cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sofosbuvir with ribavirin is safe and effective in hepatitis C genotype 1 with unfavourable pretreatment characteristics.

Commentary on: Osinusi A, Meissner EG, Lee YJ, et al. Sofosbuvir and ribavirin for hepatitis C genotype 1 in patients with unfavourable treatment characteristics: a randomised clinical trial. JAMA 2013;310:804–11.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has improved with new direct-acting antiviral therapies, resulting in improved sustained virological response (SVR) rates, as compared with the treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (RBV).1 ,2 Despite these improvements, direct-acting agents have been linked to resistance when used without interferon therapy. The guidelines recommend their use in combination with peginterferon α and RBV as optimal therapy in HCV genotype 1.1 ,2 However, this addition adds complexity to the medication regimen, potentially causing adverse effects and potential for drug interactions.2 The aim of this phase 2 study … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DJAMA%26rft.volume%253D310%26rft.spage%253D804%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1001%252Fjama.2013.109309%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F23982366%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1001/jama.2013.109309&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=23982366&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F19%2F3%2F90.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000323561400020&link_type=ISI
Evaluation of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) micronutrient composition: Biofortification opportunities to combat global micronutrient malnutrition

Abstract Chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.) is a nutritious pulse crop primarily produced for human consumption. The present study was carried out to determine the potential for mineral micronutrient biofortification of chickpea to improve human micronutrient nutrition. Our results using 10 commercially grown USA chickpea genotypes show that chickpea is a rich source of selenium (Se = 15.3–56.3 μg/100 g), iron (Fe = 4.6–6.7 mg/100 g), zinc (Zn = 3.7–7.4 mg/100 g), calcium (Ca = 93.4–197.4 mg/100 g), magnesium (Mg = 125.1–158.7 mg/100 g), potassium (K = 732.2–1125.5 mg/100 g), copper (Cu = 0.7–1.1 mg/100 g), and phosphorus (P = 2627–3703 mg/kg). Thus, a single serving of chickpea could provide a significant amount of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of numerous minerals. In addition, chickpea is a rich source of carotenoids, including xanthophyll (9.0–19.7 mg/100 g), canthoxanthine (21.0–67.9 mg/100 g), and beta-carotene (166–431 μg/100 g), which can increase mineral absorption in the human digestive system. Chickpea is also a good source of bio-beneficial quercetin and ferulic acid and is low in phytic acid (PA; 5.8–13.6 mg/g). Overall, chickpea is a good source of micronutrients. Selection of genetic material to enrich micronutrients in conjunction with the choice of growing location may enable development of chickpea-based whole food solutions to global micronutrient malnutrition.
Independent informative subgraph mining for graph information retrieval

In order to enable scalable querying of graph databases, intelligent selection of subgraphs to index is essential. An improved index can reduce response times for graph queries significantly. For a given subgraph query, graph candidates that may contain the subgraph are retrieved using the graph index and subgraph isomorphism tests are performed to prune out unsatisfied graphs. However, since the space of all possible subgraphs of the whole set of graphs is prohibitively large, feature selection is required to identify a good subset of subgraph features for indexing. Thus, one of the key issues is: given the set of all possible subgraphs of the graph set, which subset of features is the optimal such that the algorithm retrieves the smallest set of candidate graphs and reduces the number of subgraph isomorphism tests? We introduce a graph search method for subgraph queries based on subgraph frequencies. Then, we propose several novel feature selection criteria, Max-Precision, Max-Irredundant-Information, and Max-Information-Min-Redundancy, based on mutual information. Finally we show theoretically and empirically that our proposed methods retrieve a smaller candidate set than previous methods. For example, using the same number of features, our method improve the precision for the query candidate set by 4%-13% in comparison to previous methods. As a result the response time of subgraph queries also is improved correspondingly.
Application of the interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IFSAR) correlation file for use in feature extraction

Fine resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IFSAR) have been widely used for the purpose of creating viable terrain maps. A map is only as good as the information it contains. Therefore, it is a major priority of the mapmakers that the data that goes into the process be as complete and accurate as possible. In this paper, we analyze IFSAR correlation/de-correlation data to help in terrain feature information. The correlation data contains the correlation coefficient between the bottom and top IFSAR radar channels. It is a 32-bit floating-point number. This number is a measure of the absolute complex correlation coefficient between the signals that are received in each channel. The range of these numbers in between zero and unity. Unity indicates 100% correlation and zero indicates no correlation. The correlation is a function of several system parameters including signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), local geometry, and scattering mechanism. These two radar channels are physically close together and signals are inherently highly correlated. Significant difference is found beyond the fourth decimal place. We have concentrated our analysis on small features that are easily detectable in the correlation/de-correlation data and not so easily detectable in the elevation or magnitude data.
NMR and EPR studies of chloroiron(III) tetraphenyl-chlorin and its complexes with imidazoles and pyridines of widely differing basicities.

The NMR and EPR spectra of two bisimidazole and three bispyridine complexes of tetraphenylchlorinatoiron(III), [(TPC)Fe(L)2]+ (L = Im-d4, 2-MeHIm, 4-Me2NPy, Py, and 4-CNPy), have been investigated. The full resonance assignments of the [(TPC)Fe(L)2]+ complexes of this study have been made from correlation spectroscopy (COSY) and nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (NOESY) experiments and Amsterdam density functional (ADF) calculations. Unlike the [(OEC)Fe(L)2]+ complexes reported previously (Cai, S.; Lichtenberger, D. L.; Walker, F. A. Inorg. Chem. 2005, 44, 1890−1903), the NMR data for the [(TPC)Fe(L)2]+ complexes of this study indicate that the ground state is S = 1/2 for each bisligand complex, whereas a higher spin state was present at NMR temperatures for the Py and 4-CNPy complexes of (OEC)Fe(III). The pyrrole-8,17 and pyrroline-H of all [TPCFe(L)2]+ show large magnitude chemical shifts (hence indicating large spin density on the adjacent carbons that are part of the π system), while pyrrole...
HDL-raising strategies in the treatment of coronary artery disease: perspectives from the Armed Forces Regression Study.

Purpose of review Even with the aggressive reduction of LDL-cholesterol, the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease remains substantial. The Armed Forces Regression Study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of combination drug therapy aimed at raising HDL-cholesterol in patients with angiographically evident coronary artery disease. Drug therapy ultimately resulted in regression of the angiographic lesions and a reduction in cardiovascular events. This review places the Armed Forces Regression Study within the context of other recent studies. Recent findings In the past few years a number of other important papers have further defined the important role HDL-cholesterol plays in the pathobiology of atherosclerosis. These studies have focused on three general areas: HDL-cholesterol metabolism and the reverse cholesterol transport pathway; novel therapeutic interventions and their effects on coronary artery disease as assessed through non-invasive imaging modalities; and finally a re-analysis of previous outcomes trials with established HDL-cholesterol modifying agents. Summary The results of the Armed Forces Regression Study fit nicely within the evolving paradigm of targeting HDL-cholesterol in patients at risk of cardiovascular events. The use of niacin and well-tolerated fibrates as an adjunct to statins or as primary therapy in patients intolerant of statins appears reasonable in patients with low levels of HDL-cholesterol and at high risk of cardiovascular events. The further development of novel therapeutic approaches, in addition to broadening our pharmacological armamentarium, should further advance our understanding of HDL-cholesterol.
History of the Motor Theories of Attention

(1969). History of the Motor Theories of Attention. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 80, No. 2, pp. 243-257.
A Survey to Determine the Presence and Distribution of Largemouth Bass Virus in Wild Freshwater Bass in New York State

During 2004 and 2005 a survey was conducted to investigate the presence and geographic distribution of largemouth bass virus (LMBV) in New York State. This iridovirus is widely distributed across the eastern United States; however, it had not previously been reported in New York State. Two hundred and eighty-three wild largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and 8 smallmouth bass M. dolomieu were collected from 37 locations across the state. No clinical signs of LMBV or mortalities attributable to the virus were observed in the fish collected. Using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) method, we detected LMBV in 28 fish from 13 locations. Viral cytopathic effect in cell culture was observed in 5 fish from 3 locations. The virus isolated from cell culture was confirmed to be LMBV by an independent PCR method. Statistical analysis of the largemouth bass samples collected during 2005 revealed a wide difference in prevalence between the QPCR results and the cell culture results. Analysis of possible predictors, including age, sex, and month collected, showed no significant associations with the QPCR results. This survey confirms the presence and wide distribution of a potentially pathogenic form of LMBV in multiple water systems across New York State.
Investigating the Behavioral Indicators of Relational Commitment

Although the commitment literature has made good progress at explaining why people stay in or leave relationships, much of this literature does not address the daily behavioral aspects of relationship commitment. This article reports the results of two studies undertaken to more systematically investigate the behavioral indicators of commitment. The first study asked 248 people what things they do or say to show their commitment to their partners. Participants identified a total of 928 behaviors that were coded into 10 major categories of indicators of commitment: providing affection, providing support, maintaining integrity, sharing companionship, making effort to communicate, showing respect, creating a relational future, creating a positive relational atmosphere, working on relationship problems together, and expressing commitment. A second study with a new sample of 350 people was under- taken to explore the association between the use of these behavioral indicators and both structural and perceptual ...
Obesity among US immigrant subgroups by duration of residence

ContextThe prevalence of obesity has increased substantially since the 1980s. While immigrants are the fastest growing segment of the US population, little is known about obesity or clinician counseling about diet and exercise in this group.ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence of obesity among immigrant subgroups and quantify the magnitude of the association with duration of US residence, and to describe reported diet and exercise counseling by birthplace, race, and ethnicity.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsCross-sectional study using data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey.Main Outcome MeasuresBody mass index (BMI, measured as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) based on self-reported height and weight measurements, and self-reported rates of diet and exercise counseling.ResultsOf 32 374 respondents, 14% were immigrants. The prevalence of obesity was 16% among immigrants and 22% among US-born individuals. The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of obesity was 8% among immigrants living in the United States for less than 1 year, but 19% among those living in the United States for at least 15 years. After adjusting for age, sociodemographic, and lifestyle factors, living in the United States for 10 to 15 and at least 15 years was associated with BMI increases of 0.88 and 1.39, respectively. The association for 15 years or more was significant for all immigrant subgroups except foreign-born blacks. Additionally, immigrants were less likely than US-born individuals to report discussing diet and exercise with clinicians (18% vs 24%, P<.001; 19% vs 23%, P<.001, respectively). These differences were not accounted for by sociodemographic characteristics, illness burden, BMI, or access to care among some subgroups of immigrants.ConclusionsAmong different immigrant subgroups, number of years of residence in the United States is associated with higher BMI beginning after 10 years. The prevalence of obesity among immigrants living in the United States for at least 15 years approached that of US-born adults. Early intervention with diet and physical activity may represent an opportunity to prevent weight gain, obesity, and obesity-related chronic illnesses.
Plant Cell and Signaling Biology Blooms in the Wuyi Mountain

The Eighth International Conference on Plant Biology Frontiers, organized by Zhenbiao Yang, Chentao Lin, and Xingwang Deng, was convened in the Wuyi Mountain Yeohwa Resort in Fujian, China, 23–27 September 2010. The meeting's main theme was Cells and Signals, featuring four keynote speeches, 45 plenary talks, and over 40 poster presentations that covered a wide range of topics, from dynamic cellular structures to how developmental and environmental signals control various plant processes at the juncture of cells.
DADA: Degree-Aware Algorithms for Network-Based Disease Gene Prioritization.

High-throughput molecular interaction data have been used effectively to prioritize candidate genes that are linked to a disease, based on the observation that the products of genes associated with similar diseases are likely to interact with each other heavily in a network of protein-protein interactions (PPIs). An important challenge for these applications, however, is the incomplete and noisy nature of PPI data. Information flow based methods alleviate these problems to a certain extent, by considering indirect interactions and multiplicity of paths. We demonstrate that existing methods are likely to favor highly connected genes, making prioritization sensitive to the skewed degree distribution of PPI networks, as well as ascertainment bias in available interaction and disease association data. Motivated by this observation, we propose several statistical adjustment methods to account for the degree distribution of known disease and candidate genes, using a PPI network with associated confidence scores for interactions. We show that the proposed methods can detect loosely connected disease genes that are missed by existing approaches, however, this improvement might come at the price of more false negatives for highly connected genes. Consequently, we develop a suite called DA DA, which includes different uniform prioritization methods that effectively integrate existing approaches with the proposed statistical adjustment strategies. Comprehensive experimental results on the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database show that DA DA outperforms existing methods in prioritizing candidate disease genes. These results demonstrate the importance of employing accurate statistical models and associated adjustment methods in network-based disease gene prioritization, as well as other network-based functional inference applications. DA DA is implemented in Matlab and is freely available at http://compbio.case.edu/dada/ .
Effects of restoration and reflooding on soil denitrification in a leveed midwestern floodplain

River floodplains have the potential to remove nitrate from water through denitrification, the anaerobic microbial conversion of nitrate to nitrogen gas. An important factor in this process is the interaction of river water with floodplain soil; however, many rivers have been disconnected from their historic floodplains by levees. To test the effect of reflooding a degraded floodplain on nitrate removal, we studied changes in soil denitrification rates on the Baraboo River floodplain in Wisconsin, USA, as it underwent restoration. Prior to this study, the site had been leveed, drained, and farmed for more than 50 years. In late fall 2002, the field drainage system was removed, and a gate structure was installed to allow controlled flooding of this site with river water. Soil moisture was extremely variable among zones and months and reflected local weather. Soil organic matter was stable over the study period with differences occurring along the elevation gradient. High soil nitrate concentrations occurred in dry, relatively organic-poor soil samples and, conversely, all samples with high moisture soils characterized by low nitrate. We measured denitrification in static cores and potential denitrification in bulk samples amended with carbon and nitrogen, one year before and two years following the manipulation. Denitrification rates showed high temporal and spatial variability. Static core rates of individual sites ranged widely (from 0.00 to 16.7 microg N2O-N x [kg soil](-1) x h(-1), mean +/- SD = 1.10 +/- 3.02), and denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) rates were similar with a slightly higher mean (from 0.00 to 15.0 microg N2O-N x [kg soil](-1) x h(-1), 1.41 +/- 1.98). Denitrification was not well-correlated with soil nitrate, organic matter content, or moisture levels, the three parameters typically thought to control denitrification. Static core denitrification rates were not significantly different across years, and DEA rates decreased slightly the second year after restoration. These results demonstrate that restored agricultural soil has the potential for denitrification, but that floodplain restoration did not immediately improve this potential. Future floodplain restorations should be designed to test alternative methods of increasing denitrification.
Cardiac intracellular calcium release channels: role in heart failure.

This MiniReview is part of a thematic series on Calcium Cycling in Cardiovascular Cells, which includes the following articles: Ca2+ Release Mechanisms, Ca2+ Sparks, and Local Control of Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Normal Heart Muscle Interaction Between Ca2+ and H+ and Functional Consequences in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cardiac Intracellular Calcium Release Channels: Role in Heart Failure Calcium Fluxes Involved in Control of Cardiac Myocyte Contraction C. William Balke, Guest Editor Calcium (Ca2+) ions are second messengers in numerous signaling pathways in all cell types.1 In the heart, Ca2+ regulates muscle contraction, electrical signals that determine the cardiac rhythm, and probably plays a role in controlling cell growth.2 In the last decade, elucidation of the molecular structure of the intracellular Ca2+ release channels on the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and endoplasmic reticulum has led to an understanding of how these molecules regulate Ca2+ homeostasis in the heart. Consequently, the role of these channels (ryanodine receptors [RyRs] and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors [IP3Rs]) in cardiac pathophysiology is beginning to be understood. Intracellular Ca2+ release channels form a unique class of ion channels distinguished on the basis of structure, size, and function (Figure 1⇓). RyRs and IP3Rs have large cytoplasmic domains that are involved in the regulation of the channel pore located in the carboxy terminal 10% of the channel sequence. The channels are tetrameric structures composed of 4 RyR or IP3R subunits. There are 3 forms of RyRs and 3 forms of IP3Rs (Table⇓). The RyR subunits are each ≈600 000 daltons and the IP3R subunits are each ≈300 000 daltons, yielding molecular masses for the single channels of 2.4 million and 1.2 million daltons, respectively. These channels are ≈10 times larger …
Piracetam reduces alcohol withdrawal in mice without potentiating alcohol sedative effects.

Piracetam reduced the intensity of withdrawal behavior in mice that had been exposed to ethanol for 4 days. However, in contrast to other antiwithdrawal agents, piracetam did not potentiate the sedative effects of acute ethanol administration. While the mechanism of action of piracetam is unknown, these findings suggest that piracetam elicits its antiwithdrawal effects by a mechanism differing from that of other agents.
The Influence of Interface Traps on the High Frequency and High Temperature Performance of SiC Field Effect Transistors

Fast and slow interface traps can considerably deteriorate the performance of field effect transistors. Slow interface traps, by slowly changing their charge occupancy, contribute to a drift in the quiescent operation point of the transistor, while fast traps deteriorate the device performance by contributing to both amplitude and phase current noise. They also result in a non-equilibrium surface depletion layer between gate and source which increases the gate-to-source parasitic resistance and deteriorates the device transconductance. We examine these different effects and present some preliminary data regarding interface traps in boron-doped 6H-SiC.
Doppler measurements rendering random routing

A random routing scheme is proposed for mobile ad-hoc networks of non-real-time services. When packet transmission takes place, the intermediate relay nodes between the source node and the destination node are not known a priori. Through network control signaling, the relay nodes are determined by estimating the physical layer parameters, specifically the link quality between the source and the possible relay, the relative angular position and relative speed of the source and relay nodes with respect to the destination node. The relative speed of the nodes is estimated through Doppler measurement or through its equivalent via knowledge of consecutive node positions. The routing scheme limits the number of hops and takes advantage of the network mobility, thus limiting energy consumption and network interference. Simulation results show the asymptotic network properties such as the average number of hops, the end-to-end average delay, and the long-term throughput.
A theory of the attributes, benefits, and causes of leisure experience

Abstract This paper reviews previous theoretical statements about the nature of leisure experience, describes a theory of leisure experience, and reviews research evidence bearing on the theory. Researchable postulates are stated regarding the nature of leisure experience and the leisure state, the conditions necessary to experience leisure and the leisure state, and the effects on the individual of experiencing leisure and the leisure state. This theory is suggested as a catalyst to stimulate and direct future research regarding the subjective experiences of persons engaged in leisure and the role these experiences play in shaping them as persons.
Receptive communication abilities among adults with significant intellectual disability

This study measured the receptive communication skills of 14 adults with significant intellectual disability living in community group homes in Connecticut. Group home staff members rated the 14 participants using a 14‐item rating scale sensitive to the adult living situation. These individuals appeared to have relatively stronger skills for comprehension of single‐step in‐context directions and the ability to recognise that particular tangible objects represented certain daily routines. These individuals were relatively weak in identifying familiar people in photographs and common objects in magazines. Among these participants, persons with profound intellectual disability were rated to have lower receptive communication skills than persons with severe intellectual disability. Clinical implications are discussed for human service providers and education professionals.
The Risk-Benefit Balance In The United States: Who Decides?

A health policy decision often requires a balancing of risks, costs, and benefits. In this paper we illustrate that there is no uniform answer in the United States to the question of who decides the risk-benefit balance. We use a wide range of case examples from medicine and public health to show the different approaches that are used to allocate decision-making responsibility. Our ultimate purpose is to urge the U.S. health policy community to develop a more consistent way of thinking about how risk-benefit decisions could be guided by general principles.
Electrical Properties of Ti/Au/SiO2/InP Structures

Experimental studies of the electrical properties of Ti/Au/SiO2/InP structures are presented here. The metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) capacitors were fabricated with oxide thicknesses of 195, 420, and 610 nm, respectively, on n-type InP substrates, using rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (RTCVD) techniques. The characterization techniques employed in these experiments were high frequency capacitance–voltage (C–U) and current–voltage (I–U). The electrical parameters obtained from the C–U and I–U measurements are discussed. Es werden experimentelle Untersuchungen der elektrischen Eigenschaften von Ti/Au/SiO2/InP-Strukturen mitgeteilt. Die MIS-Kondensatoren mit Oxyddicken von 195, 420 und 610 nm werden auf n-InP-Substraten mittels der RTCVD-Technik hergestellt. Zur Charakterisierung der Strukturen werden Hochfrequenz-C–U- und I–U-Messungen durchgefuhrt. Die aus diesen Kurven erhaltenen elektrischen Parameter werden diskutiert.
INDEX project: user support for buying QoS with regard to user's preferences

Shows that the selection of a quality of service (QoS) becomes a difficult task for the user when he is faced with different prices for different QoSs. Even if the user is only facing a best-effort service, he might be unable to determine the minimal-cost selection of bandwidth. This article shows that the user needs support to get the best service regarding his personal situation. The mechanisms we use for such a personalized support tool (intelligent agent) are described. In addition, the concept of a QoS architecture focusing on this problem is developed in order to show how the agent fits into a QoS framework. The context where this investigation takes place is the INDEX (INternet Demand EXperiment) project, a testbed for examining the user's demand and willingness to pay for different QoSs.
Nonsense-mediated decay as a terminating mechanism for antisense oligonucleotides

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are synthetic oligonucleotides that alter expression of disease-associated transcripts via Watson-Crick hybridization. ASOs that function through RNase H or the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) result in enzymatic degradation of target RNA. ASOs designed to sterically block access of proteins to the RNA modulate mRNA metabolism but do not typically cause degradation. Here, we rationally design steric blocking ASOs to promote mRNA reduction and characterize the terminating mechanism. Transfection of ASOs complementary to constitutive exons in STAT3 and Sod1 results in greater than 70% reduction of mRNA and protein. The ASOs promote aberrant exon skipping and generation of premature termination codon (PTC)-containing mRNAs. We inhibit the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway and show that the PTC-containing mRNAs are recognized by the UPF1 ATPase, cleaved by the SMG6 endonuclease and degraded by the XRN1 cytoplasmic exonuclease. NMD surveillance, however, does not entirely explain the mechanism of decreased STAT3 expression. In addition to exon skipping, ASO treatment causes intron retention and reduction of chromatin-associated STAT3 mRNA. The application of steric blocking ASOs to promote RNA degradation allows one to explore more nucleotide modifications than tolerated by RNase H or RISC-dependent ASOs, with the goal of improving ASO drug properties.
Curricular Flexibility in the Pre-Clinical Years Promotes Medical Student Scholarship

Medical student research is recognized as a critical component of undergraduate medical education. Current studies focusing on curricular improvements to promote student research are limited by lack of objective outcome data. At the Mayo Medical School, research has been an integral component of the curriculum since its inception in 1972. In 2006, selectives (periods of time free from competing didactic or clinical responsibilities) were implemented, which permitted students flexibility in their pre-clinical years to pursue service projects, research endeavors, and career exploration. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of this curricular revision on research productivity by Mayo medical students. Publications by Mayo medical students graduating in the 2004-2011 time period were queried in the PubMed database. The number, impact factor, and time to publication for these publications was assembled and analyzed in a cohort of students that graduated before and after selectives were implemented. We found that students who participated in selectives published more papers, papers with a higher impact factor, and published papers earlier in their training than students who graduated prior to the implementation of selectives. We propose that selectives are an effective means to increase research productivity in the Mayo medical school curriculum.
Mutation Causing von Willebrand's Disease in Scottish Terriers

Von Willebrand's Disease (vWD) in the Scottish Terrier breed is a serious, often fatal, hereditary bleeding disorder. Elimination of the mutated gene by selective breeding is an important goal for the health of this breed. Although the standard protein-based tests are accurate for identification of affected Scottish Terriers, they are not reliable for the identification of carriers of the mutant gene unless multiple replicate assays are performed. A simple, highly accurate test for carriers of the disease is needed so that veterinarians can counsel clients on which animals to use in their breeding programs. The complete coding region of von Willebrand factor (vWF) complementary DNA (cDNA) was sequenced from an affected animal, and a single base deletion in the codon for amino acid 85 of the prepro-vWF cDNA that leads to Scottish Terrier vWD was identified. A highly accurate polymerase chain reaction assay was developed that can distinguish homozygous normal animals from those that are homozygous affected or heterozygous. In a voluntary survey of 87 animals provided by Scottish Terrier owners, 15 were carriers and 4 were affected with vWD, 2 of which had previously been shown to have undetectable vWF. The determination of the complete canine vWF cDNA sequence should facilitate the identification of additional vWD alleles in other breeds and other species.
The 10 Building Blocks of High-Performing Primary Care

Our experiences studying exemplar primary care practices, and our work assisting other practices to become more patient centered, led to a formulation of the essential elements of primary care, which we call the 10 building blocks of high-performing primary care. The building blocks include 4 foundational elements—engaged leadership, data-driven improvement, empanelment, and team-based care—that assist the implementation of the other 6 building blocks—patient-team partnership, population management, continuity of care, prompt access to care, comprehensiveness and care coordination, and a template of the future. The building blocks, which represent a synthesis of the innovative thinking that is transforming primary care in the United States, are both a description of existing high-performing practices and a model for improvement.
A Simple Framework for Examining the Interannual Variability of Land Surface Moisture Fluxes

Abstract An equation that describes the partitioning of annual mean precipitation into annual mean evaporation and runoff, developed decades ago by Budyko, is used to derive a second equation that relates the interannual variability of evaporation to gross characteristics of the atmospheric forcing. Both Budyko’s original equation and the new variability equation perform well when tested against results from a 20-yr GCM simulation. In these tests, using knowledge of the climatological mean precipitation and net radiation alone, the authors predict the ratio of annual evaporation to annual precipitation with a standard error of 0.10 in nondesert regions, and they predict the ratio of the standard deviation of annual evaporation to that of annual precipitation there with a standard error of 0.14. In analogy with Budyko’s conclusion for the mean hydrological cycle, water and energy availability appear to be the critical factors controlling the interannual variability of surface moisture fluxes. The derived e...
Variations in Elephant (Loxodanta africana) Diet Along a Rainfall Gradient: The Effect of Latitude, Grass Reserves, and Proximity to Water

Global climate change is predicted to bring longer dry seasons and changing rainfall patterns to equatorial Africa, causing range reductions for species such as elephants, whose diets are constrained by water availability. Elephants are facultative grazers whose diets are seasonal, with woody proportion of diet increasing in the dry season. In this study, we sought to identify the factors that predict woody percentage of elephant diet along a rainfall gradient at the Mpala Research Centre in central Kenya. We used elephant dung as a means to analyze the woody content of elephant diet. We found that grass biomass and distance to the nearest river explained the most variability in elephant diet, while latitude was a less influential predictor. Because these local factors were more important determinants of elephant diet differences than rainfall along a gradient, we conclude that climate change will likely affect elephant populations through elongated dry seasons, which may limit availability of nearby water sources.
Belgium relief fund, post war food shortages and the “True” cost of living

A key criteria in measuring the true cost of living is the absence of non-price rationing. To examine how non-price rationing distorts conventional measures of the cost of living, we examine the case of Belgium following WWI. The economic fallout from WWI to Belgium was so severe that the Commission for Relief in Belgium provided considerable assistance after the war ended. Nonetheless, food shortages persisted even after international assistance ceased in 1919 and production in Belgium did not return to pre-war levels until the end of 1924. A nonparametric revealed preference test for fifteen food categories shows shortages for eggs, butter, potatoes, vegetables, and sugar for periods from 1920 to 1924. Estimated virtual prices for these five foods, in conjunction with actual prices for the other ten goods, show that the actual cost of living was severely underestimated. The virtual prices of these five goods are the prices at which consumers would have willingly paid to purchase them, given the observed quantities, along with their other purchases. In this respect they can be viewed as market clearing prices. Our findings reinforce the view that Belgium's population continued to endure the effects of constrained consumption and a lower standard of living after the war ended. Further the results show how much the welfare of the Belgium people improved when shortages began to decrease.
Chemical Analysis of the Cell Wall of Ceratocystis Ulmi

(1964). Chemical Analysis of the Cell Wall of Ceratocystis Ulmi. Mycologia: Vol. 56, No. 5, pp. 738-744.
Water Economy and Energy Metabolism of the Sandy Inland Mouse, Leggadina hermannsburgensis

The effects of ambient temperature on oxygen consumption, evaporative water loss, and body temperature, as well as an overall assessment of water metabolism, were studied in the murid, Leggadina hermannsburgensis , from the arid inland of Australia. Under moderate laboratory conditions, this mouse can subsist indefinitely on a diet of air-dry seed, without drinking water; on such a diet mean urine osmotic concentration was 4711 ± sd 842 milliosmoles per liter. The urine to plasma osmotic pressure ratio was 14.6:1 ± sd 7.5, whereas the ratio for urea was 242:1 ± sd 90. Because Leggadina has a high rate of evaporative water loss, it is concluded that the kidney is the primary means of water conservation. Histological evidence of renal morphology supports this view. Energy metabolism and thermoregulatory ability conform to expected mammalian patterns. A short thermal neutral zone extends from Ta of 31 to 36° C, and the basal metabolic rate is 99.0 per cent of that predicted from body weight. Mean body temperature remained stable between Ta of 10 to 35° C, ranging between 37.5 and 38° C. At an ambient temperature of 37° C, animals became hyperthermic with TB of 39.6° C. Thermal conductance below thermal neutrality was constant, but within and above thermal neutrality it was directly related to ambient temperature.
Studies On the Inhibition of Xanthine Oxidase.

SummaryThe repeated intravenous administration of increasing doses 0.5 to 4.0 g of p-aminophenol to a patient with gout did not affect the uric acid output in the urine or the blood uric acid level; occasionally there was transient elevation of temperature and nausea. Free iodine, in .008 M solution, caused an 88% inhibition of milk xanthine oxidase but was not specific for this enzyme. 0.001 M pyrogallol inhibited xanthine oxidase approximately 44% and had no effect upon other enzymes like uricase. Many other substances were tested and found to cause no appreciable inhibition of xanthine oxidase.
Ultrasonic prediction of carcass merit in beef cattle: evaluation of technician effects on ultrasonic estimates of carcass fat thickness and longissimus muscle area.

The objective of this study was to determine technician effects of live animal ultrasonic estimates of fat thickness (FTU) and longissimus muscle area (LMAU). Steers (n = 36) representing four breed-types (Brown Swiss, Average Zebu-cross Mexican, Corriente Mexican, and typical British crossbred) of commercial slaughter cattle were isonified to estimate accuracy and repeatability of fat thickness (FT) and longissimus muscle area (LMA) measurements by two experienced technicians. Repeated measures of FTU and LMAU were taken by technicians on two consecutive days with an Aloka 500V ultrasound unit equipped with a 3.5-MHz, 172-mm scanning width, linear-array transducer. Ultrasonic estimates of fat thickness and LMAU were taken at the 12th and 13th rib interface 48 h before slaughter; carcass fat thickness (FTC) and longissimus muscle area (LMAC) were measured 48 h postmortem. Means for FTU, FTC, LMAU, and LMAC were .91 +/- .36 cm, .82 +/- .40 cm, 70.7 +/- 9.43 cm2, and 72.4 +/- 8.9 cm2, respectively. Ultrasound and carcass measures of FT and LMA were different (P less than .01) among breed-types but were not different (P greater than .10) between technicians or for technician x breed-type interactions. Pooled simple correlation coefficients (P less than .01) were .87 and .86 between FTU and FTC and .76 and .82 between LMAU and LMAC for Technicians 1 and 2, respectively. Repeatabilities estimated by intraclass correlation methods were .91 +/- .03 and .81 +/- .06 for images repeated over 2 d and .95 +/- .02 and .83 +/- .05 for images repeated by two technicians for FT and LMA, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Development of Physics-Based Numerical Models for Uncertainty Quantification of Selective Laser Melting Processes - 2015 Annual Progress Report

The primary goal of the proposed research is to characterize the influence of process parameter variability inherent to Selective Laser Melting (SLM) on components manufactured with the SLM technique for space flight systems and their performance.
Constructive adaptive visual analogy

Visual knowledge appears to be an important part of problem solving, but the role of visual knowledge in analogical problem solving is still somewhat mysterious. In this work I present the Constructive Adaptive Visual Analogy theory, which claims that visual knowledge is helpful for solving problems analogically and suggests a mechanism for how it might be accomplished. Through evaluations using an implemented computer program, cognitive models of some of the visual aspects of experimental participants, and a psychological experiment, I support four claims: First, visual knowledge alone is sufficient for transfer of some problem solving procedures. Second, visual knowledge facilitates transfer even when non-visual knowledge might be available. Third, the successful transfer of strongly-ordered procedures in which new objects are created requires the reasoner to generate intermediate knowledge states and mappings between the intermediate knowledge states of the source and target analogs. And finally, that visual knowledge alone is insufficient for evaluation of the results of transfer.
Intrinsic magnetic properties in R (Fe 1 -x Co x ) 11 Ti Z (R =Y and Ce;Z =H ,C,and N)

To guide improved properties coincident with reduction of critical materials in permanent magnets, we investigate via density functional theory (DFT) the intrinsic magnetic properties of a promising system, $R{({\mathrm{Fe}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Co}}_{x})}_{11}\mathrm{Ti}Z$ with $R=\text{Y}$, Ce and interstitial doping $(Z=\text{H},\text{C},\text{N})$. The magnetization $M$, Curie temperature ${T}_{\text{C}}$, and magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy $K$ calculated in local density approximation to DFT agree well with measurements. Site-resolved contributions to $K$ reveal that all three Fe sublattices promote uniaxial anisotropy in ${\mathrm{YFe}}_{11}\mathrm{Ti}$, while competing anisotropy contributions exist in ${\mathrm{YCo}}_{11}\mathrm{Ti}$. As observed in experiments on $R{({\mathrm{Fe}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Co}}_{x})}_{11}\mathrm{Ti}$, we find a complex nonmonotonic dependence of $K$ on Co content and show that anisotropy variations are a collective effect of MAE contributions from all sites and cannot be solely explained by preferential site occupancy. With interstitial doping, calculated ${T}_{\text{C}}$ enhancements are in the sequence of $\mathrm{N}g\mathrm{C}g\mathrm{H}$, with volume and chemical effects contributing to the enhancement. The uniaxial anisotropy of $R{({\mathrm{Fe}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Co}}_{x})}_{11}\mathrm{Ti}Z$ generally decreases with C and N; although, for $R=\text{Ce}$, C doping is found to greatly enhance it for a small range of $0.7lxl0.9$.
Impact of power-supply noise on timing in high-frequency microprocessors

This paper analyzes the impact of power-supply noise on the performance of high-frequency microprocessors. First, delay models that take this noise into account are proposed for device-dominated and interconnect-dominated timing paths. For typical circuits, it is shown that the peak of the noise is largely irrelevant and that the average supply voltage during switching is more important. It is then argued that global differential noise can potentially have a greater timing impact than common-mode noise. Finally, realistic values for the model parameters are measured on a 2.53-GHz Pentium4 microprocessor using a 130-nm technology. These values imply that the power-supply noise present on the system board reduces clock frequency by 6.7%. The model suggests that the frequency penalty associated with this power-supply noise will steadily increase and reach 7.6% for the 90-nm technology generation.
Micro-plumes for nano-velocimetry

Fluid flows through nano-scale channels depend sensitively on the physical and chemical properties of the walls that surround them. The sub-micron dimensions of such channels, however, are impossible to resolve optically, which rules out most methods for flow visualization. Classic calculations by Squire (Q. J. Mech. Appl. Maths, vol. IV, 1951, pp. 321–329) and Landau & Lifshitz (Fluid Mechanics, vol. 6, 1959, Pergamon) showed that the laminar flow driven outside a capillary, by fluid emerging from the end of the capillary, is identical to the flow driven by a point force proportional to the average velocity in the capillary. Secchi et al. (J. Fluid Mech. 826, R3) analyze the dispersion of a solute that is injected along with the fluid, whose concentration decays slowly with distance but with a strong angular dependence that encodes the intra-capillary velocity. Fluorescence micrographs of the concentration profile emerging from the nanocapillary can be related directly to the average fluid velocity within the nanocapillary. Beyond their remarkable capacity for nano-velocimetry, Landau–Squire plumes will likely appear throughout micro- and nano-fluidic systems.
Evaluation of Sellar Masses

The clinical presentation of a patient with a sellar mass can include signs and symptoms of hormonal excess, hormonal deficiency, or of the mass itself such as vision loss or headache. Alternatively a sellar mass may be discovered incidentally on brain imaging performed for an unrelated reason. Autopsy and radiology studies suggest the prevalence of incidentally found pituitary masses to be approximately 10 % of the population (Molitch, Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 37:151–171, 2008). Clinically significant pituitary lesions are diagnosed in 1 in 1,000 people (Bancos et al., Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 26(1):9–19, 2012). Although a wide variety of diseases can manifest as sellar or parasellar masses (Table 5.1), the vast majority of clinically apparent and incidentally found lesions are pituitary adenomas, or Rathke’s cleft cyst (Orija et al., Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 26(1):47–68, 2012). The effects of excess hormonal secretion (prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), corticotropin (ACTH), thyrotropin (TSH)) from functioning pituitary adenomas can lead to significant morbidity and increased mortality. Hypopituitarism can be a consequence of any mass lesion in the sellar or parasellar region.
A hybrid approach to integrate machine learning and process mechanics for the prediction of specific cutting energy

Abstract Specific cutting energy is an important concept because it affects not only surface integrity but also process sustainability. However, the predictive power of traditional analytical models for specific energy is significantly limited by the complex mechanical–thermal coupling in cutting. This paper has proposed a new hybrid approach to integrate data-driven machine learning and process mechanics for the prediction of specific cutting energy. Compared to traditional analytical models, the accuracy of the hybrid approach has been validated in milling of H13 tool steel and Inconel 718. The predictive model is also transferable to other cutting processes.