cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell-killing by paclitaxel in a metastatic murine melanoma cell line is mediated by extensive telomere erosion with no decrease in telomerase activity

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of paclitaxel and its water-soluble conjugates (sodium-pentetic acid-paclitaxel; polyethylene glycol-paclitaxel, and poly[L-glutamic acid]-paclitaxel) on chromosome morphology and induction of apoptosis in a metastatic murine melanoma cell line (K1735 clone X-21). For this, murine melanoma cells were treated continuously for 72 h with three concentrations (1.2 microM, 2.4 microM, and 4.8 microM) of each of paclitaxel, and conjugates. Another set of cells were pulse-treated at 2.4 microM, 4.8 microM and 9.6 microM concentrations of each of these drugs for 4 h and the recovered cells were examined after 72 h. Control cultures received only the solvents (dimethyl sulfoxide or water). Our results showed a significant increase in the frequencies of telomeric associations, chromosome aberrations, polyploidization, distorted and disintegrated chromosome morphology, and reduced telomeric signal intensity by fluorescence in situ hybridization, in treated cultures as compared to the controls. However, we detected no change in telomerase activity. In addition, the majority of interphase nuclei in treated cells showed apoptotic bodies, with chromatin condensation. These in vitro results suggest that cell death induced by paclitaxel and its water-soluble conjugates is due to the loss of telomeric repeats, as shown by reduced signal flourescence and increased telomeric associations.
Trauma resuscitation: Use of a human patient simulator improves team performance

ETHODS: General surgery residents (n 15) followed a roficiency-based laparoscopic curriculum on the 5 FLS and 9 Virual Reality tasks. Training goals consisted of the average expert perormance on each task 2 s.d. (mandatory) and of the best expert erformance (optional). Residents rated the impact of the training oals on their motivation on a 20 point VAS. Performance and atendance data were analyzed and correlated (Spearman’s). Data are eported as medians (range).
Speaking Subjects and Democratic Space: Rancière and the Politics of Speech

This essay engages Jacques Ranciere’s politics of speech. On one familiar story, the ideal of democratic inclusion is betrayed when groups are blocked from participation and thus are rendered voiceless. The normative task, then, is to eliminate these blockages, so as to open the broadest possibilities for unfettered critical dialogue. However, Ranciere helps to reveal that deliberative approaches are not sufficiently attuned to democratic processes of marginality or the kind of agency necessary to contest them. The essay, accordingly, intervenes within ongoing debates on dialogue and democracy. By the end, however, I propose that Ranciere’s model is not fully sensitive to the range of difficulties at play, which means that his model of political agency must be expanded if it is to succeed in its own aims.
Neuropeptide Y release from the paraventricular nucleus increases in association with hyperphagia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

We tested the hypothesis that the hyperphagia observed in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats is due to increased release of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus. In the first experiment, male rats were injected with STZ or vehicle (control) via the tail vein and 18-20 days later, NPY levels in seven hypothalamic sites and release in vitro from selected hypothalamic sites were evaluated. The results showed that in association with STZ-produced marked hyperglycemia and hyperphagia, NPY concentrations were increased in four hypothalamic sites, including the PVN. Evaluation of NPY release in vitro showed that both basal and KCl-induced release was significantly higher from the micro-dissected PVN of STZ-treated than control rats. A similar augmentation in the NPY efflux in vitro was detected from the median eminence arcuate nucleus, but not from the neighboring ventromedial nucleus of STZ-treated rats. In the second experiment, rats were treated with STZ or veh...
A Review of “Renewable Energy Project Development Under the Clean Development Mechanism: A Guide for Latin America”

The extensive field data in this book were compiled during Elizabeth Lokey's dissertation research when she traveled across Latin America recording the initial implementation of the Clean Developme...
2,6-diacetylpyridine bis(arylhydrazone) derivatives as analytical reagents for uranium.

The analytical properties of two compounds from a class of new complexing reagents for uranium have been investigated. The compounds, diacetylpyridine bis(furoylhydrazone) (H(2)dapf) and diacetylpyridine bis(pyridylhydrazone) (H(2)dapp), were synthesized and the extraction, resin sorption, and colorimetric properties of their metal complexes examined. The uranium-H(2)dapf complex forms in solutions at pH 3 and can be used to determine uranium colorimetrically. The system obeys the Lambert-Beer law between 0.72 and 10.8 ppm uranium with a molar absorptivity of 1.5 x 10(4) 1.mole(-1).cm(-1) at 400 nm and 3.5 x 10(4) 1.mole(-1).cm(-1) at 350 nm between pH 3 and 8. Interferences are masked with EDTA.
MMPI indices of personality change following short- and long-term hospitalization of heroin addicts.

The present investigation examined test-retest MMPI profile patterns for two highly similar groups of hardcore heroin addicts: 30 clients admitted to 6-mo. hospitalization in the NIMH Clinical Research Center, Fort Worth and 28 addicts confined approximately 6 wk. in an inpatient hospital setting. MMPI changes following hospitalization were characterized by decreases in scale scores on almost every clinical scale with higher elevations on scales reflecting ego strength and personal guardedness. Elevations on Scales Pd and Ma remained relatively constant over intake and discharge conditions, while scores on Scales Hs and Hy were particularly sensitive to changes in circumstance. Although both conditions produced diagnostic signs of general improvement, changes in personality functioning appeared to be most dramatic in the shorter, more intensive treatment condition.
DOES THE ABSORBABLE FIBRIN ADHESIVE BANDAGE FACILITATE PARTIAL NEPHRECTOMY

Purpose: To evaluate the ability of the absorbable fibrin adhesive bandage (AFAB), a prototype product comprising lyophilized fibrinogen and thrombin on a VicrylTM mesh backing, to seal the collecting system and control bleeding after partial nephrectomy.Materials and Methods: Growing female pigs (n = 18) underwent left nephrectomy and a 40% (by length) right lower pole partial nephrectomy. One of three treatments was immediately applied: Conventional–closure of the collecting system, ligation of visible segmental vessels, application of SurgicelTM with bolstering sutures to the renal capsule; AFAB–application of up to two 4 × 4-inch AFABs held under pressure for 60 seconds; Placebo–application of a hemostatically inert VicrylTM bandage, visually identical to the AFAB. Blood loss and ischemic and total operative times were recorded, and abdominal computerized tomography (CT) was performed on postoperative day 6. Animals were sacrificed at 6 weeks to evaluate the remaining renal mass histologically.Results...
Catalysts by design: genesis and CO hydrogenation of novel Pd carbonyl clusters in zeolite 5A

The potential of catalyst synthesis by design is demonstrated by comparing Pd/5A to Pd/NaY. While supercage dimensions are similar for both zeolites, the diameter of the supercage windows not only determines the Pd nuclearity of entrapped Pd carbonyl clusters, but also restricts their growth under CO hydrogenation conditions. While Pd13(CO) x clusters prevail in zeolite Y as a result of migration and coalescence of primary Pd carbonyl clusters after CO exposure at room temperature, cluster growth in zeolite 5A is confined to Pd6(CO) x . Under the conditions of syngas conversion, small Pd clusters are stabilized in the supercages of 5A, in contrast to the agglomeration of Pd particles to size larger than 60 A in NaHY. The catalytic activity of Pd/5A is twice that of Pd/NaHY. The selectivities of CO hydrogenation on both catalysts are also drastically different: on Pd/5A, methanol and dimethylether are the sole products besides methane, but on Pd/NaHY, production of C2+ hydrocarbons is significant.
The Impact of Conceptual Data Models on End-User Performance

While implementation/logical data models have been extensively studied and reported on, there is relatively less attention on the conceptual data models, especially from an end-user empirical perspective. Conceptual models are more suited for end-users due to the richness in semantic expressiveness and user-oriented features, but usually are not directly implemented. In this article, we examine three conceptual models: data structure diagram, entity-relationship model, and object-oriented model from the viewpoint of endusers. Results of two empirical studies, one experimental and one survey, are described. A comparative examination of the three data models on comprehension, efficiency, productivity, and a whole host of other characteristics has been made. The general evidence from the experimental study is that the user performance is much superior in terms of comprehension, efficiency, and productivity using the object-oriented model than the data structure diagram or the entity-relationship model. The second study suggests that this clear user preference for the OOM model diminishes with increased computer and database experience. Given the explosive growth in recent years of end-user computing and their use of databases, the findings of this study should be of great concern for users as well as information systems specialists.
Hydrogen bonding in entrainer cosolvent mixtures: A parametric analysis

Abstract An expression is derived for the solubility of a polar solute in a solvent mixture composed of an entrainer cosolvent and a supercritical fluid. This expression shows explicitly the relation between solubility and the fraction of solute that is hydrogen bonded to the entrainer cosolvent. As the fraction of solute hydrogen bonded (ξ) increases, the solubility increases in direct proportion to 1/(1 − ξ). Using this expression, the relative effects of nonpolar, polar and hydrogen bonding interactions are investigated through solubility calculations for hypothetical compounds.
Comparative in Vivo and in Vitro Activation of Human Natural Killer Cells by Two Recombinant α-Interferons Differing in Antiviral Activity

Natural killer (NK) cell activation by two interferon-alpha subtypes, interferon-alpha A and interferon-alpha D, was examined in vitro and in vivo in eight cancer patients. When assessed in vitro, NK cells in six of eight patients lysed K562 target cells to a greater extent when incubated with interferon-alpha A (1 ng/ml) than with the same concentration of interferon-alpha D. However, when patients were evaluated collectively, no significant difference was detectable in the effectiveness of the two subtypes in enhancing NK cell activity. Patients received the same interferons given as four injections which were randomized with respect to subtype and were separated by intervals of six or more days. NK cell activity was consistently elevated in peripheral mononuclear cells sampled 24 hr but not seven days after injection as compared to peripheral mononuclear cells sampled just prior to each injection (p less than 0.001 for both subtypes). At a given dose level, both interferon subtypes resulted in comparable NK cell activation. However, a negative correlation existed between the amount of interferon administered and the magnitude of enhancement (p less than 0.05). In 16 separate paired determinations, there were eight in which NK cell activity was lower after the second injection of an interferon dose than after the first injection of the same dose (15 or 45 micrograms, irrespective of subtype), and eight in which the alternate pattern occurred. Thus, repeated injection in the same patient of one or the other dose resulted in no consistent changes in the extent of NK cell stimulation. Since the two interferons have a 20-fold difference in specific antiviral activity for human amnion cells and up to an 80-fold difference in human fibroblasts, either different mechanisms are involved in antiviral and NK cell-stimulatory activity, or activities of these two subtypes for cells of different histogenesis vary. Greater NK cell-stimulatory activity therefore occurred at the lowest tested doses, a dose which was less than 10% of previously reported maximally tolerated doses of these interferons.
Memory and Brain Systems: 1969–2009

During the past two centuries, the study of learning and memory has been central to three disciplines: first philosophy, then psychology, and now biology. Biological inquiry began in earnest during the latter part of the 20th century, as technological advances made it feasible to move beyond
An Examination of Single Men's and Women's Sexual Aggressiveness in Dating Relationships

This study focused on two forms of sexual aggression used in dating: pressure and manipulation, and antisocial acts. Two research questions were addressed using the responses of 463 males and 455 females. First, single men and women, and individuals with different commitment levels and different sexual motivations were compared in their use of sexual aggression. Significant interactions demonstrated these variables' importance. Second, the sexual aggression measures were regressed on individual and relationship variables. For men, attitudes, number of coital partners and relationship conflict were significant predictors of both forms of aggression, while feeling hostility toward women was predictive only for pressure and manipulation. For women, attitudes, number of coital partners and anger turned inward were predictive of both forms of aggression. Additionally, holding adversarial sexual beliefs and relationship ambivalence were predictive only for pressure and manipulation while relationship conflict w...
Discerning the Limits of Religious Naturalism

In response to my “How to Make Naturalism Safe for Supernaturalism: An Evaluation of Willem Drees's Supernaturalistic Naturalism” (Rottschaefer 2001), Willem Drees maintains that I have misunderstood his purpose and views and have failed to make the case against his view that naturalism is intrinsically limited. In this response, I comment on these concerns.
Physics based analytical solution to undoped cylindrical surrounding-gate (SRG) MOSFETs

A physics based analytical solution to undoped cylindrical surrounding-gate (SRG) MOSFETs is derived in this paper by solving the Poisson-Boltzmann equation. The solution produces a closed form solution for the energy band bending. Based on the solution, the exact inversion charge density can be directly expressed as a function of the quasi-Fermi potential, gate voltage and device structure geometries. The accurate physics included in the analytical solution can be used to predict the performance of surrounding-gate MOSFETs under unconventional operation condition such as volume inversion effect due to silicon body diameter and structure dependent effective oxide thickness effects that are unique in a SRG MOSFET.
FERTILIZATION IN OEDOGONIUM. I. PLASMOGAMY12

SUMMARY Events prior to, during, and immediately following plasmogamy have been investigated in Oedogonium cardiacum using combined techniques of light and electron microscopy. Maturation of the oogonium involves the formation of an oogonial pore and the differentiation of the single egg from the larger oogonial protoplast from which it is formed. The fine structure of the sperm cell at the time of plasmogamy is described as well as the nature of its entrance into the oogonium. Cinematographic films were used to analyze the movements of the spermatozoids prior to plasmogamy and, similarly, 26 complete acts of gametic fusion were recorded and analyzed. Prior to plasmogamy the flagella-bearing anterior extremity of the spermatozoid typically becomes elongate and is thereafter capable of flexible movements and rapid changes in shape which appear more or less independent of the rest of the cell. The sperm cell always makes initial contact with the egg surface by means of this agile, proboscis-like, anterior end. Contact results through a combination of thrusting movements of the entire sperm cell and rapid, lateral sweeping movements of its flagellated anterior extremity against the egg surface. Gametic fusion is initiated with violent, vibrational movements of the sperm cell accompanied by loss of its flagella. Apparent fusion of the gamete membranes unites their protoplasts by a narrow cytoplasmic bridge which gradually increases in size as the sperm cell cytoplasm flows into the egg. An average time of 30.5 sec was required for complete fusion as determined from 25 typical sequences of plasmogamy recorded cinematographically. Fusion occurs even more rapidly when diploid oogonia are substituted for daploid oogonia. The entire sperm cell, with the exception of the flagella, fuses with the egg during plasmogamy. The dissimilar gamete nuclei are clearly distinguished ultrastructurally in the binucleate fusion cell. Concentrations of sperm cell mitochondria and remains of the flagellar apparatus (but no flagella) are readily recognized in the fusion cell. The fate of these and other cytoplasmic constituents of the sperm cell is discussed. Immediately after plasmogamy, and prior to karyogamy, a thin, finely fibrous layer is formed us an investment exterior to the fusion cell. Karyogamy follows shortly after plasmogamy, and both events may take place within 15 min after mixing eggs and spermatozoids.
Model projected changes of extreme wind events in response to global warming

[1] The changes in the frequency of occurrence of extreme wind storm events in response to anthropogenic global warming are explored using a multi-model ensemble of coupled climate model simulations. These changes, diagnosed using several different metrics based on the daily wind fields, indicate that the frequency of the most extreme wind events decreases over the tropics in association with the model-projected weakening of the large-scale atmospheric circulation. At higher latitudes, the strongest near-surface wind events are found to increase in frequency in association with the amplified baroclinicity and poleward shift of the midlatitude storm tracks. The frequency of the heaviest precipitation events increases in all models, despite a systematic reduction of extreme upward vertical velocities, due to the increased moisture content of the lower troposphere. All of these changes are shown to be robust projections of current climate models.
Error rate analysis of broadband binary FM in an indoor channel

The emerging 5 GHz unlicensed bands in Europe and the US may be used to support short range, high rate links for portable computers. This would overcome the range and directionality limitations of today's infrared connections. This paper investigates the performance of a binary FM link in this application, operating in a dispersive indoor channel. The consequence of increasing the modulation index is explored as a cost free means of multipath mitigation. An increase from 0.5 (MSK) to 1 was found to yield a worthwhile improvement in tolerable delay spread. Increasing the index beyond 1 gave no further improvement but significantly affected the spectral occupancy of the signal. This defines a precise design point for high rate, short range radios.
The fall and rise of metamorphic zircon

Zircon geochronology and geochemistry are increasingly important for understanding metamorphic processes, particularly at extreme conditions, but drivers of zircon dissolution and regrowth are poorly understood. Here, we model Zr mass balance to identify P-T regions where zircon should dissolve or grow. Zirconium contents of major metamorphic minerals were assessed from published data and new measurements, and models were constructed of mineralogical development and zircon abundance for hydrous MORB and metapelitic compositions along representative P-T paths. Excluding zircon, the minerals rutile, garnet, and hornblende strongly influence Zr mass balance in metabasites, accounting for as much as 40% of the whole-rock Zr budget. Clinopyroxene and garnet contain more Zr than plagioclase, so breakdown of plagioclase at the amphibolite to eclogite facies transition, should cause zircon to dissolve slightly, rather than grow. Growth of UHP zircon is predicted over a restricted region, and most zircon grows subsequently at much lower pressure. In metapelites, zircon is predicted to undergo only minor changes to modal abundance in solid state assemblages. Partial melting, however, drives massive zircon dissolution, whereas melt crystallization regrows zircon. From a mass-balance perspective, zircon growth cannot be attributed a priori to the prograde amphibolite-eclogite transition, to UHP metamorphism, or to partial melting. Instead, zircon should grow mainly during late-stage exhumation and cooling, particularly during oxide transitions from rutile to ilmenite and melt crystallization. As predicted, most zircons from HP/UHP eclogites of the Western Gneiss Region and Papua New Guinea substantially postdate eclogite formation and maximum pressures.
High-yield assembly of multichip modules through known-good IC's and effective test strategies

Multichip module technology has been shown to offer significant improvements for electronics equipment in the areas of miniaturized size, reduced weight, capability for higher frequency operation, improved thermal performance, and improved reliability. Production applications for multichip modules (MCMs) have grown from high-end computer and aerospace modules to include such diverse products as telecommunications, automotive, and consumer electronics modules. One of the keys to economic success in all applications is the achievement of high manufacturing yields. Yield losses must be kept very low compared with module costs in order to remain economically competitive. Two parameters with a very strong impact on manufacturing yield, known-good components entering assembly and test strategies at various levels of assembly, are discussed. Current industry practice is surveyed and recent progress on MCM infrastructure development is summarized. >
Analysis of the low gravity tolerance of Bridgman-Stockbarger crystal growth II. Transient and periodic accelerations

The effects of single and multicomponent oscillatory residual accelerations on dopant distribution in gallium-doped germanium crystals grown by the Bridgman-Stockbarger technique is investigated numerically. The multicomponent disturbances include three-component accelerations and complex acceleration profiles synthesized from Fourier analyses of acceleration data obtained on the Spacelab-3 (SL-3) mission. We find that the largest compositional nonuniformities occur for disturbances with amplitudes above 10-6 g and frequencies below 10-2 Hz. At higher frequencies, larger acceleration amplitudes are required to obtain significant nonuniformities. These nonuniformities are barely detectable at early times, reach a maximum after the velocity transient and subsequently decrease over the characteristic concentration diffusion time. The effect of several “g-jitter” profiles synthesized from SL-3 measurements with frequencies between 10-1-10 Hz is examined. The system is found to exhibit marginal sensitivity to only one of these acceleration profiles.
Introduction: From Linear to Nonlinear Thinking

The theory of nonlinear complex systems has become a successful problem solving approach in the natural sciences — from laser physics, quantum chaos, and metereology to molecular modeling in chemistry and computer-assisted simulations of cellular growth in biology. On the other hand, the social sciences are recognizing that the main problems of mankind are global, complex, and nonlinear, too. Local changes in the ecological, economic, or political system can cause a global crisis. Linear thinking and the belief that the whole is only the sum of its parts are evidently obsolete. One of the most exciting topics of present scientific and public interest is the idea that even our mind is governed by the nonlinear dynamics of complex systems. If this thesis of computational neuroscience is correct, then indeed we have a powerful mathematical strategy to handle interdisciplinary problems of natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
A Yeast Artificial Chromosome Contig Encompassing the Type 1 Neurofibromatosis Gene

Abstract The yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) system (Burke et al. , 1987, Science 236: 806–812) allows the direct cloning of large regions of the genome. A YAC contig map of approximately 700 kb encompassing the region surrounding the type 1 neurofibromatosis ( NF1 ) locus on 17q11.2 has been constructed. A single YAC containing the entire NF1 locus has been constructed by homologous recombination in yeast. In the process of contig construction a novel method of YAC end rescue has been developed by YAC circularization in yeast and plasmid rescue in bacteria. YACs containing homology to the NF1 region but mapping to another chromosome have also been discovered. Sequences of portions of the homologous locus indicate that this other locus is a nonprocessed pseudogene.
TOWARD THE CERTIFICATION OF BEHAVIOR THERAPISTS?1

The issue of certification of behavior therapists is considered. The existence of potentially measurable performance criteria for behavior therapists suggest that certification is possible. It is argued that steps toward certification will tend to separate experimenter and clinician, and foster separation of behavior modification and therapy from closely related fields of enquiry. Behavior modifiers should work within existing professional organizations to strengthen current licensing and certification procedures, rather than form their own certifying body.
All neural network sonar discrimination system

The authors present a summary of the status of an ongoing investigation into how effective various neural network paradigms are in military sonar system functions. Specifically, the authors investigate the potential use of neural network technology in the detection, feature extraction, feature optimization, and classification portions of a sonar signal discrimination system. Preliminary results given suggest that neural network techniques have potential as implementation solutions for at least the detection and classification functions. >
Self-assembly as a mechanism of molecular computing

A physical mode of computing is proposed in which symbolic pattern recognition problems are converted to free energy minimization problems. Signals impinging on the external surface of a cell (an artificial device or possibly a biological cell) release distinct macromolecules that self-assemble into higher level shapes. Readout enzymes link the physiochemical properties (e.g. shape features) of these aggregates to effector enzymes that control the output of the cell. >
How to promote, support and experiment sustainability in higher education institutions? The case of LaSalle Beauvais in France

The Conference of University Presidents (CPU) and the Conference des Grandes Ecoles (CGE) established a common tool, incorporating uses and specific missions of institutions: governance, education, research, social policy, local integration and environmental management sites. Then, the research question is: how to place an integrated approach to sustainable development in the strategy of LaSalle Beauvais as this institute is an intermediate institution with academic research, development programs and direct connections with companies and territorial activities? This paper reviews the concept of sustainability in Higher Education institutions and shows the actions which were implemented at all levels of our Institute and the encountered difficulties by combining two complementary methods (qualitative and quantitative) to respond to this question. It is the first time in the literature that the analysis of new perspectives on management, practices in teaching and research about sustainability in an engineer higher school is reported.
A Hybrid Absorption Cycle for Water Heating, Dehumidification, and Evaporative Cooling

In this study, development of a novel system for combined water heating, dehumidification, and space cooling is discussed. The system absorbs water vapor from an air stream into an absorbent. The latent heat of absorption, released into the absorbent, is transferred into the process water that cools the absorbent. The solution is regenerated in the desorber, where it is heated by a heating fluid. The water vapor generated in the desorber is condensed and its heat of phase change is also transferred to the process water. The condensed water is then used in an evaporative cooling process to cool the dehumidified air exiting the absorber. Essentially, this open-absorption cycle collects space sensible heat and transfers it to hot water. Another novel feature of the cycle is recovery of the heat energy from the solution exiting the desorber by heat exchange with process water rather than with the solution exiting the absorber. This approach has enabled heating the process water from an inlet temperature of 15°C to 57°C (conforming to the required DOE building hot water standard) and compact fabrication of the absorber, solution heat exchanger, and desorber in plate and frame configuration. The system under development currently has a water heating capacity of 1.5 kW and a thermal coefficient of performance (COP) of 1.45.© 2015 ASME
rCRF: Recursive Belief Estimation over CRFs in RGB-D Activity Videos.

For assistive robots, anticipating the future actions of humans is an essential task. This requires modelling both the evolution of the activities over time and the rich relationships between humans and the objects. Since the future activities of humans are quite ambiguous, robots need to assess all the future possibilities in order to choose an appropriate action. Therefore, a successful anticipation algorithm needs to compute all plausible future activities and their corresponding probabilities. In this paper, we address the problem of efficiently computing beliefs over future human activities from RGB-D videos. We present a new recursive algorithm that we call Recursive Conditional Random Field (rCRF) which can compute an accurate belief over a temporal CRF model. We use the rich modelling power of CRFs and describe a computationally tractable inference algorithm based on Bayesian filtering and structured diversity. In our experiments, we show that incorporating belief, computed via our approach, significantly outperforms the stateof-the-art methods, in terms of accuracy and computation time.
Thromboembolism in Hageman trait.

McPherson, Richard A.: Thromboembolism in Hageman trait. The case of a patient with severe deficiency of Hageman factor (factor XII) in whom a thrombus embolized to arteries in a lower extremity is described. In addition to its action in initiating blood clotting through the intrinsic pathway, Hageman factor can influence kinin generation, fibrinolysis, and activation of complement. While individuals with Hageman factor deficiency have no hemorrhagic disorder, this case emphasizes the role factor XII may normally assume in clot dissolution.
Phytoplankton responses to nitrogen enrichment in Pacific Northwest, USA Mountain Lakes

Limited information is available about threshold lake nitrogen concentrations necessary to stimulate phytoplankton species and biomass responses in remote nitrogen-limited mountain lakes. We conducted in situ enrichment bioassays in mountain lakes within Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks in Washington State, USA to characterize phytoplankton species and biomass responses to nitrogen enrichment, and associated dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentration thresholds. Based on biomass and growth measurements, phytoplankton were nitrogen-limited or co-limited by nitrogen and phosphorus in the nine bioassay lakes. We identified 20 taxa that responded to nitrogen enrichment, and estimated response thresholds using nitrogen Monod half-saturation constants (K s) for 18 of these taxa. DIN thresholds in nitrogen-limited lakes were 13 μg N l−1 for any increase in chlorophyll a, and 25 μg N l−1, for an increase beyond typical inter-annual chlorophyll a variation. K s values ranged from 0.02 to 77 μg N l−1 across most N-responsive taxa, and diatom K s values were higher than those previously quantified in U.S. Rocky Mountain lakes. Approximately, 75% of sampled mountain lakes in the parks have summer dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations below biomass response thresholds. This finding suggests that phytoplankton in park mountain lakes are likely sensitive to future deposition-induced lake nitrogen enrichment.
Characteristics of weed infestation and competitive ability of rice varieties under intensified rice system.

Main weeds species under intensified rice system were Rotala indica,Lindernia procumbens,Cyperus difformis and Leptochloa chinensis,of which Cyperus difformis and Leptochloa chinensis had stronger competition with rice plant.Compared with Japanic hybrid rice E52,Liangyoupeijiu can control weed growth greatly due to their stronger competitive ability.With the increase of row spacing,the control ability of rice over weeds decreased under the same planting density.When E52 was sparsely planted,there was no difference of control over weeds among different row spacing.Weed control method was discussed under intensified rice system.
Isolated follicle-stimulating hormone deficiency revisited. Ovulation and conception in presence of circulating antibody to follicle-stimulating hormone.

WE have previously described the clinical features of a 22-year-old woman who was evaluated in 1971 for primary amenorrhea and in whom we established the diagnosis of isolated deficiency of follicl...
Screening for colorectal cancer.

Case study: SE is a 69-year-old man who has never been screened for colorectal cancer. After conducting a history and physical examination, it appears that he is not at high risk for colorectal cancer.
Modeling for Understanding v. Modeling for Numbers

I draw a distinction between Modeling for Numbers, which aims to address how much, when, and where questions, and Modeling for Understanding, which aims to address how and why questions. For-numbers models are often empirical, which can be more accurate than their mechanistic analogues as long as they are well calibrated and predictions are made within the domain of the calibration data. To extrapolate beyond the domain of available system-level data, for-numbers models should be mechanistic, relying on the ability to calibrate to the system components even if it is not possible to calibrate to the system itself. However, development of a mechanistic model that is reliable depends on an adequate understanding of the system. This understanding is best advanced using a for-understanding modeling approach. To address how and why questions, for-understanding models have to be mechanistic. The best of these for-understanding models are focused on specific questions, stripped of extraneous detail, and elegantly simple. Once the mechanisms are well understood, one can then decide if the benefits of incorporating the mechanism in a for-numbers model is worth the added complexity and the uncertainty associated with estimating the additional model parameters.
Prolylcarboxypeptidase Deficiency Is a Risk Factor for Arterial Thrombosis and Hypertension

Abstract Abstract 651 Background. Prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP), an S28 serine protease, degrades bradykinin, angiotensin II, and alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone and activates prekallikrein to plasma kallikrein (Blood 103:4554, 2004). In GWAS, it has been recognized as a risk factor for metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and pre-eclampsia. We postulated that PRCP murine hypomorphs (PRCPgt/gt) have a cardiovascular phenotype. Methods and Results. PRCP is mostly found in kidney in proximal tubules. In arteries, it is found both on endothelium and in media. A gene-trap murine hypomorph was created with 7% mRNA and 23% PRCP antigen in renal tissue. Using the Rose Bengal carotid artery thrombosis models, PRCPgt/gt mice had shorter carotid artery occlusion times (24±3 min [mean±SD]) compared to wild type (52±8 min). On a 4% ferric chloride carotid artery thrombosis assay PRCPgt/gt occluded in 21±8 min whereas wild type do not occlude at 60 min. Pharmacologic inhibition of PRCP with Z-pro-prolinal or plasma kallikrein with soybean trypsin inhibitor, Pro-Phe-Arg-Chloromethylketone or PKSI-572 in 3 mouse strains also shortened the time to carotid artery occlusion. PRCPgt/gt were constitutively hypertensive during the late night cycle (122±5 mm Hg mean arterial pressure vs 114±6 mm Hg for wildtype) as measured by carotid artery telemetry. Treatment of these animals with the mitochondria specific antioxidant mitoTEMPO significantly reduced (113±7 mm Hg) the elevated BP. Plasma angiotensin II and bradykinin levels were unaltered in PRCPgt/gt. PRCPgt/gt plasma had a significant increase in contact activation-induced thrombin generation. Aortic and renal reactive oxygen species (ROS) were increased (3.2-fold and 2.8-fold, respectively) in PRCPgt/gt mice as determined by dihydroethidium (DHE) fluorescence. PRCPgt/gt aortic and renal superoxide measured by lucigenin luminescence also was increased (1.6-fold and 1.7-fold, respectively). In PRCPgt/gt kidneys Amplex Red fluorescence, a measure of hydrogen peroxide, was increased 2.4-fold. Renal tissue had 1.6-fold increased uncoupled eNOS on SDS-PAGE. Arterial occlusion times in PRCPgt/gt were corrected by treatment with antioxidant apocynin or tempol. PRCP siRNA knockdowns in HUVEC or mesenchymal embryonic fibroblasts prepared from PRCPgt/gt embryos had increased constitutive DHE fluorescent ROS (2.1-fold and 1.4-fold, respectively). PRCPgt/gt aorta had decreased expression of Kruppel-like factors 2 and 4, thrombomodulin and eNOS. Moreover, PRCP knockdowns in HUVEC had 36% reduced eNOS mRNA expression. Conclusion. These investigations indicate that PRCP is a specific gene/protein target for arterial thrombosis risk and hypertension. Its presence modulates constitutive cell and tissue ROS. Arterial thrombosis risk is related to effect of ROS on endothelial cell anticoagulant mechanisms. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
RGB-D Sensor-Based Computer Vision Assistive Technology for Visually Impaired Persons

A computer vision-based wayfinding and navigation aid can improve the mobility of blind and visually impaired people to travel independently. In this chapter, we focus on RGB-D sensor-based computer vision technologies in application to assist blind and visually impaired persons. We first briefly review the existing computer vision based assistive technology for the visually impaired. Then we provide a detailed description of the recent RGB-D sensor based assistive technology to help blind or visually impaired people. Next, we present the prototype system to detect and recognize stairs and pedestrian crosswalks based on RGB-D images. Since both stairs and pedestrian crosswalks are featured by a group of parallel lines, Hough transform is applied to extract the concurrent parallel lines based on the RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) channels. Then, the Depth channel is employed to recognize pedestrian crosswalks and stairs. The detected stairs are further identified as stairs going up (upstairs) and stairs going down (downstairs). The distance between the camera and stairs is also estimated for blind users. The detection and recognition results on our collected datasets demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our developed prototype. We conclude the chapter by the discussion of the future directions.
Universally Accessible mHealth Apps for Older Adults: Towards Increasing Adoption and Sustained Engagement

Mobile health (mHealth) applications are emerging as a convenient approach to monitoring and tracking health informatics and promoting health-related behaviors. Despite proven health benefits of these systems, many are not designed in consideration of older users. Studies report low or inconsistent usage and high abandonment among these applications, often attributed to poor motivation and engagement strategies utilized in the workflow of the application. However, we posit that a lack in the universal access of a mHealth interface may also contribute to low and inconsistent usage, and is an equally important factor of consideration when designing a product. The approach of universal design should be applied when designing, developing, and evaluating mHealth applications as a consideration to making products usable by the general population. The universal design mobile interface guidelines support the design and development of mobile applications that are accessible by all users equally. As an adaptation to these guidelines, we outline a tool for evaluating mHealth applications for usability and perceived usefulness. We also discuss the importance of universally designed interfaces in the adoption and sustained engagement of mHealth applications. Future work in this research area aims to utilize this approach in the evaluation of mHealth apps that target physical activity. This paper contributes to the field of human-computer interaction as it better positions mHealth applications to be adopted by a wider subset of the general population, increasing the likelihood of individuals experiencing associated health-related benefits.
Interpretations of family size distributions: The Datura example

Abstract Young asteroid families are unique sources of information about fragmentation physics and the structure of their parent bodies, since their physical properties have not changed much since their birth. Families have different properties such as age, size, taxonomy, collision severity and others, and understanding the effect of those properties on our observations of the size-frequency distribution (SFD) of family fragments can give us important insights into the hypervelocity collision processes at scales we cannot achieve in our laboratories. Here we take as an example the very young Datura family, with a small 8-km parent body, and compare its size distribution to other families, with both large and small parent bodies, and created by both catastrophic and cratering formation events. We conclude that most likely explanation for the shallower size distribution compared to larger families is a more pronounced observational bias because of its small size. Its size distribution is perfectly normal when its parent body size is taken into account. We also discuss some other possibilities. In addition, we study another common feature: an offset or “bump” in the distribution occurring for a few of the larger elements. We hypothesize that it can be explained by a newly described regime of cratering, “spall cratering”, which controls the majority of impact craters on the surface of small asteroids like Datura.
Successfully Reducing Hospitalizations of Nursing Home Residents: Results of the Missouri Quality Initiative.

Abstract Purpose The goals of the Missouri Quality Initiative (MOQI) for long-stay nursing home residents were to reduce the frequency of avoidable hospital admissions and readmissions, improve resident health outcomes, improve the process of transitioning between inpatient hospitals and nursing facilities, and reduce overall healthcare spending without restricting access to care or choice of providers. The MOQI was one of 7 program sites in the United States, with specific interventions unique to each site tested for the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) Innovations Center. Design and methods A prospective, single group intervention design, the MOQI included an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) embedded full-time within each nursing home (NH) to influence resident care outcomes. Data were collected continuously for more than 3 years from an average of 1750 long-stay Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay residents living each day in 16 participating nursing homes in urban, metro, and rural communities within 80 miles of a major Midwestern city in Missouri. Performance feedback reports were provided to each facility summarizing their all-cause hospitalizations and potentially avoidable hospitalizations as well as a support team of social work, health information technology, and INTERACT/Quality Improvement Coaches. Results The MOQI achieved a 30% reduction in all-cause hospitalizations and statistically significant reductions in 4 single quarters of the 2.75 years of full implementation of the intervention for long-stay nursing home residents. Implications As the population of older people explodes in upcoming decades, it is critical to find good solutions to deal with increasing costs of health care. APRNs, working with multidisciplinary support teams, are a good solution to improving care and reducing costs if all nursing home residents have access to APRNs nationwide.
Evaluating the effect of solid electrolyte interphase formers on lithium depth profiles of the solid electrolyte interphase layer and bulk electrode material in LiNi0.4Mn0.4Co0.2O2/graphite pouch cells obtained with lithium nuclear reaction analysis

Abstract Lithium loss resulting from positive electrode deterioration and lithium accumulation within the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) at the negative electrode leads to charge capacity loss in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). We present a novel method to quantify origins of capacity loss resulting from positive electrode degradation and lithium immobilization within the SEI by comparative lithium depth profiles using Lithium Nuclear Reaction Analysis (Li-NRA). Li(Ni 0.4 Mn 0.4 Co 0.2 )O 2 /artificial graphite (NMC442/AG) pouch cells were cycled with electrolytes containing 1 M LiPF 6 in either 1:1 ethylene carbonate (EC)/dimethyl carbonate (DMC) or DMC with 3% vinylene carbonate (VC) SEI former. Lithium accumulated rapidly within the SEI in cells containing EC as compared to cells containing VC. Lithium loss from the positive electrode occurred at a linear rate, after formation, which was independent of electrolyte composition tested. The technique and methods provide quantitative insight into the impact of materials on capacity loss.
Epidermal growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy inferior to second-line chemotherapy in EGFR wild-type non-small cell lung cancer patients: results of French nationwide observational study.

In the recent issue of The European Respiratory Journal , Tomasini et al. report on an observational study comparing the clinical, biological, treatment and outcome data for epidermal growth factor wild-type (EGFR-wt) advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received second-line treatment with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) versus those that received second-line chemotherapy, collected in France over a 1 year period (1). Their central finding, that clinical outcomes with second-line EGFR TKI therapy in EGFR-wt patients were inferior to those with second-line chemotherapy, underscores the ineffectual nature of the treatment of EGFR-wt NSCLC with an EGFR TKI.
Exploring user-defined gestures to control a group of four UAVs

We present the results of an elicitation study exploring gestures that novice users find intuitive for controlling a group of four Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Particularly, we focus on group commands for (1) spatial distribution of the operated UAVs, (2) selection of the required UAV(s), and (3) their formation control. To elicit user-defined gestures, we conducted interview sessions in which we animated the considered commands with a 3D simulator. We identified commonalities in users' behavior and then used them to create the final input vocabulary. By using the concept of mental models we achieved coherence among the vocabulary entries.