cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interaction of insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin resistance-related genetic variants with lifestyle factors on postmenopausal breast cancer risk

Genetic variants and traits in metabolic signaling pathways may interact with obesity, physical activity, and exogenous estrogen (E), influencing postmenopausal breast cancer risk, but these inter-related pathways are incompletely understood. We used 75 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes related to insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)/insulin resistance (IR) traits and signaling pathways, and data from 1003 postmenopausal women in Women’s Health Initiative Observation ancillary studies. Stratifying via obesity and lifestyle modifiers, we assessed the role of IGF-I/IR traits (fasting IGF-I, IGF-binding protein 3, insulin, glucose, and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance) in breast cancer risk as a mediator or influencing factor. Seven SNPs in IGF-I and INS genes were associated with breast cancer risk. These associations differed between non-obese/active and obese/inactive women and between exogenous E non-users and users. The mediation effects of IGF-I/IR traits on the relationship between these SNPs and cancer differed between strata, but only roughly 35% of the cancer risk due to the SNPs was mediated by traits. Similarly, carriers of 20 SNPs in PIK3R1, AKT1/2, and MAPK1 genes (signaling pathways–genetic variants) had different associations with breast cancer between strata, and the proportion of the SNP–cancer relationship explained by traits varied 45–50% between the strata. Our findings suggest that IGF-I/IR genetic variants interact with obesity and lifestyle factors, altering cancer risk partially through pathways other than IGF-I/IR traits. Unraveling gene–phenotype–lifestyle interactions will provide data on potential genetic targets in clinical trials for cancer prevention and intervention strategies to reduce breast cancer risk.
When kinesthetic information is neglected in learning a Novel bimanual rhythmic coordination

Many studies have shown that rhythmic interlimb coordination involves perception of the coupled limb movements, and different sensory modalities can be used. Using visual displays to inform the coupled bimanual movement, novel bimanual coordination patterns can be learned with practice. A recent study showed that similar learning occurred without vision when a coach provided manual guidance during practice. The information provided via the two different modalities may be same (amodal) or different (modality specific). If it is different, then learning with both is a dual task, and one source of information might be used in preference to the other in performing the task when both are available. In the current study, participants learned a novel 90° bimanual coordination pattern without or with visual information in addition to kinesthesis. In posttest, all participants were tested without and with visual information in addition to kinesthesis. When tested with visual information, all participants exhibited performance that was significantly improved by practice. When tested without visual information, participants who practiced using only kinesthetic information showed improvement, but those who practiced with visual information in addition showed remarkably less improvement. The results indicate that (1) the information is not amodal, (2) use of a single type of information was preferred, and (3) the preferred information was visual. We also hypothesized that older participants might be more likely to acquire dual task performance given their greater experience of the two sensory modes in combination, but results were replicated with both 20- and 50-year-olds.
Reduced Rule Set Fuzzy-PID Control of a Power Plant

Abstract This paper presents a first evaluation of PID-like fuzzy controllers towards the implementation of a multiloop control strategy for fossil fuel power units. Simple fuzzy-PID controllers substitute the conventional PID controllers. Their design using standard characteristics and reduced sets of rules is motivated by the notion that skilful operators make use of only a few control rules to adequately manage the process. Through computer simulations, the robust performance of three promising configurations of fuzzy-PID controllers is evaluated and compared to that of a finely tuned conventional PID, in a single-input-single-output setup, showing improved performance. The multiloop control strategy is implemented and simulation experiments, using a nonlinear model of the power plant, indicate improvement over the PID based configuration.
The Mouse Pulvinar Nucleus Links the Lateral Extrastriate Cortex, Striatum, and Amygdala

The pulvinar nucleus is a large thalamic structure involved in the integration of visual and motor signals. The pulvinar forms extensive connections with striate and extrastriate cortical areas, but the impact of these connections on cortical circuits has not previously been directly tested. Using a variety of anatomical, optogenetic, and in vitro physiological techniques in male and female mice, we show that pulvinocortical terminals are densely distributed in the extrastriate cortex where they form synaptic connections with spines and small-diameter dendrites. Optogenetic activation of these synapses in vitro evoked large excitatory postsynaptic responses in the majority of pyramidal cells, spiny stellate cells, and interneurons within the extrastriate cortex. However, specificity in pulvinar targeting was revealed when recordings were targeted to projection neuron subtypes. The neurons most responsive to pulvinar input were those that project to the striatum and amygdala (76% responsive) or V1 (55%), whereas neurons that project to the superior colliculus were rarely responsive (6%). Because the pulvinar also projects directly to the striatum and amygdala, these results establish the pulvinar nucleus as a hub linking the visual cortex with subcortical regions involved in the initiation and control of movement. We suggest that these circuits may be particularly important for coordinating body movements and visual perception.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We found that the pulvinar nucleus can strongly influence extrastriate cortical circuits and exerts a particularly strong impact on the activity of extrastriate neurons that project to the striatum and amygdala. Our results suggest that the conventional hierarchical view of visual cortical processing may not apply to the mouse visual cortex. Instead, our results establish the pulvinar nucleus as a hub linking the visual cortex with subcortical regions involved in the initiation and control of movement, and predict that the execution of visually guided movements relies on this network.
Prenatal complications are associated with the postnatal airway host response and microbiota in intubated preterm infants

Purpose: To prospectively examine the relationship between prenatal events, postnatal airway host response and microbiota, and clinical outcomes.Materials and methods: Tracheal aspirates collected ...
Conditional and joint tests for spatial effects in discrete Markov chain models of regional income distribution dynamics

Spatial effects have been recognized to play an important role in transitional dynamics of regional incomes. Detection and evaluation of both spatial heterogeneity and spatial dependence in discrete Markov chain models, which have been widely applied to the study of regional income distribution dynamics and convergence, are vital, but under-explored issues. Indeed, in this spatiotemporal setting, spatial effects can take much more complex forms than that in a pure cross-sectional setting. In this paper, we address two test frameworks. The first is a conditional spatial Markov chains test framework, which can be used to detect spatial heterogeneity and temporally lagged spatial dependence; the second is a joint spatial Markov chains test framework, which tests for contemporaneous spatial dependence. A series of Monte Carlo experiments are designed to examine size, power and robustness properties of these tests for a range of sample sizes (spatial $$\times $$ temporal dimensions), for different levels of discretization granularity and for different number of regimes. Results indicate that all tests display good size property except when sample size is fairly small. All tests for spatial dependence are similar in almost all aspects—size, power and robustness. Conditional spatial Markov tests for spatial heterogeneity have highest power for detecting spatial heterogeneity. Granularity of discretization has a major impact on the size properties of the tests when sample size is fairly small.
The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) model in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may better predict hepatic failure in patients with traditionally low-risk cirrhosis following definitive stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is safe and effective in Child Pugh (CP) A cirrhosis, though a subset of patients may be at higher risk for progressive liver failure. The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) model is a simple, novel, and validated prognostic assessment of hepatic cirrhosis in patients with HCC, but its utilization during liver SBRT is not well studied. Compared to conventional stratifications of cirrhosis, we hypothesize that the ALBI model is a sensitive predictor of hepatic function, survival, and liver failure following definitive SBRT for HCC in patients with CP-A cirrhosis. From 2009 to 2016, 40 patients with HCC and CP-A cirrhosis completed SBRT. The mean dose was 45 Gy (40 to 50 Gy) in 4–5 fractions. Local control defined as the absence of tumor progression was assessed with CT or MRI every 3–6 months after SBRT. ALBI, MELD (model of end stage liver disease), and CP scores were recorded before treatment and every 3–4 months after. ALBI scores were calculated from the formula (log(bilirubin[mcmol/L]) × 0.66) − (albumin[g/L] × 0.085) and classified as ALBI-1, ALBI-2, or ALBI-3. Initial scores were measured against progression to CP-B cirrhosis and survival. Kaplan-Meier statistical analysis was conducted via MedCalc software. Forty patients with 49 HCC lesions were analyzed in this IRB approved retrospective study. Median tumor diameter was 3.5 cm (1.4–8.9 cm). Eight patients underwent orthotropic liver transplant (median time to transplant was 12 months). Prior to SBRT, 17 patients had ALBI-1 and 23 had ALBI-2 scores.The actuarial local control at 2 years was 98%. With the median follow-up of 23.4 months, overall survival (OS) was 92 and 60% at 1 and 2 years. Freedom from progression to CP-B was 74 and 62% at 1 and 2 years. Compared to pre-treatment ALBI-2 patients, ALBI-1 patients correlated with higher freedom from CP progression (HR = 3.66, P = 0.03), but not OS (P = 0.09). At the last follow-up, 22 of 40 patients (55%) progressed to a higher ALBI grade (12 from ALBI-1 to 2 and 10 from ALBI-2 to ALBI-3). The 2-year OS for patients with an ALBI-1 (n = 5), ALBI-2 (n = 25), and ALBI-3 (n = 10) at last follow-up was 80, 74, and 30%, respectively (P = 0.03). Our study indicates that the ALBI index more precisely predicted liver failure and survival in HCC following SBRT compared to CP scoring. Its application may help select the most ideal candidates for SBRT among the often heterogeneous CP-A population. Further study regarding precautionary measures such as functional treatment planning for ALBI-2 patients treated with liver SBRT may be warranted.
Healthcare systems and motivation.

Despite the fact that most American physicians, at least until around the 1970s, stood in the way of developing a universal healthcare system, most are generally not happy with the current state of healthcare – or its lack thereof – today. The primary reasons for this general unhappiness are that insurance companies and managed care have successfully conspired to remove much of the physician's autonomy (via imposed time constraints, burdensome paperwork, the time-consuming chore of having to defend going against stringent treatment algorithms that are often inappropriate for some patients) and the satisfaction of knowing their patients. Few physicians in managed care organizations (MCOs) are able to practice without constant and blindly algorithmic interference concerning the diagnostic tests and therapeutic interventions they order. As copayments have increased, they often find that patients, even though “covered,” cannot afford the therapy they deem necessary. While physicians expect to earn sufficient to pay back their not insignificant educational debts, provide their children with help through college, and assure retirements sufficient for themselves and their spouses, these should not be considered unreasonable expectations. Most physicians today do favor universal healthcare – to the point of having included such language in their various professional codes of ethics (which, perversely enough, bioethicists as a group have failed to do). Contrary to the claims of our colleagues, Altom and Churchill, physicians seem to be genuinely frustrated as to what else they can do to change the current inequitable system.
Short-Term Plasticity at Olfactory Cortex to Granule Cell Synapses Requires Ca V 2.1 Activation.

Output projections of the olfactory bulb (OB) to the olfactory cortex (OCX) and reciprocal feedback projections from OCX provide rapid regulation of OB circuit dynamics and odor processing. Short-term synaptic plasticity (STP), a feature of many synaptic connections in the brain, can modulate the strength of feedback based on preceding network activity. We used light-gated cation channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) to investigate plasticity of excitatory synaptic currents (EPSCs) evoked at the OCX to granule cell (GC) synapse in the OB. Selective activation of OCX glutamatergic axons/terminals in OB generates strong, frequency-dependent STP in GCs. This plasticity was critically dependent on activation of CaV2.1 channels. As acetylcholine (ACh) modulates CaV2.1 channels in other brain regions and as cholinergic projections from the basal forebrain heavily target the GC layer (GCL) in OB, we investigated whether ACh modulates STP at the OCX→GC synapse. ACh decreases OCX→GC evoked EPSCs, it had no effect on STP. Thus, ACh impact on cortical feedback is independent of CaV2.1-mediated STP. Modulation of OCX feedback to the bulb by modulatory transmitters, such as ACh, or by frequency-dependent STP could regulate the precise balance of excitation and inhibition of GCs. As GCs are a major inhibitory source for OB output neurons, plasticity at the cortical feedback synapse can differentially impact OB output to higher-order networks in situations where ACh inputs are activated or by active sniff sampling of odors.
Attempted Suicide in a Parkinsonian Patient Treated with DBS of the VIM and High Dose Carbidopa-Levodopa

Introduction. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex disease that is often treated with dopaminergic medications such as carbidopa-levodopa and now with innovative interventions such as deep brain stimulation (DBS). While PD frequently presents with depression and apathy, research must elucidate whether its treatment modalities have an additive or synergistic effect that can lead to an increased suicide risk. DBS has been associated with depression, behavioral changes, and suicidality while dopaminergic treatment has also been shown to cause behavioral changes such as hypersexuality and impulsivity. Considering the now frequent practice of utilizing both DBS and carbidopa-levodopa to treat PD, it is crucial to understand how to properly manage PD patients who are displaying this overlap in symptomology. Case Report. A 56-year-old Caucasian male with a 6-year diagnosis of PD who was being treated with high dose carbidopa-levodopa and left DBS of the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) presented after a suicide attempt. The patient was found to be severely depressed and had exhibited behavioral changes in the weeks leading up to the attempt. Imaging was performed to assess positional changes of DBS and carbidopa-levodopa dosage adjusted while under close observation in the inpatient unit. The patient was started on fluoxetine to treat the depressive symptoms and was eventually discharged with close monitoring. Discussion. With PD and DBS being associated with behavioral changes and depressive symptoms and carbidopa-levodopa therapy being linked to behavioral changes such as impulsivity, it is important that these patients be closely monitored and research analyzes how these factors may interact and lead to an increased risk of suicide. Furthermore, when symptoms appear, a clear protocol must be established on managing these patients. We therefore recommend an approach that utilizes imaging to assess any changes in DBS placement, dose management of carbidopa-levodopa, and behavior monitoring in an inpatient setting.
Experienced listeners' differential perception of enhancing and non-enhancing cue pairs

The perception of a pair of enhancing cues, pitch and breathiness, and non-enhancing cues, pitch and vowel duration, were compared in a cue-shifting experiment with Hani listeners who have experience with both cue pairs in the same tense-lax contrast. Results show that, when the correlation between the non-enhancing cues was the reverse of their experience, it was equally difficult for Hani listeners to shift attention from pitch to vowel duration as from vowel duration to pitch. For the enhancing cues, difficulty with cue-shifting was asymmetric; shifting from pitch to breathiness was easy, but shifting from breathiness to pitch was difficult. This asymmetry may occur because the perceptual dependence between pitch and breathiness is unidirectional: breathiness is associated with pitch but not vice versa. Thus, listeners experience interference only when shifting attention from breathiness to pitch. The difference between two cue pairs and the direction of asymmetry found for the enhancing cue pair is consistent with earlier results from English listeners who do not have phonemic experience with either pair. Collectively, these results indicate that enhancing cues are perceived differently from non-enhancing cues, even when listeners’ language experience with cue pairs is equated.The perception of a pair of enhancing cues, pitch and breathiness, and non-enhancing cues, pitch and vowel duration, were compared in a cue-shifting experiment with Hani listeners who have experience with both cue pairs in the same tense-lax contrast. Results show that, when the correlation between the non-enhancing cues was the reverse of their experience, it was equally difficult for Hani listeners to shift attention from pitch to vowel duration as from vowel duration to pitch. For the enhancing cues, difficulty with cue-shifting was asymmetric; shifting from pitch to breathiness was easy, but shifting from breathiness to pitch was difficult. This asymmetry may occur because the perceptual dependence between pitch and breathiness is unidirectional: breathiness is associated with pitch but not vice versa. Thus, listeners experience interference only when shifting attention from breathiness to pitch. The difference between two cue pairs and the direction of asymmetry found for the enhancing cue pair is co...
Frequency, number, and timing of mental activity and risk of mild cognitive impairment.

Without currently available disease-modifying drugs to treat mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer disease dementia, exploring the potential of nonpharmacologic interventions to prevent cognitive decline has gained increasing attention. Promoting mentally stimulating activities may represent one such strategy to prevent or slow cognitive impairment. Indeed, multiple prospective observational studies have identified a relationship between leisure activity and the risk of incident MCI or dementia,1,2 although data about the potential protective effects of cognitive activity training in randomized controlled trials remain equivocal.3–5
Second-Generation Programs: The Far-Reaching Impact of EDGE

EDGE community members undertake many diverse initiatives. These diverse programs and activities are one way that the EDGE program is having an impact on the mathematics community beyond the successful completion of PhDs among participants. This article includes a wide sample of particular efforts by the community and serves as evidence of the broad reach and as a reference for others who wish to do outreach in the mathematics community.
Abortion and Ectogenesis: Moral Compromise

The contemporary philosophical literature on abortion primarily revolves around three seemingly intractable debates, concerning the (1) moral status of the fetus, (2) scope of women's rights and (3) moral relevance of the killing/letting die distinction. The possibility of ectogenesis-technology that would allow a fetus to develop outside of a gestational mother's womb-presents a unique opportunity for moral compromise. Here, I argue those opposed to abortion have a prima facie moral obligation to pursue ectogenesis technology and provide ectogenesis for disconnected fetuses as part of a moral compromise.
Electrochemical characterization of natural organic matter by direct voltammetry in an aprotic solvent

The complex and indeterminant composition of NOM makes characterization of its redox properties challenging. Approaches that have been taken to address this challenge include chemical probe reactions, potentiometric titrations, chronocoulometry, and voltammetry. In this study, we revisit the use of direct voltammetric methods in aprotic solvents by applying an expanded and refined suite of methods to a large set of NOM samples and model compounds (54 NOM samples from 10 different sources, 7 NOM model compounds, and 2 fresh extracts of plant materials that are high in redox-active quinonoid model compounds dissolved in DMSO). Refinements in the methods of fitting the data obtained by staircase cyclic voltammetry (SCV) provided improved definition of peaks, and square wave voltammetry (SWV), performed under the same conditions as SCV, provided even more reliable identification and quantitation of peaks. Further evidence is provided that DMSO improves the electrode response by unfolding some of the tertiary structure of NOM polymers, thereby allowing greater contact between redox active functional groups and the electrode surface. We averaged experimental peak potentials for all NOM compounds and calculated potentials in water. Average values for Epa1, Epc1, and Ep1 in DMSO were -0.866 ± 0.069, -1.35 ± 0.071, and -0.831 ± 0.051 V vs. Ag/Ag+, and -0.128, -0.613, and -0.0930 V vs. SHE in water. In addition to peak potentials, the breadth of SCV peaks was quantified as a way to characterize the degree to which the redox activity of NOM is due to a continuum of contributing functional groups. The average breadth values were 1.63 ± 0.24, 1.28 ± 0.34, and 0.648 ± 0.15 V for Epa1, Epc1, and Ep1 respectively. Comparative analysis of the overall dataset-from SCV and SWV on all NOMs and model compounds-revealed that NOM redox properties vary over a narrower range than expected based on model compound properties. This lack of diversity in redox properties of NOM is similar to conclusions from other recent work on the molecular structure of NOM, all of which could be the result of selectivity in the common extraction methods used to obtain the materials.
Likert, slider, or text? reassurances about response format effects

Few experiments in the domain of addictive behaviors address how response format might impact self-reports of drug use, drug problems, or their correlates. In a preregistered study, participants (N...
Tip-induced deformation of polystyrene latex reference nanoparticles in atomic force microscopy

The measurement approach typically prescribed for sizing polystyrene latex (PSL) reference nanoparticles by atomic force microscopy (AFM) is based on a single value of the height obtained from a three-dimensional image of the particle. A major challenge is that PSLs reportedly deform during sample preparation as well as imaging. While the particle-substrate deformation is controlled by adhesive contact forces, the tip-induced deformation may vary to a large degree depending on the operational conditions and the geometrical constraints imposed by the instrument. In this paper, the authors are mainly concerned with the effect of cantilever tilt, tip shape, and setpoint voltage on tip-induced deformation of PSL reference nanoparticles. Tips are characterized by scanning electron microscopy and using a multilayer Si/SiO2 tip characterizer. The authors find that the plastic flow of materials, induced by the asymmetric imaging geometry, shifts the position of the maximum particle height away from the center. This shape-change often leads to an initial height increase for PSLs that are smaller than 40 nm. Since AFM height analysis algorithms often equate apparent particle height with the highest measured point of the particle, these results have implications from the perspective of AFM-based nanoparticle metrology.The measurement approach typically prescribed for sizing polystyrene latex (PSL) reference nanoparticles by atomic force microscopy (AFM) is based on a single value of the height obtained from a three-dimensional image of the particle. A major challenge is that PSLs reportedly deform during sample preparation as well as imaging. While the particle-substrate deformation is controlled by adhesive contact forces, the tip-induced deformation may vary to a large degree depending on the operational conditions and the geometrical constraints imposed by the instrument. In this paper, the authors are mainly concerned with the effect of cantilever tilt, tip shape, and setpoint voltage on tip-induced deformation of PSL reference nanoparticles. Tips are characterized by scanning electron microscopy and using a multilayer Si/SiO2 tip characterizer. The authors find that the plastic flow of materials, induced by the asymmetric imaging geometry, shifts the position of the maximum particle height away from the center. Th...
Stratum-Specific Likelihood Ratio Analysis: An Evidence-Based and Pragmatic Approach to Meaningful Thresholds in Lower Extremity Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND With the transition toward a value-based care delivery model, an evidence-based approach to quantify the effect of procedural volume on outcomes and cost presents an opportunity to understand and optimize the delivery of lower extremity arthroplasty. Stratum-specific likelihood ratio (SSLR) analysis has been recently applied to define benchmarks which confer a significant advantage in value at the hospital or surgeon level. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this report, the role, statistical technique, and future applications of SSLR analysis are described with an example outlined for total hip arthroplasty (THA). RESULTS SSLR analysis provides multiple significant value-based thresholds, providing an advantage over previous methods used to describe the effects of surgeon and hospital volume. These benchmarks have been developed for THA, total knee arthroplasty (TKA), hip fracture, and several other orthopaedic procedures. Current SSLR analyses are limited by the databases employed, and the study of a national database may provide more generalizable benchmarks, which may be applied by hospitals and orthopaedic residencies to define minimum competency thresholds. CONCLUSION The use of SSLR analysis provides a pragmatic, data-driven approach to understanding and communicating the volume-value relationship in orthopaedic surgery, particularly lower-extremity arthroplasty.
Convergence analysis of neural networks for solving a free boundary system

Free boundary problems deal with systems of partial differential equations, where the domain boundaries are apriori unknown. Due to this special characteristic, it is challenging to solve free boundary problems either theoretically or numerically. In this paper, we develop a novel approach for solving a modified Hele-Shaw problem based on neural network discretization. The existence of the numerical solution with this discretization is established theoretically. We also numerically verify this approach by computing the symmetry-breaking solutions which are guided by the bifurcation analysis near the radially-symmetric branch. Moreover, we further verify the capability of this approach by computing some non-radially symmetric solutions which are not characterized by any theorems.
Abstract 13921: Targeting Receptor-Interacting Protein 140 to Modulate Energy Metabolism in the Failing Heart

The nuclear receptors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), estrogen-related receptors (ERRs), and their co-regulator PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), control postnatal cardiac mitoch...
Attachment dimensions and cortisol responses during the strange situation among young children adopted internationally.

Children’s attachments to their parents may help regulate their hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes. Prior research has largely focused on children with relatively consistent and low-risk car...
Honoring Team Decision-Making During Manifestation Determination Meetings Through Collaborative and Proactive Solutions:

The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act requires schools to conduct a manifestation determination (MD) meeting when suspending students with disabilities for more than 10 days. The MD proce...
Chapter 5 Ion Transport through Transmembrane Channels: Ab Initio Perspective

Publisher Summary The permeation of ions through channel proteins is influenced by many structural parameters. Among them are the composition of the bathing electrolytes, the structure of the water–membrane interface, the packing of the phospholipid, the folding of the channel protein, and the structure of the pore–water interface. There is uncertainty regarding both the structural and force field parameters needed to describe ionic interaction with channel-forming proteins. No single model calculation has included enough features of the real physical situation, even for a pore former as simple as gramicidin, to provide a definitive theoretical picture of selectivity. However, by comparing the results of calculations based on different reasonable models of the ion–water–gramicidin system, significant interpretive insights can be gained. As more structural proposals for describing the selectivity regions of physiologically important channel-forming proteins become available, ab initio methods can be used to construct permeation-free energy profiles and test various models.
The effect of denture factors on masticatory performance: Part I: Influence of denture base extension

Abstract One thousand six hundred and twenty masticatory tests were conducted on 12 edentulous subjects to study the influence of sixteen denture base forms on the masticatory effectiveness of dentures. In general, reduction in the extension of upper and lower denture bases in different areas failed to affect the chewing ability of the subjects. Significant reductions in performance appeared only when an extensive reduction was made on the over-all border of the lower denture base. However, over-all extensive reductions of both the upper and lower denture bases resulted in insignificant performance reductions, and masticatory performance ratios were better than when only the lower denture base was reduced. Subjects with a previous denture experience possessed significantly better ability to chew the test food than the subjects who had had no previous denture experience.
Natural lasers and masers in the solar system

Population inversions have been found in the atmospheres of planets and comets, and amplification has been inferred for several cases. In this paper, I review the molecular systems that exhibit lasing and masing action, review the properties of atmospheres that permit these natural lasers and masers to exist, and give examples of their use as probes of remote regions. One potential future application is the possible communication over interstellar distances at GHz rates.
Turbulent Bubbly Channel Flow and its Effect on Heat Transfer

In many industrial applications heat transfer occurs in the presence of a multiphase turbulent flow such as in boilers and bubble column reactors. Turbulence in channel and pipe flows significantly increases the heat transfer rate. Here we examine the effect of turbulent bubbly flows on the heat transfer inside a vertical channel with uniform heat flux on the walls. Both bubbles and the turbulence are fully resolved through Direct Numerical Simulation. The distribution of the bubbles in the channel is affected by the deformability of the bubbles. A wall-peaked distribution is observed for nearly spherical bubbles and a core-peaked distribution is observed for deformable bubbles. This change in distribution of the bubbles significantly affects the flow rate in the channel and the heat transfer rate as well. The results of Nusselt number for different flow configurations are presented and compared to the heat transfer in a single phase channel flow.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Abstract 454: Evaluating the progression of cutaneous melanoma by the molecular immune response of the sentinel lymph node

Introduction: The sentinel node (SN) has become the standard diagnostic tool for staging melanoma. With the recent development of several potent immunotherapies we hypothesized that the early immune events in melanoma maybe first seen in the SN. Methods: 81 SN from 79 patients were evaluated with microarray technology, qPCR, routine HE the higher the T-stage the greater percentage of SN positivity: 2% T1, 19% T2, 20% T3 and 60% T4 melanoma. 33% of ulcerated primaries and 30% with increased mitotic rate had a tumor-positive SN. Increased mitotic rate (>1 mitosis/mm 2 ) and decreased gene expression of CD80 and ARG2 correlated with T3/4 primaries. By univariate analyses: age (p Conclusions: The immune molecular profile of the sentinel lymph node in melanoma is altered in the presence or absence of metastases in the lymph node and by progression of the primary melanoma. These alterations in immune profiles may be important for distinguishing the patterns of metastases and ultimately the response to therapy in melanoma. Citation Format: Richard Essner, Alexandra Gangi, David Kaufman, Ke Wei Gong, Myung Sim, Dennis Slamon. Evaluating the progression of cutaneous melanoma by the molecular immune response of the sentinel lymph node. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 454. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-454
Theory of Magnetic Recording

Preface 1. Overview 2. Review of magnetostatic fields 3. Inductive head fields 4. Medium magnetic fields 5. Playback process: general concepts, single transitions 6. Playback process: multiple transitions 7. Magnetoresistive heads 8. Record process: transition models 9. Record process: non-linearities and overwrite 10. Medium noise mechanisms: general concepts, modulation noise 11. Medium noise mechanisms: particulate noise 12. Medium noise mechanisms: transition noise References Index.
The pros and cons of drinking: A qualitative analysis of young adult drinking discussions within motivational interviewing

AbstractThe aim of this study was to examine young adult motivations about drinking through qualitative analysis of client–therapist dialogue in motivational interviewing (MI) sessions. Participants were a random selection of 26 young adult alcohol users involved in a large hospital-based clinical trial (N = 423). All sessions in the clinical trial were audio-recorded and transcribed. For the present study, discussions of the “Pros and Cons of Drinking” were extracted, coded and thematically organized using grounded theory methods. These young adult discussions centered on motives for drinking behavior (i.e. positive motives, or reasons to drink) and motives against drinking (i.e. negative motives, or reasons not to drink). The most salient themes were interpersonal, followed by physiological and intrapersonal in nature. Physiological themes were most often negative motives, or reasons not to drink, such as getting sick and experiencing hangovers. Intrapersonal themes were primarily positive motives, or r...
The ability to mentally represent action is associated with low motor ability in children: a preliminary investigation.

Background Theory and anatomical research suggest that the ability to mentally represent intended actions affect level of execution. This study presents preliminary data examining the association between children's ability to mentally represent action and general motor ability. Methods Children aged 7- to 10 years were assessed for motor imagery ability using a simulation of reach task and motor ability via the Movement ABC-2. Motor ability values, based on percentile rank, ranged from 2 to 91, with a mean of 36. Results The overall correlation between mental representation and motor ability yielded a moderately positive relationship (r = .39). Interestingly, when looking at motor ability subcategories, only Balance was significant in the model, explaining 20% of the variance. Conclusions These results provide preliminary evidence that children's motor ability and the ability to mentally represent action are associated in a positive direction. Furthermore, given the results for Balance, we speculate that there are clinical implications regarding work with potentially at-risk children.
Functional Hydrogen-Bonding Map of the Minor Groove Binding Tracks of Six DNA Polymerases†

Recent studies have identified amino acid side chains forming several hydrogen bonds in the DNA minor groove as potentially important in polymerase replication of DNA. Few studies have probed these interactions on the DNA itself. Using non-hydrogen-bonding nucleoside isosteres, we have now studied effects in both primer and template strands with several polymerases to investigate the general importance of these interactions. All six polymerases show differences in the H-bonding effects in the minor groove. Two broad classes of activity are seen, with a first group of DNA polymerases (KF(-), Taq, and HIV-RT) that efficiently extends nonpolar base pairs containing nucleoside Q (9-methyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine) but not the analogue Z (4-methylbenzimidazole), implicating a specific minor groove interaction at the first extension site. A second group of polymerases (Pol alpha, Pol beta, and T7(-)) fails to extend all non-H-bonding base pairs, indicating that these enzymes may need minor groove hydrogen bonds at both minor groove sites or that they are especially sensitive to noncanonical DNA structure or stability. All DNA polymerases examined use energetically important minor groove interactions to probe newly synthesized base pairs before extending them. The positions of these interactions vary among the enzymes, and only a subset of the interactions identified structurally appears to be functionally important. In addition, polymerases appear to be differently sensitive to small changes in base pair geometry.
Issues Relating to the Implementation and Management of an Integrated Information Center

This article addresses some issues related to the implementation and management of the Integrated Information Center (IIC). These issues include the impact of the legal environment within which an IIC must operate, the organization structure of the IIC, and the funding of the IIC. In addition, the article discusses the reactions of key stakeholders on campus to the proposed model IIC
Surface critical behavior of the smoothly inhomogeneous Ising model

We consider a semi-infinite two-dimensional Ising model with nearest-neighbor coupling constants that deviate from the bulk coupling by $A{m}^{\ensuremath{-}y}$ for large $m$, $m$ being the distance from the edge. The case $Al0$ of couplings which are weaker near the surface has been discussed by Hilhorst and van Leeuwen. We report exact results for the boundary magnetization and boundary pair-correlation function when $Ag0$. At the bulk critical temperature there is a rich variety of critical behavior in the $A \ensuremath{-}y$ plane with both paramagnetic and ferromagnetic surface phases. Some of our results can be derived and generalized with simple scaling arguments.
Optimization of growth and device performance for InAs quantum dot solar cells

Substrate misorientation was investigated as a mechanism to control InAs quantum dot density and size. Results have shown that both 2° and 6° substrate misorientation toward the &#60;110> direction can lead to high InAs QD density (4.8×1010 cm−2) as well as suppress QD ripening. In the 6° misoriented samples the critical thickness for QD formation was higher than in the 2° misoriented samples (1.9 ML versus 1.7–1.8ML, respectively). Substrate misorientation also shows that smaller QDs can be grown by increasing misorientation. GaAs solar cells with a 10 layer QD superlattice were also investigated as a function of misorientation angle and InAs coverage. On the 2° substrate, short circuit current (23.3 mA/cm2) was improved over 2° baseline samples. The EQE versus InAs coverage shows that quantum confined absorption and collection is complex, with coupling between wetting layer and excited state levels in the QD. QD contributed short circuit current density for the 2° misorientation substrates was calculated form EQE as 0.027 mA/cm2 per QD layer while the 6° misorientation substrates gave 0.019 mA/cm2 per QD layer.
Mapping the Inter-RNA Interaction of Bacterial Virus Phi29 Packaging RNA by Site-specific Photoaffinity Cross-linking

During replication, the lengthy genome of double-stranded DNA viruses is translocated with remarkable velocity into a limited space within the procapsid. The question of how this fascinating task is accomplished has long been a puzzle. Our recent investigation suggests that phi29 DNA packaging is accomplished by a mechanism similar to the driving of a bolt with a hex nut and that six packaging RNAs (pRNAs) form a hexagonal complex to gear the DNA-translocating machine (Chen, C., and Guo, P. (1997) J. Virol. 71, 3864–3871; Zhang, F., Lemieux, S., Wu, X., St.-Arnaud, S., McMurray, C. T., Major, F., and Anderson, D. (1998) Mol. Cell 2, 141–147; Guo, P., Zhang, C., Chen, C., Garver, K., and Trottier, M., (1998) Mol. Cell 2, 149–155). In the current study, circularly permuted pRNAs were used to position an azidophenacyl photoreactive cross-linking agent specifically at a strategic site that was predicted to be involved in pRNA-pRNA interaction. Cross-linked pRNA dimers were isolated, and the sites of cross-link were mapped by primer extension. The cross-linked pRNA dimer retained full activity in phi29 procapsid binding and genomic DNA translocation, indicating that the cross-link distance constraints identified in dimer formation reflect the native pRNA complex. Both cross-linked dimers either containing or not containing the interlocking loops for programmed hexamer formation bound procapsid equally well; however, only the one containing the interlocking loops programmed for hexamer formation was active in phi29 DNA packaging. The cross-linked pRNA dimers were also identified as the minimum binding unit necessary for procapsid binding. Primer extension of the purified cross-linked pRNA dimers revealed that base G82 was cross-linked to bases G39, G40, A41, C49, G62, C63, and C64, which contribute to the formation of the three-way junction, suggesting that these bases are proximate in the formation of pRNA tertiary structure. Interestingly, the photoaffinity agent in the left interacting loop did not cross-link directly to the right loop as expected but cross-linked to bases adjacent to the right loop. These data provide a background for future modeling of pRNA tertiary structure.
The reserve-labor hypothesis, short-run pricing theories, and the employment-output relationship☆

Abstract Short-run price, output, and employment adjustments are studied jointly - in a latent-variable framework - to estimate the effects of unobservable demand and cost conditions. Drawing on the firm-specific human capital and implicit contracts literatures, a microeconomic analysis of firms with hoarded labor guides the econometrics and provides a basis for distinguishing between neoclassical and behavioral pricing. Data from U.S. manufacturing during the 1974-75 recession provide substantial indication of labor hoarding and marginalist pricing, while also suggesting that ‘short-run increasing returns to labor’ are a statistical illusion. Analysis of the same data, ignoring measurement error, suggests very different, and very conventional, inferences.
Plasma membrane compartmentalization of D2-dopamine receptors

Plasma membrane microcompartments could allow different signaling pathways to operate more efficiently and prevent cross-talk. We utilized a novel in-cell biotin transfer assay to demonstrate that the majority of plasma membrane-expressed D2 dopamine receptor (D2R) is microcompartmentalized within detergent-resistant structures. Conversely, a minority of D2R existed in a detergent-soluble form and interacted in a relatively unrestricted manner with other cellular proteins. The microcompartmentalization of D2R had functional consequences because dopamine-induced internalization of D2R was largely restricted to the compartmentalized receptor. The D2R-containing microcompartments did not correspond to putative detergent-resistant lipid raft structures. First, the detergent-insoluble D2R structures were significantly denser than detergent-resistant membrane fragments containing flotillin, a widely utilized lipid raft marker protein. Second, the detergent solubility of D2R was unaffected by treatment of cells with the cholesterol chelating agent, methyl-β-cyclodextrin, that is thought to disrupt lipid rafts. Finally, the in-cell biotinylation assay did not provide any evidence for the membrane compartmentalization of peptide motifs thought to target to lipid rafts. Thus, our observations form one of the first demonstrations, in living cells, of plasma membrane microcompartments defined by the ability of the compartment structure to broadly restrict the interaction of resident molecules with other cellular proteins.
Composition Studies, Professional Writing and Empirical Research: A Skeptical View:

This article builds upon the work of Richard Haswell's "NCTE/CCCC's Recent War on Scholarship" by providing an alternative framework for empirical inquiry based on principles of skepticism. It examines the literature relating to empirical research and argues that one of the issues at hand is the perceived link of empirical research to positivism, which clashes with the dominant social constructivist paradigm. It draws upon classical rhetoric and the work of radial empiricist William James to formulate an alternative framework for empirical research based on skeptical principles.
Neutrino Properties with Neutrino Telescopes

Abstract We show that atmospheric neutrinos in the IceCube Deep Core detector can be used to identify neutrino oscillations effects and measure neutrino properties.