusting for lifestyle factors such as smoking, physical activity, occupation, income, dietary habits, and childhood socioeconomic status. Many studies have suggested that the associations of birth size with later disease are modified by body mass index (BMI) in childhood. The highest risk for the development of type 2 …
Characterizing changes in cropping patterns using sequential Landsat imagery: an adaptive threshold approach and application to Phoenix, Arizona

Since the 1970s, the Phoenix Active Management Area has experienced rapid urbanization, mostly through land conversions from agricultural lands to urban land use. Rapid urban expansion and population growth have placed unprecedented pressure on agricultural production in this region. Agricultural intensification, in particular double cropping, has been observed globally as an important response to the growing pressure on land. However, the intensification has a number of negative impacts on water quality, biodiversity, and biogeochemical cycles. Thus, quantifying the spatial pattern of cropping intensity is important for natural resource management. In this study, we developed an adaptive threshold approach to map cropping intensity using time series Landsat data and examined the spatiotemporal patterns of cropping intensity in the Phoenix Active Management Area from 1995 to 2010 at 5-year intervals. To map cropping intensity accurately, the adaptive threshold algorithm was designed specifically to addres...
Hosting Funerals and Temple Festivals: Folk Event Productions in Rural China

Abstract This article examines how Chinese peasants stage important folk event productions such as funerals and temple festivals, and how it might be fruitful to look beyond the ritual-procedural aspects of religious activities and examine how these activities are socially embedded and socially produced. I suggest that there is nothing particularly “religious” about the ways in which popular religious activities are organized; the same set of social skills and organizational idioms used in peasant secular life is employed in staging ostensibly religious activities: volunteerism based on principles of reciprocal labor assistance, division of tasks among helpers and specialists, and the symbolic weight put on the importance of being a good host. I introduce two key concepts, “event production” and “hosting,” to highlight the social aspects of popular religious activities that have not received adequate scholarly attention.
Apoptosis in the Skeletal Muscle of Rats with Heart Failure is Associated with Increased Serum Levels of TNF-α and Sphingosine ☆

Skeletal muscle in congestive heart failure (CHF) is responsible for increased fatigability, decreased endurance and exercise capacity. A specific myopathy with increased expression of fast myosin heavy chains (MHCs), myocyte atrophy, secondary to myocyte apoptosis, that is triggered by high levels of circulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) has been described. However, a direct effect of TNF-alpha on skeletal muscle has not been described yet. In this paper we put forward the hypothesis that TNF-alpha plays an indirect effect on skeletal myocytes. In an animal model of CHF, the monocrotaline-treated rat, we have observed a significant (P<0.001) increase of circulating TNF-alpha that is paralleled by increased serum levels of the endogenous second messenger, sphingosine (SPH), (from 0.71+/-0.15 to 1.32+/-0.39 nmoles/ml, P<0.01). In the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle we found a marked increase of myocyte apoptosis (from 1.4+/-2.4 to 40.1+/-39.5 nuclei/mm(3), P<0.04). We correlated plasma levels of TNF-alpha with those of SPH and in turn with the magnitude of apoptosis. Linear regression showed a significant correlation between TNF-alpha, SPH, and apoptosis (r(2)=0.74, P=0.004 and r(2)=0.87, P=0.001 respectively). Analysis of covariance showed that TNF-alpha and SPH were independently correlated with the number of apoptotic nuclei (P=0.0001). In parallel in vitro experiments, where increasing concentrations of SPH were applied to skeletal muscle cells in culture, we observed a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis. These results suggest that TNF-alpha-induced SPH production may be responsible for skeletal muscle apoptosis. The link between TNF-alpha and skeletal muscle apoptosis could be represented by the second messenger SPH, which can directly induce apoptosis in these cells.
Some aspects of maximum likelihood estimation of multistage cancer dose-response odels with application

Quantitative cancer dose-response models play an important role in cancer risk assessment. They also play a role in regulatory processes associated with potential occupational or environmental exposures. The multistage model is currently the most widely used cancer dose-response model. This paper describes the construction of the likelihood function in the special case of the multistage cancer dose-response models. The concavity of the likelihood function is also established. A criterion is developed to determine the degree of the polynomial portion of the multistage model. Finally, the restricted and unrestricted maximum likelihood estimators are considered and applied to some experimental data sets.
Chloroplast lipid synthesis and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase activities in barley leaves

Abstract Some biochemical changes of the chloroplast lipids and of the cytochrome c oxidase activity of the mitochondria of barley leaf tissue of varying developmental stages, grown both in the light and in the dark, were investigated. Generally, the dark treatment reduced the incorporation of hexose into the galactolipids of the chloroplast. Isolated protoplasts were more affected than whole tissues. Also, acetate incorporation into whole leaf tissues was reduced by dark treatment. An investigation of acetate incorporation to the acyl groups of phosphatidylglycerol, a chloroplast lipid, and phosphatidylethanolamine, a non-chloroplast lipid, was made. Also, dark treatment reduced the activity of cytochrome c oxidase.
Experimental energy-band dispersions and magnetic exchange splitting for cobalt

We have determined $E$ vs $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}}$ energy-band dispersions of cobalt for $s$ and $d$ bands along the hexagonal axis $\ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{\Delta}A$ ([0001] direction) via angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy from a Co(0001) face using synchrotron radiation. We obtain the magnetic exchange splitting at $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ for the upper $d$ band (0.85 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.2 eV) and lower $d$ band (1.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3 eV). The overall occupied $d$-band width (\ensuremath{\sim} 3.8 eV at $L$) is about 20% narrower than a state-of-the-art self-consistent band calculation using a local-density theory of exchange correlation. The top of the majority-spin $d$ bands is 0.35 eV below ${E}_{F}$. There is a small $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$-centered minority-electron pocket at ${E}_{F}$ which explains previously unidentified de Haas-van Alphen orbits. We present dipole selection rules for the $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ axis of an hcp lattice and show that the number of allowed transitions is reduced drastically for emission along the $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ axis. The allowed transitions can be interpreted in the same way as those for emission normal to a (111) face of an fcc lattice.
Twin gestation and premature birth.

Preterm birth before 37 weeks' gestation is the most common catastrophic, and costly complication of pregnancy. In this country, the incidence of preterm birth has risen from 9% in 1981 to above 11% in 2002.1 Prematurity remains the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, accounting for 60 to 80% of deaths in live born infants without congenital malformations. Up to 10% of surviving newborns at very low birth weight (<1500 g) will develop mental retardation, visual disabilities, or neurobehavioral dysfunction. An average of 10.2 billion dollars per year is spent for newborn care and while 11% of deliveries are preterm, a disproportionate 6 billion dollars (57%) is spent to care for these infants.2 In twin gestations the problem increases logarithmically as these pregnancies deliver earlier than singleton gestations and there are two infants to contribute to excess morbidity and cost. For example, in one study singleton pregnancies averaged $9800 per birth but the cost of twin births were almost $38,000.3 Another recent investigation demonstrated that 58% of twins delivered before 37 weeks and 11.9% before 34 weeks.4 Births before 32 weeks represent only 1 to 2% of overall deliveries but account for 50% of all the long-term neurologic morbidity and 60% of the neonatal mortality. Previous studies have noted that most of the serious neonatal morbidity occurred at <1500 g and therefore, when 32 to 34 weeks' gestation was attained, few clinicians use aggressive treatment to forestall delivery.5 The majority of twin pregnancies now deliver at 34 to 36 weeks' gestation. More recently, however, attention has been focused on treatable conditions in near-term pregnancies (33 to 37 weeks) as clinical management of twin gestations is often challenging at all stages of pregnancy. Near term, when the highest risk of severe morbidity and mortality has passed, the clinician may feel safe with delivery occurring at this time, although there are no data to support discretionary preterm birth.
Characterization of the reduced pteridine in Anacystis nidulans

Abstract Evidence is presented that the reduced pteridine in cold-shocked Anacystis nidulans is 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin glucoside. This does not appear to be the same as the reduced pteridine in the cell. It is suggested that the former compound is obtained from the latter by addition of the elements of water to a double bond in the side chain of the “cell pteridine.”
Movements and habitat-use of loggerhead sea turtles in the northern Gulf of Mexico during the reproductive period.

Nesting strategies and use of important in-water habitats for far-ranging marine turtles can be determined using satellite telemetry. Because of a lack of information on habitat-use by marine turtles in the northern Gulf of Mexico, we used satellite transmitters in 2010 through 2012 to track movements of 39 adult female breeding loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) tagged on nesting beaches at three sites in Florida and Alabama. During the nesting season, recaptured turtles emerged to nest 1 to 5 times, with mean distance between emergences of 27.5 km; however, several turtles nested on beaches separated by ∼250 km within a single season. Mean total distances traveled throughout inter-nesting periods for all turtles was 1422.0±930.8 km. In-water inter-nesting sites, delineated using 50% kernel density estimation (KDE), were located a mean distance of 33.0 km from land, in water with mean depth of −31.6 m; other in-water inter-nesting sites, delineated using minimum convex polygon (MCP) approach, were located a mean 13.8 km from land and in water with a mean depth of −15.8 m. Mean size of in-water inter-nesting habitats were 61.9 km2 (50% KDEs, n = 10) and 741.4 km2 (MCPs, n = 30); these areas overlapped significantly with trawling and oil and gas extraction activities. Abundance estimates for this nesting subpopulation may be inaccurate in light of how much spread there is between nests of the same individual. Further, our results also have consequences for critical habitat designations for northern Gulf loggerheads, as protection of one nesting beach would not encompass the entire range used by turtles during breeding seasons.
Positive/negative refractive index anisotropic 2-D metamaterials

An anisotropic metamaterial, based on a transmission line (TL) approach, that exhibits positive refractive index (PRI) in one direction and negative refractive index (NRI) in another (orthogonal) direction is presented, characterized and demonstrated in terms of analytic dispersion diagrams, equivalent refractive indexes, and circuit-simulated voltage/current/power distributions. This anisotropic structure may also be implemented in distributed architectures and lead to novel antenna and reflector applications.
How Does Collaborative Group Technology Influence Social Network Structure

The relationship between technology and elements of the formal organization structure has long been of interest to information systems and organization researchers. A less-studied issue is how technology may also influence the informal social network structure. This research examines how various types of technological expertise relate to an individual's network centrality in the project teams of 99 MBA, MISM, and MAIS students at a large public university. To further understand this relationship, the project task was varied in terms of "uncertainty " and the formal group structures in terms of departmentation. Results indicate that individuals who are proficient with various types of technologies tend to be more central in their class advice network. However, this relationship depends on both the level of task uncertainty and group departmentation. Implications are drawn for practice and research.
The Ethical Imperative of Addressing Oral Health Disparities A Unifying Framework

Health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged population groups. Reducing health disparities has been identified as an ethical imperative by the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health and numerous other national and international bodies. Significant progress has been made over the past years in identifying vulnerable groups, and ‘distal’ factors including political, economic, social, and community characteristics are now considered pivotal. It is thus unsurprising that the remarkable advances in the science and practice of dentistry have not led to notable reductions in oral health disparities. In this review, we summarize recent work and emphasize the need for a solid theoretical framing to guide oral health disparities research. We provide a theoretical framework outlining pathways that operate across the continuum of oral health determinants during the lifecourse and highlight potential areas for intervention. Because oral health disparities emanate from the unequal distribution of social, political, economic, and environmental resources, tangible progress is likely to be realized only by a global movement and concerted efforts by all stakeholders, including policymakers, the civil society, and academic, professional, and scientific bodies.
Nonobese, Insulin-Deficient Ins2Akita Mice Develop Type 2 Diabetes Phenotypes Including Insulin Resistance and Cardiac Remodeling

Although insulin resistance has been traditionally associated with type 2 diabetes, recent evidence in humans and animal models indicates that insulin resistance may also develop in type 1 diabetes...
A Harmonic Approach for Calculating Daily Temperature Normals Constrained by Homogenized Monthly Temperature Normals

NOAA released the new 1981‐2010 climate normals in July 2011. These included monthly and daily normals of minimum and maximum temperature. Monthly normals were computed from monthly temperature values that were corrected for biases (i.e., homogenized) due to changes in observing practices over the course of the normals period (station moves, changes in observation time, and changes in instrumentation). Daily temperature observations, however, are not homogenized, which could lead to inconsistencies between the daily and monthly normals. This study offers a constrained harmonic technique that forces the daily temperature normals to be consistent with the monthly temperature normals. This approach replaces the cubic spline interpolation of monthly temperature normals that was used to compute earlier versions of NOAA’s daily temperature normals. It effectively passes the homogenization applied at the monthly scale down to the daily scale, resulting in a smooth annual cycle devoid of day-to-day sampling variability and intermonth discontinuities.
Electrophoretic karyotype of Cercospora kikuchii

Classical genetic analyses are not possible with the phytopathogenic fungus Cercospora kikuchii since no sexual stage has been identified. To facilitate gene mapping and to develop an understanding of the genome organization of C. kikuchii, an electrophoretic karyotype has been obtained using contour-clamped homogeneous electric field gel electrophoresis (CHEF). Eight chromosomes, two of which migrate as a doublet, have been separated into seven bands ranging from 2.0 to 5.5 Mb. Using this determination of chromosome number and size, the total genome size of C. kikuchii is estimated to be 28.4 Mb. In addition, genes encoding tubulin, ribosomal DNA, and four previously isolated light-enhanced cDNAs from C. kikuchii were assigned to chromosomes by Southern-hybridization analysis of CHEF blots.
Cropping Systems and Integrated Pest Management: Examples from Selected Crops

SUMMARY Cropping systems have been central to managing associated pests for centuries. This treatment focuses on the history, concepts, and the integration of available Integrated Pest Management (IPM) tools/strategies into cropping systems. Pest assessments/diagnoses, IPM-decision-making aids, and examples of pest management in selected crops/cropping systems (wheat, soybean, corn, cotton, potato, and strawberry) as well as emerging opportunities and challenges are discussed. The evolving philosophy of IPM and the recently renewed emphasis on ecologically based pest management address the fact that significant levels of predation and/or parasitism are desirable insofar as they promote diversity and sustainability of agroecosystems. Thus, cropping systems are beginning to focus on soil and crop health as well as specific IPM and production goals. Although extensive efforts have been directed toward modeling the many interactions between crops, associated pests and the environment, the general implementati...
Beam acceleration in the LBL 88-inch cyclotron with injection from the AECR source

The new Advanced ECR (AECR) source is being developed for the 88-in cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. It operates at 14.5 GHz, compared to 6.4 GHz for the LBL ECR source. An electron gun injects electrons into the plasma chamber to increase the production of high charge state ions. The first AECR beams were injected into the cyclotron in June of 1990, and since then a variety of ion species from the AECR have been accelerated, including beam from oxygen at 32 MeV/u to bismuth at 4.6 MeV/u. A Xe/sup 32+/ beam of 1054 MeV or 8 MeV/u was accelerated. >
Zap70 Inhibits Syk-mediated Osteoclast Function

The αvβ3 integrin stimulates the resorptive capacity of the differentiated osteoclast (OC) by organizing its cytoskeleton via the tyrosine kinase, Syk. Thus, Syk-deficient OCs fails to spread or form actin rings, in vitro and in vivo. The Syk family of tyrosine kinases consists of Syk itself and Zap70 which are expressed by different cell types. Because of their structural similarity, and its compensatory properties in other cells, we asked if Zap70 can substitute for absence of Syk in OCs. While expression of Syk, as expected, normalizes the cytoskeletal abnormalities of Syk(-/-) OCs, Zap70 fails do so. In keeping with this observation, Syk, but not Zap70, rescues αvβ3 integrin-induced SLP76 phosphorylation in Syk(-/-) OCs. Furthermore the kinase sequence of Syk partially rescues the Syk(-/-) phenotype but full normalization also requires its SH2 domains. Surprisingly, expression of Zap70 inhibits WT OC spreading, actin ring formation and bone resorptive activity, but not differentiation. In keeping with arrested cytoskeletal organization, Zap70 blocks integrin-activated endogenous Syk and Vav3, SLP76 phosphorylation. Such inhibition requires Zap70 kinase activity, as it is abolished by mutation of the Zap70 kinase domain. Thus, while the kinase domain of Syk is uniquely required for OC function that of Zap70 inhibits it.
The Kalichord: A Physically Modeled Electro-Acoustic Plucked String Instrument

We present the Kalichord: a small, handheld electro/acoustic instrument in which the player's right hand plucks virtual strings while his left hand uses buttons to play independent bass lines. The Kalichord uses the analog signal from plucked acoustic tines to excite a physical string model, allowing a nuanced and intuitive plucking experience. First, we catalog instruments related to the Kalichord. Then we examine the use of analog signals to excite a physical string model and discuss the expressiveness and form factors that this technique affords. We then describe the overall construction of the Kalichord and possible playing styles, and finally we consider ways we hope to improve upon the current prototype.
High grade angiosarcoma fifteen years after breast conservation therapy with radiation therapy: A case report

INTRODUCTION Angiosarcoma is a rare tumor of the breast. Secondary angiosarcoma of the breast refers specifically to a tumor that arises after a latency period following radiation. With breast conservation therapy gaining significant popularity to that of mastectomy, more cases of secondary angiosarcoma continue to arise in the irradiated fields of these patients.
Three new species of gnathostomulida from the West Atlantic

Two new species of Gnathostomulida from Bermuda and one from North Carolina are described. All belong to the higher Bursovaginoidae with two occurring in the genus Austrognathia and one in the genus Gnathostomula. Tables of major diagnostic characters showing morphological variability within species and between previously described species in the same genus are included. Clarification in recognition of Gnathostomula jenneri and Gnathostomula brunidens is given under “Remarks on Known Species”.
Prognostic value of preoperatively obtained clinical and laboratory data in predicting survival following orthotopic liver transplantation

Twenty-seven clinical and laboratory data and the subsequent clinical course of 93 consecutive adult patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation for various chronic advanced liver diseases were analyzed retrospectively to assess the risk factors of early major bacterial infection and death after the procedure. Forty-one patients (44%) had early major bacterial infection during hospitalization for orthotopic liver transplantation. The mortality rate was 70.7% in patients with early major bacterial infection and was 7.7% in patients without early major bacterial infection (p less than 0.001). Total serum bilirubin, total white blood cell count and polymorphonuclear cell count, IgG (all p less than 0.05) and plasma creatinine level (p less than 0.001) were higher in patients that developed early major bacterial infection than in those who did not. By step-wise discriminant analysis, the strongest risk factor for early major bacterial infection was the serum creatinine level, which achieved an accuracy of 69% for a creatinine level greater than 1.58 mg per dl. Seven variables (ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, elevated white blood and polymorphonuclear cell count, decreased helper to suppressor T cell ratio and elevated plasma creatinine and bilirubin levels) were associated with a significant increased risk for death. A step-wise discriminant analysis of these seven factors resulted in the demonstration of serum creatinine as the greatest risk factor for mortality. A preoperative serum creatinine either less than or greater than 1.72 mg per dl accurately predicts survival or death, respectively, in 79% of cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Fertility and investments in human capital: estimates of the consequences of imperfect fertility control in Malaysia.

Abstract In this paper, we describe and utilize methods to estimate the consequences for children's schooling and birthweight of the exogenous variability in the supply of births in one low-income country, Malaysia. The method utilizes information on contraceptive techniques employed by couples to estimate directly the technology of reproduction and provides a means of disentangling the biological and demand factors that contribute to the variation in fertility across couples under a regime of imperfect fertility control. Our results suggest that imperfect fertility control significantly influences both the average schooling attainment and birthweight of children in Malaysia, with couples having above-average propensities to conceive reporting higher levels of actual fertility, significantly lower expectations of and actual schooling attainment for their children, and lower birthweight children, on average, due to smaller intervals between births.
Reduced-complexity implementation of algebraic soft-decision decoding of Reed-Solomon codes

A reduced complexity implementation of a soft Chase algorithm for algebraic soft-decision decoding of Reed-Solomon (RS) codes, based on the recently proposed algorithm of Koetter and Vardy, is presented. The reduction in complexity is obtained at the algorithm level by integrating the re-encoding and Chase algorithms and at the architecture level by considering a backup mode which sharply reduces the average computational complexity of the hybrid decoder.
Perspectives, Preferences, Care Practices, and Outcomes Among Older and Middle-Aged Patients With Late-Stage Cancer

Purpose To evaluate relationships among physician and cancer patient survival estimates, patients' perceived quality of life, care preferences, and outcomes, and how they vary across middle-aged and older patient groups. Patients and Methods Subjects were from the Study to Understand Prognoses and Preferences for Risks of Treatments (SUPPORT) prospective cohort studied in five US teaching hospitals (from 1989 to 1994), and included 720 middle-aged (45 to 64 years) and 696 older (≥ 65 years) patients receiving care for advanced cancer. Perspectives were assessed in physician and patient/surrogate interviews; care practices and outcomes were determined from hospital records and the National Death Index. General linear models were used within age groups to obtain adjusted estimates. Results Although most patients had treatment goals to relieve pain, treatment preferences and care practices were linked only in the older group. For older patients, preference for life-extending treatment was associated with mor...
Quadruped robot obstacle negotiation via reinforcement learning

Legged robots can, in principle, traverse a large variety of obstacles and terrains. In this paper, we describe a successful application of reinforcement learning to the problem of negotiating obstacles with a quadruped robot. Our algorithm is based on a two-level hierarchical decomposition of the task, in which the high-level controller selects the sequence of foot-placement positions, and the low-level controller generates the continuous motions to move each foot to the specified positions. The high-level controller uses an estimate of the value function to guide its search; this estimate is learned partially from supervised data. The low-level controller is obtained via policy search. We demonstrate that our robot can successfully climb over a variety of obstacles which were not seen at training time
Intergenerational Influences on the Entry into Parenthood: Mothers' Preferences for Family and Nonfamily Behavior

This article examines the extent to which childbearing behavior is determined by mothers' preferences versus individuals' own preferences. The theoretical framework is based on socialization and social control. A total of 835 mother-child pairs from the Intergenerational Panel Study of Parents and Children, a long-term longitudinal study, are analyzed using hazard models. The empirical analyses show that both sons and daughters whose mothers prefer early marriage, large families, low levels of education, and stay-at-home mothers enter parenthood earlier than their peers, and analyses show supportfor both socialization and social control mechanisms. The study concludes that mothers' preferences have a strong influence on when their children become parents by guiding them on different pathways toward adulthood.
Synthesis and structure of a highly fluorinated 7-bora-7H-benzo[de]anthracene

Abstract 1,8-Dilithionaphthalene·tmeda reacts with bis(pentafluorophenyl)boronfluoride·Et2O in diethylether to afford 7-pentafluorophenyl-8,9,10,11-tetrafluoro-7-bora-7H-benzo[de]anthracene (1) in moderate yield. Compound 1, which features a boron atom incorporated in a fused tetracyclic system with 16 π-electrons, has been characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, and its structure determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography. Cyclic voltammetry studies in THF show an irreversible reduction wave at −1.73 V versus Fc+/Fc.
Making history: Tracing retrospective u.s. legislative histories

Abstract Tracing retrospective legislative histories for pre-electronic era legislation requires referral to published congressional and executive branch resources, commercial compilations, and unpublished archival collections. Key publications found in federal depository libraries, and unpublished materials in the National Archives' Center for Legislative Archives and collections of former representatives' and senators' personal papers are described.
Steroid Receptor Coactivators (SRCs) as Integrators of Multiple Signaling Pathways in Cancer Progression

Steroid receptor coactivators (SRCs), including SRC-1, SRC-2, and SRC-3, mediate transcriptional activities of nuclear receptors and other transcription factors. SRCs’ activities and functions are regulated by multiple signaling pathways, including those of hormones, growth factors, and cytokines, and are determined by post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, sumoylation, acetylation, and methylation. SRCs integrate signals from a variety of pathways that regulate multiple cellular processes such as metabolism, reproduction, and growth. For the growth response, they regulate proliferation, survival, migration, and invasion, and promote tumor development and metastasis. SRCs are highly disregulated in many types of cancers at multiple levels including gene amplification, mutation, and mRNA/protein overexpression. Alterations of SRCs are frequently associated with advanced tumor progression and drug resistance. As such, SRCs are important prognostic cancer biomarkers and could serve as therapeutic targets for cancer therapy.
Injecting rapid feedback and collaborative reasoning in teaching specifications

We describe an approach to teaching formal interface specifications using aspects of the Collaborative Reasoning Paradigm. The module requires students to construct test cases independently and cooperatively based on their understanding of a given set of method specifications. Students are supported by software-based reasoning assistants that guide them through their exercises and provide realtime feedback as they work --- both for the students and the instructor. We describe the design of the course module, the supporting reasoning assistant, and representative reasoning exercises. We conclude with a discussion of evaluation results from a recent pilot study conducted at Clemson University.
Multilevel-Cell Phase-Change Memory: A Viable Technology

In order for any non-volatile memory (NVM) to be considered a viable technology, its reliability should be verified at the array level. In particular, properties such as high endurance and at least moderate data retention are considered essential. Phase-change memory (PCM) is one such NVM technology that possesses highly desirable features and has reached an advanced level of maturity through intensive research and development in the past decade. Multilevel-cell (MLC) capability, i.e., storage of two bits per cell or more, is not only desirable as it reduces the effective cost per storage capacity, but a necessary feature for the competitiveness of PCM against the incumbent technologies, namely DRAM and Flash memory. MLC storage in PCM, however, is seriously challenged by phenomena such as cell variability, intrinsic noise, and resistance drift. We present a collection of advanced circuit-level solutions to the above challenges, and demonstrate the viability of MLC PCM at the array level. Notably, we demonstrate reliable storage and moderate data retention of 2 bits/cell PCM, on a 64 k cell array, at elevated temperatures and after 1 million SET/RESET endurance cycles. Under similar operating conditions, we also show feasibility of 3 bits/cell PCM, for the first time ever.
An Abduction Weight-Bearing Brace for the Treatment of Perthes Disease

We reviewed twenty-six patients (twenty-seven affected hips) who had had Perthes disease to determine the results of treatment using the abduction weight-bearing brace. Average age of patients was 5.1 years (range, 2-7 years) at the time of diagnosis. The patients wore the orthosis for an average of 13.4 months (range, 6-21 months). Mean follow-up period was 6 years 5 months (range, 3.6-9 years). Five patients had Catterall group II-III, eight group III and fourteen group IV involvement.At follow-up, the radiographic results were evaluated according to Stulberg's criteria, with eight hips in class I, fifteen hips in class II, two hips in class III and two hips in class IV. All patients had no clinical symptoms and radiographically good congruency of the hip joint. We believe this weight-bearing abduction brace is indicated in patients younger than seven years with Perthes disease with femoral head subluxation and good hip joint mobility during treatment.
Southern Pine Beetle Mortality in North Carolina Caused by Parasites and Predators

A survey in 5 geographic blocks of North Carolina indicated that an average of 24% of the brood of Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman had been parasitized and preyed upon by zoological agents. The effeet of these agents was assessed and compared during 3 years, in 3 attack stages on the tree, in 3 tree species, and in 3 sections of the tree. The more effective predatory agents were woodpeckers, the clerid Thanasimus dubius (F.), and an anthocorid, Scoloposcelis mississippensis Drake & Harris. Of several parasites, Roptrocerus xylophagorum Ratzeburg and Coleoides pissodes Ashmead contributed most to total mortality.
Are Blacks More Likely Than Whites To Receive and Provide Social Support in Middle and Old Age? Yes, No, and Maybe So

Differences in the social support transactions of White and Black adults were investigated using data from the 1987/88 National Survey of Families and Households. Multivariate models were estimated to identify differences between Whites and Blacks in the likelihood that they provided and received instrumental and emotional support. Most importantly, we examined, separately for men and women, variations in Black-White differences from mid-life to old age. Results indicated that, overall, Blacks were no more likely than Whites to provide and receive both types of social support. In fact, Black women were less likely than White women to provide instrumental support to others. However, in old age, Black women were more likely to receive instrumental support and about as likely as White women to provide such support. These findings suggest that when comparing the informal support activities of White and Black adults, race needs to be considered in the context of gender and stage of life.
Control over Self-Assembly of Diblock Copolymers on Hexagonal and Square Templates for High Area Density Circuit Boards

Self-assembled diblock copolymer melts on patterned substrates can induce a smaller characteristic domain spacing compared to predefined lithographic patterns and enable the manufacture of circuit ...
Wormhole Travel for Macrophages

Leukocyte recruitment is generally achieved by rapid migration of inflammatory cells out of circulation, through modified blood vessels, and into affected tissues. Now, Wang and Kubes show that macrophages can be rapidly recruited from body cavities to the liver, via a non-vascular route, where they help to coordinate tissue repair.
The Deficiencies Analysis and Countermeasures of Medical Record During Four Consecutive Years in a Hospital

Objectives To know the defective situation and changes of medical records for four consecutive years,and to develop appropriate policy measures.Methods The defective situation of medical records for four consecutive years were analyzed by a chi-square test.Results 2007,2008,2009,2010,defect rates of medical records were 22.05%,18.36%,15.10%,10.13%.Meanwhile,the difference of medical records′ defect rate for four years was statistically significant.Conclusions The awareness of medical personnel for the quality of medical records is not enough.Meanwhile,it also should take various measures to improve the quality of medical record writing.
General Principles of Reconstruction Following Cancer Surgery

The evolution and development of the fields of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy have led to the collaboration of these specialties in the management of cancer patients. The multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of cancer has led to better cure rates for the patients with the least risk for disabilities.
Effect of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil for FIGO stage IIB of the uterine cervix

Objective : To determine effect of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in treatment of FIGO stage IIB cervical cancer the uterus and of consolidation chemotherapy using same chemotherpeutic regimens. Methods : The study population consisted of total number of 41 patients diagnosed as having cervical cancer FIGO stage IIB between January 1999 and December 2003 and treated with CCRT. We were divided into 2 groups according to number of cycles of chemotherapy received [e.g., ≤3 (n=19, cases) cycles versus >3 (n=22, controls) cycles]. Both groups had received the chemotherapeutic regimens which consist of cisplatin 60㎎/㎡ followed by five consecutive daily infusions of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 1,000㎎/㎡ every 3 weeks. Results : 5 years survival rate and 3 years progression free survival are 80.1% and 60.6% in 45 months median follow up duration (range 6-81 months). The median duration of follow up for case and control is 42 months (range 6-81 months) and 52.5 months (range 11-74 months) respectively (p=0.89). Both progression free survival rate (p=0.77) and survival rate (p=0.39) of the groups were revealed to be without statistical significance. Conclusion : This study shows similar results to compare with previous CCRT reports and that CCRT is primary treatment of cervical cancer IIB. We may not improve remarkably survival with many chemotherapy cycles. But because of small population and retrospective study, further study of a large number of patients, prospective and long term follow up will be necessary to test the efficacy of the consolidation chemotherapy.
The extensor indicis proprius syndrome.

The extensor indicis proprius syndrome is presented. It is characterized by dorsal wrist pain, aggravated by activities, and associated with a synovitis of the extensor indicis proprius muscle within the fourth dorsal compartment of the wrist.
Hedonic analysis of US fresh produce prices at direct-to-consumer sales outlets versus competing retailers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare prices for fresh tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and apples at direct-to-consumer sales outlets (e.g. farmers markets, roadside stands, on-farm stores) in the USA to grocery stores and supercenters, while controlling for other attributes. Design/methodology/approach – The author estimates a hedonic regression model to determine price differences at direct sales outlets, grocery stores, and supercenters in various regions and seasons of the year. The analysis is conducted using 2006 Nielsen Homescan data. Other product and market attributes are also considered, along with characteristics of the household sample. Findings – Prices at direct sales outlets are lower than grocery store prices throughout the year and across the USA. Prices at direct sales outlets for some product/location/season combinations were higher than or comparable to supercenter prices. Research limitations/implications – Future research is needed to examine how price differences may vary a...
Screening for Abnormal Blood Glucose and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

M.A. is a 43-year-old woman with a seven pack-year smoking history. She has no health concerns and has not visited a physician in four years. Her blood pressure and pulse are normal, and her body mass index (BMI) is 27 kg per m2. She does not have a family history of diabetes mellitus but notes that her husband was recently screened for diabetes. She asks if she will be screened during today's visit.
Spectral decomposition of nonlinear systems with memory.

We present an alternative approach to the analysis of nonlinear systems with long-term memory that is based on the Koopman operator and a Levy transformation in time. Memory effects are considered to be the result of interactions between a system and its surrounding environment. The analysis leads to the decomposition of a nonlinear system with memory into modes whose temporal behavior is anomalous and lacks a characteristic scale. On average, the time evolution of a mode follows a Mittag-Leffler function, and the system can be described using the fractional calculus. The general theory is demonstrated on the fractional linear harmonic oscillator and the fractional nonlinear logistic equation. When analyzing data from an ill-defined (black-box) system, the spectral decomposition in terms of Mittag-Leffler functions that we propose may uncover inherent memory effects through identification of a small set of dynamically relevant structures that would otherwise be obscured by conventional spectral methods. Consequently, the theoretical concepts we present may be useful for developing more general methods for numerical modeling that are able to determine whether observables of a dynamical system are better represented by memoryless operators, or operators with long-term memory in time, when model details are unknown.
Growth, Food Consumption, and Energy Status of Juvenile Pallid Sturgeon Fed Natural or Artificial Diets

Abstract Stocking of hatchery-raised fish is an important part of the pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus recovery program. In the wild, juvenile pallid sturgeon consume primarily aquatic insects, although little is known about specific dietary needs. In hatchery settings, pallid sturgeon are fed commercial diets that are formulated for salmonids. To compare food consumption, growth, and energy status of pallid sturgeon fed artificial or natural diets, we conducted a laboratory study using 24 juvenile pallid sturgeon (initial fork length 153–236 mm). Pallid sturgeon were fed a daily ration of either commercial pellets (1 mm, slow sinking; 45% protein, 19% fat) or chironomid larvae for 5 wk. Natural-fed pallid sturgeon exhibited a greater specific growth rate (2.12% d−1) than pellet-fed fish (0.06% d−1). Similarly, relative condition was greater for natural-fed sturgeon (Kn = 1.11) than that observed for pellet-fed fish (Kn = 0.87). In contrast, the hepatosomatic index was significantly higher in pellet-f...
Leaf relative water content estimated from leaf reflectance and transmittance

Remotely sensing the water status of plants and the water content of canopies remain long term goals of remote sensing research [1]. In the research we report here, we used optical polarization techniques to monitor the light reflected from the leaf interior, R, as well as the leaf transmittance, T, as the relative water content (RWC) of corn (Zea mays) leaves decreased. Our results show that R and T both change nonlinearly. The result show that the nonlinearities cancel in the ratio R/T, which appears linearly related to RWC for RWC<90%. The results suggest that potentially leaf water status and perhaps even canopy water status could be monitored starting from leaf and canopy optical measurements.
Analysis of the in planta transcriptome expressed by the corn pathogen Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii via RNA-Seq

Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii is a bacterial phytopathogen that causes Stewart's wilt disease in corn. It uses quorum sensing to regulate expression of some genes involved in virulence in a cell density-dependent manner as the bacterial population grows from small numbers at the initial infection site in the leaf apoplast to high cell numbers in the xylem where it forms a biofilm. There are also other genes important for pathogenesis not under quorum-sensing control such as a Type III secretion system. The purpose of this study was to compare gene expression during an in planta infection versus either a pre-inoculum in vitro liquid culture or an in vitro agar plate culture to identify genes specifically expressed in planta that may also be important for colonization and/or virulence. RNA was purified from each sample type to determine the transcriptome via RNA-Seq using Illumina sequencing of cDNA. Fold gene expression changes in the in planta data set in comparison to the two in vitro grown samples were determined and a list of the most differentially expressed genes was generated to elucidate genes important for plant association. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to validate expression patterns for a select subset of genes. Analysis of the transcriptome data via gene ontology revealed that bacterial transporters and systems important for oxidation reduction processes appear to play a critical role for P. stewartii as it colonizes and causes wilt disease in corn plants.