cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cavatica: A pipeline for identifying author adoption trends among software or methods

This paper describes a pipeline to identify author adoption trends of software or methodologies using biomedical literature searches. Cavatica is a multi-network analysis pipeline for PubMed and PubMed Central (PMC) search results based on a heterogeneous network that combines papers and their authors; each unique paper or author is represented by a node in the network. Using Cavatica, our pipeline starts by building the heterogeneous network, generating Mango Graph Studio scripts to combine multiple networks, and enabling users to deduce the adoption trend of authors among multiple search terms. As an example, we used our Cavatica pipeline on the search results for the names of 9 different network analysis software tools, and identified the adoption trends among those tools.
Paclitaxel induces the apoptosis in MCF10AT series of human breast epithelial cells: A model for proliferative breast disease and carcinoma

3217 Human proliferative breast disease (PBD) refers to a sequence of progressive morphologic changes, including hyperplasia that occurs in the breast tissue prior to breast cancer development. MCF10AT cell series of human breast epithelial cell includes normal MCF10A (10A), premalignant MCF10AT (10AT) and MCF10ATG3B (10ATG3B), and fully malignant MCF10CA1a (10CA1a) cells and serves as a unique model system for development of PBD and carcinoma. The effects of paclitaxel (PTX), anti-microtubule agent, in MCF10AT cell lineage were examined. PTX inhibited the proliferation of MCF10AT cell lineage in a time-dependent (24, 48 and 72 h) and a concentration-dependent (0~10 nM) manners. PTX (10 nM) inhibited the proliferation of 10A, 10AT, 10ATG3B and 10CA1a cells by 65, 56, 43 and 52%, respectively, at 48 h. Treatment of cells with PTX (10 nM) for 24 h induced the apoptosis with the percentage of cells in sub-G1 phase being 23.6, 26.1, 25.2 and 10.2% in 10A, 10AT, 10ATG3B, and 10CA1a cells, respectively, showing less sensitiveness to 10CA1a tumor cells. However, further treatment of cells with PTX for 48 h resulted in G1-phase arrest. Treatment of cells with PTX (0~10 nM) for 24 h showed the appearance of DNA fragmentation (a hallmark of apoptosis) with less sensitiveness to 10CA1a tumor cells. PTX increased the protein expression of p53 by 87, 102, 812 and 84% in 10A, 10AT, 10ATG3B and 10CA1a cells, respectively, and induced cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) fragmentation. These results correlated well to PTX-mediated induction of apoptosis with the decreased sensitivity of 10CA1a cells. In accordance with the G1-phase arrest, retinoblastoma (Rb), phospho-Rb and cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk)-2 proteins significantly decreased after PTX treatment. PTX increased the protein expression of cdk inhibitor, p21Waf1, by 2.57, 1.53 and 2.48 fold in 10A, 10AT and 10ATG3B cells, respectively, with the negligible detection in 10CA1a cells. The protein expression of p27Kip1, another cdk inhibitor, also significantly increased by 2.73, 2.22, 2.40 and 1.71 fold for 10A, 10AT, 10ATG3B and 10CA1a cells, respectively, after the treatment of PTX. Collectively, these data show that PTX inhibited cell proliferation by G1 cell cycle arrest in MCF10AT cell lineage. PTX also induced the apoptosis of 10A, 10AT and 10ATG3B cells, whereas 10CA1a tumor cells were less inducible to PTX effects. The effects of PTX on DNA fragmentation, p53 protein expression and PARP cleavage contributed to the induction of apoptosis in 10A, 10AT and 10AT3B cells, with a lesser effect noted for 10CA1a tumor cells. Supported by Research Fund by Kangnung National University and Regional Technology Innovation (RTI 05-01-02) Program of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE) Keywords: MCF 10AT cells; paclitaxel; apoptosis; DNA fragmentation; p53; PARP
Estimation of minimum and maximum correlation coefficients

Abstract To generate correlated data for given marginal distributions, it is essential that the desired Pearson correlation coefficient is between the minimum and maximum correlation coefficients. In this paper, we consider estimation of the minimum and maximum correlation coefficients of continuous random variables X and Y . A strong law of large numbers and asymptotic normality are established for the estimators studied in this paper.
Segmental epidermal nevus and mucosal neuromas associated with PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum disorder

Mosaic and segmental overgrowth syndromes have historically been difficult to delineate and diagnose due to clinical heterogeneity. More recently, the ability to characterize the underlying somatic mutation has helped reclassify these disorders. Several distinct but overlapping conditions and benign lesions have been noted to contain mutations in the PIK3CA (phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha) gene, leading to overgrowth.1 We present the case of an adult with an uncommon segmental overgrowth disorder with hemifacial overgrowth, linear epidermal nevus, and mucosal neuromas with activating somatic mutations in PIK3CA.
Free-list Measures of Cognitive Sharing and Organization: Ethnobotany in Rural Missouri:

We present a normed measure of cognitive sharing/diversity and a measure of cognitive organization that can be derived from free lists. They are useful for making cross-cultural and intracultural c...
Understanding How Short-Termism and a Dynamic Investor Network Affects Investor Returns: An Agent-Based Perspective

The unexplained and inconsistent behavior of financial markets provides the motivation to engage interdisciplinary approaches to understand its intricacies better. A proven approach is to consider investors as heterogeneous interacting agents who form information networks to inform their investment decisions. The rationale is that the topology of these networks has contributed to a better understanding of the erratic behavior of financial markets. Introducing investor heterogeneity also allows researchers to identify the characteristics of higher performing investors and the implications of investors exhibiting short-termism, a feature recognized by some as detrimental to the performance of the economy. To address these topics, an agent-based artificial stock market is implemented, where investors utilize various information sources, including advice from investors in their network, to inform their investment decisions. Over time investors update their trust in their information sources and evolve their network by connecting to outperforming investors—Oracles—and discarding poor advisers, thereby simulating the evolution of an investor network. The model’s most significant finding is uncovering how the market’s behavior is materially affected by the time-horizon of investors, with short-term behavior resulting in greater volatility in the market. Another finding is the reason why short-term investors generally outperform their long-term counterparts, particularly in more volatile environments. By providing significant insights into the formation of an investor network and its ramifications for market volatility and wealth creation (destruction), this paper provides crucial clues regarding the empirical data that needs to be collected, assessed, and tracked to ensure policymakers and investors better understand the dynamics of financial markets.
Robust observations of land-to-atmosphere feedbacks using the information flows of FLUXNET

Feedbacks between atmospheric processes like precipitation and land surface fluxes including evapotranspiration are difficult to observe, but critical for understanding the role of the land surface in the Earth System. To quantify global surface-atmosphere feedbacks we use results of a process network (PN) applied to 251 eddy covariance sites from the LaThuile database to train a neural network across the global terrestrial surface. There is a strong land–atmosphere coupling between latent (LE) and sensible heat flux (H) and precipitation (P) during summer months in temperate regions, and between H and P during winter, whereas tropical rainforests show little coupling seasonality. Savanna, shrubland, and other semi-arid ecosystems exhibit strong responses in their coupling behavior based on water availability. Feedback couplings from surface fluxes to P peaks at aridity (P/potential evapotranspiration ETp) values near unity, whereas coupling with respect to clouds, inferred from reduced global radiation, increases as P/ETp approaches zero. Spatial patterns in feedback coupling strength are related to climatic zone and biome type. Information flow statistics highlight hotspots of (1) persistent land–atmosphere coupling in sub-Saharan Africa, (2) boreal summer coupling in the central and southwestern US, Brazil, and the Congo basin and (3) in the southern Andes, South Africa and Australia during austral summer. Our data-driven approach to quantifying land atmosphere coupling strength that leverages the global FLUXNET database and information flow statistics provides a basis for verification of feedback interactions in general circulation models and for predicting locations where land cover change will feedback to climate or weather. “Big data” methods reveal robust hotspots of land–atmosphere coupling. Sparse observations and inadequate analytical tools have hindered our understanding of land–atmosphere feedbacks, including the exchange of energy, water, and CO2. Emergent methods such as machine learning, however, offer new opportunities, as Tobias Gerken from Montana State University, USA, and colleagues, demonstrate. A “big data” approach is adopted to characterise the spatial and temporal variability of land–atmosphere coupling without a priori assumptions: information flows are computed from 251 FLUXNET sites which are subsequently used to train a neural network. Distinct regional differences in the magnitude of land–atmosphere feedbacks are found, related to climatic zone and biome type; coupling in semi-arid ecosystems, for example, are strongly related to seasonal water availability. Complementing model studies with such empirical approaches may assist in quantifying climate change impacts on ecosystem services.
Qualitative Contributions to Implementation Research on HIV Prevention and Treatment.

Background:The advantages of conducting implementation research as part of the development, as well as delivery and use of HIV prevention and treatment interventions, are increasingly being recognized. Qualitative methods are gaining recognition in implementation-oriented research on HIV as vehicles
Lymph node yield in pediatric, adolescent and young adult Renal Cell Carcinoma - How many are enough?

Abstract Purpose Pediatric, adolescent and young adult (PAYA) patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have a high rate of LN involvement, yet data to guide surgical lymph node (LN) management in this group is limited. The objective is to describe a LN yield threshold to quantify the chance of missing occult LN involvement at ≤ 10% in PAYAs with RCC. Materials & methods The National Cancer Database was queried for patients aged ≤ 30 y with unilateral, non-metastaticRCC from 2004 to 2013. The probability of a false negative LN sampling was determined on the cohort of patients who had at least one positive LNand ≥ 2 LNs examined. For a given LN yield, the probability that a positive LN exists but none were found was estimated using a beta-binomial model. Results We identified 112 patients meeting study criteria. Median age was 24 y and median tumor size was 9.5 cm (IQR 5.8–14). The median number of LNs sampled was 7 (IQR 4–12) and the median number of LNs positive was 4 (IQR 2–7). To achieve ≤ 10% probability of a false-negativeLN sampling, the beta-binomial model estimated that 5 LNs (95% CI4–7) must be sampled. Conclusions The desired LN yield to reduce the risk of a false-negativeLN sampling in PAYAs with RCC to ≤ 10% is 5. This is in keeping with prior studies identifying a LN yield of 6–10 to achieve the same. These data may be used to standardize surgical guidelines when treating PAYAs with renal tumors. Level of Evidence II.
Designing an Escape Room to Increase Pharmacy Preceptor Knowledge of the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process

Objective. To design and assess the use of an escape room for pharmacy preceptor development. Methods. An escape room for preceptor development that focused on the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP), preceptor resources, and the school of pharmacy’s mission and vision was created. Teams had to solve digital and practical puzzles to escape a pharmacy. The team to correctly solve all the puzzles the fastest was considered to have escaped the pharmacy. Escape room puzzles included digital locks, cipher wheels, a rebus puzzle, riddle, hidden object, and other puzzles. Preceptor’s knowledge of the PPCP and perceptions of the game were evaluated using a pre- and post-activity test and survey. Results. Fifteen preceptors with a variety of practice sites and precepting experience participated in a matched pre-and post-activity survey. Preceptor knowledge of the order of the PPCP improved, with nine (60%) preceptors answering correctly before participating in the activity vs 13 (87%) after. However, the preceptors were less likely to correctly answer the type of approach the PPCP uses after completing the escape room activity, with 14 (93%) answering correctly before vs 10 (67%) after. Participants’ perceptions of the game were positive and all preceptors agreed or strongly agreed that they would recommend participating in this activity to another preceptor. Conclusion. A preceptor development escape room was viewed positively by preceptors. Future research should focus on digital-only escape rooms for preceptors to increase availability and participation.
Gender Differences in Endowed Chairs in Medicine at Top Schools.

This cross-sectional study examines the gender distribution of endowed chairs in departments of medicine and the association of gender with holding an endowed chair.
Understanding and Advancing the 3-mercaptophenylboronic Acid Chemical Label for Optimal Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopic Analysis of Bacteria Populations

3-mercaptophenylboronic acid (3-MPBA) was applied as a capturer and label for bacteria detection using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The objective of this study was to further underst...
Changes in femoral offset is not associated with increased incidence of lateral hip pain following total hip arthroplasty.

Abstract Purpose Increased femoral offset following total hip arthroplasty allows for greater stability of the hip joint. However, the increase in femoral offset can cause an impingement of local structures resulting in persistent lateral hip pain. There is conflicting evidence whether changes in femoral offset increases the rates of lateral hip pain following total hip arthroplasty. Methods This was a retrospective case control study that grouped patients based on the presence of persistent lateral hip pain following total hip arthroplasty. Patients were then stratified according to their change in femoral offset ( Results A change in femoral offset of the implanted hip relative to the native hip was not associated with increased rates of lateral hip pain following total hip arthroplasty (p = 0.35). A change in femoral offset of the implanted hip relative to the contralateral hip was not associated with increased rates of lateral hip pain following total hip arthroplasty (p = 0.40). Conclusion This study found that there was no association between increased femoral offset and rates of postoperative lateral hip pain following total hip arthroplasty. Future investigations should look at a larger sample size with multiple institutions to further assess the impact on femoral offset changes on rates of persistent lateral hip pain.
Early Aseptic Loosening with Increased Presence and Severity of Backside Burnishing in the Optetrak Logic Posterior-Stabilized Total Knee Arthroplasty Femoral Component.

Concerns persist that the Optetrak Logic posterior-stabilized (PS) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) femoral component might correlate with early failures due to aseptic loosening. The primary aim of this study was to examine if the use of the Optetrak Logic PS femoral component is associated with early (<5 years) and more extensive aseptic loosening compared with other PS femoral components. This is a single-institution retrieval analysis and revision registry study (based on prospectively collected data) of 27 failed primary PS TKA patients with loose femoral components that underwent revision TKAs between 2016 and 2019. Patients were stratified by components type: Group A (n = 16) received the Optetrak Logic PS femoral component, while Group B (n = 11) received other PS femoral components. Burnishing (macroscopic polishing of the component's backside) was observed and graded as a marker for relative motion at the cement-implant interface. No significant differences were found between the two groups regarding the baseline demographic, radiographic, and clinical characteristics. Mean length of implantation for Group A (3.8 ± 2.9 years) was significantly shorter (p < 0.001) than that of Group B (12.0 ± 6.7 years). A significant difference (p = 0.009) was found in presence of backside femoral burnishing between Group A (15 of 16 patients; 93.8%) and group B (5 of 11 patients; 45.6%). Furthermore, we found a significant difference (p < 0.001) in the severity of burnishing between Group A (13 of 16 patients with severe degree of burnishing; 81.3%) and Group B (1 of 11 patients with severe degree of burnishing; 9.1%). In contrast to Group B, a distinctive macroscopic pattern found in Logic retrieved femoral components (Group A) was the total absence of cement in the backside surface. The use of the Optetrak Logic PS TKA femoral component was associated with early aseptic loosening and increased presence and severity of backside burnishing with early cement-implant interface debonding compared with other commercially available types of PS TKA femoral components. The earlier failure rate with this implant is of concern.
Hippocampal Transcriptome Changes After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Mice.

After subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), up to 95% of surviving patients suffer from post-SAH syndrome, which includes cognitive deficits with impaired memory, executive functions, and emotional disturbances. Although these long-term cognitive deficits are thought to result from damage to temporomesial-hippocampal areas, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. To fill this gap in knowledge, we performed a systematic RNA sequencing screen of the hippocampus in a mouse model of SAH. SAH was induced by perforation of the circle of Willis in mice. Four days later, hippocampal RNA was obtained from SAH and control (sham perforation) mice. Next-generation RNA sequencing was used to determine differentially expressed genes in the whole bilateral hippocampi remote from the SAH bleeding site. Functional analyses and clustering tools were used to define molecular pathways. Differential gene expression analysis detected 642 upregulated and 398 downregulated genes (false discovery rate <0.10) in SAH compared to Control group. Functional analyses using IPA suite, Gene Ontology terms, REACTOME pathways, and MsigDB Hallmark gene set collections revealed suppression of oligodendrocytes/myelin related genes, and overexpression of genes related to complement system along with genes associated with innate and adaptive immunity, and extracellular matrix reorganization. Interferon regulatory factors, TGF-β1, and BMP were identified as major orchestrating elements in the hippocampal tissue response. The MEME-Suite identified binding motifs of Kruppel-like factors, zinc finger transcription factors, and interferon regulatory factors as overrepresented DNA promoter motifs. This study provides the first systematic gene and pathway database of the hippocampal response after SAH. Our findings suggest that damage of the entorhinal cortex by subarachnoid blood may remotely trigger specific hippocampal responses, which include suppression of oligodendrocyte function. Identification of these novel pathways may allow for development of new therapeutic approaches for post-SAH cognitive deficits.
The Effects of Chemotherapy-Induced Polyneuropathy on Postural Balance

While cancer prevalence and survival rates are increasing, cancer-treatment-related functional decline and decreased quality of life are on the rise. Adverse side effects such as polyneuropathy are commonly associated with neurotoxic chemotherapeutic agents (i.e., taxanes or platinums) resulting in a decrease in postural balance and an increased risk for falls. This case report highlights an adult with polyneuropathy who received five months of chemotherapy treatment for a breast cancer diagnosis. Measurements included sensory integration of balance control using the BTrackS modified Clinical Test of Sensory Integration and Balance (mCTSIB) protocol and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Compared to normative data, the participant demonstrated poor balance control in all conditions. Specifically, the results indicated proprioception was the most compromised component of balance control. The participant also demonstrated a slower TUG time compared to women of similar age. Our findings highlight the value of quantitative assessment of balance control following chemotherapy. More research would be needed to further support the tailored therapeutic approaches to prevent falls following chemotherapy treatment.
34 State of stress in the Earth's lithosphere

Large portions of intraplate regions (lateral dimensions of 10 3 –10 4 km) are characterized by relatively uniform stress fields suggesting that the state of stress in the brittle upper crust is dominated by large-scale tectonic processes. In general, principal stresses in the crust are in vertical and horizontal planes. In intraplate areas, in situ stress measurements and inferences based on topography and flexure all suggest that shear stresses in the upper lithosphere are fairly large and seem controlled by the frictional strength of the faulted crust. Unlike the interiors of plates, plate boundary faults (like the San Andreas fault and subduction zones) appear to be quite weak and slip at low levels of shear stress. At sufficient depth below the brittle upper lithosphere, stresses are likely controlled by the ductile flow properties of the constituent rocks and minerals. Plate driving forces are sufficient in magnitude to maintain the intraplate lithosphere in a state of frictional failure. This frictional failure is manifest as slow, steady-state creep deformation in the lower crust and upper mantle and brittle deformation in the upper crust.
Distributed Theorem Proving by Peers

Peers is a prototype for parallel theorem proving in a distributed environment. It implements a number of strategies for refutational, contraction-based theorem proving in equational theories, whose signatures may include associative-commutative (AC) function symbols. “Contraction-based” strategies is a more general term for “simplification-based”, “rewriting-based” or “(Knuth-Bendix) completion-based” strategies.
Applications of density functional theory to identify reaction pathways for processes occurring in zeolites and on dispersed metal oxides

The use of quantum chemical calculations to represent elementary processes involved in catalyzed reactions is illustrated through several examples. Density functional theory is applied to obtain information about the dynamics of proton mobility in H-ZSM-5, the activation barriers for H 2 O 2 synthesis over Pd-ZSM-5, and the initial steps in the oxidative dehydrogenation of C 3 H 8 over V 2 O 5 .
Community needs assessment survey of people with spinal cord injury: an early follow-up study

This article presents preliminary data on community reintegration of a small sample of individuals who sustained spinal cord injury. Thirty-one individuals were surveyed on employment status, transportation, participation in community events, need for assistance with activities of daily living and utilization of community services and resources. Results revealed that there are relatively few ongoing issues that are disproportionately problematic with regards to returning to work and the community post-injury. Future follow-up studies need to be conducted to further our understanding of community reentry post-SCI. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.
Background Variables, Levels of Aggregation, and Standardized Test Scores

This article examines the role of student demographic characteristics in standardized achievement test scores at both the individual level and aggregated at the state, district, school levels. For several data sets, the majority of the variance among states, districts, and schools was related to demographic characteristics. Where these background variables outside of the control of schools significantly affected averaged scores, and test scores result in high stakes consequences, benefits and sanctions may be inappropriately applied. Furthermore, disaggregating the data by race, SES, limited English, or other groupings ignores the significant confounding and cumulative effects of belonging to more than one disadvantaged group. With these approaches to evaluation being fundamental to the No Child Left Behind mandates, the danger of misinterpretation and inappropriate application of sanctions is substantial.
Changing Diets in China's Cities: Empirical Fact or Urban Legend?

China's economic reforms, which began in 1978, resulted in remarkable income growth, and urban Chinese consumers have responded by dramatically increasing their consumption of meat, other livestock products, and fruits and by decreasing consumption of grain-based foods. Economic prosperity, a growing openness to international markets, and domestic policy reforms have changed the food marketing environment for Chinese consumers and may have contributed to shifts in consumer preferences. The objective of this paper is to uncover evidence of structural change in food consumption among urban residents in China. Both parametric and nonparametric methods are used to test for structural change in aggregate household data from 1981 to 2004. The tests provided a reasonably clear picture of changing food consumption over the study period.
Cross‐Cultural Management

Cross-cultural management involves efforts to lead and participate in effective interaction among workers, managers, clients, suppliers, and organizational partners from cultures around the world. A key challenge associated with this is that individuals from different regional and national contexts differ in culture and language. Therefore, understanding, managing, and sometimes adapting to cultural differences, as well as searching for and capitalizing on similarities, are essential skills for working across borders. Culture refers to assumptions, values, beliefs, practices, and institutions associated with and distinguishing particular societies. Managers working across cultures face differences in values, practices, and languages that affect peoples' expectations, understanding, and behaviors, thereby influencing workplace norms and behaviors. This entry summarizes key aspects of management affected by cultural differences, identifies trends in cross-cultural management and discusses implications in terms of skills and competencies required for effective cross-cultural management. Keywords: culture; management; organizational behavior; cross-cultural interaction; language
Vapor Pressure Calculation Methods

Evapotranspiration (ET) or water loss to the atmosphere is one of the largest components of the hydrologic cycle, and its estimation is subject to uncertainties. Most ET estimation methods depend on vapor pressure deficit estimation. Improvements in saturation vapor pressure, actual vapor pressure, and vapor pressure deficit computations contribute to reducing errors in estimating ET. Using high-resolution meteorological data, various vapor pressure computations methods were compared. High-resolution saturation vapor pressure can be computed from high-resolution meteorological data reflecting diurnal fluctuations. In the absence of high-resolution meteorological data, daily average saturation vapor pressure is best estimated from the daily 24-h average relative humidity and the 24-h average air temperature followed by the average of daily maximum and minimum air temperature. Actual vapor pressure is best estimated from the 24-h mean air temperature and relative humidity. With some error, the average of the maximum and minimum air temperature and relative humidity can be applied to estimate actual vapor pressure. In this study, application of many equations is presented with correlation of the results with “true” estimates.
Endogenous Specialization and Dealer Networks

OTC markets exhibit a core-periphery network: 10-30 central dealers trade frequently and with many dealers, while hundreds of peripheral dealers trade sparsely and with few dealers. Existing work rationalize this phenomenon with exogenous dealer heterogeneity. We build a search-based model of network formation and propose that a core-periphery network arises from specialization. Dealers endogenously specialize in different clients with different liquidity needs. The clientele difference across dealers, in turn, generates dealer heterogeneity and the core-periphery network: The dealers specializing in clients who trade frequently form the core, while the dealers specializing in buy-and-hold investors form the periphery.
Bringing Home the Crisis: How US Evening News Framed the 2011 Japan Nuclear Crisis

Crisis communication scholars have used framing theory to argue that how the media characterizes varying aspects of a crisis can influence the public's perception of the event. While much of the crisis-framing research has been content analysis-driven, providing numbers and percentages of news stories that fit a certain story type, it is also important to examine how shifts in public opinion and policy may be indicative of and influenced by the ongoing discourse that news outlets use to characterize international crises. In this study, we use inductive analysis to describe the frames used by US evening network news to characterize the 2011 Japan nuclear crisis and outline how this coverage may have shaped and reflected public opinion and policy in the US during and following the crisis.
A General-Thresholding Solution for $l_{p} (0 Regularized CT Reconstruction

It is well known that $l_{1}$ minimization can be used to recover sufficiently sparse unknown signals in the compressive sensing field. The $l_{p}$ regularization method, a generalized version between the well-known $l_{1}$ regularization and the $l_{0}$ regularization, has been proposed for a sparser solution. In this paper, we derive several quasi-analytic thresholding representations for the $l_{p} (0 regularization. The derived representations are exact matches for the well-known soft-threshold filtering for the $l_{1}$ regularization and the hard-threshold filtering for the $l_{0}$ regularization. The error bounds of the approximate general formulas are analyzed. The general-threshold representation formulas are incorporated into an iterative thresholding framework for a fast solution of an $l_{p}$ regularized computed tomography (CT) reconstruction. A series of simulated and realistic data experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed general-threshold filtering algorithm for CT reconstruction, and it is also compared with the well-known reweighted approach. Compared with the reweighted algorithm, the proposed general-threshold filtering algorithm can substantially reduce the necessary view number for an accurate reconstruction of the Shepp-Logan phantom. In addition, the proposed general-threshold filtering algorithm performs well in terms of image quality, reconstruction accuracy, convergence speed, and sensitivity to parameters.
Choosing the reference system for liquid state perturbation theory

Minimization of an approximate free energy functional yields the Andersen-Weeks-Chandler approximation y(r) ≡ g(r) exp [βφ(r)] ≈ yd(r) along with a new criterion for choosing the reference hard sphere diameter d. The new prescription yields thermodynamic consistency and improved numerical results.
Adaptational modification of serine and threonine metabolism in the liver to essential amino acid deficiency in rats

It is known that plasma serine and threonine concentrations are elevated in rats chronically fed an essential amino acid deficient diet, but the underlying mechanisms including related gene expressions or serine and threonine concentrations in liver remained to be elucidated. We fed rats lysine or valine deficient diet for 4 weeks and examined the mRNA expressions of serine synthesising (3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase, PHGDH) and serine/threonine degrading enzymes (serine dehydratase, SDS) in the liver. Dietary deficiency induced marked elevation of hepatic serine and threonine levels associated with enhancement of PHGDH mRNA expression and repression of SDS mRNA expression. Increases in plasma serine and threonine levels due to essential amino acid deficiency in diet were caused by marked increases in hepatic serine and threonine levels. Proteolytic responses to the amino acid deficiency may be lessened by storing amino radicals as serine and inducing anorexia through elevation of threonine.
Computed Performance of Glide Slope Arrays on Sites with Limited Ground Plane

The computed performance of four different types of glide slope transmitting arrays sited over idealized ground planes consisting of one-dimensional perfectly conducting strips of various lengths in free space is presented. The idealized ground plane approximates the practical case of a site consisting of an expanse of relatively flat ground plane ending in a precipitous dropoff or in rough diffusely reflecting terrain. The computed results show several phenomena which have repeatedly been observed.
Pornography and attitude change

Sexual arousal to "visual erotica" (Levitt, 1969) has long been the concern of several organized groups in our society. Various legislative bodies have, as a result of prodding from some of their constituents, reacted to this phenomenon by passing various laws. These acts are generally directed toward the definition and control of sexual arousal and toward the control of the stimulus materials which are presumed to promote the arousal states. In passing such legislation, legislatures have made several assumptions, the more important being: 1. Sexual arousal not in the service of reproduction is a social problem. 2. Sexual arousal to certain classes of stimuli is somehow qualitatively different from arousal due to other classes. 3. Exposure to certain classes of visual stimuli causes a decline in morals and an ensuring increase in antisocial ideation. These assumptions have been made, in the past, so as to justify such anti-obscenity measures as book-burning, boycotts, and legal controls. Of the latter, it has been said that: The very fact that every state, except one, as well as the federal government have passed some form of censorship law with respect to pornography is itself testimony independently given by many people over a long period of time that pornography does have some sort of influence. (Schmidt, 1957) Implied here is that obscenity does influence morals, behavior, or both, and that the various levels of government are acting upon evidence of this influence so as to protect the well-being of the people. The empirical evidence relating to the assumptions listed above, which are implicit in all obscenity statutes, was reviewed by Cairns, et al, (1961-1962) for the period 1925 to 1961. They found no direct test of the central assumption the causal relationship between exposure to obscene materials and anti-social behavior. A similar finding has been reported by Mann (1968). He reviewed the relevant literature for the period 1961 to 1968. Both authors reported that while sexual arousal may be induced by many diverse kinds of stimuli,
An Early Cretaceous volcanic arc/marginal basin transition zone, Peninsula hardy, southernmost Chile

Abstract The Hardy Formation represents a latest Jurassic-Early Cretaceous volcanic arc that was located along the Pacific margin of southern South America. It was separated from the continent by a marginal basin floored by portions of an ophiolite sequence (the Rocas Verdes ophiolites). The transition between the arc and marginal basin occurs on Peninsula Hardy, southernmost Chile, where there is a lateral facies transition from arc deposits of the Hardy Formation into proximal marginal basin fill of the Yahgan Formation. Interfingering of arc and marginal basin sequences demonstrates that subduction-related arc magmatism was concurrent with marginal basin formation. The lateral facies transition is reflected in the geochemistry of volcanic rocks from the Hardy and Yahgan formations. Basalts, andesites and dacites of the arc sequence follow a calc-alkaline differentiation trend whereas basalts from the marginal basin follow a tholeiitic differentiation trend. Estimates of temperature and oxygen fugacity for crystallization of the arc andesites are similar to values reported for other calc-alkaline andesites. It is suggested that water activity influenced the early or late crystallization of Ti-magnetite and this controlled the style of differentiation of the magmas erupted on Peninsula Hardy. Magmas with high water contents evolved along the calc-alkaline differentiation trend whereas those with low water contents evolved along the tholeiitic differentiation trend. Some rhyolites are differentiated from the calc-alkaline andesites and dacites, but most appear to be the products of crustal anatexis on the basis of trace-element evidence. The arc basalts and some marginal basin basalts show relative enrichment in LILE, relative depletion in HFSE, and enrichment in LREE. Other marginal basin basalts are LREE depleted and show small relative depletions in HFSE. Basalts with both calc-alkaline and tholeiitic affinities can also be recognized in the Rocas Verdes ophiolites, where their eruption is correlated with temporal changes in the evolution of the marginal basin. Geochemical data are consistent with derivation of all basalts from a mantle source that is a mixture of MORB-like mantle and variable proportions of a subduction-related component. Basalts with calc-alkaline affinities were erupted initially in the marginal basin, when the locus of back-arc magmatism was near the active arc and the upper mantle source region was strongly influenced by components released from the subducted slab. MORB-like tholeiitic basalts were erupted at a later stage in the wider parts of the basin, when the angle of subduction had increased, the trench had rolled back, and the basin had widened. These MORB-like tholeiitic magmas reflect partial melting of mantle dominated by upwelling asthenosphere containing only a minor component, if any, derived from the subducted slab.
The Design of Accurate Micro-Compression Experiments

Abstract We investigate (via finite-element analyses) the factors that may affect the accuracy of micro-compression measurements (see, e.g., Uchic et al. [Uchic MD, Dimiduk DM, Florando JN, Nix WD. Science 2004;305:986]). Based on these simulations, we suggest guidelines for the development of accurate micro-compression experiments in terms of fillet to post radius ratio, post aspect ratio, post taper, and system alignment.
IL-10 inhibits the adhesion of leukocytic cells to IL-1-activated human endothelial cells

Cytokines play an important role in the recruitment of leukocytes from blood to sites of tissue injury and inflammation. Previous studies showed that the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-1, induces the adhesion of leukocytes by up-regulating the expression of the adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on endothelial cells. IL-10, a pleiotropic mediator, inhibits the production of cytokines by macrophages and down-regulates the antigen-presenting function of macrophages, thereby acting as a suppressor of immune responses. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of IL-10 on the adhesion of leukocytic cells to human umbilical vein endothelial cells. IL-10 inhibited the adhesion of a human monocytic cell line (THP-1) and a human lymphoblastic T-cell line (MOLT-4) to IL-1-stimulated endothelial cells. IL-10 also down-regulated the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on IL-1-activated endothelial cells. IL-10-treated THP-1 cells adhered less than untreated THP-1 cells to IL-1-activated endothelial cells, whereas direct treatment of MOLT-4 had minimal effect on its adhesion to cytokine-activated endothelial cells. These results suggest that IL-10 counteracts the pro-inflammatory effects of IL-1 and regulates the adhesion of leukocytic cells to endothelial cells.
P04.66 Comparing attitudes preceding and succeeding complementary and alternative medicine and integrative medicine undergraduate courses

Purpose The objective of this study was to determine the changes of attitudes, motivations, and perceptions of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and Integrative Medicine (IM) before and after taking CAM/ IM related courses at University of California, Irvine. It was hypothesized that with more exposure and education in CAM/IM throughout the course student’s perceptions, attitudes and willingness to learn more about CAM/IM would increase.
Increased resistance to acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in retrovirus-infected mice.

In this research we examined the influence of chronic retrovirus infection on the hepatic metabolism of a model substrate, acetaminophen (APAP), and its induced liver injury in mice inoculated with LP-BM5 murine leukemia viruses. Female C57BL/6 mice at 15-17 wks after LP-BM5 retrovirus inoculation and age-matched control animals were used in the studies. APAP treatment (300 mg kg-1, p.o.) resulted in moderate to severe centrilobular necrosis in control animals, with the necrotic area accounting for 40-60% of the total area. In contrast, the APAP-treated (300 mg kg-1, p.o.) infected animals exhibited mild zonal necrosis with the necrotic area accounting for 1-6% of the total area. In the same study, a statistically significant higher percentage of APAP glucuronide and a lower percentage of unchanged APAP were recovered from the urine of the LP-BM5-inoculated animals than from that of controls. No statistically significant differences between infected and uninfected animals in the urinary recovery of APAP sulfate, APAP cysteine, or APAP mercapturate were observed. The formation of APAP metabolites and APAP-associated biochemical changes were also determined from liver slice preparation to avoid in vivo complicating factors. Consistently more significant depletion of the intracellular glutathione levels and K+ content were observed in slices from the uninfected animals at high concentrations of APAP (1 and 2 mM) than in slices from the retrovirus-infected animals. The differences in APAP-associated biochemical changes were accompanied by a 1.4-1.5-fold increase in the formation of APAP glucuronide, sulfate, and glutathione metabolites in slices prepared from animals inoculated with LP-BM5. We concluded that, based on histological examination and hepatic biochemical measurements, the retrovirus-infected animals were more resistant to APAP-induced liver injury. This could be due, in part, to alterations in the detoxification and activation metabolic pathways of APAP.
Evidence-Based Decision Making in School District Central Offices: Toward a Policy and Research Agenda

District central office administrators increasingly face policy demands to use “evidence” in their decision making. These demands up the ante on education policy researchers and policy makers to better understand what evidence use in district central offices entails and the conditions that may support it. To that end, the authors conducted a comprehensive review of research literature on evidence use in district central offices, finding that the process of evidence use is complex, spanning multiple subactivities and requiring administrators to make sense of evidence and its implications for central office operations. These activities have significant political dimensions and involve the use of “local knowledge” as a key evidence source. Evidence use is shaped by features of the evidence itself and various organizational and institutional factors. Policy shapes evidence use, but other factors mediate its impact. The authors conclude with implications for future policy and research on central office evidenc...
THE CARBON MIRA UV AURIGAE AND ITS COMPANION

The carbon Mira UV Aur (photometric period 394 days) and its companion present several interesting spectroscopic issues. The late B-type companion, at a separation of 336, is seen through at least two shells expanding from the C9-type primary, as evidenced by a series of narrow, displaced absorption features at the D1,2 lines of Na I. The (projected) expansion velocity of the fastest shell is about 116 km s–1, much larger than the typical outflow velocity of about 15 km s–1 seen in C-type giants, but reminiscent of the velocities observed in the envelope of another C-type Mira, V Hya. Emission lines of H, Ca II, and Na I are present in UV Aur A; its Balmer emission lines are heavily mutilated by overlying C-type absorptions (much as is seen in Me-type Miras), so they must be formed at a lower level. UV Aur B offers the opportunity to test a speculation that the carriers of the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs), believed to be a family of carbon-containing polyatomic molecules, may be formed in cool, carbon-rich stars. Moderately strong DIBs are indeed present in the spectrum of UV Aur B at about the same strength and velocity seen in nearby (in the sky) B-type stars. But the essential question is, are DIBs present in the outflow from UV Aur A, at the velocities of the Na I shell components? The answer is no, at least at the level permitted by the signal-to-noise ratio of these Keck/HIRES spectrograms.
Physiological chemistry of cochlear duct.

A concise review about topics of current interest concerning the physiological chemistry of the cochlear duct is presented.
Prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix with endometrial involvement

The effect of (biopsy-determined) endometrial involvement on the prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix was analyzed for 180 patients. The presence in an endometrial biopsy of squamous cell carcinoma without stromal invasion does not alter the prognosis, stage for stage, from that previously reported for an overall group of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. The patient with endometrial stromal invasion may have a poorer prognosis due to increased local recurrence rate, but too few patients are available for a valid statistical analysis. The addition of adjunctive conservative hysterectomy and a reduced dose of radiation may be considered when endometrial stromal invasion is present.