cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
O-009 ASPECTS Scores and DWI Volume: How well do they correlate?

Recent trials for the management of large vessel occlusion for acute ischemic stroke have demonstrated better outcomes for intervention over IV tPA alone. Ideal imaging triage remains uncertain, however CT only paradigms, volumetric paradigms, penumbral paradigms and collateral paradigms have been proposed and used. The volumetric exclusion criteria employed in EXTEND-IA and SWIFT-PRIME may have contributed to mRS 0–2 rates of 71% and 60% respectively. One of the appeals of MR estimation of irreversible “core” infarct is that it is the most accurate readily available modality. CT ASPECTS is more widely available, but may underestimate the volume of core. Statistical methods The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to assess the amount of linear correlation between ASPECTS and DWI volume. The DWI volume values observed within each ASPECT score were then summarized. An empirical receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to summarize the accuracy of using ASPECTS to predict DWI volume less than 70 cc. The operating point furthest from the chance diagonal was selected as the optimal ASPECTS threshold and 95% Agresti-Coull confidence intervals were calculated for the sensitivity and specificity at this cut point. Results DWI ASPECTS and DWI volume had a strong negative correlation (r = –0.76; 95% CI: –0.67, – 0.82), though there was a fair amount of variability in DWI volume within a given DWI ASPECT score. CT ASPECTS and DWI volume had a moderate negative correlation (r = –0.50; 95% CI: – 0.36, –0.62), though there was considerable variability in DWI volume for a given CT ASPECT score. In this sample, there were 105 patients with DWI volume 5 was considered positive for DWI volume 8 was considered positive for DWI volume Disclosures F. Hui: None. J. Bullen: None. S. John: None. G. Toth: None. S. Hussain: None.
Novel Presentation of Rosai-Dorfman Histiocytosis With a Prolonged Course of Cranial and Peripheral Neuropathies

Abstract Background Rosai-Dorfman disease is a form of histiocytosis affecting the systemic lymph nodes. Intracranial Rosai-Dorfman disease is rare and presents with extra-parenchymal or intraparenchymal proliferative mass lesions. Cranial neuropathy has not been reported in Rosai-Dorfman disease except when caused by mass effect by an adjacent lesion. Patient Description We describe a girl with Rosai-Dorfman disease who presented with peripheral and multiple cranial neuropathies. Detailed clinical, immunologic, neurophysiology, imaging, and genetic studies were performed. She had a prolonged course but recovered fully after immune therapies. She had increased titers of striated muscle and smooth muscle antibodies. Imaging studies revealed contrast enhancement of cranial nerves and striated muscles. Demyelination was evident in the nerve twigs from muscle biopsy. Exome sequencing did not reveal a genetic mutation. Conclusions Most patients with Rosai-Dorfman disease have a benign course, but severe neurological dysfunction due to bulbar involvement and cranial and peripheral neuropathies may occur. Treatment with immunoglobulin and steroids may be of benefit.
Activation of serotonergic neurons in the medullary caudal raphe shortens the laryngeal chemoreflex in anaesthetized neonatal rats.

New Findings What is the central question of this study? Does activation of serotonergic neurons in the caudal medullary raphe, some of which project to the nucleus of the solitary tract, shorten the laryngeal chemoreflex? What is the main finding and its importance? We found that serotonin originating from neurons in the caudal raphe acts through a 5-HT3 receptor located in the nucleus of the solitary tract to terminate reflex apnoea. Failure or deficiency of this arousal-related process is likely to be relevant to the pathogenesis of sudden infant death syndrome. Failure to terminate apnoea and arouse is likely to contribute to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Serotonin is deficient in the brainstems of babies who have died of SIDS. We tested the hypothesis that activation of serotoninergic neurons in the caudal medullary raphe, some of which project to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), would shorten the laryngeal chemoreflex (LCR). We studied anaesthetized neonatal rat pups between postnatal days 9 and 17. We injected 5–40 μl of water into the larynx to elicit the LCR and measured the duration of respiratory disruption. Microinjection of 50 nl of 100 μm AMPA into the caudal medullary raphe shortened the apnoeas (P < 0.001) and respiratory inhibition (P < 0.005) associated with the LCR. When 50 nl of 30 mm ondansetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, was microinjected bilaterally into the NTS, AMPA microinjected into the caudal raphe no longer shortened the LCR. After bilateral microinjection of vehicle into the NTS, AMPA microinjection into the caudal raphe significantly shortened the LCR. AMPA, a glutamate receptor agonist, may activate many neurons within the caudal raphe, but blocking the 5-HT3 receptor-dependent responses in the NTS prevented the shortening of the LCR associated with AMPA microinjections into the caudal raphe. Thus, serotonin originating from neurons in the caudal raphe acts through a 5-HT3 receptor located in the NTS to terminate or shorten the LCR. Serotonin is deficient in the brainstems of babies who have died of SIDS, and deficient serotonergic termination of apnoea is likely to be relevant to the pathogenesis of SIDS.
Optimizing low memory killers for mobile devices using reinforcement learning

Different from memory management mechanisms in legacy systems, those in mobile devices leverage the use of app caching to accelerate app launch performance. The responsiveness of switching back to a recently used app becomes significantly worse if the cached app process has been killed in the past due to a low memory constraint. We propose a new approach to optimize the low memory killer with reinforcement learning. The new low memory killer acts as an autonomic decision maker in an uncertain environment, continuously observing various indicators and metrics for memory management, making the process-killing decisions, and taking app launch latencies as the penalties from the decision-making environment. Through a trial-and-error exploration, the killer interacts with the dynamic environment and automatically learns a holistic policy through reinforcement learning optimizing the expected app launch latency over a long run. Preliminary experimental results show that the new approach consistently and significantly improves the app launch performance, outperforming the baselines.
Social Credibility Online: The Role of Online Comments in Assessing News Article Credibility

This 2 × 2 experimental study (N = 196) tested the effects of source expertise and opinion valence in readers’ comments on the credibility of an online news story about genetically modified organis...
Endoscopically assisted Crawford tube placement results in shorter general anesthesia times in pediatric patients.

BackgroundCrawford tube placement is commonly used to achieve patency of nasolacrimal ducts for epiphora secondary to nasolacrimal duct obstruction. The nasal passages of pediatric patients are nar...
Molecular profiling to predict outcomes following Y90 radioembolization for metastatic colorectal cancer.

686Background: Radioembolizaton with yttrium-90 (Y90) has been shown to decrease progression within the liver in patients with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). Molecular profiling (...
Address translation strategies in the texas persistent store

Texas is a highly portable, high-performance persistent object store that can be used with conventional compilers and operating systems, without the need for a preprocessor or special operating system privileges. Texas uses pointer swizzling at page fault time as its primary address translation mechanism, translating addresses from a persistent format into conventional virtual addresses for an entire page at a time as it is loaded into memory. Existing classifications of persistent systems typically focus only on address translation taxonomies based on semantics that we consider to be confusing and ambiguous. Instead, we contend that the granularity choices for design issues are much more important because they facilitate classification of different systems in an unambiguous manner unlike the taxonomies based only on address translation. We have identified five primary design issues that we believe are relevant in this context. We describe these design issues in detail and present a new general classification for persistence based on the granularity choices for these issues. Although the coarse granularity of pointer swizzling at page fault time is efficient in most case, it is sometimes desirable to use finer-grained techniques. We examine different issues related to fine-grained address translation mechanisms, and discuss why these are not suitable as general-purpose address translation techniques. Instead, we argue for a mixed-granularity approach where a coarse-grained mechanism is used as the primary address translation scheme, and a fine-grained approach is used for specialized data structures that are less suitable for the coarse-grained approach. We have incorporated fine-grained address translation in Texas using the C++ smart pointer idiom, allowing programmers to choose the kind of pointer used for any data member in a particular class definition. This approach maintains the important features of the system: persistence that is orthogonal to type, high performance with standard compilers and operating systems, suitability for huge shared address spaces across heterogeneous platforms, and the ability to optimize away pointer swizzling costs when the persistent store is smaller than the hardware-supported virtual address size.
Vertebrate Taste Receptors

Nutrition is of utmost importance to all animals. Most utilize specialized chemoreceptors to aid them in food selection and consumption. Since the same group of chemicals is necessary for cell growth, maintenance, and function in these animals, there may be similarities in the properties of their chemoreceptors. Vincent Dethier devoted much of his scientific career to the study of insect contact chemoreceptors, particularly those of the blowfly. How similar are the functional properties of these receptors to those of the much studied rodents and man?.
Gastrocnemius muscle remodeling explains functional deficits three months following Achilles tendon rupture

ABSTRACT Plantarflexor functional deficits are associated with poor outcomes in patients following Achilles tendon rupture. In this longitudinal study, we analyzed the fascicle length and pennation angle of the medial gastrocnemius muscle and the length of the Achilles tendon using ultrasound imaging. To determine the relationship between muscle remodeling and functional deficits measured at 3 months after injury, we correlated the reduction in fascicle length and increase in pennation angle with peak torque measured during isometric plantarflexor contractions and peak power measured during isokinetic plantarflexor contractions. We found that the medial gastrocnemius underwent an immediate change in structure, characterized by decreased length and increased pennation of the muscle fascicles. This decrease in fascicle length was coupled with an increase in tendon length. These changes in muscle-tendon structure persisted throughout the first three months following rupture. Deficits in peak plantarflexor power were moderately correlated with decreased fascicle length at 120 degrees per second (R2 = 0.424, P = 0.057) and strongly correlated with decreased fascicle length at 210 degrees per second (R2 = 0.737, P = 0.003). However, increases in pennation angle did not explain functional deficits. These findings suggest that muscle-tendon structure is detrimentally affected following Achilles tendon rupture. Plantarflexor power deficits are positively correlated with the magnitude of reductions in fascicle length. Preserving muscle structure following Achilles tendon rupture should be a clinical priority to maintain patient function.
National clinical assessments

The UK9s General Medical Council is currently considering implementing a national clinical assessment. Allison Barrett investigates the pros and cons of the American system, which is now just over a year old
Design and the Fate of Character

This chapter considers the remediators’ strategy of dilation and seeks to interrogate the ways in which these writers contend with two matters of prime importance: character, which will become the core concern of dilatory narrative remediations, and the constraints placed upon such dilations by Shakespeare’ presiding prior design. The essential question addressed in this chapter is whether or not encounters with design can shed critical light on the processes of remediation, especially in instances in which the form that the remediation takes is a sustained dilation of the source text. The discussion of dilation and design as it impacts adaptations of Shakespeare—particularly for young readers—has its beginnings in the nineteenth century in Mary Cowden Clarke’s Girlhood of Shakespeare’s Heroines. At the same time, the concern with character and design is also deeply embedded within a broader context provided by the debates surrounding the contest between morphology and teleology—the theoretical arguments, that is, concerning the nature of structure and the nature of purpose. These are terms that arise within mid- to late-nineteenth century biological science but that extend into other areas of culture, including Clarke’s remediations of Shakespeare’s plays.
Covert Communication with Unknown Code at the Warden

In covert communication, a transmitter attempts to send a message over a channel while avoiding detection from a warden. We investigate here how the warden’s knowledge of the code used by the transmitter and the receiver influences the optimal number of bits that can be covertly and reliably sent. We formulate the problem in three scenarios: the warden completely knows the code, the warden knows only the rate and an upper-bound on the probability of error at the decoder, and the warden has access to previous samples of its channel when the code was used. The first scenario corresponds to the standard model in covert communication. For the second scenario, we characterize the number of bits that can be transmitted reliably subject to a covertness constraint up to the first-order of asymptotics. Finally, for the third scenario, we provide lower-and upper-bound on the number of bits that can be transmitted reliably subject to a covertness constraint for two scalings of the number of observed samples.
Spinosad and Mixtures of an Entomopathogenic Fungus and Pyrethrins for Control of Sitona lineatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Field Peas.

The pea leaf weevil, Sitona lineatus L., is an important pest of field peas and faba beans in most temperate regions. As no information is currently available on efficacy of biopesticides for S. lineatus control, laboratory bioassays were performed to evaluate the impact of biopesticides (spinosad, Beauveria bassiana strain GHA, pyrethrins, B. bassiana GHA + pyrethrins, and B. bassiana GHA + azadirachtin) against adults of this pest. The concentrations used in this bioassay were 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 times the lowest labeled application rate of each product. Results were further verified in cage experiments by assessing biopesticide effects on adult mortality and feeding damage in pea plants. The impact of biopesticides on mortality of larvae of two beneficial species, Chrysoperla carnea and Adalia bipunctata, was also tested in laboratory conditions. We found spinosad to be the most promising candidate, causing 100% adult mortality at high and medium concentrations. Beauveria bassiana and its combination with pyrethrins caused 60-62% adult mortality, but only at the highest concentration. In contrast, B. bassiana + azadirachtin and pyrethrins treatments caused only minimal adult mortality at all concentrations. In cage experiments, spinosad and B. bassiana + pyrethrins had significant effects on adult mortality and provided foliage protection from adult feeding. Conversely, the fungus treatment alone showed inconsistent performance. Beauveria bassiana and spinosad were generally harmless to C. carnea and A. bipunctata larvae, but B. bassiana + pyrethrins was toxic toward beneficial species. These results could help to improve integrated pest management programs intended to control S. lineatus.
Expressions ofhypoxia-inducible factors and its related proteins in hepatoblastoma

：Objective To investigatethe expressions of hypoxia-inducible factors(HIF)and its related proteins inhepatoblastoma.Methods Between 1998 and 2009,30 patients who were diagnosed withhepatoblastoma and 30 patients with biliary atresia were recruited in this study.Thespecimens of the tumor group were collected from the hepatoblastoma tissue.The specimensof the first control group were the liver tissues which located more than 5 cm away fromthe borderline of the tumor.The specimens of the second control group were the livertissues from the 30 patients with biliary atresia.Immunohistochemical staining wasperformed to examine the expression level of HIF-1α,HIF-2α,vascularendothelial growth factor(VEGF),glucose transporter-1(GT1),and transforming growthfactor-alpha(TGF-α)in specimens.Results The positive stained proteinsappeared as brown granules in cytoplasm.The expression levels of all the 5 proteins of thetumor group were significantly higher than those of the other two controlgroups(P<0.01).The expression level of HIT-1αand TGF-α of the high-grade tumors were significantly higher than those ofthe low-grade tumors(P<0.05).Conclusions The expressions of HIF-1α,HIF-2α,VEGF,GT1and TGF-α increasein hepatoblastoma tissues.It indicates HIF may play a role in the carcinogenesis ofhepatoblastoma. Key words: Hypoxia-induciblefactor; Hepatoblastoma; Immunohistochemical staining
An Initial Assessment of Lead Artefacts Used for Hull Repair and Maintenance on North Carolina Shipwreck 31CR314, Queen Anne's Revenge (1718)

Excavation of North Carolina shipwreck 31CR314, Queen Anne's Revenge, has yielded an assemblage of sheet lead artefacts that reflect hull maintenance and repair practices on the slave ship, turned ...
A Toolbox of Structural Biology and Enzyme Kinetics Reveals the Case for ERK Docking Site Inhibition

Extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) is a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) that mediates cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, cell motility, and survival. Dysregulation of the ERK signaling pathway is believed to have a protumorigenic role in many cancers, and studies also implicate it in a variety of other proliferative diseases. Within the ERK signaling pathway, protein-protein interactions via enzyme-docking sites help generate signal specificity and direct ERK to subsequent binding partners or substrates. ERK possesses two known docking sites that are distinct from its catalytic site: the D- and F- recruitment sites (DRS and FRS). Over time, our group has characterized these sites through a combination of structural and kinetic studies, including computational and biochemical techniques, centering around a model ERK substrate EtsΔ138 (residues 1–138 of the transcription factor Ets-1). These studies are part of a growing effort to elucidate new insights into ERK signaling and to evaluate the role of each binding site in specific ERK interactions. Furthermore, the development of inhibitors that target these docking sites offers a way to impede both catalytic and noncatalytic functions of ERK, which may provide therapeutic benefit in disease states driven by ERK signaling. Here, we describe the features of the DRS and FRS of ERK, their roles in the phosphorylation of EtsΔ138, and the status, mechanisms, and implications of targeting these sites with inhibitors.
TO BOLDLY GO: MARKETING THE MYTH OF STAR TREK By Djoymi Baker. London: I. B. Tauris & Co. Ltd., 2018. 297 pp. $99.00 hardcover.

To Boldly Go: Marketing the Myth of Star Trek commands a complex, sophisticated understanding of myth, and readers will appreciate Djoymi Baker’s clear writing style, abundance of examples, and res...
Mathematics, Statistics, and Sports

This chapter defines and discusses several basic terms related to the topic of teaching mathematics and statistics, i.e., mathematics, mathematics pedagogy, statistics, statistics pedagogy, mathematics and statistics, mathematics anxiety and statistics anxiety, information, pop culture and its relationship to mathematics and statistics, games, sports, sports wagering, and the most popular sports in North America (American football, basketball, and major league ball). It addresses how sports information can provide the basis for mathematical and statistical problem-solving with selected examples.
Closing Consumer Bankruptcy's Enforcement Gap

The consumer bankruptcy process functions on economies of scale. In order to maintain a relatively low cost of access to the bankruptcy forum, attorneys, judges, private trustees, and other bankruptcy professionals typically handle massive caseloads in a fairly routine manner. This structure has its benefits, but it is vulnerable to opportunistic behavior. Some repeat players — large lenders and servicers with thousands of borrowers in bankruptcy — may take advantage of the lack of direct oversight to extract undue benefits from the bankruptcy system. In several recent articles, I have explored attempts by debtors, their attorneys, and chapter 7 and 13 trustees to address this weakness in the bankruptcy structure through private lawsuits. Some debtors’ attorneys and case trustees have attempted to bring class action lawsuits on behalf of debtors in bankruptcy. Others have looked beyond the Bankruptcy Code’s remedies, bringing suit under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), and a host of other federal or state consumer protection laws. Still others have called upon the courts to use their equitable powers to craft workable solutions to these practices. Taken together, these cases represent a movement to close consumer bankruptcy’s enforcement gap through private litigation. This essay seeks to unify the attempts from the trenches to address consumer bankruptcy’s enforcement gap with the vast body of theoretical literature on the utility of private enforcement. To be sure, private enforcement is not perfect, and it cannot solve all of consumer bankruptcy’s problems. This essay considers private lawsuits, warts and all, and argues that they can be an effective deterrent to certain types of undesirable behavior in the consumer bankruptcy context.
REAP: A platform to identify autoantibodies that target the human exoproteome

Autoantibodies that recognize extracellular protein epitopes (the "exoproteome") exert potent functional effects that underlie numerous disease processes. Identifying these antibodies can thus provide insights into the pathophysiology of a wide spectrum of illnesses and therapeutic strategies to treat them. Here, we developed Rapid Extracellular Antigen Profiling (REAP) as a technique for comprehensive and high-throughput discovery of exoproteome-targeting autoantibodies. With REAP, patient samples are applied to a genetically-barcoded library containing 2,688 unique members of the human exoproteome displayed on the surface of yeast. Antibody-coated cells are isolated by magnetic selection and deep sequencing of their barcodes is used to identify the displayed antigens, thereby converting an antibody:antigen binding event into a digital sequencing readout. To benchmark the performance of REAP, we screened 77 patients with the rare monogenic autoimmune disease autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED). REAP sensitively and specifically detected known autoantibody reactivities in APECED, including responses against type I interferons, IL-17, IL-22, and gastric intrinsic factor. REAP also identified highly prevalent reactivities that had not been previously described such as those against the glycoprotein hormone GPHB5. We additionally screened 106 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and identified novel autoantibody reactivities against a diverse set of antigens including growth factors, extracellular matrix components, cytokines, and immunomodulatory proteins. Several of these responses were associated with disease severity and specific clinical manifestations of SLE, including autoantibodies that target immunoreceptors, antagonize the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-33, and recognize endosialin (CD248) and the chemokine CCL8. In summary, these findings demonstrate the utility of REAP to atlas the expansive landscape of exoproteome-targeting autoantibodies in patients.
Recent Laryngology Fellowship Graduates: Where Are They Now?

OBJECTIVES Over the past 30 years laryngology fellowships have grown in number and diversity. This study investigated the career trajectories of recent laryngology fellowship graduates with the purpose of informing residents considering fellowship. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. SETTING Academic medical center. METHODS The directors of all 27 US laryngology fellowships that graduated/recruited fellows from 2010 to 2019 were contacted, and a list of former fellows was compiled. A short survey was administered in person or via email or phone. Additional data was gathered through internet searches. RESULTS One hundred eighty-three fellows were identified having completed American laryngology fellowships between 2010 and 2019 (100M:83F). Fifteen percent now practice internationally and 68% are in academic practice. A higher proportion of women than men enter laryngology fellowship after otolaryngology residency. One hundred twenty-nine fellows responded to our survey. Two-thirds of former fellows report current participation in laryngology research. Seventy-two percent of former fellows are still in their first job after fellowship and 53% believe they have their ideal practice. Women were more likely to enter academics than men after laryngology fellowship. Responders were overwhelmingly satisfied with their fellowship experience, with 95% saying they would choose to pursue fellowship training again. CONCLUSIONS Most former laryngology fellows enter academia, contribute to laryngology research, practice away from their training institution, and believe they have found their ideal practice. The results of this study may be useful to residents considering fellowship training, centers considering establishing laryngology fellowships, and practices recruiting fellowship graduates.
Prefrontal Representations Underlying Goal-Directed Behavior

An important function of prefrontal cortex is the control and organization of goal-directed behavior. This chapter will examine the neuronal mechanisms that underlie this function. One can broadly group these mechanisms according to their level of abstraction. At the simplest level are behaviors directed towards basic goals of homeostatic maintenance, for example maximizing energy intake or minimizing energy expenditure. Prefrontal neurons represent the expected outcomes of actions directed towards such goals. At a more complex level, prefrontal neurons encode representations of arbitrary relationships in the world, such as those between specific sensory stimuli and specific actions. For example, knowledge that a red traffic light means stop, while green means go. Finally, at the most abstract level prefrontal neurons represent rules and concepts, such as number or similarity. Taken together these representations ensure optimal action selection, so that behavior efficiently satisfies one’s goals.
Labor and Delivery Considerations: Pubic Symphysis Separation, Fractures Associated with Transient Osteoporosis of Pregnancy, Sacral Stress Fractures, and Coccydynia/Coccyx Fracture

Labor and delivery is a time when women are susceptible to musculoskeletal injuries. Pubic symphysis separation can occur during labor and delivery and result in pain and difficulty ambulating. Conservative treatment is generally recommended with physical therapy and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for pain control. Transient osteoporosis of pregnancy typically occurs in the third trimester and is important to recognize during pregnancy. There have been multiple reports of fractures reported during labor and delivery, including hip fractures, vertebral fractures, and sacral fractures. Cesarean section is generally recommended in patients with transient osteoporosis of pregnancy. Coccydynia can also occur from injuries during labor and delivery. Initial treatment of patients with coccydynia is conservative, including pain management, a donut pillow, and physical therapy. If conservative management fails, injections should be considered. Correct diagnosis of the above injuries can lead to decreased pain and early functional improvement for the women suffering from the injuries.
Automating the Validation of Hardware Description Language Processing Tools

Testing the adherence of a hardware description language (HDL) tool to an associated HDL specification is of critical importance to design teams. This paper will develop practical test suite requirements, outline FTL System’s VIVATM technology for automatically generating and applying test suites, and describe the experimental results using VIVA (VHDL Interactive Validation Alchemy) to test FTL Systems’ Auriga ® family of HDL compilers.
PUNCH: An architecture for Web-enabled wide-area network-computing

This paper addresses the architectural issues that arise in the design of a universally accessible wide-area network-computing system that is capable of making automatic cost/performance tradeoff decisions at run-time. The core system is designed around a three-level hierarchically distributed architecture, a choice driven by the dynamic, incremental, and distributed nature of the information associated with run-time cost/performance tradeoff decisions. Support for independent replication of each component in the hierarchy contributes to the overall scalability and reliability of the architecture. Meta-information is managed in a scalable manner by employing self-encoded resource identifiers that allow O(1) access to all managed information. Security and access control across administrative domains are provided by partitioning the infrastructure into independently-managed cells, and by giving administrators the ability to customize user-views directly at the location at which the request is processed. Demand-driven resource management is achieved by predicting the run-specific resource usage characteristics of tools via machine learning techniques. The concepts described in this paper are embodied in the Purdue University Network-Computing Hubs (PUNCH), a demand-based network-computing system that allows users to access and run unmodified tools via standard World Wide Web browsers. Tools do not have to be written in any particular language, and access to the source or object code is not required. The PUNCH infrastructure can be distributed in a manner that allows tools to be (user-transparently) executed wherever they reside. Currently, PUNCH contains over thirty tools developed by eight universities and four vendors, and serves more than five hundred users. During the past three years, PUNCH users have logged more than one million hits and have performed over seventy thousand simulations.
Using membrane-targeted green fluorescent protein to monitor neurotoxic protein-dependent degeneration of Drosophila eyes

Age-related neurodegeneration has been studied extensively through the use of model organisms, including the genetically versatile Drosophila melanogaster. Various neurotoxic proteins have been expressed in fly eyes to approximate degeneration occurring in humans, and much has been learned from this heterologous system. Although Drosophila expedites scientific research through rapid generational times and relative inexpensiveness, one factor that can hinder analyses is the examination of milder forms of degeneration caused by some toxic proteins in fly eyes. Whereas several disease proteins cause massive degeneration that is easily observed by examining the external structure of the fly eye, others cause mild degeneration that is difficult to observe externally and requires laborious histological preparation to assess and monitor. Here, we describe a sensitive fluorescence-based method to observe, monitor, and quantify mild Drosophila eye degeneration caused by various proteins, including the polyglutamine disease proteins ataxin-3 (spinocerebellar ataxia type 3) and huntingtin (Huntington's disease), mutant α-synuclein (Parkinson's disease), and Aβ42 (Alzheimer's disease). We show that membrane-targeted green fluorescent protein reports degeneration robustly and quantitatively. This simple yet powerful technique, which is amenable to large-scale screens, can help accelerate studies to understand age-related degeneration and to find factors that suppress it for therapeutic purposes.
IMPROVING MULTILABEL CLASSIFICATION BY AVOIDING IMPLICIT NEGATIVITY WITH INCOMPLETE DATA

Many real-world problems require multilabel classification, in which each training instance is associated with a set of labels. There are many existing learning algorithms for multilabel classification; however, these algorithms assume implicit negativity, where missing labels in the training data are automatically assumed to be negative. Additionally, many of the existing algorithms do not handle incremental learning in which new labels could be encountered later in the learning process. A novel multilabel adaptation of the backpropagation algorithm is proposed that does not assume implicit negativity. In addition, this algorithm can, using a naive Bayesian approach, infer missing labels in the training data. This algorithm can also be trained incrementally as it dynamically considers new labels. This solution is compared with existing multilabel algorithms using data sets from multiple domains, and the performance is measured with standard multilabel evaluation metrics. It is shown that our algorithm improves classification performance for all metrics by an overall average of 7.4% when at least 40% of the labels are missing from the training data and improves by 18.4% when at least 90% of the labels are missing.
Reaction kinetics of the electrochemical oxidation of CO and syngas fuels on a Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5O6−δ perovskite anode

The performance of a Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5O6−δ (SFMO) perovskite anode has been investigated under solid oxide fuel cell conditions while operating on CO and syngas fuels using periodic density functional theory and microkinetic modeling. Three surface models with different Fe/Mo ratios and oxygen vacancies on the gas exposed surface layer are used to identify the active site and electro-oxidation mechanism for CO and a mixture of CO and H2. Calculated current densities suggest that SFMO anodes exhibit lower performance while operating on CO compared to H2 fuel and a surface with a higher Mo concentration in the top most layer exhibits a higher activity for both fuels. Furthermore, the model predicts that desorption of CO2 and formation of an oxygen vacancy, which is found to be the charge transfer step, is rate-controlling for CO electro-oxidation at operating voltage. The CO oxidation activity can thus be improved by increasing the Mo content or by adding small amounts of an active transition metal on the surface that facilitates the oxygen vacancy formation process by delocalizing the electrons at the vacant site. In the presence of a mixture of CO, H2 and H2O gas, the water–gas shift reaction (CO + H2O ⇌ CO2 + H2) is rapid at operating voltage and H2 electro-oxidation contributes mostly to the overall observed electrochemical activity, while CO is primarily chemically oxidized to CO2. A higher Mo content in the SFMO surface promotes again a higher activity for syngas fuels with high CO content.
Contraception/conception, archaeology of

This entry explores the history of birth control practices and their archaeological manifestations. In particular, evidence related to chemical abortifacients and mechanical devices such as condoms and vaginal syringes from archaeological contexts are discussed. Keywords: abortion; archaeology; contraception; reproduction
Molecular control of capillary morphogenesis and maturation by recognition and remodeling of the extracellular matrix: functional roles of endothelial cells and pericytes in health and disease

This review addresses fundamental mechanisms underlying how capillaries form in three-dimensional extracellular matrices and how endothelial cells (ECs) and pericytes co-assemble to form capillary networks. In addition to playing a critical role in supplying oxygen and nutrients to tissues, recent work suggests that blood vessels supply important signals to facilitate tissue development. Here, we hypothesize that another major function of capillaries is to supply signals to suppress major disease mechanisms including inflammation, infection, thrombosis, hemorrhage, edema, ischemic injury, fibrosis, autoimmune disease and tumor growth/progression. Capillary dysfunction plays a key pathogenic role in many human diseases, and thus, this suppressing function may be attenuated and central toward the initiation and progression of disease. We describe how capillaries form through creation of EC-lined tube networks and vascular guidance tunnels in 3D extracellular matrices. Pericytes recruit to the abluminal EC tube surface within these tunnel spaces, and work together to assemble the vascular basement membrane matrix. These processes occur under serum-free conditions in 3D collagen or fibrin matrices and in response to five key growth factors which are stem cell factor, interleukin-3, stromal-derived factor-1α, fibroblast growth factor-2 and insulin. In addition, we identified a key role for EC-derived platelet-derived growth factor-BB and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor in pericyte recruitment and proliferation to promote EC-pericyte tube co-assembly and vascular basement membrane matrix deposition. A molecular understanding of capillary morphogenesis and maturation should lead to novel therapeutic strategies to repair capillary dysfunction in major human disease contexts including cancer and diabetes.
Comments on Tor Bergeron's Contributions to Synoptic Meteorology

In the twenty years between the two world wars, Tor Bergeron’s work had a profound effect upon the development of synoptic meteorology. Though he had been a member of the original Bergen School in 1919 and had returned to it twice in the 1920’s, his line of work differed remarkably from that of the other members. In his own way, he decisively helped his Norwegian colleagues to win worldwide recognition for the so-called polar front theory, not by theorizing a bit more, but rather by showing how and where the observed facts of the real weather could fit into the idealized conceptual picture. The historical background of Tor Bergeron’s role is described in the following paragraph. For a general outline of the development of the polar front concept, with numerous bibliographic notes, reference can be made to the last chapter of G. Kutzbach’s (1979) historical monograph on ‘the thermal theory of cyclones’.
Incidence and Predictors of Suicidal Behaviors in a Longitudinal Sample of Young Adolescents

ABSTRACT Objective This analysis examines 1-year transition probabilities and baseline predictors for suicidal behaviors in young adolescents. Method Adolescents from a two-stage, community-based longitudinal study were classified into suicidal behavior categories (attempt, plan, ideation, and none) for baseline and follow-up years. Transition probabilities for movement among categories were calculated, and polytomous logistic regression analysis was used to examine predictors of suicidal behaviors. Result Among those with no suicidal behaviors at baseline, 1-year incidence rates were 1.3% for attempts and 1.7% each for plans and ideation. Increasing family cohesion was protective for suicide attempts (odds ratio [OR] = 0.9). Female subjects were more likely than males to report plans (OR = 8.9) and ideation (OR = 4.1). Increasing impulsivity (OR = 2.3), prior suicidal behavior (OR = 10.6), and undesirable life events (OR = 1.1) were significant predictors of plans. Conclusion While there are a number of predictors of suicidal behaviors, the false-positive rate is high. Focusing on proximal risk factors, particularly stressors in adolescent development, may overlook the fundamental role of underlying mental disorder and familial factors—both biological and environmental. Suicide and suicidal behaviors are the result of a constellation of adverse factors requiring a range of interventions for prevention.
Radish (Raphanus sativus L.): a model for studying plant responses to air pollutants and other environmental stresses.

Abstract The use of Raphanus sativus L. as a model crop for studies on plant response to environmental stresses is reviewed with emphasis on the effects of different atmospheric pollutants (O3, SO2, NO2, acidic precipitation) and their combinations. Responses to temperature, light supply, water stress, and atmospheric CO2 are also studied and discussed. In addition, the references reviewed are evaluated in terms of their experimental protocols on growth conditions and recommendations for optimal ranges of environmental and cultural variables, i.e. light, temperature, nutrient supply are given. Its distinct pattern of biomass partitioning, the small dimensions along with short and easy culture make radish an excellent experimental plant. The fleshy below-ground storage organ, formed by the hypocotyl and upper radicle, acts as the major sink during vegetative development. Abundant assimilate supply due to elevated levels of CO2 along with high irradiation frequently promote hypocotyl growth more than shoot growth, whereas under conditions of stress shoot growth is maintained at the expense of the hypocotyl. This makes the hypocotyl: shoot ratio of radish a very sensitive and suitable indicator for various environmental stresses. Potential weaknesses and shortcomings of radish in its role as a model crop, particularly the high variability of injury and growth responses, are discussed along with possible solutions. Future research needs are derived from the summarized results presented and from some disparities among findings within the literature reviewed.
Following the Footsteps of the Mongol Queens: Why Mongolian Pastoral Women Should Be Empowered

On the Ground Mongolian pastoral women have essential roles as caregivers to their families, keeping their household members well fed, adequately dressed, and clean. However, when they are forced to lead their households alone, female-led families are more vulnerable because of limited assets and restricted access to information and knowledge exchange. When women are entrusted with leadership of their communities, they demonstrate equal leadership qualities, reputation, and governance processes over rangeland management with their male counterparts. Women leaders display superior trust building among their community members when compared with the men. We recommend empowering women by increasing their leadership roles in formal community organizations.
Siderophores of Marinobacter aquaeolei: petrobactin and its sulfonated derivatives

Siderophores are low molecular weight, high-affinity iron(III) ligands, produced by bacteria to solubilize and promote iron uptake under low iron conditions. Two prominent structural features characterize the majority of the marine siderophores discovered so far: (1) a predominance of suites of amphiphilic siderophores composed of an iron(III)-binding headgroup that is appended by one or two of a series of fatty acids and (2) a prevalence of siderophores that contain α-hydroxycarboxylic acid moieties (e.g., β-hydroxyaspartic acid or citric acid) which are photoreactive when coordinated to Fe(III). Variation of the fatty acid chain length affects the relative amphiphilicity within a suite of siderophores. Catecholate sulfonation is another structural variation that would affect the hydrophilicity of a siderophore. In addition to a review of the marine amphiphilic siderophores, we report the production of petrobactin disulfonate by Marinobacter aquaeolei VT8.
Molecular cloning of a mineralocorticoid (type I) receptor complementary DNA from rat hippocampus.

Rat brain expresses two types of corticosteroidbinding proteins. The type I receptor binds corticosterone with high affinity and is structurally related to the kidney mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), while the type II or classical glucocorticoid receptor binds corticosterone with lower affinity and displays an in vivo preference for dexamethasone. Here we describe the isolation and characterization of a cDNA coding for the MR, from a rat hippocampus cDNA library, by low stringency hybridization to radiolabeled human glucocorticoid receptor cDNA. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence for rat hippocampal MR displays extensive homology to a MR cDNA isolated from human kidney, suggesting that they are orthologous genes. Southern analysis suggests that there is only one gene for the MR, and in vitro expression of the receptor generates a high affinity corticosterone-binding protein. These data provide evidence to support the contention that a single gene gives rise to the MR in renal tissues and type ...
Computer-assisted segmentation of white matter lesions in 3D MR images using support vector machine.

Rationale and Objectives Brain lesions, especially white matter lesions (WMLs), are associated with cardiac and vascular disease, but also with normal aging. Quantitative analysis of WML in large clinical trials is becoming more and more important. Materials and Methods In this article, we present a computer-assisted WML segmentation method, based on local features extracted from multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences (ie, T1-weighted, T2-weighted, proton density-weighted, and fluid attenuation inversion recovery MRI scans). A support vector machine classifier is first trained on expert-defined WMLs, and is then used to classify new scans. Results Postprocessing analysis further reduces false positives by using anatomic knowledge and measures of distance from the training set. Conclusions Cross-validation on a population of 35 patients from three different imaging sites with WMLs of varying sizes, shapes, and locations tests the robustness and accuracy of the proposed segmentation method, compared with the manual segmentation results from two experienced neuroradiologists.
SELECTIVE EXTRACTION OF ISOLATED MITOTIC APPARATUS : Evidence That Typical Microtubule Protein Is Extracted by Organic Mercurial

Mitotic apparatus isolated from sea urchin eggs has been treated with meralluride sodium under conditions otherwise resembling those of its isolation. The treatment causes a selective morphological disappearance of microtubules while extracting a major protein fraction, probably consisting of two closely related proteins, which constitutes about 10% of mitotic apparatus protein. Extraction of other cell particulates under similar conditions yields much less of this protein. The extracted protein closely resembles outer doublet microtubule protein from sea urchin sperm tail in properties considered typical of microtubule proteins: precipitation by calcium ion and vinblastine, electrophoretic mobility in both acid and basic polyacrylamide gels, sedimentation coefficient, molecular weight, and, according to a preliminary determination, amino acid composition. An antiserum against a preparation of sperm tail outer doublet microtubules cross-reacts with the extract from mitotic apparatus. On the basis of these findings it appears that microtubule protein is selectively extracted from isolated mitotic apparatus by treatment with meralluride, and is a typical microtubule protein.