cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can Adipose-derived Stem Cells Be Used in the Treatment of Urethral Stricture Disease?

The exciting field of embryonic stem cell research emerged in 1981 with the study of mouse stem cells [1,2]. The Thompson group from the University ofWisconsin reported on human embryonic stem cells in 1998 [3]. Because ethical concerns and the regulatory environment have inhibited thewidespread use of human embryonic stem cells, interest has focused on successful reprogramming of adult stem cells as an alternative strategy. Mesenchymal stem cells are a type of adult stem cell that can be found in many tissues, including bone marrow, adipose tissue, umbilical cord blood, placenta, and dental pulp. It has been shown that autotransplantation of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) is of benefit in treating erectile dysfunction, Peyronie’s disease, and urethral stricture disease (USD) in animal models [4–6]. In this issue of European Urology, Castiglione et al [7] present a compelling and timely study that adds to the literature regarding the use of ADSCs for therapy in USD. It adds cystometric analysis, which was lacking in prior animal models. It also represents a modification of our rat TGF-b [2_TD$DIFF]1 model of USD [8]. In this study, after injection of TGF-b [3_TD$DIFF]1, transmural injury to the urethral wall of rats was induced using a 23-gauge needle to puncture the urethra four times until the urethral catheter was visible. The authors do not justify their use of trauma to the urethra in combination with the use of TGF-b[4_TD$DIFF]1. Furthermore, they state that USD models based on physical injury have not been reproducible, but still add physical injury to themodel. A dose of 1 mg of TGF-b [2_TD$DIFF]1 ismuch lower than that used in our established TGF-b[2_TD$DIFF]1 rat model of USD.
An efficient method for measuring copy number variation applied to improvement of nematode resistance in soybean.

Summary Copy number variation (CNV) is implicated in important traits in multiple crop plants, but can be challenging to genotype using conventional methods. The Rhg1 locus of soybean, which confers resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN), is a CNV of multiple 31.2-kb genomic units each containing four genes. Reliable, high-throughput methods to quantify Rhg1 and other CNVs for selective breeding were developed. The CNV genotyping assay described here uses a homeologous gene copy within the paleopolyploid soybean genome to provide the internal control for a single-tube TaqMan copy number assay. Using this assay, CNV in breeding populations can be tracked with high precision. We also show that extensive CNV exists within Fayette, a released, inbred SCN-resistant soybean cultivar with a high copy number at Rhg1 derived from a single donor parent. Copy number at Rhg1 is therefore unstable within a released variety over a relatively small number of generations. Using this assay to select for individuals with altered copy number, plants were obtained with both increased copy number and increased SCN resistance relative to control plants. Thus, CNV genotyping technologies can be used as a new type of marker-assisted selection to select for desirable traits in breeding populations, and to control for undesirable variation within cultivars.
Pedagogized Muslimness: Religion and Culture as Identity Politics in the Classroom. Religious Diversity and Education in Europe, Band 27

Pedagogized Muslimness, translated from Danish into English and based on Mette Buchardt’s 2008 doctoral dissertation, examines Danish school policy and practice through the experience of Muslim chi...
DECODING TECHNIQUES FOR USE WITH ANNULAR CODED APERTURES

Several processing algorithms for annular coded-aperture images are discussed in this paper. The algorithms are logical extensions of simple correlation decoding (matched filtering). Each improved algorithm eliminates another undesirable deterministic feature of the final system point spread function (PSF). In addition, the results of a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) calculation for one of the algorithms is presented.
Quantile regression metamodeling: Toward improved responsiveness in the high-tech electronics manufacturing industry

Abstract Both technology and market demands within the high-tech electronics manufacturing industry change rapidly. Accurate and efficient estimation of cycle-time (CT) distribution remains a critical driver of on-time delivery and associated customer satisfaction metrics in these complex manufacturing systems. Simulation models are often used to emulate these systems in order to estimate parameters of the CT distribution. However, execution time of such simulation models can be excessively long limiting the number of simulation runs that can be executed for quantifying the impact of potential future operational changes. One solution is the use of simulation metamodeling which is to build a closed-form mathematical expression to approximate the input–output relationship implied by the simulation model based on simulation experiments run at selected design points in advance. Metamodels can be easily evaluated in a spreadsheet environment “on demand” to answer what-if questions without needing to run lengthy simulations. The majority of previous simulation metamodeling approaches have focused on estimating mean CT as a function of a single input variable (i.e., throughput). In this paper, we demonstrate the feasibility of a quantile regression based metamodeling approach. This method allows estimation of CT quantiles as a function of multiple input variables (e.g., throughput, product mix, and various distributional parameters of time-between-failures, repair time, setup time, loading and unloading times). Empirical results are provided to demonstrate the efficacy of the approach in a realistic simulation model representative of a semiconductor manufacturing system.
Speeding Up Neural Machine Translation Decoding by Shrinking Run-time Vocabulary

We speed up Neural Machine Translation (NMT) decoding by shrinking run-time target vocabulary. We experiment with two shrinking approaches: Locality Sensitive Hashing (LSH) and word alignments. Using the latter method, we get a 2x overall speed-up over a highly-optimized GPU implementation, without hurting BLEU. On certain low-resource language pairs, the same methods improve BLEU by 0.5 points. We also report a negative result for LSH on GPUs, due to relatively large overhead, though it was successful on CPUs. Compared with Locality Sensitive Hashing (LSH), decoding with word alignments is GPU-friendly, orthogonal to existing speedup methods and more robust across language pairs.
Classification of wireless adhoc networks through misbehavior analysis

We consider the problem of classifying wireless adhoc networks through active injection of waveforms. We look at energy-efficient wireless networks following power control multiple access schemes and consider two types of classification. Class 1 network nodes optimize their own energy consumption and the network can be modeled as a non-cooperative game operating at Nash equilibrium power values. Class 2 network nodes cooperate to minimize joint energy consumption. Once a network has been classified appropriately, it becomes easier to understand its vulnerabilities. We examine the vulnerability of both classes of networks by formulating a model for energy misbehavior by waveform injection by misbehaving nodes. Misbehaving nodes optimally increase interference at good nodes to decrease their own energy consumption while increasing energy consumption at good nodes.
Modeling Classification and Inference Learning

Human categorization research is dominated by work in classification learning. The field may be in danger of equating the classification learning paradigm with the more general phenomenon of category learning. This paper compares classification and inference learning and finds that different patterns of behavior emerge depending on which learning mode is engaged. Inference learning tends to focus subjects on the internal structure of each category, while classification learning highlights information that discriminates between the categories. The data suggest that different learning modes lead to the formation of different internal representations. SUSTAIN successfully models inference and classification learning by developing different internal representations for different learning modes. Other models do not fare as well.
Floem: a programming system for NIC-accelerated network applications

Developing server applications that offload computation to a NIC accelerator is complex and laborious. Developers have to explore the design space, which includes semantic changes for different offloading strategies, as well as variations on parallelization, program-to-resource mapping, and communication strategies for program components across devices.We therefore design FLOEM -- a language, compiler, and runtime -- for programming NIC-accelerated applications. FLOEM enables offload design exploration by providing programming abstractions to assign computation to hardware resources; control mapping of logical queues to physical queues; access fields of a packet and its metadata without manually marshaling a packet; use a NIC to memoize expensive computation; and interface with an external application. The compiler infers which data must be transferred between the CPU and NIC and generates a complete cache implementation, while the runtime transparently optimizes DMA throughput. We use FLOEM to explore NIC-offloading designs of real-world applications, including a key-value store and a distributed real-time data analytics system; improve their throughput by 1.3-3.6× and by 75-96%, respectively, over a CPU-only implementation.
Surgical Anatomy of the Subcallosal Artery: Implications for Transcranial and Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery in the Suprachiasmatic Region

Background Suprachiasmatic subcallosal lesions may have an intimate relationship with the anterior communicating artery (AcomA); injury to AcomA branches can result in basal forebrain infarction and cognitive dysfunction. Objective To evaluate anatomic variations of the AcomA basal perforating branches, especially the subcallosal artery (ScA), for clinical implications when approaching the suprachiasmatic subcallosal region from endonasal and transcranial routes. Methods The origin, course, diameter, and branching pattern of the AcomA's perforating branches were studied in 33 specimens from transcranial and endonasal perspectives. Results The ScA was present in 79% of the specimens as a single dominant artery arising from the posterior/posterosuperior surface of the AcomA, along with hypothalamic arteries (55%), or as a single artery (24%). It coursed posteriorly towards the lamina terminalis region, curving superiorly to the subcallosal area. The ScA gave off many branches to provide the main blood supply to the subcallosal region. Importantly, it supplies the septal/subcallosal region bilaterally. The ScA can be found posterior, superior, or inferior to the AcomA when using a transylvian, interhemispheric, or endonasal approach, respectively. In specimens with no ScA (21%), the median callosal artery (MdCA) was the dominant artery arising from the AcomA. It followed an identical course to the ScA, providing supply to the same structures bilaterally, but its distal extension reached the body/splenium of the corpus callosum. The MdCA is a ScA variant. Conclusion The ScA is a unique vessel because it supplies the septal/subcallosal region bilaterally; preservation of this vessel during surgery is crucial for successful outcomes.
A Vision from the New Editor-in-Chief.

![][1] It is my great honor to assume the mantle of Editor-in-Chief for Molecular Cancer Therapeutics ( MCT ), following in the foot-steps of our highly distinguished colleagues, Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, Dr. John Reed, and Dr. Napoleone Ferrara. The core mission of MCT is, and has always
Intracavitary Coronary Artery: An Unusual Coronary Anomaly.

Purpose A few case reports of intracavitary coronary arteries (ICCA) have been reported and only a single case series on the coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) prevalence rate of ICCA of the right coronary artery (RCA). We describe several cases of ICCA that were noted incidentally and also determine the overall prevalence rate of anomalous ICCA. Materials and methods A retrospective analysis of ICCA was performed consisting of consecutive CCTA cases as well as a group of ICCA from teaching files. To establish a prevalence rate, we reviewed 464 consecutive CCTA referred to our center for transcatheter aortic valve replacement. The presence of ICCA and several imaging features were evaluated. Results Our cohort comprises a total of 12 patients with ICCA, with 1 patient containing 2 anomalous ICCA. 83.3% of affected patients were adult males, with an average age of 69.8 years. The RCA was the most commonly affected vessel (53.8%). The mean length of the intracavitary segment was 33.4 mm for the RCA and 27 mm for the LAD. No cases involved the left circumflex coronary artery. Six of the cases were identified routinely as part of clinical practice and therefore not included in the prevalence analysis. On review of our transcatheter aortic valve replacement database, there was a 1.3% prevalence rate of ICCA. RCA had a prevalence of 0.4%, whereas LAD had a prevalence of 0.9%. Conclusions Although rare, our study suggests that ICCA may be more common than previously described. Its presence is important to communicate to clinicians prior to invasive cardiac procedures to prevent potentially catastrophic outcomes.
FILE DESIGN FOR MICROCOMPUTER DATABASES

Recent advances in hardware technology have placed microcomputer systems within the economic grasp of virtually any enterprise. For this technology to be cost-effective for a broader segment of the business community, however, corresponding advances are necessary in utilization of the hardware via improved software techniques. Systems requiring significant I/O capabilities, such as utilization of the DMA and floppy disk, present a need for software study and evaluation. File structures for a small-scale database system designed for microprocessor implemention (hence the term microbase) are discussed. Preceding the file design evaluation, available microcomputer/disk configurations are examined and contrasted with macrocomputers regarding their suitability (or lack of) for limited-size microbase applications. Disk characteristics are found to be particularly critical. Software design considerations are then presented, constrained by the hardware characteristics alluded to above. Here certain myths (axioms?) regarding file design on a large-scale computer are examined for validity in light of microbase restrictions. The last section is devoted to the formulation and evaluation of file structures for a “typical” microcomputer/floppy disk system. This includes performance evaluation of both primary file structures (such as sequential and a variation of indexed sequential), and secondary file structures (such as inverted a multilist). Results are summarized and future directions for research are discussed.
Taxonomy of Pain Systems

Standardization of definitions for classification of pain terminology helps practitioners and researchers across different specialties to better categorize different pain syndromes. It is important to maintain this taxonomy for reasons of consistency, epidemiology, etiology, prognosis, and treatment. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) has published a list of standardized pain definitions beginning in 1979 with the most recent revision in 2011. It is important to note that this coding schema differs from the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10).
Affected health domains in patients with brainstem cavernous malformations.

Brainstem cavernous malformations (CM) carry high risks of hemorrhage and neurologic morbidity. While much is published on physical effects of brainstem CM, very little is known about these patients’ quality of life. This study aimed to assess the quality of life PROMIS-29 health domains of brainstem CM patients and identify quality of life predictors. This was a cross-sectional study of adult patients with at least one brainstem CM identified by advertising on the Angioma Alliance website and from our institutional CM registry. A web-based questionnaire was administered and included self-reported information about the patient, cavernous malformation, residual clinical symptoms, and treatment. In addition, patients filled out the PROMIS-29 (version 1.0). The PROMIS-29 has 7 health domains and is standardized against the general population. We defined impaired quality of life as at least one out of 7 abnormal domains and used a 1 standard deviation cutoff for abnormal. We verified clinical and radiographic data to self-reported data in 28.8% of patients. A total of 104 patients (mean age of 46.5 ± 11.5 years; 77.9% females) were recruited. Most (82.7%) reported at least one symptomatic hemorrhagic event and 36.5% reported at least 1 surgical procedure. At least one abnormal PROMIS domain was present in 64.4% of patients with fatigue (34.6%), anxiety (35.6%), social (28.2%), and physical (27.9%) domains being the most common. Among patients with a Rankin Score of 0–2, 55% had at least one abnormal domain. Gait difficulty, but not age, sex, or surgery predicted impaired quality of life. More than half of patients with brainstem CM have impaired quality of life. Fatigue, anxiety, and social function, in addition to physical dysfunction, are common; practitioners should be aware of these concerns. PROMIS-29 provides additional information than modified Rankin Score and should be considered in clinical trials and when assessing treatment outcomes until a disease-specific outcome tool is available.
Digging Deeper: The Relationship between School Segregation and Unconscious Racism

Although over 60 years have passed since federal policy was developed to create a more integrated school system, Black and Brown children in the US are still learning in schools where they are almo...
Towards rapid, in situ characterization for materials-on-demand manufacturing

Abstract Recent hybrid additive-subtractive manufacturing platforms can usher a materials-on-demand manufacturing paradigm where the materials, along with geometry and surface morphology, are designed to meet the functionality. While in situ measurement systems have advanced to monitor geometric and morphological variations, microstructure and phase characterization methods remain slow, impeding this vision. Towards addressing this issue, we present an approach to characterize the material concurrently during fabrication by associating in situ sensor measurements with the microstructures. Analysis of sensor data from machining of 316L steel suggests that the microstructural variations under different process parameters can be predicted in real time with 93% accuracy.
Excess free fructose, apple juice, high fructose corn syrup and childhood asthma risk – the National Children’s Study

Recent research provides consistent evidence that the unexplained doubling of childhood asthma prevalence (1980–1995), its continued climb and 2013 plateau, may be associated with the proliferation of high-fructose-corn-syrup (HFCS) in the US food supply. The HFCS used in soft drinks has been shown to contain a higher fructose-to-glucose ratio than previously thought. This coincides with a preference shift from orange to apple juice among young children. Apple juice naturally contains a high (≥2:1) fructose-to-glucose ratio. Thus, children have received high excess-free-fructose doses, the fructose type associated with fructose malabsorption. Unabsorbed excess-free-fructose in the gut may react with dietary proteins to form immunogens that bind asthma mediating receptors, and/or alter the microbiota towards a profile linked to lung disorders. Studies with longitudinal childhood data are lacking. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that excess-free-fructose intake is associated with childhood asthma risk. Cox regression models were used to analyze prospective early childhood data (12–30 months of age) from the National Children’s Study. Intake frequencies for soda/sports/fruit drinks, and 100% juices were used for analyses. Greater consumption of 100% juice, soda/sports/fruit drinks, and any combination, was associated with ~two (P = 0.001), ~ 2.5 (P = 0.001), and ~ 3.5 times (P < 0.0001) higher asthma incidence. Given these results, prior research and case-study evidence, it is reasonable to suggest that the two-fold higher asthma risk associated with 100% juice consumption is due to apple juice’s high fructose-to-glucose ratio, and that the ~ 2.5/~ 3.5 times higher risk associated with soda/sports/fruit drinks intake is with the excess-free-fructose in HFCS.
Melanopsin-dependent phototransduction is impaired in delayed sleep-wake phase disorder and sighted non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder.

STUDY OBJECTIVES The circadian system must perform daily adjustments to align sleep-wake and other physiologic rhythms with the environmental light-dark cycle: This is mediated primarily through melanopsin containing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. Individuals with delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD) exhibit a delay in sleep-wake timing relative to the average population, while those with sighted non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder (N24SWD) exhibit progressive delays. An inability to maintain appropriate entrainment is a characteristic of both disorders. In this study, we test the hypothesis that individuals with DSWPD exhibit alteration in melanopsin-dependent retinal photo-transduction as measured with the postillumination pupil response (PIPR). METHODS Twenty-one control and 29 participants with DSWPD were recruited from the community and clinic. Of the 29 DSWPD participants, 17 reported a history of N24SWD. A pupillometer was used to measure the PIPR in response to a bright 30-second blue or red-light stimulus. The PIPR was calculated as the difference in average pupil diameter at baseline and 10-40 seconds after light stimulus offset. RESULTS The PIPR was significantly reduced in the DSWPD group when compared with the control group (1.26 ± 1.11 mm vs 2.05 ± 1.04 mm, p < 0.05, t-test). The PIPR was significantly reduced in the sighted N24SWD subgroup when compared with individuals with the history of only DSWPD (0.88 ± 0.58 mm vs 1.82 ± 1.44 mm, p < 0.05, analysis of variance [ANOVA]) or controls (0.88 ± 0.58 mm vs 2.05 ± 1.04 mm, p < 0.01, ANOVA). CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that reduced melanopsin-dependent retinal photo-transduction may be a novel mechanism involved in the development of DSWPD and sighted N24SWD.
Identification of Sweet Potato Germplasm Resistant to Pathotypically Distinct Isolates of Meloidogyne enterolobii From the Carolinas

Meloidogyne enterolobii (syn. mayaguensis) is an emergent species of root-knot nematode that has become a serious threat to sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) production in the southeastern United Stat...
Cognitive and social delays in the initiation of conversational repair

The exact timing of a conversational turn conveys important information to a listener. Most turns are initiated within 250ms after the previous turn. However, interlocutors take longer to initiate certain types of turns: those that either require more cognitive processing or are socially dispreferred. Many dispreferred turns are also cognitively demanding, so it is difficult to attribute specific conversational delays to social or cognitive mechanisms. In this paper, we evaluate the relative contribution of cognitive and social variables to the timing of utterances in conversation. We focus on a type of turn that is socially dispreferred, cognitively demanding, and generally delayed: other-initiations of repair (OIRs). OIRs occur when a listener notices and decides to signal a comprehension problem (e.g., "What?"). We analyzed the Floor Transfer Offsets of 456 OIRs, and found that interlocutors initiated OIRs later when trouble sources had weaker discourse context or were shorter, and when the OIR was more face-threatening. Our results suggest that both cognitive and social variables contribute to the timing of delayed utterances in conversation. We discuss how attention, prediction, planning, and social preference manifest in the timing of turns.
Heart-centered positioning and tailored beam-shaping filtration for reduced radiation dose in coronary artery calcium imaging: A Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Study.

PURPOSE Cardiac computed tomography has a clear clinical role in the evaluation of coronary artery disease and assessment of coronary artery calcium (CAC) but the use of ionizing radiation limits the clinical use. Beam-shaping "bow-tie" filters determine the radiation dose and the effective scan field-of-view diameter (SFOV) by delivering higher X-ray fluence to a region centered at the isocenter. A method for positioning the heart near the isocenter could enable reduced SFOV imaging and reduce dose in cardiac scans. However, a predictive approach to center the heart, the extent to which heart centering can reduce the SFOV, and the associated dose reductions have not been assessed. The purpose of this study is to build a heart-centered patient positioning model, to test whether it reduces the SFOV required for accurate CAC scoring, and to quantify the associated reduction in radiation dose. METHODS The location of 38,184 calcium lesions (3151 studies) in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis was utilized to build a predictive heart-centered positioning model and compare the impact of SFOV on CAC scoring accuracy in heart-centered and conventional body-centered scanning. Then, the positioning model was applied retrospectively to an independent, contemporary cohort of 118 individuals (81 with CAC > 0) at our institution to validate the model's ability to maintain CAC accuracy while reducing the SFOV. In these patients, the reduction in dose associated with a reduced SFOV beam-shaping filter was quantified. RESULTS Heart centering reduced the SFOV diameter 25.7% relative to body centering while maintaining high CAC scoring accuracy (0.82% risk reclassification rate). In our validation cohort, imaging at this reduced SFOV with heart-centered positioning and tailored beam-shaping filtration led to a 26.9% median dose reduction (25-75th percentile: 21.6%-29.8%) without any calcium risk reclassification. CONCLUSIONS Heart-centered patient positioning enables a significant radiation dose reduction while maintaining CAC accuracy.
SU-E-T-289: Dose-Volume-Effect Relationships for Lung Cancer Patients Treated with SBRT On a Prospective Protocol

Purpose: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is commonly used to treat early stage lung tumors. This study was designed to evaluate associations between dose, volume and clinical outcomes including analysis of both clinical toxicity scores and quality of life (QOL) data for non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with SBRT. Preliminary results are presented. Methods: Sixty-seven NSCLC patients, 46 primarily with early stage, and 21 with recurrent disease were treated with dose regimens consisting mainly of 12 Gy x 4 fractions, and 3 or 5 fractions at lower dose, for patients with recurrent disease (Table 1). Follow-up data is being collected at baseline, after treatment and at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months post-treatment. Clinical follow-up data acquired to date was assessed using the Charlson Comorbidity Clinical and Toxicity Scoring forms. QOL data was evaluated using the EQ-5D, and FACT-TOI validated surveys. All outcomes surveys are collected within an “in-house” developed outcomes database. Results: The median follow-up was 3.5±0.8 months. Mean lung doses (MLD) were converted to BED-2 Gy using the linear-quadratic model with an alpha/beta=3.0. Average MLD was 3.7+3.1 Gy (range: 0.4–20.9 Gy). The percentages of patients with > grade 2 cough, dyspnea and fatigue were 13.3, 17.0, 6.3%, respectively. Preliminary analyses (at 3 months after SBRT) show a mild correlation between MLD > 2 Gy and > grade 2 cough (borderline significant) and dyspnea (significant, p<0.05). One patient was observed with a grade 3 cough. Given the short follow-up, tumor control is not yet assessable. Conclusion: The SBRT dose fractionation regimen of 12 Gy x 4 was well tolerated at early time points. Additional follow-up is required to assess the long-term clinical outcome efficacy and toxicity profiles of the dose regimen.
Metabolic Syndrome and Cognitive Decline in Early Alzheimer's Disease and Healthy Older Adults

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of risk factors (i.e., abdominal obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, glucose and insulin dysregulation) that is associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dementia. Recent studies addressing the association of MetS with cognitive performance and risk for dementia report mixed results. An important step in clarifying these conflicting results is determining whether cognition is influenced by the effects of individual MetS components versus the additive effects of multiple components. We assessed the effect of MetS on cognitive performance and decline over two years in 75 cases of early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and 73 healthy older adult controls in the Brain Aging Project. Using factor analytic techniques, we compared the effect of a combined MetS factor to the effect of individual MetS components on change in attention, verbal memory, and mental status. In healthy controls, a combined MetS factor did not significantly predict cognitive performance, though higher insulin predicted poorer cognitive performance outcomes. In the AD group, higher scores on a combined MetS factor predicted better cognitive outcomes. Our findings suggest that MetS does not have the same association with cognitive decline in healthy older adults and those with early AD. We suggest that individual MetS components should not be evaluated in isolation and that careful methodological approaches are needed to understand the timing and non-linear relationships among these components over time.
How Politics Makes Health Policy

Publisher Summary Politics, broadly defined, drives policy. Much of the policy appears in the form of enacted legislation. However, policy can emerge from not only the legislative branch of government, but also the executive and judicial branches. Policies are “authoritative decisions that are made in the legislature, executive, or judicial branches of government” All legislation begins with an idea. A number of factors influence the future of the idea, which initially faces the challenge of getting onto the public agenda. Books on government present the development of legislation in a linear fashion. Although, it is easier to convey in written word, it omits much of the complexity and appeal of the policy process. The model developed by John Kingdon (1984) is one that reflects the dynamic flavor of making policy. Kingdon hypothesized that issues become a part of the public agenda if three “streams” converge: problems, policy alternatives, and political will. In addition to legislators, public administrators, and judges, other actors take part in the policy process. Among them are policy entrepreneurs, researchers, and interest groups.
Performance Modeling of Matrix Multiplication on 3D Memory Integrated FPGA

Recent advances in three dimensional integrated circuits have enabled vertical stacks of memory to be integrated with an FPGA layer. Such architectures enable high bandwidth and low latency access to memory which is beneficial for memory-intensive applications. We build a performance model of a representative 3D Memory Integrated FPGA architecture for matrix multiplication. We derive the peak performance of the algorithm on this model in terms of throughput and energy efficiency. We evaluate the effect of different architecture parameters on performance and identify the critical bottlenecks. The parameters include the configuration of memory layers, vaults, and Through Silicon Vias (TSVs). Our analysis indicates that memory is one of the major consumers of energy on such an architecture. We model memory activation scheduling on vaults for this application and show that it improves energy efficiency by 1.83× while maintaining a throughput of 200 GOPS/s. The 3D Memory Integrated FPGA model achieves a peak performance of 93 GOPS/J for a matrix of size 16K×16K. We also compare the peak performance of a 2D architecture with that of the 3D architecture and observe a marginal improvement in both throughput and energy efficiency. Our analysis indicates that the bottleneck is the FPGA which dominates the total computation time and energy consumption. In addition to matrix multiplication, which requires O (m3) amount of computation work to be done, we also analyzed the class of applications which require O (m2) work. In particular, for matrix transposition we found out that the improvement is of the order 3× for energy consumption and 7× in runtime. This indicates that the computation cost of the application must match the memory access time in order to exploit the large bandwidth of 3D memory.
Linking Public Health and Water Utilities to Improve Emergency Response

Intentional contamination of a drinking water system may be discovered in several ways. If the potential contamination is unannounced or covert, its first indications might be detected by the water utility operating the system or by the public health system. In contrast, if a terrorist group announces a contamination event (or the threat of one), water utilities and the health-care system both may learn about the event simultaneously through such channels as mass media. Various other scenarios are also possible, such as a threat being telephoned to a water utility. In all of these scenarios, water utilities and the public health system must work together to respond to real or threatened contamination of drinking water supplies.
The willing reader of Duarte's Leal conselheiro

In this article, I analyze the reading practices advocated by Dom Duarte of Portugal in his Leal conselheiro, taking as a starting point their inclusion in a contemporary translation of John Cassian's Conferences. I argue that Duarte's theory of will, explained earlier in the Leal conselheiro and drawn largely from Cassian, underlies the rejection of “fixed intentions” in his hermeneutics. For both Duarte and Cassian, correct interpretation requires that the conflict between spirit and flesh in the will take place, but Duarte's perfect will is subjected to reason, whereas Cassian's is subjected to grace. From here, I argue that Duarte's privileging of experience in moral pedagogy both ties him to ascetic thought and distances him from it. Duarte's reliance on personal and familial exemplarity and avoidance of fictional exempla is modeled on what Douglas Burton-Christie has called the “desert hermeneutic,” in which experience (praxis) and interpretation form a constructive circle, and his adaptation of the...
High school genetics education and Alzheimer disease.

Improved and updated human genetics education, including Alzheimer disease (AD) awareness and education, is urgently needed. National, state, and local standards for science education agree that human genetics, biotechnology applications, and the social and ethical issues raised by modern technology need to be taught in high school science using hands-on and inquiry methods of teaching. High school science courses are the last opportunity for most individuals to learn human genetics. There are an increasing number of new and successful human genetics curriculum materials and inservice teacher education programs at the secondary school level aligned with national and state science education standards. These curricula and teacher education programs can be enhanced by collaborative partnerships of geneticists, genetics professionals, biotechnology scientists and technical personnel, and science educators, several of which are in successful operation. Because human genetics involves families and generations, ...
USING HEDONIC MODELS OF SOLAR RADIATION AND WEATHER TO ASSESS THE ECONOMIC EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE: THE CASE OF MOSEL VALLEY VINEYARDS

Abstract In this paper we use two alternative methods to assess the effects of climate change on the quality of wines from the vineyards of the Mosel Valley in Germany. In the first, structural approach we use a physical model of solar radiation to measure the amount of energy collected by a vineyard and then to establish the econometric relation between energy and vineyard quality. Coupling this hedonic function with the physics of heat and energy permits a calculation of the impact of any temperature change on vineyard quality (and prices). In a second approach, we measure the effect of year-to-year changes in the weather on land or crop values in the same region and use the estimated hedonic equation to measure the effect of temperature change on prices. The empirical results of both analyses indicate that the vineyards of the Mosel Valley will increase in value under a scenario of global warming, and perhaps by a considerable amount.
Considering Secular and Demographic Trends in Designing for Present and Future Populations

In products designed for human variability, the anthropometry (body measurements) of the target user population constitutes a primary source of variability that must be considered in the optimization of the spatial dimensions of the product. Accommodation, which describes the ability of a user to interact with a device or environment in their preferred manner, is a key measure of its performance. Other studies have considered various methods for accounting for the variability in anthropometry in a target user population to calculate estimated accommodation, but few have explicitly considered the effects of secular trends and demographic changes over time. This paper considers these changes in the context of a case study involving truck drivers and cab geometry. The truck driver populations are used to illustrate changes in body size and shape over a 30-year period and show how they affect user acceptability of designs. Changes in the gender split of the driver population are also considered, and are shown to have a significant effect on accommodation. The work demonstrates that secular trends and demographic changes over time significantly affect accommodation, but a well designed product will be more robust to these changes.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Dynamic polarization in the Coulomb breakup of loosely bound 17F

Abstract Angular distributions of the Coulomb breakup of radioactive 17F were measured by impinging a 10 MeV/nucleon beam on 208Pb and on 58Ni to study the dynamic polarization effects. The breakup products, oxygen and a proton, were detected in coincidence. First-order perturbation theory significantly overpredicts the breakup cross section for the 208Pb target. Dynamical calculations with a dynamic polarization as the leading order correction were performed. The calculations reproduce the data for 17F on 58Ni but overpredict the breakup of 17F on 208Pb by a factor of two at forward angles.
Group B streptococci and inducible nitric oxide synthase: Modulation by nuclear factor kappa B and ibuprofen

Group B Streptococci (GBS) neonatal infections cause a complex inflammatory process involving numerous biochemical mediators. Nitric Oxide (NO) is generated by many cell types in response to different inflammatory signals. Nuclear factor kappa B (NFkappaB) plays an important role in the inflammatory process and may induce a number of biochemical mediator genes, including the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). We tested the hypothesis that GBS induces iNOS gene expression through activation of NFkappaB. We also tested whether ibuprofen (IBU) will suppress iNOS expression by blocking NFkappaB activation. Cerebral microvascular endothelial cells isolated from newborn piglets were harvested for the determination of iNOS gene expression and activation of NFkappaB. GBS significantly induced iNOS mRNA expression (5-to 6-fold, P P
PASSing the provenance challenge

Provenance-aware storage systems (PASS) are a new class of storage system treating provenance as a first-class object, providing automatic collection, storage, and management of provenance as well as query capabilities. We developed the first PASS prototype between 2005 and 2006, targeting scientific end users. Prior to undertaking the provenance challenge, we had focused on provenance collection and storage, without much emphasis on a query model or language. The challenge forced us to (quickly) develop a query model and infrastructure implementing this model. We present a brief overview of the PASS prototype and a discussion of the evolution of the query model that we developed for the challenge. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Increased growth promoting substance in the plasma of pregnant rats.

THE presence of growth promoting substances in blood has been demonstrated by Westman and Jacobsohn (1) and Van Dyke et al. (2) by cross transfusion between parabiotically united normal and hypophysectomized rats. The hormone or hormones carried in the cross circulation from the intact rat resulted in growth of the hypophysectomized partner. Since that time attempts were made to demonstrate growth hormone-like activity in the human plasma by Kinsell et al. (3), Segaloff et al. (4), Gemzell et al. (5), and Greenspan (6), also in pregnant goat plasma by Cotes and Young (7), and in young pig and calf plasma by Gemzell et al. (5). It is the purpose of this paper to extend the observations already reported (8) concerning the presence of growth promoting substance (s) in the plasma of normal rats and the increase during pregnancy. material and methods Blood was collected from normal female rats of the Long-Evans strain 90–120 days of age and from pregnant rats of the same age.2
SDF-1:CXCR4 Axis Is Fundamental for Tissue Preservation and Repair

This Commentary discusses the role of the SDF-1:CXCR4 axis in tissue preservation and repair.
Impact of Tumor Grade on Pancreatic Cancer Prognosis: Validation of a Novel TNMG Staging System

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients demonstrate highly variable survival within each stage of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system. We hypothesize that tumor grade is partly responsible for this variation. Recently our group developed a novel tumor, node, metastasis, grade (TNMG) classification system utilizing Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data in which the presence of high tumor grade results in advancement to the next higher AJCC stage. This study’s objective was to validate this TNMG staging system utilizing single-institution data. All patients with PDAC who underwent resection at UCLA between 1990 and 2009 were identified. Clinicopathologic data reviewed included age, sex, node status, tumor size, grade, and stage. Grade was redefined as a dichotomous variable. The impact of grade on survival was assessed by Cox regression analysis. Disease was restaged into the TNMG system and compared to the AJCC staging system. We identified 256 patients who underwent resection for PDAC. Patients with low-grade tumors experienced a 13-month improvement in median survival compared to those with high-grade tumors. On multivariate analysis, tumor grade was the strongest predictor of survival with a hazard ratio of 2.02 (p = 0.0005). Restaging disease according to the novel TNMG staging system resulted in improved survival discrimination between stages compared to the current AJCC system. We were able to demonstrate that grade is one of the strongest independent prognostic factors in PDAC. Restaging with our novel TNMG system demonstrated improved prognostication. This system offers an effective and convenient way of adding grade to the current AJCC staging system.
Soil pathogen communities associated with native and non-native Phragmites australis populations in freshwater wetlands

Soil pathogens are believed to be major contributors to negative plant-soil feedbacks that regulate plant community dynamics and plant invasions. While the theoretical basis for pathogen regulation of plant communities is well established within the plant-soil feedback framework, direct experimental evidence for pathogen community responses to plants has been limited, often relying largely on indirect evidence based on above-ground plant responses. As a result, specific soil pathogen responses accompanying above-ground plant community dynamics are largely unknown. Here, we examine the oomycete pathogens in soils conditioned by established populations of native noninvasive and non-native invasive haplotypes of Phragmites australis (European common reed). Our aim was to assess whether populations of invasive plants harbor unique communities of pathogens that differ from those associated with noninvasive populations and whether the distribution of taxa within these communities may help to explain invasive success. We compared the composition and abundance of pathogenic and saprobic oomycete species over a 2-year period. Despite a diversity of oomycete taxa detected in soils from both native and non-native populations, pathogen communities from both invaded and noninvaded soils were dominated by species of Pythium. Pathogen species that contributed the most to the differences observed between invaded and noninvaded soils were distributed between invaded and noninvaded soils. However, the specific taxa in invaded soils responsible for community differences were distinct from those in noninvaded soils that contributed to community differences. Our results indicate that, despite the phylogenetic relatedness of native and non-native P. australis haplotypes, pathogen communities associated with the dominant non-native haplotype are distinct from those of the rare native haplotype. Pathogen taxa that dominate either noninvaded or invaded soils suggest different potential mechanisms of invasion facilitation. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that non-native plant species that dominate landscapes may "cultivate" a different soil pathogen community to their rhizosphere than those of rarer native species.
Effect of response task on taste adaptation

Two experiments studied whether subjects reported complete adaptation of a taste sensation. Three tasks were chosen based on their use in other laboratories: hand lowering to connote stimulus absence, magnitude estimation, and cross-adaptation of a brief stimulus following a prolonged stimulus. In the first experiment, different groups of 9 subjects received the three different tasks; in the second experiment, all 20 subjects received all three tasks. In both experiments, subjects failed to demonstrate complete taste adaptation in at least 50% of adaptation trials. Response task did affect the likelihood of observing complete taste adaptation.
The lymphocyte restimulation system: Evaluation by intra-HLA-D group priming

Homozygous typing cells (HTC) were primed, using responding and stimulating lymphocytes of the same HLA-D groups. These intra-HLA-D group primings showed strong specific responses. Restimulation by HLA-D heterozygous and homozygous cell panels showed no correlation between the restimulating determinant and HLA-D. On the other hand, an unrelated individual, not carrying Dw4 and primed to Dw4 HTC, is restimulated by three of four Dw4-HTC. Thus, one non-HLA-D-associated restimulating determinant and another HLA-D-associated determinant could be identified. The differences among the four Dw4 HTC recognized in secondary MLC could reflect either recognition of separate gene products or recognition of separate determinants on the same gene product.