cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tumor Associated Macrophage Expression, CD163, Is Associated with Poorer Outcome in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Abstract 1583 Background: Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common lymphoma with various subtypes. Recent data of Tumor Associated Macrophages (TAM) in DLBCL have shown association with poor overall survival. We were interested in assessing these markers, in particular, for practical daily clinical use at a high volume cancer center. We therefore performed a retrospective study to evaluate expression of macrophage markers (CD68 and CD163) in DLBCL and determine overall survival (OS) and event free survival (EFS). Design: A total of 128 DLBCL cases were reviewed. Tissue microarrays (TMA) were constructed with cores in triplicate. CD163 and CD68 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using anti-CD68 (KP-1, Ventana) and anti-CD163 (Vector Laboratories) performed on the automated Ventana XT platform according to manufacturer protocols (Tucson, AZ). The assessment of intratumoral CD163 infiltration was performed at objective magnification 40X by three observers (OB, HC and JTF) and a consensus was obtained. The number of CD163 macrophages was counted in three cores. The mean was calculated and the results were scored as follows: 0 (0 to 25 positive cells); 1 (between 26 to 50 positive cells); 2 (51 to 75 positive cells); 3 (76 to 100 positive cells). CD68 expression was assessed by IHC and the degree of intratumoral infiltration was scored as follows: 0 (less than 5% positive cells); 1 (between 5% to less than 50% of positive cells); 2 (more than 50% positive cells). Of 128 patients, 13 had limited clinical data, 23 were biopsies at relapse, and 92 were evaluable for OS and EFS from initial therapy. EFS was defined as progression of disease, secondary malignancy, or death due to disease or any other reason. OS was calculated from date of death or last follow-up date to date of diagnostic biopsy. EFS was calculated from event date or date of last follow-up to end of treatment date. SPSS software was used to calculate Kaplan Meier survival curves and statistics. Results: There were 51 (55%) males and 41 (45%) females (M:F ratio 1.2). The median age was 60 years (range from 10 to 90). A high number of tumor infiltrating CD163 expression (scores 0 [n=19], 1 [n=6], 2 [n=9] vs 3 [n=58]) was associated with significantly poorer OS (p=0.028) and EFS (p=0.005). A statistically significant difference was observed in patients with tumors that had abundant tumor associated macrophages with CD163 (score 3 >75 positive cells) on IHC. CD68 expression did not correlate with OS and EFS. Conclusion: High CD163 expression is statistically significantly associated with decreased OS and EFS in DLBCL. Because of cleaner staining, scoring on a daily practical basis in a high volume center is useful. Our data supports initial few prior reports of this marker in DLBCL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Natural Language Processing for EHR-Based Pharmacovigilance: A Structured Review

The goal of pharmacovigilance is to detect, monitor, characterize and prevent adverse drug events (ADEs) with pharmaceutical products. This article is a comprehensive structured review of recent advances in applying natural language processing (NLP) to electronic health record (EHR) narratives for pharmacovigilance. We review methods of varying complexity and problem focus, summarize the current state-of-the-art in methodology advancement, discuss limitations and point out several promising future directions. The ability to accurately capture both semantic and syntactic structures in clinical narratives becomes increasingly critical to enable efficient and accurate ADE detection. Significant progress has been made in algorithm development and resource construction since 2000. Since 2012, statistical analysis and machine learning methods have gained traction in automation of ADE mining from EHR narratives. Current state-of-the-art methods for NLP-based ADE detection from EHRs show promise regarding their integration into production pharmacovigilance systems. In addition, integrating multifaceted, heterogeneous data sources has shown promise in improving ADE detection and has become increasingly adopted. On the other hand, challenges and opportunities remain across the frontier of NLP application to EHR-based pharmacovigilance, including proper characterization of ADE context, differentiation between off- and on-label drug-use ADEs, recognition of the importance of polypharmacy-induced ADEs, better integration of heterogeneous data sources, creation of shared corpora, and organization of shared-task challenges to advance the state-of-the-art.
Tacit knowledge and girls’ notions about a field science community of practice

The issue of girls’ lack of connection to science has received much attention. Situated approaches such as research apprenticeships offer the chance to engage learners fully in science communities ...
Not Talking but Thinking and Voting: Democratic Deliberation in Classical Athens

Classical Athenian democracy is often described as “deliberative,” suggesting that political decisions were reached following group discussion. Yet of the three Greek verbs associated with “deliberation” in English, only two, “dēmēgoreō” and “symbouleuō,” actually indicate speaking. The third, “bouleuō,” could suggest speaking when used in the active voice, but was most commonly used in the middle voice (“bouleuomai”) to signify internal reflection. This is the voice invariably used to describe the activity of the Athenian assembly, and careful examination suggests that it also indicated internal reflection in this context. This has profound implications for our conception of classical Athenian politics. Athenian assemblygoers did not speak with each other: rather, they were spoken to by a small number of self-selected rhētores, “politicians” or “advisors,” who by the very act of speaking marked their distinctness from ordinary citizens, whose tasks were to listen, judge and vote
THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE AND POSTTRANSLATIONAL MODIFICATION OF HUMAN HYPOXANTHINE-GUANINE PHOSPHORIBOSYLTRANSFERASE

A complete deficiency of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) in man leads to the development of the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (1) whereas a partial deficiency of the same enzyme leads to a severe form of gout (2). In an attempt to understand the molecular basis of these deficiency states, we have focused our recent studies on the structural and functional properties of HPRT from normal and enzyme-deficient patients.
Trente et Quarante

Trente et quarante (“thirty and forty” in French) is an elegant card game that dates at least as far back as the 17th century and is still played in Monte Carlo. It has been studied by Poisson, De Morgan, Bertrand, and Thorp, among others. In Section 20.1 we describe the four betting opportunities and evaluate the associated probabilities and house advantages. In Section 20.2 we analyze the card-counting potential of trente et quarante.
Abstract WP349: How Long Do I Have to Stay for a TIA?

Background: It is estimated that in the US, between 200 and 500 thousand TIA’s are reported each year. Half of those patients never report it to their physician. TIA’s once regarded as benign are n...
Breast cancer disparities in the Hispanic population: Is country of origin more predictive than primary language?

674 Introduction: Recent studies confirm that racial and ethnic disparities exist in the diagnosis of breast cancer in women. Breast cancer is the number one killer among Hispanic women and stage at diagnosis is one of the most important prognostic factors for breast cancer morbidity and mortality. Although Hispanics speak the same language, they differ in socio-cultural norms and behavioral practice by country of origin. Cultural beliefs play a significant role in health seeking behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine if the country of origin of Hispanic women is more predictive of breast carcinoma stage at diagnosis (BCSAD) than Spanish as the primary language spoken. Methods: A literature review was conducted to analyze the studies on country of origin and BCSAD. Articles included those dealing with health disparities, country of origin, insurance status, length of stay in the U.S., and socioeconomic status. In addition, census data for the year 2000 were analyzed for the Hispanic population, by country of origin, for both the United States and Miami-Dade County. Results: In 2000, the Hispanic population represented 12.6% of the U.S. population and 57.3% of the Miami-Dade county population. Hispanic whites are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer than non-Hispanic whites. Studies showed that women of Mexican, South and Central American and Puerto Rican descent were 20% to 260% more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer when compared to non-Hispanic white women. Additionally, Puerto Rican women are 50% more likely to receive substandard treatment for breast cancer and Mexican women had 30% poorer survival rates compared to non-Hispanic whites. Researchers believe contributing factors include socioeconomic status, diverse cultural practices, parity, dietary customs, length of stay in the U.S., and insurance status. Conclusions: There are few breast cancer studies of Hispanic women by country of origin. The predicted growth of the Hispanic population in the U.S., and the concomitant aging of this population, underscore the importance of keeping breast cancer statistics by country of origin in addition to ethnicity and race. Since mammographic screening is the best tool for early diagnosis and appears to equalize survival among ethnic groups, specific interventions need to be designed to reach each Hispanic subcategory for the greatest impact on breast cancer morbidity and mortality in the Hispanic population. Further research is recommended to examine breast cancer disparities between Hispanic populations.
Analysis of Risk Factors for Invasive Mold Infections in Lung Transplant Recipients

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors associated with the development of IMI compared to mold colonization. Methods A single-center, retrospective chart review was conducted on patients who received a lung transplant (LTr) between January 2012 and January 2016. Patients colonized with molds or who had IMI at any point were included for comparison of risk factors and outcomes. Targeted antifungal prophylaxis with voriconazole for 3 months was initiated for patients colonized before transplant or those who had positive donor cultures. Results A total of 150 patients were transplanted within the time period and 94 met inclusion criteria; 81 (54%) were colonized and 13 (8.7%) had IMI. IMI were more common in males; 65% vs 23%, p Conclusion A relatively low incidence of IMI developed even with the conservative approach of targeted prophylaxis compared to the reported incidence of approximately 12% in the literature. Median time to development of IMI occurred later than 3 months; thus patients with mold colonizations prior to transplant may warrant longer durations of systemic prophylaxis.
Mechanistic Justifications of Systemic Therapeutic Oxygenation of Tumors to Weaken the Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1α-Mediated Immunosuppression.

Long-term studies of anti-pathogen and anti-tumor immunity have provided complementary genetic and pharmacological evidence for the immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory effects of Hypoxia-HIF-1α and adenosine-mediated suppression via the A2A adenosine receptor signaling pathway (Hypoxia-A2A-adenosinergic). This pathway is life saving when it protects inflamed tissues of vital organs from collateral damage by overactive anti-pathogen immune cells or enables the differentiation of cells of adaptive immunity. However, the Hypoxia-A2A-adenosinergic immunosuppression can also prevent tumor rejection by inhibiting the anti-tumor effects of T and NK cells. In addition, this suppressive pathway has been shown to mask tumors due to the hypoxia-HIF-α-mediated loss of MHC Class I molecules on tumor cells. It is suggested that it will be impossible to realize the full anti-tumor capacities of current cancer immunotherapies without simultaneous administration of anti-Hypoxia-A2A-Adenosinergic drugs that inactivate this tumor-protecting mechanism in hypoxic and adenosine-rich tumors.
Light and temperature mediate algal stimulation of heterotrophic activity on decomposing leaf litter

Recent evidence suggests that periphytic algae stimulate plant litter heterotrophs (fungi and bacteria) in the presence of light, but few studies have tested whether this stimulation varies across gradients of light, which may covary with temperature. We exposed field‐conditioned Typha domingensis litter to fully‐crossed, short‐term gradients of temperature (15, 20, 25, and 30°C) and light (0, 25, 53, 123, and 388 µmol quanta m⁻² s⁻¹) and measured responses of litter‐associated algal, fungal, and bacterial production rates and β‐glucosidase, β‐xylosidase, and phenol oxidase enzyme activities in the laboratory. Increased light stimulated algal production rates, from immeasurable production under darkness to >200 µg algal C g⁻¹ detrital C hr⁻¹ at the highest light level, with the greatest light sensitivity and maximal photosynthetic rates at 25°C. In turn, increased light stimulated fungal production rates, especially at the two highest temperatures and most strongly at 25°C where light stimulated fungal production by a mean of 65 µg C g⁻¹ detrital C hr⁻¹, indicating 2.1‐fold stimulation by light. Bacterial production rates also responded to light, indicated by stimulation of a mean of 16 µg C g⁻¹ detrital C hr⁻¹ (1.6‐fold) at 15°C, but stimulation was weaker at higher temperatures. Enzyme activities increased strongly with elevated temperature but were not affected by light. Our experimental evidence suggests algae differentially stimulate litter‐associated bacteria and fungi in a light‐dependent manner that further depends on temperature. These findings advance understanding of the onset of algal stimulation of heterotrophy, including algal‐induced priming effects during litter decomposition, in response to common covarying environmental gradients subject to global change.
Glucagon-Like Peptide Analogs Are Superior for Diabetes and Weight Control in Patients on Antipsychotic Medications: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective Glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) analogs promote diabetes control and weight loss. Most GLP-1 analogs also lower adverse cardiovascular outcomes, making them ideal agents for patients with severe mental illness. The objective of this study was to analyze diabetic patients taking antipsychotic medications, comparing those on GLP-1 analogs with those on other diabetes treatments. Methods A total of 46 patients referred to outpatient diabetes clinics between July 2010 and April 2017 who were prescribed antipsychotic medications during the entire study period were included in this retrospective analysis. Eleven (24%) patients were started on a GLP-1 analog (cases), and 35 (76%) were treated with alternative antidiabetic agents (controls). Results Cases and controls did not differ in age, sex, height, weight, or medical therapies at the time of referral. Within 1 year, a reduction in mean ± SE glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels was noted for both groups (cases: -1.26% ± 0.17%, controls: -1.47% ± 0.45%). However, while patients on GLP-1 analogs lost 7.07 ± 2.62 kg, control patients gained 1.93 ± 1.14 kg (P < .05). Blunted HbA1c reductions were also noted in patients who took antipsychotic medication in addition to antidepressant medication (on antidepressant medication [n = 22]: -0.77% ± 0.29%, off antidepressant medication [n = 9]: -2.97% ± 0.6%, P < .001). This observation did not apply to patients treated with GLP-1 analogs, as they had larger HbA1c reductions than patients on alternative regimens (controls [n = 15]: -0.46% ± 0.4%, cases [n = 7]: -1.43% ± 0.15%, P < .05). Conclusions GLP-1 analogs promote both diabetes and weight control in diabetic patients on antipsychotic medications with or without antidepressant medications.
Crocodylus acutus (American crocodile) bite marks on a nest data logger.

Several data loggers deployed to monitor temperature and humidity of Crocodylus acutus (American crocodile) nests in South Florida could not be located after hatching. One badly damaged data logger was retrieved, providing insight into the possible fate of the others. Using a taphonomic approach, we identified numerous indentations, consistent with crocodylian bite marks, and inconsistent with potential mammalian or squamate bites. It seems most likely that the data logger was damaged by the nesting C. acutus rather than during attempted nest predation. Estimated bite forces for reproductive age, female C. acutus exceed the predicted material properties of the data logger’s housing, suggesting that the bites were exploratory in nature. We suggest that data loggers be removed prior to hatching or permit remote data storage.
Inflammatory myositis in systemic lupus erythematosus.

BackgroundThe coexistence of inflammatory myositis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has not been extensively studied. In this study, we describe the incidence, distinct types of inflammatory m...
Sequence Independent Lifting for the Set of Submodular Maximization Problem

We study the polyhedral structure of a mixed 0-1 set arising in the submodular maximization problem, given by \(P = \{(w,x)\in \mathbb {R}\times \{0,1\}^n: w\le f(x), x\in \mathcal {X}\}\), where submodular function f(x) is represented by a concave function composed with a linear function, and \(\mathcal {X}\) is the feasible region of binary variables x. For \(\mathcal {X}= \{0,1\}^n\), two families of facet-defining inequalities are proposed for the convex hull of P through restriction and lifting using submodular inequalities. When \(\mathcal {X}\) is a partition matroid, we propose a new class of facet-defining inequalities for the convex hull of P through multidimensional sequence independent lifting. Our results enable us to unify and generalize the existing results on valid inequalities for the mixed 0-1 knapsack. Finally, we perform some preliminary computational experiments to illustrate the superiority of our facet-defining inequalities.
Working with Transgender Young People and their Families: A Critical Developmental Approach

Working with Transgender Young People and their Families: A Critical Developmental Approach lives up to its title. Author Damien Riggs, a Professor in the College of Education, Psychology, and Soci...
Use of Cannabis and Cannabinoids in Patients With Cancer

Objective:To review pharmacology, available dosage forms, efficacy, and safety of cannabis and cannabinoids in cancer patients.Data Sources:In PubMed (1965 to June 2020) the search was conducted us...
Multi-organ segmentation on head and neck dual-energy CT using Deep Neural Networks

This work aims to develop an automatic multi-organ segmentation approach based on deep learning for head - and- neck region on dual energy CT. The proposed method proposed a Mask scoring R-CNN where comprehensive features are first learnt from two independent pyramid networks and then are combined via deep attention strategy to highlight the informative ones extracted from both two channels of low and high energy CT. To perform multi-organ segmentation and solve the problem of misclassification, a mask scoring subnetwork was integrated into the Mask R-CNN framework to build the correlation between the class of potential detected organ’s ROI and the shape of that organ’s segmentation within that ROI. We trained and tested our model on DECT images from 66 head-and-neck cancer patients with manual contours of 19 organs as training target and ground truth. For large- and mid-sized organs such as brain and parotid, the proposed method successfully achieved average Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) larger than 0.8. For small-sized organs with very low contrast such as chiasm, cochlea, lens and optic nerves, the DSCs ranged between 0.5 and 0.8. With the propose method, using DECT images outperforms using SECT in all 19 organs with statistical significance in DSC (p<0.05). Quantitative results demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed method, the superiority of using DECT to conventional SECT, and the advantage of the proposed R-CNN over FCN. The proposed method has the potential to facilitate the current radiation therapy work flow in treatment planning.
Effects of Alpha-Synuclein Targeted Antisense Oligonucleotides on Lewy Body-Like Pathology and Behavioral Disturbances Induced by Injections of Pre-Formed Fibrils in the Mouse Motor Cortex

Background Alpha-synuclein (αsyn) characterizes neurodegenerative diseases known as synucleinopathies. The phosphorylated form (psyn) is the primary component of protein aggregates known as Lewy bodies (LBs), which are the hallmark of diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Synucleinopathies might spread in a prion-like fashion, leading to a progressive emergence of symptoms over time. αsyn pre-formed fibrils (PFFs) induce LB-like pathology in wild-type (WT) mice, but questions remain about their progressive spread and their associated effects on behavioral performance. Objective To characterize the behavioral, cognitive, and pathological long-term effects of LB-like pathology induced after bilateral motor cortex PFF injection in WT mice and to assess the ability of mouse αsyn-targeted antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to ameliorate those effects. Methods We induced LB-like pathology in the motor cortex and connected brain regions of male WT mice using PFFs. Three months post-PFF injection (mpi), we assessed behavioral and cognitive performance. We then delivered a targeted ASO via the ventricle and assessed behavioral and cognitive performance 5 weeks later, followed by pathological analysis. Results At 3 and 6 mpi, PFF-injected mice showed mild, progressive behavioral deficits. The ASO reduced total αsyn and psyn protein levels, and LB-like pathology, but was also associated with some deleterious off-target effects not involving lowering of αsyn, such as a decline in body weight and impairments in motor function. Conclusions These results increase understanding of the progressive nature of the PFF model and support the therapeutic potential of ASOs, though more investigation into effects of ASO-mediated reduction in αsyn on brain function is needed.
Investigation of pillar damage mechanisms and rock-support interaction using Bonded Block Models

Abstract In this study, Bonded Block Models (BBMs) are used to investigate the pillar damage mechanisms and rock-support interaction in massive-to-sparsely-fractured rockmasses. Hypothetical granite pillar models of width-to-height (W/H) ratio of 1, 2 and 3 are developed, and the input parameters are constrained by matching the stress-strain response of the BBMs to the stress-strain curves from FLAC3D models that were previously calibrated to an empirical pillar strength database. Two different block representations are also considered – elastic and inelastic. It was found that inelastic blocks are necessary to capture the behavioral transition from strain-softening to pseudo-ductile with increase in pillar W/H. Post-calibration, different rockbolt combinations are tested in the BBM and their influence on the pillar strength and lateral deformations are analyzed. It was found that as the support density is increased, the peak pillar strengths also increase but the effect is dependent on the W/H. Deformation of the outer stress-fractured region and bulking systematically decreased with increasing support density, but the exact trend evolved as the pillars were loaded to various points on their stress-strain curves. Lastly, a BBM pillar was developed with explicit intra-block fracturing capability (i.e., individual blocks could break) and the support analysis was repeated. The goal was to understand if the continuum representation of damage within the inelastic blocks led to some underestimation of the rock-support interaction mechanism. It was ultimately concluded that the continuum inelastic representation of smaller-scale damage within individual blocks allows for a more appropriate representation of the rock-support interaction than the explicit intra-block representation.
A Galilean Fallacy of Equivocation

In an attempt to illustrate and justify the relevance and usefulness of logic in the study of the history of science, Galileo’s refutation of space-proportionality as found in Two New Sciences is analyzed in the light of some recent historical reinterpretations and with an awareness and appreciation of methodological distinctions. Having distinguished between the structure and the validity of Galileo’s argument, the former is shown to be uniquely determined by the recent interpretations, thus reconciling some of their differences. It is then suggested that the argument must be evaluated as logically faulty, either in the sense of being a fallacy of equivocation, or in the sense of being a proof of ignotum per aeque ignotum; and some evidence is given supporting the former evaluation. These results are seen as valuable from the logician’s point of view, independently of the historian’s possible judgments of merit or demerit for Galileo.
SU‐E‐J‐230: Evaluation of ViewRay 0.35 T MRI Normal Structure Segmentation

Purpose: In order to take advantage of the high resolution soft tissue imaging available in MR images, we investigated 3D images obtained with the low field 0.35 T MR in ViewRay to serve as an alternative to CT scans for radiotherapy treatment planning. In these images, normal and target structure delineation can be visualized. Assessment is based upon comparison with the CT images and the ability to produce comparable contours. Methods: Routine radiation oncology CT scans were acquired on five patients. Contours of brain, brainstem, esophagus, heart, lungs, spinal cord, and the external body were drawn. The same five patients were then scanned on the ViewRay TrueFISP-based imaging pulse sequence. The same organs were selected on the MR images and compared to those from the CT scan. Physical volume and the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) were used to assess the contours from the two systems. Image quality stability was quantitatively ensured throughout the study following the recommendations of the ACR MR accreditation procedure. Results: The highest DSC of 0.985, 0.863, and 0.843 were observed for brain, lungs, and heart respectively. On the other hand, the brainstem, spinal cord, and esophagus had the lowest DSC. Volume agreement was most satisfied formore » the heart (within 5%) and the brain (within 2%). Contour volume for the brainstem and lung (a widely dynamic organ) varied the most (27% and 19%). Conclusion: The DSC and volume measurements suggest that the results obtained from ViewRay images are quantitatively consistent and comparable to those obtained from CT scans for the brain, heart, and lungs. MR images from ViewRay are well-suited for treatment planning and for adaptive MRI-guided radiotherapy. The physical data from 0.35 T MR imaging is consistent with our geometrical understanding of normal structures.« less
Investigations into carbamate insecticide selectivity: I: Evaluation of potential selectophores

Abstract In an effort to improve the generally unfavorable mouse/housefly toxicity ratio of most carbamate insecticides, potential selectophores (nitrile, carbamoyl oxime, carboxylic ester, or amide) were incorporated into a series of phenyl N -methylcarbamates. In addition to the insect and mouse toxicity determinations, the anticholinesterase activity of these compounds was determined for purified housefly head acetylcholinesterase and bovine erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase. The presence of these functional groups, in general, did not give enhanced selectivity ratios and, in one case, ( o-N -methylcarbamoyloxyiminomethylphenyl N -methylcarbamate), a very unfavorable selectivity ratio of
Abstract 2083: WNT5a/ROR1 axis in triple-negative breast cancer progression and potential therapy

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 15-20% of total invasive breast cancer. These tumors are more aggressive and have a worse prognosis relative to other types of breast cancer, partially due to the lack of FDA-approved targeted therapy. Utilizing the RNA-seq data for invasive breast cancer specimens deposited in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we found that the mRNA expression of receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) decreased in the luminal A (n=231), luminal B (n=128) and Her2+ (n=58) subtypes relative to their corresponding normal controls. In contrast, ROR1 expression increased in all the pathologic stages of TNBC samples relative to normal specimens and ROR1 expression correlates positively with progression of TNBC (n=78). ROR1 is a receptor tyrosine kinase that is involved in embryonic patterning, but lacks expression in adult tissues. We undertook a series of mechanistic studies to understand the role of ROR1 in TNBC and evaluate ROR1 as a potential target for TNBC therapy. Using complex bioinformatics analysis, we found that ROR1 expression correlates with signature genes of TNBC, cancer stem cells, and TGFβ/SMAD pathways, which, in addition to recent observation of potential crosstalk between WNT5A/ROR1 signaling with TGFβ/SMAD, prompted us to examine if this crosstalk contributes to TNBC. Indeed, we found that WNT5a promotes SMAD2/3 activation in a ROR1- and TGFβR1-dependent manner. Inhibiting ROR1 by neutralizing antibody shifted cancer stem cells of TNBC to a more luminal-type, indicating a critical of ROR1 in self-renewal of cancer stem cells. SNAI1/2, master regulators of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), are potentially involved in the WNT5a/ROR1-mediated self-renewal of cancer stem cells. In agreement with these findings, TNBC cell lines with the highest surface expression of ROR1 had a greater cancer stem cell (CSC) population (CD24-CD44high). In collaboration with Speed Biosystems LLC, we developed an anti-ROR1 immunotoxin that specifically kills ROR1-high TNBC cells but not ROR1-low breast cancer cells or normal epithelial cells. Our findings suggest a role of WNT5a/ROR1 signaling in the progression of TNBC, through its role in potentiating TGFβ/SMAD/SNAI1/2 pathway thus promoting EMT and stem-like phenotype. ROR1 represents a novel therapeutic target for TNBC, especially for late-stage diseases. Citation Format: Nicholas Borcherding, Magdalene Ameka, Ryan Kolb, Qing Xie, Weizhou Zhang. WNT5a/ROR1 axis in triple-negative breast cancer progression and potential therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2083. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2083
Price Cycles in Online Advertising Auctions

Paid placement in search engines has become one of the most successful and rapidly growing sectors of the online advertising industry. The innovative use of auctions to sell keyword-related advertisement positions is perhaps the most important factor driving the success of this market. There has been no systematic analysis, however, of the advertisers’ strategies to bid for ranks in a dynamic environment, where each bidder’s bid can be updated and observed by the competitors in real time. We capture this dynamic setting using a Markov process and identify the Markov perfect equilibrium. We find that in such a dynamic environment, bidders’ bidding strategies follow a cyclical pattern (Edgeworth cycle) similar to that conjectured by Edgeworth (1925) in a totally different context. A new data set that contains a detailed bidding history of all advertisers for sample keywords in a leading search engine makes it possible for us to study the real-world behavior of bidders. We propose an empirical framework based on maximum likelihood estimation of latent Markov state switching to confirm the theory. We also discuss the theoretical and practical significance of finding such cycles in an online market place.
Review: Working in the Virtual Stacks: The New Library and Information Science

Kane, Laura Townsend. Working in the Virtual Stacks: The New Library and Information Science. Chicago: American Library Association, 2011. 184p. ISBN-13: 978-0-8389-1103-7. Softcover, $47.00.
School-based Services: What does OT bring to the IFSP and IEP Table?

Occupational therapists working in early intervention and schools bring a unique perspective regarding child development and occupational performance to the table. The occupational therapy theories and frames of reference that guide pediatric practice are a key part of the occupational therapy domain and process. Occupational therapists need to carefully select appropriate theories and frames of reference to guide practice, given the unique needs of the children and students they serve.
Culture, ideology, morality, and religion: Death changes everything.

In this chapter, we consider how the reality of death changes the way human psychological motives operate. Relying on terror management theory (TMT; Greenberg, Pyszczynski, & Solomon, 1986; Solomon, Greenberg, & Pyszczynski, 1991), we argue that humanly constructed meaning systems, such as culture, ideology, morality, and religion serve important death-denying functions. Clearly, these systems also function to solve practical problems and help with survival and reproduction. Yet TMT posits that the human awareness of death added urgency to the way humans hold on to these sources of meaning, and changed the sorts of meanings that people sought to attain. We start with a brief overview of TMT and a discussion of how culture, ideology, morality, and religion are affected by awareness of mortality. The second part of the chapter addresses recent conceptualizations that have been proposed as alternatives to TMT, that argue that the problem of death is a specific case of a more general threat. We explain why we consider awareness of death a unique force for the human psyche that is responsible for changing the pursuit of meaning, value, and security in ways that affect the functioning of culture, ideology, and religion.
Making Sense Out of Insurance, Condemnation, and Settlement Clauses in Deeds of Trust

This article discusses a California case that held that moneys received by trustors in settlement of their damage claims against a contractor need not be turned over to their lender pursuant to their deed of trust, but concludes that other court are not likely to agree with the holding that "owed" means "amounts currently due and payable" instead of principal balance, and that lenders will probably revise their forms to escape that reasoning.
Reactive processing of titanium carbide with titanium

The reactive hot pressing of titanium-titanium carbide mixtures to form substoichiometric titanium carbide was studied as a function of time, temperature, pressure and composition using a Box-Behnken experimental design. Thirty samples were hot pressed at 1200 to 1600° C and 7 to 35 MPa (1000 to 5000 psi) for 0.5 to 1.5 h from mixtures containing 10 to 30vol % titanium metal. Twenty three of these samples had final densities in excess of 95% of the theoretical value. A model for the grain growth during hot pressing was developed by consideration of Kuczynski's semi-empirical sintering model and classical grain-growth models. The modification involves development of a factor which describes the behaviour of the system as a function of composition. Microstructural data, selected area diffraction patterns, and the activation energy for grain growth all indicate that the grain growth is controlled by diffusion through Ti2C-TiC and/or TiC-TiC boundaries. Densification during hot pressing was interpreted in terms of the creep of titanium metal using a power-law creep model. The activation energy for densification agrees well with the activation energy for the self-diffusion of titanium. The high densities obtained also indicate that the densification depends largely on the ductile nature of the titanium metal.
Radiation of an Antenna in a Compressible Magnetoplasma

Radiation of monofrequency antenna in compressible magnetoplasma expressing far field as sum of modal plane waves
Detalied X-ray observations of the Cygnus Loop

High quality X-ray spectral and imaging observations of the Cygnus Loop have been obtained with three different instruments. The High Resolution Imager (HRI) on the Einstein Observatory was used to obtain arcsecond resolution images of select bright regions in the Cygnus Loop which permit detailed comparisons between the X-ray, optical, and radio structure of the Loop. The Imaging Proportional Counter (IPC) on the Einstein Observatory was used to obtain an arcminute resolution map of essentially the full Loop structure. Finally, an Imaging Gas Scintillation Proportional Counter (IGSPC), carried aloft by a sounding rocket last fall, obtained modest resolution, spatially resolved spectrophotometry of the Cygnus Loop. An X-ray map of the Loop in the energy of the 0 VIII line was obtained. These data combine to yield a very powerful probe of the abundance, temperature, and density distribution of material in the supernova remnant, and in the interstellar medium.
Retirement Readiness Ratings and Retirement Savings Shortfalls for Gen Xers: The Impact of Eligibility for Participation in a 401(k) Plan

Measuring retirement security -- or retirement income adequacy -- is an extremely important topic. The May 2012 EBRI Notes article provided updates for the previously published EBRI Retirement Readiness Ratings™ as well as the average Retirement Savings Shortfalls (RSS). This paper provides sensitivity analysis on the Retirement Readiness Ratings™ by giving additional information on the percentage of the at-risk population that is relatively close to having adequate financial resources for retirement income adequacy. It also provides more detailed analysis on the distribution of the RSS. Unlike previous analyses, this paper focuses on the Gen Xer cohort (born between 1965-1974) in an attempt to assess the impact that eligibility for participation in a 401(k) plan has on these values. The dollar value of retirement savings shortfalls for Gen Xers varies considerably with the number of future years of eligibility for 401(k) plans, particularly for those in the highest severity category (simulated to have a shortfall of $200,000 or more): 13 percent of those with no future years of 401(k) eligibility have shortfalls in this range vs. only 3 percent for those with 20 or more years. Future eligibility for 401(k) plans makes a significant difference in reducing the percentage of households with shortfalls of $200,000 or more for all gender/family status combinations, but single females experience the largest absolute reduction in the percentage of those with shortfalls in this range. This paper also provides a comparative analysis of the importance of nursing home and home health care costs on retirement income adequacy. Figures 1-6 in the paper are based on the EBRI Retirement Security Projection Model® (RSPM) which simulates 1,000 alternative retirement paths for each household to explicitly model investment, longevity, and stochastic health care risks (i.e., nursing home and home health care costs). Figure 7 modifies RSPM by completely eliminating the nursing home and home health care risks to illustrate the extent of the errors introduced in models that ignore these risks.The PDF for the above title, published in the June 2012 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another June 2012 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: “Use of Health Care Services and Access Issues by Type of Health Plan: Findings from the EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey.”
Are Targeted Killings Unlawful? A Case Study in Empirical Claims Without Empirical Evidence

Critics of the U.S. policy of targeted killing by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) generally lack credible information to justify their critiques. In fact, in many circumstances their claims are easily refuted, calling into question the reliability of their criticisms. This chapter highlights some of the most striking examples of inaccurate claims raised by critics of the U.S. policy of drone based targeted killing. Specifically, this chapter offers a much needed corrective to clarify the public record or offer empirical nuance where targeted killing critics offer only unsubstantiated and conclusory statements of fact and law. Section I of this chapter discusses the decision protocol used by the U.S. military before launching a drone strike, a process that goes to extraordinary lengths to minimize civilian casualties. Although this decision protocol was once secret, recent litigation in federal court has resulted in the release of extensive information regarding U.S. targeting protocols. An analysis of this information indicates that the U.S. military engages in an unparalleled and rigorous procedure to minimize, if not eliminate entirely, civilian casualties. Although independent empirical evidence regarding civilian casualties is hard to come by, it is certainly the case that statistics proffered by some critics cannot be empirically verified; their skepticism of U.S. government statements is not backed up by anything more substantial than generic suspicion. Section II of this chapter then addresses the critics' unsubstantiated claims about the legal, diplomatic and strategic results of drone strikes. Although the counter observations raised in this chapter do not, by themselves, demonstrate that targeted killings are morally or legally justified, they do however suggest that some of the moral or legal objections to targeted killings are based on empirical claims that are either dubious, impossible to verify, or just plain false.
Inflammation and cognitive functioning in African Americans and Caucasians.

Objective To examine associations between inflammation and cognitive performance in African Americans and Caucasians. Methods The sample included 59 African Americans and 219 Caucasians ≥ 50 years old who had a baseline visit at the Emory/Georgia Tech Center for Health Discovery and Well Being. Peripheral levels of inflammation (interleukin-6, interleukin-8, C-reactive protein, and tumor necrosis factor-α) were examined in relation to performance on tests of visual processing (Identify the Odd Pattern), attention (Digit Span Forward), visuomotor set shifting (Digit Symbol Substitution), verbal set shifting (Digit Span Backwards), and memory (Recall a Pattern). Results Multiple regression models adjusting for potential demographic and vascular/metabolic confounders were conducted, with markers of inflammation included as either continuous or categorical (quartiles) variables. There were significant interactions between IL-8 and race for the Recall a Pattern (p = .006) and the Digit Symbol Substitution (p = .014) tests. Race-specific analyses (using a continuous variable for IL-8) demonstrated slower response times on the Recall a Pattern and Digit Symbol Substitution tests for African Americans but not for Caucasians. Categorical analyses among African Americans indicated that all of the top three quartiles of IL-8 were associated with slower reaction times on the Recall a Pattern test compared to the lowest quartile, while for Digit Symbol, the highest quartile of IL-8 was associated with the slowest cognitive performance. Conclusions These preliminary findings suggest a stronger association between IL-8 and cognitive performance in African Americans than Caucasians. This relationship should be further examined in larger samples that are followed over time. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Steinberg Type Decomposition Theorem for Higher Level Demazure Modules

We study Demazure modules which occur in a level $\ell$ irreducible integrable representation of an affine Lie algebra. We also assume that they are stable under the action of the standard maximal parabolic subalgebra of the affine Lie algebra. We prove that such a module is isomorphic to the fusion product of prime Demazure modules, where the prime factors are indexed by dominant integral weights which are either a multiple of $\ell$ or take value less than $\ell$ on all simple coroots. Our proof depends on a technical result which we prove in all the classical cases and $G_2$. Calculations with mathematica show that this result is correct for small values of the level. Using our result, we show that there exist generalizations of $Q$--systems to pairs of weights where one of the weights is not necessarily rectangular and is of a different level. Our results also allow us to compare the multiplicities of an irreducible representation occurring in the tensor product of certain pairs of irreducible representations, i.e., we establish a version of Schur positivity for such pairs of irreducible modules for a simple Lie algebra. We also present a more refined presentation of a larger family of modules which include Demazure modules.
Worldwide systems and applications (PV power systems)

Worldwide photovoltaics (PV) sales are expected to increase at an annual rate of over 20% in 1991 despite a lull in growth in 1990. Faster growth can be attributed to increase in demand by traditional remote power market customers and newer customers such as electric utilities, as well as increased sensitivity to environmental degradation; the availability of improved products and broader product lines; better product delivery networks; and improved economics. The Department of Energy, in partnership with the US PV industry, major customer groups, and regulatory bodies, has embarked on a program of market conditioning and project development that supplements its traditional R&D role. This program, SOLAR 2000, has set a goal of achieving a worldwide installation of 1500 MW of US PV power systems by the year 2000. >
High resolution mapping of Xenopus laevis 5S and ribosomal RNA genes by EM in situ hybridization.

We have developed a modification of in situ hybridization at the electron microscope level that permits simultaneous detection of at least two sequences. Probes are labelled with either biotin or AAF and detected with two distinct sizes of colloidal gold. This protocol has been applied to map the positions of Xenopus laevis oocyte-type 5S genes relative to ribosomal precursor genes in several independently derived cell lines. The results for the line TRXO, which expresses some oocyte 5S RNA, indicate that this inappropriate expression is not due to translocation from telomeric sites into the nucleolus organizer, as previously hypothesized (7). In addition we found that four other Xenopus cell lines, none of which express these genes, also contain distinct, 5S oocyte translocations. These results suggest that an alteration in chromosome position is insufficient to result in gene activation and that sequences which are telomeric-proximal are exceptionally prone to translocation.