cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The DNA methylation landscape of five pediatric-tumor types

Fewer DNA mutations have been identified in pediatric tumors than adult tumors, suggesting that alternative tumorigenic mechanisms, including aberrant DNA methylation, may play a prominent role in pediatric tumors. Methylation is an epigenetic process of regulating gene expression in which methyl groups are attached to DNA molecules, often in promoter regions. In Wilms tumors and acute myeloid leukemias, increased levels of epigenetic silencing have been associated with worse patient outcomes. However, to date, researchers have studied methylation primarily in adult tumors and for specific genes but not on a pan-pediatric cancer scale. We addressed these gaps first by aggregating methylation data from 309 noncancerous samples and establishing baseline expectations for each gene. Even though these samples represent diverse tissue types and population ancestral groups, methylation levels were highly consistent for most genes. Second, we compared tumor methylation levels against these baseline values for five pediatric cancer types--Wilms tumors, clear cell sarcomas of the kidney, rhabdoid tumors, neuroblastomas, and osteosarcomas. Hypermethylation was more common than hypomethylation--as many as 11.8% of genes were hypermethylated in a given tumor, compared to a maximum of 4.8% for hypomethylated genes. For each cancer type, genes with the highest variance exhibited consistently divergent methylation patterns for distinct patient subsets. We evaluated whether genomic and epigenomic abnormalities contribute to pediatric tumorigenesis in a mutually exclusive manner but did not find evidence of this phenomenon. Furthermore, even though oncogenes are commonly upregulated in tumors, and tumor-suppressor genes are commonly downregulated in tumors, we did not find statistical evidence that methylation drives such patterns on a broad scale in pediatric tumors.
Improving natural language information extraction from cancer pathology reports using transfer learning and zero-shot string similarity

Author(s): Park, Briton; Altieri, Nicholas; DeNero, John; Odisho, Anobel Y; Yu, Bin | Abstract: ObjectiveWe develop natural language processing (NLP) methods capable of accurately classifying tumor attributes from pathology reports given minimal labeled examples. Our hierarchical cancer to cancer transfer (HCTC) and zero-shot string similarity (ZSS) methods are designed to exploit shared information between cancers and auxiliary class features, respectively, to boost performance using enriched annotations which give both location-based information and document level labels for each pathology report.Materials and methodsOur data consists of 250 pathology reports each for kidney, colon, and lung cancer from 2002 to 2019 from a single institution (UCSF). For each report, we classified 5 attributes: procedure, tumor location, histology, grade, and presence of lymphovascular invasion. We develop novel NLP techniques involving transfer learning and string similarity trained on enriched annotations. We compare HCTC and ZSS methods to the state-of-the-art including conventional machine learning methods as well as deep learning methods.ResultsFor our HCTC method, we see an improvement of up to 0.1 micro-F1 score and 0.04 macro-F1 averaged across cancer and applicable attributes. For our ZSS method, we see an improvement of up to 0.26 micro-F1 and 0.23 macro-F1 averaged across cancer and applicable attributes. These comparisons are made after adjusting training data sizes to correct for the 20% increase in annotation time for enriched annotations compared to ordinary annotations.ConclusionsMethods based on transfer learning across cancers and augmenting information methods with string similarity priors can significantly reduce the amount of labeled data needed for accurate information extraction from pathology reports.
Atomic-scale characterization of structural and electronic properties of Hf doped β-Ga2O3

In this Letter, we investigate the atomic and electronic structure of a Hf-doped beta-gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) single crystal using high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis)-near-infrared absorption measurements and density functional theory calculations are performed to further connect the nanoscale observation to the macroscale properties arising from the atomic structure. The Hf-doped sample was grown from the melt with a nominal Hf concentration of 0.5 at. %. We show that the Hf dopants prefer to occupy octahedral over tetrahedral sites by 0.68 eV and have some resistance to form precipitates due to a repulsive interaction of 0.17 eV between Hf atoms on neighboring sites. Also, the presence of Hf atoms on either tetrahedral or octahedral sites do not significantly affect the crystal structure of β-Ga2O3. Finally, the bandgap values of the Hf doped β-Ga2O3 obtained by electron energy loss spectroscopy and UV-Vis-spectroscopy were Eg = 4.83 ± 0.1 and 4.75 ± 0.02 eV, respectively, similar to the values reported for unintentionally doped β-Ga2O3 crystals. All these results make Hf an excellent dopant candidate for β-Ga2O3.
Ellen R. Grass Guest Lecture: Medical-Legal Issues for Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists

Risk management strategies can reduce legal risks. These strategies include good communication with patients and colleagues, careful documentation, and professional competence. A common reason for ...
Challenges associated with shear characterization of a cross-ply thermoplastic lamina using picture frame tests

Abstract The current research investigates characterization of soft composite materials used in the manufacture of combat helmets. The material system considered is a cross-ply unidirectional (UD) sheet comprised of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers consolidated with a polyurethane (PUR) based matrix. This paper presents efforts toward characterization of the material’s shear behavior using the picture frame (a.k.a. trellis frame, shear frame, rhombus) test method and systematically investigates parameters influencing measurement of shear stiffness including sample arm geometry, forming temperature, strain rate, and mechanical conditioning. A specific emphasis is placed on the importance of arm geometry in the shear characterization. Overestimation of the force curve is found to result from interference of supporting arm material outside the central region of the test specimen. Removal of the excess arm material results in more accurate measurements of shear stiffness, which are subsequently available for input into FE models that simulate forming processes.
Effect of polyanion charge density on the inhibition of ribonuclease

A series of synthetic polyglucose carboxyl derivatives with different carboxyl content has been used to inhibit ribonuclease depolymerizing activity on ribonucleic acid as measured by the KUNITZ assay. The enzyme inhibitory activity increased greatly with the charge density of the polyglucose carboxyl derivatives. From this and similar experiments it is concluded, that COULOMBIC attracting forces have an important role in bringing the enzyme and the substrate together. Eine Reihe synthetischer Polyglukose-carboxylderivate mit verschiedenem Carboxylgehalt wurde zur Hemmung der Ribonuklease-entpolymerisierenden Wirkung an Ribonukleinsaure, die nach der KUNITZ-Probe gemessen wurde, verwandt. Die enzymhemmende Wirkung nahm mit der Ladungsdichte der Polyglukose-carboxylderivate stark zu. Durch diese und ahnliche Experimente ergibt sich, das COULOMB-Anziehungskrafte beim Zusammenfuhren von Enzym und Substrat eine wichtige Rolle spielen.
Single j-shell studies of cross-conjugate nuclei and isomerism: (2j−1) rule

Abstract Isomeric states for 4 nucleons with isospin T = 1 are here considered. A comparison is made of the lighter and heavier members of cross-conjugate pairs where one member is obtained from the other by replacing protons by neutron holes and neutrons by proton holes. Although in the single j-shell the spectra in the two cases should be identical, this is not the case experimentally. For the former, the ground states all have angular momentum J = 2 . This result is found in a single j-shell calculation when the interaction is obtained from the spectrum of two particles. In a single j-shell ( f 7 / 2 , g 9 / 2 ) the state with angular momentum ( 2 j − 1 ) is the ground state for the heavier member of the pair provided one uses as an interaction the spectrum of two holes. The ground state behaviour can also be explained by rotational models. A new observation is that both in single j and in experiment the J = 2 state in the heavier member and the ( 2 j − 1 ) state in the lighter member are isomeric.
Integrated photonic-electronic technologies for next generation data centers and the future internet

We discuss innovations in photonic-electronic integrated technologies that can possibly transform communications and networking for both intra- and inter- data centers. We will also discuss the roles of new 3D photonic-electronic integrated circuits in the future Internet.
Semisynthesis of ubiquitylated proteins.

Abstract Most, if not all, proteins are at one point or another posttranslationally modified so as to regulate their biological function. One of the most common protein modifications is ubiquitylation, in which the small protein ubiquitin is attached to a target protein in a multistep process involving dedicated ubiquitin ligases. Ubiquitylation is best known for its role in protein turnover. In this case, attachment of a polyubiquitin chain to a target protein leads to its eventual destruction by the 26S proteasome. However, attachment of ubiquitin is not always a kiss of death for the recipient protein; it is increasingly clear that the modification plays additional roles, including regulating protein trafficking and protein signaling. Understanding these functions at the molecular level necessitates that we have access to homogenous ubiquitylated proteins, something that has proved very difficult using standard biochemical approaches. In this chapter, we describe the development of synthetic chemistries and protein semisynthesis methods that permit the site‐specific ubiquitylation of proteins. The utility of this methodology is illustrated through the synthesis of ubiquitylated histones.
Wilson's disease: diagnostic difficulties in the patient with chronic hepatitis and hypoceruloplasminemia

Wilson's disease presents as a classical hereditary syndrome of clinical and biochemical abnormalities. Life-long treatment with copper-chelating agents may dramatically alter the subsequent course and outcome. Hence, considerable attention has been drawn to early recognition and treatment. Since the presentation of Wilson's disease may simulate chronic active hepatitis of unknown etiology, it has been emphasized that the diagnosis of the genetic disorder should be suspected and excluded in this clinical setting. In this report we describe the difficulties encountered in the evaluation of a patient with non-Wilsonian chronic active hepatitis and low serum ceruloplasmin levels. This case illustrates that the distinction between the Wilson's disease homozygote and the hypoceruloplasminemic patient with idiopathic chronic active hepatitis may be difficult to establish and requires a critical evaluation of data to avoid diagnostic pitfalls.
Expression of ionotropic glutamate receptors in the retina of the rdta transgenic mouse

Background The expression of retinal CaMKII is up-regulated in the retina of the rdta mouse in which rod photoreceptors are genetically ablated. As ionotropic glutamate receptors are known substrates of CAMKII, this study set out to determine if the protein levels of ionotropic glutamate receptors in the rdta mouse retina are also affected.
Food and Drug Law: Federal Regulation of Drugs, Biologics, Medical Devices, Foods, Dietary Supplements, Personal Care, Veterinary and Tobacco Products

This comprehensive food and drug law resource, “Food and Drug Law: Federal Regulation of Drugs, Biologics, Medical Devices, Foods, Dietary Supplements, Personal Care, Veterinary and Tobacco Products Regulation,” is organized for ease of reading in order to comprehend a complex area of law. This easy to navigate treatise is well-ordered into separate volumes with a concise introduction to provide a particular focus for the reader. This reference contains a distinct volume for each subject based on regulation under the United States Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and related law. This entire work serves as an inclusive resource for: The regulated industry such as legal counsel and regulatory affairs professionals searching for concise explanations of relevant portions of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA); Legal practitioners whose practice involves food, medical devices, drugs, biologics, personal care, veterinary, dietary supplements and tobacco products regulatory law; Government personnel — federal, state and local involved in these topics; Attorneys in related disciplines who find themselves in the crosshairs of the FDCA; and the academic community including professors and students searching for a clear resource.
Nucleosomes: Detailed Structure and Mutations

The nucleosome is the fundamental repeating unit of chromatin that provides a structural and regulatory infrastructure for chromosomal DNA. Transcription, replication, recombination and repair of eukaryotic chromosomes all make very effective use of the nucleosomal infrastructure to fulfil mechanistic and regulatory requirements. Keywords: histones; transcriptional regulation; acetyltransferases and deacetylases; DNA structure; chromatin and chromosomes
Human γ/δ T-cell proliferation and IFN-γ production induced by hexamethylene diisocyanate

Abstract Background The human immune response to isocyanate, a leading cause of occupational asthma, remains incompletely characterized, including the cell types involved and the form of the chemical that acts as an antigen. Objective The purpose of this investigation was to characterize human T cells that respond to hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), an aliphatic isocyanate routinely used in the automobile body industry. Methods Human T-cell lines were generated and characterized from peripheral blood of HDI-exposed and HDI-unexposed subjects, using two different HDI antigens, HDI-conjugated albumin and HDI-exposed human airway epithelial cells (NCI-H292). Flow cytometry was used to characterize the phenotype of HDI-responsive T cells. ELISA and intracellular staining techniques were used to evaluate HDI-induced cytokine production. DNA sequence analysis of T-cell receptors was used to further define clonal populations of HDI-responsive T cells. Results HDI antigen preparations but not "mock exposed" control antigens lead to increased proliferation of specific cell types, CD3 + CD4 − CD8 dim and/or CD3 + CD4 − CD8 − cells, from HDI-exposed but not from HDI-unexposed subjects. These HDI-responsive T cells expressed unique oligoclonal γ/δ rather than α/β T-cell receptors, with characteristics suggestive of antigen-mediated selection and specificity. The HDI-stimulated γ/δ T cells were associated with T H 1-like cytokines and produce IFN-γ but not IL-5 or IL-13. Conclusions These data are the first to demonstrate that HDI can selectively stimulate γ/δ T cells with the potential to modulate the human immune response to exposure.
Impact-collision ion scattering spectroscopy for direct surface structure analysis

Abstract The technique of impact-collision ion scattering spectroscopy (ICISS) was used to investigate the atomic structure of the Ag (110) surface. The projectiles employed were 5 keV 7Li+ ions, and polar angle scans were collected for several azimuths and scattering angles. The use of low energies makes ion scattering especially sensitive to the atomic structure in the surface plane. Analysis of the surface flux peak for the [112] azimuthal scan demonstrated that the surface was not a complete monolayer, but rather contained random vacancies. Comparison of the experimental data for several different azimuths and scattering angles with computer simulations based on the two-atom cross-section model were consistent with an otherwise bulklike Ag (110) surface with a vacancy concentration of 10–15%.
Pharmacophoric requirements for the cannabinoid side chain. Probing the cannabinoid receptor subsite at C1

Earlier work from our laboratories has provided evidence for the existence of a subsite within the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptor binding domain corresponding to substituents at the benzylic side chain position of classical cannabinoids. The existence and stereochemical features of this subsite have now been probed through the synthesis of a novel series of (−)-Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol analogues bearing C1‘-ring substituents. Of the compounds described here, those with C1‘-dithiolane (1c), C1‘-dioxolane (2d), and cyclopentyl (2a) substituents exhibited the highest affinities for CB1 and CB2. We used molecular modeling approaches to better define the stereochemical limits of the putative subsite. In vitro pharmacological testing found 1c to be a potent CB1 agonist.
Development and validation of a subject-specific finite element model of a human clavicle

This study aimed to develop and validate a finite element (FE) model of a human clavicle which can predict the structural response and bone fractures under both axial compression and anterior-posterior three-point bending loads. Quasi-static non-injurious axial compression and three-point bending tests were first conducted on a male clavicle followed by a dynamic three-point bending test to fracture. Then, two types of FE models of the clavicle were developed using bone material properties which were set to vary with the computed tomography image density of the bone. A volumetric solid FE model comprised solely of hexahedral elements was first developed. A solid-shell FE model was then created which modelled the trabecular bone as hexahedral elements and the cortical bone as quadrilateral shell elements. Finally, simulations were carried out using these models to evaluate the influence of variations in cortical thickness, mesh density, bone material properties and modelling approach on the biomechanical responses of the clavicle, compared with experimental data. The FE results indicate that the inclusion of density-based bone material properties can provide a more accurate reproduction of the force-displacement response and bone fracture timing than a model with uniform bone material properties. Inclusion of a variable cortical thickness distribution also slightly improves the ability of the model to predict the experimental response. The methods developed in this study will be useful for creating subject-specific FE models to better understand the biomechanics and injury mechanism of the clavicle.
Petrology and thermal structure of the Hawaiian plume from Mauna Kea volcano

There is uncertainty about whether the abundant tholeiitic lavas on Hawaii are the product of melt from peridotite or pyroxenite/eclogite rocks1,2. Using a parameterization of melting experiments on peridotite3 with glass analyses from the Hawaii Scientific Deep Project 2 on Mauna Kea volcano1, I show here that a small population of the core samples had fractionated from a peridotite-source primary magma. Most lavas, however, differentiated from magmas that were too deficient in CaO and enriched in NiO (ref. 2) to have formed from a peridotite source. For these, experiments indicate that they were produced by the melting of garnet pyroxenite, a lithology that had formed in a second stage by reaction of peridotite with partial melts of subducted oceanic crust2. Samples in the Hawaiian core are therefore consistent with previous suggestions that pyroxenite occurs in a host peridotite, and both contribute to melt production2,4. Primary magma compositions vary down the drill core, and these reveal evidence for temperature variations within the underlying mantle plume. Mauna Kea magmatism is represented in other Hawaiian volcanoes, and provides a key for a general understanding of melt production in lithologically heterogeneous mantle.
Federal Oversight, Local Control, and the Specter of “Resegregation” in Southern Schools

Analyzing data for the 100 largest districts in the South and Border states, we ask whether there is evidence of "resegregation" of school districts and whether levels of segregation can be linked to judicial decisions. We distinguish segregation measures based on racial isolation from those based on racial imbalance. Only one measure of racial isolation suggests that districts in these regions experienced resegregation between 1994 and 2004, and changes in this measure appear to be driven largely by the rising nonwhite percentage in the student population rather than by district policies. Although we find no time trend in racial imbalance over this period, we find that variations in racial imbalance across districts are nonetheless associated with judicial declarations of unitary status, suggesting that segregation in schools might have declined had it not been for the actions of federal courts.
The F-box Protein FBX4 Targets PIN2/TRF1 for Ubiquitin-mediated Degradation and Regulates Telomere Maintenance

Pin2/TRF1 was identified previously as both a protein (TRF1) that binds to telomeric DNA repeats and as a protein (Pin2) that associates with the kinase NIMA and suppresses its mitosis inducing activity. Pin2/TRF1 negatively regulates telomere length and also plays a critical role in cell cycle checkpoint control. Pin2/TRF1 is down-regulated in many human cancers and may be degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, but components of the pathway involved in Pin2/TRF1 turnover have not been elucidated. By using the two-hybrid system, we recently identified Pin2/TRF1-interacting proteins, PinX1–4, and we demonstrated that PinX1 is a conserved telomerase inhibitor and a putative tumor suppressor. Here we report the characterization of PinX3. PinX3 was later found to be identical to Fbx4, a member of the F-box family of proteins, which function as substrate-specific adaptors of Cul1-based ubiquitin ligases. Fbx4 interacts with both Pin2 and TRF1 isoforms and promotes their ubiquitination in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, overexpression of Fbx4 reduces endogenous Pin2/TRF1 protein levels and causes progressive telomere elongation in human cells. In contrast, inhibition of Fbx4 by RNA interference stabilizes Pin2/TRF1 and promotes telomere shortening, thereby impairing cell growth. These results demonstrate that Fbx4 is a central regulator of Pin2/TRF1 protein abundance and that alterations in the stability of Pin2/TRF1 can have a dramatic impact on telomere length. Thus, Fbx4 may play a critical role in telomere maintenance.
An automatic error-control technique for computation of eigenlengths

Abstract An automatic error-control technique is presented for the calculation of eigenlengths of systems of ordinary differential equations. The method appears to be computationally very stable with significant savings in computing time and effort when compared with conventional initial-value codes. Numerical examples are presented which demonstrate the efficacy of the method.
Leading questions and memory: Pragmatic constraints

Previous research has shown that presuppositions can alter memory, but these results depend upon a restricted class of pragmatic conditions. Given a specified source with a presumed intention to mislead, listeners might not enter such presuppositions into memory. In two experiments, subjects first observed an accident depicted in a series of slides. In Experiment 1, the leading questions with no source led subjects to “remember” the presupposed facts; attribution of the questions to a lawyer representing the defendant eliminated that effect. In the second experiment, the presuppositions were introduced in a transcript of an eyewitness account of the accident. If the account was from a neutral bystander, subjects “remembered” the presupposed facts; yet if the account came from the driver causing the accident, the same presupposed facts were not remembered. These results reflect the influence of pragmatic conditions on normal language processing, conditions normally excluded from laboratory experiments.
The Ethics Officer as Agent of the Board: Leveraging Ethical Governance Capability in the Post-Enron Corporation

Professor of Business and Professional Ethics at Bentley College, as well as the senior partner of Hoffman Rowe, a Boston-based business ethics and corporate responsibility consulting firm. Mark Rowe is the Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Business Ethics at Bentley College and the managing partner of Hoffman Rowe. The Ethics Officer as Agent of the Board: Leveraging Ethical Governance Capability In the Post-Enron Corporation
Methodological issues and problems in the assessment of substance use

Three general types of methodologic issues that are particularly salient in research involving assessment of substance use or substance-abusing populations are highlighted: (a) the reliability and validity of self-report, collateral, and biological methods of assessing substance use, (b) the variabi
The Effect of Newcastle Disease on Egg Production, Egg Weight and Mortality Rate

Abstract INTRODUCTION MUCH has been written in respect to the pathology and etiology of Newcastle disease since the appearance of Stover’s original publication (1942). However, no specific data have been presented as to the effect on egg production, egg weight, or mortality rate of laying pullets during outbreaks of Newcastle disease, or as to its effect on these factors for the remainder of the laying year. Unfortunately, an outbreak of Newcastle disease of epizootic proportions was encountered in the station flocks during the 1947–48 laying year. The present data show its effect on the egg production, egg weight, and mortality rate of outbred Rhode Island Red pullets and their crossbreds and incrossbreds with White Leghorns kept for research on breeding, feeding, and physiology. MATERIALS AND METHODS At the beginning of the outbreak, the latter part of January 1948, samples of blood were taken and serum neutralization tests were made by the . . .
What is used during cognitive processing in information retrieval and library searching?: eleven sources of search information

A taxonomy of 11 sources of information used during library and database searching is presented, based on observation of 49 searches in a variety of libraries and search situations. Three broad categories of sources are identified: those internal to the searcher; those created by the searcher, and those external to the searcher. Internal sources are reason for the search, necessary beliefs, object of the search, object knowledge, domain knowledge, and search knowledge. Two sources created by the searcher are expressed object and searcher terms. External sources of information that are encountered in the search environment are guidance devices, system terms, and the collection. Found object, a subset of the collection, is also what is taken away from the library or IR system
Scanning-tunneling-microscopy study of Ge/GaAs(110). I. Initial nucleation and growth.

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) has been used to study the initial nucleation and growth of Ge on GaAs(110) at 420 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. Multilayer islands of crystalline Ge with heights of four or more layers were formed upon deposition of 0.2 and 0.4 monolayer. We show that the energetics are responsible for the absence of thinner islands and that the energetics account for the Ge island shape. Analysis of the spatial distribution of the islands on the surface demonstrates that there is a depletion zone around each island, the size of which is a measure of the kinetics available during growth. Depletion zones are directly evident in STM images when surface steps are present because they act as preferred nucleation sites. At the same time, island formation at these same steps is not energetically favored, as demonstrated by the movement of Ge islands away from the steps when the surface is annealed at 550 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C.
THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE RECEPTOR OUTER SEGMENTS IN THE RETINA OF THE LEOPARD FROG (RANA PIPIENS).

The retinal receptor outer segment of the adult frog was studied with special reference to membrane relationships, membrane dimensions and membrane ultrastructure. A distinct and invariable difference between rods and cones as to the mutual relationship between the two membrane elements of each disk was observed. In the cones these membranes were closely packed to a five-layered structure; whereas, in the rods, a certain number of disks showed a complete separation of the two membrane elements. In the cones all disk membranes were mutually continuous and continuous with the plasma membrane in an arrangement resembling a repeatedly folded plasma membrane. In the rods, only a few disks at the vitreally located end of the outer segment possessed such continuities. No significant differences between the different receptor types were found as to thickness of the single membrane element (60–65 A), or of the disk (120–125 A). However, the spaces between the disks differed significantly in rods and cones. The direction of sectioning did not affect the thickness of the membrane element or that of the disk, but the width of the space between the disks could vary with as much as 20–25% in this respect. The average number of disks per outer segment was in the red rods about 1900, in the green rods 1400, and in the cones 450. The total disk surface area per outer segment was estimated to 150,000 μ2, 80,000 μ2 and 4700 μ2, respectively. In the membrane elements a globular substructure identical with the one described for the tadpole disk membranes was observed.
Shape differentiation of freeform surfaces using a similarity measure based on an integral of Gaussian curvature

Freeform surfaces are popularly used to design and model complex 3D objects. These 3D models are stored as computerized models in databases. To facilitate data retrieval and shape matching, a major challenge lies in defining and computing the level of similarity between two or more freeform surfaces. In order to explore the useful 3D information associated with the surfaces, an integrated approach based on the integral of Gaussian curvature is proposed to develop the measures of similarity of freeform surfaces. Specifically, the integral of Gaussian curvature is mapped into the 2D space, and a shape-based measure is developed using statistical methods to compute the level of similarity. For smooth surfaces, a fast approximation algorithm is developed to calculate the curvature of individual subregions. In cases where the target surface has a complex topological structure or a smooth surface is not available, the integral of Gaussian curvature for the discrete surface is first calculated at each vertex, followed by mapping onto a 2D spherical coordinate. The distance measure focuses on the local geometry, which is critical to investigate models with a certain level of resemblance such as products in a family. This proposed approach can be applied to surfaces under various transformations, as well as 3D data from various sources.
Prediction of fine motor skills of children having language and speech disorders.

Relationships between the fine motor skills and linguistic abilities of 37 developmentally delayed children, ages 5 to 9 yr., were studied using a battery of expressive and receptive language tests, a measure of fine motor performance, a dichotic listening test, and individual intelligence tests. While IQs and MAs were not related to fine motor skills, both expressive and receptive language test scores showed moderate to moderately high correlations, the highest single relationship being the Test for the Auditory Comprehension of Language. In concert with CAs, a dichotic right-ear test score, the Auditory Comprehension Test, predicted fine motor-skill indices substantially; R = .80. Strong relationships appear between linguistic and fine motor skills in an age group not previously investigated and at higher levels than reported in studies of infants and very young children. Dichotic results were abnormal in a majority of the children.
Trochanteric Excision Following Persistent Nonunion of the Greater Trochanter

Trochanteric nonunion associated with total hip arthroplasty (THA) may result from 1 of 3 situations: 1) isolated fracture of the greater trochanter; 2) complication of trochanteric osteotomy; or 3) fracture secondary to cystic formation or osteolysis from wear debris post-THA. Isolated fracture of the greater trochanter can occur during primary or revision THA or as a result of trauma in the post-THA patient. It is estimated that approximately 5% of intraoperative femoral fractures involve just the greater trochanter. Perhaps the most common case is subsequent to trochanteric osteotomy. Although trochanteric osteotomy is more often used in revision THA, it may be used in primary THA where there is severe femoral deformity, developmental dysplasia of the hip, or in cases where previous intraosseous hardware is removed. Finally, trochanteric nonunion may be seen in subsequent to late fracture through an osteolytic lesion of the greater trochanter. Regardless of the etiology, nonunion of the greater trochanter can result in significant pain, Trendelenberg gait, and functional limitations, and additional surgery to reattach the trochanter may be required. Reattachment may be accomplished using various techniques, including abductor slide, trochanteric claw plate, Dalls-Miles cable grip system, and various wiring techniques. The nonunion rate following trochanteric osteotomy ranges up to 6%, and persistent nonunion following reattachment ranges up to 39%.
A Kolmogorov-type competition model with multiple coexistence states and its applications to plant competition for sunlight

It is demonstrated that a Kolmogorov-type competition model featuring species allocation and gain functions can possess multiple coexistence states. Two examples are constructed: one in which the two competing species possess rectangular allocation functions but distinct gain functions, and the other in which one species has a rectangular allocation function, the second species has a bi-rectangular allocation function, and the two species share a common gain function. In both examples, it is shown that the species nullclines may intersect multiple times within the interior of the first quadrant, thus creating both locally stable and unstable equilibrium points. These results have important applications in the study of plant competition for sunlight, in which the allocation functions describe the vertical placement of leaves for two competing species, and the gain functions represent rates of photosynthesis performed by leaves at different heights when shaded by overlying leaves belonging to either species.
Broadening of infrared absorption lines at reduced temperatures, III. Nitrous oxide*

The strengths and self-broadening parameters for lines in the R branch of the ν3 fundamental of N2O have been measured for gas samples at 300 and 204 K. The results indicate that the collision cross sections at the two temperatures are nearly the same. Differences between values for total band strength of ν3 based on the present high-resolution measurements and values based on earlier low-resolution studies are discussed. The results obtained for self-broadening parameters are in excellent agreement with recent results of Toth and Margolis.
Diagnosis of traumatic gallbladder avulsion: Role of sagittal and coronal computed tomographic reformations

An 85-year-old seat-belted woman was injured in a head-on motor vehicle collision and presented with diffuse epigastric pain. Computed tomography (CT) revealed hemoperitoneum, hyperemia of the gallbladder wall, and active bleeding in the gallbladder fossa. Coronal and sagittal CT reformations clearly displayed gallbladder avulsion, facilitating surgical planning and management. A discussion of gallbladder injuries secondary to blunt abdominal trauma is presented along with an analysis of the CT features of gallbladder avulsion.
Strengthening effects of coherent interfaces in nanoscale metallic bilayers

Abstract Dislocation nucleation and propagation in a Cu–Ni bilayer with coherent (1 1 1) interface are examined using atomistic simulations. Nanoindentation model is applied to generate dislocations at and near the surface. Mechanisms of interactions between gliding dislocations and coherent interface are investigated. It is found that the interface acts as a strong barrier to dislocation propagation, which results in considerable strengthening of the bilayer. The results are compared to indentation of pure Cu and pure Ni single crystals. It is found that the obtained maximum load for indentation of the Cu–Ni bilayer is higher than for any of the two pure materials. Strain hardening of the bilayer system due to the presence of interface is investigated by analyzing the indentation load–displacement curves.
Quantized conductance of ballistic constrictions in InAs/AlSb quantum wells

Split‐gate ballistic constrictions have been fabricated on InAs/AlSb quantum‐well heterostructures. Sharp conductance steps of 2e2/h are observed at 4.2 K, while conductance plateaus persist up to 30 K. The sharp features and high temperature operation are made possible by the low effective mass (m*Γ= 0.023me) of InAs, and the closeness of the quantum well (20 nm) to the wafer surface.
Electronic measures of surgical site infection: Implications for estimating risk and costs

objective. Electronic measures of surgical site infections (SSIs) are being used more frequently in place of labor-intensive measures. This study compares performance characteristics of 2 electronic measures of SSIs with a clinical measure and studies the implications of using electronic measures to estimate risk factors and costs of SSIs among surgery patients. methods. Data included 1,066 general and vascular surgery patients at a single academic center between 2007 and 2008. Clinical data were from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database, which includes a nurse-derived measure of SSI. We compared the NSQIP SSI measure with 2 electronic measures of SSI: MedMined Nosocomial Infection Marker (NIM) and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) coding for SSIs. We compared infection rates for each measure, estimated sensitivity and specificity of electronic measures, compared effects of SSI measures on risk factors for mortality using logistic regression, and compared estimated costs of SSIs for measures using linear regression.
Large eddy simulations of smoke movement

An approach to field modeling of fire phenomena in enclosures is presented. The conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy are calculated with sufficient temporal and spatial resolution to yield a truly three-dimensional, dynamic picture of the fire plume and its surroundings. The large-scale eddies are simulated directly and sub-grid scale motion is represented by a constant eddy viscosity. Efficient flow solving techniques make it possible to simulate fire scenarios using computational grids in excess of a million cells on modern workstations. Several examples of the methodology are presented.
Confinement degradation and enhanced microturbulence as long-time precursors to high-density-limit tokamak disruptions

Long-time precursors of order 5 times the global energy confinement time are observed for disrupting plasmas at the high-density limit on the Texas Experimental Tokamak. These precursors, occurring well in advance of any change in the plasma MHD activity, are reflected in the electron particle and heat transport along with the density fluctuation level. Enhanced microturbulence is proposed as the physical mechanism for the confinement degradation and subsequent disruption.
SUPERFLOW-INDUCED SPLITTING OF SQUASHING MODE IN 3He–B

Superflow-induced splitting in the Squashing Mode spectrum of superfluid 3He–B, predicted about one decade ago, has been observed recently with the single-ended, frequency-modulated, cw-acoustic-impedance technique. The temperature, thermal gradient and magnetic field dependence have been studied.
Organization and characterization of Cucurbita phloem lectin genes.

The phloem of pumpkin and squash contains a dimeric chitin-binding lectin called PP2 (phloem protein 2). We have isolated three genomic clones from pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duch.) that encoded PP2. One clone, λgPC13-1, contained two PP2 genes that were 99.8% identical over a region of 3055 nucleotides. This conserved region included 1922 bp of 5′ non-coding sequence, 844 bp of protein coding sequence (including two introns), and 289 bp of 3′ non-coding sequence. To examine the conservation of the phloem lectin within the genus Cucurbita, we analyzed nine different species for PP2, its mRNA, and the genes that encode PP2. DNA blot analysis indicated that each species contained genes that encoded PP2, however, there was considerable restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) among the species. PP2 gene copy number reconstructions indicated that PP2 is encoded by a small gene family (two to eight genes). Although a high level of PP2 DNA polymorphism existed among species, a single mRNA (ca. 1 kb) was detected in each species. PP2, affinity-purified from the vascular exudate of each species, reacted with PP2-specific antibodies; five species contained a single PP2 polypeptide while four species contained two PP2 polypeptides.
Brief announcement: a partitioned ticket lock

We introduce the partitioned ticket lock, a first-in-first-enabled FIFO lock with semi-local spinning. Our lock has fixed memory over-head, is extremely simple, and exhibits performance competitive with other local spinning locks.
Effects of cocaethylene on dopamine and serotonin synthesis in Long-Evans and Sprague-Dawley brains.

We examined the behavioral and neurochemical effects of cocaethylene treatment in Long-Evans (LE) and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Cocaethylene-induced behaviors were significantly less in LE rats. Cocaethylene caused an inhibition of dopamine synthesis in the caudate nucleus and nucleus accumbens that was equivalent in both rat lines. Serotonin synthesis was also suppressed by cocaethylene treatment, however this phenomenon was less pronounced when compared with the effects on dopamine synthesis.
Corroborate and learn facts from the web

The web contains lots of interesting factual information about entities, such as celebrities, movies or products. This paper describes a robust bootstrapping approach to corroborate facts and learn more facts simultaneously. This approach starts with retrieving relevant pages from a crawl repository for each entity in the seed set. In each learning cycle, known facts of an entity are corroborated first in a relevant page to find fact mentions. When fact mentions are found, they are taken as examples for learning new facts from the page via HTML pattern discovery. Extracted new facts are added to the known fact set for the next learning cycle. The bootstrapping process continues until no new facts can be learned. This approach is language-independent. It demonstrated good performance in experiment on country facts. Results of a large scale experiment will also be shown with initial facts imported from wikipedia.
Caloric restriction in humans: Potential pitfalls and health concerns

To date, the only intervention that has consistently been shown to slow the rate of aging, and to increase mean and maximum lifespan in short-lived species, is life-long calorie restriction. It is yet unclear whether long-term calorie restriction in longer lived species (i.e. primates and humans) will have a similar effect. In humans, several studies investigating short-term calorie restriction or "weight loss" programs suggest beneficial outcomes on parameters of cardiovascular disease. Studies on long-term calorie restriction are performed on a self-selected group of human subjects and show similar effects. However, few studies are currently investigating the quality of life and potential pitfalls of long-term calorie restriction in humans. It is likely that some of the physiological and psychological effects of caloric restriction that occur in animals may impact the human life very differently. For certain, calorie restriction has a plethora of health benefits in mammals, such as a reduction in age-related diseases such as cancer. However, despite the "magic" of CR, this intervention in humans may present itself with a number of health concerns, which may not be applicable to or impact the life of experimental animals, but may do so in humans. These potential pitfalls and "side effects" are not clearly addressed in the literature and will be a focus of this review.
Collaborative effort towards common ground in situated human-robot dialogue

In situated human-robot dialogue, although humans and robots are co-present in a shared environment, they have significantly mismatched capabilities in perceiving the shared environment. Their representations of the shared world are misaligned. In order for humans and robots to communicate with each other successfully using language, it is important for them to mediate such differences and to establish common ground. To address this issue, this paper describes a dialogue system that aims to mediate a shared perceptual basis during human-robot dialogue. In particular, we present an empirical study that examines the role of the robot’s collaborative effort and the performance of natural language processing modules in dialogue grounding. Our empirical results indicate that in situated human-robot dialogue, a low collaborative effort from the robot may lead its human partner to believe a common ground is established. However, such beliefs may not reflect true mutual understanding. To support truly grounded dialogues, the robot should make an extra effort by making its partner aware of its internal representation of the shared world.
Ketogenic Diets: New Advances for Metabolism-Based Therapies

Purpose of review Despite myriad anticonvulsants available and in various stages of development, there are thousands of children and adults with epilepsy worldwide still refractory to treatment and not candidates for epilepsy surgery. Many of these patients will now turn to dietary therapies such as the ketogenic diet, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) diet, modified Atkins diet, and low glycemic index treatment.
Post‐exercise acid‐base balance and ventilatory control in Birgus latro, the coconut crab

There is a postexercise acidosis in the coconut crab, Birgus latro, which is initially due to an elevation in the hemolymph P, and a metabolic acidosis which is only partially due to lactic acid. Hyperventilation following exercise causes a respiratory alkalosis that helps to restore acid-base balance. The ventilatory receptors appear to be internally located, and ventilation is stimulated by a drop in the hemolymph pH or [HCO], but not by P or P. Amelioration of the metabolic acidosis in normal crabs occurs in 1 hour despite elevated lactate levels. Crabs with their gills removed showed only a transient lag in both respiratory and metabolic recovery from acidosis, indicating the dominance of the branchial lung of Birgus in gas exchange. The data suggest that intra- and extracellular transfers may be significant in acid-base regulation.