cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Explanation-based learning in infancy

In explanation-based learning (EBL), domain knowledge is leveraged in order to learn general rules from few examples. An explanation is constructed for initial exemplars and is then generalized into a candidate rule that uses only the relevant features specified in the explanation; if the rule proves accurate for a few additional exemplars, it is adopted. EBL is thus highly efficient because it combines both analytic and empirical evidence. EBL has been proposed as one of the mechanisms that help infants acquire and revise their physical rules. To evaluate this proposal, 11- and 12-month-olds (n = 260) were taught to replace their current support rule (that an object is stable when half or more of its bottom surface is supported) with a more sophisticated rule (that an object is stable when half or more of the entire object is supported). Infants saw teaching events in which asymmetrical objects were placed on a base, followed by static test displays involving a novel asymmetrical object and a novel base. When the teaching events were designed to facilitate EBL, infants learned the new rule with as few as two (12-month-olds) or three (11-month-olds) exemplars. When the teaching events were designed to impede EBL, however, infants failed to learn the rule. Together, these results demonstrate that even infants, with their limited knowledge about the world, benefit from the knowledge-based approach of EBL.
Geodesic Flow Kernel and Landmarks: Kernel Methods for Unsupervised Domain Adaptation

Domain Adaptation (DA) aims to correct the mismatch in statistical properties between the source domain on which a classifier is trained and the target domain to which the classifier is to be applied. In this chapter, we address the challenging scenario of unsupervised domain adaptation, where the target domain does not provide any annotated data to assist in adapting the classifier. Our strategy is to learn robust features which are resilient to the mismatch across domains allowing to construct classifiers that will perform well on the target domain. To this end, we propose novel kernel learning approaches to inferring such features for adaptation. Concretely, we explore two closely related directions. On one hand, we propose unsupervised learning of a Geodesic Flow Kernel (GFK) which summarizes the inner products in an infinite sequence of feature subspaces that smoothly interpolate between the source and target domains. On the other hand, we propose supervised learning of a kernel that discriminatively combines multiple base GFKs to model the source and the target domains at fine-grained granularities. In particular, each base kernel pivots on a different set of landmarks—the most useful data instances that reveal the similarity between the source and target domains, thus bridging them to achieve adaptation. The proposed approaches are computationally convenient and capable of learning features/kernels and classifiers discriminatively without the need of labeled target data. We show through extensive empirical studies, using standard benchmark object recognition datasets, that our approaches outperform a variety of competing methods.
Information theoretic evaluation of satellite soil moisture retrievals

Abstract Microwave radiometry has a long legacy of providing estimates of remotely sensed near surface soil moisture measurements over continental and global scales. A consistent assessment of the errors and uncertainties associated with these retrievals is important for their effective utilization in modeling, data assimilation and end-use application environments. This article presents an evaluation of soil moisture retrieval products from AMSR-E, ASCAT, SMOS, AMSR2 and SMAP instruments using information theory-based metrics. These metrics rely on time series analysis of soil moisture retrievals for estimating the measurement error, level of randomness (entropy) and regularity (complexity) of the data. The results of the study indicate that the measurement errors in the remote sensing retrievals are significantly larger than that of the ground soil moisture measurements. The SMAP retrievals, on the other hand, were found to have reduced errors (comparable to those of in-situ datasets), particularly over areas with moderate vegetation. The SMAP retrievals also demonstrate high information content relative to other retrieval products, with higher levels of complexity and reduced entropy. Finally, a joint evaluation of the entropy and complexity of remotely sensed soil moisture products indicates that the information content of the AMSR-E, ASCAT, SMOS and AMSR2 retrievals is low, whereas SMAP retrievals show better performance. The use of information theoretic assessments is effective in quantifying the required levels of improvements needed in the remote sensing soil moisture retrievals to enhance their utility and information content.
Association between perceptions of military service and mental health problems in a nationally representative sample of United States military veterans.

OBJECTIVE In this study, we examined the prevalence of positive and negative perceptions of military service, associations between these perceptions and other demographic and military-related factors, and the extent to which endorsement of positive and negative perceptions of military service are associated with current mental health problems among United States veterans. METHOD We analyzed data from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS), a nationally representative survey of 1,484 United States military veterans, 564 of which reported combat exposure. We assessed perceptions of the effects of military service using a scale developed by Elder and Clipp (1989). RESULTS Results showed that desirable effects of service (53.6-86.5%) were more frequently endorsed than undesirable effects (9.5%-48.1%), and that combat-exposed veterans (11.5%-59.7%) were more likely to endorse undesirable effects of service than veterans without combat exposure (4.0%-40.7%). We also found that undesirable effects of service predicted significantly higher odds of probable current mental health disorders (OR = 1.08, 95% CI [1.04, 1.12]), and current suicidal ideation (OR = 1.09, 95% CI [1.05, 1.13]), even after conservative adjustment for possible confounding variables. Desirable effects of service predicted significantly lower odds of current suicidal ideation (OR = 0.96, 95% CI [0.93, 0.99]). CONCLUSION Taken together, results of this study suggest that perceptions of military service are associated with suicidal ideation and other mental health conditions. In addition, assessing veterans' perceptions of their service could be used as a method to identify possible at-risk veterans who may benefit from mental health services and resources. (PsycINFO Database Record
A Case Study in Mathematical Programming of Portfolio Selections

This paper deals with a case study involving the so‐called E, V theory of portfolio selection attributable to Markowitz (1959). The case study provides a basis for illustrating two ways in which the E, V theory may be put to practical use by portfolio managers.
A Simple Method for the Visualization of Chair and Twist-Boat Transition States in Torsionally Controlled Addition Reactions

Torsional effects influence kinetic selectivity in a wide range of organic transformations. As such, textbooks commonly use Newman projections to illustrate the torsional effects that arise in their transition states. Unfortunately, these representations fall short when the reaction occurs within a ring. In many cases, the torsional preferences of the ring and the stereoelectronic (orbital) requirements of the reaction can lead to either a chair or twist-boat transition state. The aim of this communication is to shed light on these effects and to describe a new method to draw and visualize the associated chair and twist-boat transition state structures.
Exploring the Income Tax Treatment of Borrowing and Liabilities, or Why the Accrual Method Should Be Eliminated

In this article, Dodge examines the tax treatment of borrowing under the income tax. The current income tax treatment is contrasted with a cash-method treatment, which is inclusion of borrowed funds coupled with the deduction of the principal and (where appropriate) the interest. (An alternative would be exclusion of the borrowing coupled with disallowance of both principal and interest.) The current approach is appropriate in the case of debt-financed investments (capital expenditures) that produce fully-taxed income, but the cash-method approach is right for debt financed-expenses (and lightly-taxed investments). Dodge discusses the accrual method of accounting for liabilities to pay future expenses, and concludes that cash-method treatment is theoretically correct in most circumstances.
PhD Forum: Sensor Based Spatio-Temporal Soil Hydrodynamic Modeling

Overground Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is reaching its final stage of being able to pass the test of resiliency and reliability. However, the network protocol for underground communication and sensor applications are still evolving. Thus, in this work, we propose to study the sustainability of a wireless underground sensor network (WUSNs) built by fine-grained spatiotemporal sensing grids. The metrics for our system's sustainability measure are reliability, resiliency and the longevity of the device. In this work, we propose to build a low-cost automated WUSN system that can collect and map out the subsurface groundwater movement. Our system senses spatiotemporal soil moisture levels and generates a predictive model to quantify the groundwater movement in soil strata. We propose an end to end system that can monitor soil moisture level during and after the rainfall. The prototype consists of a rain gauge, soil moisture sensors mesh and data storage/transfer unit. The results from this work will document the feasibility and challenges associated with the deployment of the underground sensor network.
Standardized Scoring of Ocular Findings in the Context of Drug and Device Development Programs

This chapter presents a comprehensive review of the approaches and methods used to perform clinical ocular scoring of the anterior and posterior segment in laboratory animals in toxicologic and preclinical drug development studies. It represents a distillation and integration of two recent publications from our group with expanded commentary (Eaton et al., J Ocul Pharmacol Ther 33:707–717, 2017; 718–734). The reader is introduced to the indications and features of the most commonly used semi-quantitative scoring systems in laboratory studies, as well as important limitations and considerations for each. The reader is also introduced to the ocular scoring systems employed by the clinical team at Ocular Services On Demand (OSOD), which modify many criteria from previous systems and introduce novel scoring elements to improve the applicability and predictive value of clinical observations made in support of modern preclinical ocular drug and device development programs. Species considerations pertinent to ocular examination and clinical scoring in general toxicology and ocular drug/device development are also discussed.
Conceptualizing culture in social movement research

This article was originally published with errors, which have now been corrected in the online version. Please see Correction (http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14742837.2018.1522766)Culture has had a ha...
Perfluoroalkyl substances and metabolic syndrome

Abstract Background Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of contaminants used in many industrial applications and consumer products. Certain PFAS are regulated or voluntarily limited due to concern about environmental persistence and adverse health effects. Objectives In this analysis we examine PFAS levels and their association with metabolic syndrome and its components, using a representative sample of the U.S. population. Methods Data on PFAS levels and metabolic syndrome components were collected from the 2007–2008, 2009–2010, 2011–2012, and 2013–2014 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Twelve different PFAS were measured in serum samples from participants. Logistic regression models were used to identify associations between metabolic syndrome, its individual components, and serum PFAS concentrations. Results Over one-third (37%) of participants met the definition for metabolic syndrome, with increased waist circumference and elevated glucose being the most commonly reported components. Seven PFAS were detected in at least 30% of participants and were examined in subsequent analyses (PFDA, PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, MPAH, PFNA, PFUnDA). The PFAS with the highest concentrations was PFOS (median 8.4 ng/mL), followed by PFOA, PFHxS and PFNA. After adjusting for potential confounders, PFNA was associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome and well as several individual components, while the highest levels of PFHxS were associated with elevated triglycerides. Other PFAS were associated with decreased risk of at least one outcome. Conclusions Associations between PFAS and metabolic syndrome are inconsistent within and across studies. PFNA was consistently associated with increased risk for components of the syndrome, a finding that warrants further investigation.
Disentangling the effects of high permittivity materials on signal optimization and sample noise reduction via ideal current patterns

PURPOSE To investigate how high-permittivity materials (HPMs) can improve SNR when placed between MR detectors and the imaged body. METHODS We used a simulation framework based on dyadic Green's functions to calculate the electromagnetic field inside a uniform dielectric sphere at 7 Tesla, with and without a surrounding layer of HPM. SNR-optimizing (ideal) current patterns were expressed as the sum of signal-optimizing (signal-only) current patterns and dark mode current patterns that minimize sample noise while contributing nothing to signal. We investigated how HPM affects the shape and amplitude of these current patterns, sample noise, and array SNR. RESULTS Ideal and signal-only current patterns were identical for a central voxel. HPMs introduced a phase shift into these patterns, compensating for signal propagation delay in the HPMs. For an intermediate location within the sphere, dark mode current patterns were present and illustrated the mechanisms by which HPMs can reduce sample noise. High-amplitude signal-only current patterns were observed for HPM configurations that shield the electromagnetic field from the sample. For coil arrays, these configurations corresponded to poor SNR in deep regions but resulted in large SNR gains near the surface due to enhanced fields in the vicinity of the HPM. For very high relative permittivity values, HPM thicknesses corresponding to even multiples of λ/4 resulted in coil SNR gains throughout the sample. CONCLUSION HPMs affect both signal sensitivity and sample noise. Lower amplitude signal-only optimal currents corresponded to higher array SNR performance and could guide the design of coils integrated with HPM.
Thermoelectrics of Nanowires.

The field of thermoelectric research has undergone a renaissance and boom in the past two and a half decades, largely fueled by the prospect of engineering electronic and phononic properties in nanostructures, among which semiconductor nanowires (NWs) have served both as an important platform to investigate fundamental thermoelectric transport phenomena and as a promising route for high thermoelectric performance for diverse applications. In this Review, we provide a comprehensive look at various aspects of thermoelectrics of NWs. We start with a brief introduction of basic thermoelectric phenomena, followed by synthetic methods for thermoelectric NWs and a summary of their thermoelectric figures of merit (ZT). We then focus our discussion on charge and heat transport, which dictate thermoelectric power factor and thermal conductivity, respectively. For charge transport, we cover the basic principles governing the power factor and then review several strategies using NWs to enhance it, including earlier t...
On 2 × 2 tropical commuting matrices

Abstract This paper investigates the geometric properties of a special case of the two-sided system given by 2 × 2 tropical commuting constraints. Given a finite matrix A ∈ R 2 × 2 , the paper studies the extremals of the tropical polyhedral cone generated by the entries of matrices B such that A ⊗ B = B ⊗ A and proposes a criterion to test whether two 2 × 2 matrices commute in max linear algebra.
Static, Dynamic, and Short-Circuit Performance of 1.2 kV 4H-SiC MOSFETs with Various Channel Lengths

The impact of channel length on the static, dynamic, and short-circuit performance of 1.2 kV-rated 4H-SiC inversion-channel (Inv) power MOSFETs is reported for the first time. Devices were successfully fabricated with the various channel lengths (L CH =0.3 to 1.1 $\mu$ m) in a 6 inch commercial foundry and they were packaged in TO-247 cases for all the testing. The devices with 0.3 $\mu$ m channel length were found to have the lowest on-resistance, best High Frequency Figures-of-Merit (HF-FOMs), and fastest switching performance, but worst short-circuit (SC) capability. The SC capability improved with increasing channel length at the penalty of an increase in the on-resistance. The fabricated 1.2 kV SiC MOSFETs were compared with commercially available 1.2 kV Si IGBTs in terms of the power losses and short-circuit capability: the 1.2 kV SiC power MOSFETs with long channel length can outperform the Si IGBT with lower power losses and superior short-circuit capability.
Screening Performance of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis vs Digital Mammography in Community Practice by Patient Age, Screening Round, and Breast Density.

Importance Digital mammography (DM) and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) are used for routine breast cancer screening. There is minimal evidence on performance outcomes by age, screening round, and breast density in community practice. Objective To compare DM vs DBT performance by age, baseline vs subsequent screening round, and breast density category. Design, Setting, and Participants This comparative effectiveness study assessed 1 584 079 screening examinations of women aged 40 to 79 years without prior history of breast cancer, mastectomy, or breast augmentation undergoing screening mammography at 46 participating Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium facilities from January 2010 to April 2018. Exposures Age, Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System breast density category, screening round, and modality. Main Outcomes and Measures Absolute rates and relative risks (RRs) of screening recall and cancer detection. Results Of 1 273 492 DM and 310 587 DBT examinations analyzed, 1 028 891 examinations (65.0%) were of white non-Hispanic women; 399 952 women (25.2%) were younger than 50 years; and 671 136 women (42.4%) had heterogeneously dense or extremely dense breasts. Adjusted differences in DM vs DBT performance were largest on baseline examinations: for example, per 1000 baseline examinations in women ages 50 to 59, recall rates decreased from 241 examinations for DM to 204 examinations for DBT (RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73-0.98), and cancer detection rates increased from 5.9 with DM to 8.8 with DBT (RR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.10-2.08). On subsequent examinations, women aged 40 to 79 years with heterogeneously dense breasts had improved recall rates and improved cancer detection with DBT. For example, per 1000 examinations in women aged 50 to 59 years, the number of recall examinations decreased from 102 with DM to 93 with DBT (RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.84-0.98), and cancer detection increased from 3.7 with DM to 5.3 with DBT (RR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.23-1.64). Women aged 50 to 79 years with scattered fibroglandular density also had improved recall and cancer detection rates with DBT. Women aged 40 to 49 years with scattered fibroglandular density and women aged 50 to 79 years with almost entirely fatty breasts benefited from improved recall rates without change in cancer detection rates. No improvements in recall or cancer detection rates were observed in women with extremely dense breasts on subsequent examinations for any age group. Conclusions and Relevance This study found that improvements in recall and cancer detection rates with DBT were greatest on baseline mammograms. On subsequent screening mammograms, the benefits of DBT varied by age and breast density. Women with extremely dense breasts did not benefit from improved recall or cancer detection with DBT on subsequent screening rounds.
Histone modification as a potential preventative and therapeutic approach for cardiovascular disease

Abstract Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide despite advances and knowledge regarding medication management and lifestyle modifications. Dysregulation of histone modifications such as acetylation and methylation plays a significant role in the development of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, and heart failure. Histone acetyltransferases (HATs), histone deacetylases (HDACs), histone methyltransferases (HMTs), and histone demethylases (HDMs) serve as regulators of these posttranslational modifications (PTMs). Moreover, therapeutics that target these enzymes afford the potential to prevent and/or treat CVDs. In this chapter, we discuss the recent research examining a role for histone methylation and acetylation as well as the function of their respective enzymatic writer and eraser proteins in the regulation of cardiac dysfunction and disease. Further, we highlight the therapeutic potential for small-molecule inhibitors or activators of these eraser and writer enzymes as an approach for CVD prevention or therapy.
A Response to the Letter to the Editor on “Interval Estimation for the Correlation Coefficient,” The American Statistician, 74:1, 29–36: Comment by Krishnamoorthy and Xia

Thank you very much for writing the letter on our article. We very much appreciate your comments.Krishnamoorthy and Xia (2007) and our article developed the generalized variable (GV) and generalize...
Sv-plots for identifying characteristics of the distribution and testing hypotheses

The histogram and boxplot are effective and simple graphical tools, which are broadly used to explore the characteristics of the distribution of univariate data. In this proposed work, two statisti...
Comparison of new and conventional processing methods for their effects on physical properties of fish feed

Abstract At present, aquafeed is made mainly by low-moisture extrusion cooking. To further improve feed quality, we developed a new process featuring high-moisture extrusion with a twin-screw extruder and a specially designed cooling die. In this study, aquafeed was made with two mash formulations (with or without wheat flour) by low moisture (conventional) or high moisture (new) extrusion under the same temperature (138 °C). Fresh and/or dried extrudates were evaluated for visual appearance, physical quality (water absorption and hardness with soaking time, bulk density, pellet durability, water stability and oil absorption capacity), chemical composition and degree of starch gelatinization. Results show that processing methods, feed formulation and post-extrusion drying all had significant effects on the visual appearance and physical quality of feed. The new feed (NF) was less expanded and less porous than conventional feed (CF), leading to significant reduction in oil absorption capacity, about 85 % of CF. Upon contact with water, fresh and dried CF absorbed water quickly and disintegrated easily, while NF absorbed water slowly and maintained a soft texture (around 50 g/mm2, comparable to fish fillet texture) even after 24 h of soaking. Dry matter loss from NF was significantly less than CF, after 6 h shaking in water. Due to its compact texture, NF had higher pellet durability than CF, with a bulk density greater than 1 g/cm3. Addition of wheat flour to the mash made CF more porous, harder in texture and less water stable but exerted a limited effect on NF. Therefore, the new process produced aquafeed that was soft in texture, durable, and extremely water-stable, while making addition of starch or other binder unnecessary. Although an increase in drying cost for NF is expected, the new method offers a good alternative to produce specialty feed and a promising strategy to reduce water pollution issues associated with aquaculture.
Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Freight Flows in Southern California:

This paper analyses the spatio-temporal patterns of freight flows in Southern California using weigh-in-motion (WIM) data between 2003 and 2015. The study explores the spatial relationships between...
Handling Noisy Data in Machine Learning Modeling and Predictive Control of Nonlinear Processes

Long short-term memory (LSTM) networks, as one type of recurrent neural networks, has been widely utilized to model nonlinear dynamic systems from time-series process operational data. This work focuses on LSTM modeling and predictive control of nonlinear processes using a noisy training data set, where the noise can stem from different sources, such as sensor variability and common plant variance. We first consider a dataset with Gaussian noise, and demonstrate that the standard LSTM network is able to capture the underlying (nominal) nonlinear process dynamic behavior. Then, we consider a noisy dataset from industrial operation (i.e., non-Gaussian noisy data), and demonstrate a poor training performance of the standard LSTM network despite its denoising capability for Gaussian noise. Therefore, to train an LSTM more efficiently with noisy data, we propose an LSTM network using Monte Carlo dropout method to reduce the overfitting to noisy data. The proposed dropout LSTM method is applied to a chemical process example with state measurements corrupted by industrial noise to demonstrate its improved prediction accuracy in both open- and closed-loop operation under a Lyapunov-based model predictive controller.
Room temperature electrically pumped topological insulator laser based on quantum spin Hall effect

We report the first room temperature and electrically pumped topological insulator laser. Based on a structure that mimics the quantum spin Hall Hamiltonian for photons, this laser generates single frequency emission at a telecom spectral band.
Facial aging and asymmetry decomposition based approaches to identification of twins

A reliable and accurate biometric identification system must be able to distinguish individuals even in situations where their biometric signatures are very similar. However, the strong similarity in the facial appearance of twins has complicated facial feature based recognition and has even compromised commercial face recognition systems. This paper addresses the above problem and proposes two novel methods to distinguish identical twins using (1) facial aging features and (2) asymmetry decomposition features. Facial aging features are extracted using Gabor filters from regions of the face that typically exhibit wrinkles and laugh lines, while Facial asymmetry decomposition based features are obtained by projecting the difference between the two left sides (consisting of the left half of the face and its mirror) and two right sides (consisting of the right half of the face and its mirror) of a face onto a subspace. Feature vectors obtained using these methods were used for classification. Experiments conducted on images of five types of twins from the University of Notre Dame ND-Twins database indicate that both our proposed approaches achieve high identification rates and are hence quite promising at distinguishing twins. HighlightsThe proposal of two novel approaches to distinguishing identical twins.Facial aging and intrinsic facial symmetry features are sued.A thorough evaluation on a challenging database.The summarizing of existing techniques and the results obtained by them.
Wade H. McCree, Jr.

At Wade McCree's funeral service in Detroit, Otis Smith introduced the many people who spoke. Mr. Smith reminded us that, when Wade ceased to be Solicitor General, he had many offers from law firms in Washington and New York. Wade, he said, turned the offers down and chose to remain in public service. When Mr. Smith made this statement, my first thought was, "Wade didn't stay in public service. He became a law professor." After all, for so many of us teachers, life is a wonderful self-indulgence, the opportunity to read and write just what we please. But, of course, for Wade, teaching in law school became simply the next stage of a full career in public service. He viewed it as an opportunity to instill in young women and men the importance of taking seriously their lives as lawyers and public servants; as an opportunity to give advice to students; and as an opportunity to speak widely across the nation on issues of public importance. Like many others, over the last six years I became a student of Wade's. Our offices were almost next to each other. "David, do you have just a minute?" he would ask as I passed his open door. And I would come in and continue my education. "I've just come back from Virginia," he would say or "Washington" or "Kalamazoo." "I bring you greetings from your old student so-and-so. I also saw Judge X. He's looking a little tired." And then I'd hear about the judge and the judge's father and the judge's sister who was also a lawyer and about the judge's notable achievements. For me, the most powerful stories were of the older black judges and black lawyers, many of whom I had heard about for years and nearly all of whom Wade knew well, the revolutionaries (as Governor Williams called them at Wade's funeral) who opened opportunities for so many others, opportunities we are beginning to take for granted. Over the last few days, I have thought about Wade's stories and tried to remember some that Wade told about himself. In fact very few were about himself. Wade was a modest man about his own achievements.
Targeting estrogen signaling pathways for therapeutic intervention in non-small cell lung cancer.

5351 Lung cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer in both male and female patients in the US. Survival from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unacceptably low, and new therapies are needed. The etiology of NSCLC is not fully defined, but new studies suggest a role of estrogens in tumor progression (Cancer Res 62 : 2141, 2002; Steroids 70: 372, 2005). Further, estrogen receptor (ER) signaling is implicated in the rising incidence of NSCLC in women. This study assesses the notion that estrogen signaling may promote NSCLC growth, thus offering new therapeutic targets. Of 50 archival NSCLC tumors from postmenopausal women and from males assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC), 82% and 79% show nuclear and/or extranuclear reactivity for ER-alpha and ER-beta, respectively, with NSCLC from both sexes expressing ER. Using lung tumor and normal tissue arrays, we are screening >500 lung cancers for ER and other signaling moieties to better define the molecular phenotype of lung cancers. In early studies with tissue from 60 patients, findings confirm ER expression in most NSCLC. In prior reports, we found specific, high-affinity estrogen binding in NSCLC cells, such as NIH-H23. Using Western blot methods, NSCLC cells showed predominant enrichment of a 59-kD protein that binds ER-beta antibody as well as enrichment of a 67-kD protein that binds antibody to ER-alpha. Transcripts for both ER forms are detected in NSCLC cells. Further, coactivator proteins, such as AIB1 and MNAR, that promote biologic effects of ER occur in NSCLC. Another arm of estrogen signaling is represented by the estrogen synthase, aromatase, an enzyme that elicits local production of estrogen to activate ER. We probed aromatase expression by IHC in >50 archival NSCLC tumors. Of these, 89% showed aromatase expression and, thus, may produce estrogens locally in lung tumors to promote growth. The level of aromatase measured by radiolabeled substrate assay suggests that activity is significantly higher in tumors than neighboring normal tissue (P
Additive Effects of TRAIL and Paclitaxel on Cancer Cells: Implications for Advances in Cancer Therapy

In cancer therapy outgrowth of chemoresistant tumor cells is the most important factor that ultimately determines-apart from immediate adverse effects during treatment-the life span and prognosis of cancer patients. Despite many advances in cancer treatment and the integration of supportive medications, including new and better drugs for pain management, antiemesis, infection, and reconstitution of the hematopoietic system, both toxic effects and the development of resistance in response to the treatment remain a major problem. New treatment regimens have to be developed to target cancer more specifically using multiple cellular pathways. This will reduce toxic effects as well as the development of chemoresistance. Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is the ligand for death receptors that belong to the TNF death receptor family. TRAIL triggers apoptosis in vitro in various cancer cell types. The antitumor drug, Paclitaxel (PA) was shown to increase the survival of patients with cancer. In in vitro experiments, PA also induces apoptosis in cancer cells. Together, PA and TRAIL lead to tumor regression in in vivo therapy and induce apoptosis through the interaction of TNF family death receptors, caspase activation, and?or cytochrome c release from mitochondria. PA and TRAIL complement each other using two distinct pathways that trigger apoptosis in addition to the anti-microtubule effect of PA. The combination of TRAIL and PA suppresses tumor growth that is otherwise resistant to treatment with either PA or TRAIL alone, by improving proapoptotic effects of the drugs. This observation support the use of the PA and TRAIL in future clinical trials.
Properties of Newtonian Potentials at Points Occupied by Masses

We continue our study of the properties of Newtonian potentials, now in the neighborhood of points of the distributions of matter. Our object is to find relations between the potential and the density, for the purpose indicated at the beginning of the last chapter. As it is only in the neighborhood of a point of a distribution that the density at that point makes itself felt in a preponderating way, we must of necessity investigate the behavior of the potentials at such points.
Analog Behavior Modeling and Processing Using AnaVHDL

This article describes briefly the AnaVHDL language, which introduces minimal extensions to VHDL93 to construct a useful and robust language to model mixed-signal systems at multiple levels of abstraction from different equation level to abstract system level and across multiple technologies employing both discrete-event and continuous time behavior. The classification of equations to describe continuous domain system behavior is then presented. Based on the classification, a Compacted Nodal Analysis (CNA) method is used to construct the Differential/Algebraic Equation (DAE) set for a system design.
REFORMULATION FROM STATE SPACE TO REDUCTION SPACE

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the problem relating to automatically shifting from one problem representation to another representation that is more efficient, with respect to a given problem solving method and a given problem class. A system's ability to solve problems, answer questions, or acquire knowledge has always been bounded by the problem representation initially given to the system. These systems can only perform efficiently to the extent that their problem representations are relevant to the problem at hand. One solution to this dilemma is to develop systems with the ability to alter their problem representation automatically. As a problem solving system changes and improves, its problem representations should also be altered to fit this new situation. The study of shifts of representation can be decomposed into two main aspects: (1) exploring various representations and the shifts between them and (2) the search through this space of representations to discover the ones that will be better for certain problem classes and the reason for them being better. The primitive representation shifts discussed by Amarel (Amarel, 1968) allows for the development of a basic model to derive shifts of representation from an analysis of the state space representation for a single example problem from a given problem class.
Slopes of Oceanic Basalt Volcanoes

Digital elevation and slope data have been compiled for 15 basaltic volcanoes in four oceanic hotspot regions that represent a wide morphological spectrum of young basaltic shields. The data for each region were collected by a different remote-sensing technique: interpolation between spot elevations in orthophotoquads (Hawaii); TOPSAR single-pass interferometric radar (western Galapagos); ERS1/2 tandem 1-day repeat-pass radar interferometry (Grand Comoro); and SIR-C 1-day repeat-pass radar interferometry (Reunion). These remotely sensed data provide information about the time-integrated typical activity of each volcano and allow us to assess the spatial and temporal contributions of various constructional and destructional processes to each volcano's present morphology. Gradual slopes (<5°) occur where lava and tephra pond within calderas or in the saddles between adjacent volcanoes, as well as where lava deltas coalesce to form coastal plains. Vent concentration zones (axes of rift zones or Galapagos summit platforms) have slopes ranging from 10 to 12°. Differential vertical growth rates between vent concentration zones and adjacent mostly-lava flanks produce steep constructional slopes up to 40°. The steepest slopes (locally approaching 90°) are produced by fluvial erosion, caldera collapse, faulting, and catastrophic avalanches, all of which are usually identifiable. The quantitative study of volcano morphology allows inferences to be made about the nature, location, and magnitude of activity over timescales of 10° to 10 4 years, and the relative importance of particular processes in particular settings holds useful information about internal volcanic structure and evolution. The complex spatial and temporal interplay of these slope-forming processes precludes derivation of volcano morphology by numerical modeling of single processes or unidirectional evolutionary schemes. We conclude that the different types of digital elevation data are equally useful for the analysis of volcanic landforms at a scale of a few square kilometers. This is advantageous because future similar work on other volcanoes can proceed as new topographic data become available from other sensors.
A novel mechanism for skeletal resistance in uremia

sured by most I-PTH immunoradiometric (IRMA) assays, givto prevent adynamic bone disease. ing erroneously high I-PTH values. We have developed a new IRMA assay in which the labeled antibody recognizes only the first six amino acids of the PTH molecule. Thus, this new IRMA assay (Whole PTH) measures only the biologically active 1-84 Parathyroid hormone (PTH), a single-chain polypepPTH molecule. tide of 84 amino acids [1], plays a critical role in the Methods. Using this new IRMA assay (Whole PTH) and the Nichols “intact” PTH assay, we compared the ability of regulation of mineral metabolism. Ionized calcium, caleach assay to recognize human PTH (hPTH) 1-84 and hPTH citriol, and phosphorus are the three major regulators 7-84 and examined the percentage of non-1-84 PTH in circula- of PTH homeostasis in humans. tion and in parathyroid glands. Possible antagonistic effects of The human PTH gene is located on the short arm of the 7-84 PTH fragment on the biological activity of 1-84 PTH chromosome 11. The coding region spans more than 4
Nanoscale Heat Transport Probed with Ultrafast Soft X-Rays

We characterize heat transport in nanostructures using coherent soft x-rays to probe thermally induced surface deformation. By varying the substrate temperature, we observe the transition from diffusive to quasi-ballistic heat transport
Water economy of free-living desert animals

Abstract Deserts are relatively dry and dehydrating places, by definition, but desert animals are composed of 65–75% water, just like non-desert animals. Do desert animals maintain water balance and body hydration level by conserving water better (decreasing output, as compared with non-desert species) or by getting more water each day (increasing input), or both? These questions can be evaluated with measurements of daily water flux rates (in ml/day) as determined with isotopically labeled water through free-ranging animals that are maintaining constant body masses. Inspection of the many field measurements now available reveals great variation (10 million-fold among terrestrial vertebrates alone), due largely to differences in body mass, but also due to taxonomic affinity (endothermy vs. ectothermy), season, diet and age, as well as to variation in habitat aridity. Fortunately, water flux rates can be normalized for much of this variation by dividing them by field metabolic rates, to yield units of ml water used per kJ energy metabolized (termed Water Economy Index, WEI). The WEI values of desert-dwelling eutherian mammals are significantly lower than in non-desert eutherians, and (surprisingly) desert endotherms have lower WEIs than desert ectotherms. Year-round WEI measurements on desert kangaroo rats, which have the lowest index yet measured, revealed that they often obtained more water than was available just from dry seeds, not by drinking, but by eating young green vegetation when available in spring, and especially by hydrating dry seeds before consumption by storing them in humid burrows for a while.
Identification of patient subsets among those presumptively diagnosed with, referred, and/or followed up for systemic lupus erythematosus at a large tertiary care center

Objective. To identify different subsets of patients from a large tertiary care center who were presumptively referred for and/or diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (or followed up). Methods. All patients who were referred, followed up, and/or diagnosed with SLE at our center, who had disease duration of ≤5 years, and who resided in Alabama, were identified and their charts reviewed and abstracted. Results. Abstracted data were reviewed by 3 rheumatologists, and patients were assigned to 1 of 3 categories: 1) SLE by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR; formerly, the American Rheumatism Association) criteria, 2) clinical SLE but not meeting 4 of the ACR criteria, or 3) fibromyalgia-like manifestations with antinuclear antibody (ANA) positivity. There were 90 patients in the first group (criteria), 22 in the second group (clinical), and 37 in the third group (fibromyalgia-like). Patients in all 3 groups were predominantly women. Only 50% of the fibromyalgia-like group were African-American, compared with 55–65% for the other 2 groups. Organ system involvement occurred with comparable frequency in the first 2 groups, but mucocutaneous and hematologic abnormalities were more frequent in the criteria group; in contrast, the patients with fibromyalgia-like symptoms primarily presented with arthralgias/myalgias, fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbances, as well as mucocutaneous manifestations. Conclusion. When the ACR criteria for SLE are used to determine eligibility for lupus studies, a group of patients with clinically unequivocal SLE are excluded. A group of patients with fibromyalgia-like manifestations, who test positive for ANA and differ clinically and sociodemographically from the patients in the other 2 groups, very likely do not belong within the spectrum of SLE.
Hysteresis in the glucose permeability versus pH characteristic for a responsive hydrogel membrane

A side-by-side diffusion cell was used to study the permeability of glucose through a temperature- and pH-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) hydrogel membrane. At fixed temperature (37°C), lowering pH in one side of the cell induced hydrogel volume collapse and strongly attenuated glucose permeation across the membrane. Hysteresis was observed in the glucose permeability versus pH characteristic.
Role of HPV Testing in Anal Pap Tests

Introduction: The National Cancer Institute reports an annual anal cancer incidence of 1.6 per 100,000 in the general population. Men who have sex with men (MSM) have a much higher incidence ranging 35-100 per 100,000 with increased incidence in HIV-infected patients. The causal connection between HPV infection and squamous epithelial lesions has been well documented. Based on experience for cervical cancer screening, anal Pap tests (PT) are now used to screen for squamous intraepithelial lesions in high risk patients. Materials and Methods: We studied 241 anal PT obtained from 151 HIVpositive male patients (MSM) attending the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington DC obtained between 2006 and 2012. PTs were reported using the 2001 Bethesda system terminology (NILM, ASC-US, ASC-H, LSIL, HSIL, SCC). Our institution has been among many others to use the LSIL-H (low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, cannot exclude a high grade squamous lesion) as a diagnostic category. We evaluated the follow up of patients with abnormal cytology, including repeat cytology and biopsy. Results: Of the 241 anal PT performed, 184 (77%) of the smears were considered satisfactory for evaluation. 44 cases (18%) were negative, 140 (58%) were abnormal. Of these 140 abnormal PT, 79 (56.4%) had cytologic (repeat PT) or histologic (biopsy under anoscopy) follow up (see Table 1). Among these 79 patients, 43 (54%) had a biopsy-proven dysplasia (low grade, high grade and SCC). 19 (24%) had LSIL or higher on repeat Pap. Conclusions: The high number of patients with no follow-up may be a bias of the population targeted in this study (MSM, homelessness, other socioeconomic and educational factors). The high rate of abnormal results described in this study and in the literature reinforces the need for aggressive screening and clinical follow up, as well as national guidelines for screening and follow-up.
A fast projection scheme for the direct numerical simulation of rigid particulate flows

A formulation is presented for the direct numerical simulation of freely moving rigid particles in fluids. This approach is an improvement upon an earlier formulation (Int. J. Multiphase Flow 2000; 26: 1509–1524) and does not rely on any model for fluid–particle interaction. The idea is to assume that the entire fluid–particle domain is a fluid and to constrain the particle domain to move with a rigid motion. The fluid–particle motion is treated implicitly so that the mutual forces of interaction cancel because they are internal to the combined system. The formulation can be implemented by an immersed boundary and a fractional time stepping technique. It can be conveniently employed within finite volume, finite element or other techniques. Due to its ability for fast projection of rigid motion this method has been used for animations and its application to turbulent particulate flows merits investigation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.