cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infections in goats and other animals diagnosed at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System 1990–2012

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a recognized zoonotic food-borne pathogen; however, little is known about the ecology and epidemiology of diseases caused by the bacterium in California. The objective of the current study was to contribute to the knowledge of the diseases caused by Y. pseudotuberculosis in goats, the animal species most frequently reported with clinical yersiniosis to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, to better understand the epidemiology of this disease. A 23-year retrospective study was conducted to characterize the syndromes caused by the bacterium in goats and their temporospatial distribution, and to determine the number of cases in other animal species. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis-associated disease was diagnosed in 42 goats from 21 counties, with a strong seasonality in winter and spring. Most cases (88%) were observed within particular years (1999, 2004-2006, 2010-2011). The most frequently diagnosed syndrome was enteritis and/or typhlocolitis (64.3%), followed by abscessation (14.3%), abortion (11.9%), conjunctivitis (4.75%), and hepatitis (4.75%). Among other animal species, 59 cases were diagnosed in non-poultry avian species and 33 in mammals other than goats.
Grab and Strip Tensile Strengths for Woven Fabrics: An Experimental Verification

In the present study we have attempted to verify a theoretical model of grab versus strip strengths of fabrics [Textile Research Journal, 2003, 73(2), 165–171] through experimental investigation. F...
ZBP-89 represses vimentin gene transcription by interacting with the transcriptional activator, Sp1

Vimentin, a member of the intermediate filament protein family, is regulated both developmentally and tissue specifically. It is also a marker of the metastatic potential of many tumor cells. Pre viously, the human vimentin promoter has been shown to contain multiple elements for the binding of both positive- and negative-acting regulatory factors. Transient transfection analysis of various vimentin 5′-end promoter sequences and mutants thereof fused to a reporter gene further defined two regulatory elements, a positive element that binds Sp1 and a negative element that binds the protein ZBP-89. ZBP-89 has been shown to be either a repressor or an activator of gene expression, depending on the promoter. Here, we show that for vimentin, both ZBP-89 and ZBP-99 repress reporter gene expression in Schneider (S2) cells. Deletion constructs confirm that the glutamine-rich region of Sp1 is required to enhance vimentin transcription, whereas the N-terminus of ZBP-89 is required to interact with Sp1 and repress gene expression. The overexpression of hTAFII130 can alleviate ZBP-89 repression in S2 cells, suggesting how ZBP-89 might serve to block gene expression.
The Cost-Effectiveness of School-Based Eating Disorder Screening

Objectives. We aimed to assess the value of school-based eating disorder (ED) screening for a hypothetical cohort of US public school students.Methods. We used a decision-analytic microsimulation model to model the effectiveness (life-years with ED and quality-adjusted life-years [QALYs]), total direct costs, and cost-effectiveness (cost per QALY gained) of screening relative to current practice.Results. The screening strategy cost $2260 (95% confidence interval [CI] = $1892, $2668) per student and resulted in a per capita gain of 0.25 fewer life-years with ED (95% CI = 0.21, 0.30) and 0.04 QALYs (95% CI = 0.03, 0.05) relative to current practice. The base case cost-effectiveness of the intervention was $9041 per life-year with ED avoided (95% CI = $6617, $12 344) and $56 500 per QALY gained (95% CI = $38 805, $71 250).Conclusions. At willingness-to-pay thresholds of $50 000 and $100 000 per QALY gained, school-based ED screening is 41% and 100% likely to be cost-effective, respectively. The cost-effectiv...
Internationalizing Education: Critical Qualitative Case Studies in Social Education

The article addresses the need to integrate critical qualitative research in social education. In a world increasingly dominated by globalization and privatization, critical investigation of local to global issues in education are vital. Case studies of internationalizing efforts in education are described in order to provide a social justice / equity connections. Such educational endeavors facilitate the critical investigation of meaningful knowledge and issues, debates regarding globalization, and relevant problem-based global education that can provide the context for developing the skills engage in active transformation for social justice.
Nation‐building and informal politics

Among the problems that confront nation-builders in new states is dealing with their country's informal sector and its politics, manifest not only in the informal economy of markets and hidden transactions, but also its traditional authority systems, networks of patronage, bonds of ethnic and other parochial identities, and illicit activities, including corruption and criminal organisations. Some of these aspects of the informal sector have survived from pre-independence or colonial periods. Others, like kleptocracy and the criminalisation of the state, are outgrowths of the new state and its leadership cadre. These problems largely arise in the so-called juridical state, the legal-rational construct of new statehood, and reflect the failure, or unwillingness of the managers of the new state to move beyond the juridical state to the empirical state, that is, to nationhood and a generalised national identity and citizenship.
Load-Deformation Response of Pressurized Tubular Fabric Arches

Pressurized fabric arches are lightweight, portable structural members fabricated from a continuously woven or braided fabric tube and an internal impermeable bladder. This study examines the load-deflection and buckling response of semi-circular, inflated fabric arches. Experiments on the load-deformation response of a woven and braided fabric arch tested over a range of inflation pressures are detailed. A quadratic Timoshenko beam finite element previously developed for the small deformation analysis of beams and beamcolumns is extended to the large-deformation in-plane analysis of arches with a co-rotational formulation. Response simulations that include fabric wrinkling, work done by pressure, and geometric nonlinearity are shown to accurately predict measured, pressure-dependent arch load-deformation response. Additional analyses indicate that inflation pressure significantly affects the buckling capacity of both deep and shallow arches. The effect of arch included angle Θ is also studied with respect to buckling. Experimental measurements of braided arch load-displacement response provide a starting point for extending the beam finite element to analyze braided arch response.
Akt inhibitors in clinical development for the treatment of cancer

Importance of the field: The evolution of targeted therapies is dependent upon identification of cellular moieties that can be pharmacologically modulated. As one such example, the serine-threonine kinase Akt was identified nearly two decades ago. Since then, its role in mediating multiple signaling cascades (ultimately leading to cell growth and proliferation) has since been identified. More recently, several agents have been developed that antagonize Akt – these agents are in various stages of clinical testing. Areas covered in this review: Herein, we outline development of several promising Akt inhibitors, including perifosine, MK-2206, RX-0201, PBI-05204, GSK2141795 and others. What the reader will gain: The reader will gain insight into the current pipeline of Akt inhibitors, and the degree to which these agents have been examined both clinically and preclinically. Take home message: With an emerging pipeline of agents targeting Akt, it will be critical to decipher which amongst them holds the greate...
Sodium-cutting: a new top-down approach to cut open nanostructures on nonplanar surfaces on a large scale

We report a new, low-cost and simple top-down approach, “sodium-cutting”, to cut and open nanostructures deposited on a nonplanar surface on a large scale. The feasibility of sodium-cutting was demonstrated with the successfully cutting open of ∼100% carbon nanospheres into nanobowls on a large scale from Sn@C nanospheres for the first time.
Factors affecting plan choice and unmet need among supplemental security income eligible children with disabilities.

Objective To evaluate factors affecting plan choice (partially capitated managed care [MC] option versus the fee-for-service [FFS] system) and unmet needs for health care services among children who qualified for supplemental security income (SSI) because of a disability.
Systems, Circuits and Thermodynamics

The fundamentals of equilibrium and nonequilibrium thermodynamics are reviewed in the context of dynamical systems and network theory. The resulting mathematical structure forms an appropriate framework in which to discuss complex nonlinear phenomena encountered in biophysics and chemistry.
On the relation between solar wind structure and solar wind rotational and tangential discontinuities

Solar wind plasma and magnetic field data were used to identify rotational and tangential discontinuities during the first 40 days of the flight of Mariner 5. Of the 40 rotational discontinuities found, 36 were clustered in three distinct 3- to 6-day intervals. These three intervals were characterized by high solar wind bulk velocities, high magnetic field magnitudes, low densities, high correlation between velocity and magnetic field changes, and the presence of smooth Alfven waves. The rotational discontinuities had magnetic field changes that were generally close to the direction of magnetic field changes for smooth Alfven waves. Although the primary component of these changes was perpendicular to the equatorial plane for both, the radial component for the discontinuities was generally larger. The normals to the tangential discontinuity surfaces strongly preferred a direction near the ecliptic plane and perpendicular to the spiral field direction.
The Persistence of Attention to Emotion: Brain Potentials During and After Picture Presentation

Emotional stimuli have been shown to elicit increased perceptual processing and attentional allocation. The late positive potential (LPP) is a sustained P300-like component of the event-related potential that is enhanced after the presentation of pleasant and unpleasant pictures as compared with neutral pictures. In this study, the LPP was measured using dense array electroencephalograph both before and after pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant images to examine the time course of attentional allocation toward emotional stimuli. Results from 17 participants confirmed that the LPP was larger after emotional than neutral images and that this effect persisted for 800 ms after pleasant picture offset and at least 1,000 ms after unpleasant picture offset. The persistence of increased attention after unpleasant compared to pleasant stimuli is consistent with the existence of a negativity bias. Overall, these results indicate that attentional capture of emotion continues well beyond picture presentation and that this can be measured with the LPP. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Predicting maternal sensitivity: The roles of postnatal depressive symptoms and parasympathetic dysregulation

ABSTRACT: Previous research has established that maternal depression is a risk factor for a variety of negative developmental outcomes amonginfants and children. Although low levels of maternal sensitivity have been hypothesized to explain this risk, the biological mechanisms underlyingthe association between maternal depressive symptoms and low levels of maternal sensitivity have been largely underexplored. This study examinedthe roles of postnatal depressive symptoms and parasympathetic nervous system functioning as predictors of low levels of maternal sensitivity,during a stressful mother–infant interaction—the reunion phase of the Still-Face Paradigm. Depressive symptoms and traitlike predispositions towardparasympathetic dysregulation, as indexed by low resting levels of respiratory sinus arrhythmia, were associated independently with less sensitiveparenting. Discussion considers that during stressful mother–infant interactions, both mothers with depressive symptoms and mothers predisposedtoparasympathetic dysregulation may have fewer emotional, physiological, and psychological resources with which to respond sensitively to their infants’cues.Abstracts translated in Spanish, French, German, and Japanese can be found on the abstract page of each article on Wiley Online Library athttp://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/imhj.
Modern Interpretations of Nestorius

Nestorius continues to be a problem for modern historians of doctrine. The Problem arose in the fifth century when the church acting at the Council of Ephesus (431 A.D.) anathematized Nestorius, the Bishop of Constantinople, and pronounced Nestorianism a christological heresy. The decisions of the Council of Ephesus were accepted and re-affirmed at the Fourth (451 A.D.) and Fifth (553 A.D.) Ecumenical Councils. It must be said that “Nestorianism” as a special kind of doctrine could have been condemned as heretical could be called “dyoprosopatism.” But such was not the case. Nestorius was condemned and exiled as a heretic, and he was judged on the basis of certain doctrines which he was accused of holding. From the moment of his excommunication until the present time there have been many expressions of uncertainty as to whether he really taught and believed what was defined and condemned as Nestorianism. Somewhat epigrammatically historians have been asking whether Nestorius himself was a Nestorian.
Frequency and clinical impact of asymptomatic cerebral infarction due to vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage

Object The authors sought to determine frequency, risk factors, and impact on outcome of asymptomatic cerebral infarction due to vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Methods The authors prospectively studied 580 patients with SAH admitted to their center between July 1996 and May 2002. Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) from vasospasm was defined as 1) a new focal neurological deficit or decrease in level of consciousness, 2) a new infarct revealed by follow-up CT imaging, or both, after excluding causes other than vasospasm. Outcome at 3 months was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale. Results Delayed cerebral ischemia occurred in 121 (21%) of 580 patients. Of those with DCI, 36% (44 patients) experienced neurological deterioration without a corresponding infarct, 42% (51 patients) developed an infarct in conjunction with neurological deterioration, and 21% (26 patients) had a new infarct on CT without concurrent neurological deterioration. In a multivariate analysis, risk factors for asymptom...
Reproductive Biology and Juvenile Recruitment of the Shinyrayed Pocketbook, Lampsilis Subangulata (Bivalvia: Unionidae) in the Gulf Coastal Plain

Abstract The reproductive biology, glochidial morphology and recruitment of the federally endangered shinyrayed pocketbook, Lampsilis subangulata, were studied from May 1995 to July 1996 in the Flint River system, Georgia. Gravid female L. subangulata were found nine months of the year. On 19 May 1995, a L. subangulata was discovered releasing a superconglutinate, the first record confirming that this species used this specialized reproductive strategy. Superconglutinate release occurred from late May to mid-July in water temperatures ranging from 20.0 to 23.5 C. Laboratory experiments indicated that two fish species served as primary hosts, the spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus) and largemouth bass (M. salmoides). Secondary host fish included the eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki), guppy (Poecilia reticulata) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). The glochidial morphology of L. subangulata was similar to other lampsiline species. Using quantitative survey methods, no evidence of recent juvenile ...
The Impact of Community Treatment on Recidivism Among Mental Health Court Participants

Objective:A core component of mental health courts (MHCs) is the provision of community treatment in order to reduce arrests. However, research on the components of treatment received by MHC participants is rare. This study examined the impact of community treatment on arrests in an MHC sample (N=357) and a sample from the traditional criminal justice system (N=384).Methods:Data were from the MacArthur MHC Project, which includes objective and subjective information from four MHCs with comparison samples at each site. Interview data were collected for six months before and six months after entry into the MHC or legal system. National data from arrest records over one year were also obtained. Treatment-related variables were compliance (appointments and medication), perceptions (motivation and perceived voluntariness), and use of nine types of community treatment. A fixed-effects regression controlled for selection bias between groups.Results:The regression model indicated significant increases in treatmen...
Patterns of Ventricular Filling and Emptying From Interframe dv/dt Changes: Preliminary Report

Multigated cardiac studies were computer processed to produce cine mode images of change in volume with change in time, dv/dt. In a twenty frame gated blood pool study, both positive and negative volume changes are quantified from interframe differences. Using this data, a cinematic display of the functional pattern of filling and emptying may be created to provide the user with a different perspective on cardiac chamber dynamics. Preliminary results indicate that the cinematic display of the change in volume with time permits visualization of cardiac blood pool filling and emptying, delineates such structures as the pulmonary artery and beating atria, and may prove useful in the visualization of asynergies, bundle branch blocks, and other conduction abnormalities.
Biomass Hydropyrolysis in a Pressurized Fluidized Bed Reactor

Biomass pyrolysis and hydropyrolysis have been studied in a high-temperature, high-pressure fluidized bed reactor system. The reactor system can be operated at reaction temperatures up to 982 °C (1...
Parameter Adaptation of Reduced Order Models for Three-Dimensional Flutter Analysis

The accurate prediction of flutter for large 3-D structures in the transonic flight regime requires the construction of high-fidelity models of the fluid system in order to represent the complex flow characteristics present in this nonlinear regime. The computational expense can be quite considerable when the model is large (many degrees of freedom) and/or long integration times are required to determine the stability properties of the flow. The computational expense of this type of flutter analysis on large systems makes it impractical for use as a tool in applications such as aircraft design, flight testing, or controller design. Recently, the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method has been used to construct reduced order models (ROMs) of the fluid system in order to reduce the computational expense of the flutter analysis. The POD method constructs a reduced basis by using either experimental or simulation data at a particular flight condition. The full fluid system is then projected onto this reduced basis in order to form the ROM which is used for the flutter analysis. Here, we investigate the robustness of the POD-based ROM constructed in the time domain in terms of its accuracy when used for flight conditions that are dierent from those at which the ROM was created. We construct a ROM of the fluid system and use it along with a modal representation of the three dimensional structure to perform time domain aeroelastic analyses at dierent freestream Mach numbers, pressures, and densities to define the flutter boundary. We compare these results to experimental data as well as full order nonlinear simulation data. The POD-based ROM is applicable to a very wide range of freestream pressures and densities mostly owing to the fact that the pressure and density only appear as a constant factor in computing the aerodynamic lift force. Thus, a single ROM constructed at a given Mach number can be used to perform aeroelastic analyses over a large range of pressures and densities which increases its application potential in a design process. However, as expected, the POD-based ROM does exhibit sensitivity to the Mach number. We present two interpolation methods for adapting the POD basis vectors to varying Mach numbers. The first approach uses a simple and conventional Lagrange interpolation. The second approach is based on interpolating the angles between the ROM subspaces. We demonstrate these approaches on the AGARD Wing 445.6
Spectroscopic Characterization of Structural Changes in Membrane Scaffold Proteins Entrapped within Mesoporous Silica Gel Monoliths.

The changes in the orientation and conformation of three different membrane scaffold proteins (MSPs) upon entrapment in sol–gel-derived mesoporous silica monoliths were investigated. MSPs were examined in either a lipid-free or a lipid-bound conformation, where the proteins were associated with lipids to form nanolipoprotein particles (NLPs). NLPs are water-soluble, disk-shaped patches of a lipid bilayer that have amphiphilic MSPs shielding the hydrophobic lipid tails. The NLPs in this work had an average thickness of 5 nm and diameters of 9.2, 9.7, and 14.8 nm. We have previously demonstrated that NLPs are more suitable lipid-based structures for silica gel entrapment than liposomes because of their size compatibility with the mesoporous network (2–50 nm) and minimally altered structure after encapsulation. Here we further elaborate on that work by using a variety of spectroscopic techniques to elucidate whether or not different MSPs maintain their protein–lipid interactions after encapsulation. Fluoresc...
Comparing success rates of anesthesia providers versus trauma surgeons in their use of palpation to identify the cricothyroid membrane in female subjects: a prospective observational study

Purpose The primary aim of this study was to compare the success rates of anesthesia providers vs trauma surgeons in their use of palpation to identify the cricothyroid membrane (CTM). The secondary aim was to explore whether prior training and experience performing surgical airways affected the success rates for identifying the CTM.
Characteristics of histamine tachyphylaxis in canine tracheal smooth muscle.

In isolated canine tracheal smooth muscle, repeated administrations of histamine result in a rapid reduction in contractile response to about 15% of the initial contraction (tachyphylaxis). Development of this tachyphylaxis is specific inasmuch as: 1) it does not develop to acetylcholine (10−6 M or 10−4 M), or serotonin (10−5 M); and 2) maximally developed histamine tachyphylaxis is not associated with a parallel reduction in response to acetylcholine. Pretreatment with propranolol (10−5 M) or phentolamine (10−4 M) does not prevent tachyphylaxis: however, pretreatment with atropine (10−4 M) does prevent tachyphylaxis in about 50% of the animals tested. Tachyphylaxis to histamine can be reversed in a dose- and time-dependent fashion with prostaglandin synthesis inhibiting agents. The order of potency obtained with such compounds (indomethacin > mefenamic acid > oxyphenbutazone > acetylsalicylic acid) is consistent with potencies for inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis found in the literature. Also, in indomethacin pretreated strips in which tachyphylaxis to histamine was prevented, exogenous addition of PGE2 (1.42×10−10 M to 2.84×10−9 M) and PGA2 in a high concentration (2.9×10−9 M) are capable of selectively reducing the response to histamine without an effect on acetylcholine-induced contractions. These data suggest that the mechanism of histamine tachyphylaxis in the canine tracheal smooth muscle preparation involves prostaglandin synthesis.
Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis Typing of Staphylococcus aureus Strains.

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is the most applied and effective genetic typing method for epidemiological studies and investigation of foodborne outbreaks caused by different pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus. The technique relies on analysis of large DNA fragments generated by the cleavage of intact bacterial chromosomes with a rare cutting restriction enzyme, subsequently resolved by pulsed-field electrophoresis with periodic changes of the orientation of the electrical field across the gel. The high discriminatory power, improved reproducibility due to standardization of experimental protocols and data interpretation guidelines, and establishment of a national PFGE database of S. aureus profiles have made it a valuable means for global tracking of S. aureus infection sources and determination of genetic relatedness of outbreak isolates.
Freedom and self-creation: Anselmian libertarianism

In Freedom and Self-Creation, Katherin Rogers first offers an interpretation of Anselm’s account of free will, followed by an expansion of his view in which she attempts to engage contemporary phil...
12 – Intelligent Control of Nonlinear Systems with a Time-Varying Structure

This chapter combines an extension of the class of strict feedback systems considered in Polycarpou (1996) and Polycarpou and Meats (1998) with the concept of a dynamic structure that depends on time; this combination allows to propose a class of nonlinear systems with a time-varying structure, for which a direct adaptive control approach is developed. The systems considered are composed of a finite number of “pieces,” or dynamic subsystems, that are interpolated by functions depending on a possibly exogenous scheduling variable. It is assumed that each piece is in strict feedback form and showed that the methods yield stability of all signals in the closed loop as well as show convergence of the state vector to a residual set around the equilibrium, whose size can be set by the choice of several design parameters. In addition, it is argued that the direct adaptive method presents several advantages over indirect methods in general, including the need for a smaller amount of information about the plant and a simpler design. The direct adaptive method is applied to the problem of wing rock regulation, where the wing rock dynamics are uncertain and where the angle of attack is allowed to vary with time.
Full-Scale Instrumented Testing of Multiple Airfield Matting Systems on Soft Soil to Characterize Permanent Deformation

Abstract This paper presents results from full-scale testing of six airfield matting systems of various materials and designs that were evaluated on subgrades constructed to a California bearing ratio (CBR) of 6 and subjected to simulated aircraft loads. Mat breakage, deformation, and subgrade earth pressure were monitored during each test to determine the effectiveness of the airfield mats in reducing cumulative subgrade deformation and decreasing subgrade stresses. Based on test results, a simplified expression was developed to predict subgrade deformation on a CBR of 6 as a function of aircraft passes and airfield mat properties. The values predicted showed reasonable correlation with the measured data. The empirical equation can be used as an expedient tool for characterizing airfield matting behavior.
Effects of thermal pretreatment and catalyst on biomass gasification efficiency and syngas composition

This work explores the combined effects of thermal pretreatment and using a catalyst in situ on gasification carbon conversion efficiency, as well as product gas and tar content and compositions. To compare the effects of thermal pretreatment, pelletized and ground oak with three different levels of thermal pretreatment were gasified in a fluidized bed reactor. The pretreatments applied to the oak were (1) pelletization, (2) drying at 180 °C in air, and (3) torrefaction at 270 °C in nitrogen. The oak dried at 180 °C produced syngas of similar quality and approximately the same amount of char as untreated oak. Torrefaction at 270 °C resulted in syngas with a higher hydrogen to CO ratio, lower methane, and less than half of the total tar—all of which are desirable properties in terms of product gas quality. However, the oak torrefied at 270 °C also produced more than two times the amount of char as the untreated, pelletized oak. To determine the effect of catalyst, a series of experiments were conducted using olivine impregnated with nickel and cerium as the fluidized bed material in the gasifier. These tests showed that modified olivine can improve hydrogen production and reduce methane and tar levels in the syngas. The result was observed for both treated and untreated oak; although the effect was more substantial for untreated oak, for which the use of modified olivine reduced tar concentrations in the product gas by 60%, with a larger reduction in heavier tars than lighter tars. This result is important because reduction in heavier tar plays a more important role in benefitting downstream operations.
The Development of Mathematical Demography

Demography is the study of population, primarily human population, in terms of its growth and decay, fertility and mortality, and its relative mobility, together with its impact on the economic, political and sociological components of society. Interest in this subject can be traced back to ancient times. Oriental legends and biblical references indicate that an enumeration or census of a population by age and by locality was not uncommon. This was done primarily for military records and manpower, as well as for taxation. Governments also used such information for administrative aids and to establish the socio-economic character of its people.
Leptomeningeal Enhancement on 7T MRI in Multiple Sclerosis Is Associated with Cortical Gray Matter Atrophy (S41.004)

Objective: To explore the relationship between cortical gray matter (GM) atrophy and meningeal inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS). Background: We have previously reported 7 Tesla (7T) post-contrast MPFLAIR MRI as a potential marker of meningeal inflammation in MS. Here we explore the relationship between this finding and cortical GM pathology. Methods: 29 participants with MS underwent 7T brain MRIs. MPFLAIR was acquired pre- and post-contrast. Post-contrast leptomeningeal hyperintensities were identified by 2 independent reviewers with consensus achieved in tandem with a third reviewer. An automated segmentation algorithm utilized MPFLAIR and MP2RAGE images for volume calculations. Volumes were normalized to intracranial volume and expressed as fractions. Results: A total of 78 foci of leptomeningeal enhancement were noted in 26 (90[percnt]) cases with MS. The median number of foci was 2.0 (range 0 - 8) with 20 (69[percnt]) having >1 enhancement focus. Two patterns of enhancement were seen: spreading/filling (42 foci, 69[percnt]) and nodular (36 foci, 59[percnt]). Mean cortical GM fraction was lower in cases with > 1 enhancing focus (0.312, SD 0.021) than those without (0.329, SD 0.019, p = 0.043). Mean cortical GM fraction was also lower in those with spreading/filling enhancement (0.309, SD 0.019) than those without (0.334, SD 0.017, p = 0.002). Cortical GM fraction correlated with the number of spreading/filling foci (Spearman rho -0.383, p = 0.049). No significant relationships were found between leptomeningeal enhancement and white matter fraction or white matter lesion volume. Conclusions: Leptomeningeal enhancement in MS was associated with cortical GM atrophy, but not with white matter atrophy or lesions. This supports prior pathologic data linking meningeal lymphoid follicles in MS to local cortical atrophy and subpial demyelination, possibly induced by diffusion of inflammatory mediators into the subarachnoid space. Post-contrast 7T MPFLAIR may be an in vivo means of investigating this pathologic process. Disclosure: Dr. Harrison has received personal compensation for activities with Genzyme and Merck-Serono as a consultant. Dr. Harrison has received research support from Merck-Serono. Dr. Wang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Julie has nothing to disclose. Dr. Royal has received personal compensation for activities with MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc. Dr. Izbudak has received research support from Siemens Medical Solutions and Bayer HealthCare.
Online Multi-Task Learning Framework for Ensemble Forecasting

Ensemble forecasting is a widely-used numerical prediction method for modeling the evolution of nonlinear dynamic systems. To predict the future state of such systems, a set of ensemble member forecasts is generated from multiple runs of computer models, where each run is obtained by perturbing the starting condition or using a different model representation of the system. The ensemble mean or median is typically chosen as a point estimate for the ensemble member forecasts. These approaches are limited in that they assume each ensemble member is equally skillful and may not preserve the temporal autocorrelation of the predicted time series. To overcome these limitations, we present an online multi-task learning framework called ORION to estimate the optimal weights for combining the ensemble member forecasts. Unlike other existing formulations, the proposed framework is novel in that its learning algorithm must backtrack and revise its previous forecasts before making future predictions if the earlier forecasts were incorrect when verified against new observation data. We termed this strategy as online learning with restart . Our proposed framework employs a graph Laplacian regularizer to ensure consistency of the predicted time series. It can also accommodate different types of loss functions, including $\epsilon$ -insensitive and quantile loss functions, the latter of which is particularly useful for extreme value prediction. A theoretical proof demonstrating the convergence of our algorithm is also given. Experimental results on seasonal soil moisture forecasts from 12 major river basins in North America demonstrate the superiority of ORION compared to other baseline algorithms.
Functional study of naturally occurring human antibodies in breast cancer

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 1753 Introduction: Naturally occurring B–cell responses in the form of serum auto-antibodies to tumor-associated antigens are frequently observed in sera of patients with malignancies. Autoimmune responses in cancer patients may reflect molecular events that lead to tumorigenesis or disease progression. The purpose of this research was to study the role of auto-antibodies to promote human breast cancer cell growth and its potential mechanism by excessive activation of signal transduction pathways. Methods: Human antibody clones were screened from a human IgG Fab cDNA library that was constructed for a patient with breast cancer. The antibody binding to tumor antigen was tested by Western blot. The human breast cancer cell lines were treated with some of the Fab clones and the cell growth was measured by 3H-Thymidine uptake and MTT assay. Signal transduction pathways was evaluated by cell proliferation assay, in which three commonly used inhibitors including PD98059, Wortmannin, and PP1 were used. The potential signal pathway was further confirmed by Western blot. Results: Western blot performed on two selected antibodies showed that both clones’ product have stronger binding ability to the breast cancer antigen than the one from the normal breast tissues, indicating that the immune recognition of tested Fabs were breast cancer specific. The antigens recognized by the two tested clone products were of the similar size, a protein of molecular about 30-35 kDa, although the amino acid sequence of two clones varied by three residues in the CDR2 domain. The functional study showed that one IgG Fab (referred as Fab1) could stimulate both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines growth in vitro. Pretreatment with either PD98059, a specific inhibitor of MEK1, or PP1, a specific inhibitor of Src, remarkably inhibited Fab1-induced breast cancer cell growth. In contrast, pretreatment with of wortmannin, a specific inhibitor of PI-3 kinase, did not show any inhibition effect to the Fab1-induced tumor growth. Western blot showed that Fab1 rapidly and transiently increased the phosphorylation of ERKs in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, with a maximal effect seen at 15 min and a return to baseline by 30 min. In agreement with the data from the cell proliferation assay, the induction of ERK phosphorylation by Fab1 was blocked by PD98059 and PP1, indicating that ERK phosphorylation and Src kinase activity are required for the clone 1 Fab-induced tumor growth. Conclusion: Our studies indicated the possible role of human antibody to promote tumor cell growth by directly binding of IgG Fab to breast tumor antigen and the involvement of ERK signal transduction in this Fab-induced tumor cell growth. These findings provide for further speculation as to the role of auto-antibodies in activating signaling pathways that regulate tumor growth as a basis for disease progression.
A new mesophotic goby, Palatogobius incendius (Teleostei: Gobiidae), and the first record of invasive lionfish preying on undescribed biodiversity.

A new species of deep-reef fish in the goby genus Palatogobius is described from recent submersible collections off Curacao and Dominica. Video footage of schools of this species reveal predation by the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois spp.), the first record of undescribed fauna potentially being eaten by lionfish outside of its native range. We present molecular phylogenetic data for all valid species of Palatogobius and related genera, as well as a taxonomic key to the species of Palatogobius and a generic key to Palatogobius and related genera in the western Atlantic. Lastly, we discuss ecological and behavioral aspects of some deep-reef fishes in light of potential threats from invasive lionfish.
Internalization and localization of basal insulin peglispro in cells.

Abstract Background Basal insulin peglispro (BIL) is a novel, PEGylated insulin lispro that has a large hydrodynamic size compared with insulin lispro. It has a prolonged duration of action, which is related to a delay in insulin absorption and a reduction in clearance. Given the different physical properties of BIL compared with native insulin and insulin lispro, it is important to assess the cellular internalization characteristics of the molecule. Methods and materials Using immunofluorescent confocal imaging, we compared the cellular internalization and localization patterns of BIL, biosynthetic human insulin, and insulin lispro. We assessed the effects of BIL on internalization of the insulin receptor (IR) and studied cellular clearance of BIL. Results Co-localization studies using antibodies to either insulin or PEG, and the early endosomal marker EEA1 showed that the overall internalization and subcellular localization pattern of BIL was similar to that of human insulin and insulin lispro; all were rapidly internalized and co-localized with EEA1. During ligand washout for 4 h, concomitant loss of insulin, PEG methoxy group, and PEG backbone immunostaining was observed for BIL, similar to the loss of insulin immunostaining observed for insulin lispro and human insulin. Co-localization studies using an antibody to the lysosomal marker LAMP1 did not reveal evidence of lysosomal localization for insulin lispro, human insulin, BIL, or PEG using either insulin or PEG immunostaining reagents. BIL and human insulin both induced rapid phosphorylation and internalization of human IR. Conclusions Our findings show that treatment of cells with BIL stimulates internalization and localization of IR to early endosomes. Both the insulin and PEG moieties of BIL undergo a dynamic cellular process of rapid internalization and transport to early endosomes followed by loss of cellular immunostaining in a manner similar to that of insulin lispro and human insulin. The rate of clearance for the insulin lispro portion of BIL was slower than the rate of clearance for human insulin. In contrast, the PEG moiety of BIL can recycle out of cells.
A Multiresolutional Controller for Sensitivity Minimization

Abstract A multiresolutional signal decomposition allows a signal to have equivalent representations at different scales or levels of detail. This idea can be extended to a control system by having a multiresolutional representation of the plant and of the controller. One important purpose for developing a multiresolutional control system is to have the capability of controlling a plant with a high resolution representation using a low resolution controller. A multiresolutional controller could also be used to control only a particular aspect of a plant. We take a first step towards achieving a multiresolutional control system in this paper. We model the plant using a best, orthonormal wavelet packet basis and then determining the optimal controller using the same wavelet packet basis or another related wavelet packet basis. This paper presents a theorem for designing a wavelet packet controller which minimizes the sensitivity function for a SISO system. We also present new theoretical results on wavelet packets required for making the implementation of this multiresolutional controller very practical.
Synthesis and Characterization of 5‐Coordinate Tungsten Hydride Anions: [(tBu3SiNH)(tBu3SiN=)2HWR]M

Treatment of (tBu3SiNH)(tBu3SiN=)2WH (1-H) with small alkyl anions (RM) afforded tungsten alkyl hydride anions [(tBu3SiNH)(tBu3SiN=)2HWR)]M (3-(R)M: R=CH3, M=Li; R=nBu, M=Li; R=neoPe, M=Li; R=CH2Ph (Bn), M=K (two isomers); R=CCH, M=Na; R=CH=CH2 (Vy), M=Li). The saturated alkyl anions 3-(R)M (3-(R)M: R=CH3, M=Li; R=nBu, M=Li; R=neoPe, M=Li; R=CH2Ph (Bn), M=K) degraded via apparent 1,2-RH-elimination to produce the known [(tBu3SiN=)3WH]M (2-HM), but the acetylide (3-(C2H)Na) and vinyl (3-(Vy)Li) anions converted to their hydrogenated isomers, [(tBu3SiN=)3WVy]Na (2-VyNa) and [(tBu3SiN=)3WEt]Li (2-EtLi), respectively. The structure of 3-(nBu)Li is reported, and a discussion of tungsten-hydride coupling constants in tBu3SiX-ligated (X=O, NH, N) systems is given.
Sound-stress-induced altered nociceptive behaviors are associated with increased spinal CRFR2 gene expression in a rat model of burn injury

Sound stress (SS) elicits behavioral changes, including pain behaviors. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying SS-induced pain behaviors remain to be explored. The current study examined the effects of SS on nociceptive behaviors and changes in expression of the spinal corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system in male Sprague Dawley rats with and without thermal pain. We also studied the effects of SS on plasma corticosterone and fecal output. Rats were exposed to 3 days of SS protocol (n = 12/group). Changes in nociceptive behaviors were assessed using thermal and mechanical pain tests. Following the induction of SS, a subgroup of rats (n = 6/group) was inflicted with thermal injury and on day 14 postburn nociceptive behaviors were reassessed. Spinal CRF receptor mRNA expression was analyzed by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In addition, plasma corticosterone and spinal CRF concentrations were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Increased defecation was observed in SS rats. SS produced transient mechanical allodynia in naive rats, whereas it exacerbated thermal pain in thermally injured rats. Spinal CRFR2 mRNA expression was unaffected by stress or thermal injury alone, but their combined effect significantly increased its expression. SS had no effect on plasma corticosterone and spinal CRF protein in postburn rats. To conclude, SS is capable of exacerbating postburn thermal pain, which is linked to increased CRFR2 gene expression in the spinal cord. Future studies have to delineate whether attenuation of CRFR2 signaling at the spinal level prevents stress-induced exacerbation of burn pain.
Using Things, Defining Property

Accounts of property tend to define it as a right to exclude and treat use-privileges as incidental by-products of that right. This paper sketches a different approach, one that treats recognition of use-privileges to things as prior and then asks what sorts of rights might be justified in their support. I attempt to defend this approach against the analytical and doctrinal arguments made by Simon Douglas & Ben McFarlane in their paper Defining Property Rights. As the concept of “use” depends upon that of “thing,” I also attempt to shore up the reliance on “things” as central to the concept of property. In this vein, I argue for a concept of “thing” that encompasses any discrete and intelligible nexus of human activity with respect to which human purposes may come into conflict, arguing that this renders intellectual property rights straightforwardly intelligible as usufructary interests in things. I also offer a response to Christopher Essert’s argument in Property in Licenses and the Law of Things to the effect that property should jettison any reliance on things and simply view property rights as aimed at excluding others from classes of activity. Here my contention is that the identification of some discrete “thing” as an object of property provides a necessary focal point for the concepts of use and interest that are both functionally and normatively essential to property as a human institution.
Regulation of Kinase Activity in the Caenorhabditis elegans EGF Receptor, LET-23

In the active HER receptor dimers, kinases play distinct roles; one is the catalytically active kinase and the other is its allosteric activator. This specialization enables signaling by the catalytically inactive HER3, which functions exclusively as an allosteric activator upon heterodimerization with other HER receptors. It is unclear whether the allosteric activation mechanism evolved before HER receptors functionally specialized. We determined the crystal structure of the kinase domain of the only EGF receptor in Caenorhabditis elegans, LET-23. Our structure of a non-human EGFR kinase reveals autoinhibitory features conserved in the human counterpart. Strikingly, mutations within the putative allosteric dimer interface abrogate activity of the isolated LET-23 kinase and of the full-length receptor despite these regions being only partially conserved with human EGFR. Our results indicate that ancestral EGFRs have built-in features that poise them for allosteric activation that could facilitate emergence of the catalytically dead, yet functional, orthologs.