cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tumor suppressive activity of prolyl isomerase Pin1 in renal cell carcinoma

Pin1 specifically recognizes and catalyzes the cis-trans isomerization of phosphorylated-Ser/Thr-Pro bonds, which modulate the stability, localization, and function of numerous Pin1 targets involved in tumor progression. However, the role of Pin1 in cancer remains enigmatic as the gene is located on chromosome 19p13.2, which is a region subject to loss of heterozygosity in several tumors. Since Pin1 protein is frequently under-expressed in kidney cancer, we have explored its role in human clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Here we show evidence for PIN1 gene deletion and mRNA under-expression as a mechanism of Pin1 reduction in ccRCC tumors. We demonstrate that restoration of Pin1 in cell lines found to be deficient in Pin1 protein expression can attenuate the growth of ccRCC cells in soft agar and a xenograft tumor model. Moreover, this ability of Pin1 to negatively influence tumor growth in ccRCC cells may be dependent on the presence of functional p53, which is infrequently mutated in ccRCC. These observations suggest Pin1 may have a mild tumor suppressive role in ccRCC.
LL5β: A regulator of postsynaptic differentiation identified in a screen for synaptically enriched transcripts at the neuromuscular junction

In both neurons and muscle fibers, specific mRNAs are concentrated beneath and locally translated at synaptic sites. At the skeletal neuromuscular junction, all synaptic RNAs identified to date encode synaptic components. Using microarrays, we compared RNAs in synapse-rich and -free regions of muscles, thereby identifying transcripts that are enriched near synapses and that encode soluble membrane and nuclear proteins. One gene product, LL5β, binds to both phosphoinositides and a cytoskeletal protein, filamin, one form of which is concentrated at synaptic sites. LL5β is itself associated with the cytoplasmic face of the postsynaptic membrane; its highest levels border regions of highest acetylcholine receptor (AChR) density, which suggests a role in “corraling” AChRs. Consistent with this idea, perturbing LL5β expression in myotubes inhibits AChR aggregation. Thus, a strategy designed to identify novel synaptic components led to identification of a protein required for assembly of the postsynaptic apparatus.
Control strategies for direct torque control using discrete pulse modulation

A scheme for direct torque control of AC machines using discrete pulse modulated inverters, such as the resonant DC link inverter, is presented. A unique feature of the control method presented is that only one current sensor in the DC link is required. Excellent control of torque, stator flux and motor current waveshapes is obtained without affecting the high dynamic performance associated with the direct self-control of machines. A control that does not use the zero voltage vector is defined, and an observer is proposed for estimation of the motor current using only one current sensor in the DC link. A direct bang-bang (sliding mode) torque controller is then derived on the basis of this current observer. Experimental verification of simulation results on a resonant DC link inverter drive with a switching frequency of 27 kHz is included. The inverter switching scheme is implemented using a real-time Motorola DSP56000 digital signal processor-based controller. >
Locating concentrators for primary and secondary coverage in a computer communications network

A model is developed that assigns primary and secondary (backup) concentrator coverage to each terminal site. The objective is to minimize communications costs as well as costs for setting up and operating the concentrators subject to capacity constraints. A relaxation of the problem is studied, and an effective solution procedure that makes the use of this relaxation is developed. Experimental results over a wide range of problem structures show that this solution procedure is very effective. It is also found to be significantly faster than a state-of-the-art commercial integer programming package. >
Robert C. Millikan: In Memoriam

![Figure][1] We are deeply saddened by the death of our colleague and friend, Bob Millikan. Bob passed away at the age of 55 years on October 7, 2012. Bob was a leader in the field of cancer epidemiology, especially the molecular epidemiology of breast cancer. He was a true scholar, teacher
Resistance of Cysts of Amoebae to Microbial Decomposition

Cyst walls of Acanthamoeba rhysodes, A. palestinensis, A. castellanii, and one other strain of Acanthamoeba contain 36 to 45% protein and 20 to 34% carbohydrate. More than half of the protein in the walls of A. palestinensis, A. castellanii and Acanthamoeba sp. is accessible to and hydrolyzed by protease, and 67 to 69% of the carbohydrate of A. palestinensis and A. rhysodes walls is hydrolyzed by cellulase. The extent of hydrolysis of walls of the other amoebae by these enzymes is appreciably less, and chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase have no detectable effect. Protease solubilizes 10% or less of the weight of intact cysts, and no solubilization is observed with cellulase. Walls of A. palestinensis are extensively degraded in soil, the activity is less with A. rhysodes, and little attack on the other amoebae occurs. When added to soil, the protozoa excyst and grow for short periods, the trophozoites then die, and chiefly cysts persist thereafter.
Defining and Assigning Accountability for Quality Care and Patient Safety

The prevalence of avoidable patient harm and preventable patient death in U.S. hospitals is widely acknowledged, yet legal and regulatory efforts to safeguard the public have had limited effect. Systems theory suggests that variations in practice and organizational deficiencies often result from the interdependencies and bidirectional effects of the parts on the whole. In health-care delivery, where many individuals and systems influence outcomes, a conundrum exists regarding how to assign accountability for preventable harm. When it is assigned, the question becomes how to administer sanctions with fairness to patients and families, clinicians involved in the error, and the institutions where the error occurs. This article discusses the regulatory challenge of defining accountability for quality and patient safety, suggests perspectives regulators should consider in balancing competing interests, and challenges regulators to lead the development of principles for team-based accountability.
Information Sharing in Interdisciplinary Team Meetings: An Evaluation of Hospice Goals

The author observed interdisciplinary team (IDT) meetings of "Town Hospice" to examine how the company goal of providing for the "psychosocial needs of the patient and their loved ones" is addressed. More specifically, she used an ethnographic approach to explore how case managers negotiate the addition of psychosocial information about patients during IDT meetings. She found that psychosocial information on patients was primarily limited to three types of information sharing: (a) information related to care goals, (b) family issues related to bereavement and caretaking, and (c) the request of additional help from team members. Furthermore, she understood that the addition of psychosocial information creates a dialectical tension for the team.
An integrated approach to analyzing the nature of multicomponent fiber blending. Part I: Analytical aspects

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the nature of multicomponent fiber blending using an integrated analytical and experimental approach. This approach is based on classifying the blending p...
Clinical, pathologic, and microbiologic findings of foot abscess in neonatal pigs

A longitudinal study was undertaken in a swine herd with an ever-present problem of foot abscess in suckling pigs reared on a woven-wire floor. Of 3,322 4-day-old pigs, 199 (6%) developed abscess lesions involving claws and accessory digits before weaning. Lesions were first detected in 4-day-old pigs; median and mean ages at onset were 10 and 11.3 days, respectively. At first detection, most pigs had only a single claw affected, but 39 pigs had at least 2 claws with abscesses. Hind limbs had more affected claws (140) than forelimbs (96). In the hind limbs, medial claws were most likely to have lesions, whereas the reverse was true for the forelimbs. Gross and microscopic examinations of affected claws indicated necrotic pododermatitis, with severe osteomyelitis, arthritis, and tenosynovitis. Bacteria isolated from foot abscess lesions included Actinomyces pyogenes, Staphylococcus spp, beta-hemolytic Streptococcus spp, Actinobacillus spp, Escherichia coli, Fusobacterium spp, Bacteroides spp, and Peptostreptococcus spp.
Library mapping for memories

We present a library mapping technique that synthesizes a source memory module from a library of target memory modules. We define the library mapping problem for memories, identify and solve the three subproblems of port, bit-width and size (word) mapping associated with this task and finally combine these solutions into an efficient memory mapping algorithm. Experimental results on a number of memory-intensive designs demonstrate that our memory mapping approach generates a wide variety of cost-effective designs, often counter-intuitive ones, based on a user-given cost function and the target library.
PTZ camera calibration for Augmented Virtual Environments

Augmented Virtual Environments (AVE) are very effective in the application of surveillance, in which multiple video streams are projected onto a 3D urban model for better visualization and comprehension of the dynamic scenes. One of the key issues in creating such systems is to estimate the parameters of each camera including the intrinsic parameters and its pose relative to the 3D model. Nowadays, PTZ cameras are popular in this kind of applications. How to rapidly calibrate them at an arbitrary PTZ setting is not clear in the literature. We propose an efficient approach with two steps. In the first step, panoramic images are generated at a set of zooms. The images composing these panoramas are calibrated and stored in a database. In the second step, an image is acquired at an arbitrary PTZ setting. Its best matching image in the database is found by using an efficient local feature recognition technique. Based on this image, the camera parameters at the new PTZ setting can be estimated.
Pilot study of cisplatin, etoposide, bleomycin, and escalating dose cyclophosphamide therapy for children with high risk germ cell tumors: a report of the children's oncology group (COG).

Background To establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and toxicity profile of cyclophosphamide with cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (C-PEB) in children with high-risk malignant germ cell tumors (HR-MGCT). Procedure Eligibility criteria included untreated patients ≤ 21 years of age with stage III/IV extragonadal, extra cranial MGCT. Patients received four cycles (repeated every 3 weeks) of cisplatin (20 mg/m2/day × 5 days), etoposide (100 mg/m2/day × 5 days), and bleomycin (15 mg/m2 on Day 1) with escalating doses of cyclophosphamide on Day 1, assigned at the time of enrollment (1.2, 1.8, or 2.4 g/m2). Patients with complete response had therapy discontinued. Patients with residual disease underwent second-look surgery, those with pathologic evidence of residual MGCT or whose markers had not normalized received two more cycles. All other patients had protocol therapy stopped. Results Nineteen patients were enrolled between July 2004 and August 2007. Three patients were non-evaluable. Sixteen patients completed four cycles. Eleven had complete response, one had progressive disease and four had partial response. All four with partial response underwent second look surgery followed by two more cycles. Only one patient, on dose 1.8 g/m2, experienced dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) during the first cycle of therapy (grade 3 hyperglycemia). The 4-year EFS and OS (± standard deviation) were 74 ± 7% and 89 ± 10%, respectively. Conclusion The addition of cyclophosphamide to the standard PEB regimen (cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin) is feasible and well-tolerated at all dose levels used on this study. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013;60:1602–1605. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Hierarchical motion estimation with content-based meshes

Two-dimensional mesh-based models provide a good alternative to motion estimation and compensation. The estimation of the best node-point motion vectors is a challenging task. To this effect, Nakaya and Harashima (1994) proposed a hexagonal matching procedure. Toklu et al. improved the hexagonal search algorithm in terms of both motion-estimation accuracy and computational complexity by employing a hierarchy of regular meshes. Recognizing the limitations of regular meshes, Van Beek et al. (1997) extended Toklu et al.'s (1996) work by utilizing content-based meshes. Here, we provide an alternative hierarchical motion-estimation method with content-based meshes where hierarchical representations are employed for both the images and the irregular meshes in order to provide further improvements in computational complexity as well as motion accuracy. The comparison results are provided with real video sequences.
Leading edge strengthening and the propulsion performance of flexible ray fins

A numerical model of a ray-reinforced fin is developed to investigate the relation between its structural characteristics and its force generation capacity during flapping motion. In this two-dimensional rendition, the underlying rays are modelled as springs, and the membrane is modelled as a flexible but inextensible plate. The fin kinematics is characterized by its oscillation frequency and the phase difference between different rays (which generates a pitching motion). An immersed boundary method (IBM) is applied to solve the fluid–structure interaction problem. The focus of the current paper is on the effects of ray flexibility, especially the detailed distribution of ray stiffness, upon the capacity of thrust generation. The correlation between thrust generation and features of the surrounding flow (especially the leading edge separation) is also examined. Comparisons are made between a fin with rigid rays, a fin with identical flexible rays, and a fin with flexible rays and strengthened leading edge. It is shown that with flexible rays, the thrust production can be significantly increased, especially in cases when the phase difference between different rays is not optimized. By strengthening the leading edge, a higher propulsion efficiency is observed. This is mostly attributed to the reduction of the effective angle of attack at the leading edge, accompanied by mitigation of leading edge separation and dramatic changes in characteristics of the wake. In addition, the flexibility of the rays causes reorientation of the fluid force so that it tilts more towards the swimming direction and the thrust is thus increased.
Performance Limitation of a Coupled Resonant Optical Waveguide Gyroscope

We demonstrate through theoretical analysis that unlike predicted by others, an unbiased coupled resonant optical waveguide (CROW) gyroscope made of N ring resonators has a response to a rotation rate Omega that is proportional to (NOmega)2, and hence its sensitivity to small rotation rates is vanishingly small. We further establish that when proper phase bias is applied to the CROW gyro, this response becomes proportional to NOmega and the sensitivity to small rotation rates is then considerably larger. However, even after optimizing the CROW parameters (N and the ring-to-ring coupling coefficient kappa), the CROW gyro has about the same sensitivity as a conventional fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) with the same loop loss, detected power, and footprint. This maximum sensitivity is achieved for N = 1, i.e., when the CROW gyro resembles a resonant FOG. The only benefit of a CROW gyro is therefore that it requires a much shorter length of fiber, by a factor of about 1/ (2 kappa) , but at the expense of a stringent control of the rings' optical path lengths, as in a resonant FOG. Finally, we show that the slower apparent group velocity of light in a CROW gyro compared to a FOG is unrelated to this shorter length requirement.
Thyroid hormone and obesity.

Purpose of review To review several of the most recent and most important clinical studies regarding the effects of thyroid treatments on weight change, associations between thyroid status and weight, and the effects of obesity and weight change on thyroid function. Recent findings Weight decreases following treatment for hypothyroidism. However, following levothyroxine treatment for overt hypothyroidism, weight loss appears to be modest and mediated primarily by loss of water weight rather than fat. There is conflicting evidence about the effects of thyroidectomy on weight. In large population studies, even among euthyroid individuals, serum thyroid-stimulating hormone is typically positively associated with body weight and BMI. Both serum thyroid-stimulating hormone and T3 are typically increased in obese compared with lean individuals, an effect likely mediated, at least in part, by leptin. Finally, there is no consistent evidence that thyroid hormone treatment induces weight loss in obese euthyroid individuals, but thyroid hormone analogues may eventually be useful for weight loss. Summary The interrelationships between body weight and thyroid status are complex.
The dynamic team forming problem: Throughput and delay for unbiased policies

The dynamic team forming problem (DTFP) for a heterogeneous group of robots is described as follows. Each robot is capable of providing a specific service. Tasks arrive sequentially over time, assume random locations in the environment, and require several different services. A task is completed when a team of robots travels to the task location and provides the required services. The goal is to minimize the expected delay between a task’s arrival and its completion. We restrict our attention to unbiased policies for the DTFP, i.e., policies for which the expected delay is the same for all tasks. We introduce three intuitive policies, and in certain asymptotic regimes we analyze their delay as a function of the arrival rate of tasks (or throughput). For each policy we show that there is a broad class of system parameters for which the policy’s performance is within a constant factor of the optimal.
A 900-MHz low-power transmitter with fast frequency calibration for wireless sensor networks

A low-power transmitter designed for wireless sensor networks operating in a 900-MHz ISM band has been fabricated in 0.18-mum CMOS technology. The transmitter has a power efficiency as high as 26% while radiating an output signal of -2.9 dBm. It supports both OOK and BFSK modulation. A fast frequency calibration is developed to reduce the RF tuning time down to 36 mus and thus further minimize the overall energy consumption.
The effect of women's property rights on HIV: a search for quantitative evidence

In recent years, efforts to reduce HIV transmission have begun to incorporate a structural interventions approach, whereby the social, political, and economic environment in which people live is considered an important determinant of individual behaviors. This approach to HIV prevention is reflected in the growing number of programs designed to address insecure or nonexistent property rights for women living in developing countries. Qualitative and anecdotal evidence suggests that property ownership may allow women to mitigate social, economic, and biological effects of HIV for themselves and others through increased food security and income generation. Even so, the relationship between women's property and inheritance rights (WPIR) and HIV transmission behaviors is not well understood. We explored sources of data that could be used to establish quantitative links between WPIR and HIV. Our search for quantitative evidence included (1) a review of peer-reviewed and “gray” literature reporting on quantitati...
Nanocrystalline Diamond Coatings: Creation of Proper Surface Topography for Orthopedic Applications

The idea of using nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) as a coating on orthopedic implants originates back to the last century since NCD possesses superior mechanical and tribological properties as well as chemical stability. However, it has only been within recent years that the interactions between NCD and osteoblasts (OB, bone forming cells) have been investigated. In this study, the impact of NCD surface topography on OB functions including proliferation (24 hrs to 48 hrs) and differentiation (7 to 21 days) was studied. NCD of varied grain sizes (from less than 100 nm to approximately 600 nm) were fabricated by microwave plasma enhanced chemical-vapor-deposition and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Surface topography of the NCD changed dramatically as grain size grew. OB proliferation on these coatings was studied by SEM after incubation for 24 hrs and 48hrs, respectively. OB differentiation on diamond coatings after incubation from 1 to 3 weeks was investigated by alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition. Results demonstrated that OB proliferation and differentiation were dependent on topography with NCD grain sizes less than 100 nm exhibiting the best OB responses. To explain this enhancement, OB filopodia protrusions on different NCD were observed by SEM and the results revealed that surface topography of NCD played a crucial role in OB filopodia extensions. In summary, these findings provided important design criteria for creating proper NCD surfaces for orthopedic coatings and also provided cues on promoting interactions between nanostructured surfaces and cell responses.
Program Evaluations and Parenting Programs

The quality of evaluations for programs that help expectant mothers and fathers make a successful transition to parenthood has improved substantially over time. Meta-analyses of numerous programs are now available in the literature. In general, program effects are small to moderate in magnitude, although some “just right” programs have had moderate to large effects. Programs led by professionally trained parent educators that address the specific felt and/or real needs of their intended audience are usually perceived as more successful by new parents. Examples of several current programs for expectant or new parents are presented.
Influence of salinity level on sediment denitrification in a Louisiana estuary receiving diverted Mississippi River water

The Mississippi River water containing elevated nitrate is being diverted into Louisiana coastal estuaries to abate wetland deterioration attributed to lack of sediment and nutrients, rapid subsidence and accompanying salt water intrusion. In this study effect of salinity change on sediment denitrification at a Mississippi River freshwater diversion site (Davis Pond, Louisiana) was determined. Results show that the denitrification potential of the sediment was highest under fresh water condition (salinity close to 0‰). Addition of sea water immediately inhibited the denitrification activity of the sediment. Further analysis, by separate treatment of NaCl and K2SO4 addition, revealed that inhibition of the denitrification of the sediment by sea water was mainly caused by NaCl content in sea water. Denitrification activity of the sediment was not significantly affected by the sulfate content in sea water. Salinity increase seems a primary reason for the sediment denitrification rate decrease. A significant ...
Three-dimensional imaging of living neurons and glia with the atomic force microscope

The atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to directly image hippocampal neurons and glia. Using chemically fixed and living cells it was possible to reconstruct three-dimensional cell structure and detect sub-cellular features such as the nucleus, mitochondria and filaments. By repeatedly scanning a single living cell we observed the movement of filaments beneath the cell membrane. Furthermore, by controlling the force applied to the scanning tip, nanosurgery was performed to selectively remove cells from the culture substratum. Thus, the atomic force microscope offers the opportunity to gain three-dimensional information about living cells and to observe the behavior of cellular components by imaging through the intact cell membrane.
Social and psychological effects of craniofacial deformity and surgical reconstruction

Psychosocial evaluations of patients undergoing surgery for congenital craniofacial anomalies are being conducted preoperatively and postoperatively to document functioning prior to and following surgery. Our findings to date indicate that presurgically younger patients, those between 6 and 13, fare better than those 14 years and over. The former, for the most part, appear to be functioning adequately and test within normal range on standardized psychometric measures. The latter are more prone to social isolation and problems in self-concept and mood state. Postoperative evaluations are reported only for the younger group because of the small sample size of the older. Overall postoperative adjustment appears improved on several psychometric tests. The majority of patients and families are pleased with outcome. Improvement in appearance postoperatively as rated by independent judges has not reached statistical significance; however, there are significant correlations between changes in appearance and changes on several measures including self-concept and trait anxiety. This finding would tend to support the contention that improvement in appearance brought about by craniofacial surgery is associated with improvement in psychosocial adjustment.
Stable and Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaques

Atherosclerosis is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory disease of the medium and large arteries such as the coronary, carotid and peripheral arteries, and the aorta. It is currently considered a major contributor to the development of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States1 and worldwide.2 Atherosclerotic plaques are characterized by intimal thickening from the progressive accumulation of lipids (mainly cholesteryl ester and cholesterol)3
Deep sequencing of the gag-specific CD4+ T cell receptor repertoire and CD4+ memory subsets of HIV viral controllers reveals significant sharing of unique gag-specific TCRs in central and effector memory TCR repertoires (LYM3P.742)

HIV viral controllers maintain preserved CD4+ T cells counts and undetectable viral levels off antiretroviral therapy. The diversity of the HIV-specific T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire within memory may be important for maintaining viral control, however, sequencing the entire CD4+ memory repertoire to evaluate for HIV specific TCRs would be prohibitive by conventional methods. In this study, the TCR repertoire of two HIV controllers was analyzed with deep sequencing. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of HIV+ individuals were stimulated by Gag peptides and the Gag-specific CD4+ T cells were sorted by expression of the activation markers. Unstimulated PBMC were sorted for CD4+ memory subsets based on central memory (CD45RO+CCR7+), effector memory (CD45RO+CCR7-), and naive (CD45RO-CCR7+). Subject 1 had 46 Gag-specific CD4+ TCR. 18 were in the Tcm population and 24 in the Tem population, though 15 of these sequences were identified in both subsets. In Subject 2, there were 29 Gag-specific TCR with 27 in the Tcm population and 20 in the Tem repertoire with 20 Gag-specific TCR identified in both populations. Deep sequencing of the HIV specific TCR repertoire and unbiased memory subsets revealed a high degree of overlap of CD4+ HIV-specific cells in both the Tcm and Tem populations. Further studies will need to be performed to determine if this provides an advantage for virologic control.
Laser facilitates vaccination

Development of novel vaccine deliveries and vaccine adjuvants is of great importance to address the dilemma that the vaccine field faces: to improve vaccine efficacy without compromising safety. Harnessing the specific effects of laser on biological systems, a number of novel concepts have been proposed and proved in recent years to facilitate vaccination in a safer and more efficient way. The key advantage of using laser technology in vaccine delivery and adjuvantation is that all processes are initiated by physical effects with no foreign chemicals administered into the body. Here, we review the recent advances in using laser technology to facilitate vaccine delivery and augment vaccine efficacy as well as the underlying mechanisms.
Exploring transparency: a new framework for responsible business management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically review the relevant literature on transparency, provide a comprehensive definition of transparency, and present a new framework for facilitating the adoption of transparency as an ethical cornerstone and pragmatic strategy for organizational responsible business management. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic literature review – a methodology adopted from medical sciences to eliminate research bias – was conducted. In doing so, the definitions, antecedents, and consequences of transparency are accessed and synthesized. Findings – Based upon this process transparency is defined as the extent to which a stakeholder perceives an organization provides learning opportunities about itself. A conceptual framework emerged from the data. It describes when transparency is especially important, what organizations can do to be more transparent, and the potential benefits of transparency. Practical implications – The transparency framework can be used as a guide for organizations attempting to change their behavior, image, and performance by adopting transparency as a value in their organization. In addition, the framework can be used to create and adopt a universal (i.e. industry-wide or even societal-wide) code of conduct. Furthermore, this review, definition, and framework provide a template for academics to advance transparency theory, and empirically test the construct’s application. Originality/value – As a new research field, transparency has lacked a concise definition as well as a conceptual framework. This is the first comprehensive summary of transparency. In addition, this study contributes to the methodology of evaluating construct definitions to advance empirical research.
The ‘promise’ of three methods of word association analysis to L2 lexical research

The present study is an attempt to empirically test and compare the results of three methods of word association (WA) analysis. Two of the methods – namely, associative commonality and nativelikeness, and lexico-syntactic patterns of associative organization – have been traditionally used in both first language (L1) and second language (L2) associative research and the third one – collocational aspect of associative responses – is a more recent perspective on associative connections. The central assumption behind the study is that each method captures a different aspect of language users’ lexical organization and, in that, their findings may paint a different picture of how the L1 and L2 lexicons compare as proficiency increases. At the same time, the sensitivity of each method to reflect differences related to proficiency may also point to their potential as a research and assessment tool.Three equal size groups of participants (N = 180) at different proficiency levels – native speakers (NSs), second lan...
Growth-regulating Chemicals Tested Against Nontarget Insect Fauna in Bovine Fecal Pats

The insect growth regulators methoprene, Thompson-Hayward TH 6040 ( N -(4-chlorophenyl)- N' -(2,6-difluorobenzoyl)urea), and Hoffmann-La Roche Ro 20-3600 (( E )-4-[(6,7-epoxy-3,7-dimethyl-2-nonenyl)oxy]-1,2( methylenedioxy) benzene), were fed to Holstein cows in amounts sufficient to control larvae Musca autumnalis De Geer in their feces. Methoprene was not active against nontarget insects, Ro 20-3600 was active against Hydrophilidae and Scarabaeidae, and TH 6040 was active against all the major nontarget insects except Scarabaeidae.
Some Aberrant Species of Camponotus (Colobopsis) from the Fiji Islands

In a recent paper[1][1] on some Fijian Formicidae, Dr. F. Santschi describes and figures a remarkable ant as Camponotus bryani and makes it the type of a new subgenus, Condylomyrma. Concerning its affinities he remarks that “it seems to be near the subgenus Karavaievia Emery but differs mainly in its petiole and perhaps in dimorphism, if this should be established eventually. In the latter case, Camponotus dentatus Mayr should be added to Condylomyrma .” The very striking appearance of the insect is clearly shown in Santschi's figure, which is here reproduced (Fig. 1). I find that the large amount of material collected by Dr. W. M. Mann on his expedition to the Fiji Islands in 1915–'16 and in part most generously deposited in my collection and in that of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, makes it possible to give a more satisfactory interpretation of the affinities of C. bryani than that advanced by Santschi. The key to these affinities proves to be C. (Colobopsis) dentatus . My discussion is therefore best introduced by a brief account of this species. [1]: #fn-1
Prevalence of notifiable infectious diseases in Nanchang in 2011

Objective To ascertain the epidemiological characteristics of notifiable communicable diseases in Nanchang and provide scientific evidence for the development of the prevention and control strategies.Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis was conducted on data for the incidence of notifiable communicable diseases in Nanchang in 2011.Results In total,23610 cases of 23 of 39 notifiable communicable diseases were reported,including 53 deaths.The reported incidence was 468.21/ lakh,the mortality rate was 1.05/lakh,and the case fatality rate was 0.22%.The top five diseases in terms of numbers of cases were viral hepatitis,pulmonary tuberculosis,hand,foot,and mouth disease(HFMD),other form of infectious diarrhea,and mumps.Conclusion Blood-borne/sexually transmitted diseases and respiratory diseases are the control priorities in Nanchang.Attention must be paid to the prevention and control of hepatitis B and pulmonary tuberculosis.
The information-theoretic requirements of subspace clustering with missing data

Subspace clustering with missing data (SCMD) is a useful tool for analyzing incomplete datasets. Let d be the ambient dimension, and r the dimension of the subspaces. Existing theory shows that Nk = O(rd) columns per subspace are necessary for SCMD, and Nk = O(min{dlog d, dr+1}) are sufficient. We close this gap, showing that Nk = O(rd) is also sufficient. To do this we derive deterministic sampling conditions for SCMD, which give precise information-theoretic requirements and determine sampling regimes. These results explain the performance of SCMD algorithms from the literature. Finally, we give a practical algorithm to certify the output of any SCMD method deterministically.
Abstract 2001: Elucidate the functions of TBX3 in AR positive prostate cancer

TBX3 is a transcriptional repressor belonging to the T-box gene family. It is involved in lineage specification in mammary gland, limb and heart during embryonic development. Mutations in TBX3 can cause ulnar-mammary syndrome, affecting limb, apocrine gland, tooth, hair and genital development. TBX3 is amplified/mutated in a variety of cancers, including melanoma, bladder, breast and prostate cancer. Recent findings suggest there is a strict correlation between estrogen receptor and TBX3 expression in mammary gland and TBX3 is mutated in 9% of invasive lobular breast cancer. However, little is known about the functions of TBX3 in hormone-dependent tumors. Here we screened several AR+ and AR- prostate cancer cell line and we found that the expression of TBX3 and AR is positively correlated. Moreover, in benign human prostate tissue, TBX3 localization is overlapped with that of AR. Knocking down TBX3 by siRNA resulted in decreased cell proliferation and cell cycle arrest in AR+ cell line Lncap and Vcap, but there was no effect on AR- cell line PC3 and DU14 upon TBX3 knock-down. TBX3 ChIP-seq in both Lncap and Vcap revealed co-binding of TBX3, ETS transcriptional factors and FOXA1 on AR targeted genes. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) of RNA-seq data from Lncap cells infected with lentivirus expressing siSCR or siTBX3 indicated that TBX3 suppresses AR and ETV1 signaling. In conclusion, our data suggests that TBX3 is essential for AR+ prostate cancer cell growth and may play a role in regulating androgen signaling. Citation Format: sinan zhu. Elucidate the functions of TBX3 in AR positive prostate cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2001.
Low power in-memory computing platform with four Terminal magnetic Domain Wall Motion devices

The separation of memory and computing units in current Von-Neumann computer architecture leads to unwanted energy hungry data movement and insufficient memory bandwidth. Developing an energy efficient in-memory computing platform is promising to address such issues. Spintronic devices, utilizing electron spin as state variable for information processing and data storage, have demonstrated non-volatility, low power, zero leakage current and high area density advantages over conventional CMOS technology, which makes it an excellent candidate for future in-memory computing design. In this work, we propose a low power in-memory computing platform using a novel 4-terminal magnetic domain wall motion (4T-DWM) device, in which the proposed 4T-DWM device can be employed as both non-volatile memory cell and in-memory logic. The proposed design leads to the unity of memory and logic. Based on our device-circuit SPICE-level simulation, the proposed memory cell writing energy is one order lower than the standard one transistor one magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) based memory design with writing speed of 1ns. Compared to state-of-the-art CMOS based full adder, the proposed 4T-DWM device based in-memory full adder consumes 3.2× lower power at 500MHz.
The OGI kids² speech corpus and recognizers.

We describe a corpus of children’s speech, called the OGI Kids’ Speech corpus, and a speakerand vocabulary-independent recognition system trained and evaluated with these data. The corpus is composed of both prompted and spontaneous speech from 1100 children from kindergarten through grade 10. The prompted speech was presented as text appearing below an animated character (Baldi) that produced accurate visible speech synchronized with recorded prompts. The speech and text consists of isolated words, sentences, and digit strings. A phonetic recognizer was trained using an HMM/ANN framework, with training data taken from intervals of speech associated with phonetic segments in the isolated words in the corpus. Phonetic segments were derived using automatic phonetic alignment. To find out how well the recognizer is able to generalize to new words not found in the training set, we performed two test-set evaluations: one using a new set of utterances from the set of 205 words spoken in isolation (similar to the data used to train the recognizer) and one using words from the prompted sentences. Results were dramatically different (97.5% for isolated vs. 37.9% for words in sentences), and we explore methods that may be used to improve the recognizer’s ability to generalize to new words.
A Review of Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage for Concentrated Solar Plants onthe Grid

Thermal Energy Storage has improved the dispatch ability of Concentrated Solar Power Plants(CSP), a renewable source of energy on the grid. Furthermore, Latent heat Thermal Energy Storage(LTES)shows potential as a storage technology by further reducing costs and improving eciencyfor CSP plants. This papers reviews the goals for LTES, the developments in phase change materialsfor LTES, the types of system congurations possible, and the challenges that LTES face. Fromthe scientic literature available, LTES systems can meet TES goals, and research is progressing inmaking it a scalable technology for CSP plants.
Cross-sectional Analysis of AGE-CML, sRAGE, and esRAGE with Diabetes and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in a Community-Based Cohort.

Background: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their receptors are regarded as central to the development of diabetic complications, but associations with diabetes and cardiometabolic outcomes in previous studies are mixed. Methods: Using ELISA assays, we measured N(6)-carboxymethyllysine (AGE-CML), soluble receptor for AGEs (sRAGE), and endogenous secreted receptor for AGEs (esRAGE) in 1874 participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to evaluate associations of these biomarkers with demographics, diabetes, hyperglycemia, cardiometabolic measures, and genetic variants in the gene encoding RAGE, AGER (advanced glycosylation end-product specific receptor). Results: After adjustment for demographics and body mass index (BMI), there were no significant differences in AGE-CML, sRAGE, or esRAGE by diabetes or hemoglobin A1c. Black race and AGER genetic variants were strongly associated with lower sRAGE and esRAGE even after adjustment [percent difference (95% CI) in black vs whites in sRAGE: −29.17% (−34.86% to −23.48%), esRAGE: −26.97% (−33.11% to −20.84%); with rs2070600 in sRAGE: −30.13% (−40.98% to −19.29%), and esRAGE: −30.32% (−42.42% to −18.21%); with rs2071288 in sRAGE: −20.03% (−34.87% to −5.18%), and esRAGE: −37.70% (−55.75% to −19.65%)]. Estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria significantly correlated with sRAGE and esRAGE. BMI and C-reactive protein significantly negatively correlated with AGE-CML, sRAGE, and esRAGE. AGE-CML was modestly correlated with fructosamine and glycated albumin. Conclusions: AGE-CML, sRAGE, and esRAGE were more related to genetic, kidney, and inflammatory measures than to diabetes in this community-based population. Our results suggest that, when measured by ELISA, these biomarkers lack specificity and are of limited value in evaluating the role of these compounds in diabetes.
Fatal poisonings involving propoxyphene before and after voluntary withdrawal from the United States’ market: An analysis from the state of Florida

The synthetic opioid propoxyphene was a schedule IV controlled substance with multiple reported health risks before the US Food and Drug Administration issued a request for voluntary market withdrawal in November 2010. The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics and occurrences of propoxyphene-related deaths in Florida before and after voluntary market removal. Decedent-level toxicology data from Florida's Medical Examiners Commission was used to compare the temporal, polysubstance use, sociodemographic, and geographic profiles associated with propoxyphene-involved deaths for a pre-withdrawal (November 2008-November 2010) and post-withdrawal (December 2010-December 2012) period. Sensitivity analyses using multiple data sources, including Florida's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and other states' data, were conducted to examine potential reporting bias. Results showed that the number of propoxyphene-involved deaths declined by 84% from 580 deaths to 92 deaths after market withdrawal. The co-occurrence of other prevalent drugs, such as oxycodone (17.2% to 26.1%, p=0.0422) increased significantly in the post-withdrawal study period. A larger proportion of the propoxyphene-related deaths were reported from South Florida after the withdrawal (28.4% to 56.5%, p<0.0001). No significant changes in age and race/ethnicity were observed. Sensitivity analyses revealed that several deaths occurred in other states after market withdrawal, as recently as 2016. Our findings are consistent with previous studies that propoxyphene was still available after removal from the US market. Continued surveillance is recommended after highly abused opioids are withdrawn from the market due to on-going safety risks.
Demystifying McCarthy’s 4 P’s of the Marketing Mix: To Be or Not to Be

Jerome McCarthy's 4 P’s theory is being appraised in this research paper from a chronological and logical standpoint. McCarthy's theory has been extensively utilized as an instructional device by marketing experts and scholars since its debut in 1960 but despite its advantages, it academic critics have constantly criticized it. The 4 P’s paradigm criticisms are reviewed and resolved that it has demonstrated that the theory is strong to be implemented in present day marketing applications. This is to say that McCarthy theory/model is immemorial. Its validity still stands despite being designed decades ago.
Explaining Social Recommendations to Casual Users: Design Principles and Opportunities

Recommender systems have become popular in recent years, and ordinary users are more likely to rely on such service when completing various daily tasks. The need to design and build explainable recommender interfaces is increasing rapidly. Most of the designs of such explanations are intended to reflect the underlying algorithms by which the recommendations are computed. These approaches have been shown to be useful for obtaining system transparency and trust. However, little is known about how to design explanation interfaces for causal (non-expert) users to achieve different explanatory goals. As a first step toward understanding the user interface design factors, we conducted an international (across 13 countries) online survey of 14 active users of a social recommender system. This study captures user feedback in the field and frames it in terms of design principles and opportunities.
Reliability of neural activation and connectivity during implicit face emotion processing in youth.

Abstract Face emotion imaging paradigms are widely used in both healthy and psychiatric populations. Here, in children and adolescents, we evaluate the test-retest reliability of blood oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) activation and task-based functional connectivity on a widely used implicit face emotion processing task (i.e., gender labeling). Twenty-five healthy youth (M age = 13.97 year s; 60% female) completed two functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan sessions approximately two months apart. Participants identified the gender of faces displaying angry, fearful, happy, and neutral emotions. A Bayesian adaptation of the intraclass correlation (ICC) assessed reliability of evoked BOLD activation and amygdala seed-based functional connectivity on task events vs. baseline as well as contrasts between face emotions. For each face emotion vs. baseline, good reliability of activation was demonstrated across key emotion processing regions including middle, medial, and inferior frontal gyri. However, contrasts between face emotions yielded variable results. Contrasts of angry to neutral or happy faces exhibited good reliability of amygdala connectivity to prefrontal regions. Contrasts of fearful to happy faces exhibited good reliability of activation in the anterior cingulate. Findings inform the reproducibility literature and emphasize the need for continued evaluation of task reliability.
A novel fuzzy based human behavior model for residential electricity consumption forecasting

Electric utility companies are interested in load profile (electricity consumption) data when it comes to expansion planning. With the evolution of the smart grid and distributed energy resource concepts, the requirement of load profile data for planning has become critical. Conventional methods of collecting the load profile data, such as surveys and metering, are very tedious and time consuming activities. Consumer demand, as well as continuous technological evolution, contribute to rendering data obsolete in a short period of time. Furthermore, cumbersome data collection processes also pose barriers. In this paper, we present an innovative behavior model for generating electricity consumption load profiles. Our model requires minimum consumer data and can be easily updated to adapt to the changing technology. We demonstrate the accuracy of our model against real world data.