cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accuracy of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Compared With Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Assessing the Tumor Response After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Objectives This pilot study compared contrast enhanced ultrasound (US) with contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in assessing the treatment response in patients with breast cancer receiving preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Methods This prospective Institutional Review Board–approved and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act–compliant study included 30 patients, from January 2014 to October 2015, with invasive breast cancer detected by mammography, conventional US imaging, or both and scheduled for NAC. Informed consent was obtained. Contrast-enhanced US (perflutren lipid microspheres, 10 μL/kg) and MRI (gadopentetate dimeglumine, 0.1 mmol/kg) scans were performed at baseline before starting NAC and after completing NAC before surgery. Results of the imaging techniques were compared with each other and with histopathologic findings obtained at surgery using the Spearman correlation. Tumor size and enhancement parameters were compared for 15 patients with contrast-enhanced US, MRI, and surgical pathologic findings. Results The median tumor size at baseline was 3.1 cm on both contrast-enhanced US and MRI scans. The Spearman correlation showed strong agreement in tumor size at baseline between contrast-enhanced US and MRI (r = 0.88; P < .001) but less agreement in tumor size after NAC (r = 0.66; P = .004). Trends suggested that contrast-enhanced US (r = 0.75; P < .001) had a better correlation than MRI (r = 0.42; P = .095) with tumor size at surgery. Contrast-enhanced US was as effective as MRI in predicting a complete pathologic response (4 patients; 75.0% accuracy for both) and a non–complete pathologic response (11 patients; 72.7% accuracy for both). Conclusions Contrast enhanced US is a valuable imaging modality for assessing the treatment response in patients receiving NAC and had a comparable correlation as MRI with breast cancer size at surgery.
A simple method to approximate electrode potential-dependent activation energies using density functional theory

Abstract Density functional theory (DFT) examination of electrocatalytic mechanisms are useful in fuel cell/electrolysis development, but the calculation of potential-dependent activation barriers for elementary steps involving electron and ion transfer remains challenging. A simple and transferable DFT approach to estimate these constant potential barriers for inner sphere electrochemical reactions is presented. The challenge of finding the transition state for an electrochemical reaction step (A* + H + + e − → AH*, where * denotes surface-adsorbed species) is met by using an equivalent analogous non-electrochemical reaction (A* + H* → AH*). The transition state of the non-electrochemical step is referenced to an equilibrium potential (U 0 ), at which the analogous non-electrochemical state μ(H*) is in equilibrium with its equivalent electrochemical state μ(H + + e − ), allowing for the barrier to be referenced to the chemical potential of the ion in the bulk electrolyte. The potential-dependence is incorporated by extrapolating the activation energy using Marcus theory. The first elementary step of CO 2 electroreduction to COOH* is used as a detailed example case for illustrating the method. Additional elementary reduction reactions involving C H, O H and N H bond formations are included to demonstrate the transferability of the method. The method is simple and easy to implement to approximate potential-dependent activation energies at the computational cost of a singly hydrogenation barrier calculation and can aid in the development of more active and selective catalysts for electrochemical reactions.
Corneal kindled C57BL/6 mice exhibit saturated dentate gyrus long-term potentiation and associated memory deficits in the absence of overt neuron loss

Memory deficits have a significant impact on the quality of life of patients with epilepsy and currently no effective treatments exist to mitigate this comorbidity. While these cognitive comorbidities can be associated with varying degrees of hippocampal cell death and hippocampal sclerosis, more subtle changes in hippocampal physiology independent of cell loss may underlie memory dysfunction in many epilepsy patients. Accordingly, animal models of epilepsy or epileptic processes exhibiting memory deficits in the absence of cell loss could facilitate novel therapy discovery. Mouse corneal kindling is a cost-effective and non-invasive model of focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures that may exhibit memory deficits in the absence of cell loss. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that corneal kindled C57BL/6 mice exhibit spatial pattern processing and memory deficits in a task reliant on DG function and that these impairments would be concurrent with physiological remodeling of the DG as opposed to overt neuron loss. Following corneal kindling, C57BL/6 mice exhibited deficits in a DG-associated spatial memory test – the metric task. Compatible with this finding, we also discovered saturated, and subsequently impaired, LTP of excitatory synaptic transmission at the perforant path to DGC synapse. This saturation of LTP was consistent with evidence suggesting that perforant path to DGC synapses in kindled mice had previously experienced LTP-like changes to their synaptic weights: increased postsynaptic depolarizations in response to equivalent presynaptic input and significantly larger amplitude AMPA receptor mediated spontaneous EPSCs. Additionally, there was evidence for kindling-induced changes in the intrinsic excitability of DGCs: reduced threshold to population spikes under extracellular recording conditions and significantly increased membrane resistances observed in DGCs. Importantly, quantitative immunohistochemical analysis revealed hippocampal astrogliosis in the absence of overt neuron loss. These changes in spatial pattern processing and memory deficits in corneal kindled mice represent a novel model of seizure-induced cognitive dysfunction associated with pathophysiological remodeling of excitatory synaptic transmission and granule cell excitability in the absence of overt cell loss.
Abstract P325: Novel Insights in Transcriptome Remodeling Associated with Heart Failure Revealed by Deep RNA Sequencing

The complexity of transcriptome and proteome is contributed by alternative splicing of RNA. Altered RNA splicing is also implicated in many human diseases including cancer. However, little knowledge is available about the scope of alternative splicing at whole genome level in heart diseases and even less about the mechanisms underlying the regulation of mRNA splicing in response to pathological injury in heart. In order to investigate the key alternative splicing events associated with cardiac pathogenesis, we used high-throughput RNA-Seq to profile total transcriptome in mouse heart failure induced by pressure-overload. From preliminary data, we identified >1000 novel exons that have not been reported in any published database. Many of the novel exons are detected in genes with potential importance in cardiac gene regulation and signal transduction. In addition, we have also identified a significant number of differentially expressed exons between normal and diseased hearts, supporting the notion that differential RNA splicing is associated with the onset of heart failure. Interestingly, the differential splicing events observed in failing hearts were also detected in neonatal mouse hearts, suggesting that differential RNA splicing is a part of the “fetal” gene expression program in diseased hearts. Furthermore, we have also validated some of these changes in human heart failure samples, supporting the clinic relevance of these findings. In summary, this study suggests that development of heart failure is associated with alternative RNA splicing events at genome level. Further studies on the functional consequences of differential RNA splicing and the underlying regulatory mechanisms in heart will advance our understanding to this important disease.
Robust Multi-view Subspace Learning

By virtue of the increasingly large amount of various sensors, information about the same object can be collected from multiple views. These mutually enriched information can help many real-world applications, such as daily activity recognition in which both video cameras and on-body sensors are continuously collecting information. Such multivariate time series (m.t.s.) data from multiple views can lead to a significant improvement of classification tasks. However, the existing methods for time series data classification only focus on single-view data, and the benefits of mutual-support multiple views are not taken into account. In light of this challenge, we propose a novel approach, named Multi-view Discriminative Bilinear Projections (MDBP), for extracting discriminative features from multi-view m.t.s. data. First, MDBP keeps the original temporal structure of m.t.s. data, and projects m.t.s. from different views onto a shared latent subspace. Second, MDBP incorporates discriminative information by minimizing the within-class separability and maximizing the between-class separability of m.t.s. in the shared latent subspace. Moreover, a Laplacian regularization term is designed to preserve the temporal smoothness within m.t.s. Extensive experiments on two real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach. Compared to the state-of-the-art multi-view learning and m.t.s. classification methods, our approach greatly improves the classification accuracy due to the full exploration of multi-view streaming data. Moreover, by using a feature fusion strategy, our approach further improves the classification accuracy by at least 10%.
The Myth of Partisan Selective Exposure: A Portrait of the Online Political News Audience:

Many assume that in a digital environment with a wide range of ideologically tinged news outlets, partisan selective exposure to like-minded speech is pervasive and a primary cause of political polarization. Yet, partisan selective exposure research tends to stem from experimental or self-reported data, which limits the applicability of their findings in a high-choice media environment. We explore observed online audience behavior data to present a portrait of the actual online political news audience. We find that this audience frequently navigates to news sites from Facebook, and that it congregates among a few popular, well-known political news sites. We also find that political news sites comprise ideologically diverse audiences, and that they share audiences with nearly all smaller, more ideologically extreme outlets. Our results call into question the strength of the so-called red/blue divide in actual web use.
Molecular dynamics-based multiscale damage initiation model for CNT/epoxy nanopolymers

A methodology that accurately simulates the brittle behavior of epoxy polymers initiating at the molecular level due to bond elongation and subsequent bond dissociation is presented in this paper. The system investigated in this study comprises a combination of crystalline carbon nanotubes (CNTs) dispersed in epoxy polymer molecules. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed with an appropriate bond order-based force field to capture deformation-induced bond dissociation between atoms within the simulation volume. During deformation, the thermal vibration of molecules causes the elongated bonds to re-equilibrate; thus, the effect of mechanical deformation on bond elongation and scission cannot be captured effectively. This issue is overcome by deforming the simulation volume at zero temperature—a technique adopted from the concept of quasi-continuum and demonstrated successfully in the authors’ previous work. Results showed that a combination of MD deformation tests with ultra-high strain rates at near-zero temperatures provides a computationally efficient alternative for the study of bond dissociation phenomenon in amorphous epoxy polymer. In this paper, the ultra-high strain rate deformation approach is extended to the CNT-epoxy system at various CNT weight fractions and the corresponding bond disassociation energy extracted from the simulation volume is used as input to a low-fidelity continuum damage mechanics (CDM) model to demonstrate the bridging of length scales and to study matrix failure at the microscale. The material parameters for the classical CDM model are directly obtained from physics-based atomistic simulations, thus improving the accuracy of the multiscale approach.
Parasites in 30 Captive Tokay Geckos, Gekko gecko

ABSTRACT Twelve species of parasites were recovered from recently imported Tokay geckos, Gekko gecko. These included one cestode species, Oochoristica rachiensis, two trematode species, Mesocoelium monas and Paradistomum geckonum, six nematbde species, Pharyngodon kuntzi, Skrjabinodon sp., Parapharyngodon sp. Meteterakis longispiculata, Physalopteroides sp., and Strongyloides sp., one acanthocephalan species, Porrorchis sp., one pentastomid species, Raillietiella affinis, and one coccidian species, Eimeria tokayae. Of the 20 species previously reported infecting Tokay geckos, eight were identified in this study. Two species are new host records and two others are undescribed species. The most common helminths recovered were Pharyngodon kuntzi, Meteterakis longispiculata, and Raillietiella affinis.
Constitutional political economy, democratic theory and institutional design

Democracy and constitutionalism are both central to the Western political tradition. And yet, constitutional restrictions are often perceived to be in tension with democratic commitments. I argue that the constitutional political economy approach developed by Nobel Laureate James Buchanan resolves the tension between constitutionalism and the values of democratic governance by shifting the analysis from a system-attributes perspective that focuses on the particular institutional properties of a political order to a system-legitimacy perspective that focuses on the manner in which political institutions gain democratic legitimacy. In so doing, the approach reveals that constitutionalism can be understood as a natural expression of democratic values.
THE EFFECT OF ATMOSPHERE ON THE STRENGTH OF GRAPHITE

Transverse bend tests have been made on commercial petroleum coke graphite in a fixture capable of being pumped to 1 × 10−7 mm Hg over the temperature range from 90°K to 1300°K. Three parameters, that of atmosphere, temperature and strain rate, have been varied to obtain the effect on strength. The transverse bending strength has been obtained for commercial graphite in vacuum over the temperature range from 90°K to 1300°K. From 90°K to 300°K, the strength is observed to be constant, and a slight increase in strength is found as the temperature is increased from 300°K to 1300°K. Tests performed in air, argon and vacuum at room temperature show that graphite is stronger in vacuum. The effect is reversible for if air or hydrogen is admitted into a vacuum chamber containing degassed specimens, prior to fracture, the breaking strength is observed to be the same as obtained without the vacuum treatment. A tentative mechanism for this atmosphere effect is suggested.
What, Why, Where, and When: Bringing Timing to Immuno-Oncology

A plethora of new cancer immunotherapies are under clinical development individually and in combination for a wide variety of indications, but optimizing therapeutic outcomes will require precise consideration of timing in treatment schedule design. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the temporal rhythms of the anticancer immune response. Lessons learned in preclinical and clinical studies begin to define a framework for incorporating duration and sequencing into immunotherapy. We also discuss key challenges and opportunities for translation of temporally programmed treatment schedules to the clinic, including alignment of immunological timescales in preclinical models and humans, and the use of current and emerging biomarkers.
Prevention of myocarditis using regenerative medicine therapy

Myocarditis is an important cause of acute and chronic heart failure. We wanted to determine whether purified exosome product (PEP) can improve and/or prevent myocarditis using a preclinical mouse model of myocarditis. Because estrogen protects women from myocarditis and heart failure we also tested premenopausal PEP (pmPEP). To determine the appropriate dose of PEP/pmPEP, we administered PEP and pmPEP vs. PBS controls ip to male BALB/c mice at day −1, 0 and +1 after viral infection to induce myocarditis and harvested mice at day 10 post infection (pi) during the peak of acute myocarditis. We found that the dose and exposure route was successful. We found that pmPEP, but not PEP, significantly decreased acute myocarditis based on histology (ANOVA p =0.0009). and decreased total immune cells (CD45 p =0.008), macrophages, neutrophils and mast cells (CD11b p =0.04), macrophages (F4/80 p =0.009), and T cells (CD3 p =0.02, CD4 p =0.01) but no other immune cell populations in the heart. Markers for both M1 and M2 macrophages were also significantly decreased with pmPEP treatment, indicating a “global” decrease in inflammation. Importantly, CR1, the central inhibitor of the complement cascade, was significantly increased by pmPEP but not PEP ( p =0.004). Next we treated male BALB/c mice with PEP, pmPEP or PBS ip on day 8, 9 and 10 pi (a clinically relevant timepoint) and harvested on day 11 pi during acute myocarditis. Here we found that both PEP and pmPEP significantly reduced acute myocarditis compared to controls (ANOVA PEP p =0.006, pmPEP p = 0.005). These findings suggest that PEP/pmPEP could be given to patients who come in with acute onset myocarditis to decrease the severity of disease and potentially prevent sudden death.
Relative contributions of parental intention and provider recommendation style to HPV and meningococcal vaccine receipt.

We described the relative contributions of parental intention and provider recommendation style to HPV and meningococcal vaccine receipt. Parent-child dyads that were eligible for both meningococca...
State Capitalism and State Ownership of Business in the 21st Century

This study summarizes the economic and political developments relating to privatization, state capitalism, and state ownership of business since 2000 and then surveys the extensive recent research examining these issues empirically. Through the early 21st century, there was an unambiguous global trend towards reducing government ownership of business enterprise, but this trend has since at least been slowed, and perhaps even reversed. We discuss the factors that have promoted a global resurgence of state ownership, then define and analyze the new ideology labeled “state capitalism.” Recent academic and professional research categorizes and evaluates various types of state owners; examines determinants of the level of state ownership; studies how state ownership impacts the valuation of corporate assets and examines the relative efficiency of state versus private ownership; and assesses how state ownership impacts corporate financial policies, especially capital investment. This research highlights that different types of state owners have very different impacts on corporate value and performance, and that state ownership generally has a significant, and mostly pernicious, impact on corporate investment and financial policies. The separate effect of state ownership on corporate valuation is less clear-cut. This survey also summarizes recent empirical research examining the relationship between state ownership of business assets and financial markets and institutions, and also surveys the literature examining political connections between politicians and corporate managers. Sovereign wealth fund research yields essentially benign findings, but almost all studies examining state-owned banking show that state ownership reduces banks’ efficiency. All the financial markets and institutions studies examined highlight the distortive effects and economic costs of bailouts and guarantees, and almost all the political connections studies find that these connections are privately beneficial but socially costly. Finally, the research surveyed here convinces the author that “state capitalism” is an essentially failed model.
Examining sex differences in pleiotropic effects for depression and smoking using polygenic and gene-region aggregation techniques.

Sex differences in rates of depression are thought to contribute to sex differences in smoking initiation (SI) and number of cigarettes smoked per day (CPD). One hypothesis is that women smoke as a strategy to cope with anxiety and depression, and have difficulty quitting because of concomitant changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis function during nicotine withdrawal states. Despite evidence of biological ties, research has not examined whether genetic factors that contribute to depression-smoking comorbidity differ by sex. We utilized two statistical aggregation techniques-polygenic scores (PGSs) and sequence kernel association testing-to assess the degree of pleiotropy between these behaviors and moderation by sex in the Health and Retirement Study (N = 8,086). At the genome-wide level, we observed associations between PGSs for depressive symptoms and SI, and measured SI and depressive symptoms (all p < .01). At the gene level, we found evidence of pleiotropy in FKBP5 for SI (p = .028), and sex-specific pleiotropy in females in NR3C2 (p = .030) and CHRNA5 (p = .025) for SI and CPD, respectively. Results suggest bidirectional associations between depression and smoking may be partially accounted for by shared genetic factors, and genetic variation in genes related to HPA-axis functioning and nicotine dependence may contribute to sex differences in SI and CPD.
Rational exponentials and continued fractions

Using continued fraction expansions, we can approximate constants, such as π and e, using an appropriate integer n raised to the power x1/x, x a suitable rational. We review continued fractions and...
ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUES FOR COMBATING THE ABUSE OF LAW EMPLOYED BY EU LAW TÉCNICAS ALTERNATIVAS PARA COMBATER O ABUSO DE DIREITO EMPREGADO PELA LEGISLAÇÃO DA UE

The present study/research aims to understand the functioning of prohibition of abuse of law in European Union, as a "legal technique" to deny the exercise of the right or exclude the application of EU law where a behavior is found abusive by the private. Such an analysis is indeed the starting point for understanding more deeply the normative meaning of this prohibition, also by placing it in relation with the other protection techniques of which the Union system disposes. More specifically, through a comparison with the use of alternative techniques, the aim of the research is to define whether this prohibition can be considered as an effective technique in EU law, that is to say concretely applicable to the fight against abuse. The role of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the fight against abuse: final considerations on the extent of the prohibition of abuse and its operation in EU law. The main objective of the research was to understand the legal meaning and operation of the prohibition on the abuse of rights in EU, as a legal technique to exclude the application of EU law or to deny the right attributed by EU law where abusive behavior by the private individual is found.
Efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in the treatment of acute active antibody-mediated rejection in kidney transplant recipients

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) continues to have a deleterious impact on kidney allograft survival. Recent evidence supports use of tocilizumab for treatment of chronic active AMR, but it has not been assessed for treatment of acute active AMR. Methods We performed a single-center, observational study of kidney transplant recipients who received at least 1 dose of tocilizumab in addition to conventional therapies for acute active AMR between October 2016 and October 2018 with follow-up through August 2019. Results Seven patients were included. All 7 patients received tocilizumab 8 mg/kg (max dose, 800 mg) monthly. We noted a 50% or greater reduction in immunodominant donor-specific antibodies in 4 of 6 patients. Renal function improved or stabilized in all patients throughout the duration of therapy. One patient developed cytomegalovirus esophagitis and 1 had a potential hypersensitivity reaction. In the extended follow-up, 1 patient had mixed rejection and 2 patients had T-cell-mediated rejection, which occurred 6 to 24 mo after completion of therapy. Conclusions Tocilizumab may be considered as an addition to conventional therapies for treatment of acute active AMR. More studies are needed to determine which patients may benefit from therapy and to examine the appropriate duration of treatment.
Memories of my father

Abstract In addition to what he accomplished in his physics career, Emil Wolf raised two children as a single parent. His son, Bruno Wolf, reflects on growing up with Emil as his father.
Risk factors associated with age at diagnosis of diabetes among noninstitutionalized US population: the 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Demographic and anthropometric factors associated with the age at diagnosis of diabetes have not been extensively studied. Much of the literature using anthropometric measures has been associated with other health factors such as obesity and coronary heart disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between different sets of anthropometric factors and age of diabetes diagnosis in the United States. Using the NHANES 2015–2016 data set, weighted linear regression analysis was performed on observations from 600 qualified individuals with diabetes to study associations between anthropometric and demographic factors and the age of diabetes diagnosis. Results of our analysis support the evidence of significant relationships between the anthropometric characteristics and demographic factors and age at diabetes diagnosis. Specifically, age at diagnosis of diabetes is predicted to decrease by 1.03 (p < 0.01) and 0.91 (p < 0.01) years when BMI and upper leg length go up by one unit each, respectively. Similarly, age at diagnosis of diabetes decreases by 0.02 years and by 1.72 years when refrigerated glucose serum increases by 1 mg/dL (p < 0.05) and when household size increases by one person, respectively. Male respondents were diagnosed with diabetes 3.41 years later than their female counterparts. Conversely, age at diagnosis of diabetes increases by 1.24 years when the average sagittal abdominal diameter goes up by 1 cm (p < 0.05). In addition, Mexican American respondents were diagnosed 5.00 years younger than the non-Hispanic White counterparts. Our findings show that anthropometric factors, including BMI, refrigerated glucose serum and upper leg length increase have an inverse linear association with age of diabetes diagnosis. The results of this study can help improve the efficiency of the methods of health professionals attempting to lower the rate of diabetes diagnoses.
Did the A Line Arterial Bus Rapid Transit Affect Housing Values in Ramsey County, MN?

As arterial bus rapid transit (BRT) has become popular in the Twin Cities, local residents worry about the housing value uplift associated with these investments and the potential displacement of poor residents. Using a before-after treatment-control design, this study developed a difference-in-difference hedonic model to examine the effects of the A Line BRT on station-area housing values. After the funding announcement and opening, housing sales prices increased slightly. However, neither effect is statistically significant. The A Line encouraged ridership but had no effect on housing values. We will explain why the Green Line light rail increased property values whereas the arterial BRT did not.
Effect of truncal vagotomy on parietal cell mass and antral gastrin cell mass in dogs.

Abstract Vagotomy is known to reduce acid secretion and to increase serum gastrin concentrations. However, there is minimal information on the effect of vagotomy on parietal cell mass or gastrin cell mass. Basal and maximal acid secretions and fasting serum gastrin concentrations were measured in 22 gastric fistula dogs with pyloromyotomy before and up to 56 days following complete bilateral truncal vagotomy (n = 11) or sham vagotomy (n = 11). Dogs underwent total gastrectomy on postoperative day 9 (n = 5 per group) or day 56 (n = 6 per group). Parietal cells were stained with Luxol fast blue and parietal cell mass determined with computer-assisted histomorphometry. Parietal cell mass averaged 10.68 ± 0.90 billion in control dogs and correlated significantly with maximal acid output (r = 0.76; P
Neuroscientific Insights for Improved Outcomes in Music-based Interventions:

Music therapy is an evidence-based practice, but the needs and constraints of various stakeholders pose challenges towards providing the highest standards of evidence for each clinical application....
Cloning of long sterile lemma (lsl2), a single recessive gene that regulates spike germination in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice is a typical monocotyledonous plant and an important cereal crop. The structural units of rice flowers are spikelets and florets, and floral organ development and spike germination affect rice reproduction and yield. In this study, we identified a novel long sterile lemma (lsl2) mutant from an EMS population. First, we mapped the lsl2 gene between the markers Indel7–22 and Indel7–27, which encompasses a 25-kb region. The rice genome annotation indicated the presence of four candidate genes in this region. Through gene prediction and cDNA sequencing, we confirmed that the target gene in the lsl2 mutant is allelic to LONG STERILE LEMMA1 (G1)/ELONGATED EMPTY GLUME (ELE), hereafter referred to as lsl2. Further analysis of the lsl2 and LSL2 proteins showed a one-amino-acid change, namely, the mutation of serine (Ser) 79 to proline (Pro) in lsl2 compared with LSL2, and this mutation might change the function of the protein. Knockout experiments showed that the lsl2 gene is responsible for the long sterile lemma phenotype. The lsl2 gene might reduce the damage induced by spike germination by decreasing the seed germination rate, but other agronomic traits of rice were not changed in the lsl2 mutant. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the lsl2 gene will have specific application prospects in future rice breeding. The lsl2 gene is responsible for the long sterile lemma phenotype and might reduce the damage induced by spike germination by decreasing the seed germination rate.
Disparity of ovarian cancer survival between urban and rural settings

Objectives: To determine if there is a difference in overall survival of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer between rural, urban and metropolitan settings in the United States. Methods: We performed a NCDB retrospective cohort study from 2004-2016 which included high and low grade, Stage I-IV disease. Bivariate analyses using Student's t-test for continuous variables and Chi-square test for dichotomous variables was conducted. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate survival of patients based on location of residence. Univariate analyses using Cox proportional Hazard ratio were used to assess survival based on their baseline characteristics followed by multivariate analysis using Cox proportional Hazard ratio to account for variables significant (p-value Download : Download high-res image (145KB) Download : Download full-size image Results: A total of 111,627 patients were included with mean age of 62-64 years of age. 94,290 patients were in a metropolitan area (>1 million population or a 50,000-999,999). There were 15,386 urban patients (10,000-49,999 persons). There were 1,951 rural patients (nonmetropolitan/noncore population). Univariate Cox proportional ratio was performed with clinically significant differences in hazard ratios between the metropolitan, urban, and rural patients. Multivariate Cox proportional Hazard ratio showed clinically significant increase in hazard ratios for patients in rural settings (HR 1.117). Conclusions: Our analysis shows that patients who live in rural settings with small populations and greater distance to tertiary care centers have poorer survival in ovarian cancer. These differences hold after controlling for stage, age and other significant risk factors related to poorer outcomes. Possible reasons for rural disparity include lack of specialty care/diagnosing physicians, increased comorbidities of rural patients, later stage at diagnosis, distance to health care centers/diagnosing physicians, lack of insurance, and lower socioeconomic status. This study shows that this population is at significant risk of poorer overall outcomes and this should be considered when caring for patients in this demographic. Download : Download high-res image (299KB) Download : Download full-size image
Accelerating voxel-based terrain rendering with keyframe-free image-based rendering

We propose a voxel-based terrain rendering method which incorporates a novel keyframe-free image-based rendering algorithm and a new heuristic ray coherence raycasting algorithm. The current image is generated by warping the previous image with a revised 3D warping algorithm and filling holes by raycasting, accelerated by ray coherence and multiresolution ray traversal. This method not only achieves good performance, but also allows arbitrary viewing directions. We further accelerate the rendering with multiprocessor parallelism and have achieved a real-time rendering rate of 30Hz on a 16-processor SGI Power Challenge.
Early outbreak detection using an automated data feed of test orders from a veterinary diagnostic laboratory

Disease surveillance in animals remains inadequate to detect outbreaks resulting from novel pathogens and potential bioweapons. Mostly relying on confirmed diagnoses, another shortcoming of these systems is their ability to detect outbreaks in a timely manner. We investigated the feasibility of using veterinary laboratory test orders in a prospective system to detect outbreaks of disease earlier compared to traditional reporting methods. IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. automatically transferred daily records of laboratory test orders submitted from veterinary providers in Ohio via a secure file transfer protocol. Test products were classified to appropriate syndromic category using their unique identifying number. Counts of each category by county were analyzed to identify unexpected increases using a cumulative sums method. The results indicated that disease events can be detected through the prospective analysis of laboratory test orders and may provide indications of similar disease events in humans before traditional disease reporting.
Fibrinogen and altered hemostasis in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques, tau tangles, brain atrophy, and vascular pathology. Vascular defects include cerebrovascular dysfunction, decreased cerebral blood flow, and blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption, among others. Here, we review the evidence that links Aβ with the vascular pathology present in AD, with a specific focus on the hemostatic system and the clotting protein fibrinogen. Fibrinogen is normally found circulating in blood, but in AD it deposits with Aβ in the brain parenchyma and cerebral blood vessels. We found that Aβ and fibrin(ogen) interact, and their binding leads to increased fibrinogen aggregation, Aβ fibrillization, and the formation of degradation-resistant fibrin clots. Decreasing fibrinogen levels not only lessens cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) and BBB permeability, but it also reduces microglial activation and improves cognitive performance in AD mouse models. Moreover, a prothrombotic state in AD is evidenced by increased clot formation, decreased fibrinolysis, and elevated levels of coagulation factors and activated platelets. Abnormal deposition and persistence of fibrin(ogen) in AD may result from Aβ-fibrin(ogen) binding and altered hemostasis and could thus contribute to Aβ deposition, decreased cerebral blood flow, exacerbated neuroinflammation, and eventual neurodegeneration. Blocking the interaction between fibrin(ogen) and Aβ may be a promising therapeutic target for AD.
A fuzzy logic assistant for virtual environment operators immersed in a battlespace

The motivation for and preliminary design of a decision aid that assists the operator of a synthetic environment that emulates a large, complex battlespace are presented. The purpose of the decision aid is to increase the situational awareness of the operator concerning the activity within the battlespace. The decision aid, called the fuzzy logic assistant, uses the fuzzy logic control paradigm within designated watchspaces in the battlespace to assess the interest level of the activity and provide feedback concerning the level of interest to the operator. The fuzzy logic operators and rule set used to make assessments are discussed, and the forms of feedback provided to operators of the synthetic environment are described. >
The Dalkon Shield in nulliparous women

Abstract In 296 nonindigent nulliparous women wearing the Dalkon Shield, the pregnancy and medical removal rates calculated at the end of 12 months were 5.6 and 28.7, respectively, per 100 women. The continuation rate was 58.3. Removal of the shield was most frequent during the first 24 hours after insertion, usually because of pain. Previous early abortion did not lessen the probability of medical removal. Metrorrhagia occurred in 22 per cent and increased menstrual flow was observed in 34 per cent of women who used the shield successfully 6 months or longer. The effect of the device on dysmenorrhea was inconsistent. The advantage of the Dalkon Shield is its low expulsion rate.
Opioid dependency in pregnancy and length of stay for neonatal abstinence syndrome.

ABSTRACT Objective To examine opioid replacement therapy in pregnancy and effect on neonatal outcomes, including length of hospital stay for neonatal abstinence syndrome. Design Retrospective descriptive study. Setting Labor and delivery unit and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, Maine. Participants One hundred fifty‐two opioid‐dependent pregnant women on methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) ( n = 136) or buprenorphine maintenance therapy (BMT) ( n = 16) during pregnancy and their neonates. The neonates were born between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007. Methods A review of the electronic medical record (EMR) was conducted of all opioid‐dependent women who were maintained on MMT or BMT at the time of admission for labor and delivery and their neonates. Results Maternal methadone dose and concomitant in‐utero exposure to benzodiazepines prolonged the length of hospital stay for neonates. Length of stay was shorter in breastfed neonates than formula‐fed neonates or neonates who received formula and breast milk. Neonates with prenatal exposure to MMT spent more days in the hospital (21 vs. 14 days) for treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) than infants with prenatal exposure to BMT. Conclusion These findings are consistent with previous research on the simultaneous use of methadone and benzodiazepines during pregnancy and provide further direction for the treatment of opioid dependency during pregnancy. Harm reduction strategies for opioid‐dependent pregnant women in substance abuse treatment with MMT may one day include guidance on daily treatment doses and recommendations to avoid the concomitant use of benzodiazepines to lessen NAS. Breastfeeding should be recommended to shorten length of stay. Understanding perinatal and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women on methadone or buprenorphine will help to identify optimal treatment for opioid dependency in pregnancy.
Britain's Barclay Report: Lessons for the United States

The working party was made up of eighteen members, including Peter Barclay, its chairperson, (who is chair person of the National Institute for Social Work in London), and a num ber of academics and staff members from social service agencies. After more than a year of taking testimony, reviewing submissions and publica tions, and making on-site visits, the working party issued its final report: Social Workers: Their Role and Tasks.2 W. David Harrison
Identification of multi-speaker Mandarin tones in noise by native and non-native listeners

The similarities and contrasts between native and non-native identification of multi-speaker Mandarin tones in quiet and in noise were explored in a perception experiment. Mandarin tone materials produced by three male and three female speakers were presented with five levels of signal-to-noise ratios (quiet, 0, -5, -10, and -15dB) in two presentation formats (blocked by speaker and mixed across speakers) to listeners with various Mandarin experience (native, first-year, second-year, third-year, and fourth-year students). Stimuli blocked by speaker yielded higher accuracy and shorter reaction time. The additional demand of processing mixed-speaker stimuli, however, did not compromise non-native performance more than native performance. Noise expectedly compromised identification performance, although it did not compromise non-native identification more than native identification. Native listeners expectedly outperformed non-native listeners, although identification performance did not vary systematically as a function of duration of Mandarin experience. It is speculated that sources of variability in speech would affect non-native more than native tone identification only if syllable-internal, canonical F0 information is removed or altered.
Modulation of the activity of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor by phorbol myristate acetate.

Abstract Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) weakly activates Na + H + exchange in NR-6 cells. Simultaneously, PMA blocks the activation of Na + H + exchange by platelet-derived growth factor or by serum. Phorbol esters that do not activate protein kinase C do not show this metabolic response. We conclude that activation of Na + H + exchange by platelet-derived growth factor or serum does not require the intermediate activation of protein kinase C. We postulate from this and previous observations that a major role of protein kinase C is to act as an inhibitor of the activity of cell surface receptors, in particular mitogen receptors.
Motivation and gifted students: Implications of theory and research

An analysis of contemporary motivation theories reveals implications for gifted and talented students. The expectancy-value framework, intrinsic-extrinsic motivation theories, goal orientations, self-efficacy and other self-perceptions, and attribution theory are described and discussed with respect to implications for the psychology and education of gifted and talented students. Illustrative empirical research on motivation and gifted students is presented, and a model of classroom motivation factors is provided as a practical structure within which to consider instructional practices with this population. C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. One of the most intriguing, and often frustrating, puzzles for those who study individuals with great intellectual and creative promise is why some bright students never reach the level of success of which they seem so capable. More than half a century ago, David McClelland and his colleagues published a now-classic study of this problem, Talent and Society (McClelland, Baldwin, Bronfenbrenner, & Strodtbeck, 1958). They suggested that the solution to this puzzle could be found by looking at a range of nonintellective factors, with particular attention to achievement motivation. One recent definition of motivation is “the process whereby goal-directed activity is instigated andsustained”(Schunk,Pintrich,&Meece,2008,p.4).Inotherwords,motivationincludeschoosing
Primum non nocere: a word of caution regarding prophylactic colectomy in the setting of incurable metastatic disease.

Most patients with metastatic colorectal cancer cannot be cured. The primary goal of treatment for these patients is symptom palliation, in hopes of prolonging survival while maintaining quality of life. Modern cytotoxic chemotherapeutic and biologic agents have extended survival, with the result that half of our stage IV patients now live with disease for more than 2 years. This has given rise to considerable controversy regarding the role of surgery for incurable stage IV patients. There is no debate regarding the need to resect symptomatic primary lesions such as those causing obstruction, bleeding, or pain; however, the benefits of removing asymptomatic primary lesions remain unknown. What is the optimal management of an asymptomatic primary lesion, and what is the role of colorectal cancer debulking? Many additional questions are relevant in the debate over prophylactic colectomy for incurable colorectal cancer. When considering leaving the primary lesion in situ and proceeding directly to chemotherapy, we need answers to the following: How often do asymptomatic primary lesions become symptomatic and require palliative intervention? How do the associated complications impact patients’ quality of life and survival? When considering resection of asymptomatic primary lesions, we need to know how often prophylactic surgery results in complication, and how the complication affects further treatment, survival, and quality of life. In this issue of Annals of Surgical Oncology, Venderbosch et al. attempt to answer some of these questions by retrospectively analyzing two randomized trials, CAIRO and CAIRO2, which were originally designed to investi
A simple method to determine nanogram levels of 4-hydroxyproline in biological tissues.

Abstract A simple and practical method for the quantitation of nanogram levels of 4-hydroxyproline in tissue hydrolysates is described. Optimum conditions were employed to release the hydroxyproline from tissue homogenates by acid hydrolysis. The free hydroxyproline was then oxidized by chloramine T to produce a pyrrole-type compound. The addition of Ehrlich's reagent resulted in the formation of a chromophore with a wavelength maximum at 558 nm. The optimum conditions for the assay, notably the chloramine T concentration, were different for pyrrole and hydroxyproline standards, and tissue hydrolysates. It is shown that the calculation of recoveries based on the external standards method using either pyrrole or hydroxyproline could be subject to considerable error. This necessitated the use of the method of standard additions. The recovery of hydroxyproline under these conditions was 97 ± 8%. No substantial matrix effect exists with hydrolysate quantities ranging from 25 to 100 μl corresponding to 1.2 to 5 mg of tissue (wet wt). The hydroxyproline content of adult rat lung was consistently found to be 3.78 ± 0.15 μmol/g wet wt.
Characterization of pH in Liquid Mixtures of Methanol/H2O/CO2

The presence of H2O and CO2 in enhanced-fluidity liquids changes the pH in these mixtures due to the formation of carbonic acid. The acid−base equilibria in enhanced-fluidity liquids will also be affected by the reduction in the dielectric constant with the addition of CO2. The pH of enhanced-fluidity liquid mixtures at room temperature was determined from the UV/visible absorption spectra of several pH indicators. pH values of methanol/H2O/CO2 mixtures with CO2 proportions as high as 19.2 mol % are reported. The effect of adding buffer to methanol/H2O/CO2 mixtures on pH was also studied. It was also shown that pressure variation did not significantly influence the pH of enhanced-fluidity liquids.