cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carbohydrate Interactions and HIV-1

More than 18 million people worldwide are estimated to be infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) , the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). There is accumulating evidence that HIV-1 can interact with target cells via high-mannose and/or biantennary structures on cell-surface-expressed glycolipids and glycoproteins. In this regard, HIV-1 recombinant envelope (Env) glycoprotein (gp) precursor gp160 (rgpl60) behaves as a mannosyl/N-acetylglucosaminyl (G1cNAc)-binding protein. Inhibition of HIV infection of CD4+ cells in vitro by CD4-free glycopeptides or by carbohydrate forms has been shown.1-4 The HIV envelope protein is also highly glycosylated. HIV-1 gp160 glycans are also representative of mannose, lacto-series, and sialo-syl carbohydrate residues. Characterized 0and N-linked carbohydrates on the HIV-1 envelope protein are also common saccharide subunits among bacterial, fungal, and tumorassociated antigens (Ag).5,6 Glycosylation is necessary for HIV-1 gp120 to attain a functional conformation, and individual N-linked glycans of gp120 are important, but not essential, for replication of HIV-1 in cell culture.6 The pathogenic role associated with HIV glycosylation can take several forms which may be compared with the glycobiology of tumor cells or with other pathogens. For example, phenotypic alterations with respect to surface carbohydrate expression appear to provide a selective growth advantage for human adenocarcinoma cells in terms of facilitated extravasation
WheelerLab: An interactive program for sequence stratigraphic analysis of seismic sections, outcrops and well sections and the generation of chronostratigraphic sections and dynamic chronostratigraphic sections

WheelerLab is an interactive program that facilitates the interpretation of stratigraphic data (seismic sections, outcrop data and well sections) within a sequence stratigraphic framework and the subsequent transformation of the data into the chronostratigraphic domain. The transformation enables the identification of significant geological features, particularly erosional and non-depositional features that are not obvious in the original seismic domain. Although there are some software products that contain interactive environments for carrying out chronostratigraphic analysis, none of them are open-source codes. In addition to being open source, WheelerLab adds two important functionalities not present in currently available software: (1) WheelerLab generates a dynamic chronostratigraphic section and (2) WheelerLab enables chronostratigraphic analysis of older seismic data sets that exist only as images and not in the standard seismic file formats; it can also be used for the chronostratigraphic analysis of outcrop images and interpreted well sections. The dynamic chronostratigraphic section sequentially depicts the evolution of the chronostratigraphic chronosomes concurrently with the evolution of identified genetic stratal packages. This facilitates a better communication of the sequence-stratigraphic process. WheelerLab is designed to give the user both interactive and interpretational control over the transformation; this is most useful when determining the correct stratigraphic order for laterally separated genetic stratal packages. The program can also be used to generate synthetic sequence stratigraphic sections for chronostratigraphic analysis.
To Delta Check or Not to Delta Check? That Is the Question.

Delta checks were first described in 1974 by Nosanchuk and Gottmann as a means to improve QC in clinical laboratories (1). Traditionally, delta checks have been defined as the difference between a current result and a previous result that occurs within a set time period, with establishment of limits for each individual analyte. Delta checks that exceed established limits are held for manual review by laboratory technicians, which may include assessing for specimen mix-up; checking QC data and instrumentation; examining specimen quality, volume, and integrity; specimen reanalysis; and/or review of the patient's medical record to determine whether the change is explained by clinical status. Additionally, delta checks can …
Can fearlessness come in a tiny package

A molecule called microRNA-153 helps to prevent rats associating new environments with fear.
Gastric Cancer: Radiation Therapy Planning

This chapter reviews the relevant anatomy and field design for gastric cancer radiotherapy. Radiation therapy field design depends on the location of the gastric tumor, patterns of nodal involvement, and patterns of recurrence.
Body Fluids, Capillaries, and Lymphatics

Body fluids are found inside (intracellular), outside (extracellular), or between cells (interstitial) in various organs. Thus total body water is made up of intracellular and extracellular compartments, which may be subdivided as shown in Table 12.1. Intracellular water comprises 70% of total body water; however this varies depending on the subject’s age, and the amount of lean body tissue (Table 12.2). Body water is higher in lean than in fatty tissues and is higher in infants and growing children and animals than in adults.
Optical coherence tomography imaging of cranial meninges post brain injury in vivo

We report a new application of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to investigate the cranial meninges in an animal model of brain injury in vivo. The injury is induced in a mouse due to skull thinning, in which the repeated and excessive drilling exerts mechanical stress on the mouse brain through the skull, resulting in acute and mild brain injury. Transcranial OCT imaging reveals an interesting virtual space between the cranial meningeal layers post skull thinning, which is gradually closed within hours. The finding suggests a promise of OCT as an effective tool to monitor the mechanical trauma in the small animal model of brain injury.
Privacy and Confidentiality

In the previous chapter, I examined the ethical issues informed consent in research and argued that thinking about the importance of trust can help us address this issues. In this chapter I will continue some of the themes developed in the previous chapter by reflecting on the relationship between trust and protection of privacy and confidentiality. I will also consider how the trust-based approach deals with some ethical dilemmas related to protecting privacy and confidentiality in research.
Alphavirus Purification Using Low-speed Spin Centrifugation

Chemical and sedimentation procedures are used to purify virus particles. While these approaches are successful for wild-type viruses, they are often not feasible for purifying mutant viruses with assembly defects. We combined two published methods ( Atasheva et al., 2013 ; Moller- Tank et al., 2013 ), to generate a protocol that uses low-speed centrifugation to purify both wildtype and mutant enveloped virus particles at high yield with minimal handling steps. This protocol has successfully been used to purify alphavirus particles for imaging and structural studies ( Wang et al., 2015 ; Ramsey et al., 2017 ).
A 3-D model for simulation of weak interface slippage for fracture height containment in shale reservoirs

Abstract Shale formations often consist of multiple distinct layers with varying rock properties, in-situ stress states, and interface properties between layers. Weak horizontal interfaces often affect fracture height growth and induced complex fracture geometry. In this paper, a fully three-dimensional displacement discontinuity method is developed to investigate slippage of weak horizontal interfaces and understand the effects of the slippage on fracture height growth. Horizontal fracture segments are regarded as weak horizontal interfaces and vertical fractures would either be arrested or step over interfaces. Results indicate that a width jump of the vertical fracture occurs at the crossing position of the horizontal interface, as a result of shear displacement discontinuities along the horizontal fracture segment. The width jump hinders the vertical fracture growth in the height direction, which is regarded as a new mechanism of fracture height containment. Shear displacement discontinuities and width jump increase with the increment of the distance between the center of the vertical fracture and horizontal fracture segment. The larger the width jump, the more difficult the vertical fracture continues to propagate in the height direction, which implies that the vertical fracture tends to be arrested by the interface when the wellbore is far away from the interface.
Effective resistor selection method for over current protection when using sense IGBT solution

In the power electronics system, over current protection (OCP) is required to protect power semiconductors such as IGBT, MOSFET and the system. There are several methods for OCP. In this paper, the OCP method by using sense IGBT is introduced and explained. As the operation power is increased, the method using the sense IGBT can reduce the area of the circuit and the switching loss compared to the other methods. When using sense IGBT, a resistor which is called RSC (resistor of sense cell, connected to emitter of sense cell externally) for converting sense IGBT current into voltage should be properly selected to design the appropriate trip current level. However, it is difficult because sense IGBT current changes according to external circuit and operating condition. In this paper, the effective and proper method is introduced to select appropriate RSC value under the variable condition. Experimental and calculation results show an error rate within 5%, so it is verified that the implemented method is appropriate.
Test Resource Partitioning

Shrinking process technologies and increasing design sizes have led to highly complex, billion-transistor integrated circuits (ICs). Testing these complex ICs to weed out defective parts has become a major challenge. To reduce design and manufacturing costs, testing must be quick and effective [19]. The cost of testing an IC is directly related to the amount of test resources consumed. The rapidly increasing number of transistors in ICs has spurred an enormous growth in test resource requirements, such as large test data sets, long test development and application times, and complex test equipment. Effective test development techniques that enhance the utilization of test data, testing time and test equipment are therefore necessary to increase production capacity and reduce test cost.
How Batteries Store and Release Energy: Explaining Basic Electrochemistry

Batteries are valued as devices that store chemical energy and convert it into electrical energy. Unfortunately, the standard description of electrochemistry does not explain specifically where or how the energy is stored in a battery; explanations just in terms of electron transfer are easily shown to be at odds with experimental observations. Importantly, the Gibbs energy reduction in an electrochemical reaction in a battery also involves atom transfer between different phases. It is shown that, for simple galvanic cells or batteries with reactive metal electrodes, two intuitively meaningful contributions to the electrical energy are relevant: (i) the difference in the lattice cohesive energies of the bulk metals, reflecting metallic and covalent bonding and accounting for the atom transfer, and (ii) the difference in the ionization energies of the metals in water, associated with electron transfer. The ionization energy in water can be calculated as the sum of gas-phase ionization energies and the hydr...
Residents' attitudes and beliefs towards palliative care in a community teaching hospital.

89Background: Early integrated palliative care improves the quality of life in patients with cancer. Wong et al. (2016) recently demonstrated that residents and fellows in a university hospital-based large comprehensive cancer center believed palliative care services to be beneficial for patient care. However, there are substantial differences between the clinical learning environments of a university and community teaching hospital. We aim to assess residents' attitudes and beliefs towards palliative care in the oncologic population in a community teaching hospital. Methods: We surveyed all residents (n = 90) in Mercy Catholic Medical Center's internal medicine, transitional year, and general surgery residencies about their knowledge, training, attitudes and beliefs regarding palliative care using a survey modified from Wong et al. (2015). Mercy Catholic Medical Center is a conglomeration of two community teaching hospitals in greater Philadelphia. The factors associated with awareness were analyzed usin...
6.31 Excluding Felonies for Unfair Prejudice

This article addresses the scope of impeachment under 609(a)(1) which allows impeachment of witnesses by prior felony convictions subject to a balancing test. It discusses the different standards of balancing for ordinary witnesses as compared to criminal defendants and the factors that should be considered in such balancing.
Early glioma is associated with abnormal electrical events in cortical cultures

The prodromal stages of some neurological diseases have a distinct electrical profile which can potentially be leveraged for early diagnosis, predicting disease recurrence, monitoring of disease progression, and better understanding of the disease pathology. Gliomas are tumors that originate from glial cells present in the brain and spinal cord. Healthy glial cells support normal neuronal function and play an important role in modulating the regular electrical activity of neurons. However, gliomas can disrupt the normal electrical dynamics of the brain. Though experimental and clinical studies suggest that glioma and injury to glial cells disrupt electrical dynamics of the brain, whether these disruptions are present during the earliest stages of glioma and glial injury are unclear. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the effect of early in vitro glial pathology (glioma and glial injury in specific) on neuronal electrical activity. In particular, we investigated the effect of glial pathology on neural synchronization: an important phenomenon that underlies several central neurophysiological processes (ScienceDirect, 2018 ). We used two in vitro disease samples: (a) a sample in which cortical cultures were treated with anti-mitotic agents that deplete glial cells and (b) a glioma sample in which healthy cortical cells were cultured with CRL-2303 (an aggressive glioma cell line). Healthy cortical culture samples were used as controls. Cultures were established over a glass dish embedded with microelectrodes that permits simultaneous measurement of extracellular electrical activity from multiple sites of the culture. We observed that healthy cortical cultures produce spontaneous and synchronized oscillations which were attenuated in the absence of glial cells. The presence of glioma was associated with the emergence of two types of "abnormal electrical activity" each with distinct amplitude and frequency profile. Our results indicate that even early stages of glioma and glial injury are associated with distinct changes in neuronal electrical activity. Graphical abstract.
The interface reaction pattern in the skin: an integrated review of clinical and pathological features.

Summary Not uncommonly, pathologists encounter biopsies displaying inflammation at the dermoepidermal junction and confronted with its numerous diagnostic possibilities. As with other inflammatory dermatoses, the correct diagnosis relies on careful integration of clinical, laboratory, and histopathological features. Knowledge of clinical aspects of these disorders is crucial, and at times, lack of training in clinical dermatology can make clinicopathological correlation challenging for the pathologist. This review is organized following the classical classification of cell-poor (vacuolar) and cell-rich (lichenoid) interface processes. The various entities are described based on their clinical presentation along their clinical differential diagnosis followed by their histopathological features and pathological differential diagnosis. Our aim is to provide an updated, clinically relevant review that integrates nuanced clinical and pathological features, with an emphasis on clues that may help differentiate entities in the differential diagnosis.
The Central and Southern Great Plains

An often-windy landscape with few major topographic features, poorly consolidated fine-grained geology, and limited and variable precipitation has endowed the Central and Southern Great Plains with the ideal environment for development and repeated reactivation of dune fields and sand sheets. Mapping efforts have documented large numbers, sizes, and a wide distribution of aeolian sand deposits, and the application of soil texture, geochemistry and other data have begun to enhance our perspective on these deposits. In recent decades, numerical dating techniques have spurred inquiry into the development of activation chronologies, which have defined periods of sediment flux and prehistoric droughts, including megadroughts commonly observed in other paleoclimatic records. Nearly thirty dune fields within the region have been investigated and dated with radiocarbon and luminescence techniques. Activation, which has usually been climatically forced, occurs when sediment becomes transportable under the prevailing wind regime. Currently, most dunes throughout the Great Plains are, however, inactive, but those that are active occur primarily along the Texas-New Mexico border region and in areas impacted by human activity such as cattle ranching and off-road vehicle recreation. With the major exception of the Nebraska Sand Hills, most dune fields of the Central and Southern Great Plains are associated geomorphically with and in some cases geochemically-linked to one or more fluvial systems. Dunes composed of fine sediments (silt, clay) also occur in the region—lunettes, or crescentic dunes associated with playa basins (Kansas through to Texas into New Mexico), and the parna dunes of the Oklahoma Panhandle. Adaptation of mineralogical and geochemical finger printing of aeolian sand deposits and potential sand sourcing has made possible the identification of provenances (e.g., the Miocene Ogallala Formation and late Pleistocene-modern river systems) and by implication the directions of formative paleowinds. Given the early indications of global warming and model scenarios for the future, the Central and Southern Great Plains may experience future intense and extended-duration droughts and the attendant reactivation of dune fields and sand sheets.
Patient-Reported and Quantitative Outcomes of Anatomic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Hamstring Tendon Autografts.

Background:The pivot-shift test has become more consistent and reliable and is a meaningful outcome measurement after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).Purpose/Hypothesis:The purpose...
Oxygen consumption in skeletal muscle using single-distance, multi-distance and dual-slope data from frequency-domain near-infrared spectroscopy

The use of phase (Φ) data collected in Frequency-Domain Near-InfraRed Spectroscopy (FD-NIRS) has not been widespread in measurements of skeletal muscle and has mainly been applied to measure absolute optical properties. We show that single-distance (SD) Φ has a deeper sensitivity compared to SD intensity (I) and can be more sensitive to oxygen consumption in skeletal muscle underneath superficial adipose tissue. We also show the potential benefit of single-slope (SS) or dual-slope (DS) I or Φ in muscle studies.
Case 10. Folliculotropic Mycosis Fungoides with Exuberant Neutrophil-Rich Scale and Follicular Plugging Mimicking Hypertrophic Actinic Keratosis

Akilov and colleagues present a case of folliculotropic mycosis fungoides whose hyperkeratotic plaques were misdiagnosed as hypertrophic actinic keratosis. Unusual presentation signifies the importance of adequate biopsies in confusing circumstances.
The role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein in pituitary tumorigenesis

Abstract Germline genetic variants causing loss-of-function (LOF) of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein gene (AIP) gene cause one-third of the cases of gigantism, one-fifth of the cases of familial isolated pituitary adenoma, and up to one-fifth of the functional pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) diagnosed in young patients. In addition, AIP protein deficiency in somatotropinomas is a known marker of poor response to the treatment with somatostatin analogues. With a large number of PitNET cases harboring AIP pathogenic variants now reported in the literature, it has become evident that this genetic defect leads to specific clinical phenotypes that require prompt identification and customized therapeutic approaches. AIP is a widely expressed co-chaperone protein that plays a role in a variety of signaling pathways via its numerous protein–protein interactions. The physiological function of AIP in the pituitary gland and the pathogenic mechanisms leading to AIP LOF-associated tumorigenesis are complex and still only partially known. This review summarizes the most recent evidence on the role of AIP in pituitary function and tumorigenesis, the clinical significance of AIP germline defects, and the current recommendations for genetic screening, clinical follow-up, and genetic counseling.
Abstract LB102: Effect of mistletoe extract on growth and proliferation of prostate cancer cells

Complementary and alternative medicines are explored for their role in improving the quality of life of patients with cancer. Many anti-cancer drugs have been derived from natural sources. Mistletoe extract, composed of lectins, viscotoxins, flavonoids, and other biologically active substances, has two mechanisms of action: tumor cytotoxicity and immunomodulation. The cytotoxic effects of mistletoe extract are a result of protein synthesis interference, cell cycle inhibition, and apoptosis induction. Further, mistletoe extract has been shown to have anti-angiogenic properties. In Europe, Helixor M, mistletoe extract from Viscum album mali, is used as an anthroposophic medicine in the treatment of malignant and non-malignant tumors, malignant disorders with accompanying impairment of the hematopoietic organs, stimulation of bone marrow activity, reducing the risk of tumor recurrence, and diagnosed pre-cancerous disorders. However, only limited evaluation of mistletoe extract has been conducted in the United States. We studied the effects of Helixor M in prostate cancer. To evaluate its effect on cell proliferation and survival, we treated androgen receptor (AR) positive (LNCaP, LAPC4 and VCaP) and AR negative (PC3 and DU-145) cell lines with Helixor M. Our data indicates that LNCaP and LAPC4 cells were most sensitive to Helixor M while PC3, DU-145, and VCaP cells were relatively resistant to treatment. While AR protein levels and NF-kappaB subunits remained unaffected by treatment, there was an induction of apoptosis along with a concomitant decrease in LC3B, an autophagy marker, in all the sensitive prostate cancer cell lines. In search of pathways that may synergize with growth inhibition by Helixor M, we utilized CRISPR knockouts of TBK1, a kinase involved in autophagy induction, in LNCaP cells and tested whether TBK1 knockouts are synthetically lethal with Helixor M. Helixor M induced increased apoptosis in TBK1 knockouts as compared to parental LNCaP cells, indicating that TBK1 loss might be synthetically lethal with Helixor M. Citation Format: Kavya Boyapati, Rajendra Kumar, Lillian Wilson, Yuhan Yang, Deven Topiwala, Keerti Soundappan, Eleni Panagopoulos, Ivelisse Page, Jennifer Durham, Michael Carducci, Channing Paller, Sushant Kachhap. Effect of mistletoe extract on growth and proliferation of prostate cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr LB102.
Factor endowment and structural change in Kentucky forest industry

Abstract Factor endowment-based structural change theorems posit that increase in factor endowment of a region leads to an increase in output of the industries that use the factors more intensively. This study uses a dynamic panel regression analysis to examine the linkage between factor endowment and structural changes in Kentucky forest industry. The analysis uses forest-based industries' shares in employment and real output as structural variables in the regressions. Results show that increase in both capital and labor endowments have a positive and significant influence on forest industry structure as the industry uses the respective factors intensively. Moreover, the magnitude of the influence of labor endowment is higher than that of capital endowment. Further, results show that final demand has a marginal positive influence on Kentucky forest industry structure. Results are useful for recommending policy options to improve and sustain Kentucky's forest industry.
Escherichia coli prosthetic valve endocarditis from a non-genitourinary source

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a rare cause of infective endocarditis due to its lack of traditional virulence factors that promote endocardial adherence. Previous case reports of E. coli infective endocarditis demonstrate specific risk factors to include advanced age over 70, female sex, diabetes, immunosuppression, and intravascular or cardiac devices. Antecedent genitourinary infection is the most common source. We present a case of a 55-year-old Honduran man with a recent bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement and tricuspid valve repair who presented with one month of subjective fevers, night sweats, anorexia, and significant weight loss. After extensive work-up, the patient was diagnosed with E. coli infective endocarditis secondary to E. coli growth in blood cultures and a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) revealing a vegetation on his prosthetic mitral valve. An indolent gastrointestinal source was suspected to be the source of infection with imaging only notable for mild periappendiceal stranding concerning for a possible site of antecedent inflammation. He was treated with a 6-week course of ceftriaxone and gentamicin inpatient and then discharged on trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole suppressive therapy with serial echocardiographic follow-up given the persistent small vegetation on repeat echocardiogram. Our case report and review of ten recent cases of prosthetic valve endocarditis described in the literature illustrates several common features of the epidemiology, presentation, and management of E. coli prosthetic valve endocarditis including more commonly reported non-genitourinary sources of bacteremia, a trend towards more frequent surgical interventions, and a declining mortality rate.
Infant Pathways to Language : Methods, Models, and Research Directions

Introduction. P. McCardle, J. Colombo, L. Freund, Measuring Infant Language. Part 1. Recognizing Patterns. R.N. Aslin, E.I. Newport, What Statistical Learning Can and Can't Tell Us About Language Acquisition. J.R. Saffran, Acquiring Grammatical Patterns: Constraints on Learning. L. Gerken, Are Infants Constrained in Their Linguistic Generalizations? Some Theoretical and Methodological Observations. M. Rice, How Different is Disordered Language? Part 2. From Patterns to Meaning. J.F. Werker, C.T. Fennell, Infant Speech Perception and Later Language Acquisition: Methodological Underpinnings. S. Waxman, How Infants Discover Distinct Word Types and Map Them to Distinct Meanings. J.S. Deloache, P.A. Ganea, V.K. Jaswal, Early Learning Through Language. Part 3. Predictors of Language Emergence. J. Colombo, D.J. Shaddy, O.M. Blaga, C.J. Anderson, K.N. Kannass, W.A. Richman, Early Attentional Predictors of Vocabulary in Childhood. A.N. Meltzoff, R. Brooks, Social Cognition and Language: The Role of Gaze Following in Early Word Learning. S. Goldin-Meadow, Using the Hands to Study How Children Learn Language. Part 4. Models and Methods to Study Infant Language. P.K. Kuhl, Linking Infant Speech Perception to Language Acquisition: Phonetic Learning Predicts Language Growth. L.B. Cohen, J. Brunt, Early Word Learning and Categorization: Methodological Issues and Recent Empirical Evidence. G. Marcus, H. Rabagliatti, Language Acquisition, Domain Specificity, and Descent with Modification. L. Freund, Neuroimaging Tools for Language Study. Finale. P. McCardle, L. Freund, G. Marcus, Pathways to Infant Language Research: Commentary and Future Directions.
Fluorescence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia induced by tetracycline and acridine orange

Abstract Tetracycline compounds and acridine orange fluoresce under ultraviolet light and have been reported to selectively localize in certain human invasive cancers and intraepithelial neoplasms. In the present study an attempt was made to delineate areas of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) by examining the cervices of patients with known CIN who had received tetracycline parenterally or tetracycline or acridine orange topically. The mechanism of fluorescence was also studied in a tissue culture system. An inconsistent pattern of fluorescence was noted in this series, and it was impossible to delineate areas of CIN with the compounds administered or applied. In tissue culture persistent fluorescence was confined to dead cells and cellular debris, suggesting the relative absence of cell death in CIN as a probable mechanism for the failure of these lesions to fluoresce.
A Cultural Comparison of Drug Use among American and South Korean College Students: An Application of Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory

The United States faces a major drug problem. In 2001 the U.S. consumed 1606 metric tons of cocaine alone. Adults who use drugs face many potential problems. The obvious problem is the threat of being arrested and prosecuted for the crime of possession or intent to sell/distribute, but the real cost of drugs is apparent in the lives of users. A promising future is often cast aside for the next “fix.” One may find that the true problem is not the occasional user but the user whose life is engulfed by drugs. This perspective, however, does not leave the occasional user innocent. The money spent on drugs fuels the industry. For example, the American drug users purchased $10.6 billion in marijuana in 1999; an astonishing figure that testifies to drug dealers’ determination to sell illicit drugs. In addition, prescription drugs are being abused, adding to the almost insurmountable drug use problem.
Exploiting thread structures to improve smoothing of language models for forum post retrieval

Due to many unique characteristics of forum data, forum post retrieval is different from traditional document retrieval and web search, raising interesting research questions about how to optimize the accuracy of forum post retrieval. In this paper, we study how to exploit the naturally available raw thread structures of forums to improve retrieval accuracy in the language modeling framework. Specifically, we propose and study two different schemes for smoothing the language model of a forum post based on the thread containing the post. We explore several different variants of the two schemes to exploit thread structures in different ways. We also create a human annotated test data set for forum post retrieval and evaluate the proposed smoothing methods using this data set. The experiment results show that the proposed methods for leveraging forum threads to improve estimation of document language models are effective, and they outperform the existing smoothing methods for the forum post retrieval task.
Updated verification of the Space Weather Prediction Center's solar energetic particle prediction model

[1] This paper evaluates the performance of an operational proton prediction model currently being used at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. The evaluation is based on proton events that occurred between 1986 and 2004. Parameters for the associated solar events determine a set of necessary conditions, which are used to construct a set of control events. Model output is calculated for these events and performance of the model is evaluated using standard verification measures. For probability forecasts we evaluate the accuracy, reliability, and resolution and display these results using a standard attributes diagram. We identify conditions for which the model is systematically inaccurate. The probability forecasts are also evaluated for categorical forecast performance measures. We find an optimal probability and we calculate the false alarm rate and probability of detection at this probability. We also show results for peak flux and rise time predictions. These findings provide an objective basis for measuring future improvements.
Maximizing data throughput in an integrated TDMA communication system using mean field annealing

In an integrated TDMA communication system, voice and data are multiplexed in time to share a common transmission link. The system operates in a frame format in which time is divided into slots. A certain number of time slots in a frame are allocated to voice and the rest are used to transmit data, Maximum data throughput can be achieved by searching for the optimal configuration of relative positions of voice and data transmission in a frame. This is a NP-complete constrained optimisation problem. In the paper, mean field annealing is used to solve this problem. The determination of the Lagrange parameters, estimation of critical temperature and convergence criterion are addressed. Simulation results show that this approach is a good tradeoff between performance and computational complexity.
Stemness characteristics of fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma: immunohistochemical analysis with comparisons to conventional hepatocellular carcinoma

The involvement of cancer stem cells (CSC) in tumorigenesis has been studied in several malignancies, but their presence in fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FLHCC) has not previously been evaluated. General characteristics of "stemness" include the expression of putative stem cell antigens, reduced cell cycle progression, and limited functional differentiation or dedifferentiation under the influence of the microenvironment. Immunohistochemical probes applied to 8 archival cases of FLHCC vis-a-vis contiguous non-neoplastic parenchyma, which was present in 5 cases, revealed such stemness characteristics by showing: (a) stem cell antigens, with moderate to intense expression of CD133 in the cytoplasm (6 of 8 FLHCC cases and comprising >40% of the tumoral areas) and of CD44 on the plasmalemmal aspect (7 of 8 FLHCC cases and comprising 50 to 95% of the tumor cells), vs foci of such overexpressions in only 1 of 5 of the contiguous liver parenchyma (p = 0.053 and p = 0.015, respectively); (b) limited G1 to S phase progression ( <1 % of tumor cells with nuclear S phase kinase-associated protein [Skp]2 expression); and (c) dedifferentiation or reduced functional differentiation in the form of minimal to absent expression of a differentiation-associated marker, peroxisomal proliferator-activator receptor (PPAR)-gamma in tumoral nuclei and loss of plasmalemmal expression of beta-catenin in 6 of 8 FLHCC cases vs expression of these proteins in the non-neoplastic, differentiated hepatocytes in 5 of 5 and 4 of 5 cases, respectively, in contiguous liver parenchyma (p <0.01 and p = 0.053, respectively). In contrast, only 1 of 11 cases of well-differentiated, conventional hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) showed mild to moderate expression of CD133 in the cytoplasm, but with the majority (8 of 11) showing occasional nuclear expression. Similarly, only 3 of 11 cases of conventional HCC expressed plasmalemmal CD44. Notably, 11 of 11 cases of conventional HCC expressed beta-catenin on the plasmalemmal aspect of the tumor cells, and 3 of 11 showed nuclear translocation. These findings in conventional HCC were significantly different from those in FLHCC (p = 0.003, 0.009, and 0.0005, respectively). This study provides evidence of stemness in FLHCC and discusses the implications of stemness in the histogenesis of FLHCC vs conventional, well-differentiated HCC.
“A Tale Completed in the Mind”: Genre and Imitation in L'Amfiparnaso (1597)

Musical histories before the twentieth century consistently described Orazio Vecchi9s L9Amfiparnaso (published in 1597) as an early or nascent form of opera, despite the composer9s explanation that the work is an aural spectacle, not a visual one. Later scholars have persisted in viewing L9Amfiparnaso as a fundamentally theatrical work (in a notional genre called madrigal comedy), designed for quasi-dramatic performance before a listening audience. A close reading of this historiography, along with a partial reconstruction of the membership and movements of the Gelosi and Uniti theater companies in the 1590s, disproves the widely held assumption that L9Amfiparnaso was composed and performed in 1594, and suggests that its characters9 names refer to specific actors who performed with the Uniti in Bologna in 1595 and 1596. This new account of the book9s origin opens it up to interpretation as a recreational collection of musical imitations of theatre, rather than as an incomplete “script” for a novel kind of dramatic performance. Through its diverse musical styles and poetic registers (Vecchi penned both the poems and the music), as well as its unusual custom-made woodcut illustrations, L9Amfiparnaso presents scenes whose range defies cinquecento theatrical convention. Urban comic dialogues share the imagined stage with tragicomic monologues, idiosyncratic musical dialogues are found alongside serious madrigals, and the woodcuts depict both characteristic comic and pastoral stage settings. As a whole, then, L9Amfiparnaso represents—in Vecchi9s words—“almost all the actions of the private man.” This emphasis on variety locates the book firmly within the poetic sphere of Vecchi9s other large-scale collections, Selva di varia ricreatione (1590) and Convito musicale (1597), and adds special resonance to his claim that those seeking “a complete tale” in L9Amfiparnaso will find it only “in the mind.”
Psychosocial environment: a health promotion model.

This article presents a multidimensional model of psychosocial determinants of health behavior for health promotion research and policy analysis. Often health promotion focuses almost exclusively in intrapsychic determinants and on individual level behavior. Based on field theory and attitude theories this proposed model holds that in populations with comparable sociodemographic and biological status (exogenous variables) a health behavior is a function of direct and interaction effects of 5 key intrapsychic and external variables. These are behavioral intentions soical support accessibility of means for action personal autonomy and action situation. Empirical tests with cross-cultural studies in Venezuela Kenya And the Philippines provide substantial support for the model. The findings suggest that while health promotion strategies should deal with intrapsychic determinants of behavior key extrapsychic factors all have direct and independent effects on health behavior as well. Health promotion research and interventions that aim only at intrapsychic determinants have limited overall value. Health promotion can be defined on 2 levels: a comprehensive perspective includes the advancement of well-being and avoidance of health risks; a clinical perspective means prevention of specific health risks by initiating desirable behavior. Public health seeks to achieve health promotion by organized social and governmental action; public health education and communication; effective planning and management of health care systems; applications of environmental and biomedical technologies; and applications of behavioral social and epidemiological sciences. The overall health promotion research and policy implications of this multidimensional model indicate that any program not dealing with the full range of factors involved is not likely to maximize the production of the studied behavior or promotr health behavior. A particular strategy which is effective in 1 segment of the population need not be effective in another. Additionally health promotion efforts may have to focus on generating support for the action from significant others and on reducing barriers in access to quality and affordable preventive care.
Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure: Its Effect on Pleural Fluid Chemistry

The proper classification of pleural effusions into transudates and exudates has great clinical significance. It is believed that the treatment of congestive heart failure may convert an associated transudative pleural effusion into a “pseudoexudate.” We studied eight patients with congestive heart failure during nine episodes of decompensation with pleural effusion, which was bilateral in five and right-sided in three. Thoracocentesis was done on identification of the patient and at 6±2 days after treatment of heart failure resulting in diuresis and a mean weight loss of 5.8 ±3.2 kg. The mean protein level of the pleural fluid was 2.2 ±0.7 g/dL at the initial study and increased to 3.2 ± 1.08 g/dL at the final study (p
Onset of Convection in a Porous Medium With Internal Heat Generation

The conditions leading to the onset of thermal convection in a horizontal porous layer are determined analytically using the method of linear stability of small disturbances. The lower boundary is treated as a rigid surface and the upper boundary as a free surface. The critical internal and external Rayleigh numbers are determined for both stabilizing and destabilizing boundary temperatures. The predicted critical external Rayleigh number in the limit of no heat generation is in agreement with the critical number predicted for a porous medium heated from below. (16 refs.)
New Virial-Type Model for Predicting Single- and Multicomponent Isosteric Heats of Adsorption

The virial isotherm for single- and multicomponent gas adsorption equilibria was used to derive a new predictive model for the isosteric heat of adsorption. The virial coefficients were considered with two different orders of temperature dependencies. The coefficients with a first-order dependence of the temperature reciprocal showed that the single-component isosteric heat of adsorption is temperature independent. However, those with second-order dependence of the temperature reciprocal showed that the single-component isosteric heat of adsorption can vary significantly with temperature. The latter form also showed when lateral or vertical interactions dominated. Both types of coefficients showed a significant temperature dependence of the multicomponent isosteric heat of adsorption. Differences between single- and multicomponent isosteric heats of adsorption, compared at the same temperature and partial loading, also increased with decreasing adsorbed phase mole fraction, decreasing temperature, higher ...
A cytochemical and radioautographic analysis of erythropoiesis at the ultrastructural level

The morphogenetic events of erythroid differentiation in guinea pig bone marrow were studied by electron microscopy. The diaminobenzidine (DAB) reaction and radioautographic detection of Fe/sup 55/ incorporation permitted a more objective identification of erythroid cells than was possible in previous studies. With the combined use of these two methods morphological events of cell maturation could be correlated reliably with cytoplasmic hemoglobin content, thus providing a basis for the description of various maturation stages. The oxidation of DAB by hemoglobin coupled with OsO/sub 4/ treatment results in a generalized increase in cytoplasmic electron opacity proportional to the amount of hemoglobin present. Measurements of cytoplasmic density were carried out on electron microscopic negatives of DAB-reacted specimens that were not stained otherwise. Only those cells were regarded as erythroblasts in which the cytoplasm was at least twice as dense as in recognizable, differentiated, non-erythroid cells, using reticular cell cytoplasm in each specimen as the base line for the comparisons. In bone marrow cells, iron incorporation occurred overwhelmingly for hemoglobin synthesis.The morphological characteristics of each of the maturation stages are described with particular emphasis on the earliest erythroid cells, since the methods employed permit their identification with greater degrees of discrimination and objectivity thanmore » is possible with the light microscope or with conventional methods of electron microscopy.« less
Assessing the effect of initial vapor-phase concentrations on inhalation risks of disinfection-by-products (DBP) in multi-use shower facilities

Inhalation during showering activities is a major pathway for exposure to volatile disinfection-by-products (DBPs). Disinfection-by-products such as trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) have been shown to significantly increase cancer risks and can also pose other health hazards. In multi-family residences and common-shower facilities located in dormitories and gymnasiums, the time-lag between showers is likely to be short and the exposure to vapor-phase DBPs may be significantly increased due to residual concentrations from earlier showering activities. Current models do not consider the impacts of the initial vapor-phase concentration on health risks to be significant. The hypothesis that non-zero initial DBP vapor-phase concentrations lead to higher exposure and health risks was evaluated here using data from the City of Corpus Christi, TX at two levels of input parameter uncertainty. The inhalation risks and hazards were found to be over 1.5 times greater for subsequent showers compared to the initial shower of the day. For non-zero initial air concentrations and triangular distribution of input parameters, the model was found to be most sensitive to the initial air concentrations, highlighting the impact of initial conditions on cumulative daily intake (CDI) and subsequently on cancer risks and hazard indices. Increasing the time-gap between showers and improving ventilation are viable solutions to contend with the increased risk. It is recommended that the effects of initial air concentrations be incorporated in future risk assessments focusing on multi-family residences in older and poor neighborhoods where single shower dwellings are more common.
Effect of Age on the Response to Alarm Pheromones by Caged Honey Bees

The response of newly emerged, 4 and 6-wk-old honey bees ( Apis mellifera L.), to alarm chemicals was compared in a laboratory test. Older bees were significantly more active before testing. The 4-wk-old bees reacted faster than the newly emerged and the 6-wk-old groups, but there were no differences in the duration of their reactions. Younger bees were more likely to engage in fanning, often with exposure of the Nasonov gland.
Protection of Mice Against Meningococcal Infection by Sulfadiazine, and Inhibition of Protection by Para-aminobenzoic Acid

Summary(1) 0.0025 mg of sulfadiazine is sufficient to protect mice against from 10 to 10,000 50% lethal doses of a virulent strain of Group I meninogococcus. (2) The protective action of sulfadiazine is not inhibited by a single administration of para-aminobenzoic acid accompanying the sulfadiazine, nor by a second injection after 30 min. (3) The protective action of sulfadiazine may be inhibited by repeated subcutaneous injections of para-aminobenzoic acid at 3-hr intervals.