cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BACILLUS CALMETTE-GUERIN INTERACTS WITH THE CARBOXYL-TERMINAL HEPARIN BINDING DOMAIN OF FIBRONECTIN : IMPLICATIONS FOR BCG-MEDIATED ANTITUMOR ACTIVITY

Abstract Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has been shown to be an effective treatment for superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. The mechanisms by which BCG achieves this effect remain unclear. Reports have attributed an important role to fibronectin both in the initial attachment of BCG to bladder surfaces and in the limitation of tumor cell motility. In the present study, using limited protease cathepsin B degradation followed by Western blot analyses with antibodies to various domains of the fibronectin molecule, we showed that BCG appears to bind to fibronectin near the carboxyl terminal and adjacent to the heparin binding domain. Furthermore a 51-chromium release assay with human bladder cancer cell line T24 as target cells and lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells as effector cells showed that fibronectin was needed for tumor cytotoxicity by the LAK cells. By using antibodies and peptides to various domains of the fibronectin molecule, the heparin binding domain, but not the cell binding domain, carboxyl terminal region, or the amino terminal region of the fibronectin molecule, was identified as essential to tumor cell lysis by the LAK cells. Flow cytometric analysis showed that both peripheral blood lymphocytes and the LAK cells express fibronectin receptors VLA-3, VLA-4 and VLA-5 on their surfaces. However, the numbers of receptors are not significantly different in the two cell populations. We conclude that, by binding near the carboxyl terminal region and adjacent to the heparinbinding domain of the fibronectin molecule, BCG may protect this region of the molecule from tumor proteases, and may thus allow the antitumor activity of the host immune cells to take place.
Letter Report on 500 nA Pulsed Current from Field Ionization Source

We recently produced a milestone 500 nA of pulsed current using 40 Ir field ionizer electrodes in our ion source. In conclusion, we have produced the milestone pulsed current of 500 nA using 40 electrochemically etched iridium tips in a field ionization source. The pulsed current output is repeatable and scales as expected with gas fill pressure and bias voltage. We expect these current will be sufficient to produce neutral yields of 1∙107 DT n/s.
An unsupervised subject identification technique using EEG signals

In this work, EEG spectral features of different subjects are uniquely mapped into a 2D feature space. Such distinctive 2D features pave the way to identify subjects from their EEG spectral characteristics in an unsupervised manner without any prior knowledge. First, we extract power spectral density of EEG signals in different frequency bands. Next, we use t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding to map data points from high dimensional space in a visible 2D space. Such non-linear data embedding method visualizes different subjects' data points as well-separated islands in two dimensions. We use a fuzzy c-means clustering technique to identify different subjects without any prior knowledge. The experimental results show that our proposed method efficiently (precision greater than 90%) discriminates 10 subjects using only the spectral information within their EEG signals.
Characterization of infant mu rhythm immediately before crawling: A high-resolution EEG study

Crawling is an important milestone in infant motor development. However, infants with developmental motor disorders can exhibit delays, or even miss, in the acquisition of crawling skill. And little information is available from the neurodevelopmental domain about the changes in brain function with intervention. The mu rhythm can potentially play a substantial role in understanding human motor development at early ages in infants, as it has in adults. Studies about the mu rhythm in infants were in coarse temporal resolution with longitudinal samples taken months or years apart. Details about the infant mu rhythm at a fine age resolution has not been fully revealed, which leads to contradictory evidence about its formulation and developmental changes of its spectral origins and, therefore, impedes the full understanding of motor brain development before crawling skill acquisition. The present study aims to expand knowledge about the infant mu rhythm and its spatio-spectral pattern shifts along maturation immediately before crawling. With high-density EEG data recorded on a weekly basis and simultaneous characterization of spatio-spectral patterns of the mu rhythm, subtle developmental changes in its spectral peak, frequency range, and scalp topography are revealed. This mu rhythm further indicates a significant correlation to the crawling onset while powers from other frequency bands do not show such correlations. These details of developmental changes about the mu rhythm provide an insight of rapid changes in the human motor cortex in the first year of life. Our results are consistent with previous findings about the peak frequency shifting of the mu rhythm and further depict detailed developmental curves of its frequency ranges and spatial topographies. The infant mu rhythm could potentially be used to assess motor brain deficiencies at early ages and to evaluate intervention effectiveness in children with neuromotor disorders.
The Development of Complex Oligopoly Dynamics Theory

This chapter will review the development of the theory of complex oligopoly dynamics from the 1970s to the year 2001 in its main strands. It will also provide certain speculations regarding possible future developments. This will serve as a link between the first chapter’s discussion of the broader history of oligoply theory up to the 1940s and the more specific chapters that present current models in the rest of this book. But, to tell our story we first need to remind ourselves of certain ideas from the first chapter of this book. One is the very founding document of oligopoly theory, Cournot’s seminal work of 1838. This is both because the specific model that he presented has been much studied for its ability to generate complex dynamics and also because of its more general foreshadowing of game theory. It has often been noted that the Cournot equilibrium is but a special case of the Nash (1951) equilibrium, the more general formulation used by modern industrial organization economists in studying oligopoly theory. Indeed, it is sometimes even called the Cournot-Nash equilibrium. Although many of the models of complex oligopoly dynamics use the specific Cournot model, many use more general game theoretic formulations. We note simply as an aside here that Cournot’s work was the first to apply calculus to solving an economic optimization problem and also was the first to introduce supply and demand curves, albeit in the “Walrasian” form with price on the horizontal axis.
Abstract 193: RNA-sequencing of Disease-specific iPSC as a New Filter to Identify Genes Associated With Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) is a complex multifactorial disease for which no definitive genetic causes have been found. Current genetic filtering strategies render lists of genes with unknown relevance in terms of pathogenesis. A complementary filter based on biological evidence would create a new approach to prioritize relevant candidate genes and mutations. In our study, 5 members of a nuclear family including a child with HLHS were evaluated using echocardiography and their genetic information was obtained through whole genome sequencing (WGS). Data filtering including rarity, functional impact and mode of inheritance was implemented, resulting in identification of 34 genes with recessive or de novo variants potentially involved in the pathogenesis of HLHS. Additionally, iPSC were derived from proband and parents and subjected to RNA-sequencing at the undifferentiated state and following spontaneous differentiation. Comparative transcriptional analyses identified genes differentially expressed in proband samples at each stage. These gene sets were used as an additional filter for the previously generated WGS data. This strategy revealed that out of 34 mutated genes originally identified, 10 displayed transcriptional differences in undifferentiated iPSC from the HLHS-affected individual while 16 out of 34 mutated genes showed significantly different expression levels in differentiated cells from proband. Furthermore, expression dynamics were studied during guided cardiac differentiation for the 9 genes fulfilling all applied criteria. Two genes not previously linked to HLHS, ELF4 and HSPG2 were found to behave significantly different in HLHS-iPSC when compared to control counterparts. In summary, filtering WGS data according to a new layer of transcriptional information that leverages iPSC plasticity allows prioritization of genes associated with HLHS in an in vitro model of disease.
Spotting stellar activity cycles in Gaia astrometry

Astrometry from Gaia will measure the positions of stellar photometric centroids to unprecedented precision. We show that the precision of Gaia astrometry is sufficient to detect starspot-induced centroid jitter for nearby stars in the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS) sample with magnetic activity similar to the young G-star KIC 7174505 or the active M4 dwarf GJ 1243, but is insufficient to measure centroid jitter for stars with Sun-like spot distributions. We simulate Gaia observations of stars with 10 year activity cycles to search for evidence of activity cycles, and find that Gaia astrometry alone likely can not detect activity cycles for stars in the TGAS sample, even if they have spot distributions like KIC 7174505. We review the activity of the nearby low-mass stars in the TGAS sample for which we anticipate significant detections of spot-induced jitter.
The Use of Transarterial Approaches in Peripheral Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs)

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are a subset of congenital vascular malformations (CVMs). They comprise abnormal connections between arterial and venous circulation; treatment approaches are dependent on the angioarchitecture of the AVM, specifically the number and arrangement of the feeder arteries and outflow veins. Various imaging modalities can be used to diagnose and plan treatment. Here we will review the use of transarterial approaches to treat AVMs.
Correction to: Speculative Fiction and the Political Economy of Healthcare: Chang-Rae Lee's On Such a Full Sea.

Due to an editing error, this article was initially published with an incorrect title. The correct title is reflected above. The original article has been corrected.
COMPUTER IDENTIFICATION OF CLINICAL LABORATORY SPECIMENS

ABSTRACT This paper discusses patient I.D. quality control used in a system for processing human blood to produce chromosome preparations on microscope slides, suitable for karyotyping. The system operates semi-automatically, under computer control. Bar codes placed on specimen tubes and microscope slides are read with hand-held and fixed optical scanners and then stored in memory and on a disc. A data table listing names, plus all I.D. numbers is generated. Only the kinematic actions of specimens and specimen hardware are given. A reference is supplied for the mechanical and control details.
Assessing the Efficacy of Deoxycholic Acid for the Treatment of Submental Fat: A Three-Dimensional Study.

BACKGROUND Deoxycholic acid is used for the treatment of excess submental fat, offering a potential alternative to more invasive surgical procedures. However, there is currently an absence of high-level evidence in the literature outside of Phase 3 clinical trials. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of deoxycholic acid for the treatment of submental adiposity by correlating objective 3-dimensional (3D) data with subjective patient assessment scores. METHODS Thirteen patients were prospectively enrolled into the study. 3D images were obtained prior to initial treatment, at 4-week intervals, and in the acute recovery period. Volumetric changes were calculated using Vectra software. Corresponding subjective surveys using the FACE-Q tool evaluated the perceived treatment results and side effects. RESULTS Objectively, there was a significant reduction in submental volume following treatment (P = 0.004), with total rounds of treatment averaging 3.4 (SD: 1.19). During the immediate recovery period, there was a statistically significant increase in submental volume, with an average increase of 8.68% (P = 0.0003). Subjectively, patient satisfaction scores improved significantly for both the aesthetics of the area under the chin and jawline (P < 0.005). Self-resolving paresthesia following treatment occurred in all study participants. There were no major complications. Participant scores of early treatment recovery also improved significantly with subsequent treatments (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS This study validates the use of deoxycholic acid for reducing supraplatysmal adiposity in the submental area. Objective volume changes showed positive correlation with subjective improvements in patient satisfaction scores. Recovery and side effect profiles were also described and may aid in future patient education and management. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4
Feasibility of a Microwave Meter for Water-Cut Measurements and Permittivity Profile

A microwave meter for geological applications is designed and tested through numerical simulations. It measures the reflection (S 11 ) and transmission (S 21 ) coefficients of the material under test (MUT), such as geofluids, oil spills, ice cores, rock cores or soil. The meter consists of pairs of waveguides whose ends face each other and are placed on the inner surface of the pipe/core holder. The waveguides have a diameter similar to that of the main pipe and are filled with specific low loss materials whose dielectric constant is close to that of the MUT. The waveguides are operated at or near the cutoff frequency of the TE 11 mode of the waveguides, which for an optimum permittivity range of the MUT, allows for transmission of the TE 11 mode in the pipe/core holder with little to no energy transmitted into other pipe modes. The permittivity profile is obtained from training sets that based on numerical simulations or by actual physical measurements. For water-cut measurements, results show an optimum range of sensitivity for specific water contents, which correspond to effective permittivity close to that of the waveguide filling material. These results can be utilized to monitor produced fluids at the well site and to obtain permittivity profiles.
Long-Term Mortality Trends After Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND Long-term mortality following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is lower than the general population. However, it is unknown whether this is true in the setting of revision TKA. We examined long-term mortality trends following revision TKA. METHODS This retrospective study included 4907 patients who underwent 1 or more revision TKA between 1985 and 2015. Patients were grouped by surgical indications and followed until death or October 2017. The observed number of deaths was compared to the expected number of deaths using standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and Poisson regression models. RESULTS Compared to the general population, patients who underwent revision TKA for infection (SMR, 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33-1.57; P < .0001) and fracture (SMR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.00-1.34; P = .04) experienced a significantly higher mortality risk. Patients who underwent revision TKA for infection and fracture experienced excess mortality soon after surgery which became more pronounced over time. In contrast, the mortality risk among patients who underwent revision TKA for loosening and/or bearing wear was similar to the general population (SMR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.89-1.02; P = .16). Aseptic loosening and/or wear and instability patients had improved mortality initially; however, there was a shift to excess mortality beyond 5 years among instability patients, and beyond 10 years among aseptic loosening and/or wear patients. CONCLUSION Mortality is elevated soon after revision TKA for infection and fracture. Mortality is lower than the general population after revision TKA for loosening and/or bearing wear but gets worse than the general population beyond the first postoperative decade.
Extreme cold consistently reduces seedling growth but has species-specific effects on browse tolerance in summer

Premise of the study Extreme weather events can injure plants, causing decreased survival. However, we may underestimate the ecological importance of extreme events if they have strong sublethal effects that manifest after several months. We tested the hypothesis that late-winter extreme-cold events decrease the ability of woody plants to grow and tolerate stem removal in summer. Methods Seedlings from four temperate tree species (Abies balsamea, Pinus resinosa, P. strobus, Quercus rubra) were acclimated to winter conditions in growth chambers, and experienced 1 week of warm temperatures before being exposed to one of three 24-h extreme-cold events (minimum temperature: 8°C control, -8°C, or -16°C). Seedlings were then transferred to a greenhouse where we monitored survival and growth. Three months after the extreme-cold event, we mimicked an herbivore attack by removing either 25% or 75% of new stem growth from seedlings of two species (P. resinosa, Q. rubra). Key results While extreme cold had no immediate effect on seedling survival, the coldest temperature treatment reduced stem growth 51% relative to controls. Stem removal decreased P. resinosa survival in the -16°C treatment, but stem removal treatment had no effect on P. resinosa survival in the intermediate -8°C treatment or 8°C control. Stem removal did not alter Q. rubra survival. Conclusions Ephemeral late-winter cold temperatures can have unappreciated effects on growing-season seedling dynamics, including growth and herbivory. For predicting how extreme-cold events might alter large-scale patterns of tree distribution, seedlings should be monitored throughout the growing season following extreme late-winter frosts.
Screening for prenatal alcohol exposure and corresponding short-term neonatal outcomes.

Abstract Detection of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is important for early intervention and treatment. The main purpose of this study was to compare 1.) PAE rates using the biomarker, phosphatidylethanol (PEth), in umbilical cord (UC) blood vs. ethyl glucuronide (EtG) in UC tissue, the standard of care, and 2.) Pregnancy characteristics and neonatal outcomes in newborns positive vs. negative for PAE biomarkers. We examined records of neonates born over a two-year span receiving UC-PEth dried blood spots testing at the time of delivery in addition to standard of care PAE screening (n = 146). UC-PEth testing had a higher PAE detection rate (26%) vs. UC tissue EtG (0%, p
Propagation-based and mesh-based x-ray quantitative phase imaging with conventional sources

The contrast in conventional x-ray imaging is generated by differential attenuation of x rays, which is generally very small in soft tissue. Phase imaging has been shown to improve contrast and signal to noise ratio (SNR) by factors of 100 or more. However, acquiring phase images typically requires a highly spatially coherent source (e.g. a 50 μm or smaller microfocus source or a synchrotron facility), or multiple images acquired with precisely aligned gratings. Here we demonstrate two phase imaging techniques compatible with conventional sources: polycapillary focusing optics to enhance source coherence and mesh-based structured illumination.
Sport participation, physical activity and sedentary behavior in the transition from middle school to high school.

Abstract Objectives To examine associations between sport participation, and objectively assessed physical activity and sedentary behavior in youth during the transition from middle school to high school. Design Longitudinal study with 2-year follow-up. Methods Sport participation and accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary behavior were assessed in 306 children (122 males, 184 females) when they were in 7th and 9th grades (mean age of 12.5 ± 0.5 years). Results Sport participation and physical activity declined from 7th to 9th grade, but total physical activity (d = 0.38, p Conclusions Children’s participation in sport is associated with greater levels of physical activity and lower levels of sedentary behavior during the transition from middle school to high school. Promoting children’s participation in sports could be an effective public health strategy to help children meet the current physical activity guideline.
Comparison between two types of needles for Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)‐guided fine aspiration biopsy of pancreatic and upper gastrointestinal masses

BACKGROUND EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) has long been the main method for sampling pancreatic lesions. Recently, the method of fine-needle biopsy (FNB) was introduced in practice, allowing for the acquisition of tissue cores while aspirating the lesion. We hereby report our experience with a new FNB needle compared with the standard FNA needle. METHODS Retrospective data from our department were collected on patients who underwent FNB using the Acquire EUS-FNB needle (Boston Scientific, Massachusetts) and FNA using the EchoTip Ultra EUS-FNA Needle (Cook Medical, Indiana) between January 2017 and February 2018. The cases were reviewed independently by two cytopathologists and evaluated for the presence of cell block or core tissue material, adequacy for potential ancillary testing, and number of passes. RESULTS The number of passes ranged from 1 to 16, with a mean of 5.52 ± 3.74 in the FNA group, and from 1 to 6, with a mean of 2.74 ± 1.11 passes in the FNB group (P < .0001). Tissue cores were present in 87.23% of the FNB needle samples. A cell block was adequate in 36.36% of cases using the FNA needle. The diagnostic yield as well as the adequacy for ancillary testing were significantly different between the two groups (P = .0001). The tumor size, location and patients' demographics were not statistically significant between the two groups. CONCLUSION Compared with the conventional needle, the new FNB needle was associated with a lower number of passes and a better yield for histological material.
Role of biochars in soil fertility management of fruit crops

Abstract Biochar is a heterogeneous product formed during the thermochemical decomposition of biomasses. The use of biochar is considered a potential and sustainable mean to mitigate climate change via carbon sequestration and to increase agronomic productivity of crops through soil quality enhancement. Here, we synthesize the current knowledge about the physical and chemical properties of biochar and the positive and/or negative effects of its application on soil fertility, fruit plant growth, and crop productivity. We review data on growth responses of fruit crops to biochar additions, by examining variability in response among species, and respect to experiment duration and type. Very few studies have examined the effects of biochar in temperate agroecosystems and in woody perennial plants. At our knowledge, as reported by many works, the best agronomic responses with addition of biochar have been obtained in tropical agricultural soils, in acid and sandy soils, and for annual plants. Although in some cases biochar could improve crop production, it is not a panacea. Long-term experiments and knowledge of the underlying mechanisms for these processes are needed to ensure optimum crop yield and agricultural sustainability in temperate agroecosystems too.
The Late Empire in Rome and the Provinces

The assassination of Commodus in 193 ce initiated the transition from the Antonines to the Severans. Septimius Severus, the military governor of Pannonia (Hungary), was the first to march and reach Rome among several contenders to the throne, each proclaimed emperor by the armies they commanded. This was not the first time the making of an emperor was based on military power rather than approval by the ranks of Roman aristocracy and the Senate, but it firmly established the questionable system that continued into the third century and contributed to, if not caused, the long period of civic and economic instability that characterized the Late Empire.
Deformation mechanisms and defect tolerance in the microstructure of 3D-printed alloys

A novel approach is utilized to investigate the deformation mechanisms at the microstructural level in 3D-printed alloys. The complex formation methods leave a unique and complicated microstructure in the as-built 3D-printed alloys. The microstructure is three leveled, composed of meltpools, grains, and cells. Deformation mechanisms in this microstructure are still highly unexplored due to the complexities of analysis at this scale. To understand these, we establish an image processing framework that converts scanning electron microscope (SEM) images directly into models that are scaled up and 3D printed with representative stiff and soft materials for the proposed material types within the body. These bodies are loaded in uniaxial tension with digital image correlation to study the strain gradient and stress delocalization as a result of the microstructure. The same models were tested through Finite Element Analysis (FEA) with materials similar to reality. Our testing shows the hierarchical material distribution leads to an increased damage tolerance.
Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma with Central Nervous System Involvement Mimicking Acute Stroke (P6.120)

Objective: To describe a case of Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma presenting as ischemic stroke. Background: Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma represents about ten to fifteen percent of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas and patients typically present with generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, fever, night sweats, fatigue, and weight loss. Central nervous system involvement is a relatively rare phenomenon characterized by leptomeningeal spread and to a lesser extent, parenchymal disease which manifests as superficial or periventricular enhancing lesions on magnetic resonance imaging. This case describes a patient who presented with subacute unilateral weakness and was initially thought to have an acute stroke based on diffusion restriction on magnetic resonance imaging but was later found to have lymph node biopsy confirmed Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma with central nervous system involvement. Design/Methods: This case describes the clinical course for a single patient. Results: A 40 year-old-male with history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and idiopathic inflammatory lung disease presented with subacute right upper and right lower extremity weakness. Physical examination was notable for right sided weakness predominantly in the right lower extremity, right patellar hyperreflexia, and right ankle clonus. Brain computed tomography demonstrated low attenuation in the left thalamus and magnetic resonance imaging with and without contrast demonstrated restricted diffusion in the posterior limb of the internal capsule concerning for acute infarct. Workup included lumbar puncture (301 red blood cells/uL, 3 nucleated cells/uL, 39 mg/dL of protein, and 60 mg/dL of glucose) and cerebral angiogram which were unremarkable. He was discharged and readmitted two weeks later with right axillary pain and swelling. Lymph node biopsy demonstrated diffuse proliferation of atypical lymphocytes, histiocytes, and transformed immunoblast-like cells consistent with Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma. He was subsequently started on Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine, Adriamycin, Etoposide, and Prednisone. Conclusions: This case demonstrates that Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma with central nervous system involvement can initially present with symptoms mimicking a stroke. Study Supported by: Disclosure: Dr. Shadbehr has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cho has nothing to disclose.
Diabetes in pregnancy

Abstract In pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus (DM), the metabolic consequences for both mother and fetus can be exacerbated by the otherwise adaptive effects of pregnancy. The effect of DM on the fetus is determined by two factors: the intrauterine environment provided by the mother and the fetal response to it. Tight glycemic control can markedly improve maternal and perinatal outcomes. This chapter reviews the clinical diagnosis and effects of a pregnancy affected by diabetes with a focus on therapeutics.
Trader’s Quality of Service Specifications and Effects n System Performance for Video-on-Demand

In this paper we present a detailed review on the Trader’s Quality of Service Specifications and the Effects on System Performance for Video-on-Demand Multimedia Applications, based on server-fault initiated session switch. Enhanced Trader lists the resources necessary to support the application’s QoS requirements and makes them available for the Session Manager, which co-ordinates the session switching. Our work demonstrates that all the components of distributed multimedia system should be involved in the QoS management process. The client’s requirements related to QoS must be adapted to various constraints supported by the distributed multimedia system components: client machines, server machines and transport system. Our studies in contrast to the existing ones present a comprehensive view on the System Performance with relation to the session switching delay.
Absence of bovine leukemia virus in the buffy coats of breast cancer cases from Alabama, USA.

Abstract Breast cancer is reported as one of the most common and deadly cancers among females. Recent findings have suggested that bovine leukemia virus (BLV), a highly prevalent bovine virus worldwide, might be linked to human breast cancer. However, the involvement of BLV as a risk factor for breast cancer remains controversial. In this study, BLV FRET-PCR was carried out on 238 blood-derived DNA samples from breast cancer patients from the Alabama Hereditary Cancer Cohort. In addition, randomly selected samples (n = 20) were evaluated by WGS for the presence of BLV genome. No BLV proviral DNA was detected in any of 238 samples assayed by FRET-qPCR in this study. Similarly, the WGS analysis did not detect the presence of the BLV genome in the DNA of the buffy coats from 20 randomly selected patients with breast cancer. This study did not support the findings of suggesting an association between BLV and breast cancer. Notably, nearly all the studies using in situ PCR and immunohistochemistry demonstrated positive associations while other studies using whole-genome sequencing and other methods failed to identify the BLV association with breast cancer. Further studies including all reported BLV detection techniques/methods on the same breast cancer sample sets would appear to be the most likely way of resolving the current contradictory evidence.
Development of Siglec-9 Blocking Antibody to Enhance Anti-Tumor Immunity

Sialic acid-binding Immunoglobulin-like lectin-9 (Siglec-9) is a glyco-immune negative checkpoint expressed on several immune cells. Siglec-9 exerts its inhibitory effects by binding to sialoglycan ligands expressed on cancer cells, enabling them to evade immunosurveillance. We developed a panel of human anti-Siglec-9 hybridoma clones by immunizing mice with Siglec-9-encoding DNA and Siglec-9 protein. The lead antibodies, with high specificity and functionality against Siglec-9, were identified through screening of clones. The in vitro cytotoxicity assays showed that our lead antibody enhances anti-tumor immune activity. Further, in vivo testing utilizing ovarian cancer humanized mouse model showed a drastic reduction in tumor volume. Together, we developed novel antibodies that augment anti-tumor immunity through interference with Siglec-9-mediated immunosuppression.
The effect of racial socialization on parental stress in a sample of African American parents

THE EFFECT OF RACIAL SOCIALIZATION ON A SAMPLE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN PARENTS By Remy Jones Thompson, M.A. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2010. Major Director: Shawn O. Utsey, Ph.D Chair African American Studies Associate Professor, Counseling Psychology Department The typical duties of parenting may be multiplied when they must be performed within very demanding situations and with limited personal and physical resources. African American families may also be subject to race-related challenges that further complicate child rearing. In an effort to combat the effect of imminent racism, some African American parents have sought to racially socialize their children. Within the racial socialization literature, it has been determined that racially socializing one’s children has positive effects for those children, however, there is some ambiguity regarding the way it is best done. Although racist acts cannot be predicted nor avoided, parents can likely prevent their children’s effects by racially socializing them. If this is done appropriately, and parents feel secure in their preparation it will likely buffer the effects of racism their children feel, which may impact their level of parental stress. However, no literature exists that examines the parental effects of racially socializing one’s children. Therefore, this project proposes to 1) examine whether there is a correlation between racial socialization and parental stress in African American parents and to 2) determine whether being exposed to a racial socialization intervention significantly reduces parental stress from pre-test to post-test as compared to the control and comparison groups. 159 African American mothers were randomly assigned to 3 groups, a control, experimental and comparison group, and administered pre and post tests on a scale of racial socialization (SORS-P), affective mood state (POMS-B), and parental stress (PSI). A hierarchical multiple linear regression was conducted to determine whether racial socialization beliefs predict parental stress after controlling for mood. It found that racial socialization beliefs accounted for an additional significant proportion of the variance in parental stress. A preliminary MANOVA was run to determine if there was a significant difference between groups’ baseline levels of mood and racial socialization beliefs. Hypothesis 2 was tested by running a (2 X 3) Time (pre-test and post-test) X Group Assignment (intervention, comparison group, control) mixed design ANCOVA. As predicted, changes in parental stress from pre-test to post-test depended on the group assignment. Study results highlighted the importance of racial socialization interventions to reduce parental stress that may accompany racist encounters with their children.
Do-gooder derogation in children: the social costs of generosity.

Generosity is greatly valued and admired, but can it sometimes be unappealing? The current study investigated 8- to 10-year-old children’s (N = 128) preference for generous individuals, and the effects of social comparison on their preferences. In Experiment 1, children showed a strong preference for a generous to a stingy child; however, this preference was significantly reduced in a situation that afforded children a comparison of their own (lesser) generosity to that of another child. In Experiment 2, children’s liking for a generous individual was not reduced when that individual was an adult, suggesting that similarity in age influences whether a child engages in social comparison. These findings indicate that, by middle childhood, coming up short in comparison with a peer can decrease one’s liking for a generous individual.
Robust control of nonlinear systems using norm-bounded neural networks

A new method for designing robustly stable closed-loop systems which contain neural networks is presented. The class of plants considered constitutes a set of unknown but invertible nonlinear systems. In this method, neural network outputs are treated as system uncertainty and are combined with other plant uncertainties so that a robust controller can be designed. A procedure for determining how large the neural network's output must be and an algorithm for confining the network's output to be less than this bound is presented. A previous result in robust control is expanded upon for use in this procedure. >
1.55 /spl mu/m traveling-wave amplification photodetector

We demonstrate a novel InP-based ridge-waveguide photodetector with monolithically integrated multiple-quantum well amplification layers. Performance limitations are analyzed using advanced device simulation and design optimizations are proposed.
Patterning liquid flow on the microscopic scale

Microscopic fluidic devices, ranging from surgical endoscopes1 and microelectromechanical systems2 to the commercial ‘lab-on-a-chip’ (ref. 29), allow chemical analysis and synthesis on scales unimaginable a decade ago. These devices transport miniscule quantities of liquid along networked channels. Several techniques have been developed to control small-scale flow, including micromechanical3 and electrohydrodynamic4 pumping, electro-osmotic flow5, electrowetting6,7 and thermocapillary pumping8,9,10. Most of these schemes require micro-machining of interior channels and kilovolt sources to drive electrokinetic flow. Recent work8,9,10 has suggested the use of temperature instead of electric fields to derive droplet movement. Here we demonstrate a simple, alternative technique utilizing temperature gradients to direct microscopic flow on a selectively patterned surface (consisting of alternating stripes of bare and coated SiO2). The liquid is manipulated by simultaneously applying a shear stress at the air–liquid interface and a variable surface energy pattern at the liquid–solid interface. To further this technology, we provide a theoretical estimate of the smallest feature size attainable with this technique.
A Cognitive Anatomy of Political Trust and Respective Bases: Evidence from a Two‐City Survey in China

Building on contemporary research on social cognition and psychology, trust, political representation and accountability, and candidate evaluation, this article proposes to decompose political trust into two cognitively distinct but related components for examination: competence versus intention evaluations. This article further argues that people’s evaluations of their government’s competence and intention in governance can have distinct bases due to the varying accessibility of pertinent information. Using valid instruments from a unique sampling survey in two Chinese cities in 2005, this article tests the validity of this cognitive scheme. Empirical evidence shows that (1) the surveyed Chinese urban residents effectively differentiated between their central government’s competence and intention in governance: on average, they had a quite positive assessment of the central government’s intention to serve its people, despite their relatively pessimistic views of its competence to deliver good governance; (2) the Chinese urbanites did consult different sources of information and heuristics when evaluating their central government’s competence and intention, respectively.
Mechanism Design for Fun and Profit

The emergence of the Internet as one of the most important arenas for resource sharing between parties with diverse and selfish interests has led to a number of fascinating and new algorithmic problems. In these problems, one must solicit the inputs to each computation from participants (or agents) whose goal is to manipulate the computation to their own advantage. Until fairly recently, failure models in computer science have not dealt the notion of selfish participants who "play by the rules" only when it fits them. To deal with this, algorithms must be designed so as to provide motivation to the participants to "play along". Recent work in this area, has drawn on ideas from game theory and microeconomics, and specifically from the field of mechanism design. The goal is to design protocols so that rational agents will be motivated to adhere to the protocol. A specific focus has been on truthful mechanisms in which selfish agents are motivated to reveal their true inputs.In the first part of the talk, we survey recent work in the area of algorithm mechanism design. In the second part of the talk, we focus on mechanism design specifically geared at maximizing the profit of the mechanism designer. In particular, we consider a class of dynamic pricing problems motivated by the same computational and economic trends. We describe a class of generalized auction problems as well as a competitive framework that can be used to evaluate solutions to these problems. We present a number of results on the design of profit-maximizing truthful generalized auctions. This is joint work with Amos Fiat, Andrew Goldberg and Jason Hartline.
Valiant Load-Balancing: Building Networks That Can Support All Traffic Matrices

This paper is a brief survey on how Valiant load-balancing (VLB) can be used to build networks that can efficiently and reliably support all traffic matrices. We discuss how to extend VLB to networks with heterogeneous capacities, how to protect against failures in a VLB network, and how to interconnect two VLB networks. For the readers’ reference, included also is a list of work that uses VLB in various aspects of networking.
Economic dealings with occupied territories

In recent years, the international legality of economic activity in occupied territories has emerged as matter of significant debate, largely focused on Israeli-controlled territories. Some European officials, supported by prominent scholars and a wide range of NGOs, claim that international law requires limiting or prohibiting economic relations involving the Israeli-controlled West Bank and Golan Heights. Claims are increasingly being heard that international law requires a boycott of Israeli settlements, or at least the clear labeling of goods produced there.The question of the lawfulness of such activity has even greater salience and urgency with Russia’s annexation of Crimea and belligerent occupation of Eastern Ukraine. These areas have a significantly greater economic potential than most currently occupied territories, and Moscow is actively seeking foreign investment there.Discussions of these legal issues have proceeded largely along theoretical lines, ignoring the rich trove of relevant state practice from other occupied territories such as Western Sahara, Northern Cyprus, Nagorno-Karabakh and Abkhazia. The EU, the U.S. and other states have adopted a variety of formal positions regarding activities in these territories. Moreover, recent years have seen a proliferation of state practice and, for the first time, judicial decisions, involving these very questions.This article conducts a comprehensive survey of the relevant current state practice and judicial precedent regarding occupied territories, aside from the well-examined case of Israel. Much of this practice has never been considered by scholars, let alone examined holistically. Clear patterns emerge when state practice is examined globally, and the principles they suggest are in turn reaffirmed by recent path-breaking decisions of European national courts.State practice and decisions of important national courts support a fully permissive approach to economic dealings by third-party states or nationals in territories under prolonged occupation or illegal annexation. There is no obligation on third-party states to block such activity, or to insist on particular language on product labels, or to ensure that their foreign aid funds do not cross into occupied territory. That does not mean that third countries are prohibited from taking such actions for diplomatic, rather than legal, reasons – though given in the absence of a public law prohibition, WTO and other trade rules may actively bar third-country restrictions on such activity. Practice is most varied on the question of trade treaties extending to occupied territory, as this seems to depend more on the interpretation of the particular instruments, rather than general principles.
The influence of diabetes on glutamate metabolism in retinas.

Excised retinas from euglycemic and diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats were studied to evaluate differences in glutamate metabolism related to diabetes. Reports suggest, neuronal cell death possibly caused by glutamate excitotoxicity, is an early consequence of diabetes. To monitor the influence of diabetes on glutamate metabolism, we measured glutamatergic neurotransmission, anaplerotic glutamate synthesis from (14) CO(2) and pyruvate as well as rates of glutamate cataplerosis ([U-(14) C]glutamate to (14) CO(2) and (14) C-pyruvate). The data suggest the presence of a glutamate buffering anaplerotic/cataplerotic metabolic cycle in controls which is uncoupled by diabetes. For cycle operation, anaplerosis is initiated by a small pyruvate pool which is also the product of cataplerosis. In the cataplerotic pathway, glutamate conversion to α-ketoglutarate and then to CO(2) and pyruvate is reduced by 90% in diabetic retinal Muller cells because glutamate transamination by branched chain aminotransferase is competitively inhibited by branched chain amino acids (BCAAs). BCAAs, but not the ketoacids, were almost twice as high in diabetic compared to euglycemic rat retinas. The data suggest the hypothesis that glutamate levels in retinal Muller cells from diabetic rats are elevated because of the presence of excess BCAAs, and that elevated glutamate in Muller cells causes glutamate excitotoxicity.
A study of low-complexity tools for semantic classification of mobile video

With the proliferation of cameras in handheld devices that allows users to capture still images and videos, providing users with software tools to efficiently manage multimedia content has become essential. In many cases users desire to organize their personal media content using high-level semantic labels. In this paper we will describe low-complexity algorithms that can be used to derive semantic labels, such as "indoor/outdoor," "face/not face," and "motion/not motion" for mobile video sequences. We will also describe a method for summarizing mobile video sequences. We demonstrate the classification performance of the methods and their computational complexity using a typical processor used in many mobile terminals.
Natural Convection From a Pipe Buried in a Porous Medium With Variable Permeability

Natural convection from a buried pipe with a layer of backfill is numerically examined in this study. The objective of the present study is to investigate how a change in the permeability of the backfill would affect the flow patterns and heat transfer results. Numerical calculations have covered a wide range of the governing parameters (i.e., 10 ≤ Ra1 ≤ 500 and 0.1 ≤ K1 /K2 ≤ 10) for various backfill thicknesses (0.5 ≤ t/ri ≤ 2). The results suggest that a more permeable backfill can minimize the heat loss and confine the flow to a region close to the pipe.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Molecular cloning and transformation of cyclodiene resistance in Drosophila: an invertebrate gamma-aminobutyric acid subtype A receptor locus.

Abstract Cyclodiene resistance represents 60% of the reported cases of insecticide resistance and is also present in vertebrates. Resistance is due to insensitivity of the cyclodiene/picrotoxinin binding site on the gamma-aminobutyric acid subtype A (GABAA) receptor-chloride ionophore complex. Following isolation of cyclodiene-resistant Drosophila mutants, we report the cloning of the locus conferring resistance via a "chromosomal walk" and rescue of the susceptible phenotype by P-element-mediated germ-line transformation. Amino acid sequence analysis of a cDNA from the locus reveals homology with vertebrate GABAA subunits. To our knowledge, this represents the first cloning of an invertebrate GABA receptor and also allows us to manipulate the resistance status of an insect via germ-line transformation. This gene may be useful as a selectable marker in other insect systems.