cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Constitutive expression of AhR and BRCA-1 promoter CpG hypermethylation as biomarkers of ERα-negative breast tumorigenesis

Only 5–10 % of breast cancer cases is linked to germline mutations in the BRCA-1 gene and occurs early in life. Conversely, sporadic breast tumors, which represent 90-95 % of breast malignancies, have lower BRCA-1 expression, but not mutated BRCA-1 gene, and tend to occur later in life in combination with other genetic alterations and/or environmental exposures. The latter may include environmental and dietary factors that activate the aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Therefore, understanding if changes in expression and/or activation of the AhR are associated with somatic inactivation of the BRCA-1 gene may provide clues for breast cancer therapy. We evaluated Brca-1 CpG promoter methylation and expression in mammary tumors induced in Sprague–Dawley rats with the AhR agonist and mammary carcinogen 7,12-dimethyl-benzo(a)anthracene (DMBA). Also, we tested in human estrogen receptor (ER)α-negative sporadic UACC-3199 and ERα-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells carrying respectively, hyper- and hypomethylated BRCA-1 gene, if the treatment with the AhR antagonist α-naphthoflavone (αNF) modulated BRCA-1 and ERα expression. Finally, we examined the association between expression of AhR and BRCA-1 promoter CpG methylation in human triple-negative (TNBC), luminal-A (LUM-A), LUM-B, and epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2)-positive breast tumor samples. Mammary tumors induced with DMBA had reduced BRCA-1 and ERα expression; higher Brca-1 promoter CpG methylation; increased expression of Ahr and its downstream target Cyp1b1; and higher proliferation markers Ccnd1 (cyclin D1) and Cdk4. In human UACC-3199 cells, low BRCA-1 was paralleled by constitutive high AhR expression; the treatment with αNF rescued BRCA-1 and ERα, while enhancing preferential expression of CYP1A1 compared to CYP1B1. Conversely, in MCF-7 cells, αNF antagonized estradiol-dependent activation of BRCA-1 without effects on expression of ERα. TNBC exhibited increased basal AhR and BRCA-1 promoter CpG methylation compared to LUM-A, LUM-B, and HER-2-positive breast tumors. Constitutive AhR expression coupled to BRCA-1 promoter CpG hypermethylation may be predictive markers of ERα-negative breast tumor development. Regimens based on selected AhR modulators (SAhRMs) may be useful for therapy against ERα-negative tumors, and possibly, TNBC with increased AhR and hypermethylated BRCA-1 gene.
Public Interest Comment on Federal Trade Commission Report, Protecting Consumer Privacy in an Era of Rapid Change

While it remains impossible to predict with precision the impact a new privacy regulatory regime will have the Internet economy and digital consumers, regulation will have consequences; of that much we can be certain. As the FTC and other policy makers move forward with proposals to expand regulation in this regard, it is vital that the surreal "something-for-nothing" quality of current privacy debate cease. Those who criticize data collection or online advertising and call for expanded regulation should be required to provide a strict cost-benefit analysis of the restrictions they would impose upon America’s vibrant digital marketplace.In particular, it should be clear that the debate over Do Not Track and online advertising regulation is fundamentally tied up with the future of online content, culture, and services. Thus, regulatory advocates must explain how the content and services supported currently by advertising and marketing will be sustained if current online data collection and ad targeting techniques are restricted.The possibility of regulation also retarding vigorous marketplace competition - especially new innovations and entry - is also very real. Consequently, the Commission bears the heavy burden of explaining how such results would be consistent with its long-standing mission to protect consumer welfare and promote competition. Importantly, the "harm" that critics claim online advertising or data collection efforts gives rise to must be shown to be concrete, not merely conjectural. Too much is at stake to allow otherwise.Finally, as it pertains to solutions for those who remain sensitive about their privacy online, education and empowerment should trump regulation. Regulation would potentially destroy innovation in this space by substituting a government-approved, "one-size-fits-all" standard for the "let-a-thousand-flowers-bloom" approach, which offers diverse tools for a diverse citizenry. Consumers can and will adapt to changing privacy norms and expectations, but the Commission should not seek to plan that evolutionary process from above.
Nitric oxide does not mediate autoregulation of retinal blood flow in newborn pig

Isoflurane-anesthetized newborn pigs were used to test the hypothesis that nitric oxide mediates autoregulatory dilations of retinal arterioles. Fundus images were monitored by videomicroscopy at x310, and stimulus-induced changes in retinal arteriolar diameter were measured by on-line image analysis. Dilatative responses to systemic hypoxia (arterial O2 tension 20-30 mmHg), hypotension (mean arterial blood pressure 40 mmHg), or hypercapnia (arterial CO2 tension 70-85 mmHg) were assessed after intravitreal microsuffusion of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) over the observed arterioles. Twenty-five nanomoles L-NMMA constricted arterioles by 24 +/- 2% (P < 0.01; n = 17 pigs); a significant constriction (14 +/- 2%) was still observed 80 min after drug administration (n = 5). Complete nitric oxide synthase inhibition at this dose was indicated by the findings that co-administration of 2.5 mumol L-arginine reversed this constriction within 17 +/- 2 min (n = 3), that L-NMMA, but not D-NMMA, completely inhibited the 20 +/- 3% P < 0.01) arteriolar dilation induced by intravitreal acetylcholine (7.5 nmol; n = 4), and that no additional constriction was evidenced after administration of a 10-fold greater concentration of L-NMMA (n = 8). However, despite the prominent arteriolar constriction induced by L-NMMA under baseline conditions, increases in retinal arteriolar diameter still occurred in response to hypoxia (n = 5), hypotension (n = 4), or hypercapnia (n = 5) in animals pretreated with 50 nmol L-NMMA; these responses did not differ significantly from arteriolar dilations observed in untreated control animals (n = 16) subjected to the same stimuli.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Risk, Climatic Variability, and the Study of Southwestern Prehistory: An Evolutionary Perspective

Two recent developments in southwestern archaeology are brought together in this paper. First, theoreticians have begun to argue that the archaeological record should be viewed as the product of selection-driven evolution. Second, tree-ring research has produced a highly detailed history of climate for a large area of the northern Southwest. We view the record of climatic oscillations and extreme events as a record of the strength of selection favoring stabilization of specialized agricultural strategies in the arid northern Southwest. Published data from Black Mesa provide a cultural record of sufficient precision to permit comparison with the climatic record, while new data from Vermillion Cliffs, southern Utah, document one local end-product of an evolutionary sequence shaped to an important degree by the long-term variability of climate. Anasazi occupation of many regions failed to persist through the “Great Drought” of the 1270s. From a local perspective, this extreme climatic event caused adaptations shaped by selection prior to the 1270s to fail; from a broader temporal-spatial perspective, however, the drought must be seen as part of the selective regime that shaped subsequent human adaptation to the northern Southwest.
PLASTIC STRAIN RATIO CALCULATION OF METAL SHEET FROM LOW-RESOLUTION TEXTURE ANALYSIS

Based on the models of continues mechanics of textured polycrystals (CMTP) and Kochend(?)rfer in which the quadric yield function form is employed, the plastic strain ratio (R-values) of polycrystalline metal (deep-drawing IF steel sheets) is calculated by the approaches of modified maximum entropy method (MMEM) of low-resolution texture analysis and harmonic method. The computed results indicate that the MMEM of low-resolution texture analysis can predict the R values accurately.
HPLC measurement of cAMP in oral liquid

Objective:To develop a measurement method of cAMP in oral liquid.Methods:Dilute the oral liquid by water,then measure it by high performance liquid chromatography.Results:cAMP has linear relationship within the range of 6～96 μg/ml,r=0.9998,RSD=2.65%(n=6),recovery rate 91.7%～103.3%.Conclusion:The simple method can get reliable results.It can be used for measurement of cAMP in oral liquid.
Neutrophil CD64 by Flow Cytometry Has Excellent Negative Predictive Value for Excluding Sepsis

Sepsis remains a major health concern in acute care hospitals, and missed diagnoses can have significant consequences. Fast and accurate identification and treatment is paramount. However, up to half of antibiotic usage in U.S. acute care hospitals is unnecessary, in part because final negative microbiological culture results can take 2 to 5 days. Unnecessary antibiotic use has been …
The 11-cis Retinal Origins of Lipofuscin in the Retina

Lipofuscin is a fluorescent mixture of partially digested proteins and lipids that accumulates with age in the lysosomal compartment of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of the eye. Because it has been found to have significant cytotoxic potential, lipofuscin is thought to play a role in retinal degeneration diseases including age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt disease, a form of juvenile macular degeneration. The only known components of lipofuscin are bis-retinoids, the condensation products of two molecules of retinal. The bulk of lipofuscin is thought to originate in the rod photoreceptor outer segments as a by-product of reactions involving the retinal chromophore of rhodopsin. 11-cis retinal flows from the RPE into the rod outer segments, where it combines with opsin to form rhodopsin; all-trans retinal is released into the rod outer segments by photoactivated rhodopsin following its excitation by light. Both 11-cis and all-trans retinal can generate lipofuscin-like fluorophores and bis-retinoids when added to rod outer segment membranes. The levels of lipofuscin precursor fluorophores present in the outer segments of dark-adapted rods are similar in cyclic-light- and dark-reared mice, as are the levels of accumulated lipofuscin in the RPE. Because the retinol dehydrogenase enzyme present in rod outer segments can reduce all-trans but not 11-cis retinal, lipofuscin precursors are more likely to form from 11-cis than all-trans retinal, even under cyclic light conditions. Thus, 11-cis retinal may be the primary source of lipofuscin in the retina.
Otolaryngologic Manifestations of Gastroesophageal Reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common problem that has been linked to multiple extraesophageal manifestations relevant to the otolaryngologist. Finding evidence for a causal relationship between reflux and manifestations of otolaryngologic disease is often difficult, however, due in part to the non-specific nature of extraesophageal symptoms and the lack of pathognomonic endoscopic or laryngoscopic signs. This poses an even greater challenge in pediatrics given the inherent unreliability when obtaining subjectively reported data from younger aged children. Numerous studies have drawn a correlation between GERD and specific extraesophageal symptoms such as otitis media, sinusitis, chronic cough, and various laryngeal findings; however, determining a clear causative relationship has proven to be much more difficult. Further studies must be done to elucidate the true pathophysiologic mechanisms behind these disease processes. Diagnosis of GERD is challenging and is typically over-diagnosed among otolaryngologists based on laryngoscopic findings. This method has been proven to be both inconsistent and non-specific when evaluating for the presence of GERD. Impedance monitoring is supplanting pH probes as the new gold standard; the clinical utility of impedance testing among patients with extraesophageal symptoms remains unclear however and there are practical limitations in performing these studies in children. The accuracy of diagnostic tests (laryngoscopy, endoscopy, and pH- or pH-impedance monitoring) for patients with suspected extraesophageal manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux disease remains suboptimal at this time. Management options for GERD include lifestyle changes, pharmacologic therapy, and surgical intervention. H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors are effective treatment options in children but must be used judiciously given their potential side-effect profiles. Surgical options remain for those cases which are refractory to medical management. Multidisciplinary approaches and close collaboration between otolaryngologists and gastroenterologists is recommended to ensure application of best practice guidelines and for continued improvements in this area.
Sintering phenomena and mechanical strength of nickel based materials in direct metal laser sintering process—a molecular dynamics study

This paper presents an atomistic scale model on sintering of nickel particles in direct metal laser sintering process. Both sintering phenomena and mechanical strength of sintered particles are simulated using molecular dynamics method. A two-particle atomistic model is developed to investigate the diffusion of atoms during nickel sintering. The diffusion of particle surface is higher than the particle core, with calculated activation energy of nickel particle diffusion 6.10 kJ/mol in the particle core, and 6.24 kJ/mol on the particle surface, which are reasonably in agreement with the experimental data of 7.89 kJ/mol. The sintered model shows a 5-fold twinning structure at 1200 K, and two parallel twin boundaries at 1300 K. The mechanical properties of nickel nanoparticles sintered at various heating rates are investigated using uniaxial tensile test simulations. The results show that higher heating rate during sintering increases the mechanical strength of the sintered material. Deformation mechanism of sintered structures is illustrated from the correlation between stress and dislocation evolution.
Compatibility of Systems in the 1600 MHz Region

At the request of the Office of Telecommunication Policy (OTP), the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) has been working on the Electromagnetic Compatibility of 1600 MHz systems that include Collision Avoidance Systems (CHAS), Radar Altimeters, and proposed satellite systems. It is important to recognize the constraints imposed on each new system's design by the electromagnetic environment it must operate in and, conversely, what impact that system may have on the other systems operating within or near the frequency band. This paper presents recent work at ITS which is representative of all three classes of system development: (1) operating radar altimeters, (2) developed prototype CAS equipment, and (3) proposed general specifications for Air and Marine Mobile satellite communications.
Effects of differentiated school vouchers: Evidence from a policy change and date of birth cutoffs

This paper studies the effects of an increase in school choice by examining a 2008 reform that made the value of Chile’s (previously flat, universal) school voucher a step function of student income. This policy increased the number of private schools that low income children could access free of charge. I identify the impact of the policy by combining its introduction with variation from a date of birth enrollment cutoff. I show that the differentiated voucher lowered, but only slightly, the probability that students used public schools. Students more likely to move to private schools experienced better school characteristics but no increase in test scores. Further analysis suggests a rise in test scores for students most likely to stay in public schools. These results suggest that the effects of the policy on test scores were caused by responses from public schools, instead of by the re-sorting of students into private schools.
Biliary Reconstruction Options for Bile Duct Stricture In Patients with Prior Roux-en-Y Reconstruction

Comprehensive description with illustrations of the 4 biliary reconstruction options for bile duct injury in patients with history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
The Student Check-Up: effects of paraprofessional-delivered Motivational Interviewing on academic outcomes

Paraprofessionals and school volunteers increase the number of youth who receive academic and mental health interventions by providing services that were traditionally reserved for professional sta...
The Impact Factor of Circulation Research Reaches a New High.

As most readers know by now, the 2016 Impact Factor of Circulation Research has risen to 13.965—a new high for the journal and a significant increase versus the 2015 value of 11.551. The rise in the Impact Factor is noteworthy because it has occurred despite increasing competition caused by the growing number of cardiovascular journals and despite the fact that Circulation Research is a specialty, not a multidisciplinary, journal. Since the inception of our editorship, the …
Invariant Kinestatic Filtering

Three necessary conditions derived from classical geometry are proposed to evaluate formulations for the simultaneous twist and wrench control of rigid bodies, and for any theory to be meaningful it must be invariant with respect to (1) Euclidean Collineations, (2) Change of Unit Length, and (3) Change of Basis. It is demonstrated in this paper that a previously established theory of hybrid control for robot manipulators (see for example [1–3]) is in fact based on noninvariant principles and is noninvariant with respect to (1) and (2). A new alternative invariant formulation based on screw theory is presented. An example of insertion is included which illustrates both invariant and noninvariant methods.
Misoprostol in Addition to a Double-Balloon Catheter for Induction: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective This article aims to evaluate whether the use of a double-balloon catheter with oral misoprostol results in a lower rate of cesarean and shorter times to delivery than the use of the double-balloon catheter with oral placebo. Study Design In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, a double-balloon catheter was used for induction of labor with two doses of either 50 µg of misoprostol or placebo. Outcomes included cesarean rate, time to vaginal delivery, change in Bishop's score, and oxytocin usage. Results A total of 343 women were screened and 199 randomized: 99 to the misoprostol arm and 100 to the placebo arm. Cesarean delivery rate was not different between the groups (misoprostol: 13.1% vs. placebo: 17.0%, p = 0.45). Time to vaginal delivery was significantly shorter (mean: 14.6 ± 6.9 vs. 20.8 ± 13.8 hours, p Conclusion The use of a double-balloon catheter with oral misoprostol for induction did not reduce the cesarean delivery rate, but did result in shorter labors, a greater increase in Bishop's score, and a lower need for oxytocin use.
Reconceptualizing Indigenous Parent Involvement in Early Educational Settings: Lessons from Native Hawaiian Preschool Families

Indigenous families are often perceived by teachers and school administrators as disinterested and uninvolved in their children’s education. This article aims to complicate that longstanding stereotype. A detailed, qualitative case study of two Native Hawaiian preschool families reveals compelling counterstories of Indigenous parents who are deeply concerned about their children’s education, but are limited in their familyschool involvement by a range of (post)colonial, social, psychological, and economic challenges that make it difficult for them to engage with schools in conventional ways. The study raises awareness of the skillful resolve with which Indigenous families employ their limited resources to support their children’s education. It challenges educators and policy makers to imagine creative possibilities for drawing Indigenous families into collaborative activity with contemporary schools.
Mechanistric Study of the Briggs-Rauscher Reaction

The Briggs-Rauscher reaction involving iodate, hydrogen peroxide, malonic acid and Mn(II) in acid solution exhibits bistability and oscillation in a CSTR as well as batch oscillation. We have developed a mechanism for this reaction which reproduces these and other dynamic features. Astonishingly, our model is qualitatively identical to, though quantitatively different from, that derived independently by NOYES and FURROW [1].
Visually Evoked Response Differences to Contrast and Motion in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

High-density electroencephalography (EEG) was used to examine the utility of the P1 event-related potential (ERP) as a marker of visual motion sensitivity to luminance defined low-spatial frequency drifting gratings in 16 children with autism and 16 neurotypical children. Children with autism displayed enhanced sensitivity to large, high-contrast low-spatial frequency stimuli as indexed by significantly shorter P1 response latencies to large vs. small gratings. The current study also found that children with autism had larger amplitude responses to large gratings irrespective of contrast. A linear regression established that P1 adaptive mean amplitude for large, high-contrast sinusoidal gratings significantly predicted hyperresponsiveness item mean scores on the Sensory Experiences Questionnaire for children with autism, but not for neurotypical children. We conclude that children with autism have differences in the mechanisms that underlie low-level visual processing potentially related to altered visual spatial suppression or contrast gain control.
Creating opportunities to collaborate amidst disaster: new opportunities for academia

ABSTRACTThe author describes a collaboration to bring research and disaster recovery projects together in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. This reflective piece makes recommendations about th...
Photoacoustic Ophthalmoscopy: Principle, Application, and Future Directions

Photoacoustic ophthalmoscopy (PAOM) is a novel, hybrid, non-ionizing, and non-invasive imaging technology that has been used to assess the retina. PAOM can provide both anatomic and functional retinal characterizations with high resolution, high sensitivity, high contrast, and a high depth of penetration. Thus, ocular diseases can be precisely detected and visualized at earlier stages, resulting in an improved understanding of pathophysiology, improved management, and the improved monitoring of retinal treatment to prevent vision loss. To better visualize ocular components such as retinal vessels, choroidal vessels, choroidal neovascularization, retinal neovascularization, and the retinal pigment epithelium, an advanced multimodal ocular imaging platform has been developed by a combination of PAOM with other optical imaging techniques such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO), and fluorescence microscopy. The multimodal images can be acquired from a single imaging system and co-registered on the same image plane, enabling an improved evaluation of disease. In this review, the potential application of photoacoustic ophthalmoscopy in both research and clinical diagnosis are discussed as a medical screening technique for the visualization of various ocular diseases. The basic principle and requirements of photoacoustic ocular imaging are introduced. Then, various photoacoustic microscopy imaging systems of the retina in animals are presented. Finally, the future development of PAOM and multimodal imaging is discussed.
Dynamic Histological Events and Molecular Changes in Excisional Wound Healing of Diabetic DB/DB Mice.

Abstract Background Wound contraction and re-epithelialization over the entire healing process had never been histologically examined daily in diabetic mouse wounds. Correlating morphological characters with molecular changes may be essential to understand the potential mechanism of impeded diabetic wound healing. Materials and methods In 99 db/db and 63 db/m mice, dorsal-paired 8 mm-diameter wounds were created. Wound contraction and re-epithelialization were histologically analyzed daily—six wounds per group each day. A novel three-dimensional collagen gel model was used to study diabetic dermal fibroblast contractility. Fibroblast-to-myofibroblasts differentiation and TGFβ-SMAD signaling pathway through the diabetic db/db wound healing process were studied by immunohistochemistry. Results Db/db wounds presented delayed closure with impaired wound contraction. Re-epithelialization was not slow but showed thinner epithelial formation and irregular keratinocyte arrangement. Diabetic dermal fibroblasts had significantly lower contractile ability than nondiabetic fibroblasts. In db/db wounds, α-SMA, the marker of myofibroblasts, showed constantly low through the healing, which represented reduced fibroblast-to-myofibroblasts differentiation. Remarkably weak staining of TGFβRI and low accumulation of Smad3 in nuclei were observed. Conclusions We demonstrated and precisely located downregulated TGFβ signaling pathway in db/db wounds by showing low expression of TGFβRI and failure of Smad3 translocation from cytoplasm to nuclei, which was not reported previously. The downregulated TGFβ signaling pathway may contribute to the attenuated fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation. Deficient re-epithelialization and defective wound contraction contribute principally to delayed healing of diabetic db/db wounds.
I Finally Know What I Want to Be When I Grow Up

Why is it that we are always expected to have an answer for what we want to be when we grow up? From a very young age children are asked what they would like to become. Fireman, teacher, or my youngest son’s current choice, a monster truck driver. It starts with preschoolers. Then, as we hit the teenage years, career aspirations become more of a threat. My husband heard this at one point in his teenage years: “You don’t want to dig ditches when you grow up, do you?” We face serious choices as we complete high school, and for those of us who go on to college, we are hit with another round of more ominous decisions a few years later. What, exactly, do we plan to do after graduation? A few people are fortunate to have a clear picture of where they are going next. Others seem to avoid the decision-making process as long as possible or take some time off, perhaps a gap year, as they decide where to go next. But the underlying question is always the same. What do I want to be when I grow up?
Electrospinning of Cellulose Nanocrystal-Filled Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Solutions: Material Property Assessment

Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) random composite mats were prepared using the electrospinning method. PVA/CNC mats were reinforced with weight concentrations of 0, 20 and 50% CNC (w/w) relative to PVA. Scanning electron microscopy was used to measure the fiber diameter, which ranged from 377 to 416 nm. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed the presence of CNC fibers in the mat fibers which were not visible by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Mechanical testing was conducted using ASTM D 638 on each sample group at 10 mm min−1. Neat PVA and PVA/CNC mats were heat treated at 170 °C for 2h hours, and the morphological structure was maintained with some fiber diameter reduction. Mechanical property results after heat treatment showed a decrease in tensile strength, an increase in tensile stiffness and a decrease in strain to yield (%). This effect was attributable to enhanced diffusion bonding of the mat fiber intersections. The CNC fibers also increased mat stiffness, and reduced strain to yield in non-treated mats. The use of CNCs show potential for compounding into bulk polymer composites as a reinforcement filler, and also show promise for chemical crosslinking attributable to the –OH groups on both the PVA, in addition to esterification of the vinyl group, and CNC.
Neural GPUs Learn Algorithms

Abstract: Learning an algorithm from examples is a fundamental problem that has been widely studied. Recently it has been addressed using neural networks, in particular by Neural Turing Machines (NTMs). These are fully differentiable computers that use backpropagation to learn their own programming. Despite their appeal NTMs have a weakness that is caused by their sequential nature: they are not parallel and are are hard to train due to their large depth when unfolded. We present a neural network architecture to address this problem: the Neural GPU. It is based on a type of convolutional gated recurrent unit and, like the NTM, is computationally universal. Unlike the NTM, the Neural GPU is highly parallel which makes it easier to train and efficient to run. An essential property of algorithms is their ability to handle inputs of arbitrary size. We show that the Neural GPU can be trained on short instances of an algorithmic task and successfully generalize to long instances. We verified it on a number of tasks including long addition and long multiplication of numbers represented in binary. We train the Neural GPU on numbers with upto 20 bits and observe no errors whatsoever while testing it, even on much longer numbers. To achieve these results we introduce a technique for training deep recurrent networks: parameter sharing relaxation. We also found a small amount of dropout and gradient noise to have a large positive effect on learning and generalization.
Using Principal Component Analysis to Better Understand Behavioral Measures and their Effects

An important question in interactive IR research is: What do search behaviors tell us about specific task characteristics, post-task perceptions, and post-task outcomes such as knowledge gains? Much research has explored this question from different perspectives. A common approach is to consider a wide range of behavioral measures and examine their differences based on dependent variables of interest (e.g., post-task perceptions). In this paper, we use principal component analysis (PCA), a dimensionality reduction technique, to analyze behavioral measures captured during three previously published studies. Using PCA, we examine the underlying phenomena being captured by different behavioral measures, and we examine the influence of these phenomena on different outcomes related to participants' post-task perceptions (e.g., workload, difficulty, engagement, etc.). We argue (and show) that PCA can provide several benefits. First, it can help us understand the behavioral phenomena captured by different measures. Second, it can help us determine which measures are ambiguous or unambiguous with respect to the underlying phenomena being captured. Third, it can help us understand how behavioral phenomena (vs. individual measures) relate to searchers' perceptions of their search experience.
Shifting carbon flux from non-transient starch to lipid allows oil accumulation in transgenic tobacco leaves

Plant leaf biomass is composed predominantly of carbohydrate and protein with less than 5% dry weight allocated to lipid and less than 1% of total lipid in the form of triacylglycerols (TAGs). The combined overexpression of multiple genes involved in different aspects of TAG synthesis and stabilization can result in TAG accumulation to over 30% dry weight in tobacco leaves, presumably requiring many metabolic adjustments within plant cells. The metabolic consequences to the combined source and sink capacities of high oil accumulating transgenic tobacco leaves compared to wild-type were inspected across development and photoperiod by utilizing foliar biomass components and 13CO2 flux through central carbon intermediates. Lipid biosynthesis was investigated through assessment of acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) pools using a recently derived quantification method that was extended to accommodate isotopic labeling. Lipids accumulated stepwise over plant development in the high-oil leaves, with 13CO2-labeling studies confirming increased carbon flux to lipids. The large increase in lipid content was concurrent with a decrease in foliar starch, with limited contribution from non-sucrose soluble sugars, indicating a redirection of carbon from starch to lipids. Starch accumulated non-transiently with plant age in wild-type leaves, suggesting an inherent capacity for a developmentally-regulated carbon sink in tobacco leaves that may have enabled the programmed altered carbon partitioning to lipids in transgenics. These studies provide insight into the metabolic plasticity of dual source-sink leaves over development and may in part explain recent successful leaf lipid engineering efforts in tobacco.
Formulae for calculating body surface area in modern U.S. Army Soldiers.

Abstract Purpose Body surface area (BSA) is an important measurement for many thermophysiological, pharmaceutical, toxicological, environmental, and military applications. Unfortunately, BSA is difficult to quantify, and existing prediction methods are not optimized for contemporary populations. Methods The present study analyzed data body measurements from 5603 male and female participants of a US Army Anthropometric Survey to determine optimal methods for estimating BSA in modern US Army Soldiers. This data included 94 individual body measurements as well as three dimensional (3D) whole body scans for each participant. We used this data to assess and compared 15 existing equations to the measured data. We also derived best fitting nonlinear regression models for estimating BSA from different combinations of sex, height, and weight and iteratively included the remaining 91 measurements to determine which combinations resulted in the highest goodness-of-fit. Results We found that inclusion of armspan measurements as a third body dimension maximized the model goodness-of-fit. Conclusion Some of the existing formulae provide reasonable estimates of 3D-scanner derived BSA; while our new formulae derived from this study allows for more accurate estimates of BSA using one or more common input variables.
Experimental dataset with high-speed visualization for vertical upward steam-water flow with transition from annulus to circular channel

Abstract A new database for steam-water flow is developed by the Multiphase Thermo-fluid Dynamics Laboratory (MTDL) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The experiment is carried out in a test section spanning the transition from an annulus to pipe, with one of the goals to study the effects of flow-geometry change on two-phase transport. Four-sensor conductivity probes are used to measure local two-phase parameters such as void fraction, interfacial area concentration, Sauter mean diameter, and gas velocity at 11 radial locations across the flow channel and five axial locations along the flow channel. The radial and axial profiles for selected conditions are presented and their features are discussed extensively. Parametric study is also carried out to understand the impact of flow parameters on steam-water flows under flashing condition. Besides, glass viewports are installed at three axial locations in the test section to observe the flow structure especially at the point of transition between the annulus and the pipe. The dataset, along with the high-speed videos, are valuable for the validation of the modeling and simulation of steam-water flows.
Normal Kinematics of the Syndesmosis and Ankle Mortise During Dynamic Movements

Background:Documenting the healthy articulation of the syndesmosis and talocrural joints, and measurement of 3D medial and lateral clear spaces may improve diagnostic and treatment guidelines for p...
Threshold Regression with Nonparametric Sample Splitting

This paper develops a threshold regression model where an unknown relationship between two variables nonparametrically determines the threshold. We allow the observations to be cross-sectionally dependent so that the model can be applied to determine an unknown spatial border for sample splitting over a random field. We derive the uniform rate of convergence and the nonstandard limiting distribution of the nonparametric threshold estimator. We also obtain the root-n consistency and the asymptotic normality of the regression coefficient estimator. Our model has broad empirical relevance as illustrated by estimating the tipping point in social segregation problems as a function of demographic characteristics; and determining metropolitan area boundaries using nighttime light intensity collected from satellite imagery. We find that the new empirical results are substantially different from those in the existing studies.
Quantum network probing with indefinite routing

Quantum network probing is experimental estimation of network parameters by passing probes through the network. In probing with indefinite routing (IR), the probe traces a quantum mechanical superposition of different paths through the network. We consider a quantum network modeled by three identical qudit depolarizing channels, each channel with state preservation probability $$\theta $$ and dimension d. Using quantum Fisher (QF) information as our measure of merit, we comprehensively assess the advantage associated with maximal IR for estimating the network depolarization rate $$1-\theta $$ . A three-channel network admits three distinctive types of IR, cyclical, directional, and full. Definite routing is the case where the probe is confined to a single path through the network. We find that compared to this baseline case all three IR types yield a gain in QF information, the gain being greatest with full IR. Comparing the information gains with cyclical and directional IR shows that, for $$\theta $$ above a dimensional threshold, directional IR offers greater advantage, while below this threshold cyclical IR is more advantageous. Our results show further that the joint effect of cyclical IR and directional IR can be synergistic or antagonistic, depending on $$\theta $$ and d. With our analytical approach, the network output states are quasi-classical, greatly simplifying the derivation of the QF information involved. This approach can be extended to larger networks with different IR schemes.
Developmental Assets, Defiance, and Caregiver Communication among Black Adolescents with High Body Weights

Families facing significant stressors may be particularly vulnerable to less adaptive adolescent-caregiver communication, which can foster adolescent oppositional defiant behaviors (ODB). Black adolescents with high body weights (i.e., Body Mass Index [BMI] ≥ 95th percentile) face a myriad of intrapersonal and interpersonal stressors. However, the developmental assets model suggests that adolescent assets (i.e., positive characteristics and resources) may disrupt negative associations between risk factors and negative outcomes. The present study uses a strengths-based approach to assess whether adolescent assets strengthen or weaken the relation between adolescent ODB and adolescent-caregiver communication among Black adolescents with high body weights. Black youth aged 11–17 years and one of their primary caregivers (N = 64, 32 adolescent–caregiver dyads) were recruited from a healthy lifestyle clinic at a Midsouth pediatric hospital. Youth completed in-person interviews, while caregivers completed questionnaires assessing adolescent ODB, adolescent assets, and adolescent–caregiver communication. Two moderation models were conducted to examine associations between ODB and communication, with adolescent assets as a moderator, based on adolescent- and caregiver-report, respectively. The adolescent moderation model was significant, and the interaction between ODB and assets was significantly associated with communication. In the caregiver moderation model, the interaction effect was nonsignificant. Overall, assets were associated with adaptive adolescent–caregiver communication and acted as a buffer among Black adolescents with high body weights. Study findings highlight the potential value of strengths-based interventions among adolescent–caregiver dyads in which challenging communication or behavior exist.
Hotel Analytics: The Case for Reverse Competitive Sets:

Hotel industry practitioners and scholars expressed concerns regarding the reliability of the commonly used comparative performance indices, given the subjective nature of the competitive (comp) se...
Gastrointestinal tuberculosis

Gastrointestinal tuberculosis is defined as infection of the peritoneum, hollow or solid abdominal organs, and abdominal lymphatics with Mycobacterium tuberculosis organisms. Gastrointestinal tuberculosis is relatively rare in the United States and is the sixth most common extrapulmonary location. Populations at risk include immigrants to the United States, the homeless, prisoners, residents of long-term care facilities, and the immunocompromised. The peritoneum and the ileocecal region are the most likely sites of infection and are involved in the majority of cases by hematogenous spread or through swallowing of infected sputum from primary pulmonary tuberculosis. Pulmonary tuberculosis is apparent in less than half of patients. Patients usually present with abdominal pain, weight loss, fever, anorexia, change in bowel habits, nausea, and vomiting. The diagnosis is often delayed and is usually made through a combination of radiologic, endoscopic, microbiologic, histologic, and molecular techniques. Antimicrobial treatment is the same as for pulmonary tuberculosis. Surgery is occasionally required.
SU-E-J-39: Dosimetric Benefit of Implanted Marker-Based CBCT Setup for Definitive Prostatic Radiotherapy

Purpose Daily setup for definitive prostatic radiotherapy is challenged by suboptimal visibility of the prostate boundary and daily variation of rectum shape and position. For patients with improved bowel preparation, we conducted a dosimetric comparison between prostate implanted marker (IM)-based daily setup and anterior rectal wall (ARW)-based setup, with the hypothesis that the former leads to adequate target coverage with better rectal sparing. Methods Five IMRT/VMAT prostate cases with implanted markers were selected for analysis. Daily CBCT showed improvement of the rectal volume compared to planning CT. For each patient, the prostate and rectum were contoured on three CBCT images (fraction 5/15/25) with subsequent physician review. The CBCTs were then registered to a planning CT using IM-based registration. The deviation of ARW positions from planning CT to CBCT were analyzed at various sup-inf levels (−1.8 cm to 1.8 cm from level of prostate center). To estimate the potential dosimetric impact from ARW-based setup, the treatment plans were recalculated using A-P shifts ranging from −1mm to +6mm. Clinically important rectum DVH values including Dmax, D3cc and Dmean were computed. Results For the studied patients, we observed on average 32% rectum volume reduction from planning CT to CBCT. As a Results, themore » ARW on average shifts posteriorly by −1mm to +5mm, depending on the sup-inf level of observation, with larger shifts observed at more superior levels. Recalculation shows that when ARW shifts 1mm posteriorly, ARW-based CBCT setup leads to a 1.0%, 4.2%, and 3.2% increase in rectum Dmax, D3cc, and Dmean, respectively, compared to IM-based setup. The dosimetric deviations increase to 4.7%, 25.8% and 24.7% when ARW shifts 6mm posteriorly. No significant prostate-only dose difference was observed. Conclusion For patients with improved bowel preparation, IM-based CBCT setup leads to accurate prostate coverage along with significantly lower rectal dose, compared to ARW-based setup.« less
Do farnesyltransferase inhibitors modulate immune responses by blocking cytokine secretion from alloreactive T cells? (TRAN3P.899)

Farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) have been shown to modulate alloreactive immune responses in mouse models of transplantation (A.E. Gaylo, et al., Transplant Immunology 20 (2009) 163-170) and graft versus host disease (A.-K. Hechinger, et al. Haematoligica 98 (2013) 31-40). We are testing the hypothesis that FTIs modulate immune responses by blocking cytokine secretion from alloreactive T cells. By blocking T cell cytokine secretion FTIs could affect the differentiation of activated CD4+ T cells into Th1, Th2, or other effector subtypes. We have examined the ability of FTIs to affect cytokine secretion from various T cell subsets and T cell polarization in mice during an allorejection response. Using qPCR we quantified cytokine gene expression in graft-draining lymph nodes (GDLNs) isolated from mice during the rejection of an MHC class II-mismatched skin allograft (bm12 donors to B6 recipients). Using ELISpot assays, we also measured the number of alloreactive Th1 (IFN-γ producing) and Th2 (IL-4-producing) cells in GDLNs. In vitro T cell polarization of polyclonally-stimulated CD4+ T cells isolated from spleen was measured using IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-17, and FoxP3 intracellular staining. Using these various approaches, we found that FTI treatment differentially affects cytokine secretion from the CD4+ T cell subsets studied. These effects lead to differences in Th1/Th2 cell polarization that could explain the immunomodulatory activity of FTIs.
Child and Adolescent Suicide in a Large, Urban Area: Psychological, Demographic, and Situational Factors

We examined all completed suicides by children and adolescents in Los Angeles County who died during 1996 and 1997. There were 46 subjects, aged 11 through 16. The majority of the decedents were males and over age 14. The predominant racial group was Hispanic. There was an almost even split between firearms and hanging as the means of death. Females had a statistically significantly higher rate of prior suicide attempts than males. Over one-third left a suicide note, almost one-half were noted to be depressed, and 22% tested positive for alcohol or illicit drugs. Less than one-quarter were in mental health treatment. Eighty-seven percent had difficulty transitioning to or during adolescence; e.g., problems at home, legal and school difficulties, and relationship losses. These findings are discussed in terms of Eriksonian developmental theory. We offer recommendations for intervention and prevention of suicide.
Communication and cancer? Part II: Conversation analysis

Abstract In Part I, the authors pointed out that despite the increasing focus on communication in psychosocial oncology, a comprehensive review of the literature revealed that the primary emphasis has been individuals' self-reported experiences rather than naturally occurring interactions between cancer patients, family members, and health professionals. Thus, an empirical foundation for understanding communication activities is in its infancy. In Part II, the authors provide an overview of “conversation analysis” as an alternative method for studying patterns of interaction during medical encounters and family interactions. Transcribed excerpts from ongoing research, focusing on how family members talk through cancer on the telephone, exemplify how “news delivery sequences” and “managing optimism” are crucial resources for understanding and dealing with cancer journeys. The authors conclude by discussing the need for discernment between self-report and interactional data, the usefulness of conversation a...