cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal course and characteristics of cyclothymic disorder in youth

Abstract Objectives Epidemiological studies suggest that cyclothymic disorder is the most prevalent subtype of bipolar disorder (BD). However, it is rarely diagnosed, especially in youth. This may be because it can be difficult to ascertain whether a youth meets diagnostic criteria. Clearer, easy-to-apply criteria could reduce misdiagnosis. The objective oftable this study was to determine whether proposed research diagnostic criteria for cyclothymic disorder (RDCyc), based on DSM-5 criteria, could be quantified and validated in youth. Methods Participants from the Longitudinal Assessment of Manic Symptoms (LAMS) study were recruited based on symptoms of mania and followed prospectively. RDCyc criteria were: 1) At least one core symptom each of mania and depression; 2) one additional symptom of mania and of depression; 3) persistence over two consecutive six-month periods, and 4) impairment. Exclusionary criteria were having a [hypo]manic or depressive episode. Outcomes at the two-year follow-up were compared between RDCyc youth and other diagnostic groups (BD I/II, BD NOS/non-RDCyc cyclothymic disorder, disruptive behavior disorders [DBD], depression). Results Thirty-seven youth met RDCyc criteria. There were no consistent differences between the RDCyc youth and youth with other BD subtypes (ps=0.001–0.960, with all-but-one p value >0.02). RDCyc youth had higher depression (p Limitations The majority of youth in the sample were recruited due to elevated symptoms of mania, which may limit the generalizability of the results. Youth were followed for two years, which may not be long enough to determine whether or not they will eventually develop a manic or depressive episode. Conclusions Applying RDCyc criteria identified youth who were similar to others with BD and were more impaired than those with DBD. Using these criteria could reduce misdiagnosis and increase our understanding of this prevalent, but largely ignored, diagnosis.
A comparative study on ion-beam induced effects in spinel structure types

In situ TEM and followed by HRTEM were used to characterize the effects of the ion beam irradiation on the microstructure of three compositions of the spinel structure type (γ-A IV B 2 VI O 4 ), MgAl 2 O 4 , FeCr 2 O 4 and γ-SiFe 2 O 4 , irradiated with 1.5 MeV Kr + ions over a temperature range between 20 to 873 K. After an irradiation to 4.8 dpa at 20 K, the cations in MgAl 2 O 4 were completely disordered among the tetrahedral and octahedral sites, but the oxygen sublattice remained intact. In contrast, at 298 K, a high density (∼5 × 10 22 /m 3 ) of dislocation loops (average diameter 2 O 4 , a spinel structure type formed under high pressure (7.0 GPa), was easily amorphized at doses 2 O 4 ). At 873 K, the amorphized γ-SiFe 2 O 4 recrystallized to magnetite (Fe 2+ Fe 3+ 2 O 4 , an inverse spinel structure) and quartz (SiO 2 ) during continued Kr + irradiation. Chromite (ideally FeCr 2 O 4 ) with an actual composition of (Fe 0.6 Mg 0.4 )(Cr 0.7 Al 0.3 ) 2 O 4 amorphized after 3.8 dpa at 20 K and only displayed cation disordering after 6.4 dpa at 300 K.
A note on weak reciprocal Dunford–Pettis sets

A bounded subset K of X is defined to be a weak reciprocal Dunford–Pettis set (or wRDP set) if T(K) is relatively weakly compact for each completely continuous operator $${T \colon X \to c_0}$$ . A Banach space X has the R * property if every wRDP subset of X is relatively weakly compact. In this paper we study weak reciprocal Dunford–Pettis sets and Banach spaces with property R *.
Ground target tracking and trajectory prediction by UAV using a single camera and 3D road geometry recovery

In this paper, we propose a new method to address the dual problem of ground target tracking in the image plane and 3D road geometry recovery using a single vision sensor on-board an unmanned aerial vehicle. We recover the road geometry from a single aerial image by a novel structure from motion algorithm with the simple assumption that road or lane boundaries are parallel curves and do not have significant twist. The coordinate of the ground target in the camera frame is then estimated using the recovered road geometry. An extended Kalman filter is finally applied to track and predict the trajectory of the target using recent target motion and the road geometry. The experimental results on simulated data and real world image show the feasibility of our approach.
Doo-wop Italiano: Towards an understanding and appreciation of Italian-American vocal groups of the late 1950s and early 1960s

The vocal harmony groups of the 1950s, later known as “doo-wop groups,” were rock and roll’s most significant form of urban expression. Created and developed to its highest level by African-America...
Vegetable Oils as a Chemical Platform

As dwindling crude oil reserves around the planet bring uncertainty about the supply of energy and raw materials to mankind, many scientists are focusing their efforts in developing inventive solutions to diminish our dependency on petroleum. Besides appeasing concerns related to a very vulnerable economy strongly tied to crude oil markets, alternative technologies and sources of chemicals have the potential to provide more environmentally friendly solutions, including lower CO2 emissions, improved atom economy, and the use of renewable resources. In that context, vegetable oils can be used as a chemical platform, leading to a variety of products through chemical modifications. This chapter covers the use of vegetable oils for the preparation of various materials, including polymers, composites, coatings, gels, emulsions, binders in ink formulations, and other minor applications.
Correction to “On the density of geometrically finite Kleinian groups”

This erratum corrects an error arising in the proof of Proposition 6.4 in the article “On the density of geometrically finite Kleinian groups” [Brock, J. F. & Bromberg, K. W., Acta Math., 192 (2004), 33–93].
A research protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial designed to examine the feasibility of a couple-based mind-body intervention for patients with metastatic lung cancer and their partners.

Given the generally incurable nature of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC), patients and their romantic partners are at risk for existential/spiritual distress. Although a handful of dyadic psychosocial interventions for lung cancer patients and their caregivers exist, none of them target spiritual well-being. Informed by the mindfulness-based intervention literature and our pilot work in couples affected by lung cancer, we developed a brief couple-based mind-body (CBMB) intervention. The primary aim of this research protocol is to determine the feasibility of implementing the CBMB intervention versus an active control (AC) or wait list control (WLC) group in patients with mNSCLC and their partners using a randomized controlled trial design. Seventy-five patients with mNSCLC receiving treatment and their partners are randomized to the CBMB intervention, an AC or a WLC group. Those in the CBMB intervention and AC groups receive four intervention sessions of 60 min each over 4 weeks and complete weekly homework assignments. The first session is delivered in person, and the remaining sessions are delivered via videoconference. The dyads in the AC group discuss cancer-related and personal growth concerns with the interventionist but are not taught coping skills. Patients and partners in all groups complete baseline assessments of quality of life (QOL) prior to randomization. Follow-up assessments are performed 4 weeks and then again 3 months later. The primary outcome is feasibility (i.e., ≥ 30% of eligible couples consent, ≥ 70% of enrolled couples are retained, and ≥ 50% of all CBMB and AC sessions are attended). We will also perform primarily descriptive analyses of the self-reported outcomes (e.g., spiritual well-being and psychological distress) and explore potential intervention mediators (i.e., compassion, communication, mindfulness, and closeness) to inform a larger, future trial. This trial will provide important information regarding the feasibility of a behavioral intervention in a vulnerable yet understudied population using videoconferencing and descriptive data regarding spiritual well-being and other indices of QOL in both mNSCLC patients and their partners. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02596490
Effective Crowdsourcing for a New Type of Summarization Task

Most summarization research focuses on summarizing the entire given text, but in practice readers are often interested in only one aspect of the document or conversation. We propose targeted summarization as an umbrella category for summarization tasks that intentionally consider only parts of the input data. This covers query-based summarization, update summarization, and a new task we propose where the goal is to summarize a particular aspect of a document. However, collecting data for this new task is hard because directly asking annotators (e.g., crowd workers) to write summaries leads to data with low accuracy when there are a large number of facts to include. We introduce a novel crowdsourcing workflow, Pin-Refine, that allows us to collect high-quality summaries for our task, a necessary step for the development of automatic systems.
Effects of Acculturation on Assistive Technology Service Delivery

This article offers a process for understanding the concept of acculturation within the context of assistive technology (AT) decision-making. Encouraging professionals to consider the influence fro...
Inference on Parameters of Multivariate Normal Populations When Some Data is Missing

Publisher Summary Much of the literature on multivariate analysis is devoted to problems of inference when the same set of measurements is taken on each observed individual event. But in practice, such a situation is not always realized, because of the inherent nature of the population sampled, as with skeletal material, in which not all observations can be taken on each specimen or the nature of the phase sampling employed. To derive a test in a given problem, one of the following procedures is used: (1) the ad hoc or intuitive approach; (2) the likelihood ratio (LR) principle; (3) an approach via the completeness of an exponential family to obtain a uniformly most powerful unbiased (UM PU) test or simple similar or unbiased tests; and (4) an invariance principle, which helps to get an UMPI or locally best invariant (LBI) test.
Clinical and experimental studies on retinal neovascularization. XXXIX Edward Jackson Memorial Lecture.

Retinal neovascularization is a serious complication of the retinopathy associated with diabetes, branch vein occlusion, sickle cell anemia, and retrolental fibroplasia. Retinal capillary nonperfusion, demonstrated on fluorescein angiography, precedes the development of neovascularization in each of these conditions. Our working hypothesis is that the nonperfused (ischemic or hypoxic) retina liberates a vasoproliferative or angiogenic substance. Although I have delineated the clinical and experimental observations relating to the hypothesis of an ischemicmediated angiogenesis substance, other postulated mechanisms for the development of retinal neovascularization may be involved. Recent observations on the experimental model of retrolental fibroplasia have demonstrated the markedly abnormal persistence and apparent proliferation of the hyaloid vessels in mice following oxygen-induced retinal vascular closure.
Small-signal model predictive control based resilient energy storage management strategy for all electric ship MVDC voltage stabilization

Abstract Medium Voltage Direct Current (MVDC) power system will revolutionize the future of the marine all-electric ships (AES). However, with the presence of the constant power load (CPL), which behaves as incremental negative resistance, and the presence of heavy pulsed loads (HPL), that consume a massive amount of pulsed power, the voltage stability of the system arises as a critical problem. This problem needs to be addressed appropriately. This work presents a small signal model for a MVDC power system and design of a model predictive controller that maintains the voltage stability and ensures proper power sharing among the resources on the ship. Unlike previous works, the small signal model of the system is embedded inside the controller, which increases the flexibility of the controller to adapt to the different circumstances on the shipboard. The model and the controller are simulated through MATLAB/Simulink and validated using a processor in the loop. The results showed the ability of the controller to maintain the voltage of the MVDC under the different operational circumstances. Also, the controller was able to ensure the adequate operation of the resources and warrant proper power sharing.
Unioverse: A phylogenomic resource for reconstructing the evolution of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionoida).

Abstract Freshwater mussels (order Unionoida) are a diverse radiation of parasitic bivalves that require temporary larval encystment on vertebrate hosts to complete metamorphosis to free-living juveniles. The freshwater mussel-fish symbiosis represents a useful relationship for understanding eco-evolutionary dynamics in freshwater ecosystems but the practicality of this promising model system is undermined by the absence of a stable freshwater mussel phylogeny. Inadequate character sampling is the primary analytical impediment obfuscating a coherent phylogeny of freshwater mussels, specifically the lack of nuclear molecular markers appropriate for reconstructing supraspecific relationships and testing macroevolutionary hypotheses. The objective of this study is to develop a phylogenomic resource, specifically an anchored hybrid enrichment probe set, capable of capturing hundreds of molecular markers from taxa distributed across the entirety of freshwater mussel biodiversity. Our freshwater mussel specific anchored hybrid enrichment probe set, called Unioverse, successfully captures hundreds of nuclear protein-coding loci from all major lineages of the Unionoida and will facilitate more data-rich and taxonomically inclusive reconstructions of freshwater mussel evolution. We demonstrate the utility of this resource at three disparate evolutionary scales by estimating a backbone phylogeny of the Bivalvia with a focus on the Unionoida, reconstructing the subfamily-level relationships of the Unionidae, and recovering the systematic position of the phylogenetically unstable genus Plectomerus.
Is the Confirmation Bias Bubble Larger Online? Pre-Election Confirmation Bias in Selective Exposure to Online versus Print Political Information

The Internet era has often been blamed for a predominant engagement with attitude-consistent information among citizens (labeled confirmation bias), which is thought to hurt political deliberation....
Song, Beat, Sound, and Solo: Production, Musical Style, and a Recording-Oriented Aesthetic of Jazz

ABSTRACTJazz musicians have increasingly incorporated advanced recording techniques like overdubbing, sampling, and virtual instrument programming into their creative processes. While some of these...
trans-Trismethoxy resveratrol decreased fat accumulation dependent on fat-6 and fat-7 in Caenorhabditis elegans

trans-Trismethoxy resveratrol (TMR) is a methyl analog of resveratrol. It is found to exhibit enhanced biological effects compared to resveratrol, such as inhibition of cancer cell growth and pro-apoptotic activities. However, the role of TMR in lipid metabolism is not fully understood. In this study, we used Caenorhabditis elegans, an in vivo nematode model which has been widely applied in disease research, including research on obesity, to investigate the effect of TMR on lipid metabolism. Treatment with TMR (100 and 200 μM) for 4 days significantly reduced triglyceride accumulation (14% and 20% reduction over the control, respectively) of C. elegans, without affecting nematode growth, food intake and reproduction. Treatment with TMR significantly downregulated stearoyl-CoA desaturase genes, fat-6 and fat-7, accompanied by a decrease in the desaturation index of fatty acids, the ratio of oleic acid to stearic acid. These results suggest that TMR inhibits fat accumulation by downregulating stearoyl-CoA desaturase in C. elegans.
Scombroid Fish Poisoning Leading to Vasospastic Angina: A Rare Etiology of Chest Pain

Abstract Chest pain is commonly reported in emergency departments, and a thorough clinical history is important in distinguishing the etiology. This case highlights Kounis syndrome, a histamine-mediated coronary vasospasm leading to myocardial injury, due to scombroid fish poisoning. (Level of Difficulty: Beginner.)
A Little Digital Help: Advancing Social Support for Transplant Patients With Technology.

Berry, Daniels, and Ladin (2019) question the relevance and acceptability of using social support evaluations as criterion for listing patients as candidates for an organ transplant. Even if resear...
Advance Directives for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Recipients

Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale Blood and Marrow Transplantation (BMT) is a potentially curative therapy, but despite clinical advancements it continues to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Advance Directives (AD) ensure that patients receive the care that is consistent with their values, goals, and preferences at end of life (EOL). Yet, fewer than a quarter of BMT recipients at this Academic Medical Center have a documented AD. This leads to an increase in unnecessary treatments, care escalations, and discrepancy of care expectations which heightens distress for the patient, family, and provider. In May 2019, a nurse driven interprofessional team was assembled to conduct a performance improvement project. Methods, Intervention, & Analysis The goal was to increase the percent of completed AD for BMT recipients at this Center before transplant (Day 0), from 21% to 40% by September 2019. Through team-based problem solving, analyzation of possible causes for gaps in practice related to AD completion was performed. The identified key focus areas included: the absence of AD discussions in both the clinic and inpatient settings, lack of staff training and education, and no standard workflow for AD completion or collection. These findings were addressed in June 2019, by implementing a standard operating procedure within the BMT program for AD completion, delivery, and submission into the electronic health record. Training was also developed and provided to all BMT interprofessional teams. Findings & Interpretation Between July 2019 and September 2019, 74 patients received a transplant at this center, of those patients 30 had an AD completed by Day 0. The overall AD completion rate was 40.5% (Table 1). Furthermore, an increase in patients providing their Social Workers with a completed AD in the clinic setting was identified as well as the referrals to inpatient Spiritual Care services for assistance with AD completion. Discussion & Implications Early completion of AD offers the opportunity for goal-concordant care at EOL, and the BMT population can greatly benefit from this care. This has the potential to reduce hospitalization at the EOL, decrease ICU utilization and costly invasive interventions, increase utilization of hospice services, and promote a higher satisfaction with the quality of care.
Internal arcing and lightning strike damage in short carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites

Abstract Short carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (S-CFRTP) are currently used in interior parts of aircraft such as electronic circuitry and assemblies, and their usage in aircraft's exterior is also being studied. A lightning strike study on S-CFRTPs is presented in this paper. High performance thermoplastics such as a polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) reinforced with 50% weight (wt.) short carbon fiber (CF), a polyphenyl sulfone (PPSU) reinforced with 25 % wt. Short CF and a acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) with 20 % wt. short CF were tested against artificial lightning strikes. All samples were prepared using an extrusion compression molding (ECM) technique. A modified component A (100 kA) of lightning waveform, as defined by SAE ARP 5412-B, was applied. High speed imaging, thermography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation were performed to understand the effect of lightning strikes on the thermoplastic panels. The results show that electrical conductivity of the composite, thermal stability of the polymers, and CF orientation significantly affected the damage from artificial lightning strikes. PPS composite had the highest resilience against lightning strike damage, retaining 95% and 89% residual flexural strength and modulus, respectively. CF exfoliation due to internal arcing was observed in the carbon fiber-reinforced ABS polymer (CF-ABS) composite. CF exfoliation damage has been reported for the first time.
Planar nanophotonic structures for intensity based readout refractive index sensing applied to dissolved methane detection

As global temperatures rise, permafrost in the Arctic is thawing, stimulating increased release of methane, a key greenhouse gas. Accurate, low cost, and portable sensors are needed to measure the dissolved methane concentration in seawater and freshwater to quantify methane release in nature and to better understand how these sources are contributing to increasing global methane levels. This paper analyzes and compares three simple and low-cost planar nanophotonic and plasmonic structures as optical transducers for measuring the refractive index change of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer films doped with cryptophane-A molecules, which selectively trap methane. To measure the concentration of dissolved methane, changes in the refractive index (RI) of PDMS functionalized to selectively trap methane molecules, can be measured via an optical readout mechanism. However, the range of the RI change is very narrow, from 1.41198 to 1.41358 for methane concentration levels ranging from 0 nM to 300 nM, which requires the use of highly sensitive optical sensors. Through numerical simulations, we evaluate the sensitivity of the proposed structures and demonstrate that they exhibit superior performance in the reflectance intensity readout mode to that of the standard surface-plasmon-polariton-mode Spreeta sensor. A practical implementation of this chip with a simple intensity-based measurement scheme is proposed. Integration of this planar structure into a small, portable, and low-cost dissolved methane sensor offers a way to make methane monitoring more widespread and accessible.
Model-based deep learning for additive manufacturing: New frontiers and applications

Abstract Artificial intelligence has created disruptive possibilities in additive manufacturing towards smarter design, process control, and quality assurance. Nonetheless, the scarcity of data in additive manufacturing significantly limits the wide adoption of artificial intelligent techniques. In this work, we propose the deployment of a novel artificial intelligent structure called model-based deep learning in the context of additive manufacturing which can address scenarios with scarce data but an available underlying iterative mathematical/inference model. Several immediate applications of this technique in the additive manufacturing research as well as a proof of concept on temperature profile prediction in metal AM process are presented.
Evaluating the genome-wide impacts of species translocations: the greater prairie-chicken as a case study

A variety of conservation management strategies have been developed to address rapid, anthropogenically-driven biodiversity loss. The translocation of individuals from viable populations to those experiencing significant decline is one such strategy to increase genetic diversity and avoid extirpation, yet efficacy of this strategy has rarely been examined in detail utilizing genomic data. Here, we employ a conservation icon, the greater prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus), as a case study to demonstrate how genome-wide SNPs derived from RADseq offer the ability to assess translocation success with respect to the genomic aspects of genetic restoration, encompassing (1) the alleviation of inbreeding (2) the restoration of evolutionary potential, and (3) the maintenance of local variation. Genome-wide diversity estimates calculated from 356,778 SNPs demonstrate that translocations rescued the Illinois population from severe inbreeding and lack of genetic diversity, restoring variation to levels comparable to the three non-bottlenecked source populations. Delineation of genetic structure using non-linked and ubiquitously genotyped SNPs reveal distinct genetic variation among the source and recipient populations as well as high levels of admixture in the post-translocation population resulting from translocations. Estimated ancestry derived from private alleles uncover introgression of unique variation from each source population as well as the maintenance of substantial levels of variation unique to Illinois. Our findings demonstrate that genome-wide analysis of variation is a valuable management tool for measuring the genomic effects of translocations and, subsequently, gauging genetic restoration success.
Solutions to the Scheil Equation with a Variable Partition Coefficient

We describe and validate a numerical solution of the Scheil equation given a variable partition coefficient measured over a wide range of solid fraction. More specifically, the Scheil equation is integrated over the solid fraction using a quadrature method that is tailored to the requisite integrand. The utility of this approach is demonstrated by accurately determining liquid and solid concentrations associated with the non-equilibrium solidification of two prototypical alloy systems, namely a Co–Cu binary alloy and a TRIP steel. Finally, a comparison of these concentrations with those obtained using ThermoCalc® and a drastic, often employed approximation to the partition coefficient (i.e., that it is constant over a wide range of solid fractions) is presented.
Sex disparities in the current era of pediatric heart transplantation in the United States: Sex disparities in pediatric heart transplant

Abstract Background While sex-related differences in transplant outcomes have been well characterized amongst adults, there are no sex-specific pediatric heart transplant studies over the last decade and none evaluating waitlist outcomes. In a contemporary cohort of children undergoing heart transplantation in the United States, this analysis was performed to determine if there were sex disparities in waitlist and/or post-transplant outcomes. Methods Retrospective review of Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database from 12/16/2011-02/28/2019 to compare male and female children after listing and after transplant. Demographic, clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared unadjusted and after 1:1 propensity matching for selected covariates. Results Of 4089 patients, 2299 (56%) were males. At listing, males were more likely to be older, have congenital heart disease (58% vs. 48%), renal dysfunction (49% vs. 44%) and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (9% vs. 7%). At transplant, males were more likely to have renal (42 %vs. 35%) and liver dysfunction (13% vs. 10%), PRA >10% (29% vs. 22%) and ischemic time >3.5 hours (p Conclusion In a contemporary pediatric cohort, females have inferior heart transplant waitlist survival compared to propensity-matched males despite lower acuity of illness at listing and similar rates of transplantation. There were no sex-disparities noted in post-transplant outcomes.
In vitro cultured and supply chain porang in South Sumatra

The objectives of the study are first, farmers in P4S Karya Tani can obtain superior porang seeds by regenerating porang in vitro culture through organic plus liquitermy fertilizer . Second, analyzing the media for growing tissue and the concentration of each porang plant media in P4S. Third, analysis of the supply chain structure of porang in P4S. This study uses quantitative and qualitative approaches with simple randomized design methods and SCOR methods. Based on the experiment, vitro culture of porang in P4S using liquitermy fertilizer , there were nineteen out of thirty porang plant accessions which had the potential as new clones for seedlings with an average tuber of 6.00 - 99.88% larger than the parent. The porang supply chain in P4S needs to be developed by involving wider stakeholders. This study shows that the seed production rate is better with liquitermy fertilizer in the porang in vitro culture. However, further evaluation is needed in analyzing genetic traits and glucomannan levels
SLAP Lesions Part III: Return to Play After SLAP Repair

Superior labral anterior-posterior (SLAP) lesions are commonly diagnosed in athletes. Athletes face a unique challenge after SLAP repair to return to play at their pre-injury functional level. The surgeon must rely on a combination of history, physical exam, proper imaging, and, when necessary, arthroscopic findings when treating athletes with SLAP pathology. Meticulous technique, evolving tools, and proper rehabilitation following repair may allow athletes to return to sports with satisfactory results. We present our preferred methods to achieve the goal of successful reintegration into sports after arthroscopic repair of SLAP tears.
Interferon-gamma signaling in human retinal pigment epithelial cells mediated by STAT1, ICSBP, and IRF-1 transcription factors.

PURPOSE Studies have shown that interferon (IFN)-gamma stimulates expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, interleukin (IL)-6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase and inhibits replication of Toxoplasma gondii in human retinal pigment epithelial (HRPE) cells. The present study was undertaken to investigate the molecular mechanisms of IFN-gamma action. METHODS RNA, whole-cell extracts, and nuclear extracts were prepared from HRPE cells cultured in the presence or absence of IFN-gamma. Activation of IFN-gamma-responsive genes was analyzed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blot analysis, and immunoprecipitation. RESULTS HRPE cells constitutively expressed two members of the IFN regulatory factor (IRF) family of transcription factors, IRF-1 and IRF-2. After exposure to IFN-gamma, transcription of IRF-1 and IFN consensus sequence binding protein (ICSBP) genes were induced; IRF-2 gene transcription was not upregulated. Activation of IFN-gamma-responsive genes was mediated by tyrosine phosphorylation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-1 factor. CONCLUSIONS This study characterized the IFN-gamma signaling pathway in HRPE cells and identified IRF-1, ICSBP, and tyrosine-phosphorylated STAT1 as mediators of IFN-gamma action in these cells. ICSBP is thought to be exclusively used in immunologic responses and has previously been detected only in lymphoid cells. However, the current study shows that ICSBP expression is inducible in HRPE cells, suggesting that it may regulate gene transcription in RPE cells and possibly in other nonimmunologic cell types.
Structure of the 5′-flanking regulatory region and gene for the human growth factor-activatable Na/H exchanger NHE-1

The amiloride-sensitive, growth factor-activatable Na/H exchanger (NHE-1) is a ubiquitous mammalian protein that is involved in the regulation of intracellular pH and cell volume. We have determined the intron/exon boundaries and the transcription initiation sites and have characterized a portion of the 5'-flanking regulatory region of the human NHE-1 gene. The Na/H exchanger gene spans approximately 70 kilobases. The coding region is divided into 12 exons and 11 introns, one of which is 41.5 kilobases in length. The first exon contains the entire 5'-noncoding region, which is 786 bases long, and 352 bases of the coding sequence. Primer extension identified two discrete start sites for RNA polymerase. 1377 bases of the 5'-regulatory region were sequenced. The promoter/enhancer region is characterized by a TATA box, four GC boxes, two CAAT boxes, five CACCC boxes, three Ap-1 sites, a cyclic AMP response element, and four partial glucocorticoid response elements. Promoter activities of a 313- and a 1441-base pair fragment containing the TATA box were demonstrated by their ability to direct chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression when transiently expressed in fibroblasts.
A hierarchy of physical design watermarking schemes for intellectual property protection of IC designs

A method is presented for embedding the same watermark multiple times into a single integrated circuit design using a hierarchy of incorporation techniques. This has the advantage of adding multiple independent signatures to the circuit in order to better resist large-scale attacks. A high degree of robustness is provided by requiring attacks on multiple stages of the VLSI design flow in order to properly efface the mark.
Encoding, learning, and spatial updating of multiple object locations specified by 3-D sound, spatial language, and vision

Participants standing at an origin learned the distance and azimuth of target objects that were specified by 3-D sound, spatial language, or vision. We tested whether the ensuing target representations functioned equivalently across modalities for purposes of spatial updating. In experiment 1, participants localized targets by pointing to each and verbalizing its distance, both directly from the origin and at an indirect waypoint. In experiment 2, participants localized targets by walking to each directly from the origin and via an indirect waypoint. Spatial updating bias was estimated by the spatial-coordinate difference between indirect and direct localization; noise from updating was estimated by the difference in variability of localization. Learning rate and noise favored vision over the two auditory modalities. For all modalities, bias during updating tended to move targets forward, comparably so for three and five targets and for forward and rightward indirect-walking directions. Spatial language produced additional updating bias and noise from updating. Although spatial representations formed from language afford updating, they do not function entirely equivalently to those from intrinsically spatial modalities.
Measurements of Atmospheric Nitric Oxide from Nimbus 7 SBUV Ultraviolet Spectral Scan Data

The Solar Backscattered Ultraviolet Instrument (SBUV) on Nimbus 7 is operated one day per month in a spectral scan mode in which it scans from 160nm to 400nm in 0.2nm steps. By measuring the intensity of a series of nitric oxide gamma band fluorescence features in this wavelength range we can estimate the amount of nitric oxide in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere.
Trace Organic Analysis by Gas Chromatography with Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry

Gas chromatography (GC) with quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the most powerful and widely used analytical techniques. This technology combines the high resolving power of GC with the excellent sensitivity and chemical-structure-informing power of quadrupole MS. The combination of these two techniques provides both the selectivity and sensitivity needed for qualitative and quantitative analysis of organic analytes at trace levels in a wide variety of matrices. This article provides an overview of the development and combination of these two technologies. Types of quadrupole mass spectrometers that are commonly coupled to gas chromatographs are discussed. Both electron ionization (EI) and chemical ionization (CI) are reviewed. Sample preparation methods are discussed for air, water, and solids. The different approaches employed for highly volatile and semi-volatile substances are presented. The use of chemical derivatives to improve sample response and various instrumental analysis considerations are also covered.
Biological image segmentation based on object pigmentation

A methodology for segmenting biological images based on object pigmentation is proposed. The object of interest is extracted based on MacAdam's just noticeable difference (see J. Opti. Soc. Am., vol.32, p.247-74, 1942). The method combines pictorial and spectral information, into a single valued total color difference. It has two important properties: accuracy based on human color observation and easy implementation. Experiments show that the proposed method is relatively insensitive to nonuniform illumination. The authors briefly review the MacAdam's ellipses in colorimetry and derive a total color difference based on the MacAdam's ellipses. >
The importance of context: an exploration of factors influencing the adoption of student-centered teaching among chemistry, biology, and physics faculty

Research at the secondary and postsecondary levels has clearly demonstrated the critical role that individual and contextual characteristics play in instructors’ decision to adopt educational innovations. Although recent research has shed light on factors influencing the teaching practices of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty, it is still not well understood how unique departmental environments impact faculty adoption of evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs) within the context of a single institution. In this study, we sought to characterize the communication channels utilized by STEM faculty, as well as the contextual and individual factors that influence the teaching practices of STEM faculty at the departmental level. Accordingly, we collected survey and observational data from the chemistry, biology, and physics faculty at a single large research-intensive university in the USA. We then compared the influencing factors experienced by faculty in these different departments to their instructional practices. Analyses of the survey data reveal disciplinary differences in the factors influencing adoption of EBIPs. In particular, the physics faculty (n = 15) had primarily student-centered views about teaching and experienced the most positive contextual factors toward adoption of EBIPs. At the other end of the spectrum, the chemistry faculty (n = 20) had primarily teacher-centered views and experienced contextual factors that hindered the adoption of student-centered practices. Biology faculty (n = 25) fell between these two groups. Classroom observational data reflected these differences: The physics classrooms were significantly more student-centered than the chemistry classrooms. This study demonstrates that disciplinary differences exist in the contextual factors teaching conceptions that STEM faculty experience and hold, even among faculty within the same institution. Moreover, it shows that these differences are associated to the level of adoption of student-centered teaching practices. This work has thus identified the critical need to carefully characterize STEM faculty’s departmental environment and conceptions about teaching before engaging in instructional reform efforts, and to adapt reform activities to account for these factors. The results of this study also caution the overgeneralization of findings from a study focused on one type of STEM faculty in one environment to all STEM faculty in any environment.
ENZYMATIC AND MICROBIAL PREPARATION OF D-XYLULOSE FROM D-XYLOSE

A high-d-xylulose mixture (d-xylose-d-xylulose = 33:67) was prepared from the cold ethanol extract of preisomerized d-xylose solution (d-xylose-d-xylulose = 77:23). Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lini and Aspergillus niger were demonstrated to preferentially utilize d-xylose in the mixture of d-xylose and d-xylulose. Chromatographically pure d-xylulose was thus obtained in 90% yield. A high-d-xylulose mixture was also incubated with Rhodotorula toruloides, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida utilis, or Mucor rouxii.d-Xylose and d-xylulose were simultaneously consumed. When borate was added to the mixture, a d-xylulose-borate complex was formed, and it could be used to protect d-xylulose from being utilized.
Impact of Evidence-Based Standardized Assessment on the Disability Clinical Interview for Diagnosis of Service-Connected PTSD: A Cluster-Randomized Trial

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the fastest growing compensated medical conditions. The present study compared usual disability examiner practices for PTSD with a standardized assessment that incorporates evidence-based assessments. The design was a multicenter, cluster randomized, parallel-group study involving 33 clinical examiners and 384 veterans at 6 Veterans Affairs medical centers. The standardized group incorporated the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule-II into their assessment interview. The main outcome measures were completeness and accuracy of PTSD diagnosis and completeness of functional assessment. The standardized assessments were 85% complete for diagnosis compared to 30% for nonstandardized assessments (p < .001), and, for functional impairment, 76% versus 3% (p < .001). The findings demonstrate that the quality of PTSD disability examination would be improved by using evidence-based assessment.
Protection from Secondary Dengue Virus Infection in a Mouse Model Reveals the Role of Serotype Cross-Reactive B and T Cells

The four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes cause dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome. Although severe disease has been associated with heterotypic secondary DENV infection, most secondary DENV infections are asymptomatic or result in classic DF. The role of cross-reactive immunity in mediating cross-protection against secondary heterotypic DENV infection is not well understood. DENV infection of IFN-α/β and IFN-γ receptor-deficient (AG129) mice reproduces key features of human disease. We previously demonstrated a role in cross-protection for pre-existing cross-reactive Abs, maintained by long-lived plasma cells. In this study, we use a sequential infection model, infecting AG129 mice with DENV-1, followed by DENV-2 6-8 wk later. We find that increased DENV-specific avidity during acute secondary heterotypic infection is mediated by cross-reactive memory B cells, as evidenced by increased numbers of DENV-1-specific cells by ELISPOT and higher avidity against DENV-1 of supernatants from polyclonally stimulated splenocytes isolated from mice experiencing secondary DENV-2 infection. However, increased DENV-specific avidity is not associated with increased DENV-specific neutralization, which appears to be mediated by naive B cells. Adoptive transfer of DENV-1-immune B and T cells into naive mice prior to secondary DENV-2 infection delayed mortality. Mice depleted of T cells developed signs of disease, but recovered after secondary DENV infection. Overall, we found that protective cross-reactive Abs are secreted by both long-lived plasma cells and memory B cells and that both cross-reactive B cells and T cells provide protection against a secondary heterotypic DENV infection. Understanding the protective immunity that develops naturally against DENV infection may help design future vaccines.
Perceived importance of church-based assets to HIV/AIDS prevention and control in a Nigerian city.

This study explored the extent to which church members thought the assets they might have to engage in HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities were important. Eight hundred and thirty members fr...
Alloys of gallium with powdered metals as possible replacement for dental amalgam

j. Histopathologic studies arc sparse. Although there is no evidence of tissue reaction in one study, other authors find that there are osteoclastic changes where the fit, in relation to the bone, is inac­ curate. These same authors also find that there is a downgrowth of epithelium around the abutments which eventually might cause a tissue exfoliation of the implant itself. There is a great need for further in vivo studies. 6. A method for surgical implantation of full lower dentures now seems to exist. It must be understood that the patients must be selected carefully and that the profession must be willing to accept some failures. There are numerous implant dentures which have been in place five years or longer, however, so that investi­ gators can begin to feel a certain security in recommending the technic where all other methods have failed.
Hidden Markov Models for Software Piracy Detection

In this paper, we analyze a method for detecting software piracy. A metamorphic generator is used to create morphed copies of a base piece of software. A hidden Markov model is trained on the opcode sequences extracted from these morphed copies and the resulting trained model is used to score suspect software to determine its similarity to the base software. A high score indicates that the suspect software may be a modified version of the base software, suggesting that further investigation is warranted. In contrast, a low score indicates that the suspect software differs significantly from the base software. We show that our approach is robust, in the sense that the base software must be extensively modified before it is not detected.
Pyrrolidinobenzoic acid inhibitors of influenza virus neuraminidase: the hydrophobic side chain influences type A subtype selectivity.

Abstract Neuraminidase (NA) plays a critical role in the life cycle of influenza virus and is a target for new therapeutic agents. A series of influenza neuraminidase inhibitors with the pyrrolidinobenzoic acid scaffold containing lipophilic side chains at the C3 position have been synthesized and evaluated for influenza neuraminidase inhibitory activity. The size and geometry of the C3 side chains have been modified in order to investigate structure–activity relationships. The results indicated that size and geometry of the C3-side chain are important for selectivity of inhibition against N1 versus N2 NA, important type A influenza variants that infect man, including the highly lethal avian influenza.
The Relationship Between Health Information Sources and Mental Models of Cancer: Findings from the 2005 Health Information National Trends Survey

This study used data from the 2005 Health Information National Trends Survey, a national sample of U.S. households (N = 5,586), to (1) explore the extent to which specific sources of health information are associated with certain beliefs about cancer; and (2) examine whether the relationship between health information sources and beliefs about cancer is moderated by psychological distress. Health information on the local news was associated with greater ambiguity about cancer prevention recommendations (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.02–1.46, p < .05), while less ambiguity was associated with cancer-specific information (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.69–0.94, p < .05), health information in the newspaper (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.69–0.97, p < .05), and health information on the Internet (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.61–0.84, p < .001). Health information on the local news was also associated with lower likelihood of higher perceived relative risk of cancer (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.52–0.86, p < .01). No source of information was associated with the belie...