cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationships among Taste Qualities Assessed with Response-Context Effects

Psychophysical judgments often depend on stimulus context. For example, sugar solutions are judged sweeter when a tasteless fruity aroma has been added. Response context also matters; adding a fruity aroma to sugar increases the rated sweetness when only sweetness is considered but not when fruitiness is judged as well. The interaction between stimulus context and response context has been explored more extensively in taste–odor mixtures than in taste–taste mixtures. To address this issue, subjects in the current study rated the sourness of citric acid mixed with quinine (bitter), sodium chloride (salty), and cyclamate (sweet) (stimulus context). In one condition, subjects rated sourness alone. In another, subjects rated both sourness and the other salient quality (bitterness, saltiness, or sweetness) (response context). Sourness ratings were most sensitive to response context for sour–salty mixtures (i.e., ratings of sourness alone exceeded ratings of sourness made simultaneously with saltiness) and least sensitive to context for the sour–sweet mixtures (sourness ratings made under the 2 conditions were essentially identical). Response-context effects for the sour–bitter mixture were nominally intermediate. The magnitudes of these context effects were related to judgments of qualitative similarity between citric acid and the other stimuli, consistent with prior findings. These types of context effects are relevant to the study of taste–taste mixture interactions and should provide insight into the perceptual similarities among the taste qualities.
The relationship between awareness and verbal conditioning

Preceding a verbal-conditioning experiment, half the Ss were told the response-reinforcement contingency, and the other half were given no information. During the operant period, informed Ss showed a higher critical response level than did the uninformed ones; however, neither level nor rate differences were found during the acquisition and extinction periods. Differences were lacking also in the percent “aware” informed and uninformed Ss. These results were discussed in terms of the methodological problems investigators confront in interpreting the relationship between awareness reports and verbal conditioning.
Mechanisms of dilated cardiomyopathies

The past several years have witnessed the discovery of a multitude of mutations underlying the development of human heart disease. The analysis of these mutations, by Chien, Seidman and Towbin, together with sophisticated animal models and research in stem cell biology, lead to the development of new technologies, probably to revolutionize our current concepts regarding drug design and therapy.
The Usage of Dielectric Resonator Filters in Microwave Frequency Synthesizers

Microwave frequency synthesizers in the presence of dielectric resonator filters are presented in this paper. Various types of microwave filters are discussed depend on applications. Dielectric resonators are considered next to microstrip filters because of great benefits for the filter applications. A specific design example is given to focus on the usage of the dielectric resonators and filters.
Thermogravimetric investigation of manganese(ii), silver and thorium diliturates

Abstract Thermolysis curves for manganese(II), silver and thorium diliturates were obtained. Manganese diliturate precipitated as the octahydrate and dehydrated in two steps. Silver diliturate formed as a monohydrate from aqueous solutions. Thorium diliturate formed as a hydrate containing 20 moles of water and dehydrated in two steps. Methods for the thermogravimetric determination of manganese(II) and thorium by precipitation as the diliturates are suggested.
Ubicomp 2012 Conference Report

Learn about papers and topics of interest from the 14th ACM International Conference on Ubiquitous Computing (Ubicomp 2012). Much discussion centered on the future of robotics, the state of ubicomp, and the latest in sensor research.
PURIFICATION OF SINGLE-STRANDED M13 DNA BY COOPERATIVE TRIPLE-HELIX-MEDIATED AFFINITY CAPTURE

A solid-phase triple-helix-mediated affinity capture method is described for the purification of single-stranded M13 DNA for use as template in fluorescence-based DNA sequencing reactions. In this method, a biotinylated polypyrimidine oligonucleotide "loop" bound to streptavidin-coated magnetic beads is used to selectively capture single-stranded M13 DNA from high-titer phage supernatant through the formation of a cooperative triple helix (CTH) complex between the oligonucleotide and a polypurine site previously cloned into the M13 vector. Capture is accomplished at acidic pH to encourage triple-helix formation, while elution is performed at alkaline pH with heating to destroy the CTH complex. The beads can be reused up to three times without probe replenishment. Yields of M13 ssDNA in excess of 1 microgram per milliliter of culture are obtained, sufficient for use as template in fluorescence-based DNA sequencing reactions.
Some new observations on the luminescence of PbMoO4 and PbWO4

Abstract We report on the luminescence of doped and undoped PbMoO4 and PbWO4 single crystals; a red emission is found for the first time for PbMoO4. The degree of polarization of both the emissions of PbWO4 and of the shorter-wavelength emission of PbMoO4 is measured. The shorter-wavelength emissions are assigned to the 3T11A1 transition in the tetrahedral MoO42−(WO42−) group. It is assumed that the 3T1 level is split due to spin-orbit coupling. The longer-wavelength emissions are assigned to a transition in a molybdate (tungstate) group lacking an oxygen ion, i.e., a MoO3(WO3) group.
Identification of Rat Cell Lines that Preferentially Express Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins rlGFBP-1, 2, or 3

The bioavailability and action of the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are determined by specific IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP) to which they are complexed. Complementary DNA clones have been isolated that encode three related IGFBPs: human IGFBP-1 (hlGFBP-1), human IGFBP-3 (hlGFBP-3), and rat IGFBP-2 (rlGFBP-2). IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 are regulated differently in human plasma, suggesting that they have different functions. In order to study the molecular basis of the regulation of the different IGFBPs, we have identified a panel of rat cell lines that express a single predominant binding protein and developed an assay strategy to distinguish the different binding proteins. Proteins in conditioned medium were examined by ligand blotting, and by immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting using antibodies to rlGFBP-2 and hlGFBP-1; RNAs were hybridized to cDNA probes for rlGFBP-2 and hlGFBP-1.1) C6 glial cells and B104 neuroblastoma cells express an approximately 40 kilodalton (kDa) glycosylated binding protein th...
The case for the sustained performance computer architecture

The thesis of this report is that, in addition to existing methods for improving computer performance, high performance systems of the 90:0090's and beyond will benefit from a sustained performance architecture (SPA). This architecture, to be introduced informally here, is independent of technology and instruction set, and can be incorporated in machines without sacrificing binary comparitiblity. The purpose of SPA is to keep the instruction pipeline of a uniprocessor full to the greatest possible extend; this efficiency comes at the cost of increased hardware complexity in the prefetch mechanism and software complexity in the use of program flow information.
Integrating tourism with rural development

Abstract Tourism can play a much more powerful role in stimulating rural development than it has in most regions. Achieving this objective will require more careful integration of visitor marketing and rural development strategies. High “quality” visitors and accommodations may not be the same in rural and urban areas. What may be good for the region as a whole may not be good for its rural periphery. In the case of Hawaii, the expansion of tourism was not planned as an integral part of the rural development process, even though most of the state's hotel rooms will eventually be located in non-metropolitan areas. Hawaii may not, therefore, serve as an ideal planning model for other island regions to follow.
Cells on pores: a simulation-driven analysis of transcellular small molecule transport.

A biophysical, computational model of cell pharmacokinetics (1CellPK) is being developed to enable prediction of the intracellular accumulation and transcellular transport properties of small molecules using their calculated physicochemical properties as input. To test if 1CellPK can generate accurate, quantitative hypotheses and guide experimental analysis of the transcellular transport kinetics of small molecules, epithelial cells were grown on impermeable polyester membranes with cylindrical pores and chloroquine (CQ) was used as a transport probe. The effect of the number of pores and their diameter on transcellular transport of CQ was measured in apical-to-basolateral or basolateral-to-apical directions, at pH 7.4 and 6.5 in the donor compartment. Experimental and simulation results were consistent with a phospholipid bilayer-limited, passive diffusion transport mechanism. In experiments and 1CellPK simulations, intracellular CQ mass and the net rate of mass transport varied 10-fold, so by normalizing the net rate of mass transport by the pore area available for transport, cell permeability on 3 mum pore diameter membranes was more than an order of magnitude less than on 0.4 mum pore diameter membranes. The results of simulations of transcellular transport were accurate for the first four hours of drug exposure, but those of CQ mass accumulation were accurate only for the first five minutes. Upon prolonged incubation, changes in cellular parameters such as lysosome pH rise, lysosome volume expansion, and nuclear shrinkage were associated with excess CQ accumulation. Based on the simulations, lysosome volume expansion alone can partly account for the measured, total intracellular CQ mass increase, while adding the intracellular binding of the protonated, ionized forms of CQ (as reflected in the measured partition coefficient of CQ in detergent-permeabilized cells at physiological pH) can further improve the intracellular CQ mass accumulation prediction.
Tribological properties of poly(butylene terephthalate)—Glass composites: Adhesive wear

Abstract The tribological measurements and the observed microstructures of poly(butylene terephthalate)-glass composites have resulted in the modelling of the structural wear process. The increased fiber fraction increases the wear rate in general whereas the coefficient of friction remains relatively constant.
Mechanical properties of high energy density piezoelectric ceramics

Abstract High energy density piezoelectric ceramics, 0.8[Pb(Zr 0.52 Ti 0.48 )O 3 ]–0.2[Pb(Zn 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 + 2 mol%MnO 2 (PZZNT), were synthesized and their mechanical behavior was investigated by conducting tensile, bending and fracture toughness tests. Direct tensile testing of ceramics was achieved by optimizing the sample dimensions and by identifying the proper gripping method. Through these investigations, elastic modulus was calculated in the linear region of the stress–strain curves from both bending and tensile tests. The average magnitude of modulus was found to be 54 ± 7 GPa and 66 ± 4 GPa for tensile and bending test respectively. Fracture toughness was measured to be in the range of 1.07–1.20 MPa√m.
THE ACCURACY OF NAVIGATION USING MAGNETIC DIPOLE BEACONS

The position of an automobile within the lanes of a highway can be estimated from on-board measurements of the fields from magnets placed in the pavement at known positions and orientations. The accuracy of this navigation method is limited by background and sensor noise, and the magnitudes, orientations, and positions of the magnets relative to the path of the vehicle. The mean-squared position estimation error of this navigation system is determined by formulating the estimation problem as an extended Kalman filtering problem, linearized about an estimated vehicle trajectory. The estimation uncertainties are then characterized by a 3 × 3 covariance matrix, which is the solution of a matrix Riccati differential equation. This equation is solved in closed form for the nominal vehicle trajectory. The solution specifies the mean-squared position estimation error as a rational function of the mean-squared sensor noise, and the relative positions, orientations, and magnitudes of the magnets.
Helical CT angiography of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts.

Shunt dysfunction due to draining hepatic vein and/or stent stenosis is a common long-term complication of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS). Currently, Doppler sonography is the preferred modality for routine screening of TIPS for the detection of these complications. However, this method is time-consuming, highly operator-dependent, and difficult to perform because of the anatomic attributes of the cirrhotic liver. The use of helical CT angiography (HCTA) for imaging TIPS has been recently described. HCTA of TIPS is performed after a rapid i.v. injection of a bolus of low osmolality contrast medium, followed by helical data acquisition of the region of the shunt using thin sections. The data are then reprocessed a overlapping intervals and various reformations are obtained. Preliminary reports show the sensitivity and specificity of the helical CT angiography to be comparable with Doppler sonography.
Multi-level software reconfiguration for sensor networks

In-situ reconfiguration of software is indispensable in embedded networked sensing systems. It is required for re-tasking a deployed network, fixing bugs, introducing new features and tuning the system parameters to the operating environment. We present a system that supports software recon-figuration in embedded sensor networks at multiple levels. The system architecture is based on an operating system consisting of a fixed tiny static kernel and binary modules that can be dynamically inserted, updated or removed. On top of the operating system is a command interpreter, implemented as a dynamically extensible virtual machine, that can execute high-level scripts written in portable byte code. Any binary module dynamically inserted into the operating systems can register custom extensions in the virtual machine interpreter, thus allowing the high-level scripts executed by the virtual machine to efficiently access services exported by a module, such as tuning module parameters. Together these system mechanisms permit the exibility of selecting the most appropriate level of reconfiguration. In addition to detailing the system architecture and the design choices, the paper presents a systematic analysis of exibility versus cost tradeoffs provided by these mechanisms.
Mini-track: distributed group support systems (DGSS)

Since its inception six years ago, one hallmark of this mini-track has been its diversity-ranging from the diversity of topics covered, the diversity of research methodologies employed and the diversity of schools of thought. Implicit in such diversity is the variety of institutions represented in the mini-track. In previous years the authors have represented institutions from four continents; this year we are happy to report the inclusion of a fifth continent-Africa-in the authors' list of affiliations.
Power optimization of wireless media systems with space-time block codes

We present analytical and numerical solutions to the problem of power control in wireless media systems with multiple antennas. We formulate a set of optimization problems aimed at minimizing total power consumption of wireless media systems subject to a given level of QoS and an available bit rate. Our formulation takes into consideration the power consumption related to source coding, channel coding, and transmission of multiple-transmit antennas. In our study, we consider Gauss-Markov and video source models, Rayleigh fading channels along with the Bernoulli/Gilbert-Elliott loss models, and space-time block codes.
Effects of interventions on intra- and interobserver agreement on interpretation of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease histology

Accurate and reproducible interpretation of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) histology has significant clinical and research-related implications. We evaluated the impact of 2 interventions ([1] review of illustrative histologic images of NAFLD with the study pathologists; [2] use of a scoring sheet with written diagnostic criteria for different NAFLD phenotypes) on intra- and interobserver agreement on interpretation of NAFLD histology. Before and after the interventions, 2 pathologists twice read 65 liver biopsies done for evaluation of suspected NAFLD. The intra- and interobserver agreement was highest on assessment of steatosis and fibrosis. The interventions significantly improved the intraobserver agreement only on assessment of hepatocellular ballooning. The interobserver agreement was only fair on assessment of lobular inflammation, ballooning, and diagnostic classification and did not improve after the interventions. Methods to improve interobserver agreement on assessment of lobular inflammation and ballooning are needed and would likely increase pathologists' agreement on NAFLD diagnostic classification.
Effect of Altered Lipid A Synthesis on the Synthesis of Major Proteins of the Salmonella typhimurium Outer Membrane

The effect of altered lipid A synthesis on the synthesis of major outer membrane proteins was investigated in mutants of Salmonella typhimurium conditionally defective in the synthesis of 3-deoxy-D-mannooctulosonic acid (KDO). The defect is due to a mutation in the structural gene for KDO-8-phosphate synthetase (designated kdsA), and expression of this lesion results in the accumulation of a precursor of lipid A that not only lacks KDO but is also deficient in ester-linked fatty acyl residues. During the initial 2030 min following a shift of mutants to nonpermissive conditions, the rate of synthesis of the OmpA protein increased '2.5-fold and then decreased. In contrast, the rates of synthesis of total cell-envelope proteins, as well as that of the porin proteins, were unaffected. The mechanism responsible for the initial increase in the rate of OmpA synthesis remains to be established. However, it appears that the subsequent decrease in the rate of OmpA synthesis may be related to a decrease in the stability of OmpA messenger RNA. The effect of nonpermissive conditions on the rate of OmpA synthesis was specifically related to expression of the kdsA lesion, and it was not found to be strain-specific or uniquely related to a single kdsA mutant allele. A great deal is known concerning the steps involved in the biosynthesis of the 0 antigen and core regions of lipopolysaccharide of gram-negative bacteria. In contrast, the mechanism of lipid A synthesis is still poorly understood. Moreover, essentially nothing is known about the regulation of lipopolysaccharide synthesis or how the synthesis and/or structure of lipopolysaccharide affects the synthesis of other outer membrane com
Oxygen isotope content of CO2 in nocturnal ecosystem respiration: 2. Short‐term dynamics of foliar and soil component fluxes in an old‐growth ponderosa pine forest

[1] The oxygen isotope contents (δ18O) of soil, xylem, and leaf water and ecosystem respiration were studied in a ponderosa pine forest during summer 2001. Our goal was to assess whether δ18O of CO2 could be used to quantify the relative contributions of soil and foliar respiration to total nocturnal ecosystem respiration. The δ18O in leaf and soil water showed enrichment over a 2-week sampling period as the weather became hot and dry (leaves 0.9 to 15.0‰, and soil −10.4 to −3.1‰), while δ18O of xylem water remained constant (−12.9‰). Water in the soil was enriched in 18O near the soil surface (−6.4‰ at 5 cm depth) relative to greater depths (−11.1‰ at 20 cm). The δ18O of ecosystem respiration became gradually enriched over the 2-week sampling period (from 24.2 initially to 32.9‰ at the end, VSMOW scale). Soil respiration contributed 80 ± 12 percent to the total respiratory flux, close to estimates from scaled-up chamber data (77% [Law et al., 2001a]). Quantitative application of the isotopic approach to determine respiratory proportions required direct measurement of δ18O of soil and xylem water, air and soil temperature, and humidity. Better estimates of the isotopic signatures of component fluxes could be achieved with additional measurements and more detailed modeling. Results demonstrate that (1) there is variability in δ18O of precipitation inputs to ecosystems, (2) immediately following a precipitation event, δ18O of ecosystem respiration may reflect δ18O of precipitation, (3) periods of hot dry weather can substantially enrich ecosystem water pools and subsequently alter the isotope content of CO2 in ecosystem respiration, and (4) stable oxygen isotopes in CO2 can be used to quantify the foliar and soil components of ecosystem respiration.
Drinking Water Treatment with a Commercial Preparation of a Concentrated Lactobacillus Culture for Broiler Chickens

Abstract Three hundred male broiler chicks were used to determine the effects of supplying Lactobacillus in the drinking water. The product used, Biomax 40TM, was a fresh-frozen, pure culture of Lactobacillus containing 40 × 109 cfu/ml. Water treatments consisted of continuous lactobacilli dosing (CD) and skip-a-day lactobacilli dosing (SAD). A control group (C) received no lactobacilli. Each treatment and control contained two pens of 50 chicks each and were fed for a duration of 7 weeks. At the termination of the experiment, weights of the wet viscera, and wet and dry small intestines of the broilers revealed no significant differences between treatments and control. Surface pH readings taken from crop and duodenum showed that there was no significant difference (P>.05). Microbiology performed on duodenal contents revealed higher numbers of lactobacilli for CD and SAD broilers than for C broilers. The liver biotin contents of the lactobacilli-treated broilers were not significantly different from those of the controls. Body weights were not changed by either treatment, although they were greater for the CD broilers than for the SAD broilers. No difference was observed in feed conversion (feed/gain).
Generalization Bounds for Ranking Algorithms via Algorithmic Stability

The problem of ranking, in which the goal is to learn a real-valued ranking function that induces a ranking or ordering over an instance space, has recently gained much attention in machine learning. We study generalization properties of ranking algorithms using the notion of algorithmic stability; in particular, we derive generalization bounds for ranking algorithms that have good stability properties. We show that kernel-based ranking algorithms that perform regularization in a reproducing kernel Hilbert space have such stability properties, and therefore our bounds can be applied to these algorithms; this is in contrast with generalization bounds based on uniform convergence, which in many cases cannot be applied to these algorithms. Our results generalize earlier results that were derived in the special setting of bipartite ranking (Agarwal and Niyogi, 2005) to a more general setting of the ranking problem that arises frequently in applications.
Variable Productivity Adjustment Estimation for Function Point Project Delivery

This manuscript discusses a new approach for estimating cost adjustment for projects that are billed using function points. The baseline for estimation is assumed to be a set of projects with known effort and delivered function points. The proposed method uses the concept of variable productivity and builds a framework based on best unbiased linear estimator to accurately estimate the needed effort for future projects based on the delivered function points.
Time Lapse (4D) Effect In Forties Field, UK, North Sea; Reservoir Strain: Implication For Sand Production

Time lapse (4D) seismic has found application not only for monitoring fluid front and compartmentalization study, it also provides a means to study stress and strain changes associated with reservoir depletion over a period of time. Forties field 1988 and 2000 3D seismic surveys have been balanced to study the 4D effect between the two surveys. Time lags observed vary from -7.0 to +0.5 ms. High time lag observed above the Charlie sandstone is due principally to increased stress in the Charlie sandstone, while the high strain in the Southern inter-channel area is due mainly to saturation change in the Upper main sand, where it is observed to be thickest.
Snackbot: The Process to Engage in Human-Robot Conversation

While delivering snacks, Snackbot’s need to actively engage in conversation with the customers and other individuals, provides an approach for verbal interaction. This paper addresses the verbal human robot interaction between humans and robots using a speech recognizer named Sphinx 4. Sphinx 4, written entirely in Java is capable of recognizing predetermined words and sentences. Thereby, allowing robots to actively engage in conversations using spoken language.
Testing SoC interconnects for signal integrity using extended JTAG architecture

As technology shrinks and working frequency reaches the multigigahertz range, designing and testing interconnects are no longer trivial issues. In this paper, we propose an enhanced boundary-scan architecture to test high-speed interconnects for signal integrity. This architecture includes: 1) a modified driving cell that generates patterns according to multiple transitions fault model and 2) an observation cell that monitors signal integrity violations. To fully comply with the conventional Joint Test Action Group Standard, two new instructions are used to control cells and scan activities in the integrity test mode.
A Historical Analysis of the Co-evolution of Gasoline Octane Number and Spark-Ignition Engines

In this work, the authors reviewed engine, vehicle, and fuel data since 1925 to examine the historical and recent coupling of compression ratio and fuel antiknock properties (i.e., octane number) in the U.S. light-duty vehicle market. The analysis identified historical time frames and trends and illustrated how three factors—consumer preferences, technical capabilities, and regulatory legislation—affect personal mobility. Data showed that over many decades these three factors have a complex and time-sensitive interplay. Long-term trends in the data were identified where interaction and evolution between all three factors were observed. Specifically, transportation efficiency per unit power (gal/ton-mi/hp) was found to be a good metric to integrate technical, societal, and regulatory effects into the evolutional pathway of personal mobility. From this framework, discussions of future evolutionary changes to personal mobility are also presented, with a focus centered on how increasing fuel octane number can help to enable sustained improvement in transportation efficiency per unit power.
Evaluating Social Media and Its Impact on Engagement, Assessment, and Evaluation in Principles of Economics Courses

Ever since Becker and Watts (1996) and, more recently, Watts and Schaur (2011) found that economic educators rely heavily on “chalk and talk” as a primary teaching method, economic educators have been seeking new ways to engage students and improve learning outcomes. Recently, the use of social media as a pedagogical tool in economics has received increasing interest. Kassens (2014) and Al-Bahrani and Patel (2015) provide guides on how to incorporate social media into the classroom but, to our knowledge, no one has attempted to quantify the impact of social media on student learning outcomes in economics education. We attempt to fill this void by conducting a formal assessment of students in Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Macroeconomics across three different institutions to see if the use of Twitter increases engagement and/or improves learning outcomes. Each researcher taught concurrent sections of the same principles course, with one section randomly serving as the control group and the other as the treatment group. Students in the treatment group are strongly encouraged to follow the instructor on Twitter, where supplementary course material is posted. In the control group, students only receive the supplemental material through a Learning Management System (LMS), such as Blackboard. The outcome variables of interest are scores on a TUCE exam taken at the beginning and end of the course, as well as final course grades. Preliminary results suggest no definitive link between the use of Twitter and improved learning outcomes, but offer mixed evidence in terms of student engagement.
The Impact of Marketing Educational Vouchers

This paper examines the marketing of educational vouchers and its impact upon educational consumption for elementary schools in Chicago. The results show that 1) educational vouchers, if adopted, would create a need for a variety of educational offerings and additional marketing expertise, and 2) vouchers would increase educational spending above levels under the present system of financing education.
Structurally-sensitive rebinding dynamics of solvent-caged radical pairs: Exploring the viscosity dependence

Solvent-caged radical rebinding dynamics are studied using non-equilibrium 2DIR and dispersed vibrational echo spectroscopy.
Abstract B50: HOXB7 modulates tumor cell invasion and is a predictor of poor clinical outcome in pancreatic cancer.

HOX genes encode transcription factors that not only regulate normal growth and differentiation during embryonic development, but also promote oncogenesis through their aberrant expression and functional deregulation in cancer. Published microarray data indicate multiple HOX genes are aberrantly expressed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC), although it is largely unknown whether these changes in expression directly influence pancreatic tumorigenesis. Given its known pro-tumorigenic effects in various other types of cancer, HOXB7 expression and function was examined in pancreatic cancer. Both HOXB7 protein and message levels were examined in PDAC cell lines and patient tumors and found to be significantly elevated relative to normal pancreas. Immunohistochemical evaluation of a large tissue microarray of 145 PDAC patient tumors demonstrated that higher levels of HOXB7 expression was associated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.034) and worse overall survival (median survival 18.7 ± 2.5 months vs. 28.8 ± 2.9 months, log-rank P=0.008), as well as a statistically significant independent predictor of decreased survival in multivariate analysis (Hazard Ratio = 1.56, 95% CI 1.02-2.39, P=0.04). Exploring possible mechanisms underlying these finding, the phenotypic effects of HOXB7 overexpression and silencing were examined by various in vitro assays of biological activity. While HOXB7 had no significant impact on PDAC cell line growth or survival, it strongly promoted the migratory and invasive phenotypes of multiple PDAC cell lines. Gene microarray analysis of PDAC cell lines following siRNA-mediated HOXB7 gene knockdown revealed multiple candidate genes whose expression were linked to HOXB7 expression and that have the potential to explain the proinvasive and protumorigenic activities of HOXB7. In conclusion, HOXB7 and its downstream transcriptional gene targets promote invasive phenotype and aggressive clinical behavior in PDAC and therefore represent potentially useful clinical biomarkers or targets of therapy for PDAC. Citation Format: Michael A. Arensman, Anne N. Kovochich, Timothy Donahue, Samuel W. French, David W. Dawson. HOXB7 modulates tumor cell invasion and is a predictor of poor clinical outcome in pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Progress and Challenges; Jun 18-21, 2012; Lake Tahoe, NV. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B50.
MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOMES OF ST-ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN RENAL TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS VERSUS END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE PATIENTS ON DIALYSIS

The presence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is an adverse prognostic factor in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, whether outcomes of STEMI differ among patients with ESRD requiring long-term dialysis versus those with a functional renal transplant has not been
Glucocorticoids Hijack Runx2 to Stimulate Wif1 for Suppression of Osteoblast Growth and Differentiation

Abstract Inhibition of RUNX2 is one of many mechanisms that suppress bone formation in glucocorticoid (GC)-induced osteoporosis (GIO). We profiled mRNA expression in ST2/Rx2(dox) cells after treatment with doxycycline (dox; to induce Runx2) and/or the synthetic GC dexamethasone (dex). As expected, dex typically antagonized Runx2-driven transcription. Select genes, however, were synergistic stimulated and this was confirmed by RT-qPCR. Among the genes synergistically stimulated by GCs and Runx2 was Wnt inhibitory Factor 1 (Wif1), and Wif1 protein was readily detectable in medium conditioned by cultures co-treated with dox and dex, but neither alone. Cooperation between Runx2 and GCs in stimulating Wif1 was also observed in primary preosteoblast cultures. GCs strongly inhibited dox-driven alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in control ST2/Rx2(dox) cells, but not in cells in which Wif1 was silenced. Unlike its anti-mitogenic activity in committed osteoblasts, induction of Runx2 transiently increased the percentage of cells in S-phase and accelerated proliferation in the ST2 mesenchymal pluripotent cell culture model. Furthermore, like the inhibition of Runx2-driven ALP activity, dex antagonized the transient mitogenic effect of Runx2 in ST2/Rx2(dox) cultures, and this inhibition eased upon Wif1 silencing. Plausibly, homeostatic feedback loops that rely on Runx2 activation to compensate for bone loss in GIO are thwarted, exacerbating disease progression through stimulation of Wif1. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Genomic removal of a therapeutic mini-dystrophin gene from adult mice elicits a Duchenne muscular dystrophy-like phenotype

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by dystrophin deficiency. A fundamental question in DMD pathogenesis and dystrophin gene therapy is whether muscle health depends on continuous dystrophin expression throughout the life. Published data suggest that transient dystrophin expression in early life might offer permanent protection. To study the consequences of adulthood dystrophin loss, we generated two strains of floxed mini-dystrophin transgenic mice on the dystrophin-null background. Muscle diseases were prevented in skeletal muscle of the YL238 strain and the heart of the SJ13 strain by selective expression of a therapeutic mini-dystrophin gene in skeletal muscle and heart, respectively. The mini-dystrophin gene was removed from the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle of 8-month-old YL238 mice and the heart of 7-month-old SJ13 mice using an adeno-associated virus serotype-9 Cre recombinase vector (AAV.CBA.Cre). At 12 and 15 months after AAV.CBA.Cre injection, mini-dystrophin expression was reduced by ∼87% in the TA muscle of YL238 mice and ∼64% in the heart of SJ13 mice. Mini-dystrophin reduction caused muscle atrophy, degeneration and force loss in the TA muscle of YL238 mice and significantly compromised left ventricular hemodynamics in SJ13 mice. Our results suggest that persistent dystrophin expression is essential for continuous muscle and heart protection.
The Watchboy Radionuclide Detector Deployment and Analysis

The Watchboy detector was designed to measure the rate of radionuclide production in water created via muon spallation. The three primary nuclei of interest, 11Li, 8He and 9Li, can mimic an antineutrino induced inverse beta decay, producing a high energy beta particle in coincidence with a neutron. Their signature in Watchboy would be the passage of a muon through the target, followed some time later, characterized by the decay time of the radionuclide, by a beta and a neutron emitted in coincidence.
Shunt surgery in Meniere's disease: a follow-up report.

Between December 1969 and May 1986, 140 patients were treated for Meniere's disease using the endolymphatic sac subarachnoid shunt. The technique and results are contrasted with an earlier report. The surgical technique described includes modifications of the originally described procedure. A microcomputer was used for the storage and manipulation of data based upon 1972 Academy criteria. Control of vertigo was accomplished in 83% of patients; 51% of patients were graded class A or B, according to the 1972 Academy criteria. No serious complications occurred. Problems included the potential for serious complications, the lack of specific criteria for patient selection, and the continued deterioration of hearing with the passage of time. Comparison of data with those presented in 1973 indicates a lower overall success rate, but continued success in the management of vertigo and imbalance. The endolymphatic sac subarachnoid shunt is worthy of consideration in the management of Meniere's disease when surgery is indicated and retention of hearing is desirable.
High-Resolution Mapping of Postinfarction Reentrant Ventricular Tachycardia: Electrophysiological Characterization of the Circuit.

Background: In vivo description of ventricular tachycardia (VT) circuits is limited by insufficient spatiotemporal resolution. We used a novel high-resolution mapping technology to characterize the electrophysiological properties of the postinfarction reentrant VT circuit. Methods: In 15 swine, myocardial infarction was induced by left anterior descending artery balloon occlusion. Animals were studied 6 to 8 weeks after myocardial infarction. Activation mapping of VTs was performed by using the Rhythmia mapping system. Activation time was based on a combination of bipolar and unipolar electrograms. The response to overdrive pacing from different zones of the circuit was examined. Results: A total of 56 monomorphic VTs were induced (3.8±2.1 per animal). Among these, 21 (37.5%) were hemodynamically stable and allowed mapping of the circuit. Isthmuses were 16.4±7.2 mm long and 7.4±2.8 mm wide. Conduction velocities were slowest at the inward curvature into the isthmus entrance (0.28±0.2 m/s), slightly faster at the outward curvature exit (0.40±0.3 m/s) and nearly normal at the central isthmus (0.62±0.2 m/s). In 3 animals, 2 VT morphologies with opposite axes sharing the same isthmus were mapped. Conduction velocities within the shared isthmus were dependent on the activation vector, consistently slower at the proximal curvature. Overdrive pacing from isthmus sites determined by activation mapping was consistent with entrainment criteria for isthmus. However, dimensions of the isthmus defined by entrainment exceeded dimensions of the isthmus measured by activation mapping by 32±18%. Conclusions: In postinfarction reentrant VT, conduction velocities are slowest at the proximal and distal curvatures. Entrainment mapping overestimates the true size of the isthmus. High-resolution activation mapping of VT may better guide ablation therapy. # Clinical Perspective {#article-title-25}
French Postmodern Masculinities: From Neuromatrices to Seropositivity

As traditional notions of masculinity have been put into question, there have been representational reactions to and articulations of changing masculinities in post-modern culture. Certain contemporary French cultural productions are illustrative of these changing masculinities and this book offers the first comprehensive examination of these manifestations. Acclaimed critic Lawrence Schehr uses analysis of AIDS narratives, mainstream films, popular novels, more mainstream novels, a graphic novel, and rightist polemics to explore the changing meaning of masculinity in French society. French Postmodern Masculinities will appeal to a broad range of researchers and postgraduate students working in French cultural studies, cinema, and twentieth- and twenty-first-century French literature.
Curiosity Killed the Organization: A Psychological Comparison between Malicious and Non-Malicious Insiders and the Insider Threat

Insider threats remain a significant problem within organizations, especially as industries that rely on technology continue to grow. Traditionally, research has been focused on the malicious insider; someone that intentionally seeks to perform a malicious act against the organization that trusts him or her. While this research is important, more commonly organizations are the victims of non-malicious insiders. These are trusted employees that are not seeking to cause harm to their employer; rather, they misuse systems-either intentional or unintentionally-that results in some harm to the organization. In this paper, we look at both by developing and validating instruments to measure the behavior and circumstances of a malicious insider versus a non-malicious insider. We found that in many respects their psychological profiles are very similar. The results are also consistent with other research on the malicious insider from a personality standpoint. We expand this and also find that trait negative affect, both its higher order dimension and the lower order dimensions, are highly correlated with insider threat behavior and circumstances. This paper makes four significant contributions: 1) Development and validation of survey instruments designed to measure the insider threat; 2) Comparison of the malicious insider with the non-malicious insider; 3) Inclusion of trait affect as part of the psychological profile of an insider; 4) Inclusion of a measure for financial well-being, and 5) The successful use of survey research to examine the insider threat problem.
“The Dyer’s Hands Are Always Stained”: Religion and the Clergy in The Tudors

A poignant scene in the first season of The Tudors begins in the bright sunshine of a stable yard in Paris, where Thomas Wolsey and Thomas More discuss the price of a career in royal service. Wolsey insists a man must be prepared to compromise his principles. He declares, “The dyer’s hand is always stained by the elements he works with.” More refuses to accept this assertion. Dipping his own hands into a nearby bucket of water, he retorts, “Here is my element. The spiritual element. The higher element. Now, you tell me—am I stained by it?”1 So ends an excellent exchange, underscoring the contrasting dispositions of Sam Neill’s Wolsey and Jeremy Northam’s More. While the former is invariably concerned with the demands of this world, the latter refuses to compromise his principles regardless of the cost. Like the ambitious Wolsey, The Tudors is also stained by the elements with which it works. Comprising a total of 38 episodes, the series has more than enough opportunity to explore the complexity of the Tudor era. Concerned with both attracting and keeping a popular audience, however, the script chooses to focus on the more gratuitous aspects of Henry VIII’s reign. The theme of religion—“the spiritual element”—is visible throughout, but it is undermined by a simplistic approach to difficult concepts and an obvious preference for entertainment.
Cebranopadol: novel dual opioid/NOP receptor agonist analgesic

SummaryWhat is known and objective Chronic pain presents a difficult clinical challenge because of the limited efficacy, the limiting adverse-effect profile or the abuse potential of current analgesic options. Cebranopadol is a novel new agent in clinical trials that combines dual agonist action at opioid and nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) receptors. It is the first truly unique, centrally acting analgesic in several years. We here review the basic and clinical pharmacology of cebranopadol. Methods Published literature and Internet sources were searched to identify information related to the basic science (pharmacology and medicinal chemistry) and development (clinical trial) information on the mechanism of dual opioid and NOP receptor pharmacologic action in general, and for cebranopadol in particular. The identified sources were reviewed and the information synthesized. Results The preclinical testing of cebranopadol has characterized it as a dual opioid and NOP receptor agonist that displays antinociceptive and antihyperalgesic action in a variety of acute and chronic pain models in animals. Unlike most current traditional opioids, it is generally more potent against neuropathic than nociceptive pain. Several phase 2 clinical trials have been completed. What is new and conclusion Despite the medical need, a truly novel centrally acting analgesic has not been developed in many years. Cebranopadol represents a truly novel mechanistic approach. Its actual place in pain pharmacotherapy awaits the results of phase 3 clinical trials.
Lurk or lead? The benefits of community participation.

winston churchill said “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to have changed often” ([4][1]). For educators, change is a constant. We adapt our teaching constantly to new discoveries in education and science, new students, and new technologies. However, current reform efforts are driving
DeSiDeRaTa: QoS Management Technology for Dynamic, Scalable, Dependable, Real-Time Systems

Abstract The DeSiDeRaTa project is producing technology to enable the engineering of the emerging generation of distributed real-time systems. Such systems have rigorous Quality of Service (QoS) objectives. They must behave in a dependable manner, respond to threats in a timely fashion and provide continuous availability, even within hostile and unknown environments. To provide the desired QoS in such a context, the DeSiDeRaTa project focuses on QoS specification, dynamic QoS management middleware, and benchmarking of dynamic real-time systems. This paper discusses each of these aspects, and presents experimental results of applying DeSiDeRaTa technology to a dynamic realtime benchmark system.
How Does Couple and Relationship Education Affect Relationship Hope? An Intervention‐Process Study with Lower Income Couples

Objective To explore whether changes in positive interaction skills as a result of participation in couple and relationship education (CRE) are associated with changes in relationship hope. Background Recent CRE work has focused more on its effectiveness for disadvantaged couples, with the early evidence mixed. Increasing the effectiveness of CRE for disadvantaged couples will require more evidence of how it works, not just whether it works. Method In this study, 182 lower income couples participated in a 30-hour psychoeducational intervention, Family Expectations (FE), in Oklahoma City. Participants completed measures of positive interaction skills and relationship hope, a seldom-studied construct in CRE research, before and shortly after the program. Results At pretest, there was significant variation in relationship hope among FE participants. Latent growth curve models revealed changes in positive interaction skills were associated with higher levels of partners' relationship hope at the end of the program, although the effect of men's skills changes on their partners' hope was 3 to 4 times stronger than for women's skills changes on their partners' hope. Additional latent growth curve models found that nearly 70% of participants reported positive changes in skills and that participants entering the program with the lowest levels of hope experienced the greatest changes in positive interaction skills. Conclusion We conclude that relationship hope is a legitimate target outcome in CRE and is influenced by improvement in positive interaction skills, consistent with social learning theory. Also, those entering CRE with low levels of hope improve interaction skills most, and men's growth produces larger gains for the couple relationship than women's growth. Implications Distressed individuals and couples should be particularly encouraged to attend CRE programs, and program developers should make sure that their curricula and pedagogic processes are well aligned with men's interests and learning styles.