cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrity Checking of Function Pointers inźKernel Pools via Virtual Machine Introspection

With the introduction of kernel integrity checking mechanisms in modern operating systems, such as PatchGuard on Windows OS, malware developers can no longer easily install stealthy hooks in kernel code and well-known data structures. Instead, they must target other areas of the kernel, such as the heap, which stores a large number of function pointers that are potentially prone to malicious exploits. These areas of kernel memory are currently not monitored by kernel integrity checkers. We present a novel approach to monitoring the integrity of Windows kernel pools, based entirely on virtual machine introspection, called HookLocator. Unlike prior efforts to maintain kernel integrity, our implementation runs entirely outside the monitored system, which makes it inherently more difficult to detect and subvert. Our system also scales easily to protect multiple virtualized targets. Unlike other kernel integrity checking mechanisms, HookLocator does not require the source code of the operating system, complex reverse engineering efforts, or the debugging map files. Our empirical analysis of kernel heap behavior shows that integrity monitoring needs to focus only on a small fraction of it to be effective; this allows our prototype to provide effective real-time monitoring of the protected system.
Renal angiomyolipoma: Diagnosis and management

Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) can present symptomatically or asymptomatically and as a sporadic or hereditary manifestation. Hereditary AML occurs in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC); the variable expression of this syndrome is such that typical physical features may be subtle, with the presence of AML dominating the picture and appearing as a sporadic occurrence. In most cases, the diagnosis of AML is confirmed radiographically because of the presence of fat content in the tumor. Angiomyolipoma is the only solid renal tumor that can be diagnosed confidently by radiographic imaging alone, although in some cases the fat of the tumor may be so small that a diagnosis of a malignant solid tumor cannot be excluded.
Remote Sensing, Public Health & Disaster Mitigation

The authors review advances in applications for geotechnologies, specifically earth-observing satellite remote sensing, geo-positioning (i.e. USA’s Global Positioning System (GPS), Russia’s Global’naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS), Europe’s Galileo and China’s Beidou/Compass) and selected geo-spatial modeling software for public health and disaster management applications, with an emphasis on environmental health and environmental sustainability. Specific applications addressed include the use of remote sensing for infectious disease vector habitat identification and ecologically sustainable disease vector population mitigation, as well as the integration of GPS into mobile CD4 testing devices for HIV/AIDS. Public domain software models described include the Spatio-Temporal Epidemiological Modeler (STEM) and the Hydrologic Engineering River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) for flood modeling. Examples of regional, national and global real-time data acquisition and near-real-time data product development and distribution for time-critical events are offered, specifically through the Purdue Terrestrial Observatory (PTO), the United States Geological Survey (USGS) supported AmericaView and the International Charter – Space & Major Disasters.
Preparation, characterization and carbonylation of the ring-functionalized dibenzyl zirconocenes,

Abstract The preparation, characterization and carbonylation products of the ring-functionalized alkyl zirconocenes, ( η 5 C 5 H 5 )( η 5 -C 5 H 4 -P(C 6 H 5 ) 2 Zr(CH 2 C 6 H 5 ) 2 ( 1 ), ( η 5 -C 5 H 4 -P(C 6 H 5 ) 2 ) 2 Zr(CH 2 C 6 H 5 ) 2 ( 2 ) are described. These compounds insert one molecule of CO to give products which interconvert between an acyl form and a phosphonium-alkoxide form at ambient temperatures via a reversible nucleophilic attack of the phosphine at the carbenium-like η 2 -acyl carbon as shown through the variable-temperature 1 H and 31 P{ 1 H} NMR studies.
Circadian blueprint of metabolic pathways in the brain.

The circadian clock is an endogenous, time-tracking system that directs multiple metabolic and physiological functions required for homeostasis. The master or central clock located within the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus governs peripheral clocks present in all systemic tissues, contributing to their alignment and ultimately to temporal coordination of physiology. Accumulating evidence reveals the presence of additional clocks in the brain and suggests the possibility that circadian circuits may feed back to these from the periphery. Here, we highlight recent advances in the communications between clocks and discuss how they relate to circadian physiology and metabolism. In addition to the central pacemaker, the mammalian brain contains additional circadian clocks. In this Review, Greco and Sassone–Corsi discuss how systemic homeostasis relies on the coordinated communication between these clocks.
Threshold Switching and Memory Behaviors of Epitaxially Regrown GaN-on-GaN Vertical p - n Diodes With High Temperature Stability

This letter reports the observation of threshold switching and memory behaviors of epitaxially regrown GaN-on-GaN vertical p-n diodes. This mechanism was ascribed to the conductive path formed by traps in the insulating layer at the regrowth interface after soft breakdown. The device can reliably switch more than 1000 cycles at both room temperature and 300°C with small fluctuation on the set and reset voltage. The set voltage increased with the increasing temperature due to the enhanced thermal detrapping effect that made it harder to form conductive path at high temperatures. Besides, the device showed memory behaviors when the reset voltage was higher than 4.4 V. This letter can serve as an important reference to further developing GaN-based memory devices and integrated circuits.
Matrix effects in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The inductively coupled plasma is an electrodeless discharge in a gas (usually Ar) at atmospheric pressure. Radio frequency energy generated by a RF power source is inductively coupled to the plasma gas through a water cooled load coil. In ICP-MS the {open_quotes}Fassel{close_quotes} TAX quartz torch commonly used in emission is mounted horizontally. The sample aerosol is introduced into the central flow, where the gas kinetic temperature is about 5000 K. The aerosol is vaporized, atomized, excited and ionized in the plasma, and the ions are subsequently extracted through two metal apertures (sampler and skimmer) into the mass spectrometer. In ICP-MS, the matrix effects, or non-spectroscopic interferences, can be defined as the type of interferences caused by dissolved concomitant salt ions in the solution. Matrix effects can be divided into two categories: (1) signal drift due to the deposition of solids on the sampling apertures; and/or (2) signal suppression or enhancement by the presence of the dissolved salts. The first category is now reasonably understood. The dissolved salts, especially refractory oxides, tend to deposit on the cool tip of the sampling cone. The clogging of the orifices reduces the ion flow into the ICP-MS, lowers the pressure in the first stage of ICP-MS, and enhances the level of metal oxide ions. Because the extent of the clogging increases with the time, the signal drifts down. Even at the very early stage of the development of ICP-MS, matrix effects had been observed. Houk et al. found out that the ICP-MS was not tolerant to solutions containing significant amounts of dissolved solids.
Parity predisposes breasts to the oncogenic action of PAPP-A and activation of the collagen receptor DDR2

Women who had children at a young age (less than 25) show a reduced overall risk of breast cancer. However, epidemiological studies showed that for all other women, pregnancy increases the risk of breast cancer and the risk remains higher for decades. Further, even in women who had children at a young age, there is a transient increase risk that peaks 6 years after pregnancy. Women diagnosed with breast cancer following pregnancy show a higher rate of metastasis. Yet, the factors that increase the predisposition of post-partum breasts to more aggressive cancers remain unknown. Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) is a secreted protease that is overexpressed in more than 70% of breast cancers. However, PAPP-A is a collagen-dependent oncogene. We initiated this study to test the effect of PAPP-A on the predisposition of post-partum breasts. We used PAPP-A mouse models for the analysis of its effect on virgin, involuting, or post-partum mammary glands. We performed second-harmonic generation microscopy for the analysis of collagen, defined tumor-associated collagen signature (TACS), the rate of mammary tumors, and the status of the collagen-DDR2-Snail axis of metastasis. We knockdown DDR2 by CRISPR and performed invasion assays. A transcriptomic approach was used to define a PAPP-A and parity-dependent genetic signature and assess its correlation with breast cancer recurrence in humans. We confirmed that post-partum mammary glands have a higher level of collagen than virgin glands and that this collagen is characterized by an anti-proliferative architecture. However, PAPP-A converts the anti-proliferative post-partum collagen into pro-tumorigenic collagen. We show that PAPP-A activates the collagen receptor DDR2 and metastasis. Further, deletion of DDR2 by CRISPR abolished the effect of PAPP-A on invasion. We defined a PAPP-A-driven genetic signature that identifies patients at higher risk of metastasis. These results support the notion that information about pregnancy may be critical in the prognosis of breast cancer as passage through a single pregnancy predisposes to the oncogenic action of PAPP-A. Our data indicate that history of pregnancy combined with the expression of PAPP-A-driven genetic signature may be useful to identify patients at higher risk of metastatic disease.
A bounded actor–critic reinforcement learning algorithm applied to airline revenue management

Abstract Reinforcement Learning (RL) is an artificial intelligence technique used to solve Markov and semi-Markov decision processes. Actor critics form a major class of RL algorithms that suffer from a critical deficiency, which is that the values of the so-called actor in these algorithms can become very large causing computer overflow. In practice, hence, one has to artificially constrain these values, via a projection, and at times further use temperature-reduction tuning parameters in the popular Boltzmann action-selection schemes to make the algorithm deliver acceptable results. This artificial bounding and temperature reduction, however, do not allow for full exploration of the state space, which often leads to sub-optimal solutions on large-scale problems. We propose a new actor–critic algorithm in which (i) the actor’s values remain bounded without any projection and (ii) no temperature-reduction tuning parameter is needed. The algorithm also represents a significant improvement over a recent version in the literature, where although the values remain bounded they usually become very large in magnitude, necessitating the use of a temperature-reduction parameter. Our new algorithm is tested on an important problem in an area of management science known as airline revenue management, where the state-space is very large. The algorithm delivers encouraging computational behavior, outperforming a well-known industrial heuristic called EMSR-b on industrial data.
Abstract 4577: Anti-tumor immunity is a key determinant of small cell lung cancer survivorship

Introduction: While most small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients die within a few months, a sub-group of patients survive for many years. Factors determining long-term survivorship remain largely unknown. We present the first comprehensive comparative genomic and tumor microenvironment analyses of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) between patients with long term (LTS) and expected (EXS) survival times. Methods: We compared surgically resected tumors of 23 LTS (survival > 4 years) and 18 EXS (survival ≤ 2 years). There were no differences in clinical variables including TNM staging and curative versus non-curative intend surgery between the groups. Gene expression profiling was performed by microarrays and tumor microenvironment analyses were by IHC of prominent immune related markers. Results: Immune related genes and pathways represented the majority of the differentially overexpressed genes in LTS compared to the EXS. The differences in the immunological tumor-microenvironment were confirmed by quantitative immuno-staining. Increased numbers of tumor infiltrating and associated lymphocytes were present throughout tumors of LTS. Several differentiating patterns of enhanced anti-tumor immunity were identified. While some areas of LTS tumors also harbored higher numbers of suppressive immune cells (monocytes, regulatory lymphocytes, and macrophages), ratios of these suppressive cells to CD3+ lymphocytes were generally lower in LTS tumors indicating a more tumor suppressive microenvironment. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that long-term survivorship of SCLC patients is strongly influenced by the presence of anti-tumor immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Characterization of the anti-tumor immune responses may identify opportunities for individualized immunotherapies for SCLC. Citation Format: Farhad Kosari, Prasuna Muppa, Simone Terra, Anurag Sharma, Aaron Mansfield, Marie Christine Aubry, Nafiseh Janaki, Aqsa Nasir, Tobias Peikert. Anti-tumor immunity is a key determinant of small cell lung cancer survivorship [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4577.
Identification and Dissection of Diverse Mouse Adipose Depots

Adipose tissues are complex organs with a wide array of functions, including storage and mobilization of energy in response to local and global needs, uncoupling of metabolism to generate heat, and secretion of adipokines to regulate whole-body homeostasis and immune responses. Emerging research is identifying important regional differences in the developmental, molecular, and functional profiles of adipocytes located in discrete depots throughout the body. Different properties of the depots are medically relevant since metabolic diseases often demonstrate depot-specific effects. This protocol will provide investigators with a detailed anatomic atlas and dissection guide for the reproducible and accurate identification and excision of diverse mouse adipose tissues. Standardized dissection of discrete adipose depots will allow detailed comparisons of their molecular and metabolic characteristics and contributions to local and systemic pathologic states under various nutritional and environmental conditions.
Endoluminal Gastric Pouch Revision

Bariatric surgery remains the mainstay for effective management of obesity and its comorbidities. However, despite initial success, 10–30% of bariatric patients will regain initial weight loss with 14% of which requires revision surgery. Weight gain after bariatric surgery is often a result of gastric pouch or anastomosis dilation. Traditionally, operative gastric pouch revision was employed to manage weight recidivism with mixed results. More recently, there have been a wide variety of bariatric endoluminal therapies to limit the functional capacity of the gastric pouch. These techniques may provide an effective minimally invasive approach and could be good alternatives for treatment of weight recidivism after restrictive bariatric procedures.
Combined association of BTEX and material hardship on ADHD-suggestive behaviours among a nationally representative sample of US children.

Background Previous research shows that environmental and social factors contribute to the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Objective To determine the relationship between early-life exposure to common ambient air pollutants (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene, also known as BTEX), household material hardship (a measure of socio-economic status), and ADHD-suggestive behaviours in kindergarten-age children. Methods Pollutant exposure estimated from the 2002 National Air Toxics Assessment at each child's residential ZIP code at enrolment was linked to the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort (n = 4650). Material hardship was assigned as a composite score of access to food, health care, and housing. Kindergarten teachers rated children's behaviours and activity in the classroom using a five-point Likert scale. Children with summary scores in the bottom decile were classified as displaying ADHD-suggestive behaviours. Logistic regression models were constructed to estimate the association between both BTEX exposure and material hardship on ADHD-suggestive behaviours. Results The odds of displaying ADHD-suggestive behaviours were greater in children with combined high-level exposure to BTEX and in those experiencing material hardship (odds ratio 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12, 2.11, and OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.25, 3.59, respectively), adjusting for covariates. These associations were stronger when restricting the study population to urban areas. There was no evidence of interaction between early life BTEX exposure and material hardship, although the effects of BTEX exposure were slightly greater in magnitude among those with higher material hardship scores. Conclusions Children exposed to air toxics, material hardship, or both early in life are more likely to display signs of ADHD-suggestive behaviours as assessed by their kindergarten teachers. The associations between exposures to air pollution and to socio-economic hardship were observed in all children but were particularly strong in those living in urban areas.
Does Animation Improve Comprehension of Risk Information in Patients with Low Health Literacy? A Randomized Trial:

Introduction. Enhanced visual effects, like animation, have the potential to improve comprehension of probabilistic risk information, particularly for those with lower health literacy. We tested the effect of presentation format on comprehension of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening probabilities to identify optimal risk communication strategies. Methods. Participants from a community foodbank and a cancer prevention center were randomized to 1 of 3 CRC screening risk presentations. The presentations used identical content but varied in format: 1) video with animated pictographs, 2) video with static pictographs, and 3) audiobooklet with static pictographs. Participants completed pre- and postpresentation surveys. The primary outcome was knowledge of probability/risk information regarding CRC screening, calculated as total, verbatim, and gist scores. Results. In total, 187 participants completed the study and were included in this analysis. Median age was 58 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 14 years), most participants were women (63%), and almost half had a high school education or less (46%). Approximately one-quarter had inadequate health literacy (Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults marginal/inadequate: 28%; Brief Health Literacy Screener low: 18%), and about half had low numeracy (Subjective Numeracy Scale low: 54%; Graphical Literacy Measure low: 50%). We found no significant differences in total, verbatim, or gist knowledge across presentation formats (all P > 0.05). Discussion. Use of an animated pictograph to communicate risk does not appear to augment or impede knowledge of risk information. Regardless of health literacy level, difficulty understanding pictographs presenting numerical information persists. There may be a benefit to teaching or priming individuals on how to interpret numerical information presented in pictographs before communicating risk using visual methods. Trial Registry: NCT02151032.
Blind Leading the Sighted: Drawing Design Insights from Blind Users towards More Productivity-oriented Voice Interfaces

Voice-activated personal assistants (VAPAs) are becoming smaller, cheaper, and more accurate, such that they are now prevalent in homes (e.g., Amazon Echo, Sonos One) and on mobile devices (e.g., Google Assistant, Apple Siri) around the world. VAPAs offer considerable potential to individuals who are blind, offering efficiencies over gesture-based input on touchscreen devices. However, research is just beginning to reveal the ways in which these technologies are used by people who are blind. In the first of two studies, we interviewed 14 blind adults with experience of home and/or mobile-based VAPAs, surfacing myriad accessibility, usability, and privacy issues for this community. A second study analyzing podcast content from 28 episodes relating to blind interactions with VAPAs was then undertaken to validate and extend findings from the first study. In addition to verifying prior findings, we learned that blind users wanted to leverage VAPAs for more productivity-oriented tasks and increased efficiency over other interaction modalities. We conclude that (1) VAPAs need to support a greater variety of AI personas, each specializing in a specific type of task; (2) VAPAs need to maintain continuity of voice interaction for both usability and accessibility; and (3) blind VAPA users, and especially blind technology podcasters, are expert voice interface users who should be incorporated into design processes from the beginning. We argue that when the blind lead the sighted through voice interface design, both blind and sighted users can benefit.
The Association of High School Computer Science Content and Pedagogy with Students’ Success in College Computer Science

The number of computer science (CS) courses has been dramatically expanding in U.S. high schools (HS). In comparison with well-established courses in mathematics and science, little is known about how the decisions made by HS CS teachers regarding how and what to teach impact student performance later in introductory college CS courses. Drawing on a large sample of 2,871 introductory college CS students at 115 U.S. institutions who had taken a CS course in HS, we examined the topic coverage and prevailing instructional methods in the HS course and investigated how these experiences influenced student performance in college CS. Controlling for differences in student background, we find two predictors of higher grades in college CS: greater frequency of coding-related activities in HS (programming, debugging, studying algorithms) and lower frequency of “non-coding” computer use (e.g., data analysis, computer security). Interaction models revealed a more complex story. Coding-related activity more heavily benefited students who did not have coding help available at home. In the 28% of college CS courses in which instructors employed innovative pedagogies, students with higher ACT or SAT mathematics scores had a greater advantage than in traditionally taught courses. Finally, in the innovative college courses, students whose HS CS exams had typically included testing on vocabulary did worse than students whose exams had not included such tests.
Solvent-dependent energy and charge transfer dynamics in hydroporphyrin-BODIPY arrays.

Arrays of hydroporphyrins with boron complexes of dipyrromethene (BODIPY) are a promising platform for biomedical imaging or solar energy conversion, but their photophysical properties have been relatively unexplored. In this paper, we use time-resolved fluorescence, femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, and density-functional-theory calculations to elucidate solvent-dependent energy and electron-transfer processes in a series of chlorin- and bacteriochlorin-BODIPY arrays. Excitation of the BODIPY moiety results in ultrafast energy transfer to the hydroporphyrin moiety, regardless of the solvent. In toluene, energy is most likely transferred via the through-space Forster mechanism from the S1 state of BODIPY to the S2 state of hydroporphyrin. In DMF, substantially faster energy transfer is observed, which implies a contribution of the through-bond Dexter mechanism. In toluene, excited hydroporphyrin components show bright fluorescence, with quantum yield and fluorescence lifetime comparable to those of the benchmark monomer, whereas in DMF, moderate to significant reduction of both quantum yield and fluorescence lifetime are observed. We attribute this quenching to photoinduced charge transfer from hydroporphyrin to BODIPY. No direct spectral signature of the charge-separated state is observed, which suggests that either (1) the charge-separated state decays very quickly to the ground state or (2) virtual charge-separated states, close in energy to S1 of hydroporphyrin, promote ultrafast internal conversion.
Equality at the Ballot Box: Votes for Women on the Northern Great Plains

Review of: Equality at the Ballot Box: Votes for Women on the Northern Great Plains, edited by Lori Ann Lahlum and Molly P. Rozum.
Neutrino Masses in an Extended Gauge Model with E_6 Particle Content

Naturally light singlet neutrinos which mix with the usual doublet neutrinos are possible if the supersymmetric standard gauge model is extended to include a specific additional U(1) factor derivable from E_6 decomposition. The low-energy particle content of the model is limited to the fundamental 27 representations of E_6.
NLM-Gene, a richly annotated gold standard dataset for gene entities that addresses ambiguity and multi-species gene recognition.

Abstract The automatic recognition of gene names and their corresponding database identifiers in biomedical text is an important first step for many downstream text-mining applications. While current methods for tagging gene entities have been developed for biomedical literature, their performance on species other than human is substantially lower due to the lack of annotation data. We therefore present the NLM-Gene corpus, a high-quality manually annotated corpus for genes developed at the US National Library of Medicine (NLM), covering ambiguous gene names, with an average of 29 gene mentions (10 unique identifiers) per document, and a broader representation of different species (including Homo sapiens, Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, Drosophila melanogaster, Arabidopsis thaliana, Danio rerio, etc.) when compared to previous gene annotation corpora. NLM-Gene consists of 550 PubMed abstracts from 156 biomedical journals, doubly annotated by six experienced NLM indexers, randomly paired for each document to control for bias. The annotators worked in three annotation rounds until they reached complete agreement. This gold-standard corpus can serve as a benchmark to develop & test new gene text mining algorithms. Using this new resource, we have developed a new gene finding algorithm based on deep learning which improved both on precision and recall from existing tools. The NLM-Gene annotated corpus is freely available at ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/lu/NLMGene . We have also applied this tool to the entire PubMed/PMC with their results freely accessible through our web-based tool PubTator ( www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/research/pubtator ).
Do mothers and fathers agree? Examining interparental ratings of youth externalizing behaviors among ethnically diverse families.

Objective This study examined the association between youth, parent, and family characteristics in mother-father agreement of youth externalizing behaviors among ethnically diverse families. Method Eighty-eight mother-father dyads of youth (44% Latino, 38% European-American, 17% African American) 6-16 years participated. Results Overall associations between parent's reports of youth behavior problems were positively correlated. Significant predictors of parent difference scores in regression analyses included mother's depression scores (negatively), mother and father parenting stress scores (positively and negatively, respectively), and child's symptom severity (positively in the Inattention and Learning Problems models; negatively in the Defiance/Aggression model). Conclusions Results highlight the need for psychosocial screening of youth's parents during child psychological assessment to identify situations in which both parent reports are needed for youth assessment. Further, it contributes to the small literature base of discrepancies in parent reports in minority youth and expands upon the minimal research involving paternal caregivers.
Linear Relationship Between dV/dt and Grain Volume During Grain Growth

The volumetric growth rate of individual grains has been found empirically to be directly proportional to their individual volume, dV/dt = β(V0 − V). This simple result extends from the relationship $${\mathrm{d}}V/{\mathrm{d}}t=-k{M}_{\mathrm{S}},$$ where MS is integral mean curvature of the boundaries of individual grains and k the grain growth rate constant, and the experimentally observed linear relationship between $${M}_{\mathrm{S}}$$ and individual grain volume, $${M}_{\mathrm{S}}$$ = α(V0 − V). Here, α is a scaling parameter that collapses the relationships for separate times of growth into a single trend. It has been shown that α = $$\gamma {\bar{V}}^{-2/3}$$ where γ is an experimentally determined constant ≃ − 2.7 and $${\bar{V}}$$ is the mean grain volume. Thus, β = −kα = 2.7k $${\bar{V}}^{-2/3}$$ , simply proportional to the scale of the overall grain structure. These relationships have been tested successfully in numerous 3D grain growth simulations and experiments. This paper describes the relationships among these kinetic and geometric grain characteristics that provide this surprisingly simple description of 3D grain growth, i.e., a linear relationship between the growth rate of an individual grain and its volume.
Environmental Federalism in a Polarized Era

Environmental policy making and implementation in the United States occurs within a federal system. This system has served its purpose for nearly five decades but is now being challenged by four tr...
Measuring Uncertainty About Long-Run Prediction

Long-run forecasts of economic variables play an important role in policy, planning, and portfolio decisions. We consider long-horizon forecasts of average growth of a scalar variable, assuming that first differences are second-order stationary. The main contribution is the construction of predictive sets with asymptotic coverage over a wide range of data generating processes, allowing for stochastically trending mean growth, slow mean reversion and other types of long-run dependencies. We illustrate the method by computing predictive sets for 10 to 75 year average growth rates of U.S. real per-capita GDP, consumption, productivity, price level, stock prices and population.
How Molecules Became Signs

To explore how molecules became signs I will ask: “What sort of process is necessary and sufficient to treat a molecule as a sign?” This requires focusing on the interpreting system and its interpretive competence. To avoid assuming any properties that need to be explained I develop what I consider to be a simplest possible molecular model system which only assumes known physics and chemistry but nevertheless exemplifies the interpretive properties of interest. Three progressively more complex variants of this model of interpretive competence are developed that roughly parallel an icon-index-symbol hierarchic scaffolding logic. The implication of this analysis is a reversal of the current dogma of molecular and evolutionary biology which treats molecules like DNA and RNA as the original sources of biological information. Instead I argue that the structural characteristics of these molecules have provided semiotic affordances that the interpretive dynamics of viruses and cells have taken advantage of. These molecules are not the source of biological information but are instead semiotic artifacts onto which dynamical functional constraints have been progressively offloaded during the course of evolution.
Ultrasound of Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter and Stroke Outcomes.

We aimed at utilizing ocular ultrasound to determine its utility in predicting outcomes among stroke patients. DESIGN Single-center prospective observational study. SETTING Emergency department and ICUs. PATIENTS Patients suspected of stroke. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASURES AND MAIN RESULTS Bilateral optic nerve sheath diameter was measured on arrival and within the first 2 days of admission. Outcomes were inpatient survival, Cerebral Performance Category, and modified Rankin Scale at 3 and 6 months. Analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, paired t test, chi-square test. Eighty-six patients were enrolled with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Mean age was 67.2 years (± 15 yr), and 54.7% of patients were male. There was no difference between left and right eye measurements (p = 0.467 and p = 0.903, respectively) or between longitudinal and transverse measurements (transverse p = 0.163 and longitudinal p = 0.270). Mean optic nerve sheath diameter differed in patients who survived versus died prior to discharge in both ischemic (0.53 vs 0.58 cm; p = 0.009) or hemorrhagic stroke (0.57 vs 0.62 cm; p = 0.019). For every 0.1 cm increase in optic nerve sheath diameter, odds ratio for death were 4.2 among ischemic stroke (95% CI, 1.32-13.64; p = 0.015), and odds ratio 6.2 among ischemic or hemorrhagic patients (95% CI, 1.160-33.382; p = 0.033). Increased optic nerve sheath diameter correlated (r = 0.44; p < 0.0001) with poor functional outcomes measured as modified Rankin Scale scores of 3-6 at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS Elevations in optic nerve sheath diameter were associated with increased inhospital mortality and poor functional outcome at 6 months. Optic nerve sheath diameter may serve as a noninvasive marker of inhospital mortality and functional outcome. Further multicenter prospective trials for evaluating and treating optic nerve sheath diameter in ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes are warranted.
Use of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and vitamin E and manipulation of dietary calcium to improve tenderness of beef

The objective of this trial was to determine whether a single bolus of 25hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH D3), vitamin E, or a combination of the two would improve the tenderness of steaks from the longissimus dorsi of beef heifers. Forty-eight Angus cross heifers were allotted randomly to 8 pens. Six heifers were in each pen, and there were two pens per treatment. The four treatments included Control, no 25-OH D3 or vitamin E; 25-OH D3, 500 mg of 25-OH D3 administered as a one-time oral bolus 7 d before harvest; Vitamin E, 1000 IU of vitamin E administered daily as a top-dress for 104 d before harvest; or Combination, 500 mg of 25-OH D3 administered as a one-time oral bolus 7 d before harvest and 1000 IU of vitamin E administered daily as a top-dress for 104 d before harvest. Blood samples were obtained on the day that heifers were allotted to treatments, on the day 25-OH D3 was administered, and on the day before harvest. Plasma calcium concentration was increased in plasma when 25-OH D3 was administered with or without vitamin E (P < 0.007). In longissimus dorsi muscle, calcium concentration tended to increase (P = 0.10) when 25-OH D3 was administered alone but not when 25-OH D3 was administered with vitamin E. Concentrations of 25-OH D3 and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2 D3) in plasma were increased when 25-OH D3 was administered with or without vitamin E (P < 0.001). Steaks from heifers treated with 25-OH D3 or vitamin E, but not both, tended to be more tender than steaks in the control group after aging for 14 d (P = 0.08). Postmortem protein degradation as measured by western blot of the 30-kDa degradation product of troponin-T was increased with all treatments after 3 d of aging, but at 7 and 14 d there were no changes. Overall, use of 500 mg of 25-OH D3 fed as an oral bolus 7 d before harvest or 1000 IU of vitamin E
Interactive Perception in Clutter

In robotic manipulation tasks, perception traditionally precedes the act of manipulation, after which the two are typically interleaved. Perception thus enables efficient and effective manipulation. This paper explores the idea that manipulation enables efficient and effective perception, which in turn improves performance on the overall robotic manipulation task. We study this idea in cluttered environments in two contexts sorting small objects on a crowded tabletop and exploration of small occluded environments (e.g., the shelf of a home refrigerator). For object sorting, we present a robust pipeline that uses two simple motion primitives to manipulate a cluttered scene of Duplo bricks in ways that improve the robot’s perceptual, (and hence) grasping and sorting abilities. Using the PR2, we experimentally compare brick sorting with and without manipulation aids explicitly introduced to improve perception. We show substantial improvement on the overall task (sorting) by inserting manipulation aids into the task operation. For exploring a cluttered environment, we describe a strategy that uses adaptive look-ahead planning interleaved with object manipulation to improve perception. We present preliminary simulation results using this planner.
Beam shaping and production of vortex beams in coherent Raman generation

We explore the role of spatial shaping in nonlinear interactions of ultrafast laser beams. We investigate the coherent transfer of orbital angular momentum in PbWO 4 crystal by using two time-delayed linearly chirped infrared pulses.
Isolated Congenital Lipase—Colipase Deficiency

A 5-yr-old child with isolated combined pancreatic lipase and colipase deficiency is described. The patient has a history of passing oily stools since birth. Pancreatic stimulation tests showed that both lipase and colipase activities were
Viva Voce: Implications from the Disappearing Voice Vote, 1865–1996†

Objective Congressional votes are only recorded if a member formally requests a roll call vote, and that request is supported by one-fifth of those present. Many votes pass viva voce and are never recorded. We seek to examine changing patterns of unrecorded voting, analyze the causes of these changes, and consider the implications of these changes for congressional scholars. Methods Using landmark legislation from the 39th (1865–1867) to the 104th Congress (1995–1996), we analyze whether bills receive a recorded or unrecorded final passage vote. Results We find that while the likelihood that a landmark law receives a recorded final passage vote fluctuates over time, electoral pressures consistently influence members’ decisions to record their votes. Conclusions We argue that studies of Congress must account for the roll call generating process when analyzing roll call data.
High frequency lumped element models for substrate noise coupling

Lumped element models for the frequency dependence of substrate parasitics in integrated circuits are evaluated. The frequency ranges for which these models are applicable have been identified. Two new models that are suitable for very high frequencies are also presented.
Chromophore Content of Blue-Green Algal Phycobiliproteins

The chromophore content of blue-green algal phycocyanin and allophycocyanin, derived from a unicellular blue-green alga of Synechococcus sp., has been determined by quantitative spectrophotometry. Phycocyanin carries three covalently bound phycocyanobilin chromophores per monomer (molecular weight 36,700). Two of these chromophores are attached to the β subunit and one to the α subunit. Allophycocyanin has a single chromophore per polypeptide chain (molecular weight 16,500). Experiments with blue-green algae belonging to other taxonomic groups (Aphanocapsa sp. and Anabaena sp.) indicate that this chromophore distribution holds generally among cyanophytan phycobiliproteins. Bennett and Bogorad ((1971) Biochemistry 10, 3625) have reported earlier that 3 molecules of phycoerythrobilin are bound per monomer of cyanophytan phycoerythrin, two on the β subunit and one on the α subunit. The present work completes the assignment of the distribution of the chromophores among the blue-green algal phycobiliproteins and their subunits.
Paper chromatography of carbohydrates and related compounds.

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of paper chromatography of carbohydrates and related compounds. The chapter surveys the application of filter-paper chromatography to carbohydrates and certain of their derivatives. It discusses the different methods of arranging the filter paper in the chromatographic chamber— descending, ascending, and circular or horizontal development. The filter paper most commonly used is Whatman No. 1. Many different solvent developers are used in the separation of sugars and related compounds. Three of these, phenol–water, collidine–water, and l-butanol–acetic acid–water, also commonly employed in the resolution of amino acid mixtures, are widely used. On theoretical grounds, low retention factor ( R F ) values, in the range of 0.2 to 0.3, are most desirable for maximum separations. The size of the areas occupied by the spots results in overlapping at low R F values, even though the partition coefficients are favorable for separation.
Downregulation of HSulf-1 promotes autocrine signaling in breast cancer

B39 Heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans (HS-GAGs) are the oligosaccharide chains of heparan sulfate proteoglycans and interact with various extracellular signaling molecules as a low-affinity receptor to regulate their activities. The sulfation of HS-GAG residues is required for its interaction with heparin-binding growth factors to activate their high-affinity receptor tyrosine kinases. The alterations in HS-GAG sulfation and the consequences associated with pathology are, however, poorly characterized. The HS-GAG endosulfatase HSulf-1 is downregulated in ovarian, breast and several other cancer cell lines. Here we show that HSulf-1 inhibits autocrine activation of the EGFR-ERK pathway induced by serum withdrawal in MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells. The neutralization antibodies against the heparin-binding growth factor family of the EGF superfamily, amphiregulin and HB-EGF, inhibit autocrine signaling. Furthermore, HSulf-1-mediated inhibition of autocrine signaling was associated with reduced cyclinD1 levels, leading to decreased S-phase fraction and increased G2-M fraction, and increased cell death. Finally, evaluation of HSulf-1 expression levels in primary invasive breast tumors by RNA in situ hybridization indicated that HSulf-1 is downregulated in majority (60%) of tumors. These data suggest a potential role of HSulf-1 in mammary carcinogenesis.
Dirhodium(II) Tetrakis(methyl 2‐pyrrolidone‐5‐(S)‐carboxylate)

[131766-06-8] C24H36N4O12Rh2 (MW 778.46) InChI = 1S/4C6H9NO3.2Rh/c4*1-10-6(9)4-2-3-5(8)7-4;;/h4*4H,2-3H2,1H3,(H,7,8);;/q;;;;2*+2/p-4/t4*4-;;/m0000../s1 InChIKey = BJHLPXCDLYHGIN-USACGBMHSA-J (highly enantioselective catalyst for carbenoid reactions of diazo compounds)1-3 Physical Data: λ 615 nm, e 211 (ClCH2CH2Cl). 1H NMR (CDCl3) of Rh2(5S-MEPY)4(MeCN)2: δ 4.32 (dd, J = 8.8, 3.0 Hz, 2H), 3.95 (dd, J = 8.6, 2.1 Hz, 2H), 3.70 (s, 6H), 3.68 (s, 6H), 2.70–2.55 (m, 4H), 2.26 (s, 6H), 1.8–2.4 (m, 12H). [α]d23 = −259.5° (MeCN, c = 0.098). Solubility: sol MeOH, MeCN, acetone; slightly sol CH2Cl2, ClCH2CH2Cl, toluene. Form Supplied in: red crystals as the bis-acetonitrile complex; blue solid after removal of the axial nitrile ligands. Preparative Method: from Dirhodium(II) Tetraacetate by ligand substitution with methyl 2-pyrrolidone-5(S)-carboxylate.4, 5 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: air stable, weakly hygroscopic; stored in desiccator.
Transesophageal Doppler echocardiography of pulmonary venous flow: A new marker of mitral regurgitation severity

Pulmonary venous flow varies with different cardiac conditions. Flow patterns in response to mitral regurgitation have not been well studied, but flows may vary enough to differentiate among different grades of regurgitation. Accordingly, pulmonary venous flow velocities were recorded in 50 consecutive patients referred for outpatient (n = 26) or intraoperative (mitral valve repair; n = 24) echocardiographic examination for mitral regurgitation. Recordings were made of right and left upper pulmonary veins with pulsed wave Doppler transesophageal echocardiography. Mitral regurgitation was graded from 1+ to 4+ by an independent observer using transesophageal color flow mapping. The results of cardiac catheterization performed 5 weeks earlier in 43 of the patients were also graded for mitral regurgitation by an independent observer. Pulmonary venous flow patterns, the presence of reversed systolic flow and peak systolic and diastolic flow velocities were compared with the severity of mitral regurgitation indicated by each technique. Of the 28 patients with 4+ regurgitation by transesophageal color flow mapping, 26 (93%) had reversed systolic flow. The sensitivity of reversed systolic flow in detecting 4+ mitral regurgitation by transesophageal color flow mapping was 93% and the specificity was 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of reversed systolic flow in detecting 4+ mitral regurgitation by cardiac catheterization were 86% and 81%, respectively. Discordant flows were observed in 9 (24%) of 38 patients; the left vein usually showed blunted systolic flow and the right showed reversed systolic flow. In 22 intraoperative patients, there was "normalization" of pulmonary venous systolic flow after mitral valve repair in the postcardiopulmonary bypass study compared with the prebypass study after the mitral regurgitant leak was corrected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Excitation of surface waves in a photonic crystal with negative refraction: The role of surface termination

Results of the excitation of surface waves in a photonic crystal (PC) with negative refraction slab are presented. The role of the surface termination of the finite PC in exciting surface waves and enhancing the transmission is examined. It is demonstrated that only for a specific surface termination, the surface waves in the PC are excited in the same fashion as in a homogeneous medium. The existence of peaks well above the propagating modes in the calculated transfer function confirms the excitation of the surface modes and explains the high intensity of the field at the image plane as well as in both interfaces. The dependence of the excitation of the surface waves on the system length is analyzed. Finally, the unexpected high sensitivity of the focus position to the surface termination is evaluated.
Perspectives of Puerto Rican Adults about Heart Health and a Potential Community Program.

Background Puerto Ricans are the second largest Hispanic group in the United States, and older adults have significant health disparities. Educational programs that address heart disease risk for this population have rarely been developed and implemented. Purpose To address this gap, the Heart Healthy Initiative for Puerto Rican adults is being developed. To develop it as a participatory program, the community members were asked about their perspectives. Methods Five focus groups with 28 participants, aged 45 to 60, were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. In-depth analysis of meanings of health-promoting behaviors in the context of cultural beliefs and values was carried out. Results The following themes were identified: health as balance and integration; health as connection of self, connection with others; cultural meanings of lifestyle choices; stresses and struggles. Participants suggested that the program should have significant variety and a holistic perspective, be sensit...