cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Finding Black Cat in a Coal Cellar -- Keyphrase Extraction & Keyphrase-Rubric Relationship Classification from Complex Assignments

Diversity in content and open-ended questions are inherent in complex assignments across online graduate programs. The natural scale of these programs poses a variety of challenges across both peer and expert feedback including rogue reviews. While the identification of relevant content and associating it to predefined rubrics would simplify and improve the grading process, the research to date is still in a nascent stage. As such in this paper we aim to quantify the effectiveness of supervised and unsupervised approaches for the task for keyphrase extraction and generic/specific keyphrase-rubric relationship extraction. Through this study, we find that (i) unsupervised MultiPartiteRank produces the best result for keyphrase extraction (ii) supervised SVM classifier with BERT features that offer the best performance for both generic and specific keyphrase-rubric relationship classification. We finally present a comprehensive analysis and derive useful observations for those interested in these tasks for the future. The source code is released in \url{this https URL}.
‘Eall swylce þu cwæde’: Translation and Imitation in the Old English Judgement Day II

This essay posits a new explanation for the placement of a perplexing second-person address in the introduction to the Old English Judgement Day II. I argue that the poet deliberately highlights and problematizes the act of translation from Bede’s De die iudicii, providing the Old English speaker with a poetic identity of his own even as Bede’s authoritative voice is retained. Bede’s second-person address to Acca is therefore echoed with all its original intent, but is simultaneously directed at Bede himself. It is likely that this method finds its roots in an Augustinian mode of conversion narrative which has the polemical advantage of inserting its narrator into a broader Christian tradition. I also demonstrate that the approach to translation in Judgement Day II, while in many ways unique within the known corpus of Old English verse, finds stylistic parallels in Alfredian prose translations in which the translator imposes self-referential meaning upon the existing textual content.
The “New” Neoclassical International Political Economy of Macroprudential Regulation and Capital Controls: “Style” over “Substance”:

A “new” neoclassical international political economy (NNIPE) emerged from the 2008 financial crisis showing how macroprudential regulation and capital controls (MPR-CC) can eliminate the systemic r...
Can Constituents Nudge Legislators? Evidence from a Bias Reduction Field Experiment

Nudges are interventions which alter the presentation of choices to improve decision-making. The nudge literature has thus far focused on improving decision-making among the general public. It is unclear if legislators, which are often modeled as being less immune to the biases which allow nudges to succeed, can be nudged. This manuscript shows that legislators can be nudged by their constituents to improve decision-making and therefore their ability to represent. I show this by fielding a bias reduction field experiment among US state legislative offices. To my knowledge this study is the first to succeed in nudging legislators with a low-cost intervention which ordinary constituents can use. This introduces the possibility for constituents to improve governance by nudging legislators to better decision-making.
Galaxy Television: Melding Worlds or Cultural Big Bang?

Suitable for MBA, EMBA, GEMBA, and executive education programs, this case explores the early days of a potential global leader's career. Emily Goh joined Galaxy Television, an Arab television start-up, as the head of corporate planning and worked in Rome for 10 months. She was heading back to Los Angeles to produce a television special on the Academy Awards. Her team included Arab on-air talent and producers, British production technicians, an Italian accountant, and American production support staff. Given the mix of cultures represented on her team, Goh wondered how she could generate the trust and cohesion the members would need for fruitful collaboration. Would there be a difference in the team dynamic now that they were in Los Angeles rather than in Rome? Would she herself behave differently? More broadly, Goh wondered whether she could continue to tackle the challenges inherent in living abroad and working for a multinational company. Was the melange of cultures in the pressure cooker of a multinational start-up company too much change? Was Galaxy's array of cultures too disparate to blend and lead? Could she find a way to meld her worlds and those at Galaxy? Or would Galaxy Television be her “big bang”? Excerpt UVA-OB-1022 Aug. 10, 2011 GALAXY TELEVISION: MELDING WORLDS OR CULTURAL BIG BANG? The Alitalia flight from Rome to Los Angeles had leveled off, and Emily Goh settled into her first-class seat, glass of wine in hand. She thought back 10 months to when she had been on the same flight in the opposite direction. Goh had moved to Rome to join an Arab television start-up as the head of corporate planning. Her excitement and anticipation of the impending adventure kept her up for that 14-hour flight. This time, however, she had the long flight home to decompress and reassume her American identity—to return to comfortable, more familiar surroundings than she had experienced in the cauldron that was Galaxy Television. Although the trip back home was for business, Goh was looking forward to spending time with her family and close friends in Los Angeles before producing a television special on the Academy Awards with the Galaxy team that would arrive in a week. Her team included Arab on-air talent and producers, British production technicians, an Italian accountant, and American production support staff. The Academy Awards' high visibility with customers, potential studio partners, and competitors meant the production was a priority for Galaxy. As such, her boss, the CEO, designated Goh as the project's team leader. A successful show would position the company as the leading Arab television network and a proven producer of quality, original entertainment programming. . . .
Delayed administration of N-acetylcysteine blunts recovery after an acetaminophen overdose unlike 4-methylpyrazole

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is the only clinically approved antidote against acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity. Despite its efficacy in patients treated early after APAP overdose, NAC has been implicated in impairing liver recovery in mice. More recently, 4-methylpyrazole (4MP, Fomepizole) emerged as a potential antidote in the mouse APAP hepatotoxicity model. The objective of this manuscript was to verify the detrimental effect of NAC and its potential mechanism and assess whether 4MP has the same liability. C57BL/6J mice were treated with 300 mg/kg APAP; 9 h after APAP and every 12 h after that, the animals received either 100 mg/kg NAC or 184.5 mg/kg 4MP. At 24 or 48 h after APAP, parameters of liver injury, mitochondrial biogenesis and cell proliferation were evaluated. Delayed NAC treatment had no effect on APAP-induced liver injury at 24 h but reduced the decline of plasma ALT activities and prevented the shrinkage of the areas of necrosis at 48 h. This effect correlated with down-regulation of key activators of mitochondrial biogenesis (AMPK, PGC-1α, Nrf1/2, TFAM) and reduced expression of Tom 20 (mitochondrial mass) and PCNA (cell proliferation). In contrast, 4MP attenuated liver injury at 24 h and promoted recovery at 48 h, which correlated with enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis and hepatocyte proliferation. In human hepatocytes, 4MP demonstrated higher efficacy in preventing cell death compared to NAC when treated at 18 h after APAP. Thus, due to the wider treatment window and lack of detrimental effects on recovery, it appears that at least in preclinical models, 4MP is superior to NAC as an antidote against APAP overdose.
Integrating genomics and multiplatform metabolomics enables metabolite quantitative trait loci detection in breeding-relevant apple germplasm.

Apple (Malus × domestica) has commercial and nutritional value, but breeding constraints of tree crops limit varietal improvement. Marker-assisted selection minimises these drawbacks, but breeders lack applications for targeting fruit phytochemicals. To understand genotype-phytochemical associations in apples, we have developed a high-throughput integration strategy for genomic and multiplatform metabolomics data. Here, 124 apple genotypes, including members of three pedigree-connected breeding families alongside diverse cultivars and wild selections, were genotyped and phenotyped. Metabolite genome-wide association studies (mGWAS) were conducted with c. 10 000 single nucleotide polymorphisms and phenotypic data acquired via LC-MS and 1 H NMR untargeted metabolomics. Putative metabolite quantitative trait loci (mQTL) were then validated via pedigree-based analyses (PBA). Using our developed method, 519, 726 and 177 putative mQTL were detected in LC-MS positive and negative ionisation modes, and NMR, respectively. mQTL were indicated on each chromosome, with hotspots on linkage groups 16 and 17. A chlorogenic acid mQTL was discovered on chromosome 17 via mGWAS and validated with a two-step PBA, enabling discovery of novel candidate gene-metabolite relationships. Complementary data from three metabolomics approaches and dual genomics analyses increased confidence in validity of compound annotation and mQTL detection. Our platform demonstrates the utility of multiomic integration to advance data-driven, phytochemical-based plant breeding.
Block Shear Strength of Coped Beam Connections with Double Bolt Lines

AbstractCoped beam connections are commonly used in the construction of steel structures. Existing block shear provisions for these connections, with multiple bolt lines, account for the presence o...
Creating a Space for Women Entrepreneurs

Women entrepreneurs are an untapped resource in many entrepreneurial ecosystems, with the opportunity to be the future of American economic growth. Many women entrepreneurs begin their training on university campuses, where they are also a minority. The article presents a look at a study of women entrepreneurship students to better understand their experiences. The findings of the study showed that these students did face struggles, but were superwomen (much like the definition of the term) in spite of them, while using relationships to navigate the difficult environment. This article also provides tips for including more women in your entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Weakly interacting massive particle-nucleus elastic scattering response

A model independent formulation of WIMP-nucleon scattering was recently developed in Galileaninvariant effective field theory and embedded in the nucleus, determining the most general WIMP-nucleus elastic response. This formulation shows that the standard description of WIMP elastic scattering in terms spin-dependent and spin-independent responses frequently fails to identify the dominant operators governing the scattering, omitting four of the six responses allowed by basic symmetry considerations. Consequently comparisons made between experiments that are based on a spin-independent/spindependent analysis can be misleading for many candidate interactions, mischaracterizing the magnitude and multipolarity (e.g., scalar or vector) of the scattering. The new responses are associated with velocitydependent WIMP couplings and correspond to familiar electroweak nuclear operators such as the orbital angular momentum ~l(i) and the spin-orbit interaction ~σ(i) ·~l(i). Such operators have distinct selection rules and coherence properties, and thus open up new opportunities for using low-energy measurements to constrain ultraviolet theories of dark matter. The community’s reliance on simplified descriptions of WIMP-nucleus interactions reflects the absence of analysis tools that integrate general theories of dark matter with standard treatments of nuclear response functions. To bridge this gap, we have constructed a public-domain Mathematica package for WIMP analyses based on our effective theory formulation. Script inputs are 1) the coefficients of the effective theory, through which one can characterize the low-energy consequences of arbitrary ultraviolet theories of WIMP interactions; and 2) one-body density matrices for commonly used targets, the most compact description of the relevant nuclear physics. The generality of the effective theory expansion guarantees that the script will remain relevant as new ultraviolet theories are explored; the use of density matrices to factor the nuclear physics from the particle physics will allow nuclear structure theorists to update the script as new calculations become available, independent of specific particle-physics contexts. The Mathematica package outputs the resulting response functions (and associated form factors) and also the differential event rate, once a galactic WIMP velocity profile is specified, and thus in its present form provides a complete framework for experimental analysis. The Mathematica script requires no a priori knowledge of the details of the non-relativistic effective field theory or nuclear physics, though the core concepts are reviewed here and in [1].
Cumulant techniques for the estimation and cancellation of intersymbol interference

A discrete-time method is proposed for the estimation and cancellation of intersymbol interference in a digital communication channel. The received signal is first demodulated and sampled and then the fourth-order cumulants of the resulting discrete-time sequence are estimated. The method estimates the channel impulse response from the complex cepstrum of the aforementioned fourth-order cumulants (i.e., tricepstrum). As such, the proposed method depends only on the second- and fourth-order statistics of the transmitted sequence and is capable of reconstructing nonminimum-phase impulse responses. Monte Carlo simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method, its low sensitivity to observation noise, and its improved performance in terms of probability of error of the reconstructed transmitted sequence. Performance comparisons are also given using existing equalization techniques. >
Medical Conditions Caused by Arthropod Stings or Bites

Arthropods may cause a variety of negative health effects by their stings and bites. Non-allergic reactions to stings and bites include erythematous and edematous lesions which resolve in a couple of hours, while allergic reactions may be characterized by much more serious large local phenomena and even systemic symptoms such as anaphylaxis. This chapter focuses on the medical conditions associated with arthropod bites and stings, such as those mentioned above, as well as secondary infections resulting from skin puncture. Lastly, clues to recognizing insect sting or bite reactions are presented and discussed.
Perceiving and Remembering Routine Action: Fundamental Micro-Level Origins

In the contemporary research literatures on organization and on business strategy, routine is understood to be a distinct modality of organizational action – not merely the joint result of individuals making choices that maximize self-interest. As Herbert Simon (1996) pointed out, if this were not so, the observed stability of routines would merely be a reflection of the stable requirements of the environment within which individuals would be optimizing their behaviour. When the environment changed, behaviour would quickly follow and we should not expect routine’s notorious ‘resistance to change’. However, this special issue affirms that routine is a distinctive mode of organizational action, and the title phrase ‘micro-level origins’ directs us to closer observation of the underlying individual processes that generate routine action. Correspondingly, the assumptions about those micro-level processes that we put into our theories of routine will shape theoretical derivation of the expected properties of routine action, and of the organizations whose distinctive capabilities (Dosi et al., 2000; Teece et al., 1997) rest on routine. Observation, theory, and theory-based intervention will all be affected by more accurate foundational assumptions. My central assertion is that the distinctiveness of the routine mode of action stems from its being grounded in an ensemble of individual psychological processes that may be grouped together with the broad term habit (Neal and Wood, 2008; Neal et al., 2006; Rangel, 2009; Redish et al., 2008; Yin and Knowlton, 2006). It is the relationship of organizational routine action to the individual habit system that I would urge researchers to investigate. The full development of the relationship and its implications will not be simple. Habit is subtly connected to systems of emotion. It is different from, but can arise from, more deliberate and conscious action (Graybiel, 2008). And while habits can verge on
Nonnutrient Diet Components

In addition to the essential nutrients, feeds may contain organic and inorganic materials that have beneficial, negligible, or deleterious effects on the growth or health of the fish or the sensory quality of the processed fish. These may be naturally occurring, intentionally or unintentionally added, or products produced through chemical change or microbial growth. Some components affect the legal status of fish feeds.
Project54 system software architecture

Project54 is an effort to incorporate embedded mobile computing equipment and wireless networking into New Hampshire State Police cruisers. At the center of the system is the Application Manager - an executable application running under Windows 2000. It manages the execution of a set of applications. Most of the applications control individual electronic devices. The Application Manager allows one-to-one communication between applications. Using one-to-one communication applications can control, and receive feedback from, multiple electronic devices. Such applications can implement system-wide functions. Specifically, the voice interface and the logging functions are implemented as applications. In order to avoid hard coding data in the applications the Project54 system software uses the Registry to store configuration data and parameter values. The Project54 system was successfully tested in five New Hampshire State Police cruisers during everyday operation. The system is currently being installed in 75 NH State Police cruisers.
Name-Based HIV Reporting: Current Status and Advocacy Needs

ABSTRACT In the U.S., the reporting and registration of HIV and AIDS cases has been subject to legal instruction for some time; ethical issues of privacy are a core aspect of the debate. U.S. policy requires reporting of most sexually transmitted infections and all AIDS cases. Unlike AIDS cases, reporting of HIV cases by name has generated considerable debate. Argument for and against reporting HIV by name is reviewed. An assessment of the limits of the debate is undertaken, and suggestions for expanding advocacy are recommended to ensure that persons being tested know how their personal information may be used.
Role of inviscid invariants in shell models of turbulence.

Nonpositive definite, global inviscid invariants similar to helicity are discussed for two types of shell models, and evidence for an alternate role for helicity in Navier-Stokes turbulence is presented. It is suggested that the extra invariants play the role of triggering an intermittent cascade of energy to small scales characterized by pulses. These invariants also determine where a transition to chaos appears. An analysis of numerical experiments with existing models is suggested and a class of shell models where the dynamical interactions of a second quadratic invariant are closer to those of helicity in the Navier-Stokes equations is introduced. The place of the popular Gledzer-Ohkitani-Yamada model within this class is discussed. (c) 1995 The American Physical Society
The impact of diabetes mellitus on long-term clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary saphenous vein graft interventions in the drug-eluting stent era.

Objectives We aimed to compare early and late clinical outcomes in diabetic and nondiabetic patients who underwent saphenous vein graft (SVG) percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with the use of drug-eluting stents (DES). Background Patients with diabetes mellitus are shown to have less favorable outcomes after SVG intervention with the use of bare metal stents. In the DES era, the impact of diabetes mellitus on restenosis and clinical outcomes post-SVG intervention is not clearly defined. Methods From our institutional PCI registry database, we retrospectively analyzed 477 consecutive patients with prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery undergoing SVG PCI with the implantation of DES stratified by the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus. The primary end-point was 1-year major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rate, defined as death, Q wave myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Results Baseline clinical characteristics, including mean graft age (120 ± 77 vs. 131 ± 86 months, P = 0.14), were similar between groups, save for a higher prevalence of systemic hypertension and chronic renal insufficiency, and higher body mass index in the diabetic group. Among the 604 SVG lesions treated with DES, the angiographic and procedural characteristics were well matched between groups except for the higher rate of distal protection device use (32% vs. 29%, P = 0.007) in the diabetic group. The rates of 1-year MACE (21% vs. 15%, P = 0.12) and all-cause mortality (7.6% vs. 6.7%, P = 0.86) were similar between groups. After adjustment for the relevant clinical co-variables, diabetic status was not associated with the composite end-point. Conclusion In conclusion, DES, when used for the treatment of vein graft lesions, equate the short- and long-term outcomes between diabetic and nondiabetic patients, suggesting that DES should be considered the default stent in diabetic populations undergoing PCI for the treatment of SVG lesions. (J Interven Cardiol 2014;27:391–398)
Neural networks for narrowband and wideband direction finding

The authors have investigated the narrowband direction-finding problem with neural networks, and propose taking into consideration several snapshots of array data when programming the network. This yields an average version of the interconnection strengths and bias terms that program the network. Simulation results show that using these averaged interconnection strengths and bias terms enhances the performance of the network compared to the method used by R. Rastogi et al. (1987). The authors extend the direction-finding problem to the wideband case in which the sources have broad temporal frequency spectrum. They utilize the information present at different frequencies in the source spectrum to obtain a suitable cost function that can be minimized by a neural network. >
Fatigue failure of dentin–composite disks subjected to cyclic diametral compression

Abstract Objective Our aim was to establish the relationship between cyclic loading and fatigue life of the dentin–composite interface using the newly developed disk in diametral compression tests. The results were then used to estimate the fatigue life of restored teeth under occlusal loading. Methods Disk specimens (5 mm dia. × 2 mm thick) were prepared using bovine incisors and restored with either a methacrylate-based composite Z100™ with Adper Single Bond Plus (Z100) or silorane-based composite Filtek™ LS with LS System adhesive (LS). The dentin–composite disks were tested under cyclic diametral compression to determine the number of cycles to failure ( N f ) at three load levels ( n = 3 per group). Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to calculate the interfacial stresses ( σ ) within the specimen, to establish the σ vs. N f curves, and those within a restored tooth under normal chewing forces (15 N maximum). These were then used to estimate the lifetime of the restored tooth for the two restorative systems. Results The disks restored with LS had a higher fatigue resistance than those restored with Z100. The maximum interfacial stress in the restored tooth determined by FEA was ∼0.5 MPa. Based on the estimate of 300,000 cycles of chewing per year, the predicted lifetime under occlusal loading for teeth restored with LS and Z100 was 33 and 10 years, respectively. Significance The disk in cyclic diametral compression has been used successfully to provide fatigue data which allows the lifetime of composite-restored teeth under occlusal loading to be predicted using numerical simulation.
Exclusive simulation of activity in digital networks

A technique for simulating the detailed logic networks of large and active digital systems is described. Essential objectives sought are improved ease and economy in model generation, economy in execution time and space, and a facility for handling simultaneous activities. The main results obtained are a clear and useful separation of structural and behavioral model description, a reduction of manual tasks in converting Boolean logic into a structural model, the elimination of manual processes in achieving exclusive simulation of activity, an event-scheduling technique which does not deteriorate in economy as the event queue grows in length, and a simulation procedure which deals effectively with any mixture of serial and simultaneous activities. The passage of time is simulated in a precise, quantitative fashion, and systems to be simulated may be combinations of synchronous and asynchronous logic. Certain aspects of the techniques described may be used for the simulation of network structures other than digital networks.
MO‐G‐BRA‐05: High Fidelity, Low Distortion Tetrahedral Diffusion‐Weighted MRI for Radiation Treatment Planning

Purpose: Diffusion‐weighted (DW) MR imaging provides supplemental information that may aid in target delineation during radiation treatment planning. However, geometric distortion artifacts and the inability to acquire higher b‐value DW images in tissues with short T2s have encumbered the utilization of DW MRI in radiation treatment planning. To rectify these issues, we present here a novel DW imaging approach that combines tetrahedral diffusionencoding and a multi‐shot, variable‐density spiral (MS‐VDS) acquisition. Methods: A custom MS‐VDS pulse sequence with Stejkal‐Tanner (ST) and twice refocused spin echo (TRSE) excitation schemes was implemented on a Siemens 3T scanner. For comparison to current state‐of‐the‐art, orthogonal and tetrahedral DW images were acquired in the brains of three healthy volunteers (FOV: 220mm2, matrix: 1282, interleaves: 16, TR: 3000ms, TH: 3mm, b‐values: 0/1000 s/mm2). Self‐navigated phase correction was applied during reconstruction to correct each spiral interleaf for eddy current and motion‐induced phase errors. Results: The MS‐VDS acquisition was effective at diminishing geometric distortion artifacts. The minimum echo times for the orthogonal ST, tetrahedral ST, and tetrahedral TRSE acquisitions were 79 ms, 56 ms, and 71 ms, respectively. Although the inherent self‐navigating capability of VDS was effective at diminishing eddy current and motion‐induced phase errors in the orthogonal ST images, the tetrahedral ST images were contaminated by residual eddy current‐induced blurring. However, the tetrahedral TRSE images exhibited quality similar to the orthogonal ST images, indicating that the TRSE sequence provided effective compensation of residual eddy currents. Conclusions: Tetrahedral encoding results in a reduction in minimum echo time for a given b‐value, facilitating acquisition of DW images in tissues with shorter T2s. A TRSE excitation is required to provide eddy current compensation in tetrahedral DW acquisitions. The combined MS‐VDS TRSE tetrahedral DW imaging method permits acquisition of high fidelity, low distortion DW images suitable for radiation treatment planning.
Nano-Silica Composite Laminate

This paper introduces a newly-developed Nano-Silica Composite Laminate packaging technology that utilizes a nano-silica matrix composite material with outstanding properties. Nano-Silica Composite Laminate packaging technology enables us to create a thinner, downsized packaging that is less susceptible to warpage. In order to verify the advantageous properties of Nano-Silica Composite Laminate, we measured the degree of warpage by utilizing a dielectric test substrate that was composed of Nano-Silica Composite Laminate and resin films. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that the dielectric material created using Nano-Silica Composite Laminate allows us to avoid the resin's undesirable tendency of allowing the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) to increase when the temperature rises beyond the glass transition temperature. The storage modulus of Nano-Silica Composite Laminate showed 30 GPa, which is more than five times higher than that of ordinary resin. Therefore, we were able to confirm that using Nano-Silica Composite Laminate contributes to decreasing warpage of the conventional substrate during the packaging process. Furthermore, we confirmed that the test substrate has the following extremely reliable properties: it can maintain both conductivity and dielectricity under the conditions of both a line/space width of 10/10μm and a via diameter of 30 μm. Consequently, through the test results it has been confirmed that Nano-Silica Composite Laminate is one of the most appropriate substrates available to strengthen the interconnection between a silicon chip and substrate, and to protect the large-scale integrated (LSI) circuits from breaking.
Lupus-like glomerulonephritis: an autoimmune complication of hepatitis C infection.

Lupus-like glomerulnephritis in patients with negative lupus serologies and no extra-renal manifestations of lupus can create a diagnostic dilemma. We describe a 53-year-old gentleman with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who presented with dialysis-requiring renal failure, renal histologic findings of “full-house” immunofluorescence label and tubuloreticular inclusions on electronic microscopy, but no extra-renal or laboratory signs of systemic lupus erythematosis. Attempted treatment with cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids was limited by cyclophosphamide hypersensitivity. The patient remained dialysis-dependent over 18 months of observation and did not develop extra-renal clinical or biological manifestations of lupus. Mimics of seronegative lupus with isolated renal involvement can include HCV-related autoimmunity. Treatment of acute glomerulonephritis may be similar initially, but other concerns in patients with HCV infection include excluding cryoglobulinemia, the potential impact of immunosuppression therapy on liver disease and consideration of subsequent use of antiviral therapy. Given the increasing prevalence of HCV globally, the recognition of extra-hepatic autoimmune manifestations of HCV infection will likely increase.
Success of ambulatory EEG in children.

SummaryContinuous ambulatory EEG (AEEG) monitoring is a methodused to (1) determine seizure type and location of seizure onset, and (2) todiscriminate between epileptic and nonepileptic events. This study wasperformed to determine how successful AEEG would be in recording seizures whenthe events wer
Cereal leaf beetle response to biochemicals from barley and pea seedlings. I. Crude extract, hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions

To identify contact feeding stimulants for adult cereal leaf beetles (CLB),Oulema melanopus (L.), compounds extracted from a host plant,Hordeum vulgare L. (cultivar ‘Lakeland’), were bioassayed in 3% agar. Damage to agar gel with the hydrophilic fraction was dominated by narrow channels; the hydrophobic fraction gel was dominated by bites, rashes, and shorter channels. This difference probably reflected the functional nature of compounds in each fraction. Crude extract and the hydrophobic fraction of nonhost pea seedlings,Pisum sativum L., prevented CLB feeding behavior, but the hydrophilic fraction only reduced it. Combination of barley and pea crude extracts, by weight at 1∶1 or greater, evoked a small feeding response which indicated a host-specific recognition factor in the barley.
Competing events and costs of clinical trials: Analysis of a randomized trial in prostate cancer.

Abstract Background Clinical trial costs may be reduced by identifying enriched subpopulations of patients with favorable risk profiles for the events of interest. However, increased selectivity affects accrual rates, with uncertain impact on clinical trial cost. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) 8794 randomized trial of adjuvant radiotherapy for high-risk prostate cancer. The primary endpoint was metastasis-free survival (MFS), defined as time to metastasis or death from any cause (competing mortality). We used competing risks regression models to identify an enriched subgroup at high risk for metastasis and low risk for competing mortality. We applied a cost model to estimate the impact of enrichment on trial cost and duration. Results The treatment effect on metastasis was similar in the enriched subgroup (HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.23–0.76) compared to the whole cohort (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.30–0.81) while the effect on competing mortality was not significant in the subgroup or the whole cohort (HR 0.70; 95% CI 0.39–1.23, vs. HR 0.94; 95% CI, 0.68–1.31). Due to the higher incidence of metastasis relative to competing mortality in the enriched subgroup, the treatment effect on MFS was greater in the subgroup compared to the whole cohort (HR 0.55; 95% CI 0.36–0.82, vs. HR 0.77; 95% CI, 0.58–1.01). Trial cost was 75% less in the subgroup compared to the whole cohort ($1.7million vs. $6.8million), and the trial duration was 30% shorter (8.4 vs. 12.0years). Conclusion Competing event enrichment can reduce clinical trial cost and duration, without sacrificing generalizability.
Cloning of cDNAs encoding a 28 kilodalton antigen of Toxoplasma gondii.

Abstract By screening cDNA libraries in λgt11 with antibodies raised against the previously described protective F3G3 antigen of Toxoplasma gondii , and subsequently screening with nucleic acid probes, we have isolated cDNA clones that encode a 28 kDa antigen of T. gondii that is likely one of the two antigenic components of the F3G3 antigen. The gene apparently exists as a single copy in the tachyzoite haploid genome of the three strains of T. gondii examined. Northern blot analyses revealed that the cDNAs hybridize with a major T. gondii RNA species of 1.1 kb. Together the cDNAs encompass 1051 bp of cDNA sequence containing an open reading frame with the capacity to encode a 28 kDa protein. Antibodies that were affinity purified using recombinant fusion proteins produced by two of the clones reacted on protein blots of whole T. gondii lysate with a single antigen having an apparent molecular mass of 28 kDa. Both recombinant fusion proteins reacted with IgG antibodies in sera of mice and humans infected with T. gondii and therefore might be useful for the development of diagnostic assays for T. gondii infection.
The effects of aging on different C-terminal splice forms of the ζ1(NR1) subunit of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor in mice

Changes in NMDA receptors in the prefrontal/frontal cortex and hippocampus of C57BL/6 mice during aging show a relationship to declines in spatial learning. The present study was designed to determine whether aging influences the mRNA expression of different splice forms of the zeta1 subunit of the NMDA receptor. We examined the mRNA of 4 C-terminal splice forms with the use of in situ hybridization. The zeta1-1 splice form (+C1 and +C2 cassettes) overall showed a maintenance of mRNA density from 3 to 10 months of age, followed by a significant decline by 26 months of age. In contrast, the mRNA for the zeta1-3 splice form [+C1 and +C2'(-C2)] showed significant declines between 3- and 10-month-old mice. These declines were maintained in the old mice. The zeta1-2 splice form (-C1 and +C2) showed a near-significant decrease in expression during aging across all brain regions. The zeta1-4 subunit mRNA [-C1 and +C2' (-C2)] showed no significant changes with increased age. These results indicate that there is a differential effect of aging on different splice variants of the zeta1 subunit of the NMDA receptor and those that are affected show a different temporal pattern of aging. This heterogeneity has implications for producing imbalances in the modulation of the remaining receptors.
Capital Stocks and Organizational Resilience in the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal

We have undertaken empirical research to explore relationships between the stock of various capitals and the resilience of conservation area management committees (CAMCs)—the functional decision-making units of community-based conservation—within the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. We surveyed 190 members of 30 CAMCs during the summer of 2007, estimated the capital stocks of each CAMC, and interviewed 13 park officials to assess the degree of resilience of each CAMC during and after the Maoist insurgency (1996–2006). Multiple regression analyses suggest that human and social capital stocks are positively related to the resilience of the CAMCs. Of particular importance are themes of intracommittee trust, help networks, and the duration of members' tenure on the committees. Furthermore, natural capital stocks showed a parabolic relationship with resilience; the most resilient CAMCs had moderate amounts of natural capital under their jurisdictions.
The distributions of bound sulfates and chlorides in concrete subjected to mixed NaCl, MgSO4, Na2SO4 attack

This article describes phenomena typical of those observed in concrete flatwork exposed to sulfate soils, which had been undergoing sulfate attack. In particular, the spatial distribution of sulfate-containing phases as a result of the ingress of ground water is discussed. Intrusion of sulfate from ground water resulted in the formation of zones of ettringite and gypsum. These zones formed in response to the sulfate gradient. Because the high permeabilities are typical of the concretes examined, significant amounts of the intruding sulfate accumulated near the top surfaces of the concretes where they were available to form gypsum. As a consequence, the microstructures of these concretes are characterized by zones of gypsum near the top and bottom surfaces, zones of ettringite adjacent to these, and central zones of monosulfate and Friedel's salt. The latter formed due to the ingress of chloride. Because of their high permeabilities, the use of sulfate-resisting cement alone was insufficient to protect these concretes from sulfate attack.
Identification of GRIM-19, a Novel Cell Death-regulatory Gene Induced by the Interferon-β and Retinoic Acid Combination, Using a Genetic Approach

Abstract We show here that the combination of interferon-β (IFN-β) and all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) induces the death of tumor cells. To understand the molecular basis for synergistic growth-suppressive action and to identify the gene products that participate in this process, we have employed an antisense knock-out technique. This approach permits the isolation of cell death-associated genes based on their selective inactivation by overexpression of antisense cDNAs. Because the antisense mRNA inactivates gene expression of death-specific genes, transfected cells survive in the presence death inducers. Several Genes associated with Retinoid-IFN-inducedMortality (GRIM) were identified using this approach. Here we report the isolation of a novel GRIM gene, GRIM-19. This 552-base pair cDNA encodes a 16-kDa protein. Antisense expression of GRIM-19 confers a strong resistance against IFN/RA-induced death by reducing the intracellular levels of GRIM-19 protein. Overexpression of GRIM-19 enhances cell death in response to IFN/RA. GRIM-19 is primarily a nuclear protein whose expression is induced by the IFN/RA combination. Together, our studies identify a novel cell death-regulatory molecule.
A top-down approach to integrating the building process

Many computer-aided tools have been developed to assist designers, engineers, and managers with specific well-defined functions, yet they are not well integrated. This paper develops the need for an information architecture to integrate the processes and subsequent software used throughout the life of a building. It then defines a process model of the functions required to provide a facility to the end user, namely, managing, planning, designing, constructing, and operating the facility.
Abscisic acid biosynthesis during corn embryo development

In this study we examined the biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA) by developing corn (Zea mays L.) embryos. Three comparisons were made: ABA biosynthesis in embryos isolated from kernels grown in vitro with those grown in the field; the developmental profile of ABA content with that of biosynthesis; and ABA biosynthesis in corn embryos lacking carotenoid precursors with ABA biosynthesis in normal embryos. Embryos were harvested at various times during seed development and divided into two groups. Endogenous levels of ABA were measured in one group of embryos and ABA biosynthetic capacity was measured in the other group. The ABA biosynthetic capacity was measured with and without tetcyclacis (an inhibitor of ABA degradation) in embryos from both field-grown and in-vitro-grown corn kernels. Reduced-carotenoid (either fluridone-treated or genetically viviparous) embryos were also included in the study. Corn kernels developing under field and in-vitro conditions differed from each other in their responses to tetcyclacis and in their profiles of ABA biosynthesis during development. Therefore, in-vitro kernel culture may not be an appropriate substitute for field conditions for studies of embryo development. The developmental profiles of endogenous ABA content differed from those of ABA biosynthesis in isolated embryos of both in-vitro-and field-grown kernels. This indicated that ABA levels in the developing embryos were determined by import from the maternal tissues available to the embryos rather than by in-situ biosynthesis. In embryos with reduced levels of carotenoids, either fluridone-treated or genetically viviparous embryos, ABA biosynthesis was low or nonexistent. This result is expected for the presence of an indirect pathway of ABA biosynthesis and in the absence of ABA precursors.
A role in enzyme activation for the N-terminal leader sequence in calmodulin.

We have found that deletion of residues 2-8 from the N-terminal leader sequence: Ala1-Asp2-Gln-Leu4-Thr-Glu6-Glu-Gln8, in calmodulin abolishes calmodulin-dependent activation of skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase activity and reduces calmodulin-dependent activation of smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase activity to ~50% of the maximum level measured at a saturating calmodulin concentration. Calmodulindependent activation of cerebellar nitric oxide synthase activity is not affected by this deletion. Overlapping tripeptide deletions from the leader sequence indicate that the acidic cluster, Glu6-Glu-Gln8, contains the determinants necessary for activation of myosin light chain kinase activity. Deletion of Asp2-Gln-Leu4 has no effect on activation of enzyme activity. Based on enzyme kinetic analyses, deletions in the leader sequence have little or no effect on the apparent affinities of calmodulin for the synthase or the two kinases. Since the N-terminal leader does not appear to play a significant structural role in the complexes between calmodulin and peptides representing the calmodulin-binding domains in the two kinases, our results indicate that it participates in secondary interactions with these enzymes that are important to activation, but not to recognition or binding of calmodulin.
Biomimetic electrical stimulation platform for neural differentiation of retinal progenitor cells

Electrical activity is abundant in early retinal development, and electrical stimulation has been shown to modulate embryonic stem cell differentiation towards a neuronal fate. The goal of this study was to simulate in vitro retinal developmental electrical activity to drive changes in mouse retinal progenitor cell (mRPC) gene expression and morphology. We designed a biomimetic electrical stimulation protocol based on spontaneous waves present during retinal development, and applied it to retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) over 3 days of culture. Analysis of protein localization and calcium dynamics, indicate that mRPCs undergo functional neuronal maturation. Our findings suggest that this type of electrical stimulation may be utilized for application in neural tissue engineering and open possibilities for understanding mechanisms guiding active electric membrane development and functional organization during early retinogenesis.
A contemporary view of applied relaxation for generalized anxiety disorder.

Applied relaxation (AR), originally developed by Lars-Goran Ost, is a long-standing, efficacious treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). While newer treatments are continuing to be developed, AR remains one of the most efficacious treatments for GAD. However, AR has received less in-depth attention more recently, particularly in terms of potential mechanisms of action. This article is written to honor the development and history of AR and to highlight the ways that it has continued to be adapted. In this article, AR treatment strategies are presented, which include: noticing early signs of anxiety, learning relaxation skills, and applying relaxation at the first sign of anxiety. Then, additional adaptations to AR are presented along with recommendations of how AR may be enhanced by understanding potential mechanisms of change. Finally, recommendations are made for the continued evolution of AR as a powerful and efficacious treatment for GAD.
Electrical burn with visceral injury

A 37-year-old female patient suffered high voltage electrical injury with resultant exit wound on the left quadrant of the abdomen measuring 15 X 10 cm2 involving full thickness of the abdominal wall including the peritoneum. Early debridement and exploratory laparotomy was performed on the fifth post-burn day although the patient had no abdominal symptoms. All visceral organs were grossly normal. The peritoneum was closed and the wound covered with split thickness skin graft. On the twelfth post-burn day the anterior wall of the stomach sloughed and resulted in a 10 X 10 cm2 gastrocutaneous fistula. After 1 month of duodenostomy feeding via the fistula using a Foley catheter, the fistula was closed and was covered with greater omental flap and split thickness skin. Seventeen days later the patient was discharged following an uneventful recovery.