cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Subunit stoichiometry of the Drosophila melanogaster small nuclear RNA activating protein complex (SNAPc)

Small nuclear RNA activating protein complex (SNAPc) is a multi-subunit transcription factor required for expression of small nuclear RNA genes. This protein binds to a promoter element located approximately 40-65 bp upstream of the transcription start site. In Drosophila melanogaster, DmSNAPc contains three distinct polypeptide subunits: DmSNAP190, DmSNAP50, and DmSNAP43. The subunit stoichiometry in SNAPc complexed with DNA has not been examined. Therefore, the ability of differently tagged but otherwise identical subunits to associate with each other into the same protein-DNA complex was assayed by antibody super-shift analysis. The results reveal that DmSNAPc contains only a single copy of each of the three subunits.
A complex legacy

In his tragically short life, Alan Turing helped define what computing machines are capable of, and where they reach inherent limits. His legacy is still felt every day, in areas ranging from computational complexity theory to cryptography and quantum computing.
Studies on nuclei of Paramecium aurelia. II. Amino acid composition and electrophoretic properties of the chromosomal basic proteins.

SYNOPSIS. The basic proteins of Paramecium aurelia nucleus were extracted from isolated nuclei and deoxyribonucleoprotein (DNP) of such nuclei. About 35–40% of the nuclear protein, predominantly a lysine-rich histone, is acid soluble. Five major components of the histone can be distinguished by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Some components of Paramecium histone are similar to those of mammalian histones in their electrophoretic mobility, but they differ from the latter in the electrophoretic velocity and relative levels. The basic to acidic amino acid ratio of the histone from the ciliate is ∼1.1–1.5, and its amino acid composition resembles closely that of yeast histone. Through the use of Sephadex G-200 gel filtration for purification of the histones extracted directly from isolated nuclei 2 basic proteins were resolved—component I, with an elution volume of 1.4, constitutes ∼20% and component II, with an elution volume of 1.9, ∼80%.
π-Conjugated systems with unique electronic structure: A case of "planarized" 1,3-connected polyarylmethyl carbodianion and stable triplet hydrocarbon diradical

The effect of «planarization» on π-conjugated 1,3-connected polyarylmethyls in connection with the electronic structure and magnetic properties is examined. The synthesis, ESR and UV-vis spectroscopy, voltammetry, and magnetic studies of triplet diradical 6 2. are reported. The corresponding dianion 6 2- , 2M + (M=Li, K) is studied using NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy
Soil organic matter assessments in a long-term cropping system study

Assessing effects of cropping systems on soil organic matter (SOM) and soil carbon (C) changes are necessary to make accurate projections regarding sequestration and emission of CO2 by agricultural soils. This process requires substantial annual management inputs and large outlays for soil sampling and analyses. Our objectives were (1) to evaluate and test an alternative method for soil organic matter determination, (2) to determine if crop rotation and N fertilizer management significantly affected soil organic matter at the beginning (1986) or after 12 yrs (1998), and (3) to determine if total soil organic matter levels have changed after 12 years in a long-term cropping system study. Soil samples were taken in 1986 and 1998 to a depth of 150 cm in 30 cm increments. Total soil organic C and organic matter by weight loss-on-ignition concentrations were determined for the soil samples taken in 1998. Results from both methods of analyses for the 1998 samples were highly correlated. No significant differenc...
Multicentric Castleman’s disease in HIV/AIDS patients at an urban HIV clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, in the combined antiretroviral therapy era

Methods Our clinic serves annually 5,000 patients diagnosed with AIDS. Patients with a diagnosis of multicentric Castleman’s disease between 2006 and 2010 were identified from the pathology database at Grady Memorial Hospital or referrals to the clinic. Clinic charts and medical records were abstracted. Patients’ demographics, CD4 counts, HIV viral load, HIV and MCD treatment and outcomes were recorded.
Process: Creativity Improvement in a System Development Work Unit

A creativity improvement intervention was introduced in a work unit of system developers. The five month intervention consisted of three phases: Phase I was a training workshop to establish an environment to facilitate creativity and to teach a variety of creativity generation and evaluation techniques. Phase II reinforced the concepts/principles taught in the workshop, with opportunities to discuss experience in application of the techniques and test the degree to which the environment for creativity had been enhanced. Additional techniques were also introduced during this period. Phase III provided further reinforcement by reading and discussing creativity articles/papers. All personnel kept a record of their creative results, identifying 17 major improvements. In a post-test, on average participants believed their individual creativity improved 23% and that the unit's creativity improved 27%. They also indicated that the environment for creativity was well established, that “creativity was now a part of their culture.”
Mechanism Through Methodology: No Madness to the Method

Grau and Joynes (2005) assess the current state of the field of animal learning and behavior, with particular emphasis on pedagogical and curricular issues. They suggest that the conventional framework which organizes lecture material around methodology is flawed and that an organization around mechanism should be used instead. They also advocate a shift from a purely behavioral approach to research on learning and behavior to a neural-functionalist approach more akin to contemporary behavioral neuroscience. While I support many of the suggestions for improving instruction, I disagree with their proposed shift away from purely behavioral investigations of animal behavior. Behavioral research continues to be a thriving and productive source of empirical and theoretical discoveries. The diverse array of specialized methodologies that have been developed to pursue this work are still paying dividends by illuminating the nature of behavioral mechanisms. Banishing purely behavioral approaches to learning and behavior, such as those used to study associative learning, animal cognition, and comparative psychology, would severely hamper our knowledge of behavioral mechanism. “A complete theory of learning must speak to all of the ways in which experience can alter behavior….” (Grau & Joynes, 2005, p. 15). This statement resonates the views espoused by most contemporary researchers of learning and behavior. Grau and his students have published excellent work on the neural basis of learning in spinal rats. This research is exemplary in its use of rigorous methodology and the nuanced appreciation of the theoretical issues it raises. Thus, they are in an excellent position to comment on the state of the field of learning. Grau and Joynes (2005) address a number of important issues that are germane to the study of learning and behavior. Most importantly, they provide a timely critique of the current state of pedagogy and curriculum. They delineate inherent problems with the manner in which theory and research are portrayed in standard textbooks for academic courses on learning. The conventional view, as Grau and Joynes see it, adopted by textbooks organizes information around the methodologies used to understand learning rather than around the mechanisms of learning. One problem with a methodological approach is that it fails to provide a coherent theme or framework in which to connect all of the disparate findings and theories. Thus, issues relevant to both Pavlovian and instrumental learning, for example, are presented in separate chapters with little integration into a larger, coherent framework. This disconnection between facts and framework probably contributes significantly to the tendency for students to perceive courses on learning as difficult or uninteresting. The conventional framework produces another negative consequence: neuroscientists who wish to study the neural mechanisms of learning often receive an antiquated (at best) or misguided (at worst) understanding of
Charleston transverse zone, Wasatch Mountains, Utah: Structure of the Provo salient's northern margin, Sevier fold-thrust belt

The Charleston transverse zone of north-central Utah is an east-west–trending corridor of faults and folds that forms the boundary between the Provo salient of the Sevier fold-thrust belt and the Uinta-Cottonwood arch. The zone trends nearly 90° to the regional structural grain of the fold-thrust belt. Structural analysis and mapping in American Fork Canyon, near the western margin of the Charleston transverse zone, demonstrates that the zone contains an array of low-angle thrust faults and high-angle reverse and normal faults. Crosscutting relations indicate that the low-angle thrust faults formed first, followed by the reverse faults and possibly selected normal faults, and then by the majority of normal faults. Locally, normal faults reactivate reverse faults. The overall pattern of faulting and folding in the Charleston transverse zone suggests that the zone is a left-lateral strike-slip flower structure superimposed on an imbricate thrust fan. Trends of normal faults in the transverse zone suggest that many formed during a later phase of oblique extension that had a component of right-lateral shear. Our results support a tectonic model in which the Charleston transverse zone initiated during the Sevier orogeny to accommodate along-strike changes in the geometry of the thrust belt, caused in turn by along-strike changes in thickness of the stratigraphic sequence involved in thrusting. Thrust sheets in the Provo salient to the south of the Charleston transverse zone moved farther toward the foreland than did thrust sheets to the north of the zone, so the Charleston transverse zone evolved into a left-lateral strike-slip accommodation zone. Preliminary paleomagnetic data support this proposal: they suggest that fault blocks within the Charleston transverse zone locally rotated counterclockwise about a vertical axis. Laramide uplift of the Uinta-Cottonwood arch tilted structures of the Charleston transverse zone to the south and may have locally reactivated faults within the zone. Subsequent extensional tectonism reactivated the Charleston transverse zone with an oblique component of right-lateral shear.
Cache coherence protocols: evaluation using a multiprocessor simulation model

Using simulation, we examine the efficiency of several distributed, hardware-based solutions to the cache coherence problem in shared-bus multiprocessors. For each of the approaches, the associated protocol is outlined. The simulation model is described, and results from that model are presented. The magnitude of the potential performance difference between the various approaches indicates that the choice of coherence solution is very important in the design of an efficient shared-bus multiprocessor, since it may limit the number of processors in the system.
A 0.45–0.7V sub-microwatt CMOS image sensor for ultra-low power applications

This work describes a low voltage CMOS image sensor with a pulsewidth modulation read-out that is optimized for ultra-low power wireless applications. A new pixel structure targeted at low voltage operation is implemented in a 128×128 pixel test-chip in a 0.13µm technology. Measurements show that the image sensor is functional over the range V dd =0.45V−0.7V. At V dd =0.5V, the image sensor consumes 140nJ/frame at 8.5fps with a signal-to-noise ratio of 23.4dB at saturation.
Group Social Skills Instruction for Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders:

Given the increased recognition of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the chronic and pervasive nature of associated deficits, there is a pressing need for effective treatments. The feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a structured, group social skills training program for high-functioning youth with ASD was examined in this study. Fifteen participants (14 boys and 1 girl; age M = 12.55 years ± 1 year) completed a 16-week outpatient group-based intervention. The structured treatment was acceptable to families based on session attendance (89%) and postgroup satisfaction ratings. Treatment integrity was acceptable. Nine participants demonstrated significant improvement based on reliable change indices. Gains were not, however, uniform across school and home, nor were they consistently maintained following treatment.
Contour stencils for edge-adaptive image interpolation

We first develop a simple method for detecting the local orientation of image contours and then use this detection to design an edge-adaptive image interpolation strategy. The detection is based on total variation: small total variation along a candidate curve implies that the image is approximately constant along that curve, which suggests it is a good approximation to the contours. The proposed strategy is to measure the total variation over a "contour stencil," a set of parallel curves localized over a small patch in the image. This contour stencil detection is used to design an edge-adaptive image interpolation strategy. The interpolation is computationally efficient, operates robustly over a variety of image features, and performs competitively in a comparison against existing methods. The method extends readily to vector-valued data and is demonstrated for color image interpolation. Other applications of contour stencils are also discussed.
Factors Expressed by Murine Embryonic Pancreatic Mesenchyme Enhance Generation of Insulin-Producing Cells From hESCs

Islet transplantation has proven to be a successful strategy to restore normoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, the dearth of cadaveric islets available for transplantation hampers the widespread application of this treatment option. Although human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells are capable of generating insulin-producing cells in vitro when provided with the appropriate inductive cues, the insulin-expressing cells that develop behave more like immature β-cells with minimal sensitivity to glucose stimulation. Here, we identify a set of signaling factors expressed in mouse embryonic mesenchyme during the time when foregut and pancreatic progenitors are specified and test their activities during in vitro differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. Several of the identified factors work in concert to expand the pancreatic progenitor pool. Interestingly, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β ligands, most potent in inducing pancreatic progenitors, display strong inhibitory effects on subsequent endocrine cell differentiation. Treatment with TGF-β ligands, followed by the addition of a TGF-β receptor antagonist, dramatically increased the number of insulin-producing cells in vitro, demonstrating the need for dynamic temporal regulation of TGF-β signaling during in vitro differentiation. These studies illustrate the need to precisely mimic the in vivo conditions to fully recapitulate pancreatic lineage specification in vitro.
Hopx expression defines a subset of multipotent hair follicle stem cells and a progenitor population primed to give rise to K6+ niche cells

The mammalian hair follicle relies on adult resident stem cells and their progeny to fuel and maintain hair growth throughout the life of an organism. The cyclical and initially synchronous nature of hair growth makes the hair follicle an ideal system with which to define homeostatic mechanisms of an adult stem cell population. Recently, we demonstrated that Hopx is a specific marker of intestinal stem cells. Here, we show that Hopx specifically labels long-lived hair follicle stem cells residing in the telogen basal bulge. Hopx+ cells contribute to all lineages of the mature hair follicle and to the interfollicular epidermis upon epidermal wounding. Unexpectedly, our analysis identifies a previously unappreciated progenitor population that resides in the lower hair bulb of anagen-phase follicles and expresses Hopx. These cells co-express Lgr5, do not express Shh and escape catagen-induced apoptosis. They ultimately differentiate into the cytokeratin 6-positive (K6) inner bulge cells in telogen, which regulate the quiescence of adjacent hair follicle stem cells. Although previous studies have suggested that K6+ cells arise from Lgr5-expressing lower outer root sheath cells in anagen, our studies indicate an alternative origin, and a novel role for Hopx-expressing lower hair bulb progenitor cells in contributing to stem cell homeostasis.
Communication with people of different ages in the workplace : Thai and American data

To test hypotheses about intra- and intergenerational communication perceptions, nonmanagerial-level bankers (n = 348) in two nations (Thailand and United States) self-assessed their communication beliefs on the Global Perceptions of Intergenerational Communication scale. Communication accommodation theory was used as a theoretical backdrop. Results revealed that older bankers were seen as more nonaccommodating (e.g., more negative, more ordering) than young bankers, though young bankers still felt more obligation to be respectful (e.g., hold back opinions) with older bankers than to their same-age group. In addition, managers were seen as more nonaccommodating than nonmanagers. Cross-cultural findings emerged to the extent that Thai bankers perceived others, in general, as less accommodating (e.g., supportive, helpful) and more nonaccommodating than did their American counterparts; hence, workplace conversations were at least partially viewed as more difficult in Thailand than in the United States. Research on religious and philosophical traditions, cultural convergence and divergence, modernity, and workplace homogenization were invoked to interpret the above findings.
An intraorganizational analysis of the Roberts and O'Reilly organizational communication questionnaire.

This study assesses the reliability and validity of a questionnaire developed by Roberts and O'Reilly to measure organizational communication. The questionnaire was administered to two samples of employees, both in the home office (« = 270) and branch offices (n = 404) of a large public utility. The questionnaire items were factor analyzed for each sample. The results revealed a high degree of similarity between the samples in terms of scale reliabilities and factor structure, Similarities and differences between the findings in -this study and those reported by Roberts and O'Reilly are discussed.
Directorship Interlocks in Comparative Perspective: The Case of Spain

This paper studies the network of intercorporate relationships in Spain in the context of advanced capitalist economies. Economic development patterns and the three main models of corporate structure - Anglo-Saxon, Continental European, and Japanese - are discussed. On the basis of an analysis of the network of director interlocks among the 100 largest industrial corporations, 50 largest banks and 30 largest insurance companies in 1993, the author concludes that Spain approximates the Continental European model. Three main findings result from this analysis: (1) Spanish domestic banks coupled with utility companies are located at the core of the intercorporate network; (2) capital-intensive industrial corporations belong to the inner circle of the network, while foreign-owned and light industry enterprises are isolates in the network; and (3) directorship interlocks in Spain tend to take place across industrial sectors rather than within them. He argues that bank-led economic development, high state intervention, and delayed but intensive foreign capital penetration explain the three corporate network outcomes. By combining historical-structuralism and social-network analysis, this study contributes a new empirical case to the existing literature, showing how historical structural factors help to explain intercorporate relations.
Heterogeneous Ventricular Repolarization Provides a Substrate for Arrhythmias in a German Shepherd Model of Spontaneous Arrhythmic Death

Background— German shepherd dogs with inherited arrhythmias and sudden death appear to be a model for catecholamine-dependent ventricular tachycardias in human subjects. We tested the hypothesis that heterogeneity of left ventricular repolarization creates an arrhythmogenic substrate for pause-dependent ventricular tachycardia in these animals. Methods and Results— We used microelectrode techniques to record action potentials (AP) from midmyocardial sections of anteroseptal, anterobasal, and posterobasal left ventricular (LV) wall of unafflicted and afflicted dogs. There were no differences in AP duration to 90% repolarization (APD) among LV regions in unafflicted dogs. In contrast, in afflicted dogs, there was significant heterogeneity, with the longest APD in anterobasal and shortest in anteroseptal regions. Isoproterenol did not affect repolarization in unafflicted dogs, whereas in afflicted dogs, it shortened APD anterobasally and prolonged APD anteroseptally. We studied the repolarizing currents, IKr...
Properties of Thorium Oxide Ceramics

Included in this report are data concerning the strength, density, and porosity that may be expected of thoria ceramics formed by dry-pressing and isostatic pressing and fired at 1400°, 1600°, and 1800°C. By dry-pressing and firing at 1400°C., a density of 60% of theoretical (10.05) was obtained; at 1800°C. the density was increased to 80% of theoretical. By isostatic pressing a density of 87% of theoretical was obtained at 1800°C. A study of the densification of thoria ceramics by small additions of other inorganic materials showed the very marked effect of CaO (or CaF2) in proportions of 0.5 to 3%. In proportions of 0.5 to 1%, CaO additions produced densities of 97% of theoretical for ThO2 when fired at 1800°C. Experimental results intended to explain this phenomenon tended to substantiate the theory that it is due to formation of holes by substitutional solid solution and migration of ions in the altered structure. Thoria ceramics in the form of 12-in. rods, 1.5 in. in diameter, and small (0.1-in.) pellets with CaO additions were made having densities up to 97% of theoretical; evaluation of the abrasion resistance and strength is given. Porous thoria ceramics with densities of only 50 to 60% of theoretical were produced by addition of volatile material. Tests of the solubility of thoria ceramics showed that water at 250°C. had no effect. Ready dissolution was obtained with nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid as a catalyst.
Lessons from pregnancy and parturition: uterine leiomyomas result from discordant differentiation and dedifferentiation responses in smooth muscle cells.

Leiomyomas, benign smooth muscle tumors of the uterus, are the most common gynecological neoplasm in women. Studies with human tissues and primary cultures have revealed little about the development of leiomyomas, although several genes have been shown to be differentially expressed in leiomyomas compared to matched normal myometrium. We propose that uterine smooth muscle tumor cells mimic a differentiated myometrial cell of pregnancy, and are associated with a hypersensitivity to sex steroid hormones, preventing the cells from responding to normal apoptotic or dedifferentiation signals which would return the cells to a nongravid phenotype. Support of this hypothesis is derived from experimental studies in female Eker rats which develop uterine leiomyoma with many similarities to the human disease. Members of the steroid receptor superfamily as well as the binding partners and co-regulators necessary for transactivation and gene transcription, may be involved in the altered pathway of cellular differentiation and regulation observed in uterine leiomyomas.
Early fresh frozen plasma prophylaxis of abnormal coagulation parameters in the severely head-injured patient is not effective

Serious head injury may be complicated by coagulation abnormalities. Fresh frozen plasma (FFP) has been advocated as resuscitation fluid, in patients with head injury, to prevent the development of abnormal coagulation. The efficacy of this practice has never been established. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 149 head-injured patients having a Glasgow Coma Scale of 9 or less. One hundred six received FFP and were without evidence of coagulopathies, while 42 received no FFP or had coagulopathies. Group 1 received FFP within a time from injury (T1) and group 2 received FFP after time (T2) or not at all. Groups were similar in demographics, injuries, presenting Glasgow Coma Scale, and presenting hematologic parameters in serial pretreatment or posttreatment hematologic parameters ( P
Perioperative risk factors for adverse airway events in patients undergoing cleft palate repair.

Objective: To establish the incidence of perioperative airway complications in a large series of pediatric patients undergoing palatoplasty and to identify which specific patient, procedural, and provider factors are associated with increased risk for perioperative adverse airway events (AAEs). Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: Tertiary pediatric hospital. Patients: Included were 300 patients who underwent primary cleft palate repair using the modified Furlow technique between 2008 and 2011. Patients were 2 years or younger at the time of the operation. Main Outcome Measure(s): Charts were reviewed for perioperative AAEs, which were defined as postoperative airway obstruction, oxyhemoglobin saturation ≤85% for ≥45 seconds, bronchospasm, laryngospasm, reintubation, and unplanned admission to the intensive care unit. Patient-specific factors (diagnosis of a craniofacial syndrome, Veau cleft type, preoperative pulmonary and airway history), procedural factors (operative time, anesthesia time,...
Nanostructured Selenium for Preventing Biofilm Formation on Medical Devices

Biofilms are a common cause of persistent infections on medical devices as they are easy to form and hard to treat. Selenium and its compounds are considered to be a novel material for a wide range of applications including anticancer applications and antibacterial applications. The objective of this study was to coat selenium nanoparticles on the surface of polycarbonate medical devices and examine their effectiveness at preventing biofilm formation. The results of this in vitro study showed that the selenium coating significantly inhibited Staphylococcus aureus growth on the surface of polycarbonate after 24 hours. Thus, this study suggests that coating polymers with nanostructured selenium is a fast and effective way to reduce bacteria functions leading to medical device infections.
A Standardized Model for Structural Control Experiments and Some Experimental Results

Structural control in civil engineering is an exciting concept. It not only provides an attractive means of enhancing structural safety and serviceability during large loading episodes, but also leads to the notions of ‘active’ structures whereby structures are designed with active elements in mind — a fundamental departure from past and current passive structural design practices. As Zuk [1] puts it, one sees in active structural control ‘a basic change in kind, not just in amounts; as different as an automobile is to a wagon’.
Versatile algorithms for the computation of 2-point spatial correlations in quantifying material structure

This paper presents a generalized framework along with the associated computational strategies for a rigorous quantification of the material structure in a range of different applications using the framework of 2-point spatial correlations. In particular, we focus on applications requiring different assumptions about the periodicity and/or involving irregular domain shapes and potentially extremely large datasets. Important details of the computational algorithms needed to address these challenges are developed and illustrated with example case studies. Algorithms developed and presented in this work are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.31329.
In Focus: Supreme Court Review: Supreme Court Analysis: Court Nixes Latest Settlement Class; Court Strikes Down Asbestos Settlement

Commentary and analysis of the Supreme Court decision in Ortiz v. Fibreboard Corp., and reversing two decisions from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In Ortiz, a 7-2 decision, the Court reversed the Fifth Circuit’s affirmation of a Rule 23(b)(1)(B) mandatory global settlement of asbestos claims. The decision, by Justice Souter, took the opportunity to articulate standards that apply to Rule 23(b)(1)(B) limited fund class actions. After a lengthy exegesis on the history of Rule 23(b)(1)(B), the Court issued two broad rulings. First, the proponents of a (b)(1)(B) limited fund class action (or class action settlement) must prove the existence of the limited fund on more evidence than the parties’ agreement. Second, any limited fund must be free from conflicts. In addition, the limited fund must be completely exhausted in pay-outs to class claimants, and the settlement fund must provide for equitable distribution among class members. Justices Breyer and Stevens, taking a more pragmatic approach to settlement classes, dissented from the majority’s opinion. The article discusses the Court’s rulings in Ortiz as a bookend companion case to its 1997 decision in Amchem Prods. Inc. v. Windsor, in which the Supreme Court invalidated a Rule 23(b)(3) global settlement of asbestos claims. The article examines the implications of these two decisions for resolving asbestos litigation and mass tort litigation generally, as well as other types of class action litigation.
SAND BAR RESPONSE TO DIFFERENT WAVE ENERGY AND BEACH ENVIRONMENTS IN TWO FLORIDA COUNTIES

Abstract: A total of 1,640 beach profiles in Walton and Volusia, two coastal Counties in the State of Florida, was evaluated to determine the influence of wave energy on sand bar formation. The data showed an increase in the average number of bars from 1970’s to 2007 in both Counties. The average number of bars also presented a good correlation with the average wave energy for the period, with an increase in the number of bars during periods with high wave energy. The sand bars mobility presented a good correlation with the wave energy, with bars migrating offshore and becoming deeper during high energetic events.
Role of inhibition of intercellular communication in carcinogenesis.

Subsequent to the first morphologic description of the gap junction by Revel and Karnovsky in 1967 (113), a plethora of reports has appeared describing the structure, function and pathologic changes of this plasma membrane structure. The gap junction appears to serve as a conduit for the cell-to-cell exchange of low molecular weight ions and molecules between adjacent cells (intercellular communication). A number of functions have been attributed to intercellular communication including the maintenance of normal cellular homeostasis. Another function that is clearly related to the neoplastic process is the control of cellular growth (81). Yotti, Chang, and Trosko (178) and Murray and Fitzgerald (99), working independently, reported in 1979 that tumor promoting phorbol ester compounds were capable of inhibiting gap junction-mediated intercellular communication between cells in culture. These findings resulted in the hypothesis that tumor promoters stimulate cell proliferation of initiated cells by inhibiting gap junctional intercellular communication in the initiated cells (146).
Neck masses in children: adenopathy and malignant disease.

Neck masses in children are a frequent occurrence and may tax the clinical acumen of even the most astute physician. The differential diagnosis is extensive, but generally includes congenital lesions, lymphadenopathy, and malignant masses. Although the fear of malignancy accompanies virtually every child with a neck mass, cancer of the head and neck comprises only about 15 per cent of such masses in children admitted to the hospital. A logical method of evaluation is needed to prevent becoming lost in a quagmire of possibilities. By reviewing anatomy and mode of presentation, and obtaining a detailed history and careful physical examination, the physician may often arrive at a proper diagnosis on clinical grounds and confirm it with appropriate laboratory examination. In the following section, congenital lesions of the neck, lymphadenopathy, and common malignant masses will be reviewed.
Learning from Success

We now turn our attention to the target concepts that PRODIGY currently employs, and the corresponding explanations that are produced. Each of the four types of target concepts can be viewed a distinct learning strategy. This chapter discusses how PRODIGY learns from solutions using the SUCCEEDS target concepts. The following chapter describes how the system learns from failures and sole-alternatives (where all other alternatives fail). Finally, chapter 9 describes how PRODIGY learns from goal-interferences.
Positron emission tomography studies in parkinsonism.

Positron emission tomography is a technique that allows quantitative imaging of brain function by imaging the in vivo distribution of positron-emitting isotopes attached to compounds of biologic interest. This technique has been employed in the investigation of both presynaptic and postsynaptic neuronal function in Parkinson’s disease patients, as well as in attempts to understand the pharmacology of antiparkinsonian drugs.
Statistical Database of the Indian Economy: Need for New Directions

Data is an important ingredient for economic analysis. This paper discusses the various sources of data in the context of India and argues for reform in the Indian Statistical System. In particular, its focus is on maintenance of a panel micro data, helpful in conducting economic research.
DISTRIBUTION OF VIBRIO PARAHAEMOLYTICUS IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Vibrio parahaemolyticus has been isolated widely from marine environments but appears to be most abundant in in-shore and estuarine areas where ambient temperatures rise seasonally to levels permitting growth of the organism. Japanese and U. S. studies of coastal areas have shown a direct relationship between temperature and abundance of V. parahaemolyticus and this correlates with the seasonal incidence of V. parahaemolyticus food poisoning in Japan. The organism has been isolated from water, sediment, plankton, fish, and shellfish. In North America it seems to be most abundant in molluscan shellfish and in waters of high organic content. Counts of 10–200/ml of water, 1–7/g of sediment and up to 105/g of oyster tissue have been reported for North American inshore areas. Limited information on market seafood samples indicates very low incidence of V. parahaemolyticus on fin fish in Europe and North America and high incidence in Japan during summer months. Limited data on market samples of frozen and fresh...
Epigenetic Regulation of Chromatin Dynamics

The physical organization of all eukaryotic genomes is evolutionarily conserved where octamers of histone proteins repeatedly wrap DNA into nucleosomes to form long chromatin fibers. Post translational modifications (PTMs) of histone protein octamers regulate essential DNA processing, including RNA transcription and DNA repair. I will discuss our recent work to understand how histone PTMs, and the proteins that bind these PTMs, combine to regulate DNA accessibility to transcription regulatory complexes through controlling chromatin structural dynamics.
The influence of insurance status on racial disparities in the treatment of African American men with high-risk prostate cancer.

5091 Background: Treating high-risk prostate cancer (CaP) definitively improves survival. We evaluated whether having health insurance reduces racial disparities in the use of definitive therapy fo...
Brentuximab-induced peripheral neuropathy: Risk factors and patient experiences.

120Background: Brentuximab vedotin (BV) is an immunoconjugate used in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and other CD30+ lymphomas. The dose-limiting adverse effect is peripheral neuropathy (BIPN). Predictors of BIPN, effect on outcomes, and the biopsychosocial impact are not well defined. Methods: We conducted a single institution, mixed-methods study of lymphoma patients (pts) who received BV between 1/2010 and 5/2016. A retrospective analysis was conducted in all pts; an open-ended survey was given to pts seen in the prior year. A univariate analysis examined the association between BIPN and potential predictors. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated using the Kaplan Meier method. Survey data were analyzed qualitatively via a framework approach. Results: Eighty-nine pts were eligible: 56% were male, 54% had HL, 71% had prior neurotoxic drugs, 93% received single agent BV. The median number of BV doses was 5. Forty-three (48%) pts developed BIPN. It resolved completely in 14 (33%)...
A New Holocene Species of Echinocythereis (Ostracoda)

Several washed bottom samples, with an abundant ostracode fauna, were obtained from the Louisiana Continental Shelf southwest of the Mississippi River Delta. The samples were given to the writer for the purpose of studying the ostracode assemblages. A new species of the genus Echinocythereis Puri, 1953, was found and is described in this paper.
P3.108 Antiretroviral therapy use during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes among hiv-infected women in low and middle-income countries: a systematic review

Introduction Children born to HIV-infected women are at increased risk for adverse birth outcomes including preterm birth (PTB) and low birthweight (LBW). While antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy drastically reduces risk of vertical HIV transmission, LBW and PTB among HIV-exposed infants remains elevated. Exposure to certain ART regimens in utero may increase risk of adverse birth outcomes, in particular protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimens. Given the high burden of LBW and PTB in low- and middle-income countries, and efforts to increase ART use by HIV-infected pregnant women, it is critical to understand the precise effects of ART on adverse birth outcomes. Methods We conducted a systematic review of the effects of different ART regimens used during pregnancy on LBW or PTB in low and middle income-countries. We searched electronic databases Medline, COCHRANE, Web of Science and SCOPUS, and CPCI-S for relevant papers published on or before 10 April 2016. Results Our final review included 19 studies and assessed many ART regimens. Results were often heterogeneous. We observed no clear pattern for the effect of PI-based highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on PTB compared to no therapy, or compared to non-PI-based HAART. We similarly saw no clear trends for the effect of non PI-based HAART on LBW compared to no therapy. In contrast, PI-based HAART was generally protective against LBW when compared to non-PI-based HAART and no therapy, and non PI-based HAART was generally associated with an increased risk of LBW when compared to monotherapy. Results were similar in unadjusted studies and those that controlled for maternal disease severity and other confounders. Conclusion There is a wide array of ART regimens used by HIV-positive pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries, as well as the heterogeneity of results related to the adverse birth outcomes of PTB and LBW. Nonetheless, we found that PI-based HAART was generally protective against LBW when compared to non-PI-based HAART.
Refining the formation and early evolution of the Eastern North American Margin: New insights from multiscale magnetic anomaly analyses

To investigate the oceanic lithosphere formation and early seafloor spreading history of the North Atlantic Ocean, we examine multiscale magnetic anomaly data from the Jurassic/Early Cretaceous age Eastern North American Margin (ENAM) between 31-40°N. We integrate newly acquired sea surface magnetic anomaly and seismic reflection data with publicly available aeromagnetic and composite magnetic anomaly grids, satellite-derived gravity anomaly, and satellite-derived and shipboard bathymetry data. We evaluate these data sets to: (1) refine magnetic anomaly correlations throughout the ENAM and assign updated ages and chron numbers to M0-M25 and eight pre-M25 anomalies; (2) identify five correlatable magnetic anomalies between the East Coast Magnetic Anomaly (ECMA) and Blake Spur Magnetic Anomaly (BSMA), which may document the earliest Atlantic seafloor spreading or syn-rift magmatism; (3) suggest pre-existing margin structure and rifting segmentation may have influenced the seafloor spreading regimes in the Atlantic Jurassic Quiet Zone (JQZ); (4) suggest that, if the BSMA source is oceanic crust, the BSMA may be M-series magnetic anomaly M42 (~168.5 Ma); (5) examine the along and across margin variation in seafloor spreading rates and spreading center orientations from the BSMA to M25, suggesting asymmetric crustal accretion accommodated the straightening of the ridge from the bend in the ECMA to the more linear M25; and (6) observe anomalously high amplitude magnetic anomalies near the Hudson Fan, which may be related to a short-lived propagating rift segment that could have helped accommodate the crustal alignment during the early Atlantic opening.
Pay dispersion among the top management team and outside directors: Its impact on firm risk and firm performance

Two key groups central to improving firm performance are the top management team (TMT) and the board of directors. Executives undertake strategic actions, whereas board members fulfill their resource provision and monitoring roles. Drawing on tournament theory and equity theory, we propose that high pay dispersion among outside directors and the TMT is positively associated with strategic risk, whereas high (low) TMT pay dispersion and low (high) outside director pay dispersion are positively associated with firm performance. Our predictor is the unexplained component of horizontal pay dispersion, or the residual of pay dispersion resulting from regressing pay on observable firm, industry, period, and individual characteristics. Our results highlight the importance of unexplained pay dispersion for TMTs, but not for boards of directors, in improving firm performance.
Multimedia Content Understanding by Learning from Very Few Examples: Recent Progress on Unsupervised, Semi-Supervised and Supervised Deep Learning Approaches

In this tutorial, the speaker will present serval parallel efforts on building deep learning models with very few supervision information, with or without unsupervised data available. In particular, we will discuss in details. (1) Generative Adverbial Nets (GANs) and their applications to unsupervised feature extractions, semi-supervised learning with few labeled examples and a large amount of unlabeled data. We will discuss the state-of-the-art results that have been achieved by the semi-supervised GANs. (2) Low-Shot Learning algorithms to train and test models on disjoint sets of tasks. We will discuss the ideas of how to efficiently adapt models to tasks with very few examples. In particular, we will discuss several paradigms of learning-to-learn approaches. (3) We will also discuss how to transfer models across modalities by leveraging abundant labels from one modality to train a model for other modalities with few labels. We will discuss in details the cross-modal label transfer approach.
A Historical Perspective in Aging and Gerontology

The chapter provides the reader with an historical view of aging and gerontology in the United States by focusing on pioneers in the field of geriatrics and groundbreaking contributions to the field. Research leaders who explore how older adults find success in managing the aging process are presented with exemplars of the work that has catapulted gerontology to the forefront of social, political, and healthcare agendas. Highlights capture the work of pioneers across multiple disciplines and presents select accomplishments in research, education, and policy. Milestones include development of organizations focused on aging and gerontology resulting in a proliferation of forums for research support and dissemination of findings. Brief descriptions of the contributions of such organizations provide an overview of growth in the field of aging and gerontology with transcendence of race and ethnicity, economic or political status, or physical ability. A timeline presents notable events in recognition of the legacy established by the collective contributions of others, and inspiration toward the achievements of future generations that focus on aging and gerontology.
Data fusion of machine-learning methods for the TREC5 routing task (and other work)

The goal of the document routing task is to extrapolate from documents judged relevant or irrelevant for each of a set of topics accurate procedures for assessing the relevance of future documents for each topic. Rather than viewing different approaches to this problem as winner-takes-all competitors, we view them as potentially complementar methods, each exploiting different sources of information. This paper describes two quite different machine-learning approaches to the document routing task, and two approaches to combining their results to perform relevance assessments on new documents. We also describe an approach to the confusion task based on n-grams that allow approximate matches
Rethinking Transparency in U.S. Elections

Bush v. Gore catapulted this country into a crisis of confidence in the management of our elections. Despite reforms since 2000, public confidence in election administration continues to wane. Are dead people on the rolls? Are non-citizens voting? Are provisional ballots wrongly rejected? State election transparency statutes meant to reassure the public that elections are producing legitimate results are often conflicting, vague, and even nonexistent. Exacerbating the problem, the last two decades have witnessed huge changes that offset the transparency balance. Dramatic changes in how Americans vote, how elections are administered, and who scrutinizes the election process call for a recalibration of election transparency norms. It is not immediately clear, as some are beginning to sense, that unqualified openness serves the fundamental goals of election transparency, that reactive access policies boost public confidence, or that current state transparency architectures tap the full potential technology offers. Circumstances demand not just statutory revision, but revisiting traditional assumptions about election transparency to accommodate radically changed circumstances. This paper contains a proposal pairing an increase in public access to election materials with penalties for harmful uses of election data. We have an opportunity to craft a modern transparency regime trained on the core goal of ensuring public confidence in election outcomes. Developing state transparency regimes that address - and take advantage of - modern realities is critical in an era when election controversy is the new normal.