cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence-Based Use of Hematopoietic Growth Factors for Optimal Supportive Care of Patients with Cancer

Hematopoiesis, the production and maintenance of blood elements, is critical to life. Many of the complications of cancer and anticancer therapies can be clinically damaging to patients as a result of adverse effects on normal hematopoietic mechanisms. Since the early 1990s, it has been possible for physicians to intervene with genetically engineered biotherapies, such as hematopoietic growth factors to mitigate the hematopoietic dysfunction of cancer patients. In this chapter, the evidence is examined upon which physicians and other caregivers may base rational clinical decision making to provide patients with optimal supportive care to improve the hematopoietic problems associated with cancer.
Molecular techniques for predicting behaviour in melanocytic neoplasms

Molecular tools are rapidly emerging as novel tools for clinicians caring for cancer patients. Roles for these assays in melanocytic neoplasms include diagnosis for histologically ambiguous tumors, prognosis for conventional melanoma, and theragnosis for advanced disease. The introduction of these molecular strategies is timely, as different therapeutic options are rapidly developing to treat melanoma. With the development of new and effective therapeutic options, it is more critical than ever to improve the discrimination between patients with aggressive disease and those with more indolent tumours. In this review, we will evaluate the traditional staging of melanoma and what are the likely greatest opportunities for improvement with molecular strategies. We will explore a number of molecular assays that are now commercially available for the assessment of melanocytic neoplasms, which include techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridisation, comparative genomic hybridisation, mRNA expression profiling and next generation sequencing, and discuss the optimal utilisation of each of these assays.
Episodic chest pain in a young woman with hypertension.

A 36-year-old woman presented to the emergency department after experiencing four episodes of chest pain during the previous six hours. The pain had first occurred while she was at rest and had lasted 10 to 20 minutes; it was a substernal pressure like discomfort and was associated with mild dyspnea, nausea, and sweating. The patient, who had emigrated from Samoa several years ago, was obese, a cigarette smoker, and recently had been diagnosed with hypertension, for which she took valsartan (80 mg bid).Physical examination and ECG were normal. Blood pressure was 144/84. She reported the onset of another episode of chest discomfort 20 minutes later, and a second ECG was recorded. The patient was given a nitroglycerin tablet sublingually and a nitroglycerin infusion five minutes later. The chest discomfort resolved gradually during the next 20 minutes. A third ECG was then recorded. The second ECG is shown.
High Energy, Long Pulse Filaments in Air

We have produced, for the first time, a single long pulse UV filament in air with an energy in excess of 100 mJ.
Valuing Technology Stocks With EVA: A Bridge Too Far?

The Economic Value Added (EVA ™ ) framework has engendered a great deal of attention from American and European companies, consultants, accounting firms, security analysts, fund managers and the media for its purported utility in accurately valuing public companies. In 1996, for example, Fortune Magazine trumpeted that hundreds of companies had recently “renounced” earnings per share in favour of EVA ™ as a means of measuring performance and driving stock prices. During the 1990s, investors witnessed unprecedented growth in US equity prices, particularly for technology firms. This case study critically examines the Economic Value Added EVA ™ framework and attempts to rationalize the bull market in technology stocks by employing EVA ™ to estimate the intrinsic value of a large proportion of the US technology sector as of 1999 and comparing this figure with contemporaneous market values for the same. We find a marked disparity between EVA ™ estimates of Present Value and actual market value for the sector.
Punishment from the Manager's Perspective: A Grounded Investigation and Inductive Model

We employed a qualitative interview technique to develop an inductive model of punishment from a managerial perspective. Findings suggest that managers feel pressure from a variety of sources—organ...
NUCLEAR BEHAVIOR OF PHELLINUS ARCTOSTAPHYLI, P. IGNIARIUS, AND P. TREMULAE

The number and distribution of nuclei in basidiospores, hyphae of germinating basidiospores, homokaryons (single-basidiospore isolates), heterokaryons (isolates from the context of basidiocarps), and basidiocarp tissues were examined microscopically. Three nuclear stains were used: Giemsa, hematoxylin, and DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole). The nuclear behavior of the three fungal species was similar. Basidiospores were produced with one nucleus but often became binucleate prior to germination. One nucleus usually remained in the basidiospore after germination and germ tube elongation. Both homokaryons and heterokaryons had a variable number of unpaired nuclei, often spaced equidistantly between unclamped septa. The dikaryophase was delayed until basidiocarp formation; paired nuclei were found in young basidia and subhymenial mycelia. Basidia with one, two, or four nuclei were observed prior to spore formation. Four uninucleate basidiospores formed on each basidium. Homokaryotic and heterokaryotic isolates could not be distinguished by nuclear condition or colony morphology, although heterokaryons grew significantly (P = 0.05) faster. Species of the genus Phellinus Quel. (Aphyl
Evaluating Sycamore Scale Control with Insecticides

Counts in April through July showed that sprays in late January at Hanford, California, against the sycamore scale, Stomacoccus platani Ferris on sycamore leaves, ranked as follows: oil + diazinon, diazinon, oil + dimethoate, dormant oil, oil + malathion, oil + carbaryl, dimethoate, ovex, carbaryl, check (no treatment). Samplings in April were more sensitive, statistically, to diffrences in scale control, but samplings in late July were of greater practical significance. Visual evaluation of leaf appearance gave essentially the same insecticide ranking as scale counts and was much more rapid.
Examining the Distinctiveness and the Socio-Emotional Correlates of Anxious-Withdrawal and Unsociability During Early Adolescence in Finland:

This study examined the distinctiveness of and the correlates associated with anxious-withdrawal and unsociability during early adolescence in Finland (N = 384; 12-14 years; 53% girls). As expected...
Posterolateral lumbar-spine fusion. Analysis of Mayo Clinic series.

A series of 177 patients who had posterolateral lumbar-spine bone-grafting has been presented. The clinical result was based on reliefof pain, the need for analgesic medication, the restriction of physical activities, and the return to employment. Sixty per cent achieved good results, and 81 per cent satisfactory results (good and fair). A solid fusion based on roentgenographic evaluation was achieved in 80 per cent. There was high correlation between the clinical result and the presence or absence of a solid fusion in all diagnostic categories except spondylolisthesis. For spondylolisthesis, a one-level posterolateral grafting procedure seemed to be more reliable than a two-level procedure. Compensation considerations and a diagnosed psychoneurosis were factors that were identified as predisposing to a poor clinical result. Postoperative immobilization with a plaster body cast did not improve the fusion rate. Our experience indicates that posterolateral lumbar-spine bone-grafting resulted in a better fusion rate and a greater percentage of good clinical results than those reported for either anterior interbody or strictly posterior bone-grafting techniques.
Determination of extractable, apparent total N-nitroso compounds in cured-meat products.

The modification of a newly developed method for determination of apparent total N-nitroso compounds by chemical denitrosation and chemiluminescence detection of nitric oxide (thermal energy analysis) is described. The minimum level of reliable measurement was 0.1 ppm, and the repeatability of the method was 0.2 ppm, based on the response of N-nitrosoproline (NPro). Seventy-three samples of cured-meat products, including frankfurters, bacon, and ham, were examined ; 50 samples contained less than 1 ppm. The largest amounts, up to 24.8 ppm, were detected in canned corned beef. This method has several advantages over other methods.
Increased use of surgical energy promotes methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in rabbits following open ventral hernia mesh repair.

Surgical energy has been widely implemented because of ease of use, effective hemostasis, and surgical dissection. Studies demonstrate its use to be an independent risk factor for postoperative wound infection. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the most common bacteria found in postoperative mesh infection. No reports are available on the sequelae of surgical energy use for open ventral hernia repair (oVHR) with mesh. We hypothesized that increasing amounts of surgical energy will result in higher infectious burden after oVHR with composite multifilament polyester mesh (Parietex™ PCO). New Zealand rabbits underwent bridging oVHR with Parietex™ PCO and were divided into three surgical treatment groups: (1) scalpel alone, (2) 120 J of energy, and (3) 600 J of energy. The bioprosthesis was then inoculated with 105 colony-forming units of MRSA. Rabbits were survived for 7 days with daily physical examination. Complete blood count, basci metabolic panel, and blood cultures were performed on postoperative days one, four, and seven. Surviving rabbits were killed, and meshes explanted for MRSA colony counts. Rabbits receiving the most surgical energy developed signs and symptoms of severe sepsis and wound necrosis within 24 h. In comparison, rabbits receiving no surgical energy had significantly less MRSA recovered from explanted mesh, significantly less bacteremia, and fewer adhesions. Increased use of surgical energy promoted greater colonization, exaggerated septic response to bacterial contamination, and more severe adhesions. In the absence of devitalized tissue, rabbits can effectively limit bacterial contamination. These findings support the surgical principles of proper tissue handling and highlight the detrimental effects of indiscriminant surgical energy usage, thus emphasizing the importance of programs such as Fundamental Use of Surgical Energy.
Alternative GIS (alt.gis) and the Six Senses of the New Mind: Is alt.gis Transforming GIS into a Liberation Technology?

The past twenty years have witnessed the emergence of alternative GIS (alt.gis) practices that are quite different from conventional GIS activities. Intellectually tied to the critical cartography pioneered by J.B. Harley in the late 1980s and early 1990s, alt.gis has evolved from early discussions on GIS & Society, critical GIS, PPGIS, feminist GIS, map stories/geonarratives, deep maps to qualitative GIS, neogeography, crowdsourcing, volunteered geographic information (VGI), geoweb, post-colonial computing, geogames, geodesign, and spatial humanities. This paper develops a preliminary framework to loosely knit together the diverse intellectual threads for Alt.gis. This paper argues that Daniel Pink’s framework for the six senses of the whole new mind (design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning) captures the six major Alt.gis practices remarkably well. Mainstream GIS development has been predominantly concentrating on automated cartography/map-making, spatial modeling, geo-computation, and database development with the goal for efficiency, which tend to be closely associated with the left-side/slow thinking capabilities of the human brain. In contrast, Alt.gis focuses more on geo-narratives, qualitative/mixed methods, story-telling, and synthesis with the goal for achieving equity and social justice, which tend to be more closely associated with the right-side/fast thinking capabilities of the human brain. Evidently, Alt.gis has enabled GIS users to transcend what Heidegger called the enframing nature of technology and has led them explore new territories with greater sensitivities. In this sense, Alt.gis has become an enabling technology that continues to empower GIS users in their quest for a better, more equitable and sustainable world.
Can Revolutions be Managed

For 50 years after World War II, the US Congress passed laws to reduce waste, fraud and abuse in the US Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition system. DoD, in turn, established rules to implement these laws. It also hired auditors and inspectors to make sure everyone followed all the rules and laws. While waste, fraud and abuse were indeed very low, a rule-based, bureaucratic system discouraged innovation and change and resulted in slow procurement and acquisition of weapons, goods and services. It also created considerable infrastructure and cost and resulted in poor service to the customer, the soldier, sailor, airman and marine.
Rare Allergic Reaction to Topical Chlorhexidine Gluconate.

The Food and Drug Administration has requested that manufacturers of over-the-counter topical products containing chlorhexidine gluconate add a warning to the drugs’ labeling about the risk of a rare but potentially lethal allergic reaction to the antiseptic.If patients develop an allergic response
U.S. HIV Incidence and Transmission Goals, 2020 and 2025

Introduction The recently updated U.S. National HIV/AIDS Strategy sets key HIV prevention and care targets for 2020, but the trajectory of the epidemic remains unclear. Authors modeled HIV incidence, prevalence, and mortality for the U.S. over 10 years to determine whether an ambitious trajectory toward “ending AIDS” by 2025 would be achievable. Methods Authors utilized recently published 2010–2013 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveillance data to model HIV incidence, prevalence, and mortality. Authors applied a 90/90/90 framework (90% awareness of serostatus, 90% of diagnosed individuals in care, and 90% of individuals on antiretroviral therapy virally suppressed) by 2020 and 95/95/95 by 2025 to assess the feasibility of meeting epidemiologic targets. Analyses were conducted in 2016. Results With a goal of reducing infections to 21,000 new HIV infections in 2020, authors project a transmission rate of 1.74, 12,571 deaths, and a total of 1,205,515 people living with HIV. By 2025, with a target of 12,000 new HIV infections (a 69% decrease in HIV incidence), authors project a transmission rate of 0.98, 12,522 deaths, and a total of 1,220,615 people living with HIV. With a 90/90/90 framework by 2020 and a 95/95/95 framework by 2025, these epidemiologic targets would be feasible. Conclusions Key programmatic milestones provide an ambitious, but important, pathway to reduce U.S. HIV incidence below 12,000 new infections by 2025. HIV incidence would decrease below mortality in 2025, marking a transition toward ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Such goals will require a sustained and intensified national commitment over the next decade.
On the growth of Korean technoparks

The Republic of Korea undertook a major initiative in the early 1970s to integrate high-technology industry with its regional development strategy. This effort involved three phases: the development of science towns in the 1970s, the initiation of a technopolis program in the 1980s, and the establishment of science parks or technoparks in the 1990s. We focus on the third phase in this paper, and we identify empirically covariates with the employment growth of Korean technoparks. We find faster employment growth in parks established after the ICT revolution in 2000, in parks with tenants involved in more complex technology development, and in parks with more research-intensive tenants.
Low-temperature plasma for high-power tuning

Low-temperature plasma as an enabling technology for tunable high-frequency devices is reviewed in this paper with particular attention given to high-power applications. As is well known, resistance of a bulk plasma region can be controlled by its electron number density. Furthermore, changing sheath thickness of a plasma structure also results in variable capacitance behavior. By properly employing these plasma attributes in different discharge regimes, it is possible to use plasma as a tunable high-frequency material particularly for high-power applications where other tuning technologies are suboptimal.
From Law to Code: Posthumanism as Sinthome

Does humanism’s focus on ethics, rationality, personal rights and liberties, creativity, and individual insight depend upon the metaphorical symbolic structure (Law), the sinthome, the topological version of the symptom that links the real, the symbolic, and the imaginary? Does a shift in the character of this sinthome from a reliance on speech and metaphor to a belief in the metonymic primacy of matter (an imaginary misunderstanding of the real) account for the emergence of object-oriented and material ways of thinking that reduce the human subject to object? The “symptom” is a “metaphor,” a part of language, a signifier. 1 In Seminar XXIII (1975), Lacan locates the symptom as the subject’s mistake, a stumbling block that signifies a search for meaning in speech and whose formation eventually links the three orders—the symbolic, imaginary, and real—as a way to subtend the subject.
mGluR5 antagonism inhibits cocaine reinforcement and relapse by elevation of extracellular glutamate in the nucleus accumbens via a CB1 receptor mechanism

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) antagonism inhibits cocaine self-administration and reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying this action are poorly understood. Here we report a presynaptic glutamate/cannabinoid mechanism that may underlie this action. Systemic or intra-nucleus accumbens (NAc) administration of the mGluR5 antagonist 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)-pyridine (MPEP) dose-dependently reduced cocaine (and sucrose) self-administration and cocaine-induced reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior. The reduction in cocaine-taking and cocaine-seeking was associated with a reduction in cocaine-enhanced extracellular glutamate, but not cocaine-enhanced extracellular dopamine (DA) in the NAc. MPEP alone, when administered systemically or locally into the NAc, elevated extracellular glutamate, but not DA. Similarly, the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, rimonabant, elevated NAc glutamate, not DA. mGluR5s were found mainly in striatal medium-spiny neurons, not in astrocytes, and MPEP-enhanced extracellular glutamate was blocked by a NAc CB1 receptor antagonist or N-type Ca++ channel blocker, suggesting that a retrograde endocannabinoid-signaling mechanism underlies MPEP-induced glutamate release. This interpretation was further supported by our findings that genetic deletion of CB1 receptors in CB1-knockout mice blocked both MPEP-enhanced extracellular glutamate and MPEP-induced reductions in cocaine self-administration. Together, these results indicate that the therapeutic anti-cocaine effects of mGluR5 antagonists are mediated by elevation of extracellular glutamate in the NAc via an endocannabinoid-CB1 receptor disinhibition mechanism.
Trends in Insulin Pen Priming

Priming insulin pens is recommended to remove air from needles to ensure full dose administration. Little is known regarding how often or how much patients prime during home use or its relation to glucose control. We evaluated patterns of pen priming in patients with type 1 diabetes using NovoPens for insulin administration. Patients were trained on use of pens including how and why to prime for doses. Two sites taught a 2 unit prime, site 3 until insulin seen. Pens were synced to a study phone via a near field communicator and marked as prime or injection. Records were assessed for prime frequency and amount. For this interim analysis, 16,135 pen records from 25 patients were analyzed. The percent of injections with a prime was 80% overall but ranged from 2-99%. Prime amount varied and did not correlate to HbA1C. For patients who primed until insulin seen, 74% of the primes did not necessitate 2 or more units. Prime frequency was defined as low if 75%. The frequencies were not evenly distributed; instead patients would prime the majority of the time or infrequently. Percentage of missed prime did not correlate with HbA1C, but seemed to correlate with male gender and younger age. Missed prime of insulin pens is fairly common, but the frequency is variable. Insulin pens which track doses offer important data regarding appropriate use. This information provides insight for education and treatment. Disclosure G. O9Malley: None. S.J. Ogyaadu: None. D.W. Lam: None. L.M. Norlander: None. J. Robic: None. C.M. Levister: None. S. Anderson: Research Support; Self; Medtronic. Consultant; Self; Senseonics. L. Hsu: None. S.E. Loebner: None. L. Ekhlaspour: None. M.D. Breton: Stock/Shareholder; Self; TypeZero Technologies, Inc.. Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Ascensia Diabetes Care. Consultant; Self; Sanofi. Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Roche Diabetes Care Health and Digital Solutions. Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc., Ascensia Diabetes Care, Senseonics. B.A. Buckingham: Advisory Panel; Self; Novo Nordisk Inc., ConvaTec Inc.. Research Support; Self; Medtronic, Insulet Corporation, Dexcom, Inc., Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc.. Consultant; Self; Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company. C.J. Levy: Advisory Panel; Self; Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.. Research Support; Self; Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Dexcom, Inc..
Bayesian estimation of product attributes from on-line measurements in a dropwise additive manufacturing system

Abstract In the pharmaceutical industry, application of additive manufacturing technologies presents unique opportunities for monitoring and control of drug product quality through on-line image acquisition systems which estimate process output from images of emergent drops. For doses produced from pure fluids on-line imaging has demonstrated utility (Hirshfield, et al., 2015); however, processing of particulate suspensions requires consideration of uncertainty regarding gravity- and flow-mediated particle-liquid segregation. Even for well-mixed suspensions, random localization of particles during the necking of the liquid bridge results in variable drop trajectory (Furbank & Morris, 2004), which must be corrected for in the estimates of drop volume provided by an on-line imaging system. This work explores the use of Bayesian statistical models to resolve potential inaccuracy in drop volume estimates obtained by an on-line image sensor in a dropwise manufacturing process for suspension-based drug products. The framework in the case study presents a method by which uncertainty arising from on-line process measurements may be reconciled for through sufficient sampling and off-line analysis of process outputs.
Field Training Experiences of Child Welfare Workers: Implications for Supervision and Field Education

Given social workers’ essential connection to child welfare work and the importance of field day training to both worker retention and client wellbeing, this study used a theories of transfer framework and qualitative interviews with newly-hired workers to examine their field day training experiences including the value workers placed on them and the conditions that facilitated successful learning. From a statewide sample of newly-hired child welfare workers (N = 1501), participants (N = 38) were randomly selected to participate in telephone interviews. Almost 50% had positive, meaningful experiences, 40% did not, and the remaining had mixed experiences. Those with positive experiences generally felt that field days exposed them to critical, realistic job content while those with negative experiences felt frustrated that they received incomplete training and wasted time in agency offices without guidance. Congruent with the theories of transfer framework, meaningful field days depended upon the level of: (1) integration of knowledge and skills learned in the classroom with practice; (2) structure; (3) functioning in disrupted environments; and (4) engagement between newly-hired workers and certified workers. Notwithstanding complex work responsibilities and pressured environments, training efforts could benefit from recognizing the need for coordinated integration of classroom and field training content and providing the time necessary for certified workers and newly-hired workers to partner and review training content in a supportive environment.
Nano-plasmonics and electronics co-integration in CMOS enabling a pill-sized multiplexed fluorescence microarray system.

The ultra-miniaturization of massively multiplexed fluorescence-based bio-molecular sensing systems for proteins and nucleic acids into a chip-scale form, small enough to fit inside a pill (∼ 0.1cm3), can revolutionize sensing modalities in-vitro and in-vivo. Prior miniaturization techniques have been limited to focusing on traditional optical components (multiple filter sets, lenses, photo-detectors, etc.) arranged in new packaging systems. Here, we report a method that eliminates all external optics and miniaturizes an entire multiplexed fluorescence system into a 2 × 1 mm2 chip through co-integration for the first time of massively scalable nano-plasmonic multi-functional optical elements and electronic processing circuitry realized in an industry standard complementary-metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) foundry process with absolutely ‘no change’ in fabrication or processing. The implemented nano-waveguide based filters operating in the visible and near-IR realized with the embedded sub-wavelength multi-layer copper-based electronic interconnects inside the chip show for the first time a sub-wavelength surface plasmon polariton mode inside CMOS. This is the principle behind the angle-insensitive nature of the filtering that operates in the presence of uncollimated and scattering environments, enabling the first optics-free 96-sensor CMOS fluorescence sensing system. The chip demonstrates the surface sensitivity of zeptomoles of quantum dot-based labels, and volume sensitivities of ∼ 100 fM for nucleic acids and ∼ 5 pM for proteins that are comparable to, if not better, than commercial fluorescence readers. The ability to integrate multi-functional nano-optical structures in a commercial CMOS process, along with all the complex electronics, can have a transformative impact and enable a new class of miniaturized and scalable chip-sized optical sensors.
The State of the Literature on Student Evaluations of Teaching and an Exploratory Analysis of Written Comments: Who Benefits Most?

The purpose of this exploratory analysis is to review the state of the literature on student evaluations (SEs) of teaching and examine to what extent an instructor's race/ethnicity influences stude...
Peer-to-peer Energy Transaction in Microgrids with Power Electronics Enabled Angle Droop Control

In this paper, a modified Angle Droop Control (ADC) scheme is presented with added flexibility for accurate peer-to-peer Transactive Energy (TE) control in an interconnected microgrid system. The proposed scheme enables TE (i.e., energy transfer on demand) between two or more microgrids with simultaneous guaranteed stable operation due to overlaid ADC. To enable such a scheme, the concept of a power router (PR) for power flow control is introduced. The PR is realized by augmenting a fractionally rated transformer with AC-AC converter blocks (also fractionally rated). This leads to a topology which is named as Power Electronics Transformer with Dynamic Voltage and Angle Droop Control (PET-DVADC). The interface of the proposed topology resides at distribution voltage level of the micro-grid interface point before the step-up transformer. Extensive simulations on a five interconnected microgrid architecture are presented. Energy transactions between two and three microgrid examples are discussed with the proposed PET-DVADC control.
A comparison of helical and spur external gear machines for fluid power applications: Design and optimization

Abstract This paper addresses the problem of determining the relative performance of spur and helical external gear pumps (EGPs) for fluid power applications. Helical EGPs are commonly considered as quieter units than spur ones; however, there is no specific study reported in literature that proves such claim. Similarly, it is hard to find data indicating which design is better in terms of compactness or energy performance. To tackle this problem, a procedure is developed for virtual design optimization of both helical and spur gear EGPs. This includes addressing the two fundamental challenges of the work, parameterizing a generic EGP design and quantifying its performance. By applying this procedure, a genetic algorithm can continue improving from generation to generation, until the pareto optimal set of designs is identified for both helical and spur units. In the comparison of these, the differences between the two configurations will be identified and the fundamental question of this work can be answered; are helical gears ‘better’ than spur gears?
RESISTANCE OF RICE GENOTYPES TO THE BLAST FUNGUS AND THE ASSOCIATED BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES

Rice blast is the most important disease in Egypt and worldwide. The rice blast is caused by P y ric ula ria g ris e a this fungus can produce physiological races. Development of varietal resistance is the most effective way to control rice blast. This study was focused on identification of 20 isolates and evaluation of 21 rice genotypes for blast disease. Also, determining the biochemical changes after inoculation with the blast pathogen. The isolates were identified as five groups, IC group race the common followed by ID and only one race for each IA, IB and IF. Evaluation for genotypes showed that the first and second groups were resistant to blast infection. However, the third group showed 70 to 75% resistant. Biochemical changes included determination of antioxidant enzymes (Peroxidase (POX) and Ascorbate peroxidase (APX), defenserelated enzymes (Phenylalanine ammonia layase (PAL) and chitinase) and salicylic acid (SA). The different enzymes increased 96 h after inoculation with the pathogen and then decreased. The enzymes content was increased in inoculated seedling compared with the un-inoculated ones. The highest SA content was found in Giza 178 rice cultivar.
FGF21 determined angiogenic phenotypes in pulmonary endothelial cells

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a member of FGF superfamily with metabolic activities. The role of FGF21 in endothelium is unknown. We have reported a cGMP-dependent FGF21 expression in pulm...
Comparative outcomes of splenectomy and rituximab-based chemotherapy in elderly patients with splenic marginal zone lymphoma.

8549 Background: Despite advances in diagnosis and therapy, over 50% of patients with splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) undergo splenectomy. The objective of this retrospective study was to com...
200 vs 20,000: ACM Celebrations And Grace Hopper Celebrations of Women in Computing

This Research-to-Practice Full Paper presents an analysis of survey results from conferences for women in computing. Women's representation in computing continues to decline, which concerns professionals who explore issues of equity and complicates a future where abundant job vacancies in technology-based jobs are predicted. The critical shortage of female graduates in computer and information sciences leads researchers to investigate both causes and solutions for the underrepresentation of women. One emerging solution lies in creating special conferences for women in computing, where role-modeling, networking, providing student speaking opportunities, and distribution of accurate career information take place. The Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC) launched in 1994 and became the first conference for women in computing to include the prescribed program. The Indiana Celebration of Women in Computing (InWIC) followed in 2014 and provided a similar format to that adopted by GHC. Based on the data from the 2014, 2015, and 2016 InWIC assessments, a regional conference that supports women in computing makes a positive difference in the lives of women in computing. Data published by the Anita Borg Institute (ABI) for the same 2014-2016 era also provide three encouraging assessments of GHC. This paper compares the two sets of 20142016 assessments of both INWIC and GHC, using conference goals as comparison criteria.
Biological Timekeeping: Scientific Background

The biological timekeeper is crucial for maintaining delicate temporal organization of physiological and molecular events that are necessary for survival. Throughout the human body, the timekeeper controls a variety of rhythms that oscillate at rates as short as 1 second and as long as 1 year. Biological rhythms that oscillate with an approximately 24-hour rhythm are known as circadian rhythms. The circadian system is an intrinsic feature of all organisms and is encoded by a molecular negative feedback loop to maintain an approximately 24-hour rhythm, matching the Earth’s 24-hour rotation with respect to the sun. Due to its fundamental role in nature, nearly all physiological processes have been shown to be directly under the control of the circadian system. Investigators are now starting to unravel the importance of the circadian timekeeping system for the optimization of these processes as well as the detrimental consequences associated with its disruption. Recent clinical and preclinical research have demonstrated that chronic disruption of circadian rhythms is linked to an increasing risk of developing a variety of diseases such as cancer and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, it is critical to further our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the circadian system to develop new therapies and strategies for maintenance of the circadian clock in our 24/7 world.
Bioarchaeological sex prediction from central Italy using generalized low rank imputation for cross-validated metric craniodental supervised ensemble machine learning with missing data

Abstract I use a novel supervised ensemble machine learning approach to verify sex estimation of archaeological skeletons from central Italian bioarchaeological contexts with large amounts of missing data present. Eighteen cranial interlandmark distances and five maxillary metric distances were recorded from n = 240 estimated males and n = 180 estimated females from four locations at Alfedena (600-400 BCE) and two locations at Campovalano (750-200 BCE and 9-11th Century CE). A generalized low rank model (GLRM) was used to impute missing data and 20-fold external stratified cross-validation was used to fit an ensemble of eight machine learning algorithms to six different subsets of the data: 1) the face, 2) vault, 3) cranial base, 4) combined face/vault/base, 5) dentition, and 6) combined cranianiodental. Area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the predictive performance of six constituent algorithms, the discrete algorithmic winner(s), and the SuperLearner weighted ensemble’s classification of males and females from these six bony regions. This approach is useful for predicting male/female sex from central Italy. AUC for the combined craniodental data was the highest (0.9722), followed by the combined cranial data (0.9644), the face (0.9426), vault (0.9116), base (0.9060), and dentition (0.7421). Cross-validated ensemble machine learning of cranial and dental data shows strong potential for estimating sex in the bioarchaeological record and can contribute additional perspectives to help refine our understanding of human sex estimation. Additionally, GLRMs have the potential to handle missing data in ways previously unexplored in the discipline. The main limitation is that the biological sexes of the individuals estimated in this study are not certain, but were estimated macroscopically using common bioarchaeological methods. However, these methods show great promise for estimation of sex in bioarchaeological and forensic contexts and should be investigated on known-sex reference samples for confirmation.
EEG-Based Emotion Classification Using Graph Signal Processing

The key role of emotions in human life is undeniable. The question of whether there exists a brain pattern associated with a specific emotion is the theme of many affective neuroscience studies. In this work, we bring to bear graph signal processing (GSP) techniques to tackle the problem of automatic emotion recognition using brain signals. GSP is an extension of classical signal processing methods to complex networks where there exists an inherent relation graph. With the help of GSP, we propose a new framework for learning class-specific discriminative graphs. To that end, firstly we assume for each class of observations there exists a latent underlying graph representation. Secondly, we consider the observations are smooth on their corresponding class-specific sough graph while they are non-smooth on other classes’ graphs. The learned class-specific graph-based representations can act as sub-dictionaries and be utilized for the task of emotion classification. Applying the proposed method on an electroencephalogram (EEG) emotion recognition dataset indicates the superiority of our framework over other state-of-the-art methods.
Branched-Chain Amino Acid Catabolism and Cardiopulmonary Function Following Acute Maximal Exercise Testing in Adolescents.

Background: To provide energy for cardiopulmonary function and maintenance of blood glucose, acute aerobic exercise induces lipolysis, fatty acid oxidation (FAO), glycolysis, and glycogenolysis/gluconeogenesis. These adaptations are mediated by increases in cortisol, growth hormone (GH), and catecholamines and facilitated by a decline in insulin. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) also undergo catabolism during intense exercise. Here we investigated the relationship between BCAA catabolism and metrics of cardiopulmonary function in healthy, well developed, mature adolescent athletes undergoing an acute bout of maximal aerobic exercise. Hypothesis: We hypothesized: (a) acute maximal exercise in adolescents induces lipolysis, FAO, and BCAA catabolism associated with increases in growth hormone and cortisol and a reduction in insulin; (b) increases in GH are associated with increases in ghrelin; and (c) metrics of cardiopulmonary function (aVO2, rVO2, aVO2/HR max) following maximal exercise correlate with increases in GH secretion, FAO, and BCAA catabolism. Methods: Blood samples before and after maximal cardiopulmonary exercise in 11 adolescent athletes were analyzed by tandem-mass spectrometry. Paired, two-tailed student’s t-tests identified significant changes following exercise. Linear regression determined if pre-exercise metabolite levels, or changes in metabolite levels, were associated with aVO2, rVO2 and aVO2/HR max. Sex and school of origin were included as covariates in all regression analysis. Results: Following exercise there were increases in GH and cortisol, and decreases in ghrelin, but no changes in glucose or insulin concentrations. Suggesting increased lipolysis and FAO, the levels of glycerol, ketones, β-Hydroxybutyrate, and acetylcarnitine concentrations increased. Pyruvate, lactate, alanine and glutamate concentrations also increased. Plasma concentrations of valine (a BCAA) declined (p=0.002) while valine degradation byproducts increased in association with decreases in urea cycle amino acids arginine and ornithine. Metrics of cardiopulmonary function were associated with increases in propionylcarnitine (C3, p=0.013) and Ci4-DC/C4-DC (p<0.01), byproducts of BCAA catabolism. Conclusions: Induction of lipolysis, FAO, gluconeogenesis, and glycogenolysis provides critical substrates for cardiopulmonary function during exercise. However, none of those pathways were significantly associated with metrics of cardiopulmonary function. The associations between rVO2, and aVO2/HR max and C3 and Ci4-DC/C4-DC suggest that the cardiopulmonary response to maximal exercise in adolescents is linked to BCAA utilization and catabolism.
A SPLUNC1 Peptidomimetic Inhibits Orai1 and Reduces Inflammation in a Murine Allergic Asthma Model.

Orai1 is a plasma membrane Ca2+ channel that mediates store operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) and regulates inflammation. Short palate lung and nasal epithelial clone 1 (SPLUNC1) is an asthma gene modifier which inhibits Orai1/SOCE via its C-terminal α6 region. SPLUNC1 levels are diminished in asthma patient airways. Thus, we hypothesized that inhaled α6 peptidomimetics could inhibit Orai1 and reduce airway inflammation in a murine asthma model. To evaluate α6-Orai1 interactions, we used fluorescent assays to measure Ca2+ signalling, Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET), fluorescent recovery after photobleaching, immunostaining, total internal reflection (TIRF) microscopy and Western blotting. To test whether α6 peptidomimetics inhibited SOCE and decreased inflammation in vivo, wild-type and SPLUNC1-/- mice were exposed to house dust mite (HDM) extract ± α6 peptide. We also performed nebulization, jet milling and scanning electron microscopy to evaluate α6 for inhalation. SPLUNC1-/- mice had an exaggerated response to HDM. In bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)-derived immune cells, Orai1 levels increased after HDM exposure in SPLUNC1-/- but not wild-type mice. Inhaled α6 reduced Orai1 levels in mice regardless of genotype. In HDM-exposed mice, α6 dose-dependently reduced eosinophilia and neutrophilia. In vitro, α6 inhibited SOCE in multiple immune cell types and α6 could be nebulized or jet milled without loss of function. These data suggest that α6 peptidomimetics may be a novel, effective anti-inflammatory therapy for asthma patients.
Investigating the Educational Implications of Embodied Cognition: A Model Interdisciplinary Inquiry in Mind, Brain, and Education Curricula

Much educational neuroscience research investigates connections between cognition, neuroscience, and educational theory and practice without reference to the body. In contrast, proponents of embodied cognition posit that the bodily action and perception play a central role in cognitive development. Some researchers within the field of Mind, Brain, and Education (MBE) explore this theory by researching the impact of sensorimotor activity on academic competencies such as language comprehension, mathematics, and scientific thinking. In this article, I call for this work to be highlighted more centrally in MBE training programs. Toward this end, I model an investigation of the concept of embodied cognition that can be used in MBE curricula with a dual purpose: to train future practitioners in the seminal metaphor of mind as an embodied system, and to demonstrate effective interdisciplinary research, which is critical to advancing the field of Mind, Brain, and Education.
Effects of Ascophyllum nodosum extract on growth performance and immune function of young pigs challenged with Salmonella typhimurium

Ninety-five pigs (initially 7.1 kg and 24 d of age) were used in a 28-d experiment to determine the effects of Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extract (ANOD) on young pig growth performance and immune function in response to enteric disease challenge with Salmonella typhimurium (ST). Experimental treatments were arranged in a 2 x 4 factorial with main effects of disease challenge (control vs ST-challenge) and dietary addition of ANOD (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0% of diet). Pigs were fed ANOD diets for 14 d and then challenged orally with ST or sterile media. There were no main effects of ANOD on growth performance end points, although there were significant quadratic effects of ANOD on ADG (P < 0.04) and final weight (P < 0.003), both being greatest at 1.0% ANOD. There was a positive linear effect of ANOD inclusion on ADFI (P < 0.07) and a negative linear effect on the gain-to-feed ratio (G/F) (P < 0.05). ST-challenge reduced ADG (P < 0.05), ADFI (P < 0.05), and G/F (P < 0.05) in the first week following challenge. Daily estimates revealed reductions in feed intake in ST-infected pigs on d 2 to 4 following infection (P < 0.05). Rectal temperature was increased maximally 2 d following ST-infection (P < 0.05). A disease challenge x time interaction (P < 0.001) was observed for serum haptoglobin and alpha1-acid glycoprotein. Serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) was not influenced by disease challenge, but IgM declined (P < 0.001) in all pigs over time. Serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) also was not influenced by disease challenge, but IgG tended (P < 0.08) to increase over time. In vitro culture of porcine alveolar macrophages with 10 mg/mL ANOD elevated (P < 0.05) prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production over that of controls at 3 and 24 h of culture. There was no interleukin-10 response by porcine splenocytes cultured in vitro with 0.005, 0.05, 0.5, or 5 mg/mL ANOD. We conclude that this model of enteric disease elicits an acute phase response that is accompanied by increased rectal temperature and diminished feed intake. Furthermore, our results indicate some beneficial effects of dietary ANOD on growth performance and no influence of dietary ANOD on immune response in the presence or absence of ST-challenge. However, high ANOD concentrations are capable of activating porcine alveolar macrophages in vitro to secrete PGE2.
Stratigraphy and Sedimentology of Kincaid Formation, Midway Group (Paleocene), Upper Rio Grande Embayment, Texas: ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT Sedimentary rocks of the Kincaid Formation crop out along the northern and western edges of the Rio Grande Embayment. Siltstones are exposed at the type locality of the Kincaid Formation along the Frio River in Uvalde County, Texas. To the east and south the Kincaid Formation changes facies to richly fossiliferous carbonate rocks; however, basinward, the Kincaid Formation grades into a shale facies which contains interbedded units of fine-grained sandstone. At the type locality of the Kincaid Formation approximately 30 ft (9 m) of massive siltstone grades upward into a very silty limestone unit. The outcrop is characterized by four resistant units of tightly cemented siltstone and resistant limestone which separate beds of less resistant, massive siltstone. Bedding is poorly defined throughout the section largely as a result of intensive bioturbation. The grain size of the siltstone increases upward ranging from medium to coarse. Clay content in the siltstone decreases upward and the amount of calcareous material increases upward. The upper four to six feet may actually be considered a silty limestone. There is a dramatic facies change along the outcrop both to the east and to the south of the type section. To the east, the Kincaid Formation is composed of limestone which is glauconitic and highly fossiliferous. The siltstone present at the type locality thins to the east and is absent less than 20 mi (32 km) away. Eighty mi (129 km) to the south along the Rio Grande River approximately 45 ft (14 m) of limestone and shale comprise the Kincaid Formation. The limestone is glauconitic and highly fossiliferous and is very similar to the limestone exposed to the east of the type locality. These early Paleocene sediments are interpreted as shallow marine in origin. The siltstone represents a shallow sublittoral shoreface environment whereas the limestone to the east and south were deposited in shallow near shore environments beyond the reach of clastic deposition.