cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Normal-Based methods for a Gamma Distribution. Prediction and Tolerance Intervals and Stress-Strength Reliability.

In this article we propose inferential procedures for a gamma distribution using the Wilson–Hilferty (WH) normal approximation. Specifically, using the result that the cube root of a gamma random variable is approximately normally distributed, we propose normal-based approaches for a gamma distribution for (a) constructing prediction limits, one-sided tolerance limits, and tolerance intervals; (b) for obtaining upper prediction limits for at least l of m observations from a gamma distribution at each of r locations; and (c) assessing the reliability of a stress-strength model involving two independent gamma random variables. For each problem, a normal-based approximate procedure is outlined, and its applicability and validity for a gamma distribution are studied using Monte Carlo simulation. Our investigation shows that the approximate procedures are very satisfactory for all of these problems. For each problem considered, the results are illustrated using practical examples. Our overall conclusion is tha...
Treatment helpfulness questionnaire: a measure of patient satisfaction with treatment modalities provided in chronic pain management programs

The Treatment Helpfulness Questionnaire (THQ) is presented as a reliable and valid measure for assessing patient perceptions of the helpfulness of treatment modalities offered at multidisciplinary pain centers. It is easy to administer and score and shows good interscorer and test-retest reliability without order effects and with good internal consistency. Patients give diverse responses to items that fall into four factors, three of which represent identifiable components of multidisciplinary treatment for chronic pain. Findings that similar THQ items are positively correlated and that many items show positive correlations with treatment outcome support the validity of the instrument. The latter finding also suggests the potential of patient satisfaction measurement for improving treatment outcomes at pain centers.
Role of Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene (MTHFR) 677C>T Polymorphism in Pediatric Cerebrovascular Disorders

Homozygosity for the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T mutation (MTHFR TT) has been linked to an increased risk for stroke, coronary artery disease, and migraine headaches. The authors analyzed the potential link between MTHFR 677C>T homozygosity and childhood stroke. A true association might facilitate screening, recurrence risk stratification, and treatment in patients with cerebrovascular disease. They performed a retrospective chart review of children tested for the MTHFR 677C>/T mutation; 533 patients underwent MTHFR testing, and 8% were homozygous for the MTHFR 677C>T mutation. There was no difference in the cohort compared with the prevalence in the general population. This suggests that the MTHFR 677 C>T polymorphism played a minimal role or no role in stroke risk. However, the data suggest that the MTHFR TT genotype may influence migraine susceptibility in children because there was a higher proportion of migraine patients (28.6%) with the MTHFR TT homozygous genotype.
Th1 cytokine-secreting recombinant Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin and prospective use in immunotherapy of bladder cancer

Intravesical instillation of Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has been used for treating bladder cancer for 3 decades. However, BCG therapy is ineffective in approximately 30–40% of cases. Since evidence supports the T helper type 1 (Th1) response to be essential in BCG-induced tumor destruction, studies have focused on enhancing BCG induction of Th1 immune responses. Although BCG in combination with Th1 cytokines (e.g., interferon-α) has demonstrated improved efficacy, combination therapy requires multiple applications and a large quantity of cytokines. On the other hand, genetic manipulation of BCG to secrete Th1 cytokines continues to be pursued with considerable interest. To date, a number of recombinant BCG (rBCG) strains capable of secreting functional Th1 cytokines have been developed and demonstrated to be superior to BCG. This paper discusses current rBCG research, concerns, and future directions with an intention to inspire the development of this very promising immunotherapeutic modality for bladder cancer.
Serotonin's role in piglet mortality and thriftiness.

Improving piglet survivability rates is of high priority for swine production as well as for piglet well-being. Dysfunction in the serotonin (5-HT) system has been associated with growth deficiencies, infant mortalities, or failure to thrive in human infants. The aim of this research was to determine if a rela- tionship exists between infant mortality and failure to thrive (or unthriftiness), and umbilical 5-HT concen- tration in piglets. Umbilical blood was collected from a total of 60 piglets from 15 litters for analysis of 5-HT and tryptophan (Trp; the AA precursor to 5-HT) con- centrations. Behavior was scan sampled for the first 2 days after birth. Brain samples were also taken at 8 h after birth from healthy and unthrifty piglets (n = 4/ group). The raphe nucleus was dissected out and ana- lyzed for 5-HT and dopamine concentrations as well as their major metabolites 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and homovanillic acid (HVA), respectively. Data were analyzed by ANOVA. Piglets that died with- in 48 h of birth (n = 14) had significantly lower umbili - cal blood 5-HT concentrations at the time of their birth compared to their healthy counterparts (n = 46, P = 0.003). However, no difference in Trp was detected (P 0.38). Time spent under the heat lamp and sleeping were positively correlated with umbilical 5-HT levels (P = 0.004 and P = 0.02, respectively), while inactiv- ity had a negative correlation with 5-HT levels (P = 0.04). In the raphe nucleus, the center for brain 5-HT biosynthesis, unthrifty piglets had a greater concentra- tion of 5-HIAA (P = 0.02) and a trend for higher con- centrations of 5-HT (P = 0.07) compared with healthy piglets. Dopamine levels did not differ between thrifty and unthrifty piglets (P = 0.45); however, its metabo- lite HVA tended to be greater in unthrifty piglets (P = 0.05). Our results show evidence of serotonergic dys- function, at both the central and peripheral levels, accompanying early piglet mortalities. These data sug- gest a possible route for intervention, via the 5-HT sys- tem, to improve piglet survivability. However, further research is required to validate this hypothesis.
Coupling Field Observations, Soil Modeling, and Air Dispersion Algorithms to Estimate 1,3-Dichloropropene and Chloropicrin Flux and Exposure

Soil fumigants are volatile compounds applied to agricultural land to control nematode populations, weeds, and crop diseases. Field trials used for measuring fumigant loss from soil to the atmosphere encompass only a small proportion of the near semi-infinite parameter combinations of environmental, agronomic, and meteorological conditions. One approach to supplement field observations uses a soil physics model for fumigant emission predictions. A model is first validated against existing field study observations and then used to extrapolate results to a wider range of edaphic and climatic conditions. This work compares field observations of 1,3-dichloropropene and chloropicrin emissions to predictions from the USDA soil model CHAIN_2D. Comparison between model predictions and field observations for a Florida and California study had values between 0.62 to 0.81 and 0.99 to 1.0 for discrete and cumulative emission flux, respectively. CHAIN_2D emission rates were then coupled to several USEPA air dispersion models (ISCST3, CALPUFF6) to extend emission estimates to near field air concentrations. CALPUFF6 predicted slightly higher 1-h maximum air concentrations than ISCST3 for the same source strength (26.2-36.0% for setbacks between 1 and 250 m from the field edge, respectively). A sensitivity analysis for the CHAIN_2D/ISCST3 coupled numerical system is provided, with several soil and irrigation parameters consistently the most sensitive. Changes in the depth of incorporation, tarp material, and initial soil water content illustrate the predicted impact to emission strength and resulting near-field air concentrations with reductions of cumulative emission loss from 8.1 to 71% and average 1-h maximum air concentration reductions between 6.2 and 41% depending on the mitigation strategy chosen. Additionally, a stochastic framework based on the published SOFEA system that couples variability in experiment, model sensitivity, and site specific attributes is outlined should regional air concentration estimates resulting from fumigant use be sought.
Development and evaluation of an M2-293FT cell-based flow cytometric assay for quantification of antibody response to native form of matrix protein 2 of influenza A viruses

Matrix protein 2 (M2) of influenza A viruses is an attractive target for the development of broadly cross-protective influenza vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. The available evidence suggests that antibodies reactive to the natural tetrameric form of M2 proteins, rather than those to synthetic peptides of M2 ectodomain (M2e), best correlate with M2-mediated immune protection. However, the current ability to quantify strain-specific and/or subtype-cross-reactive M2 antibodies against the natural form of M2 antigens from influenza A viruses of different host origin is limited. In the present study, we generated a panel of 293FT transfected cell lines stably expressing full-length tetrameric forms of M2 molecules from human, avian and the swine-origin 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus, respectively, and developed an M2-293FT cell line-based flow cytometric assay (M2-FCA). Side-by-side comparison of M2-FCA with a synthetic M2e peptide-based indirect ELISA (M2e-ELISA) reveals that M2-FCA is highly efficient in quantifying both M2e sequence-specific and cross-reactive antibodies to the native form of M2 antigens. In contrast, promiscuity was evident when specificity and cross-reactivity of anti-M2 antibodies were assessed by M2e-ELISA. These results demonstrate that M2-FCA represents a rapid, simple and sensitive method to quantitatively assess specificity and cross-reactivity of anti-M2 antibodies after infection or vaccination.
Investigating Tonic Wnt Signaling Throughout the Adult CNS and in the Hippocampal Neurogenic Niche of BatGal and Ins-TopGal Mice

Wnt/β-catenin signaling has a well-established role in the development of the central nervous system (CNS), and recent evidence is extending this role to include the regulation of adult hippocampal function, including neurogenesis within the dentate gyrus. While the neuroanatomical expression pattern of many canonical Wnt signaling components have been investigated, the sites of signal integration and functional downstream β-catenin activation remain comparatively less characterized in the adult CNS. Using two independent transgenic β-catenin-activated LacZ reporter mouse lines (BatGal and ins-TopGal), we demonstrate that Wnt/β-catenin signaling is active in discrete regions of the adult mouse CNS. Intriguingly, BatGal mice exhibit a broad pattern of reporter expression in the CNS, while expression in ins-TopGal mice is more restricted. Further investigation of these two lines reveals temporal differences in β-catenin-activated reporter expression during neurogenesis within the adult hippocampus. Ins-TopGal mice display peaks of Wnt/β-catenin-activated reporter expression during early and later stages of neurogenesis suggesting Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays an important role during both progenitor cell amplification as well as neuronal maturation, integration, and/or maintenance; however, results from BatGal mice are not as convincing. Thus our data using ins-TopGal mice are consistent with the idea that Wnt signaling plays diverse roles during adult hippocampal neurogenesis and support the idea that multiple transgenic reporter lines must be rigorously compared during scientific investigations.
Heather L. Reid, Introduction to the Philosophy of Sport

Plymouth, UK: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2012. pp. 251 + xiii. ISBN: 978-0-7425-7060-3 (cloth), 978-0-7425-7061-0 (pbk.)When, as a fledging philosophy student, this reviewer cut his teeth on ...
Haplotypes of variants in the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase1A9 and 1A1 genes.

ObjectivesNine different functional UGT1A enzymes are generated from a single UGT1A gene by alternative splicing, with each enzyme having a unique exon 1. SN-38, the active metabolite of the anticancer agent irinotecan, is metabolized by both UGT1A1 and UGT1A9. We aim to characterize the UGT1A9–UGT1
Copulation in Golden Hamsters: Behavior of Intact Versus Ovariectomized Females Given Hormonal Replacement

Behavior of Syrian golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) during sexual satiety tests was examined across estrous cycle days in intact females and as a function of hormonal replacement in ovariectomized (OVEX) females. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate differences between artificially induced and naturally occurring estrous behavior and to determine whether such differences affected the behavior of the male partner. The results of this study indicated that: 1. The hormonal replacement regime given to OVEX females primarily affected the induction of, but not the amount of time spent in, receptive behavior. a. When given only estradiol benzoate (EB) very few females exhibited frozen lordosis, and when such behavior did occur, the latency was quite long and little time was spent in this posture. b. Following administration of EB and progesterone (P), the number of females that became receptive increased with increasing dosages of EB. For females that showed frozen lordosis, the latency was short and a considerable portion of the test was spent in this posture. 2. Achievement of ejaculations by the male partner did not imply that the female was receptive. Males ejaculated on several tests with females that were not considered receptive because lordosis was either absent or occurred intermittently; lordosis typically was no maintained during the male's intercopulatory intervals, and female attempts to reject or abort mounts by the male were frequent. 3. The hormonal replacement regime given to OVEX females did not mimic naturally occurring events. The behavior of OVEX females differed significantly from that of intact females: a. Receptive behavior of natural estrous females differed from that of induced estrous females in that the former showed facilitated initiation and maintenance of frozen lordosis. b. Toward the end of the tests, natural estrous females were more likely than induced estrous females to approach and attack the male. Such behavior has been proposed to promote reinitiation of copulation by males (BUNNELL et al. , 1977), but it remains to be demonstrated empirically that such approaches or attacks facilitate the continuation of copulation. c. Although fights occasionally occurred with induced estrous females, natural estrous females never engaged in fighting. d. Nonestrous intact females showed a higher frequency of defensive-rolls, vaginal scent marking, and attacks than nonreceptive OVEX females. 4. The type of female with which the male was tested affected his performance. Males initiated copulation more quickly and achieved more ejaculations with natural estrous than induced estrous females. 5. A particular response pattern, defensive-rolls, was identified that may represent rejection behavior: a. This pattern was characteristic of nonreceptive females, and was rarely observed in receptive females. b. The frequency of this response was elevated during tests in which males achieved ejaculations with nonreceptive females.
Negotiating risk in property-based arts economic development: Exploring the innovative but untimely development partnership between the Seattle Art Museum and Washington Mutual

Abstract Property-led arts development (PAD) is central to urban policy and planning. The demand for physical arts infrastructure runs parallel with the public call for arts nonprofits to act more entrepreneurial in shaping and re-imaging urban space. Increasingly, these groups have become active property developers negotiating the risks and rewards of land development rather than remaining passive fundraisers of bricks and mortar campaigns. This shift in organizational identity raises questions about whether the politics of urban arts development have changed. This study asks four questions: (1) how are nonprofit arts organizations becoming more entrepreneurial in property development, (2) how are nonprofit arts organizations reshaping the urban landscape through development partnerships, (3) how are nonprofit arts developers responding to the 2008 economic crash, and (4) how does PAD align with new thinking on downtown development alliances? This research explores the innovative but failed land development deal between the Seattle Art Museum and the now-defunct Washington Mutual to build a joint tower in the central business district. Their atypical private/nonprofit partnership changed Seattle’s downtown landscape through flexible ownership structures, generous planning incentives and off-budget municipal maneuvers. The lauded project turned sour when the homegrown financial institution collapsed, forcing the museum into debt with limited private or public sector solutions. While SAM overcame the immediate crisis, the case is a cautionary tale about the long-term risk of contemporary PAD. The case shows that innovative practices do not predetermine success. Further, the partnership study illuminates how contemporary arts investments reflect as well as contradict new thinking in urban politics literature about evolving patterns of influence in U.S. downtowns.
Discrete-mode cancellation mechanism for high-Q integrated optical cavities with small modal volume

A mechanism to reduce radiation loss from integrated optical cavities without a complete photonic bandgap is introduced and demonstrated. It is applicable to any device with a patterned substrate (including both low and high index-contrast systems), when it supports discrete guided or leaky modes through which power escaping the cavity can be channeled into radiation. One then achieves the associated increase in Q by designing the cavity such that the near-field pattern becomes orthogonal to these discrete modes, therefore canceling the coupling of power into them and thus reducing the total radiation loss. The method is independent of any delocalization mechanism and can be used to create high-Q cavities with small modal volume.
Prophylactic efficacy of phenytoin, acetazolamide and hydrochlorothiazide in horses with hyperkalaemic periodic paralysis

Horses with hyperkalaemic periodic paralysis were challenged with an oral dose of potassium chloride, and the prophylactic efficacy of phenytoin, acetazolamide and hydrochlorothiazide was evaluated, with at least three weeks separating the trials of each drug. After the administration of potassium chloride without prophylactic medication the horses' clinical signs ranged from generalised fine muscle fasciculations to gross tremors, and weakness with occassional prolapse of the nictitating membrane; plasma potassium concentration increased significantly (P < 0.01) from 4.0 +/- 0.2 to 6.0 +/- 1.01 mmol litre-1. After treatment with acetazolamide the administration of potassium chloride resulted in a significant (P < 0.02) increase in plasma potassium from 3.7 +/- 0.3 to 4.5 +/- 0.4 mmol litre-1 and two of five horses showed clinical signs unless the dosage was increased from 2.2 to 4.4 mg kg-1 twice daily. Three of the four horses treated with hydrochlorothiazide showed clinical signs but their plasma potassium did not rise significantly (3.6 +/- 0.3 to 4.6 +/- 1.0 mmol litre-1). None of the five horses treated with phenytoin showed clinical signs despite a significant increase in plasma potassium from 3.8 +/- 0.6 to 5.3 +/- 1.1 mmol litre-1 (P < 0.05). In general the clinical signs were not correlated consistently with the plasma levels of potassium, and phenytoin appeared to prevent the clinical signs in spite of the hyperkalaemia.
Maintaining genome stability in the nervous system

Active maintenance of genome stability is a prerequisite for the development and function of the nervous system. The high replication index during neurogenesis and the long life of mature neurons highlight the need for efficient cellular programs to safeguard genetic fidelity. Multiple DNA damage response pathways ensure that replication stress and other types of DNA lesions, such as oxidative damage, do not affect neural homeostasis. Numerous human neurologic syndromes result from defective DNA damage signaling and compromised genome integrity. These syndromes can involve different neuropathology, which highlights the diverse maintenance roles that are required for genome stability in the nervous system. Understanding how DNA damage signaling pathways promote neural development and preserve homeostasis is essential for understanding fundamental brain function.
Rural Elderly Household Life-Course Transitions, 1900 and 1980 Compared:

The changing household status of the elderly has become an important policy and research question. Using the life-course approach this paper compares elderly household status and elderly household composition of a rural community in 1900 and 1980 better to elucidate historical change in a rural context. To show specific rural characteristics, the 1900 and 1980 data are further compared to available national and urban information. The rural elderly household life-course in 1900 differs in several characteristicsfrom its urban and national counterparts; by 1980, however, the situation in the rural community differs little from that in the national population.
Revision of the genus Piptanthus (Fabaceae: Thermopsideae)

Evidence from about 300 herbarium sheets shows thatPiptanthus comprises two species,P. nepalensis andP. tomentosus, the former widespread and variable throughout most of the Himalayan range, the latter mostly confined to its easternmost portion.Piptanthus mongolicus andP. nanus belong to the related genusAmmopiptanthus. A key, descriptions, complete synonymy and a distribution map are presented.
CONE INEQUALITIES AND STABILITY OF DIFFERENTIAL SYSTEMS

We investigate generalizations of classes of monotone dynamical systems in a partially ordered Banach space. We establish algebraic conditions for the stability of equilibrium states of differential systems on the basis of linearization and application of derivatives of nonlinear operators with respect to a cone. Conditions for the positivity and absolute stability of a certain class of differential systems with delay are proposed. Several illustrative examples are given.
Life-cycle assessment of high-speed rail: The case of California

The state of California is expected to have significant population growth in the next half-century resulting in additional passenger transportation demand. Planning for a high-speed rail system connecting San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento as well as many population centers between is now underway. The considerable investment in California high-speed rail has been debated for some time and now includes the energy and environmental tradeoffs. The per-trip energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and other emissions are often compared against the alternatives (automobiles, heavy rail, and aircraft), but typically only considering vehicle operation. An environmental life-cycle assessment of the four modes was created to compare both direct effects of vehicle operation and indirect effects from vehicle, infrastructure, and fuel components. Energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and SO2, CO, NOX, VOC, and PM10 emissions were evaluated. The energy and emission intensities of each mode were normalized per passenger kilometer traveled by using high and low occupancies to illustrate the range in modal environmental performance at potential ridership levels. While high-speed rail has the potential to be the lowest energy consumer and greenhouse gas emitter, appropriate planning and continued investment would be needed to ensure sustained high occupancy. The time to environmental payback is discussed highlighting the ridership conditions where high-speed rail will or will not produce fewer environmental burdens than existing modes. Furthermore, environmental tradeoffs may occur. High-speed rail may lower energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions per trip but can create more SO2 emissions (given the current electricity mix) leading to environmental acidification and human health issues. The significance of life-cycle inventorying is discussed as well as the potential of increasing occupancy on mass transit modes.
Disseminators, Advocates and Watchdogs A Profile of Ugandan Journalists in the New Millennium

Based on a national survey carried out in 2001, this study provides a demographic and attitudinal profile of Ugandan journalists at an interesting time when we are not only witnessing increasing media globalization but also democratic, if shaky, transitions in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study explores the demographics and job conditions of news people in this East African country, their role perceptions, professional attitudes and beliefs, as well as the major constraints on journalistic freedoms in Uganda. Where it is possible and appropriate, comparisons are made to both African and western journalists.The results show that Ugandan journalists highly value the so-called western journalistic functions of information, analysis and interpretation and investigation of official claims. They also show strong support for ‘populist mobilizer’ functions such as giving ordinary people voice and setting the political agenda. However, despite the relative press freedom in recent years, Ugandan news people work under c...
Detection and determinants of bias in subjective measures

Many concepts in sociology are difficult or impossible to objectively measure. This limitation forces a reliance on subjective measures that typically contain both systematic and random measurement errors. Systematic errors, or biases, are the focus of this paper. Donald T. Campbell and Donald W. Fiske's multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) research design is the best known social scientific procedure for uncovering systematic errors, but the data requirements for classical MTMM designs are too demanding for many areas of sociology in which secondary data are the norm. The authors show that the benefits of the MTMM design are available under more relaxed conditions. In addition, they illustrate how researchers can examine the determinants of systematic errors and gain insights into the potential for confounding or spurious effects caused by systematic errors. They demonstrate the usefulness of these methods using the subjective measures of liberal democracy used in several recent «American Sociological Review» papers and provide additional examples, including measures of the reputational quality of graduate programs and job evaluations for comparable-worth investigations. They conclude that sociologists can do far more to understand the systematic error present in their subjective variables
Conservation laws for a system of particles, strings, and membranes

The conservation laws associated with Poincare invariance for a system of particles, a system of strings, and a system of membranes as well as for a mixed system of particles, strings, and membranes are studied for the gauge-invariant theory of direct interactions between such systems.
The chemistry of trifluorothiolacetic acid and its derivatives. II

Abstract Addition reactions of perfluorothiolacetic acid (TFTAA) with selected organic compounds were studied and six compounds containing the trifluoroacetyl group have been prepared. Two types of reactions were observed, free radical and nucleophilic addition. Under the influence of ultraviolet light, TFTAA (CF 3 COSH) adds to olefins to form 1:1 adducts. The CF 3 COS· radical appears to be the adding species. Three new olefin adducts were prepared: CF 3 COSCFHCF 2 H, CF 3 COSCH 2 CF 2 H, and CF 3 COSCH 2 CFH 2 . In addition, this was found to be a new way to prepare CF 3 COSCH 2 CH 3 , which had been previously prepared by another route. Physical constants, analytical data, infrared, ultraviolet, NMR and mass spectra are presented supporting the proposed structures for these compounds. Nucleophilic addition adducts were formed with TFTAA. TFTAA is a strong acid and the CF 3 COS − ion was found to act as a nucleophile with several substrates. With hexafluoroacetone, addition of TFTAA across the carbonyl group gave CF 3 COSC(CF 3 ) 2 OH, and with ethylene oxide the alcohol addition product, CF 3 COSCH 2 CH 2 OH, was produced.
Improving Statistical Validity in Calculating Erosion Hazards from Historical Shorelines

We evaluate three classes of shoreline change rate methods on all sandy beaches of Maui: 1) methods that estimate shoreline change transect by transect, 2) methods that combine data from all transects to estimate shoreline change, and 3) extensions of (2) that include acceleration. Using these, we compare 50 yr hazard zones from beaches exposed to different conditions, natural beaches versus altered beaches, and well-defined littoral cells versus open systems. Acceleration methods fit the data well, but don't predict the erosion hazard zone well. Altered beaches and open system beaches are better fit by methods with acceleration at a higher proportion than natural or pocket beaches. The traditional transect by transect method that calculates shoreline change at discrete points along a beach never qualifies as the best fit model.
Automated high-throughput purification of antibody fragments to facilitate evaluation in functional and kinetic based assays

Screening antibodies from phage displayed in vitro libraries and from affinity maturation of lead antibodies requires testing of antibody fragments (scFvs and Fabs) for function and binding affinities. Crude scFv or Fab periplasmic preparations from Escherichia coli are often not pure and/or concentrated enough for use in functional and affinity assays. We have developed an automated high-throughput approach for small and large-scale expression and purification of His-tagged scFvs and Fabs using the Qiagen BioRobot 3000 LS with optimized application software. This automated procedure enabled us to rapidly evaluate antibody fragments in functional and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assays. We have used these procedures to make thousands of purified scFv/Fabs for several antibody maturation campaigns and significantly decreased the time needed to select the best candidates. The assay results from these purified samples were used to prioritize candidates before converting them to IgG. This protocol can process up to 300 small-scale and up to 72 large-scale scFvs or Fabs per week per full-time employee (FTE).
SU-GG-J-157: Evaluation of Volumetric Losses during Radiation Therapy Using Image Guidance of Electronic Portal Imaging Device

Purpose: Changes in patient volume, due to tumor shrinkage, dehydration, dysphagia and atrophy, could present issues in the accuracy of dosimetry throughout the course of treatment. The aim of this work is to study the dosimetric impacts of the volumetric changes during IMRT and to investigate the feasibilities of electronic portal imaging device(EPID) in predicting the impacts. Materials and Methods: An anthropomorphic head and neck phantom was used to represent two scenarios: symmetric and asymmetric volume loss. The phantom was simulated and planned according to the head and neck protocols used in our clinic. Dose volume histograms (DVH) were generated for each set up scenario, comparing the dose expected at the coincident volume of the phantom. During treatment delivery, the EPID captured exit fluence of each beam at each level of bolus thickness. These images were quantitatively analyzed using gamma analysis with criteria of 3% and 3mm dose difference and distance‐to‐agreement respectively. Results: Comparing maximum to minimum volume in the symmetric situation with DVH generated in Eclipse show fluctuations in dose. Maximum dose to the planning target volume (PTV) increased by 9.3%. In addition, increases to organs at risk ranged from ∼4% to 7.3%. The asymmetric volume change predicted dose fluctuations that were less significant with the largest dose increase < 4% in the PTV. As for gamma analysis, a quantitative evaluation showed extreme variability in the images with five layers of bolus when compared to images with no bolus. Less significant variation was shown in layers of closer thicknesses, as expected. Conclusions: The phantom study indicates that volume loss could contribute to clinically considerable changes in the dose delivered to target and organs at risk. The proposed technique using EPID could provide valuable information about the variation of dose due to volumetric changes and might be potentially useful.
An Approach to the Patient with Anxiety

Patients seen in primary care and in specialty medical settings often have prominent anxiety. This article presents the epidemiology, etiology, manifestations, and treatment of anxiety disorders.
Brain renin-angiotensin system: fetal epigenetic programming by maternal protein restriction during pregnancy.

Objective: Maternal protein malnutrition during pregnancy can lead to significant alterations in the systemic renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the fetus. All components of the RAS are present in brain and may be altered in many disease states. Importantly, these disorders are reported to be of higher incidence in prenatally malnourished individuals. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that antenatal maternal low protein diet (MLPD) leads to epigenetic changes and alterations in gene expression of brain RAS of the mouse fetus. Methods: Mice dams were given control and 50% MLPD during second half of the gestation. We analyzed messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNA (miRNA), promoter DNA methylation, and protein expression of various RAS genes in the fetal offspring. Results: As a consequence of 50% MLPD, fetal brains showed increased mRNA expression of angiotensinogen and angiotensin converting enzyme-1 (ACE-1), with a decrease in mRNA levels of angiotensin II type-2 (AT2) receptors. In contrast, while a...
State Abortion and Nonmarital Birthrates in the Post—Welfare Reform Era The Impact of Economic Incentives on Reproductive Behaviors of Teenage and Adult Women

The impact of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA, or welfare reform) on the economic circumstances of women and children has received substantial research attention, but provisions of the act that attempt to influence women's reproductive behaviors have been much less studied. Provisions of PRWORA encouraged states to intensify efforts to restrict access to abortion and to decrease rates of nonmarital births, particularly among teenagers. Using state-level data, this study analyzes the effects of state policies enacted in the wake of welfare reform, controlling for prior rates of abortion and unwed births. The authors find that economic-based incentives have only minor, and inconsistent, influence on statewide rates of abortion and nonmarital births in 2000. Results are consistent with feminist scholarship proposing that noneconomic considerations are more central in women's decision making about reproduction than economic factors.
How Do Critical Thinking Measures Fit Within Standards-Based Reform?

In this article, we consider three components of the current assessment landscape and analyze the problems inherent in documenting student performance and progress. In particular, we focus on middle-secondary subject matter. First, we address state standards that are fundamental to most large-scale assessment systems. Then, we reference the curriculum, critiquing the text structures that frame content information and eventually limit the type of learning that can be documented. Finally, we consider critical thinking measures, an alternative procedure for monitoring student performance and progress. We end with an analysis of alignment between the three components.
Stochastic Dynamics of a Nonlinear Aeroelastic System

We investigate the asymptotic behaviors of a thin panel in high supersonic flow with a turbulent boundary layer. The objective of this investigation is achieved by formulating methods to analyze complex interactions among aerodynamic/structural dynamic nonlinearities, turbulence, and stability. We reduce an infinite dimensional model to a finite dimensional system in the Galerkin's sense. The normal form technique is employed not only to capture the essential dynamics of the system in which significant nonlinearities are considered but also to reduce the dimensionality of the dynamical system. Because of the random nature of forcing characteristics associated with the turbulence, the theory of stochastic processes is used to explore panel responses in the presence of turbulent boundary layer. After adequate scaling of parameters, a nonstandard reduction through stochastic averaging is achieved. It turns out that the solution of the reduced model is approximated by a Markov process that takes its value on a graph with gluing conditions that furnish the complete specification of the dynamics of the reduced model. With the aid of the infinitesimal generator of the reduced Markov process on the graph, we examine stochastic analyses such as mean exit time, probability density and stochastic bifurcation in the phenomenological sense.
Preface from the New Editor-in-Chief

This issue of Population Research and Policy Review is the first to appear under my editorship. The previous editor, Professor David Swanson of the University of California at Riverside, as well as the editor before him, Professor Elwood Carlson of Florida State University, have helped to develop PRPR into a prominent international journal for population research. The journal is affiliated with a regional professional association in the United States, the Southern Demographic Association (SDA), but its authors, reviewers, editorial board, and readers represent all regions of the world. The publisher, Springer, and particularly Evelien Bakker and Marielle Klijn, have also made outstanding contributions to the growing reputation of the journal. Population Research and Policy Review encourages submissions under a very comprehensive definition of population research and a wide range of data and methodologies. It is expected that submissions will have an explicit connection with population policy at some level. It is preferred, although not necessary, that authors connect with research topics that have previously appeared in this journal. Thanks to the Editorial Manager software used by our publisher, the submission and review process is now entirely online. Soon after the online submission of a paper to the website, two potential reviewers are contacted. The review process is entirely blind, in the sense that reviewers do not know the names or affiliations of authors, and authors do not know the names or affiliations of reviewers. Potential reviewers sometimes take a long time simply to acknowledge the email inviting them to do a review, and after agreeing to do a review they sometimes take a long time to provide it; sometimes they never do so. Most delays arise from these sources. Authors can monitor the progress of their paper on the website. If it appears to be stuck, emails to the journal are in order and will receive a prompt response.
Combined CMR and catheterization data in determining right ventricular-arterial coupling in children and adolescents with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Methods This retrospective study included subjects with PAH who a cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) study within 14 days of cardiac catheterization between January 2009-August 2013. The effective elastance (Ea, index of arterial load) and right ventricular maximal end-systolic elastance (Emax, index of contractility) were determined by a combination of CMR and hemodynamic data. Ea is defined as (mean pulmonary arterial pressure minus pulmonary capillary wedge pressure)/stroke volume. Emax is defined as mean pulmonary arterial pressure/ end systolic volume. Ea/Emax ratio was derived. Additionally, a measure of non-invasive ventricular arterial coupling (assuming PWCP is insignificant, making Ea/ Emax = end systolic volume/stroke volume) was derived from only CMR. Pulmonary vascular resistance indexed (PVRi) and pulmonary vascular reactivity, as defined by Barst criteria (decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure of > 20%, unchanged/increased cardiac index, and decreased/unchanged pulmonary to systemic vascular resistance ratio), were also determined. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between PVRi and Ea, Emax, and Ea/Emax. Receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined the diagnostic value of Ea/Emax in predicting vascular reactivity.
The Activity of COOH-terminal Domain Phosphatase Is Regulated by a Docking Site on RNA Polymerase II and by the General Transcription Factors IIF and IIB

Each cycle of transcription appears to be associated with the reversible phosphorylation of the repetitive COOH-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest RNA polymerase (RNAP) II subunit. The dephosphorylation of RNAP II by CTD phosphatase, therefore, plays an important role in the transcription cycle. The following studies characterize the activity of HeLa cell CTD phosphatase with a special emphasis on the regulation of CTD phosphatase activity. Results presented here suggest that RNAP II contains a docking site for CTD phosphatase that is essential in the dephosphorylation reaction and is distinct from the CTD. This is supported by the observations that (a) phosphorylated recombinant CTD is not a substrate for CTD phosphatase, (b) RNAP IIB, which lacks the CTD, and RNAP IIA are competitive inhibitors of CTD phosphatase and (c) CTD phosphatase can form a stable complex with RNAP II. To test the possibility that the general transcription factors may be involved in the regulation of CTD phosphatase, CTD phosphatase activity was examined in the presence of recombinant or highly purified general transcription factors. TFIIF stimulates CTD phosphatase activity 5-fold. The RAP74 subunit of TFIIF alone contained the stimulatory activity and the minimal region sufficient for stimulation corresponds to COOH-terminal residues 358-517. TFIIB inhibits the stimulatory activity of TFIIF but has no effect on CTD phosphatase activity in the absence of TFIIF. The potential importance of the docking site on RNAP II and the effect of TFIIF and TFIIB in regulating the dephosphorylation of RNAP II at specific times in the transcription cycle are discussed.
Frequency Response of Synthetic Vocal Fold Models with Linear and Nonlinear Material Properties

Purpose The purpose of this study was to create synthetic vocal fold models with nonlinear stress-strain properties and to investigate the effect of linear versus nonlinear material properties on f...
Special Quasi-triads and Integral Group Rings of Finite Representation Type, II

Abstract We describe the structure of the integral group ring Z G, when G is a group with cyclic Sylow subgroups, as a subdirect sum of hereditary orders in cyclic crossed product algebras. In the case where Z G is of finite representation type, we deduce the structure of all genera of Z G-lattices. Our principal applications are the following. (i) We determine which groups G have the property that each Z G-lattice is isomorphic to a direct sum of right ideals. (ii) We determine which groups G with cyclic Sylow subgroups have the property that each Z G-lattice has a unique number of indecomposable summands. (iii) We show that, for groups G with cyclic Sylow subgroups, the ring structure of the rational group algebra Q G determines the group G up to isomorphism.
Nelder-mead enhanced extreme learning machine

Many algorithms such as Support Vector Regression (SVR), Incremental Extreme Learning Machine (I-ELM), Convex Incremental Extreme Learning Machine (CI-ELM), and Enhanced random search based Incremental Extreme Learning Machine (EI-ELM) are being used in current research to solve various function approximation problems. This paper presents a modification to the I-ELM family of algorithms targeted specifically at Single Layer Feedforward Networks (SLFN) using Radial Basis Function (RBF) nodes. The modification includes eliminating randomness in both the center positions of the RBF units as well as the widths of the RBF units. This is accomplished by assigning the center of each incrementally added node to the highest point in the residual error surface and using Nelder-Mead's Simplex method to iteratively select an appropriate radius for the added node. Using this technique, the properties of I-ELM that allow for universal approximation and appropriate generalization are preserved, while the sizes of the RBF networks are greatly reduced.
The nucleotide sequence of the 5′-untranslated region of bovine viral diarrhoea virus: its use as a probe in rapid detection of bovine viral diarrhoea viruses and border disease viruses

A 289 bp cDNA fragment from the 5′-untranslated region (UTR) of 16 bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) isolates was amplified by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction, and sequenced by dideoxy DNA sequencing. The sequence showed greater than 90% homology between the isolates and BVDV NADL in this region, and greater than 97% homology within a 72 base sub-region (nt 314-386). The 289 bp fragment was then used as a probe for rapid detection of BVDV and border disease virus (BDV) from cell culture samples by dot-blot hybridization. This probe hybridized to 100% of BVDV isolates (n = 78) and 100% of BDV isolates (n = 9), but not to the uninfected BT cells or other bovine infectious agents. A shorter probe from the more conserved sub-region also was tested for hybridization with some of the isolates, and the results were similar to those using the longer probe. These results suggest that the 5′-UTR is highly conserved among BVDV and BDV isolates, and may be used as a potential probe for rapid detection of BVDV and BDV in clinical and cell culture samples from cattle and sheep.
Effects of pulsed dual-ion irradiation on phase transformations and microstructure in Ti-modified austenitic alloy

Abstract The influence of pulsed 4 MeV Ni ion bombardment, with and without simultaneous helium injection, has been explored in a low swelling, Ti-modified austenitic stainless steel. Irradiations were carried out to 70 dpa at 950 K; the pulsing frequencies were either 60 s on/off or 1 s on/off. Compared to continuous irradiation, pulsing caused a decrease in the interstitial loop diameter at 1 dpa, although at higher doses the overall dislocation density was not affected. Pulsing and helium both promoted the stability of MC precipitates and retarded the subsequent G phase formation; in some cases G-phase was suppressed and η phase formed instead. Small bubble-like cavities were observed to grow into large voids after steady dual beam irradiation to 70 dpa. However, this conversion was suppressed by pulsed irradiation to 70 dpa and furthermore the sizes of the small cavities were somewhat reduced. The results are explained in terms of current mechanistic understanding of mean point defect kinetics and the evolution of microstructure and microcomposition during irradiation with superimposed annealing periods.