cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An animal model for studying endoscopic ultrasound changes of early chronic pancreatitis with histologic correlation : a pilot study

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Due to the difficulty in obtaining pancreatic tissue for histology in humans, we developed an animal model for studying endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) changes of early chronic pancreatitis. This report on the animal model describes the serial changes of early chronic pancreatitis by EUS and correlates results with histology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four 60 - 80-lb dogs were used in the study. Pancreatic EUS was performed to provide baseline images prior to any procedure. At laparotomy, a guide wire was passed into the pancreatic duct, and a 5-Fr pancreatic stent was introduced over the wire into the pancreatic duct. Animals were divided into two survival groups - 2 weeks and 4 weeks. In each group, EUS examination was performed under anesthesia to image the pancreas and then followed by euthanasia. Sequential pancreatic sections were taken from the head, body, and tail of the pancreas. EUS findings were correlated with histologic results with respect to degree of fibrosis, inflammation, and edema. RESULTS: At baseline EUS, the pancreas appeared homogeneous with only a few echogenic septations and echogenic margins of the main pancreatic duct. At 2 and 4 weeks poststenting, EUS images showed the following changes: lobularity, hyper and hypoechoic foci, increased echogenic septations, visible pancreatic duct side branches, and irregular margins of the main pancreatic duct. CONCLUSIONS: The dog model for chronic pancreatitis appears to be a promising method for studying sequential changes of chronic pancreatitis by EUS and correlating results with histology.
Molecular tools reveal diets of insectivorous birds from predator fecal matter

The emerging field of molecular scatology enables critical testing of food web theory. The non-invasive application of molecular tools allows for sequencing of prey DNA from predator fecal matter, evaluating diet breadth and foraging guild. While insectivorous bats are obscure foragers compared to most insectivorous birds, more is known about which arthropod species bats consume because molecular techniques have been optimized for mammalian systems, not avian physiology. Our research objective was to use molecular tools to detect arthropod prey in the fecal matter of an insectivorous avian predator. We used Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) as a model predator due to its generalist foraging strategy. We compared two fecal DNA extraction kits: (1) Qiagen’s DNA stool mini kits, used widely in dietary studies on bats and (2) Zymo’s Soil/Fecal DNA MiniPrep kits, not currently cited in the molecular scatology literature. We successfully extracted DNA only with the Zymo kit, amplified mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit I genes, sequenced, and identified the arthropod prey. A spiked PCR experiment showed evidence of possible inhibitors remaining in the Qiagen kit extractions. Overall, arthropod prey from seven different orders and five different classes were identified. We discuss the ecological implications of these data and suggest areas of future research applying molecular techniques to avian fecal matter. Consistent methodological advancement will enable molecular scatology to identify ecosystem services provided by insectivorous birds, develop ecological theory, and inform predator conservation efforts.
In vitro development of bovine embryos as affected by different lots of bovine serum albumin and citrate

Abstract The effect of bovine serum albumin (BSA) lots on the development of in vitro-derived bovine embryos in synthetic oviductal fluid was investigated. Citrate concentration was determined for each lot of BSA, and then correlated with differences noted in the ability of BSA lots to support embryo development. Development of bovine embryos to the blastocyst stage was also compared after culture in chemically-defined medium with varying levels of citrate. There were distinct differences in the ability of the different BSA lots to support embryo development to the blastocyst stage (P≤0.05). Citrate content (based on 3.2% BSA) of the medium varied from 320 to 1280 μM. Although there was an overall linear trend (P
Diabolic points in deformation space

Abstract The occurence of diabolic points in a realistic deformable nuclear single-particle potential is investigated. Several such points are explicitly identified using the Berry criterion. A general rule is given for finding other diabolic points. Experimental signatures of diabolic doublets are discussed.
Effects of parasitization by the insect parasite Hyposoter exiguae on the growth, development and physiology of its host Trichoplusia ni

The weight gain and growth rate of Trichoplusia ni larvae were severely depressed following parasitization by the insect parasite, Hyposoter exiguae. The development of the host was also delayed and juvenile hormone esterase activity present at the normal time of moulting was absent in parasitized insects. Similar effects on growth and development were achieved by rearing host insects on nutrient-deficient media. Accompanying the above effects of parasitization were alterations in dry/wet weight ratio and host haemolymph osmolality. Parasitization resulted in immediate increases in the concentrations of haemolymph non-glycogen carbohydrate (composed of trehalose, maltose and glucose) and protein. The concentration of fat body glycogen also increased following parasitization. In contrast, the concentration of haemolymph non-glycogen carbohydrate and protein, as well as fat body glycogen, decreased in nutrient-deprived larvae. The significance of the above results as they relate to the insect parasite–host relationship is discussed.
Expression of ets family of genes in systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's syndrome.

Abstract We have examined the expression of three members of the ets family of genes, ETS1, ETS2 and ERGB/Fli-1, in lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and in two murine autoimmune model systems. The ERGB/Fli-1 gene is expressed at a higher level in lymphocytes from autoimmune disease patients than healthy individuals. In addition, we found that the ERGB/Fli-1 gene expression is higher in splenic T-cells from lupus prone mice and in infiltrating lymphocytes in the salivary glands of HTLV-I tax transgenic mice. Taken together, these results suggest that the elevated expression of the ERGB/Fli-1 gene in lymphocytes may be a prelude to the development of autoimmune diseases.
MODEL FOR DETERMINING OPTIMUM BUS-STOP SPACING IN URBAN AREAS

This paper proposes a model that can be used to determine effectively a sub-optimal policy for bus-stop spacing in urban areas. Transit users are usually interested in minimizing their out-of-vehicle travel time. Conversely, transit operators are interested in minimizing their fixed operating cost. Often, transit operators are required to make transit highly accessible to their patrons because they operate under stringent budgets. This paper demonstrates, from a sensitivity analysis, that proper spacing of stops can significantly improve the quality of transit services and decrease travel time, headway, and fleet size (i.e., number of buses). The Highway Capacity Manual, which contains a library of formulas for analyzing various transit performance measures, does not adequately address transit-stop spacing as a primary operational parameter. It is postulated in this report that optimal spacing of bus stops can reduce operating costs by minimizing the required number of buses in service. The proposed model is derived from the fundamental relationships that exist among velocity, uniform acceleration/deceleration, and displacement, and among the average bus operating speed, headway, required fleet size, and potential system capacity. The model can serve as a valuable decision support tool for transit planners in determining suitable spacing of bus stops for prevailing network and traffic conditions.
Are Cognitive Techniques and Interventions Necessary? A Case for the Utility of Cognitive Approaches in the Treatment of PTSD

[Clin Psychol Sci Prac 17: 112–127, 2010] In a recent review, Longmore and Worrell (2007) concluded that interventions comprised of cognitive and behavioral techniques are no more effective than those relying exclusively on behavioral techniques, and thus cognitive techniques are unnecessary. This conclusion may be premature, as studies reviewed evaluated the additive impact of cognitive techniques as opposed to the relative efficacy of cognitive and behavioral treatment approaches. Further, it is unknown whether certain symptom domains are more readily addressed using cognitive approaches. Empirical findings regarding these issues have been mixed. The present review examines the utility of cognitive restructuring for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Methodological flaws that may have impacted the results of studies examining this issue, directions for future research, and treatment implications are presented.
Changes in sensitivity of Amaranthus retroflexus L seeds to ethylene during preincubation. II. Effects of alternating temperature and burial in soil

Abstract. The effects of diurnally alternating temperatures and of prolonged burial in the soil on germination response of redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) seeds to ethylene were investigated. Percentage germination in a 12 h/12 h, 23° C/35° C temperature regime roughly equalled that observed at constant 35° C, and greatly exceeded that observed at 30°C. Preincubation for 61 d in alternating temperatures, which were gradually increased to simulate soil warming in spring, caused little germination in the absence of ethylene, but considerably enhanced sensitivity to ethylene. Seeds kept in soil in the same temperature regime failed to show the response to ethylene, and the soil itself removed ethylene from the soil atmosphere. After burial in a field plot either over winter or during the summer, seeds had a very low ethylene response threshold (0.01−0.05 cm3 m−3) and strong response to ethylene (70–95% germination at 51 cm3 m−3 compared to 1–20% without ethylene). Germinability of seeds buried overwinter declined between 10 May (85%) and 24 May (7%), and 90% of those recovered on or after 24 May had a visible rupture in the seed coat. Apparently, germination had begun during burial, but was arrested by unknown causes in an early phase and was followed by seed deterioration. Although the role of ethylene in germination of buried seeds remains uncertain, the greatly enhanced sensitivity to ethylene observed in pigweed seeds after burial deserves further investigation.
Traversing the many paths of workflow research: developing a conceptual framework of workflow terminology through a systematic literature review

The objective of this review was to describe methods used to study and model workflow. The authors included studies set in a variety of industries using qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. Of the 6221 matching abstracts, 127 articles were included in the final corpus. The authors collected data from each article on researcher perspective, study type, methods type, specific methods, approaches to evaluating quality of results, definition of workflow and dependent variables. Ethnographic observation and interviews were the most frequently used methods. Long study durations revealed the large time commitment required for descriptive workflow research. The most frequently discussed technique for evaluating quality of study results was triangulation. The definition of the term "workflow" and choice of methods for studying workflow varied widely across research areas and researcher perspectives. The authors developed a conceptual framework of workflow-related terminology for use in future research and present this model for use by other researchers.
High-power narrow-band terahertz generation using large-aperture photoconductors

Large-aperture biased photoconductive emitters which can generate high-power narrow-band terahertz (THz) radiation are developed. These emitters avoid saturation at high fluence excitation and achieve enhanced peak power spectral density by employing a thick layer of short-lifetime low-temperature-grown GaAs (LT-GaAs) photoconductor and multiple-pulse excitation. THz waveforms are calculated from the saturation theory of large aperture photoconductors, and a comparison is made between theory and measurement. A direct comparison of the multiple-pulse saturation properties of THz emission from semi-insulating GaAs and LT GaAs emitters reveals a strong dependence on the carrier lifetime. In particular, the data demonstrate that saturation is avoided only when the interpulse spacing is longer than the carrier lifetime.
Medicaid Expansion Initiative in Massachusetts: Enrollment Among Substance-Abusing Homeless Adults

Objectives. We assessed whether homeless adults entering substance abuse treatment in Massachusetts were less likely than others to enroll in Medicaid after implementation of the MassHealth Medicaid expansion program in 1997.Methods. We used interrupted time-series analysis in data on substance abuse treatment admissions from the Treatment 0Episode Data Set (1992–2009) to evaluate Medicaid coverage rates in Massachusetts and to identify whether trends differed between homeless and housed participants. We also compared Massachusetts data with data from 17 other states and the District of Columbia combined.Results. The percentage of both homeless and housed people entering treatment with Medicaid increased approximately 21% after expansion (P = .01), with an average increase of 5.4% per year over 12 years (P = .01). The increase in coverage was specific to Massachusetts, providing evidence that the MassHealth policy was the cause of this increase.Conclusions. Findings provide evidence in favor of state part...
Non-enzymic browning reactions of ascorbic acid and their inhibition. The identification of 3-deoxy-4-sulphopentosulose in dehydrated, sulphited cabbage after storage

The presence of 3-deoxy-4-sulphopentosulose in dehydrated, sulphited cabbage has been confirmed by mass spectrometry and good evidence is presented for the occurrence of 3-deoxy-4-sulphohexosulose. These are the first “stable” organic sulphonates, derived from sulphite, to have been identified in a food. The former product arises from the inhibition of the non-enzymic browning reaction of ascorbic acid by sulphite whereas the latter comes from the interaction of the additive with intermediates in Maillard browning.
Clues to γ-secretase, huntingtin and Hirano body normal function using the model organism Dictyostelium discoideum

Many neurodegenerative disorders, although related by their destruction of brain function, display remarkable cellular and/or regional pathogenic specificity likely due to a deregulated functionality of the mutant protein. However, neurodegenerative disease genes, for example huntingtin (HTT), the ataxins, the presenilins (PSEN1/PSEN2) are not simply localized to neurons but are ubiquitously expressed throughout peripheral tissues; it is therefore paramount to properly understand the earliest precipitating events leading to neuronal pathogenesis to develop effective long-term therapies. This means, in no unequivocal terms, it is crucial to understand the gene's normal function. Unfortunately, many genes are often essential for embryogenesis which precludes their study in whole organisms. This is true for HTT, the β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilins, responsible for early onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). To better understand neurological disease in humans, many lower and higher eukaryotic models have been established. So the question arises: how reasonable is the use of organisms to study neurological disorders when the model of choice does not contain neurons? Here we will review the surprising, and novel emerging use of the model organism Dictyostelium discoideum, a species of soil-living amoeba, as a valuable biomedical tool to study the normal function of neurodegenerative genes. Historically, the evidence on the usefulness of simple organisms to understand the etiology of cellular pathology cannot be denied. But using an organism without a central nervous system to understand diseases of the brain? We will first introduce the life cycle of Dictyostelium, the presence of many disease genes in the genome and how it has provided unique opportunities to identify mechanisms of disease involving actin pathologies, mitochondrial disease, human lysosomal and trafficking disorders and host-pathogen interactions. Secondly, I will highlight recent studies on the function of HTT, presenilin γ-secretase and Hirano bodies conducted in Dictyostelium. I will then outline the limitations and future directions in using Dictyostelium to study disease, and finally conclude that given the evolutionary conservation of genes between Dictyostelium and humans and the organisms' genetic tractability, that this system provides a fertile environment for discovering normal gene function related to neurodegeneration and will permit translational studies in higher systems.
Nuclear–Mitochondrial Epistasis and Drosophila Aging: Introgression of Drosophila simulans mtDNA Modifies Longevity in D. melanogaster Nuclear Backgrounds

Under the mitochondrial theory of aging, physiological decline with age results from the accumulated cellular damage produced by reactive oxygen species generated during electron transport in the mitochondrion. A large body of literature has documented age-specific declines in mitochondrial function that are consistent with this theory, but relatively few studies have been able to distinguish cause from consequence in the association between mitochondrial function and aging. Since mitochondrial function is jointly encoded by mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear genes, the mitochondrial genetics of aging should be controlled by variation in (1) mtDNA, (2) nuclear genes, or (3) nuclear-mtDNA interactions. The goal of this study was to assess the relative contributions of these factors in causing variation in Drosophila longevity. We compared strains of flies carrying mtDNAs with varying levels of divergence: two strains from Zimbabwe ( 500 silent and 80 amino acid substitutions between these mtDNAs). Longevity was studied in reciprocal cross genotypes between pairs of these strains to test for cytoplasmic (mtDNA) factors affecting aging. The intrapopulation crosses between Zimbabwe strains show no difference in longevity between mtDNAs; the interpopulation crosses between Crete and the United States show subtle but significant differences in longevity; and the interspecific introgression lines showed very significant differences between mtDNAs. However, the genotypes carrying the D. simulans mtDNA were not consistently short-lived, as might be predicted from the disruption of nuclear-mitochondrial coadaptation. Rather, the interspecific mtDNA strains showed a wide range of variation that flanked the longevities seen between intraspecific mtDNAs, resulting in very significant nuclear x mtDNA epistatic interaction effects. These results suggest that even "defective" mtDNA haplotypes could extend longevity in different nuclear allelic backgrounds, which could account for the variable effects attributable to mtDNA haplogroups in human aging.
Cross-sectional study of phoneme and rhyme monitoring abilities in children between 7 and 13 years

We investigated phonemic competence in production in three age groups of children (7 and 8, 10 and 11, 12 and 13 years) using rhyme and phoneme monitoring. Participants were required to name target pictures silently while monitoring covert speech for the presence or absence of a rhyme or phoneme match. Performance in the verbal tasks was compared to a nonverbal control task in which participants monitored tone sequence pairs for a pattern match. Repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed significant differences between the three age groups in phoneme monitoring, whereas similar differences were limited to the younger age groups in rhyme monitoring. This finding supported early and ongoing acquisition of rhyme- and later acquisition of segment-level units. In addition, the 7- and 8-year-olds were significantly slower in monitoring phonemes within consonant clusters compared to the 10- and 11-year-olds and in monitoring both singleton phonemes and phonemes within clusters compared to the 12- and 13-year-olds. Regression analysis revealed that age accounted for approximately 30% variance in the nonverbal and 60% variance in the verbal monitoring tasks. We attribute the observed differences to the emergence of cognitive processes such as segmentation skills that are critical to performing the verbal monitoring tasks.
Enhancing transient response of asymptotic regulation with disturbance onset

In incorporating an internal model (IM) to an linear time invariant (LTI) feedback system to achieve asymptotic regulation for exogenous disturbances, limitation in robust stability often hinders the transient response performance, such as the convergence rate and maximum output magnitude, of the LTI closed loop system. When the onset time of the disturbance introduced to the system is known, we formulate a linear time varying (LTV) controller, which exploits this information to improve the transient performance while maintaining the asymptotic regulation and desired robust stability. Simulation and experimental results for asymptotic regulation of a linear motor are presented to demonstrate the improvement of the proposed LTV over LTI controller.
On halving line arrangements

Given a set of n points in general position in the plane, where n is even, a halving line is a line going through two of the points and cutting the remaining set of n - 2 points in half. Let h(n) denote the maximum number of halving lines that can be realized by a planar set of n points. The problem naturally generalizes to pseudoconfigurations; denote the maximum number of halving pseudolines over all pseudoconfigurations of size n by h(n). We prove that h(12)= 18 and that the pseudoconfiguration on 12 points with the largest number of halving pseudolines is unique up to isomorphism; this pseudoconfiguration is realizable, implying h(12)= 18. We show several structural results that substantially reduce the computational effort needed to obtain the exact value of h(n) for larger n. Using these techniques, we enumerate all topologically distinct, simple arrangements of 10 pseudolines with a marked cell. We also prove that h(14)= 22 using certain properties of degree sequences of halving edges graphs.
Semiconductor laser with tapered-rib adiabatic-following fiber coupler for expanded output-mode diameter

A new expanded-mode AlGaAs diode laser with reduced far-field divergence and 0.9 dB single-mode optical fiber coupling loss is demonstrated. This new laser achieves a two-dimensional (2-D) expansion of the fundamental output mode with a rib waveguide tapered in only one dimension. Stable fundamental-mode operation with a narrow, 5.7/spl deg/ by 7.40 full-width-at-half-maximum far-field divergence is observed well above lasing threshold. Tapered waveguide dimensions are compatible with conventional optical lithographic techniques, making this device suitable for mass production.
On Green's function for a three-dimensional exponentially graded elastic solid

The problem of a point force acting in an unbounded, three–dimensional, isotropic elastic solid is considered. Kelvin solved this problem for homogeneous materials. Here, the material is inhomogeneous; it is ‘functionally graded’. Specifically, the solid is ‘exponentially graded’, which means that the Lame moduli vary exponentially in a given fixed direction. The solution for the Green9s function is obtained by Fourier transforms, and consists of a singular part, given by the Kelvin solution, plus a non–singular remainder. This grading term is not obtained in simple closed form, but as the sum of single integrals over finite intervals of modified Bessel functions, and double integrals over finite regions of elementary functions. Knowledge of this new fundamental solution for graded materials permits the development of boundary–integral methods for these technologically important inhomogeneous solids.
Masculinities in Asia: A Review Essay

Abstract: Masculinity as an analytical concept has received limited attention in historical and cultural studies of Asia, and particularly of South and Southeast Asia. Only a small number of works produced in South and Southeast Asian studies address the historical construction and evolution of masculinities in the regions and even fewer offer in-depth inquiries into the extent to which historical forms of masculinity governed social relations. The specific dynamics of the relationship between ideologies and the ways that manhood is interpreted, experienced and performed in daily life in the past and in present times remain underexplored. This essay reviews three recent publications that demonstrate that masculinity has been crucial to ideologies and techniques of rule in colonial, national and globalised contexts and, as such, needs to be placed at the centre of analyses of empire, nation and globalisation. It directs attention to promising areas for future comparative research on masculinities in Asia.
Hematopoietic cells from mice that are deficient in both Bcrp1/Abcg2 and Mdr1a/1b develop normally but are sensitized to mitoxantrone.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) express Mdr1a/lb and Bcrp1/Abcg2, which are members of the ATP binding cassette transporter family. Mice lacking both Mdr1-type genes (Mdr1a and Mdr1b) or Bcrp1 had ...
Prevention of Infections with Respiratory Syncytial Virus: The Hopes and Hurdles Ahead

Control of infections due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by immunization poses special problems. First, the peak period of serious illness due to RSV is during the first few months of life, and thus a vaccine would have to be administered during the neonatal period. Second, we understand little of the pathogenesis of and immunity to RSV disease in newborns, and an immune reaction may even play a role in the development of the lower respiratory tract disease seen in infancy. Third, immunity to RSV is imperfect even after naturally acquired, severe infection of the lower respiratory tract. Therefore, it is difficult to envision a vaccine that is safe in the infant and that will engender more complete immunity than the disease itself. However, if the goals are limited to protection of certain high-risk groups or to protection of infants during the first year of life only, immunization might be both feasible and effective in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with this ubiquitous virus.
Applications of a system for real-time imaging of analyzed areas in surface analysis

A real-time imaging system has been used to determine the analyzer acceptance area in electron spectrometers used for surface analysis. This inexpensive system uses an electron beam that is rastered across the specimen to create both specimen images and images of analyzed areas. These two images can then be superimposed on a video monitor or black and white television set for real-time display at TV rates. The imaging system has been used to examine the properties of a double-pass cylindrical mirror analyzer (Perkin–Elmer Model PHI-550) and a hemispherical analyzer (KRATOS ES300). For the double-pass CMA, the analyzed area was star-shaped rather than the expected circular shape and in the retarding mode the analyzer pass energy had only a small effect on the size of the analyzed area; also, the minimum analyzed area did not coincide with the focal point of the analyzer as determined by an elastically back-scattered 2 keV electron beam. For the hemispherical analyzer, the analyzed area was found to depend almost entirely on the size of the entrance slit, was slightly affected by the initial kinetic energy of the imaged electrons and the mode of operation, but was not affected by the analyzer pass energy or the size of the exit slit.
Effect of adipose‐derived stromal cells and BMP12 on intrasynovial tendon repair: A biomechanical, biochemical, and proteomics study

The outcomes of flexor tendon repair are highly variable. As recent efforts to improve healing have demonstrated promise for growth factor- and cell-based therapies, the objective of the current study was to enhance repair via application of autologous adipose derived stromal cells (ASCs) and the tenogenic growth factor bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 12. Controlled delivery of cells and growth factor was achieved in a clinically relevant canine model using a nanofiber/fibrin-based scaffold. Control groups consisted of repair-only (no scaffold) and acellular scaffold. Repairs were evaluated after 28 days of healing using biomechanical, biochemical, and proteomics analyses. Range of motion was reduced in the groups that received scaffolds compared to normal. There was no effect of ASC + BMP12 treatment for range of motion or tensile properties outcomes versus repair-only. Biochemical assays demonstrated increased DNA, glycosaminoglycans, and crosslink concentration in all repair groups compared to normal, but no effect of ASC + BMP12. Total collagen was significantly decreased in the acellular scaffold group compared to normal and significantly increased in the ASC + BMP12 group compared to the acellular scaffold group. Proteomics analysis comparing healing tendons to uninjured tendons revealed significant increases in proteins associated with inflammation, stress response, and matrix degradation. Treatment with ASC + BMP12 amplified these unfavorable changes. In summary, the treatment approach used in this study induced a negative inflammatory reaction at the repair site leading to poor healing. Future approaches should consider cell and growth factor delivery methods that do not incite negative local reactions.
En bloc aortic and mitral valve replacement and left ventricular outflow tract enlargement using a combined transaortic and trans-septal atrial approach

Aortic and mitral valve replacement with division and reconstruction of the inter-valvular fibrous body has been described in clinical situations involving infective endocarditis, extensive annular calcifications and diminutive valve annuli. Herein, we describe a combined transaortic and trans-septal approach with division of the inter-valvular fibrosa for combined aortic and mitral valve replacement. The reconstruction of the inter-valvular fibrous body, atrial walls and aortic root was carried out using a 'three-patch' technique with bovine pericardium.
Reactions of proteins with dehydroalanines.

Reactions of proteins with dehydroalanine or derivatives of dehydroalanine were studied as models for protein crosslinking. Treatment of casein, bovine serum albumin, lysozyme, wool or polylysine with acetamido- and phenylacetamido acrylic acid methyl esters at pH 9–10 converted varying amounts of lysine to lysinoalanine residues. However, complete transformation was not achieved. Incomplete reaction is attributed to partial hydrolysis of the esters to the less reactive acrylic acids under the reaction conditions. Similar studies were made of the reactivities of protein SH groups generated by reduction of disulfide bonds by tributylphosphine. The SH groups could be completely alkylated at pH 7. 6 in aqueous propanol, as shown by nearly quantitative recovery of lanthionine. Such a procedure might therefore be used to estimate cystine contents of proteins.
Effects of Optimism and Gratitude on Physical Activity, Biomarkers, and Readmissions After an Acute Coronary Syndrome The Gratitude Research in Acute Coronary Events Study

Background— Positive psychological constructs, such as optimism, are associated with beneficial health outcomes. However, no study has separately examined the effects of multiple positive psychological constructs on behavioral, biological, and clinical outcomes after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Accordingly, we aimed to investigate associations of baseline optimism and gratitude with subsequent physical activity, prognostic biomarkers, and cardiac rehospitalizations in post-ACS patients. Methods and Results— Participants were enrolled during admission for ACS and underwent assessments at baseline (2 weeks post-ACS) and follow-up (6 months later). Associations between baseline positive psychological constructs and subsequent physical activity/biomarkers were analyzed using multivariable linear regression. Associations between baseline positive constructs and 6-month rehospitalizations were assessed via multivariable Cox regression. Overall, 164 participants enrolled and completed the baseline 2-week assessments. Baseline optimism was significantly associated with greater physical activity at 6 months (n=153; β =102.5; 95% confidence interval, 13.6–191.5; P =0.024), controlling for baseline activity and sociodemographic, medical, and negative psychological covariates. Baseline optimism was also associated with lower rates of cardiac readmissions at 6 months (n=164), controlling for age, sex, and medical comorbidity (hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, [0.86–0.98]; P =0.006). There were no significant relationships between optimism and biomarkers. Gratitude was minimally associated with post-ACS outcomes. Conclusions— Post-ACS optimism, but not gratitude, was prospectively and independently associated with superior physical activity and fewer cardiac readmissions. Whether interventions that target optimism can successfully increase optimism or improve cardiovascular outcomes in post-ACS patients is not yet known, but can be tested in future studies. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: . Unique identifier: [NCT01709669][1]. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT01709669&atom=%2Fcirccvoq%2F9%2F1%2F55.atom
Object-Oriented Data Modeling of an Indoor/Outdoor Urban Transportation Network and Route Planning Analysis

We present an object-oriented data model to represent the multi-modal, indoor/outdoor transportation network of an urban area, that can be used for route planning and navigation and to perform other network analyses. The data model divides the urban transportation network into two main parts, one being the network for modeling movement inside buildings and the other being the network outside buildings using multiple modes. The network inside buildings is intrinsically three-dimensional (3D), thus requiring to model vertical connectivity between floors. Such 3D indoor network is modeled using a 2.5D approach that combines the existing 2D data structures and 3D visualization techniques available in commercial off-the-shelf GIS software. The network outside buildings is modeled as a multi-modal network consisting of modes operating on streets, walkways, and public transit routes. The data model is implemented for the multi-story buildings and transportation network on the campus of the State University of New York at Buffalo, USA. The effectiveness of the data modeling scheme is evaluated by performing path finding analysis in the study area using the data model with standard and customized GIS software tools.
On the Polynomial of a Graph

(1963). On the Polynomial of a Graph. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 70, No. 1, pp. 30-36.
Thromboplastic Activity of Leukemic White Cells.

SummarySome types of white cells collected from leukemic patients (granulocytes, monocytes) but not others (lymphocytes, eosinophiles) release thromboplastic material. The extracted material is able to correct the coagulation defect of hemophilic plasma in vitro.
Toxicity of certain insecticides to three Lepidopteran cotton insects.

Chevron 9006 ( O, S -dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate) and Bay 65258 ( O -ethyl S-methyl phosphoroamidothioate) were equally toxic to bollworms, Heliothis zea (Boddie), but Bay 65258 was more toxic to tobacco budworms, H. virescens (F.), than was Chevron 9006. Pennsalt TD-5063 (S-phenyl thiocrotonate) applied topically was more toxic to tobacco budworms than to bollworms but was ineffective as a conventional spray. Ultra-low-volume (ULV) and couventional sprays of General Chemical (GC-6506 (dimethyl p -(methylthio) phenyl phosphate) were initially about equally toxic to bollworms and tobacco budworms, but the residual toxicity of the ULV spray was greater. Topical applications of Bay 37344 (4-methylthio)-3,5-xylyl methylcarbamate), Bay S-2758 (4(methylthio)- m -tolyl methyl-carbamate), and Bay 37344 sulfoxide (4-(methylsufinyl)-3,5-xylyl methylcarbamate) were more effective against larvae of bollworms than against larvae of tobacco budworms, and Bay 37344 sulfone was toxic to larvae of tobacco budworms and bollworms when it penetrated the cuticle. The tolyl or xylyl phenyl homologue of Bay 37344 was more toxic than the phenyl, and the tolyl homologue was more toxic than the xylyl.
Mechanisms for pyrrolizidine alkaloid activation and detoxification.

The pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) constitute a large group of hepatotoxic and carcinogenic plant constituents of wide geographic and botanical distribution. These alkaloids are responsible for the death of livestock throughout the world and for occasional human poisonings following the consumption of contaminated foods or the injudicious use of herbal medicines (Bull et al., 1968; Mattocks, 1986; Hirano, 1981; Huxtable, 1980; Peterson and Culvenor, 1983). PAs are relatively nontoxic but are bioactivated in vivo primarily via the liver, through enzymatic dehydrogenation to form highly reactive pyrrole- type metabolites. It is thought that PAs are initially converted to the corresponding dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA pyrroles) which then can either alkylate protein, DNA or other cellular nucleophiles (Hsu et al. 1975; Reed et al. 1988; Wickramanayake et al., 1985) or be hydrolyzed to the more stable pyrrolic alcohol, such as (R)-6,7-dihydro-7-hydroxy-l-hydroxymethy1-5H-pyrrolizidine (DHP) in the case of retronecine or heliotridine based PAs (Jago et al., 1979; Kedzierski and Buhler, 1985, 1986; Mattocks, 1986; Mattocks and White, 1971). PAs also can be oxidized in vivo to relatively nontoxic PA N-oxides and hydrolyzed to the corresponding amino alcohol (Kedzierski and Buhler, 1986; Mattocks, 1986; Ramsdell et al., 1987).
Academic and Behavioral Design Parameters for Cluster Randomized Trials in Kindergarten: An Analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study 2011 Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K 2011).

Background:There is an increased focus on randomized trials for proximal behavioral outcomes in early childhood research. However, planning sample sizes for such designs requires extant information on the size of effect, variance decomposition, and effectiveness of covariates.Objectives:The purpose of this article is to employ a recent large representative sample of early childhood longitudinal study kindergartners to estimate design parameters for use in planning cluster randomized trials. A secondary objective is to compare the results of math and reading with the previous kindergartner cohort of 1999.Research Design:For each measure, fall–spring gains in effect size units are calculated. In addition, multilevel models are fit to estimate variance components that are used to calculate intraclass correlations (ICCs) and R2 statistics. The implications of the reported parameters are summarized in tables of required school sample sizes to detect small effects.Measures:The outcomes include information about...
Development of Data-Driven Models

In previous chapters, we have mainly dealt with physics-based models represented by a general mapping \(\mathbf{u}=\mathcal{M}(\mathrm{}{\boldsymbol{\uptheta}}{}),\), where \(\mathbf{u}\) denotes state variable(s), \(\mathcal{M}(\mathrm{}{\boldsymbol{\uptheta}}{})\) is obtained from mathematical equation(s) describing the underlying physical processes, and \(\mathrm{}{\boldsymbol{\uptheta}}{}\) is a set of unknown physical parameters that need to be estimated from measurements. As mentioned in Chap. 1, various data-driven models that connect model inputs and model outputs directly are also developed and extensively used in environmental and water resource (EWR) fields. They are most useful when there is no or little a priori knowledge about the form of the actual physical processes, or when it is desired to replace a physics-based model with a surrogate model for improving computational efficiency in optimization problems. The latter usage is referred to as reduced-order modeling or metamodeling.
Polemics and Patronage in the City of Victory: Vyasatirtha, Hindu Sectarianism, and the Sixteenth-Century Vijayanagara Court

How did the patronage activities of India’s Vijayanagara Empire (c. 1346–1565) influence Hindu sectarian identities? Although the empire has been commonly viewed as a Hindu bulwark against Islamic incursion from the north or as a religiously ecumenical state, Valerie Stoker argues that the Vijayanagara court was selective in its patronage of religious institutions. To understand the dynamic interaction between religious and royal institutions in this period, she focuses on the career of the Hindu intellectual and monastic leader Vyasatirtha. An agent of the state and a powerful religious authority, Vyasatirtha played an important role in expanding the empire’s economic and social networks. By examining his polemics against rival sects in the context of his work for the empire, Stoker provides a remarkably nuanced picture of the relationship between religious identity and sociopolitical reality under Vijayanagara rule. “Valerie Stoker’s work, with its insightful analysis of the role played by the Madhva sectarian leader Vyasatirtha in the complex and multifaceted interplay of religion and state patronage in sixteenth-century South India, is a valuable addition to the corpus of writings on Vijayanagara.” ANILA VERGHESE, author of Religious Traditions at Vijayanagara “Never have Hindu philosophical debates and sectarian disputes seemed so lively and so relevant to historical dynamics.” LESLIE C. ORR, author of Donors, Devotees and Daughters of God: Temple Women in Medieval Tamilnadu “Stoker sets a new standard for the study of religion in early modern South India, recognizing that doctrine does not unfold in a sociopolitical vacuum and providing an insightful account of the relations between sectarian organizations and their political patrons.” PHILLIP B. WAGONER, Wesleyan University “In this engrossing and sophisticated book, Stoker brings together fine narrative fluency, careful scholarship across different disciplines, and critical sympathy for ideas and people from a different time and place.” CHAKRAVARTHI RAM-PRASAD, author of Divine Self, Human Self: The Philosophy of Being in Two Gita Commentaries VALERIE STOKER is Associate Professor of South Asian Religions and Director of the Master of Humanities Program at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
Software-Defined Error-Correcting Codes

Conventional error-correcting codes (ECCs) and system-level fault-tolerance mechanisms are currently treated as separate abstraction layers. This can reduce the overall efficacy of error detection and correction (EDAC) capabilities, impacting the reliability of memories by causing crashes or silent data corruption. To address this shortcoming, we propose Software-Defined ECC (SWD-ECC), a new class of heuristic techniques to recover from detected but uncorrectable errors (DUEs) in memory. It uses available side information to estimate the original message by first filtering and then ranking the possible candidate codewords for a DUE. SWD-ECC does not incur any hardware or software overheads in the cases where DUEs do not occur.As an exemplar for SWD-ECC, we show through offline analysis on SPEC CPU2006 benchmarks how to heuristically recover from 2-bit DUEs in MIPS instruction memory using a common (39,32) single-error-correcting, double-error-detecting (SECDED) code. We first apply coding theory to compute all of the candidate codewords for a given DUE. Second, we filter out the candidates that are not legal MIPS instructions, increasing the chance of successful recovery. Finally, we choose a valid candidate whose logical operation (e.g., add or load) occurs most frequently in the application binary image. Our results show that on average, 34% of all possible 2-bit DUEs in the evaluated set of instructions can be successfully recovered using this heuristic recovery strategy. If a DUE affects the bit fields used for instruction decoding, we are able to recover correctly up to 99% of the time. We believe these results to be a significant achievement compared to an otherwise-guaranteed crash which can be undesirable in many systems and applications. Moreover, there is room for future improvement of this result with more sophisticated uses of side information. We look forward to future work in this area.
Correlation of Periodontal Disease With Inflammatory Arthritis in the Time Before Modern Medical Intervention

Background: Controversy exists regarding possible correlation of periodontal disease with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Confounding factors may relate to stringency of inflammatory disease diagnosis and the effect of therapeutic intervention for RA on periodontal disease. These factors are investigated in this study.Methods: Forty-five individuals with documented RA (n = 15), spondyloarthropathy (n = 15), and calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD) (n = 15), from the Hamann–Todd collection of human skeletons compiled from 1912 to 1938, and 15 individuals contemporarily incorporated in the collection were examined for tooth loss, cavity occurrence, average and maximum lingual and buccal depth of space between tooth and bone, periosteal reaction, serpentine bone resorption, abscess formation, and root penetration of the bone surface and analyzed by analysis of variance.Results: Tooth loss was common, but actual number of teeth lost, cavity occurrence, average and maximum...
Sunitinib objective response (OR) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC): Analysis of 1,059 patients treated on clinical trials.

4542 Background: Sunitinib achieves robust OR and improved progression-free survival (PFS) in mRCC patients (N Engl J Med 2007;356:115). A retrospective analysis was performed to characterize the O...
College Students' Sexual Consent Communication And Perceptions of Sexual Double Standards: A Qualitative Investigation.

CONTEXT Affirmative consent standards adopted by colleges and universities are meant to decrease miscommunication that may lead to sexual assault. However, they may not take into account sociocultural factors that influence consent. In particular, the role of gender norms needs to be better understood. METHODS In-depth interviews about college students’ sexual activity, including sexual consent communication, were conducted with 17 female and 13 male students at a large southern university during the spring 2013 semester. The interview protocol and analyses were guided by Carspecken's critical qualitative methodology, which seeks to understand both participants’ explicit statements and implied underlying meanings and values. Themes and subthemes were identified through inductive analyses. RESULTS Two overarching themes emerged: Students perceived a sexual double standard, and males viewed obtaining sex as a conquest. Subthemes related to the first theme reflected endorsement of traditional views of women's sexuality (the notions that “good girls” do not have sex, that women should privilege men's sexual needs over their own and that women “owe” men sex once men have “worked” for it). Subthemes related to the second theme reflected males’ beliefs that sex is a commodity that pits women and men against one another, and that women can be “convinced” to have sex if they initially refuse. CONCLUSIONS College students’ consent communication may be influenced by gender norms that challenge assumptions of affirmative consent standards. Cultural shifts in students’ views of sexuality may be necessary for affirmative consent policies to be effective.