cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Orosensory and Homeostatic Functions of the Insular Taste Cortex

The gustatory aspect of the insular cortex is part of the brain circuit that controls ingestive behaviors based on chemosensory inputs. However, the sensory properties of foods are not restricted to taste and should also include salient features such as odor, texture, temperature, and appearance. Therefore, it is reasonable to hypothesize that specialized circuits within the central taste pathways must be involved in representing several other oral sensory modalities in addition to taste. In this review, we evaluate current evidence indicating that the insular gustatory cortex functions as an integrative circuit, with taste-responsive regions also showing heightened sensitivity to olfactory, somatosensory, and even visual stimulation. We also review evidence for modulation of taste-responsive insular areas by changes in physiological state, with taste-elicited neuronal responses varying according to the nutritional state of the organism. We then examine experimental support for a functional map within the insular cortex that might reflect the various sensory and homeostatic roles associated with this region. Finally, we evaluate the potential role of the taste insular cortex in weight-gain susceptibility. Taken together, the current experimental evidence favors the view that the insular gustatory cortex functions as an orosensory integrative system that not only enables the formation of complex flavor representations but also mediates their modulation by the internal state of the body, playing therefore a central role in food intake regulation.
Precision Temperature Profiling in Highly Accelerated VLSI Life Test

Discrete devices under high electrical stress can produce nonuniform junction temperature in a chip. Knowledge of precise junction temperature is essential for accurate reliability projection, since most failure mechanisms are highly temperature activated. Thermal conduction equations are solved analytically with appropriate boundary conditions for junction temperature calculation. Experiments performed on test chips show good correlation.
Effects of MP3 encoding on the sounds of music

This paper describes MP3 encoding, which allows compressed digital music and speech files to be stored and played on a variety of media, including personal computers and portable MP3 players. In music, there are different genres, and each genre has different characteristics based upon the range frequencies contained in the music. MP3 encoding can have different perceived effects for each genre of music. Using this information, smaller MP3 files can be created while maintaining, or in some cases improving, perceived quality. File creation time and drive-space usage are reduced while sound quality is retained thus providing a pleasurable listening experience. Thus from the experimental results, the listeners of more dynamic classical pieces and rap music encodes some tracks at higher bit rates.
Fatigue Reliability Assessment for Existing Bridges Considering Vehicle Speed and Road Surface Conditions

AbstractDuring the life cycle of a bridge, dynamic impacts due to random traffic loads and deteriorated road surface conditions can induce serious fatigue issues for bridge components. It is necessary, and more realistic than the deterministic approach, to use reliability methods and treat the input parameters as random variables for the vehicle-bridge dynamic system. This paper presents a framework of fatigue reliability assessment for existing bridges in lifetime serviceability considering the random effects of vehicle speed and road-roughness condition. Since each truck passage might generate multiple stress ranges, revised equivalent stress-range is introduced to include fatigue damage accumulations for one truck passage. Therefore, the two variables, i.e., the stress-range numbers and equivalent stress ranges per truck passage, are coalesced in the newly defined variable based on equivalent fatigue damage. The revised equivalent stress-range is obtained through a fully-computerized approach toward so...
Metallic nitride azafullerenes: A novel class of fullerenes with interesting electronic properties

Abstract Following a recent report of the successful facile synthesis of one metallic nitride azafullerene (MNAF), a quantum chemical investigation was reported here on a series of MNAFs: LanSc3 − nN@C79N, (n = 0, 1, 2, 3), in which La and Sc represent the largest and smallest transition metals that can form stable endohedral metallofullerenes. Their steric effects have similar trends compared to the corresponding metallic nitride fullerenes (MNFs) as LanSc3 − nN@C80. However, molecular orbital studies suggest for the first time that MNAFs have excellent electronic properties compared to MNFs and other azafullerenes including C59N, which was recently used in building n-type electronic devices.
Factors Influencing Percentage of Fat in Milk

Summary The feeding of prickly pear lowers the percentage of fat in the milk. The outstanding characteristics of prickly pear analyses are the high water and mineral contents. The mineral matter is especially high in calcium and magnesium. Much of the work reported above was done with the idea of finding what particular constituent was responsible for the decrease in percent of fat. The quantity of water consumed does not affect the test. Calcium either in the form of bone meal or limestone has no definite influence on the test. A combination of high water and high mineral feeding as compared with low water and low mineral has no influence on the percentage of fat in the milk. The carbonate and sulphate of magnesium do not lower the per cent of fat. The feeding of 7 to 11 pounds per cow per day of cottonseed meal and linseed oil meal caused an increase in the fat content of the milk. Gluten feed at the rate of 6 to 7 1 2 pounds per day did not affect the test. Linseed oil has the same effect as linseed oil meal. Small quantities (2 or 3 pounds) of linseed oil meal do not seem to affect the test. Apparently the influence of the linseed oil meal feeding on the percentage of fat in milk is temporary. Since linseed oil exerts the same effect as the meal, and since gluten feed which is low in oil does not affect the test, the conclusion is that the results observed are due to the oil rather than the protein. Exercise by walking three miles a day increases the test slightly but unmistakably. Hot weather lowers the test. The decrease is greater with those breeds yielding naturally a milk high in fat.
Optimism, hardiness, and explanatory style as predictors of general well-being among attorneys

Three personality constructs, optimism, hardiness, and explanatory style have been identified as dispositions that bolster health (Roben and Salovey, 1989). This research focused on individual differences in optimism, hardiness, and explanatory style among professional adults and their relative contribution to general well-being. A survey was mailed to attorneys, who were members of the County Bar Association, in a large midwestern city. The results showed only optimism and the positive internal facet of explanatory style to be significantly related to general well-being. Canonical analysis indicated that this relationship was mainly due to the components of general well-being that are traditionally psychological in nature. The experiential and physical components were significantly related but of less importance.
Toward A Renewed Sociology of Mass Media and Popular Culture

In this issue we present a set of papers that examine sociology’s engagement with the study of mass media, communications and popular culture, from the perspective of historical efforts as well as possible future directions. The picture that emerges from the individual articles is rather paradoxical, for it appears that the fields of media and popular culture have been both mainstream and marginal within the discipline. The paradox is perhaps partly explainable in terms of shifts in what Don Levine has called “visions of the sociological tradition.” Thus, for several decades, the field was largely framed as “the science of institutions,” with emphasis on conflict, adaptation and survival (in both Durkheimian and Social Darwinist variants). Within such a perspective, a focus on media and popular culture is not highly valued, not taught in graduate programs, and not highly rewarded as a career path. In the same way, a dominant emphasis on sociology as “the science of inequality,” with particular attention to race, gender, class and sexual orientation, tends to discourage work on media and culture except insofar as it might deal with the overarching issues of power and differential victimization. Now, as sociologists think of themselves more and more within a “postmodern” framing that approaches “society as text” and embraces a “narrative turn,” the subjects of mass media, communications and popular culture take on a new relevance. The recent movement toward a “public sociology” also reinforces the shift, as sociologists become increasingly concerned about the image of the discipline in the popular imagination, and about the most effective means of engaging publics and conveying sociological messages with policy implications. Ronald Jacobs begins our discussion with an examination of the work of Robert Park in the 1920s, which he believes can help sociology regain a proper focus on “culture and the public sphere.” He approaches Park’s writings in terms of two organizing themes: (1) news and the power of the press; and (2) diverse cultural forms of newspaper discourse. Jacobs concludes that renewed attention to Park, Am Soc (2009) 40:147–148 DOI 10.1007/s12108-009-9076-z
Broadband aperture coupled flipped staired pyramid and conical dielectric resonator antennas

Broadband DRA using a narrow slot aperture coupled to a microstrip line feed are presented. Two different shapes of dielectric resonators tapered in a stair-like structure have been designed for wideband applications. The resonators are located at the center of the rectangular slot and are excited by a center feed microstrip line. Two flipped step stair shaped dielectric resonators with square and cylindrical cross sections are designed to give an impedance bandwidth of 49.3 % and 32.8 %, respectively. They have broadside radiation patterns across the matching band with an average gain higher than 6 dBi. The simulation results are obtained by using Fidelity by Zeland Software, which is based on the FDTD method.
A Surface Bloom Sampler (SUBS) for cyanobacteria and algae

In surface blooms, cell density is not evenly distributed with depth but shows a vertical abundance gradient, dependent on the hydrodynamics of water body and on cell buoyancy. To sample reproducibly and quantitatively cyanobacteria and algae blooms a simple Surface Bloom Sampler (SUBS) was designed. This instrument collects a known volume of water at the air-water interface. The sampled layer can be adjusted, according to the expected depth of the bloom, from 4 to 20 cm.
The value relevance of brand equity, intellectual capital and intellectual capital management capability

Building upon the marketing literature of brand equity (BA), marketing–finance interface, strategy literature regarding intellectual capital (IC), and resource-based theories, this research develops a conceptual framework which links various assets, capabilities and firm value. This research studies three types of market-based assets and capability: BA, IC and intellectual capital management capability (ICMC). Various statistical techniques were used to measure the constructs in the research model, such as data envelopment analysis, structural equation modeling and factor explanatory financial model. Stock return response modeling was used to test the research hypotheses. On the basis of a sample of US semiconductor companies, this study shows that IC and ICMC capability are associated with firm value. The findings offer a variety of theoretical contributions to marketing–finance interface research stream, and provide actionable insights on management resource-allocation decisions.
Texture mapping with a Jacobian-based spatially-variant filter

In this paper we describe a new method to map a texture on a surface with a spatially-variant filter. Our filter takes into consideration the effects of anisotropy using a Jacobian approximation while computing the sampling rate, and the interpolation weights are computed with a sinc function. We also discuss how to do forward and backward mapping with the filter and extend our algorithms to 3D meshes. Our experimental results verify our analysis.
Selective Restriction of Nef-Defective Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 by a Proteasome-Dependent Mechanism

The Nef protein enhances human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infectivity by facilitating an early postentry step in the virus life cycle. We report here that the addition of MG132 or lactacystin, each a specific inhibitor of cellular proteasome activity, preferentially enhances cellular permissiveness to infection by Nef-defective versus wild-type HIV-1. Pseudotyping by the glycoprotein of vesicular stomatitis virus rendered Nef-defective HIV-1 particles minimally responsive to the enhancing effects of proteasome inhibitors. These results suggest that Nef enhances the infectivity of HIV-1 particles by reducing their susceptibility to proteasomal degradation in target cells.
High serum total cholesterol levels as a risk factor of ischemic stroke in Asian individuals

Evaluation of: Cui R, Iso H, Yamagishi K et al.; JPHC Study Group. High serum total cholesterol levels is a risk factor of ischemic stroke for general Japanese population: the JPHC study. Atherosclerosis 221(2), 565–569 (2012). An elevated cholesterol level is one of the established modifiable risk factors for secondary prevention of stroke. However, the stroke–cholesterol relationship remains a relatively weak relationship. Furthermore, the controversy regarding the optimal cholesterol level still persists. While elevated cholesterol levels are associated with higher risk for cerebral ischemic events, lower levels might increase the risk for hemorrhagic events. This study by Cui and colleagues presents robust large-scale epidemiological data regarding the association of elevated total cholesterol with the stroke risk among the Asian cohort. One of the important findings of this study is the relationship between elevated cholesterol and large artery atherosclerotic stroke. This is especially relevant in t...
LINKING ACTUAL AND PERCEIVED CERTAINTY OF PUNISHMENT

An untested proposition in deterrence theory is that people's perceptions of the certainty of arrest in a community are influenced by their exposure to information about crimes committed in the community which have and have not resulted in arrest. We examine the effects of two sources of information on people k perceptions of the certainty of arrest in a community: (1) newspaper crime stories and (2) personal experiences with crimes and the personal experiences of one's acquaintances. Only the latter appear to influence people's estimates of the certainty of arrest.
Fatty Acid Desaturase Gene Variants, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, and Myocardial Infarction in the Costa Rica Study

Genetic variation in fatty acid desaturases (FADS) has previously been linked to longchain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in adipose tissue and cardiovascular risk. The goal of our study was to test associations between six common FADS polymorphisms (rs174556, rs3834458, rs174570, rs2524299, rs174589, rs174627), intermediate cardiovascular risk factors, and non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) in a matched population based case–control study of Costa Rican adults (n = 1756). Generalized linear models and multiple conditional logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of interest. Analyses involving intermediate cardiovascular risk factors and MI were also conducted in two replication cohorts, The Nurses’ Health Study (n = 1200) and The Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (n = 1295). In the Costa Rica Study, genetic variation in the FADS cluster was associated with a robust linear decrease in adipose gamma-linolenic, arachidonic, and eicosapentaenoic fatty acids, and significant or borderline significant increases in the eicosadienoic, eicosatrienoic, and dihomo-gamma-linolenic fatty acids. However, the associations with adipose tissue fatty acids did not translate into changes in inflammatory biomarkers, blood lipids, or the risk of MI in the discovery or the replication cohorts. In conclusion, fatty acid desaturase polymorphisms impact long-chain PUFA biosynthesis, but their overall effect on cardiovascular health likely involves multiple pathways and merits further investigation.
Growth-Promoting Properties of Epstein-Barr Virus EBER-1 RNA Correlate with Ribosomal Protein L22 Binding

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded RNAs, EBER-1 and EBER-2, are highly abundant noncoding nuclear RNAs expressed during all forms of EBV latency. The EBERs have been shown to impart significant tumorigenic potential upon EBV-negative Burkitt lymphoma (BL) cells and to contribute to the growth potential of other B-cell lymphoma-, gastric carcinoma-, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma-derived cell lines. However, the mechanisms underlying this EBER-dependent enhancement of cell growth potential remain to be elucidated. Here we focused on the known interaction between EBER-1 and the cellular ribosomal protein L22 and the consequences of this interaction with respect to the growth-promoting properties of the EBERs. L22, a component of 60S ribosomal subunits, binds three sites on EBER-1, and a substantial fraction of available L22 is relocalized from nucleoli to the nucleoplasm in EBV-infected cells. To investigate the hypothesis that EBER-1-mediated relocalization of L22 in EBV-infected cells is critical for EBER-dependent functions, we investigated whether EBER-1 expression is necessary and sufficient for nucleoplasmic retention of L22. Following demonstration of this, we utilized RNA-protein binding assays and fluorescence localization studies to demonstrate that mutation of the L22 binding sites on EBER-1 prevents L22 binding and inhibits EBER-1-dependent L22 relocalization. Finally, the in vivo consequence of preventing L22 relocalization in EBER-expressing cells was examined in soft agar colony formation assays. We demonstrate that BL cells expressing mutated EBER-1 RNAs rendered incapable of binding L22 have significantly reduced capacity to enhance cell growth potential relative to BL cells expressing wild-type EBERs.
Organizational Coordination, Uncertainty, and Performance: An Integrative Study

This study extends past research on coordination by investigating its interaction effect with uncertainty on organizational performance. Results from a field study show that the higher the level of uncertainty, the more positive the relationship between coordination and output quality, but the less positive the relationship between coordination and output quantity. Implications of the findings are discussed, including their relevance to the choice of effectiveness criteria in organization research.
MPEG-2 decoding in a stream programming language

Image and video codecs are prevalent in multimedia devices, ranging from embedded systems, to desktop computers, to high-end servers such as HDTV editing consoles. It is not uncommon however that developers create and customize separate coder and decoder implementations for each of the architectures they target. This practice is time consuming and error prone, leading to code that is neither malleable nor portable. This paper describes an implementation of the MPEG-2 decoder using the StreamIt programming language. StreamIt is an architecture-independent stream language that aims to improve programmer productivity, while concomitantly exposing the inherent parallelism and communication topology of the application. The paper shows that MPEG is a good match for the streaming programming model and illustrates the malleability of the implementation using a simple modification to the decoder to support alternate color compression formats. StreamIt allows for modular application development, which increases code reuse, and reduces the complexity of the debugging process since stream components can be verified independently. This in turn leads to greater programmer productivity.
Coding of Horizontal Disparity and Velocity by MT Neurons in the Alert Macaque

We performed the first large-scale (n = 501), quantitative study of horizontal disparity tuning in the middle temporal (MT) visual area of alert, fixating macaque monkeys. Using random-dot stereograms, we quantified the direction tuning, speed tuning, horizontal disparity tuning, and size tuning of each neuron. The vast majority (93%) of MT neurons were significantly tuned for horizontal disparity. Although disparity tuning was generally quite robust, the average disparity sensitivity of MT neurons was significantly weaker than their direction or speed sensitivity as quantified using both an index of response modulation and an index of signal-to-noise ratio. Disparity tuning was not correlated with direction or size tuning but tended to be broader and weaker for neurons that preferred faster speeds of motion. By comparison with recent studies, we find that disparity selectivity in MT is substantially stronger than that seen in either primary visual cortex (V1) or area V4. In addition, MT neurons are more broadly tuned for disparity than V1 neurons at comparable eccentricities. Disparity tuning curves are very well described by Gabor functions for >80% of MT neurons. The distribution of Gabor phases shows clear bimodality, indicating that MT neurons tend to have odd-symmetric disparity tuning (unlike neurons in V1). The preferred disparities were more strongly correlated with the phase parameter of the Gabor function than with the positional offset parameter. In fact, for neurons with preferred disparities close to zero, the positional offset tended to oppose the phase shift in specifying the disparity preference. We suggest that this result reflects a strategy used to finely distribute the disparity preferences of MT neurons, given the predominance of odd-symmetry and broad tuning.
Rates and patterns of recurrence after curative intent resection for gastric cancer: a United States multi-institutional analysis.

Background Reports on recurrence and outcomes of US patients with gastric cancer are scarce. The aim of this study was to determine incidence and pattern of recurrence after curative intent surgery for gastric cancer. Study Design Using the multi-institutional US Gastric Cancer Collaborative database, we identified 817 patients undergoing curative intent resection for gastric cancer between 2000 and 2012. Patterns and rates of recurrence along with associated risk factors were identified using adjusted regression analysis. Recurrences were classified as locoregional, peritoneal, or hematogenous. Results Median patient age was 65.8 years (interquartile range [IQR] 56.4, 74.7); the majority of patients were male (n = 462, 56.6%) and white (n = 511, 62.5%). At the time of surgery, the majority of patients underwent a partial gastrectomy (n = 481, 59.2%) with a complete R0 resection achieved in 91.6% (n = 748) of patients. At the time of last follow-up, 244 (29.9%) of 817 patients developed a recurrence; 163 (66.8%) patients had recurrence at only a single site; the remaining 81 (33.2%) had multiple sites of initial recurrence. Among patients who recurred at a single site, recurrence was most common at a distant location and included hematogenous (n = 57, 23.4%) or peritoneal (n = 47, 19.3%) only metastasis. Tumors at the gastroesophageal junction (odds ratio [OR] 3.18, 95% CI 1.08 to 9.40; p = 0.04) were associated with higher risk of locoregional recurrence, while the presence of multiple lesions (OR 10.82, 95% CI 3.56 to 32.85; p Conclusions Nearly one-third of patients experienced recurrence after gastric cancer surgery. The most common site of recurrence was distant.
Carl Bosch and Carl Krauch: Chemistry and the Political Economy of Germany, 1925–1945

Carl Bosch and Carl Krauch, accomplished scientists and prominent executives in the BASF and IG Farben chemical corporations, were drawn together by mutual admiration and common technical interests. In the Nazi era, however, they came to embody competing liberal and nationalist conceptions of German political economy. This article examines their relationship, the reasons for their divergent stances, and their individual contributions to the economic and productive power of the Third Reich. Ironically, Bosch's understanding of his industry, his nation, and scientific progress led him to oppose the Nazis, but also to lay the basis for their recruitment of Krauch and the German chemical industry for their expansionist purposes.
Tissue-aware data integration approach for the inference of pathway interactions in metazoan organisms.

Motivation: Leveraging the large compendium of genomic data to predict biomedical pathways and specific mechanisms of protein interactions genome-wide in metazoan organisms has been challenging. In contrast to unicellular organisms, biological and technical variation originating from diverse tissues and cell-lineages is often the largest source of variation in metazoan data compendia. Therefore, a new computational strategy accounting for the tissue heterogeneity in the functional genomic data is needed to accurately translate the vast amount of human genomic data into specific interaction-level hypotheses. Results: We developed an integrated, scalable strategy for inferring multiple human gene interaction types that takes advantage of data from diverse tissue and cell-lineage origins. Our approach specifically predicts both the presence of a functional association and also the most likely interaction type among human genes or its protein products on a whole-genome scale. We demonstrate that directly incorporating tissue contextual information improves the accuracy of our predictions, and further, that such genome-wide results can be used to significantly refine regulatory interactions from primary experimental datasets (e.g. ChIP-Seq, mass spectrometry). Availability and implementation: An interactive website hosting all of our interaction predictions is publically available at http://pathwaynet.princeton.edu. Software was implemented using the open-source Sleipnir library, which is available for download at https://bitbucket.org/libsleipnir/libsleipnir.bitbucket.org. Contact: ude.notecnirp.sc@tgo Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
One-step mounting of diagnostic casts demonstrating loss of posterior occlusal support.

aClinical Associate Professor, Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences Division of Prosthodontics. bDental student. (J Prosthet Dent 2012;107:276-277) Proper mounting of diagnostic casts is an important step in formulating a treatment plan for a partially edentulous patient where registration of the maxillomandibular relationship is a prerequisite.1-3 This procedure can provide stable occlusal support in a single clinical appointment when a patient presents with teeth in all 4 posterior sextants. However, mounting of casts can be complicated by loss of posterior occlusal support.4-6 A laboratory procedure is generally needed to fabricate a record base and occlusion rim before making a registration of the maxillomandibular relationship. The record base is placed intraorally to provide a support for the recording medium. This method of cast mounting generally requires an additional appointment because of the laboratory procedures involved. Thus, cast orientation is often performed inaccurately by means of a simple silicone occlusion registration record processed intraorally against the teeth and edentulous mucosa of the ridge but without support from a record base. This procedure is unacceptable because of the misfit of the silicone record against the edentulous areas of the stone cast, which is generated from an irreversible hydrocolloid impression material. This article describes an alternative diagnostic mounting procedure for a partially edentulous patient presenting with loss of posterior occlusal support, where silicone occlusion registration material is extruded intraorally and polymerized before making a preliminary impression. This silicone record is incorporated into the impression to present the surface morphology of the edentulous ridge. This method expedites the diagnostic cast mounting procedure by eliminating the need for a record base and is particularly useful when the interarch distance is restricted, preventing placement of a record base and occlusion rim (Fig. 1). However, care should be taken to avoid overclosure of the casts because of the resiliency of the silicone record.7
Alterations in local cerebral glucose utilization induced by phencyclidine

Abstract The effects of phencyclidine (PCP; 0.5, 1.5, 10 mg/kg, i.v.) on local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) in the rat were studied with the 2-deoxy- d -[1- 14 C]glucose method. Significant findings were obtained in 41 of 87 brain regions of PCP-treated rats (25–270% of control). Rates of LCGU increased throughout the limbic system, except the habenula. Although LCGU increased in most sensory structures, it decreased in specific layers of the somatosensory and auditory cortices and the inferior collicules. Evidence was seen for dissociation between LCGU responses of specific thalamic relay areas and their terminal fields in the cortex. Increases in LCGU occurred th throughout the motor system, manifesting a striking pattern of columnar activity in the motor cortex. However, LCGU was reduced in the frontal cortical pole. Elevated LCGU was onserved in the pontine nuclei and the nucleus solitarius. Effects of 5 mg/kg PCP diminished with time although 8 regions maintained a metabolic alteration at 180 min. PCP induced several behaviors, including stereotypes, which varied with the dose and time after drug administration. The results demonstrate a PCP-induced activation of various functional circuits in the brain, especially the limbic system, and may provide a physiological basis for PCP's psychotomimetic p properties.
Want Success in School? Start with Babies!.

To optimize the probability of success in later life, we must pay far greater attention than we have, traditionally, to the care of children under two. Consider the author's recommendations and imagine what early childhood education could be.
The role of climate adaptation in colonization success in Arabidopsis thaliana

Understanding the genetic mechanisms that contribute to range expansion and colonization success within novel environments is important for both invasion biology and predicting species-level responses to changing environments. If populations are adapted to local climates across a species' native range, then climate matching may predict which genotypes will successfully establish in novel environments. We examine evidence for climate adaptation and its role in colonization of novel environments in the model species, Arabidopsis thaliana. We review phenotypic and genomic evidence for climate adaptation within the native range and describe new analyses of fitness data from European accessions introduced to Rhode Island, USA, in spring and fall plantings. Accessions from climates similar to the Rhode Island site had higher fitness indicating a potential role for climate pre-adaptation in colonization success. A genomewide association study (GWAS), and genotypic mean correlations of fitness across plantings suggest the genetic basis of fitness in Rhode Island differs between spring and autumn cohorts, and from previous fitness measurements in European field sites. In general, these observations suggest a scenario of conditional neutrality for loci contributing to colonization success, although there was evidence of a fitness trade-off between fall plantings in Norwich, UK, and Rhode Island. GWAS suggested that antagonistic pleiotropy at a few specific loci may contribute to this trade-off, but this conclusion depended upon the accessions included in the analysis. Increased genomic information and phenotypic information make A. thaliana a model system to test for the genetic basis of colonization success in novel environments.
Meningeal myeloma in the absence of systemic disease, and as the initial feature of disease progression

We describe a 60-year-old man with stage IIA myeloma, who despite achieving a systemic remission after C-VAMP, progressed with isolated meningeal myeloma. Meningeal involvement in myeloma is a rare complication with a poor prognosis.
Adult Outcomes for Students with Cognitive Disabilities Three-Years After High School: The Impact of Self-Determination

This article reports afollow-up study of school leavers with mental retardation or learning disabilities who were surveyed 1- and 3-years after they left school to determine what they were doing in major life areas (employment, independent living or community integration). Students were divided into two groups based on self-determination scores collected during theirfinal year at high school. Comparisons between these groups on outcomes at I and 3 years post-graduation indicate that students who were more self-determined fared better across multiple life categories, including employment and access to health and other benefits, financial independence, and independent living. Over the last decade there has been consider- able focus in special education literature on the importance of self-determination in the education of students with disabilities. Due largely to the federal emphasis on and fund- ing for promoting self-determination as a component of transition services for youth with disabilities, numerous resources are now available to support instruction to achieve this outcome. Such resources range from curricu- lar materials and guides to instructional strat- egies and methods (Field & Hoffman, 1996a; Field, Martin, Miller, Ward, & Wehmeyer,
Congenital laryngeal anomalies

Introduction: It is essential for clinicians to understand issues relevant to the airway management of infants and to be cognizant of the fact that infants with congenital laryngeal anomalies are at particular risk for an unstable airway. Objectives: To familiarize clinicians with issues relevant to the airway management of infants and to present a succinct description of the diagnosis and management of an array of congenital laryngeal anomalies. Methods: Revision article, in which the main aspects concerning airway management of infants will be analyzed. Conclusions: It is critical for clinicians to understand issues relevant to the airway management of infants.
Application of Immobilized Enzymes to Detection and Monitoring

Our laboratory has been engaged in the development of instrumentation for the detection and monitoring of low levels of toxic materials in air and water. A wide variety of detection principles has been considered during a search for highly sensitive methods which would detect toxic substances well below levels which produce toxic symptoms in animals or humans. Some specifications for such detection and monitoring systems are that they should l) monitor and provide warning of the presence of toxic materials on a real time basis; 2) be specific for the toxic substances and not subject to the usual interferences; 3) be small enough for use in the field or laboratory; 4) be reliable and operate automatically and unattended for long periods of time; 5) have a reasonable cost for detector fabrication and use, and 6) have low power requirements.
Impact of myeloid-derived suppressor cells on adoptive immunity in autoimmune arthritis (THER5P.827)

Abnormal B- and T-cell recognition of self-antigens and autoantibody production result in autoimmunity. We previously showed that myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) suppress T cell proliferation in autoimmune arthritis. To further explore the impact of MDSCs on B cells, we examined B cell functions in vitro and in vivo in collagen-induced arthritis. We found the proliferation of collagen-primed B cells was inhibited by autologous monocytic MDSCs, but not by Ly6G+ neutrophils. The production of both IgG and IgM was reduced in the supernatant of B cell and monocytic MDSC co-cultures as compared to the supernatant from B cells alone or the supernatant from B cell-Ly6G+ cell co-cultures. Mechanistically, the levels of iNOS and PGE2 increased in the B cell-MDSC co-cultures, and addition of either iNOS or PGE2 inhibitors abolished the MDSC suppression of B cell proliferation. While neutralizing IL-12 also reestablished B cell proliferation, blockade of IL-6 and TNFa did not show similar effect. Finally, adoptive transfer of monocytic MDSCs to collagen-immunized mice resulted in reduced autoantibody production and mitigated arthritis severity. In summary our data show that monocytic MDSCs suppress autoreactive B cell proliferation and antibody production. The suppressive function requires iNOS, PGE2 and IL-12, but is independent of IL-6 and TNFa. These MDSCs can potentially be used in cell-based therapy to treat autoimmune arthritis by limiting B cell functions.
Use of SkypeTM sessions with top cancer trial physicians to bring Interprofessional Education (IPE) into a didactic oncology course.

Abstract Objective To incorporate meaningful Interprofessional Education (IPE) into a core didactic oncology course by bringing into the classroom a series of cancer specialist physicians, from around the United States, who instructed from and discussed their own clinical trials. Methods The instructor recruited physicians from selected nationwide cancer centers as well as from more regional institutions. Prior to each IPE session, students pre-read relevant trials or other materials. At an arranged time, an approximately 30-minute Skype™ session began which included student questions. Assessments of student learning included individual examinations and a group trial. Survey data was also collected on student views of interprofessionalism, cancer trial informatics and the role of pharmacists on trial teams. Results Group clinical trials showed substantial student creativity and achievement of new skills in trial design. Essays indicated that students learned as individuals. Survey data showed that prior to the interprofessional sessions, students felt uncomfortable discussing trial designs/results with graduates of other health professions. Following the sessions and group trial assignment, students gained significant confidence discussing trials with physicians and felt increased recognition for the pharmacist’s role in the trial team and increased appreciation for the perspective of trial physicians. Students reported that they enjoyed the opportunity to talk with top cancer physicians. Conclusions Didactic core courses can be modified to accommodate meaningful interprofessional team education. Considerable time was required to arrange external Skype™ speakers; however, this IPE oncology exercise was very highly rated by students indicating that this was preparatory time well-invested.
Independence of Nitrate and Nitrite Inhibition of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough and Use of Nitrite as a Substrate for Growth

Sulfate-reducing microbes, such as Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough, cause “souring” of petroleum reservoirs through produced sulfide and precipitate heavy metals, either as sulfides or by alteration of the metal reduction state. Thus, inhibitors of these microbes, including nitrate and nitrite ions, are studied in order to limit their impact. Nitrite is a potent inhibitor of sulfate reducers, and it has been suggested that nitrate does not inhibit these microbes directly but by reduction to nitrite, which serves as the ultimate inhibitor. Here we provide evidence that nitrate inhibition of D. vulgaris can be independent of nitrite production. We also show that D. vulgaris can use nitrite as a nitrogen source or terminal electron acceptor for growth. Moreover, we report that use of nitrite as a terminal electron acceptor requires nitrite reductase (nrfA) as a D. vulgaris nrfA mutant cannot respire nitrite but remains capable of utilizing nitrite as a nitrogen source. These results illuminate previously uncharacterized metabolic abilities of D. vulgaris that may allow niche expansion in low-sulfate environments. Understanding these abilities may lead to better control of sulfate-reducing bacteria in industrial settings and more accurate prediction of their interactions in the environment.
Clinical course of growth in patients with congenital neuromuscular disease in a single multidisciplinary neuromuscular clinic.

Objective To assess the effect of nutritional interventions on growth and on respiratory status in patients with congenital myopathy (CM), congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD), and congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS). Methods Retrospective cohort study based on case-note review of 18 patients affected by CM, CMD, and CMS, followed at a single pediatric neuromuscular center, between 2006 and 2014. Results Seventy-two percent of patients required placement of a gastrostomy tube for bulbar weakness or for growth failure. Of those patients, 10 had 1 year follow up anthropometric data and 6 had 2 year follow up anthropometric data. Height percentiles and z-scores were significantly improved in patients after 1 year, while weight and BMI percentiles and z-scores were not. Weight and height percentiles and z-scores were significantly improved in patients at 2 year follow up, while BMI percentiles and z-scores were not. The number of respiratory illnesses was not significantly different before or after placement of the feeding tube. Of the patients who did not have placement of a gastrostomy tube, 4 had 1 year follow up anthropometric data and 3 had 2 year follow up anthropometric data. Gastrostomy tube fed patients had significantly higher mean weight percentiles and z-scores compared to orally fed patients. There was no significant difference in height or BMI between the gastrostomy fed and orally fed groups. Individual growth curves highlight the effect of intervention on weight and height. Conclusions This is a single multidisciplinary center experience describing the effect of nutritional interventions on growth in patients with congenital neuromuscular disorders. While the number of patients and their data in this report are limited, it highlights that the growth in this group of patients is unique but that the low weight and short stature respond to nutritional interventions with changes typically seen after 2 years of intervention.
Reconstruction of moving acoustic sources in heterogeneous elastic solid

A novel computational framework for reconstructing spatial and temporal profiles of moving acoustic sources from wave responses measured at sparsely distributes sensors is introduced in this paper. This method can be applied to a broad range of acoustic-source inversion (ASI) problems for heterogeneous, complex-shaped coupled dynamic systems. The finite element method (FEM) is used to obtain wave response solutions due guessed moving sources. An adjoint-gradient based optimization technique iteratively improves the guesses so that the guessed moving sources converge on the actual moving sources. To reconstruct acoustic source profiles without a-priori knowledge of sources, we will employ high-resolution discretization of source functions in space and time. Because of such dense discretization, the order of magnitude of number of inversion parameters could range from millions to billions. Numerical experiments prove the robustness of this method by reconstructing spatial and temporal profiles of multiple dynamic moving body forces in a one-dimensional heterogeneous solid bar. The sources create stress waves propagating through the bar. The guessed source functions are spatially discretized by using linear shape functions with an element size of 1m at discrete times with a time step of 0.001s. Thus, the total number of control parameters in this example is 100,000 (i.e., 100 (in space) by 1000 (in time)). The convergence toward the target in the numerical examples is excellent, reconstructing the spatial and temporal footprints of the sources.
Abstract IA03: The evolutionary landscape of CLL: Therapeutic implications

Clonal evolution is a key feature of cancer progression and relapse. Recent studies across cancers have demonstrated the extensive degree of intratumoral heterogeneity present within individual cancers. We hypothesized that evolutionary dynamics contribute to the variations in disease tempo and response to therapy that are highly characteristic of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We have recently investigated this phenomenon by developing a pipeline that estimates the fraction of cancer cells harboring each somatic mutation within a tumor through integration of whole-exome sequence (WES) and local copy number data (Landau et al., Cell 2013). By applying this analysis approach to 149 CLL cases, we discovered earlier and later cancer drivers, uncovered patterns of clonal evolution in CLL and linked the presence of subclones harboring driver mutations with adverse clinical outcome. Thus, our study, generated from a heterogeneous sample cohort, strongly supports the concept that CLL clonal evolution arises from mass extinction and therapeutic bottlenecks which lead to the emergence of highly fit (and treatment resistant) subclones. We further hypothesized that epigenetic heterogeneity also shapes CLL clonal evolution through interrelation with genetic heterogeneity. Indeed, in recent work, we have uncovered stochastic methylation disorder as the primary cause of methylation changes in CLL and cancer in general, and that this phenomena impacts gene transcription, genetic evolution and clinical outcome. Thus, integrated studies of genetic and epigenetic heterogeneity in CLL have revealed the complex and diverse evolutionary trajectories of these cancer cells. Immunotherapy is exquisitely suited for specifically and simultaneously targeting multiple lesions. We have developed an approach that leverages whole-exome sequencing to systematically identify personal tumor mutations with immunogenic potential, which can be incorporated as antigen targets in multi-epitope personalized therapeutic vaccines. We are pioneering this approach in an ongoing trial in melanoma and will now expand this concept to address diverse malignancies. Our expectation is that the choice of tumor neoantigens for a vaccine bypasses thymic tolerance and thus generates highly specific and potent high-affinity T cell responses to eliminate tumors in any cancer, including both trunk and branch lesions. Citation Format: Catherine J. Wu. The evolutionary landscape of CLL: Therapeutic implications. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Integrating Clinical Genomics and Cancer Therapy; Jun 13-16, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2016;22(1_Suppl):Abstract nr IA03.
Covering Paris by q 2 + q +1 sets

Abstract For given k and s let n ( k , s ) be the largest cardinality of a set whose pairs can be covered by s k -sets. We determine n ( k , q 2 + q + 1) if a PG (2, q ) exists, k > q ( q + 1) 2 , and the remainder of k divided by ( q + 1) is at least √ q . Asymptotic results are also given for n ( k , s ) whenever s is fixed and k → ∞. Our main tool is the theory of fractional matchings of hypergraphs.