cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 1008: Leptin-induced NILCO in endometrial cancer is linked to obesity

Background: Endometrial cancer (EmCa) Type I is estrogen dependent whereas Type II is estrogen independent and usually associated with endometrial atrophy. Type II is the more aggressive form with a poor prognosis. Obesity is a growing epidemic and is a major risk factor for EmCa. African-American women have higher incidence of obesity, and are more likely to die from EmCa even though the risk of developing EmCa is lower in Caucasian women. Obesity is characterized by high serum leptin levels, which are associated cancer incidence, metastasis and poor prognosis. Leptin9s effects in breast cancer are related to the induction of a crosstalk between Notch, IL-1 and leptin (NILCO). It is hypothesize that there is a positive correlation between Type II EmCa, NILCO and obesity. Methods: The expression of NILCO components was determined by immunohistochemistry in Type I vs Type II EmCa biopsies from obese African American and lean tissue array from Chinese patients. Additionally, the effects of leptin on cell proliferation and NILCO expression were determined in cell lines derived from Type I and Type II EmCa (Ishikawa, Hec1a, An3ca and KLE), respectively. Results: NILCO components were expressed higher in Type II EmCa, more advanced disease, and correlated with obesity. Also, leptin induction of NILCO was more prominent in Type II EmCa cells. Conclusions: Obesity signals (i.e., leptin) could induce NILCO in EmCa. Leptin could play a significant role in EmCa progression, especially in Type II EmCa. Therefore, NILCO could represent a novel biomarker for the more aggressive Type II EmCa. These observations could be more relevant for obese EmCa patients. Citation Format: Danielle Daley-Brown, Gabriela Oprea-Ilies, Kiara T. Vann, Roland Pattillo, James Lillard, Ruben Rene Gonzalez-Perez. Leptin-induced NILCO in endometrial cancer is linked to obesity. [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 1008.
Impact of recent FDA ruling on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)

Since its discovery in the 1930’s, synthetic and bioidentical testosterone has been used to treat men with symptomatic hypogonadism. The growth of the pharmaceutical industry has evolved a range of options including oral, injectable, nasal bioadhesive and the particularly popular topical formulations.
CO2 storage in Residual Oil Zones: Field-scale modeling and assessment

Abstract Residual Oil Zones (ROZs) are formed as the result of secondary tectonic activities which trigger extensive oil remobilization after the primary petroleum migration. The ROZs are attractive targets for CO 2 Enhanced Oil Recovery (CO 2 -EOR) and storage: first, because in many cases, the thickness of the ROZ ensures an overall recoverable volume of oil comparable to that of the Main Pay Zone (MPZ) and second, because the ROZ has favorable containment and capacity for large-scale and long-term EOR-storage projects. This study investigates one of the underlying theories of the ROZ formation, called the Altered Hydrodynamic Flow Fields (AHFF). The impact of the AHFF process on the formation of ROZs is specifically investigated using a field-scale simulation model for a Permian Basin San Andres reservoir. The simulation model is tuned and verified by validating the ROZ's characteristics, such as the thickness of the ROZ, the shape of the saturation profile, and the tilt of the OWC. The tuned Permian Basin San Andres reservoir model is used to simulate the primary recovery and the secondary waterflooding phases in the MPZ. Depending on the CO 2 availability and ROZ development strategy, six different development scenarios are specified beyond the waterflooding phase. The corresponding simulations are performed to find the optimum EOR-storage strategies for the MPZ-ROZ through the extensive comparison of key performance parameters, including the cumulative oil recovery, CO 2 storage and, net CO 2 utilization. The results confirm the technical viability of CO 2 -EOR and storage in the ROZ. The most favorable expansion strategy in terms of oil production and CO 2 storage is the simultaneous development of the MPZ and the ROZ from the beginning of EOR-storage process. Most importantly, the study demonstrates that the volume of the utilized CO 2 has a substantial effect on the success of the EOR-storage. While other expansion strategies such as sequential development also provide reasonable oil production response and CO 2 storage potential, early project expansion into the ROZ without sufficient investment in CO 2 resources is shown to be detrimental to the economics of the project. Finally, several important technical considerations for CO 2 storage are qualitatively discussed, including assessment of the ROZ storage capacity, saltwater disposal requirements, and reduced risk of CO 2 leakage in the ROZ.
Effects of a brief grateful thinking intervention on college students’ mental health.

Abstract Gratitude-based interventions have been shown to significantly improve positive indicators of mental health and reduce negative indicators of mental health. The present study used a randomized controlled trial design to test a brief grateful thinking-only exercise with a sample of college students (N = 97). Participants in the gratitude-based intervention condition (n = 54) were instructed to spend five minutes each day thinking about something they were grateful for, while participants in the activity-matched control condition (n = 43) were instructed to spend the same amount of time thinking about something they had learned recently. Descriptive results indicated that, compared to the control exercise, the grateful thinking-only exercise had greater therapeutic effects on happiness, life satisfaction, depression, stress, and negative affect. However, consideration of effect-size confidence intervals and associated inferential statistics suggested that we could not ultimately reject the null hypothesis. Overall, results suggest the need for including both activity-matched and passive control conditions within gratitude-based intervention research.
Dynamic modeling and advanced control of post-combustion CO2 capture plants

Abstract In this paper, model predictive control (MPC) strategies are implemented to address different stripper configurations for the CO2 capture process as part of supercritical pulverized coal-fired (SCPC) power plants. Dynamic models of the conventional and lean vapor compression (LVC) CO2 capture configurations are introduced. Linear and nonlinear MPC strategies are implemented to the CO2 capture processes for a power plant load-following scenario that simulates power plant cycling. Implementation of the MPC strategies for both the conventional and the LVC configurations are successful. Closed-loop responses for the carbon capture rate and total equivalent work are compared and analyzed. The results show that the proposed nonlinear MPC improves the performance by 95% in terms of the integral square error (ISE) results when compared to a PID controller. Also, the proposed LVC configuration with NLMPC implemented has a 5.5% economic improvement when compared to the traditional configuration with PID controllers.
Mapping genetic loci for iron deficiency chlorosis in soybean

The objective of this study was to map genes controlling iron deficiency chlorosis in two intraspecific soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] populations. Chlorosis symptoms were evaluated by visual scores and spectrometric chlorophyll determinations at the V4 stage (third trifoliolate leaf fully developed) in the field in 1993, and at V2 (first trifoliolate leaf fully developed) and V4 stages in 1994. A total of 89 RFLP and 10 SSR markers in the Pride B216 x A15 population, and 82 RFLP, 14 SSR and 1 morphological I (hilum color) markers in the Anoka x A7 population were used to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting iron deficiency chlorosis. QTL with minor effects were detected on six linkage groups of the Pride B216 x A15 population, suggesting a typical polygene mechanism. In contrast, in the Anoka x A7 population, one QTL contributed an average of 72.7% of the visual score variation and 68.8% of the chlorophyll concentration variation and was mapped on linkage group N. Another QTL for visual score variation, and one for chlorophyll concentration variation were detected on linkage groups A1 and I, respectively. Due to the large LOD score and major genetic effect of the QTL on linkage group N, the quantitative data was reclassified into qualitative data fitting a one major gene model according to the means of the QTL genotypic classes. The major gene was mapped in the same interval of linkage group N using both visual scores and chlorophyll concentrations, thus verifying that one major gene is involved in segregation for iron chlorosis deficiency in the Anoka x A7 population. This study supported a previous hypothesis that two separate genetic mechanisms control iron deficiency in soybean.
The Tourist Aesthetic and Empire in Rodrigo Fresán’s Mantra and Jardines de Kensington

Robbins argues that Fresan combines the direct evaluation of Self and Other contained within the tourist experience with a larger discourse that focuses on the relationship of tourism and empire. In both novels, Fresan positions the narrator as a chronicler or compiler of information with a focus on the geographic space of the city. Through this, the novels highlight the importance of place for identity, but also the ways in which urban identity changes and morphs over time. Mantra explicitly ties the idea of tourist to that of invader while Jardines de Kensington does so through the lens of the heart of empire. Robbins explores how Fresan creates a touristic vision of the global city of Mexico City and London—seeking access to a more global literary tradition at the same time implicitly reflecting on Latin American literature through the absence of Latin America in the novel.
Comparative and veterinary pharmacogenomics

Pharmacogenomics is the study of the impact of genetic variation on drug effects, with the ultimate goal of achieving “personalised medicine”. Since the completion of the Human Genome Project, great strides have been made towards the goal of personalised dosing of drugs in people, as exemplified by the development of gene-guided dosing of the anticoagulant drug, warfarin. Although the pharmacogenomics of domestic animals is still at an early stage of development, there is great potential for advances in the coming years as the direct result of complete genome sequences currently being derived for many of the species of significance to veterinary and comparative medicine. This sequence information is being used to discover sequence variants in candidate genes associated with altered drug response, as well as to develop whole genome high density single nucleotide polymorphism arrays for genotype–phenotype linkage analysis. This review summarises the current state of veterinary pharmacogenomics research, including drug response variability phenotypes with either known genetic aetiology or strong circumstantial evidence for genetic involvement. Polymorphisms and rarer gene variants affecting drug disposition (pharmacokinetics) and drug effect (pharmacodynamics) are discussed. In addition to providing the veterinary clinician with useful information for the practise of therapeutics, it is envisaged that the increasing knowledge base will also provide a resource for individuals involved in veterinary and comparative biomedical research.
Study abroad in the recreation curriculum: a student perspective.

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to investigate student perceptions towards study abroad. In particular, attitudes, motivations, and perceived barriers were investigated using a survey instrument. The impacts of short term, faculty-led study abroad programs were analyzed using semi-structured interviews and grounded theory. The survey instrument was administered to 240 students enrolled in recreation classes in the fall of 2008. Data were analyzed using a statistical software package and showed that students were in general very interested in study abroad and perceived money and time as their main constraints to do so. The most popular programs were found to be short term programs with faculty and students from the same university, with the most attractive locations being Western Europe followed by Central America. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with fifteen students who studied abroad through a large public university in winter 2009, several themes emerged pertaining to impacts on student learning and development. The constant comparison method of grounded theory revealed that students felt an increase in self-confidence, became more socially aware, and changed their perspective towards the country visited as well as what it means to be American. All students felt their experience was beneficial and would recommend it to their friends. Following the tradition of grounded theory, a model of the study abroad process was developed. The model includes barriers and motives to studying abroad, the actual experience, and impacts derived from it. The needs for debriefing students upon their return as well as other implications for further research and study abroad administrators are discussed.
Symmetric Eigen-Wavefunctions of Quantum Dot Bound States Resulting from Geometric Confinement

Self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots possess an intrinsic geometric symmetry due to the crystal periodic structure. In order to systematically analyze the symmetric properties of quantum dots' bound states resulting only from geometric confinement, we apply group representation theory. We label each bound state for two kinds of popular quantum dot shapes: pyramid and half ellipsoid with the irreducible representation of the corresponding symmetric groups, i.e., C 4v and C 2v , respectively. Our study completes all the possible irreducible representation cases of groups C 4v and C 2v . Using the character theory of point groups, we predict the selection rule for electric dipole induced transitions. We also investigate the impact of quantum dot aspect ratio on the symmetric properties of the state wavefunction. This research provides a solid foundation to continue exploring quantum dot symmetry reduction or broken phenomena because of strain, band-mixing and shape irregularity. The results will benefit the researchers who are interested in quantum dot symmetry related effects such as absorption or emission spectra, or those who are studying quantum dots using analytical or numerical simulation approaches.
Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence-based characterization of fungal isolates from multiple yogurt facilities—A case study

ABSTRACT Fungal spoilage remains a significant issue in dairy product quality, especially for cultured dairy products such as yogurt formulated without preservatives such as potassium sorbate. Fungal contamination can occur throughout the processing continuum, from the dairy farm environment to the finished product processing environment. As molecular characterization of fungal isolates is used more frequently, we obtained fungal isolates obtained in 2 yogurt processing facilities as part of routine fungal testing of raw materials (e.g., fruit preparations, added ingredients), in-process product samples, environmental samples (e.g., air plates, equipment surfaces such as valves, face plates, air nozzles), and finished product samples, to determine whether internal transcribed spacer (ITS) barcoding data would be helpful to support source tracking of fungal contamination issues. Internal transcribed spacer PCR amplification and sequencing allowed us to classify the 852 isolates from these 2 facilities into 200 unique ITS allelic types (AT), representing the phyla Ascomycota (743 isolates), Basidiomycota (97 isolates), and Mucoromycota (12 isolates). Thirty ITS AT were isolated from both facilities; 62 and 108 ITS AT were isolated from only facility A or only facility B, respectively. Nine ITS AT were each represented by more than 20 isolates; these AT comprised 53% of the 852 isolates. The considerable diversity of fungal isolates even within a single facility illustrates the challenge associated with controlling fungal contamination of dairy products. The ITS barcoding technique, however, did show promise for facilitating the source tracking of fungal contamination, particularly for ITS AT over-represented in a given facility. For example, we found evidence for equipment-specific reservoirs for 2 AT (14 and 219) in facility B. Our data suggest that despite its limited discriminatory power, ITS sequencing can provide initial information that can help trace fungal contamination along the processing continuum. However, development and implementation of discriminatory subtyping methods will be needed to further improve the ability to identify sources of fungal contamination in dairy facilities. Developing and implementing sampling plans that comprehensively capture yeast and mold diversity in a given processing facility remain a considerable challenge.
Interaction of polarized light and turbidity in the orientation of Daphnia and Mysidium

1. Daphnia schodleri zeigt selbst in mehrfach gefiltertem Wasser starke Richtungsorientierung in der Horizontalebene, wenn von oben linear polarisiertes Licht einfallt. Eine masige Verbesserung des Orientierungsgrades erreicht man durch truben des Wassers mit Hefepulver. 2. Mysidium gracile orientierte sich in entsprechenden Experimenten in gefiltertem Wasser schwacher als Daphnia jedoch noch signifikant (S. 166). Hefepulver im Wasser erhoht den Orientierungsgrad von Mysidium 2–3 mal starker als von Daphnia. Diese Verbesserung mus ein optischer Effekt sein, da die Mysideen in einem Doppelgefas von dem truben Medium isoliert waren. 3. Versuche mit Mysideen in verschiedenartigen truben Medien zeigen, das die Trubung nicht nur durch die optische Dichte auf die Orientierungsleistung wirkt, sondern auch durch das Intensitatsverhaltnis des gestreuten Lichtes quer und parallel zur Polarisationsebene. Eine kolloidale Suspension von Siliziumdioxyd mit hohem Trubungsgrad und erheblichen Intensitatsunterschieden im horizontalen Streulicht erhoht merklich den Orientierungsgrad. In Versuchen mit starker Trubung aber geringen Intensitatsunterschieden im Streulicht ist ein zweiter Orientierungsgipfel angedeutet. Der hochste mit Mysidium gefundene Orientierungsgrad im truben Medium ist deutlich geringer als der von Daphnia in klar gefiltertem Wasser. 4. Die Angaben uber die Orientierung der beiden Krebsarten beschreiben quantitativ die Wechselwirkungen zwischen dem polarisierten Licht und dem horizontalen Streulichtmuster. Starke Orientierung in gefiltertem Wasser legt nahe, beweist jedoch nicht, das am Orientierungsvorgang zwei getrennte Sinnesmechanismen beteiligt sind (S. 169). 5. Aus den Versuchen folgt, das Einzeltiere von Daphnia und Mysidium meistens asymmetrisch auf Reizung durch polarisiertes Licht reagieren. Die orientierten Tiere konnen bis zu 30° von der Richtung quer zur Polarisationsebene abweichen. Betrag und Seite der Abweichung eines Tieres kann sich andern. Es ist moglich, das es sich hier um eine echte menotaktische Orientierung handelt.
Editing and Empathy

One of the main complaints about legal writing is that it is not designed with readers in mind. This short essay borrows an idea from the interior designer Ilse Crawford to offer some ways to address that problem. (The essay started as a lesson created for students in the Child Welfare Appellate Clinic at the University of Michigan Law School.)
Neurological Modulations of Sleep: Mechanisms and Function in Sleep Health

Abstract Sleep is necessary for the optimal functioning of many biological processes. Although the need for sleep is well understood, millions of Americans report obtaining far below the amount recommended by the National Sleep Foundation. This insufficient sleep has been found to lead to poor metabolic health, particularly through increased food intake. However, what drives this increased food intake, such as alterations in central brain regulation or peripheral hormones that may influence hunger, is not entirely clear. This chapter describes findings from controlled laboratory studies in both animals and humans, linking sleep and the central and peripheral physiological pathways of hunger and satiety. Although the link between insufficient sleep and poor metabolic health is well defined, how these pathways interact to influence hunger and satiety during insufficient sleep in real-world settings is less clear.
Efficiency and safety increases after the implementation of a multi-institutional automated plan check tool at our institution.

PURPOSE The plan check tool (PCT) is the result of a multi-institutional collaboration to jointly develop a flexible automated plan checking framework designed with the versatility to be shared across collaborating facilities while supporting the individual differences between practices. We analyze the effect that PCT has had on the efficiency and effectiveness of initial chart checks at our institution. METHODS AND MATERIALS Data on errors identified during initial chart checks were acquired during two time periods: before the introduction of PCT in the clinic (6/24/2015 to 7/31/2015, 187 checks) and post-clinical release (4/14/2016 to 5/2/2016, 186 checks). During each time period, human plan checkers were asked to record all issues that they either manually detected or that were detected by PCT as well as the amount of time, less breaks, or interruptions, it took to check each plan. RESULTS After the clinical release of PCT, there was a statistically significant decrease in the number of issues recorded by the human plan checkers both related to checks explicitly performed by PCT (13 vs 50, P < 0.001) and in issues identified overall (127 vs 200, P < 0.001). The mean and medium time for a plan check decreased by 20%. CONCLUSIONS The use of a multi-institutional, configurable, automated plan checking tool has resulted in both substantial gains in efficiency and moving error detection to earlier points in the planning process, decreasing their likelihood that they reach the patient. The sizeable startup effort needed to create this tool from scratch was mitigated by the sharing, and subsequent co-development, of software code from a peer institution.
Abstract B56: YAP1 inhibits host cell immunity and increases human papillomavirus (HPV) infection to drive cervical tumorigenesis

Although human papillomavirus (HPV) is believed to be the major causative agent for cervical cancer, accumulating evidence indicates that HPV alone is insufficient to induce cervical cancer. The molecular mechanisms underlying cervical cancer development remain unclear. In the present study, we provide evidence showing that the Hippo/YAP pathway plays a critical role in cervical carcinogenesis. We found that genetic alteration of the Hippo/YAP pathway frequently occurred in human cervical cancer patients and was associated with poor prognosis of these patients. Keratin 14 promoter-driven expression of constitutively active YAP1 (YAP S127A) in mouse cervical epithelial cells induced invasive cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CVSCC), suggesting that hyperactivation of YAP1 is sufficient to induce cervical cancer. Importantly, hyperactivation of YAP1 in cervical epithelial cells not only increased the putative HPV receptor molecules and cellular susceptibility to HPV infection, but also disrupted the host cell innate immune system, resulting in failure of HPV viral recognition, suppression of type I IFN production, inhibition of the IFNRs/JAKs/STATs pathway, and blockage of production of antiviral interferon-stimulated genes. Cervical epithelial-specific YAP1 and HPV double knockin mouse models showed that YAP1 synergizes with HPV to promote the initiation and progression of CVSCC. The present study demonstrates that the Hippo/YAP pathway plays a central role in the development of CVSCC and the synergism between hyperactivated YAP1 and high-risk HPV may be the key driver of cervical cancer development. The Hippo/YAP signaling pathway may represent a promising target for developing novel strategies to prevent and treat cervical cancer. Citation Format: Xiangmin Lv, Chunbo He, Cong Huang, Hongbo Wang, Li Chen, Peichao Chen, John S. DavisS, Bo R. Rueda, Cheng Wang. YAP1 inhibits host cell immunity and increases human papillomavirus (HPV) infection to drive cervical tumorigenesis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2019 Nov 17-20; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(3 Suppl):Abstract nr B56.
Transcranial photoacoustic computed tomography based on a layered back-projection method

A major challenge of transcranial human brain photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is correcting for the acoustic aberration induced by the skull. Here, we present a modified universal back-projection (UBP) method, termed layered UBP (L-UBP), that can de-aberrate the transcranial PA signals by accommodating the skull heterogeneity into conventional UBP. In L-UBP, the acoustic medium is divided into multiple layers: the acoustic coupling fluid layer between the skull and detectors, the skull layer, and the brain tissue layer, which are assigned different acoustic properties. The transmission coefficients and wave conversion are considered at the fluid-skull and skull-tissue interfaces. Simulations of transcranial PACT using L-UBP were conducted to validate the method. Ex vivo experiments with a newly developed three-dimensional PACT system with 1-MHz center frequency demonstrated that L-UBP can substantially improve the image quality compared to conventional UBP.
Comparison of 2D and 3D U-Net breast lesion segmentations on DCE-MRI

Computer-aided diagnosis based on features extracted from medical images relies heavily on accurate lesion segmentation before feature extraction. Using 994 unique breast lesions imaged with dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI, several segmentation algorithms were investigated. The first method is fuzzy c-means (FCM), a well-established unsupervised clustering algorithm used on breast MRIs. The second and third methods are based on the convolutional neural network U-Net, a widely-used deep learning method for image segmentation—for two- or three-dimensional MRI data, respectively. The purpose of this study was twofold—1) to assess the performances of 2D (slice-by-slice) and 3D U-Nets in breast lesion segmentation on DCE-MRI trained with FCM segmentations, and 2) compare their performance to that of FCM. Center slice segmentations produced by FCM, 2D U-Net, and 3D U-Net were evaluated using radiologist segmentations as truth, and volumetric segmentations produced by 2D U-Net (slice-by-slice) and 3D U-Net were compared using FCM as a surrogate truth. Five-fold cross-validation was conducted on the U-Nets and Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and Hausdorff distance (HD) were used as performance metrics. Although 3D U-Net performed well, 2D U-Net outperformed 3D U-Net, both for center slice (DSC p=4.13×10-9, HD p=1.40×10-2) and volume segmentations (DSC p=2.72×10-83, HD p=2.28×10-10). Additionally, 2D U-Net outperformed FCM in center slice segmentation in terms of DSC (p=1.09×10-7). The results suggest that 2D U-Net is promising in segmenting breast lesions and could be an effective alternative to FCM.
Cutting-Edge Microscopy Systems as Remote Teaching and Research Tools for Undergraduate Students

Whether due to illness, weather, safety, or other concerns, it is very difficult for biology students to gather meaningful and timely data without access to campus This has been especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which most laboratory exercises have been conducted as a simulation Simulated experiments provide a stopgap for certain courses, but for upper-level and research courses, they are often insufficient Many new microscopy tools now on the market can be adapted to allow students to generate and analyze novel data with little aid from instructors Remote brightfield-based systems like the CytoSMART Lux2 can be used to gather real-time insight into the progression of cell growth, cell migration, and cell viability over time The data from these systems can be viewed via the Internet or downloaded for later analysis Confocal microscopy also offers unique remote-learning opportunities Because these fluorescence-based microscopes are controlled almost exclusively by a computer, free "remote desktop" software can allow students to learn how to use this cutting-edge technology and can also allow for the generation and analysis of novel data While these systems can be expensive, they offer a variety of benefits for undergraduate students and researchers, whether they are in the laboratory or working remotely
Secondary Analyses for Genome-wide Association Studies using Expression Quantitative Trait Loci

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with complex traits; however, the identified SNPs account for a fraction of trait heritability, and identifying the functional elements through which genetic variants exert their effects remains a challenge. Recent evidence suggests that SNPs associated with complex traits are more likely to be expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL). Thus, incorporating eQTL information can potentially improve power to detect causal variants missed by traditional GWAS approaches. Using genomic, transcriptomic, and platelet phenotype data from the Genetic Study of Atherosclerosis Risk family-based study, we investigated the potential to detect novel genomic risk loci by incorporating information from eQTL in the relevant target tissues (i.e. platelets and megakaryocytes). Permutation analyses were performed to obtain family-wise error rates for eQTL associations, substantially lowering the genome-wide significance threshold for SNP-phenotype associations. In addition to confirming the well known association between PEAR1 and platelet aggregation, our eQTL focused approach identified a novel locus (rs1354034) and gene (ARHGEF3) not previously identified in a GWAS of platelet aggregation phenotypes. A colocalization analysis showed strong evidence for a functional role of this eQTL.
Differentially-Private Fingerprinting of Relational Databases.

When sharing sensitive databases with other parties, a database owner aims to (i) have privacy guarantees for its shared database, (ii) have liability guarantees in case of unauthorized sharing of its database by the recipients, and (iii) provide a high quality (utility) database to the recipients. We observe that sharing a database under differential privacy and database fingerprinting are orthogonal objectives. The former aims to inject noise into a database to prevent inference of the original data values, whereas, the latter aims to hide unique marks inside a database to trace malicious parties who leak the data without the authorization. In this paper, we achieve these two objectives simultaneously by proposing a novel differentially-private fingerprinting mechanism for databases. Specifically, we first devise a bit-level random response scheme to achieve differential privacy for sharing entire databases, and then, based on this, we develop an {\epsilon}-differentially private fingerprinting mechanism. Next, we theoretically analyze the relationships among differential privacy guarantee, fingerprint robustness, and database utility by deriving closed form expressions to characterize the privacy-utility coupling and privacy-fingerprint robustness coupling. Furthermore, we propose a sparse vector technique (SVT)-based solution to control the cumulative privacy loss when fingerprinted copies of a database are shared with multiple recipients. We experimentally show that our mechanism achieves stronger fingerprint robustness than the state-of-the-art fingerprinting mechanisms, and higher database utility than the simple composition of database perturbation under differential privacy followed by fingerprinting (e.g., statistical utility of the shared database by the proposed scheme is more than 10x higher than perturbation followed by fingerprinting).
A Little Word That Means A Lot: A Reassessment of Singular They in a New Era of Gender Politics:

Singular they has emerged as a key term in contemporary gender politics, reflecting growing usage of they/them as nonbinary personal pronouns. Drawing on interviews with 54 progressive gender activ...
Zinc-Binding Proteins in the Brain

As an essential substance, zinc is involved in maintaining the functions and/or the structures of at least 200 metalloenzymes that participate in numerous biochemical reactions, including the metabolism of proteins and nucleic acids. The steady-state concentration of zinc in the brain must be regulated firmly since both an excess and a deficiency of zinc have been implicated in neurological disorders including epilepsy. Zinc-binding proteins have been detected in the bovine hippocampus, cerebellum, and pineal gland. A metallothionein-like protein has been identified recently in the rat brain which resembles in some but not all aspects a hepatic metallothionein. The synthesis of this protein is stimulated following the administration of zinc 40 copper but not of cadmium. The zinc-stimulated protein incorporates 35S cysteine 24-fold higher than the native, unstimulated protein; is blocked by actinomycin D; produces two isoforms by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE Sephadex A 25 columns; and by high performance liquid chromatography, depicts a similar but not identical profile to zinc-stimulated hepatic metallothionein. Since the synthesis of this protein is stimulated following the administration of zinc and is depressed in the brains of zinc-deficient rats, it is postulated that the unbound pool of zinc may serve as one of the factors involved in regulating the synthesis of this protein. Since zinc in physiological concentrations stimulates a number of pyridoxal phosphate-dependent reactions and in pharmacological doses inhibits an extensive number of SH-containing enzymes and receptor sites for neurotransmitters, we postulate that the metallothionein-like protein in the brain may have function(s) associated with zinc homeostasis and perhaps events related to synaptic functions.
Applications and limitations of U–Th disequilibria systematics for determining ages of carbonate alteration minerals in peridotite

Abstract 238 U– 234 U– 230 Th dating was conducted on carbonate alteration minerals in the peridotite layer of the Samail Ophiolite, Sultanate of Oman, in order to assess the applicability of U-series dating techniques to these types of Quaternary terrestrial carbonates and also to further constrain natural rates of carbonation of the peridotite. Due to their low U concentrations and relatively high Th/U ratios, Samail carbonates are challenging to date with the 230 Th technique because of the sensitivity of ages to corrections for initial 230 Th. Uncorrected 230 Th ages for Ca-rich travertines are consistently older than previously obtained 14 C ages. However, geologically reasonable initial 230 Th corrections bring the two sets of ages into concordance. This age concordance suggests that the travertines are generally closed systems, adding a level of credence to the reliability of previously obtained 14 C ages. In contrast, uncorrected 230 Th ages for Mg-rich carbonate veins are generally younger than previously obtained 14 C ages. These young ages are interpreted in terms of remobilization of hexavalent U, which is subsequently deposited as tetravalent U by reduced serpentinization fluids. Two Mg-rich carbonate veins sampled at a roadcut have near-equilibrium ( 230 Th/ 238 U) and ( 234 U/ 238 U) values, which indicate that these veins are > 375,000 years in age, consistent with their “ 14 C dead” (> 50,000 years BP) ages. The variable young and old ages for these Mg-rich carbonate veins indicate that carbonation of the peridotite layer of the Samail Ophiolite is an ongoing process and that there have been multiple generations of subsurface carbonate vein formation. Overall, this study provides insights into some of the challenges associated with applying U-series dating methods to Quaternary terrestrial carbonates, in particular carbonate alteration minerals in peridotites, and highlights some areas where there is room for improvement, such as obtaining better constraints on the isotopic composition of admixed detritus, and also some advantages, such as the ability to identify open system behavior not apparent from 14 C dating and stable C and O isotopic analysis alone.
Sebaceous induction in dermatofibroma: a common feature of dermatofibromas on the shoulder

Background Dermatofibroma (DF) has multiple histopathological variants and overlying acanthosis, hyperkeratosis and hyperpigmentation are often present. We have frequently observed sebaceous induction in DFs on the shoulder and wanted to assess if this is a site-specific finding. Methods We prospectively collected 100 DFs and assessed for sebaceous induction, the histopathologic pattern of the DF and any associated-epidermal changes. We retrospectively searched for DFs with sebaceous induction to assess the anatomic site of the biopsy. Results In the 100 prospectively collected DFs, 49% occurred on the lower extremities, 39% on the upper extremities, 10% on the trunk and 2% on the head. Sebaceous induction was present in 16 DFs, 81% of which occurred on or near the shoulder. The most common variant was fibrocollagenous DF (64%), including in DFs with sebaceous induction. The retrospective search for DFs with sebaceous induction found 19 cases in which 95% occurred on the shoulder area. Sclerotic pattern DFs were most common in this retrospective cohort (47%), and seborrheic keratosis-like hyperplasia occurred in 100% of these cases. Conclusion DFs occurring on the shoulder have a high incidence of sebaceous induction with seborrheic keratosis-like epidermal hyperplasia and a fibrocollagenous or sclerotic pattern.
High‐Throughput, Multiplexed Analysis of 3‐Nitrotyrosine in Individual Proteins

Reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are derived as a result of inflammation and oxidative stress and can result in protein modifications. As such, these protein modifications are used as biomarkers for inflammation and oxidative stress. In addition, modifications in single-tissue-associated proteins released into blood can provide insight into the tissue localization of the inflammation or oxidative stress. We have developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay antibody microarray platform to analyze the levels of 3-nitrotyrosine in specific proteins in a variety of biological samples, including human plasma and sputum. Selective-capture antibodies are used to immunoprecipitate individual proteins from samples onto isolated spots on the microarray chips. Then, a monoclonal antibody for 3-nitrotyrosine is used to detect the amount of 3-nitrotyrosine on each spot. Our studies suggest that this approach can be used to detect trace amounts of 3-nitrotyrosine in human plasma and sputum. In this paper, we describe our antibody microarray protocol for detecting 3-nitrotyrosine in specific proteins. Curr. Protoc. Toxicol. 51:17.15.1-17.15.16. © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: 3-nitrotyrosine; ELISA microarray; multiplex; biomarker
Platelet counts in prematures.

The article1 in the October 1968 issue on "Platelets in Prematures" deserves more than a few remarks in the commentary relative to the incidence and hazards of thrombocytopenia. The article is good in that it serves as a guideline relative to the range in platelet levels among premature infants, but the reader should not accept this simply as the normal range. For example, there is no discussion on the remarkably large number of infants with platelet counts above 400,000/mm3.
Fast Interactive Control of a Manipulator for the Severely Disabled

A new type of interactive command language for cotrol of robot manipulators is presented, which allows the operator direct control over time derivatives of position of the robot arm. Features of this approach facilitate unification of operator commands with senor information to perform semiautomatic manipulation sequences. An implementation of such a system, called UNIACSYS, is described. Preliminary results of its usage are reported.
Binocular coordination of eye movements – Hering’s Law of equal innervation or uniocular control?

The neurophysiological basis for binocular control of eye movements in primates has been characterized by a scientific controversy that has its origin in the historical conflict of Hering and Helmholtz in the 19th century. This review focuses on two hypotheses, linked to that conflict, that seek to account for binocular coordination – Hering’s Law vs. uniocular control of each eye. In an effort to manage the length of the review, the focus is on extracellular single-unit studies of premotor eye movement cells and extraocular motoneurons. In the latter half of the 20th century, these studies provided a wealth of neurophysiological data pertaining to the control of vergence and conjugate eye movements. The data were initially supportive of Hering’s Law. More recent data, however, have provided support for uniocular control of each eye consistent with Helmholtz’s original idea. The controversy is far from resolved. New anatomical descriptions of the disparate inputs to multiply and singly innervated extraocular muscle fibers challenge the concept of a ‘final common pathway’ as they suggest there may be separate groups of motoneurons involved in vergence and conjugate control of eye position. These data provide a new challenge for interpretation of uniocular premotor control networks and how they cooperate to produce coordinated eye movements.
Income Tax “Loopholes” and Political Rhetoric

DURING the 1972 presidential campaign, federal income tax reform came unexpectedly to the foreground as a political issue in the Democratic primaries and promised for a few weeks to play an important role in the election itself. It was soon elbowed aside by the prospect of peace in Viet Nam, charges of political espionage and corruption, and attacks on the personal attributes of the two candidates, but for a short time it actually succeeded in crowding school bussing off the front pages. To the cynic, this might in retrospect seem to be the principal accomplishment, if not the purpose, of the vivid charges that the Internal Revenue Code is riddled with loopholes and that millionaires sometimes pay less in taxes than bluecollar workers. I am inclined, rather, to believe that these grievances continued to smoulder below the surface, like the issue of school bussing, even after President Nixon and Senator McGovern turned their attention to other questions. Moreover, just as hostility to school bussing emanated from a variety of sources, so the assault on tax loopholes brought together some strange bedfellows. Advocates of a "New Populism" wanted to close loopholes in order to strengthen the income tax as a tool of income redistribution. Academic experts, who supplied most of the intellectual ammunition for the tax reform movement, wanted to purge the income tax of its imperfections primarily to insure "horizontal equity"; for most of them, increased progressivity was only a secondary objective, and some were prepared to accept, or even to advocate, a less progressive rate structure if that was the legislative cost of tax reform. Welfare reformers who wanted to replace today's welfare system with a guaranteed-income program thought that their proposals could be financed by closing tax loopholes. For still others, tax loopholes were only symptoms of a worse disease-a federal bureaucracy serving the interests of the very rich and the very poor but financed by those in between. Their remedy was to cut back
Midgard: a genetic approach to adaptive load balancing for distributed systems

The unequal distribution of computational load between the individual nodes in computer networks can be a major source of inefficiency. If communication costs between the nodes on an inter-LAN are sufficiently small, it is possible to achieve gains in overall efficiency by reassigning jobs between nodes in the network to exploit under-utilized computing resources (Stone, 1977). We are currently developing an genetic adaptive approach to this problem. The population in our model is a set of independent but functionally interacting classifier systems which together control the assignment of jobs entering the nodes of an inter-LAN. The population of schedulers must, over time, learn a strategy for migrating the jobs submitted to the network which improves mean network response time. Successive populations, composed of increasingly co-adapted individual schedulers, are produced by the application of abstracted genetic operators. In this paper we discuss our model and its implementation and present some preliminary results.
A logic-aware layout methodology to enhance the noise immunity of domino circuits

The circuit performance is increasingly affected by signal integrity as cross-talk becomes more significant with scaling down of feature sizes. Many attempts have been made to improve noise immunity, but all require the sacrifice of speed as a tradeoff. In some circuits, P/G network is used as shielding wires to avoid cross-talk while maintaining the desired speed, but the use of the network is inherently restricted by electromigration, IR drop, Ldi/dt noise, etc. We propose a novel methodology to enhance the noise immunity of domino circuits by reordering transistors as well as interconnects based on the functionality of the circuit. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first attempt to use the functionality of a circuit for the purpose of noise immunity enhancement. The methodology, named "Logic-Aware Layout Methodology" (LALM), is composed of a few sub-techniques and can be used to improve the signal integrity of domino circuits. Experimental results show that LALM is simple to apply yet useful to improve the noise immunity of domino circuits.
Phosphoprotein pathway mapping: AKT/mTOR activation is negatively associated with childhood Rhabdomyosarcoma survival

B72 The elucidation of the kinase-driven signaling pathways within tumors can identify new targets for therapy and provide a means to stratify patients for individualized therapy. Despite advances in combination chemotherapy, the overall survival for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) remains approximately 60% . A critical goal is to identify functionally important protein signaling defects associated with treatment failure for the 40% non-responder cohort. Here we show, by phospho-proteomic network analysis of microdissected tumor cells, that inter-linked components of the Akt/mTOR pathway exhibited increased levels of phosphorylation for tumors of patients with short term survival.Frozen tumor specimens (n=59) were obtained from the Children9s Oncology Group Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study (IRS) IV, D9502 and D9803, with 12 year clinical follow-up. Reverse phase protein microarrays were used to interrogate the in vivo IRS-1/Akt/mTOR phosphoprotein circuits of microdissected childhood Rhabdomyosarcoma samples.High phosphorylation levels were associated with poor overall (OAS) and poor disease-free (DFS) survival (Akt Ser473 (OAS p