cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Muscular Dystrophies and Other Genetic Myopathies

With advances in the genetics of muscle disease, the term, muscular dystrophy, has expanded to include mutations in an increasing large list of genes. This review discusses the genetics, pathophysiology, and potential treatments of the most common forms of muscular dystrophy: Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Becker muscular dystrophy, facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, and myotonic dystrophy. Other forms of muscular dystrophy and other genetic muscle disorders are also discussed to provide an overview of this complex clinical problem.
Design of Interconnection Networks

This paper focuses on future trends and challenges in interconnection network design. Historically used only in high-end supercomputers and telecom switches, interconnection networks are now found in systems of all sizes and all types from large supercomputers to small embedded systems-on-a-chip (SoC) and from inter-processor networks to router fabrics. Indeed, as system complexity and integration continues to increase, many designers are finding it more efficient to route packets, not wires.
A rotating holeboard procedure for testing drug effects on spatial learning and memory in mice.

Abstract A procedure is described herein for evaluating drug effects on acquisition and retention of a spatial learning task in mice. The rotating holeboard apparatus is a rectangular open field containing four open holes arranged in either a four-corner or a row configuration. A mouse is trained to poke its head into a hole and retrieve a food reward from a `baited' hole which contains a reward on every trial. A massed trials protocol is used where mice are required to learn a reference (trial-independent) memory task in a single session. A retention test is administered 24 h after acquisition. Prominent distal cues are present in the testing room and reliance on proximal visual, olfactory, or tactile cues for locating the baited hole is precluded by rotating the maze on each trial.
High contrast imaging in the presence of turbulence

High contrast imaging, also known as extreme adaptive optics, has been a topic of research in the astronomic community as an approach to image dim objects near bright objects, such as extra-solar planets. There are a variety of techniques ranging from coronagraphs, shaped pupils, pupil apodization, and the use of multiple deformable mirrors that have been employed to improve the contrast between the two objects. We integrated shaped pupils into our adaptive optics system. Here we will present experimental results exploring the viability of using our testbed to perform dim object detection using shaped pupils in the presence of turbulence.
The Productive Merger of Iodonium Salts and Organocatalysis. A Non-Photolytic Approach to the Enantioselective α-Trifluoromethylation of Aldehydes

An enantioselective organocatalytic α-trifluoromethylation of aldehydes has been accomplished using a commercially available, electrophilic trifluoromethyl source. The merging of Lewis acid and organocatalysis provides a new strategy for the enantioselective construction of trifluoromethyl stereogenicity, an important chiral synthon for pharmaceutical, materials, and agrochemical applications. This mild and operationally simple protocol allows rapid access to enantioenriched α-trifluoromethylated aldehydes through a nonphotolytic pathway.
The Role of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Metabolism in Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-Induced Pre-B Lymphocyte Apoptosis

Previous studies indicated that two prototypic PAH, benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), suppress the developing immune system by inducing apoptosis in bone marrow pre-B lymphocytes. In bone marrow cultures consisting of pre-B cells growing on bone marrow stromal cell monolayers, pre-B cell apoptosis was shown to be dependent on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor/transcription factor (AhR) expressed in stromal cells. However, it was not determined if AhR activation alone is sufficient or if DMBA metabolism is required for induction of a stromal cell-derived apoptosis signal. To address these issues we assessed: 1) the ability of poorly metabolized AhR ligands to induce pre-B cell apoptosis and 2) the capacity for and the mechanism through which an early DMBA metabolite induces pre-B cell apoptosis. Three poorly metabolized AhR ligands, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, 3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl, and 3,3′,4,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl failed to induce pre-B cell apoptosis in bone marrow cultures, indicating that AhR activation alone is not sufficient to induce apoptosis and suggesting a role for PAH metabolism in induction of an apoptosis signal. Consistent with this hypothesis, DMBA-3,4-dihydrodiol, an early DMBA metabolite, induced significant pre-B cell apoptosis. The ability of DMBA-3,4-dihydrodiol to activate the AhR, inhibition of DMBA-3,4-dihydrodiol-induced apoptosis by α-naphthoflavone, and the significantly lower levels of DMBA-3,4-dihydrodiol-induced apoposis in pre-B cell populations maintained on AhR− stromal cells strongly support a role for the AhR in DMBA-3,4-dihydrodiol-induced apoptosis. Of two DMBA-metabolizing enzymes evaluated, CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, the latter appeared to be the more likely to play a role in DMBA-induced apoptosis. These data confirm a role for the AhR in PAH-induced pre-B cell apoptosis, indicate a role for DMBA metabolism, and suggest a feedback loop in which at least one product of DMBA metabolism augments AhR signaling, leading to induction of an apoptosis stimulus.
Single-Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Enhanced Aerodynamics: Concepts, Optimization, and Applications

This paper deals with the physics and design of single dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators for enhanced aerodynamics in a variety of applications. The actuators consist of two electrodes: one exposed to the air and the other covered by a dielectric material. The electrodes are supplied with an alternating current voltage that, at high enough levels, causes the air over the covered electrode to ionize. The ionized air, in the presence of the electric field produced by the electrode geometry, results in a body force vector that acts on the ambient air. The body force is the mechanism for active aerodynamic control. The plasma generation is a dynamic process within the alternating current cycle. The body force per unit volume of plasma has been derived from first principles and implemented in numerical flow simulations. Models for the time and space dependence of the body force on the input voltage amplitude, frequency, electrode geometry, and dielectric properties have been developed and used along with experiments to optimize actuator performance. This paper presents results that highlight the plasma actuator characteristics and modeling approach. This is followed by overviews of some of the applications that include leading-edge separation control on airfoils, dynamic-stall vortex control on oscillating airfoils, and trailing-edge separation control on simulated turbine blades.
Effectiveness, Side Effects and Long-Term Status of Nightguard Vital Bleaching

In this clinical trial of nightguard vital bleaching for six weeks, 92 percent of the patients experienced some lightening of treated teeth. About 97 percent of patients with teeth stained through aging, inherent discoloration, brown fluorosis or trauma experienced lightening, as did 75 percent with tetracycline-stained teeth. Sixty-six percent experienced side effects, which resolved in 24 to 48 hours. Earliest re-treatment was done after one year in less time. Minimal color change occurred for 74 percent after 1 1/2 years and 62 percent after three years.
Effects of urbanization on watershed hydrology: The scaling of discharge with drainage area

This study examines the effects of impervious surfaces within urbanized land on the scaling of river discharge with drainage area. Discharge in a river channel grows as drainage basin area increases following the general equation Q = kA c , where Q is river discharge, k is a measure of river base flow, A is upstream drainage area, and c is the scaling power dependency. Land use is a critical variable in the examination of river discharge; discharge has significant geologic and ecologic influences on fluvial systems. Discharge is assumed to scale linearly or nearly linearly with drainage area ( c ∼1), but in spite of its widespread application, the relationship has not been explicitly tested with respect to urbanization. Here we show that in small urban settings the scaling is nonlinear for peak flows. It is proposed that effective water loading occurs through a combination of increased runoff and an increase in the rate of transport to the rivers. These higher discharges in urban rivers have the potential to increase erosion, degrade aquatic habitats, and significantly alter channel forms.
An expanded regulatory network temporally controls Candida albicans biofilm formation

Candida albicans biofilms are composed of highly adherent and densely arranged cells with properties distinct from those of free-floating (planktonic) cells. These biofilms are a significant medical problem because they commonly form on implanted medical devices, are drug resistant and are difficult to remove. C. albicans biofilms are not static structures; rather they are dynamic and develop over time. Here we characterize gene expression in biofilms during their development, and by comparing them to multiple planktonic reference states, we identify patterns of gene expression relevant to biofilm formation. In particular, we document time-dependent changes in genes involved in adhesion and metabolism, both of which are at the core of biofilm development. Additionally, we identify three new regulators of biofilm formation, Flo8, Gal4, and Rfx2, which play distinct roles during biofilm development over time. Flo8 is required for biofilm formation at all time points, and Gal4 and Rfx2 are needed for proper biofilm formation at intermediate time points.
Talents and Type Iiis: The Effects of the Talents Unlimited Model on Creative Productivity in Gifted Youngsters.

This study examined a set of lessons that integrate the Talents Unlimited Model (TU; C. L. Schlichter, 1986) with the 10 steps of completing a Type III activity (J. S. Renzulli & S. M. Reis, 1985) to determine the effects of these lessons on the quality of students’ creative products and on the number of students who completed their products. Treatment group students showed a statistically significant difference in finishing their independent or small‐group projects, as opposed to students in the control group. In addition, treatment group students’ products were of significantly higher quality as measured by the Student Product Assessment Form (SPAF; S. M. Reis, 1981) than products completed by students in the control group.
Teapot: language support for writing memory coherence protocols

Recent shared-memory parallel computer systems offer the exciting possibility of customizing memory coherence protocols to fit an application's semantics and sharing patterns. Custom protocols have been used to achieve message-passing performance---while retaining the convenient programming model of a global address space---and to implement high-level language constructs. Unfortunately, coherence protocols written in a conventional language such as C are difficult to write, debug, understand, or modify. This paper describes Teapot, a small, domain-specific language for writing coherence protocols. Teapot uses continuations to help reduce the complexity of writing protocols. Simple static analysis in the Teapot compiler eliminates much of the overhead of continuations and results in protocols that run nearly as fast as hand-written C code. A Teapot specification can be compiled both to an executable coherence protocol and to input for a model checking system, which permits the specification to be verified. We report our experiences coding and verifying several protocols written in Teapot, along with measurements of the overhead incurred by writing a protocol in a higher-level language.
Generation, elimination and utilization of harmonics in ring oscillators

Higher frequency harmonics in ring oscillators are problematic in both data acquisition and analysis. The origin of these undesirable harmonics and a circuit scheme for effectively eliminating them are described. Controlled generation of higher harmonics, on the other hand, enables unique applications in determining circuit power performance trade-offs.
Propranolol attenuates hemorrhage and accelerates wound healing in severely burned adults

Propranolol, a nonselective β-blocker, exerts an indirect effect on the vasculature by leaving α-adrenergic receptors unopposed, resulting in peripheral vasoconstriction. We have previously shown that propranolol diminishes peripheral blood following burn injury by increasing vascular resistance. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether wound healing and perioperative hemodynamics are affected by propranolol administration in severely burned adults. Sixty-nine adult patients with burns covering ≥30% of the total body surface area (TBSA) were enrolled in this IRB-approved study. Patients received standard burn care with (n = 35) or without (control, n = 34) propranolol. Propranolol was administered within 48 hours of burns and given throughout hospital discharge to decrease heart rate by approximately 20% from admission levels. Wound healing was determined by comparing the time between grafting procedures. Blood loss was determined by comparing pre- and postoperative hematocrit while factoring in operative graft area. Data were collected between first admission and first discharge. Demographics, burn size, and mortality were comparable in the control and propranolol groups. Patients in the propranolol group received an average propranolol dose of 3.3 ± 3.0 mg/kg/day. Daily average heart rate over the first 30 days was significantly lower in the propranolol group (P <0.05). The average number of days between skin grafting procedures was also lower in propranolol patients (10 ± 5 days) than in control patients (17 ± 12 days; P = 0.02), indicative of a faster donor site healing time in the propranolol group. Packed red blood cell infusion was similar between groups (control 5.3 ± 5.4 units vs. propranolol 4.4 ± 3.1 units, P = 0.89). Propranolol was associated with a 5 to 7% improvement in perioperative hematocrit during grafting procedures of 4,000 to 16,000 cm2 compared to control (P = 0.002). Administration of propranolol during the acute hospitalization period diminishes blood loss during skin grafting procedures and markedly improves wound healing in severely burned adults. As burn patients require serial surgical interventions for motor and cosmetic repair, restricting blood loss during operative intervention is optimal.
Elevated level of follicular fluid vascular endothelial growth factor is a marker of diminished pregnancy potential

Abstract Objective: To evaluate whether differences in follicular fluid vascular endothelial growth factor (FF VEGF) concentrations are observed between women achieving a clinical pregnancy and those failing to conceive. Design: Retrospective chart review and analysis of FF VEGF concentrations. Setting: University teaching center. Patient(s): Fifty-seven women ≤42 years of age undergoing follicular aspiration in preparation for IVF or GIFT. Intervention(s): Analysis of FF VEGF concentrations and chart review of a single IVF or GIFT cycle. Main Outcome Measure(s): Follicular fluid VEGF concentrations, clinical pregnancy rate, age, ampules of gonadotropins used, oocytes retrieved, peak estradiol serum concentrations, day 3 FSH levels, and fertilization rate. Result(s): Women who did not conceive had higher FF VEGF concentrations than women achieving a clinical pregnancy (4,409 + 2,387 versus 2,793 ± 1,180 pg/mL: P Conclusion(s): Elevated FF VEGF concentrations are associated with poor conception rates after IVF or GIFT.
Distributed Algorithms for Environment Partitioning in Mobile Robotic Networks

A widely applied strategy for workload sharing is to equalize the workload assigned to each resource. In mobile multiagent systems, this principle directly leads to equitable partitioning policies whereby: 1) the environment is equitably divided into subregions of equal measure; 2) one agent is assigned to each subregion; and 3) each agent is responsible for service requests originating within its own subregion. The current lack of distributed algorithms for the computation of equitable partitions limits the applicability of equitable partitioning policies to limited-size multiagent systems operating in known, static environments. In this paper, first we design provably correct and spatially distributed algorithms that allow a team of agents to compute a convex and equitable partition of a convex environment. Second, we discuss how these algorithms can be extended so that a team of agents can compute, in a spatially distributed fashion, convex and equitable partitions with additional features, e.g., equitable and median Voronoi diagrams. Finally, we discuss two application domains for our algorithms, namely dynamic vehicle routing for mobile robotic networks and wireless ad hoc networks. Through these examples, we show how one can couple the algorithms presented in this paper with equitable partitioning policies to make these amenable to distributed implementation. More in general, we illustrate a systematic approach to devise spatially distributed control policies for a large variety of multiagent coordination problems. Our approach is related to the classic Lloyd algorithm and exploits the unique features of power diagrams.
Housing Market Constraints and Spatial Stratification by Income and Race

Abstract This article addresses the extent to which housing market constraints contribute to spatial stratification of the U.S. population by income and race. Differential patterns of residence based on income and race may result from local and federal regulatory policies or from housing market discrimination by private and public actors. Income homogeneity within communities results directly from local control over taxes, public services, and land use. The empirical literature shows that local regulations have effects on housing prices that tend to exclude low‐ and moderate‐income households. These regulations are also likely to promote racial segregation because of the correlation between income and race, although the magnitude of this effect is unclear. Discrimination by government and private actors directly generates spatial segmentation based on race and ethnicity. While federal policy could alleviate these patterns, current and past federal policy initiatives have themselves increased stratificatio...
Observation of sub-Poisson Franck-Hertz light at 253. 7 nm

We report the generation of ultraviolet (253.7-nm) sub-Poisson light from Hg vapor excited by inelastic collisions with a space-charge-limited (quiet) electron beam. This first stationary sub-Poisson light source is only weakly so, with a Fano factor that is between two and three standard deviations below that for Poisson light. This is principally because of optical losses in the experimental apparatus. There does not appear to be any fundamental limit that impedes the techniques from being used to produce an intense cw light source that is also arbitrarily sub-Poisson.
Quasi-irreversible inhibition of enolase of Streptococcus mutans by flouride

Fluoride at concentrations greater than 0.01 mM was found to be a quasi-irreversible inhibitor of enolase of permeabilized cells of Streptococcus mutans GS-5 and also of isolated yeast enolase. The inhibition appeared to be of the type that has been described for P-ATPases, but was not dependent on added Al3+ or Be2+ ions. Fluoride inhibition of enolase was not reversed by repeatedly washing the permeabilized cells in chilled fluoride-free medium but could be reversed by the product, phosphoenolpyruvate, or by very high levels of the substrate, 2-phosphoglycerate. Irreversible inhibition of glycolysis was not evident after fluoride treatment of intact cells, washing to remove unbound or loosely bound fluoride and addition of glucose, presumably because intracellular levels of phosphoenolpyruvate were sufficiently high to preclude irreversible fluoride inhibition of enolase.
Fast computation of wheel-soil interactions for safe and efficient operation of mobile robots

Hazardous terrains pose a crucial challenge to the operation of mobile robots, especially for military applications such as surveillance, casualty extraction, etc. To enable their safe and efficient operations, it is necessary to detect the terrain type and to modify operation and control strategies in real-time. Fast wheel-terrain interaction models suitable for real-time applications are thus important. In this paper, closed-form analytical expressions of the integrated stress equations were derived by quadratic approximation of the stresses along the wheel-soil interface. Meanwhile, the bulldozing resistance and the influence of grousers are also modeled for more accurate prediction of the vehicle motion. A non-iterative method was proposed to estimate the wheel-soil contact geometry, i.e., the entry angle, according to the wheel load, by approximating the vertical pressure distribution with a sinusoidal function or linear function depending on the sinkage exponent of the soil. Computation efficiency is improved by avoiding traditional recursive solution of the model under binary search. Online prediction and real-time control could be possible by using the developed closed-from wheel-soil interaction model and the entry angle estimator.
Wave Propagation in a Newtonian Fluid with Viscosity Gradients Profiles

Plane compressional wave propagation in a fluid is significantly affected by the shear viscosity of the fluid [1]. Several different theories have been developed [2,3,4] to understand effects of viscosity on wave propagation characteristics. Presence of concurring phenomena such as thermal conductive losses and molecular relaxations [5] has frurther complicated the study of wave propagation. In liquids however, the effect of thermal conductivity is not comparable to the viscous losses [1]. In such cases, it has been possible to associate viscosity with the wave propagation characteristics.
The Production of p-Cresol Sulfate and Indoxyl Sulfate in Vegetarians Versus Omnivores

Summary Background and objectives The uremic solutes p-cresol sulfate (PCS) and indoxyl sulfate (IS) are generated by colon bacteria acting on food components that escape absorption in the small bowel. The production of these potentially toxic compounds may thus be influenced by diet. This study examined whether production of PCS and IS is different in vegetarians and omnivores. Design, setting, participants, & measurements The production of PCS and IS was assessed by measuring their urinary excretion rates in participants with normal kidney function. Studies were carried out in 15 vegetarians and 11 individuals consuming an unrestricted diet. Participants recorded food intake over 4 days and collected urine over the final 2 days of each of two study periods, which were 1 month apart. Results Average PCS excretion was 62% lower (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 15–83) and average IS excretion was 58% lower (95% CI, 39–71) in vegetarians than in participants consuming an unrestricted diet. Food records revealed that lower excretion of PCS and IS in vegetarians was associated with a 69% higher (95% CI, 20–139) fiber intake and a 25% lower (95% CI, 3–42) protein intake. PCS and IS excretion rates varied widely among individual participants and were not closely correlated with each other but tended to remain stable in individual participants over 1 month. Conclusions PCS and IS production rates are markedly lower in vegetarians than in individuals consuming an unrestricted diet.
analysis & commentary How Health Care Reform Must Bend The Cost Curve

The true measure of health care reform’s success is whether it drives down medical costs over the long term. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has several features designed to moderniz...
Interaction of Gas-Phase Ozone at 296 K with Unsaturated Self-Assembled Monolayers: A New Look at an Old System

The oxidation of organics adsorbed on surfaces by ozone is of fundamental chemical interest and potentially important in the lower atmosphere. Studies of the oxidation of the three-carbon and eight-carbon vinylterminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs, C3d and C8d) on a silicon ATR (attenuated total reflectance) crystal by gas-phase O3 at 296 K are reported. Oxidation of the SAMs was followed in real time by ATRFTIR using ozone concentrations that spanned 5 orders of magnitude, from 10 11 to 10 16 molecules cm -3 . For comparison, some studies of the saturated C8 SAM were also carried out. The films were also characterized by atomic force microscopy and water contact angle measurements. The loss of CdC and the formation of CdO were measured in real time and shown to be consistent with a Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism in which O3 is rapidly adsorbed on the surface and then reacts more slowly with the alkene moiety. This is supported by molecular dynamics (MD) calculations which show that O3 does not simply undergo elastic collisions but has a significant residence time on the surface. However, the kinetics measurements indicate a much longer residence time than the MD calculations, suggesting a chemisorption of O3. Formaldehyde was observed as a gas-phase product by infrared cavity ring down spectroscopy. Possible mechanisms of the ozonolysis and its atmospheric implications are discussed.
Interdependence: Inescapable Reality or Utopia?

These days, adult education within the context of blended shore program delivery has become quite an industry. It seems that education is becoming more and more of a commodity that is exported to emerging economies by “first world” institutions. Moral codes and values are imposed upon consumers of these adult education programs, making this enterprise just as hegemonic in its colonizing of modern minds as the previous conquest of their territories. In our respective countries, at the same time, we do not further the practice of adult education with rigorous research, serious preparation of its professionals, or sound evaluation of programs and practitioners. There is a danger of malpractice in such activities if adult educators do not mindfully and critically examine their practice and learn through reflection and analysis. If we are to maintain a commitment to adult education as a means for education, training, and development leading to social sustainability, then the impact of our practice needs to be examined. In today’s global education community, we need to be knowledgeable partners in the design and delivery of such programs. This book seeks to share the lessons learned about international and transnational adult education with candid narrations about the design, development, and delivery of programs by experienced practitioners. It will contribute to, if not establish, the knowledge base for a blended shore approach to adult education. This is a knowledge base that values social interdependence and respect for indigenous wisdoms and it supports a professional practice of adult education in any setting, clearly rooted in an examined praxis with accountable practitioners.
Delivering Successful Projects with TSP(SM) and Six Sigma: A Practical Guide to Implementing Team Software Process(SM)

Mukesh Jain of Microsoft details how TSP techniques can be followed to plan the right project, take the right steps, and get the right results, every time. The author shares real world experience through his implementation of TSP at Microsoft India and documents how the TSP teams delivered high quality software on schedule and within budget. Through this case study, he examines how teams improved the software development process by combining TSP with Six Sigma. This combination delivered significant benefits in predictability and dramatically increased the number of zero-defect projects. The book also explores common pitfalls to avoid while implementing TSP and the coaching of TSP teams.
Geoblocking and Evasion of Geoblocking – Technical Standards and the Law

The relationship between geoblocking and legal compliance has undergone significant development in recent years. Legislators, courts, and agencies previously did not view geoblocking as a reliable method of achieving compliance with territorial limitations on rights and responsibilities. They assumed that the internet was inherently borderless and geoblocking was invariably unreliable, and they adopted laws, rendered judgments, and issued decisions with the conviction that the global, territorially-unrestricted effects of their actions were inevitable. Recently, however, legislators, courts, and agencies have begun to consider geoblocking as a viable tool for delineating the effects of their laws, judgments, and decisions, and for territorially limiting actions on the internet in general.The consideration by legislators, courts, and agencies of geoblocking as a means to achieve compliance with territorial limitations set by law is one part of the development of the relationship between geoblocking and legal compliance. This chapter outlines the three stages through which this development will proceed. In the first stage, geoblocking will be accepted as a tool of regulation and enforcement. While acceptance has already occurred in some countries in some contexts, this acceptance is certainly not yet general or widespread. In the second stage, minimum standards for geoblocking will be promulgated because the use of geoblocking for purposes of legal compliance necessarily calls for minimum technological standards that geoblocking tools must meet in order to create virtual borders sufficiently precise and impermeable to satisfy the law. In the third stage, circumvention of geoblocking and the tools that facilitate circumvention will be targeted by countries’ regulation. The three stages will likely begin at different times in different countries, industries, and contexts, but will eventually overlap and thereafter develop concurrently.
Metastatic Colorectal Cancer in Hispanics: Treatment Outcomes in a Treated Population.

Abstract Background In United States Hispanics have disparities in the presentation and outcome of colorectal cancer (CRC) largely attributed to their late presentation and lower socioeconomic status. Impact of treatment, especially in the metastatic setting, in the observed outcome is an unexplored area. We explored the role of treatment in the outcome of metastatic CRC we performed a retrospective analysis to assess the contribution of demographics, tumor characteristics, and health care setting on survival differences. Patients and Methods We conducted a retrospective study of patients who were treated with metastatic CRC at Los Angeles County Hospital–University of Southern California (LAC-USC, a public hospital) and Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center (NCCC, private hospital) between 2002 and 2012. Both these institutions are staffed by the same providers and therefore treatment algorithms and access to drugs were similar. We identified metastatic CRC patients who received chemotherapy from administrative records. Demographics, tumor, and treatment related factors were collected. The primary end point was time to progression (TTP: time from the first day of chemotherapy to the date of progression). Overall survival (OS) was measured from the first day of chemotherapy to death or last follow-up. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the population and chi-square, Wilcoxon, and log-rank tests were used for comparison between the groups. Results A total of 242 patients, 44% Hispanic, 26% non-Hispanic whites (NHWs), 21% Asian and 9% black were included. Median TTP was 9.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.6-11.6) in Hispanics, and 20.7 months (95% CI, 9.6-27.5; P P P = .04). Conclusion Hispanics with metastatic CRC have shorter TTP and OS on first line therapy when adjusted for health care setting, demographics, disease characteristics, and treatment factors.
Periodic Trends of Pnictogen Substitution into a Graphene Monovacancy: A First-Principles Investigation

We present a theoretical investigation on the electronic properties and formation energetics of pnictogen substitution into a graphene monovacancy. Our work elucidates the fundamental interactions that occur between the dopant and graphene, which ultimately dictate the observed behavior of the material. We find a linear trend for the energy of formation proceeding down group 15 of the periodic table. Further, we observe the formation of a protrusion at the monovacancy site, which is particularly conspicuous for larger pnictogens. This blistering can be attributed to charge transfer between the substituted heteroatom and the bordering carbon atoms of the monovacancy. Reorganization of the defect site of graphene becomes more pronounced for the latter pnictogens antimony and bismuth. An interaction regime emerges among this group, whereby nitrogen and phosphorus chemisorb strongly to the vacancy site, arsenic weakly chemisorbs, while antimony and bismuth physisorb to the surface. These interactions introduc...
Condensed thymine films at the mercury/water interface: Part I. General features

Abstract The general features of the condensed films formed by thymine at the mercury/water interface are described. The kinetics of their formation are those of nucleation and growth, i.e., of phase formation. The slow nucleation is responsible for the observed capacitance hysteresis. The interfacial capacitance in the presence of a condensed thymine film is remarkably insensitive to thymine or electrolyte concentration, to the nature of the electrolyte or to temperature, but the region of potentials over which the condensed film is stable depends strongly on these variables. At low temperatures, additional condensed films are observed.
Cooperative and directional folding of the preQ1 riboswitch aptamer domain

Riboswitches are cis-acting RNA fragments that regulate gene expression by sensing cellular levels of the associated small metabolites. In bacteria, the class I preQ1 riboswitch allows the fine-tuning of queuosine biosynthesis in response to the intracellular concentration of the queuosine anabolic intermediate preQ1. When binding preQ1, the aptamer domain undergoes a significant degree of secondary and tertiary structural rearrangement and folds into an H-type pseudoknot. Conformational “switching” of the riboswitch aptamer domain upon recognizing its cognate metabolite plays a key role in the regulatory mechanism of the preQ1 riboswitch. We investigate the folding mechanism of the preQ1 riboswitch aptamer domain using all-atom Go-model simulations. The folding pathway of such a single domain is found to be cooperative and sequentially coordinated, as the folding proceeds in the 5′ → 3′ direction. This kinetically efficient folding mechanism suggests a fast ligand-binding response in competition with RN...
Inhibitive Effect of Bacillus thuringiensis on the Development of the Face Fly in Cow Manure

During the summers of 1965 and 1966 a concentrate containing Bacillus thuringiensis var. thuringiensis Berliner at 25 × 10 spores per gram was employed as a feed pupation, additive for Holstein dairy cattle to render their manure unsuitable as a medium for development of face fly, Musca autumnalis De Geer. Two dosages of the feed additive were used, 1.25 and 0.625% of the daily diet (equivalent to 0.37 and 0.185 g/kg cow body weight per day respectively). Eight cows were used, 4 as test animals and, 4 as controls. The B. thuringiensis feed additive employed at the higher dosage caused on an average 99.6% reduction in the numbers of face flies developing from eggs to adults in the resulting manure. At the lower dosage, development from eggs to adults was reduced by 84.9%. At the higher dosage, only 2 of the eggs in the test manure to pupae (neither emerged as an adult), as com pared with 981 in the control manure. The lower dosage inhibited development of eggs to pupae by approximately 80%. However, no significant toxic effect occurred after Pupation. When larvae were released into pats of test and control manure, a reduction of 97.1% in adult emergence was achieved with the higher dosage and 42.3% with the lower dosage. At the higher dosage, toxic effects were manifest during both the larval and pupae stages. However, at the lower dosage the bacillus did not significantly inhibit the development of pupae to adults. Extensive studies on the oviposition habits of female face flies showed that manure containing B. thuringiensis at either concentration had no deterrent effect on their egg-laying activities. With the exception of 1 cow, which developed diarrhea in the course of experiments, all animals employed in the tests were apparently healthy during the 2 summers.
Effect of Gabapentin on Childhood Refractory Epilepsy

Objective:To observe the effect of gabapentin on refractory epilepsy in children. Methods:Children with refractory epilepsy who visited a single pediatric neurologist in our hospital for treatment within 7 months were consecutively recruited on agreement of their parents and followed up in an open,prospective study. The first dose of 20~30 mg/kg (28.6±7.5,averagely) of gabapentin was followed with increased doses in 3 days. Side effects and the effects on seizure control were observed. Results:Forty-two patients (37 male and 5 female) who had their first seizures before 18 years old were involved in this study with an age range of 1.7 to 23 years old and median age of 10 years old. There were 37 cases with partial epilepsy and 5 with infantile spasms,all of which had used more than 4 kinds,and averaged 6.5 different antiepileptic drugs. Two patients stopped using gabapentin because of significantly increased seizures within a week. One patient stopped using gabapentin on their own after going home. The observation duration was from 20 days to 7 years and the median duration was 90 days. Five patients became seizure-free. The total efficacy was therefore 12% (5/42). Ten patients experienced increased illness during the study,4 of which were gabapentin related. The other 10 patients had reduced seizures at the beginning,and there was recurrence of seizures in 1 month (drug resistance developed). Gabapentin was invalid to infantile spasms. Mild sleep increased in 3 patients but with no effect on their daily lives. No other side effects were observed. Conclusions:Gabapentin does not have significant side effects and can reduce seizures of 21% of patients with childhood intractable epilepsy,for whom an average of 6.5 different antiepileptic drugs had failed to do so. Gabapentin can,therefore,be a choice for the treatment of refractory epilepsy in children.
Reproductive hormonal responses to ergotamine and ergonovine in cows during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle

We conducted research to evaluate whether ergot alkaloids associated with endophyte-infected tall fescue could alter plasma concentrations of hormones important to reproductive function in cows. Six primiparous, estrous-cycling Holstein cows nursing calves received single i.v. injections of ergotamine tartrate, ergonovine maleate, or saline vehicle in a simple cross-over design. Each cow received one compound per estrous cycle, d 15 or 16 after estrus, and all compounds over three estrous cycles. Blood samples were collected at 20-min intervals for 40 min before and 240 min after treatments to assess plasma concentrations of prolactin, LH, FSH, and the response by PGF2alpha metabolite 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2alpha (PGFM). Ambient temperature and respiratory rates were measured hourly. Ambient temperature averaged 26 degrees C during data collection. Treatment x time was a significant source of variation for respiration rate and plasma concentrations of every hormone evaluated except FSH. Ergotamine elevated (P < .01) respiration rates 2 to 4 h after treatment. Ergotamine and ergonovine reduced (P < .001) plasma concentrations of prolactin for 2 to 4 h after treatment compared to concentrations before treatment. Plasma concentrations of LH were lowered (P < .01) by ergonovine during the 3rd h after treatment and by ergotamine during the 4th h after treatment. Most cows exhibited secretory PGFM responses after ergotamine and ergonovine treatments compared with an absence of a PGFM response in all cows after saline (P < or = .01). Results indicated that ergot alkaloids implicated as causative agents for fescue toxicosis can alter plasma concentrations of reproductive hormones during the late luteal phase of the estrous cycle in cows.
The contributions of electron microscopy in the diagnosis and histogenesis of controversial neoplasms

In this article, several areas in the pathology of tumors are discussed in which electron microscopy has contributed valuable diagnostic information but, at the same time, has not resolved all the questions regarding histogenesis, differentiation, and cell type.
MO-FG-202-09: Virtual IMRT QA Using Machine Learning: A Multi-Institutional Validation.

Purpose: To validate a machine learning approach to Virtual IMRT QA for accurately predicting gamma passing rates using different QA devices at different institutions. Methods: A Virtual IMRT QA was constructed using a machine learning algorithm based on 416 IMRT plans, in which QA measurements were performed using diode-array detectors and a 3%local/3mm with 10% threshold. An independent set of 139 IMRT measurements from a different institution, with QA data based on portal dosimetry using the same gamma index and 10% threshold, was used to further test the algorithm. Plans were characterized by 90 different complexity metrics. A weighted poison regression with Lasso regularization was trained to predict passing rates using the complexity metrics as input. Results: In addition to predicting passing rates with 3% accuracy for all composite plans using diode-array detectors, passing rates for portal dosimetry on per-beam basis were predicted with an error <3.5% for 120 IMRT measurements. The remaining measurements (19) had large areas of low CU, where portal dosimetry has larger disagreement with the calculated dose and, as such, large errors were expected. These beams need to be further modeled to correct the under-response in low dose regions. Important features selected by Lasso to predict gamma passing rates were: complete irradiated area outline (CIAO) area, jaw position, fraction of MLC leafs with gaps smaller than 20 mm or 5mm, fraction of area receiving less than 50% of the total CU, fraction of the area receiving dose from penumbra, weighted Average Irregularity Factor, duty cycle among others. Conclusion: We have demonstrated that the Virtual IMRT QA can predict passing rates using different QA devices and across multiple institutions. Prediction of QA passing rates could have profound implications on the current IMRT process.
Central olfactory structures.

Abstract Axons from the olfactory bulb (OB) project to multiple central structures of the brain, many of which, in turn, send axons back into the OB and/or to one another. These secondary sensory regions underlie many aspects of odor representation, valence, and learning, as well as serving some nonolfactory functions, though many details remain unclear. We here describe the connectivity and essential structural and functional properties of these postbulbar olfactory regions in the mammalian brain.
Cyber Pinkwashing: Gay Rights under Occupation

What happens when a moral panic of sexuality morphs into a colonial panic? The discursive emergence of sexual minority rights read along- side an age-old colonial narrative of morality generates a critical lens that makes visible the structures of regulation and discipline underlying representations of colonized cultures. In other words, as gay rights have come to measure democracy and righteousness in the eyes of the global north, they have also been used to perpetuate colonial and military violence against oppressed and colonized populations in the name of morality. Thus, a moral panic becomes a colonial panic, with sexuality as its battleground. This chapter investigates how pinkwashing, or the use of gay rights as a signifier of human rights in representations of Israel/ Palestine, projects the Israeli human rights violations made against Palestinians onto the written-as-homophobic Palestinian in order to legitimize the settler colonial state of Israel. Similar to the “great irony of panic” discussed in the Introduction to this volume, this panic “direct[s] attention away from actual sources of danger,” that of colonization and occupation. Pinkwashing disavows the moral panic of queerness by fetishizing the Palestinian queer, and through a savior narrative creates a colonial panic in place of the moral panic. Thus, viewing it through Stanley Cohen’s lens of moral panic, the sexual deviant morphs into the racial deviant as morality shifts away from homophobia and towards a conservative “democratic” brand of homophilia (Cohen 1973, 9).
Real-time traffic network state estimation and prediction with decision support capabilities: Application to integrated corridor management

Abstract This paper presents a real-time traffic network state estimation and prediction system with built-in decision support capabilities for traffic network management. The system provides traffic network managers with the capabilities to estimate the current network conditions, predict congestion dynamics, and generate efficient traffic management schemes for recurrent and non-recurrent congestion situations. The system adopts a closed-loop rolling horizon framework in which network state estimation and prediction modules are integrated with a traffic network manager module to generate efficient proactive traffic management schemes. The traffic network manger adopts a meta-heuristic search mechanism to construct the schemes by integrating a wide variety of control strategies. The system is applied in the context of Integrated Corridor Management (ICM), which is envisioned to provide a system approach for managing congested urban corridors. A simulation-based case study is presented for the US-75 corridor in Dallas, Texas. The results show the ability of the system to improve the overall network performance during hypothetical incident scenarios.
Laparoscopic Pediatric Inguinal Hernia Repair

Inguinal hernia repair is the most commonly performed procedure in infants and children. Over the last 20 years, laparoscopy has advanced and multiple techniques for inguinal hernia repair have been established. In contrary to laparoscopic inguinal hernia techniques for adults, laparoscopic pediatric inguinal hernia repair focuses on closure of the patent processus vaginalis without the use of mesh. This chapter outlines an established technique, while giving mention to other significant minimally invasive procedures.
Recrystallization Textures of a Cold-Rolled Aluminum Single Crystal

An aluminum single crystal cold-rolled from (110) [112] essentially retains its initial orientation after 99.6 pct reduction in thickness. The orientation of the recrys-tallized grains of this material can be described in terms of crystallographic rotations about principal poles of deformation texture.
Mixed Signals: On Separating Brain Signal from Noise

Accurate description of human brain function requires the separation of true neural signal from noise. Recent work examining spatial and temporal properties of whole-brain fMRI signals demonstrates how artifacts from a variety of sources can persist after rigorous processing, and highlights the lack of consensus on how to address this challenge.