cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Natural and anti-PD-L1 induced tumor immunity in a novel ovarian cancer mouse model for human mucin 1 (MUC1) (VAC3P.943)

MUC1 is a large cell surface glycoprotein overexpressed by almost all types of adenocarcinomas, including those originating in the ovaries. We recently generated a triple transgenic MKP mouse model that carry conditional Kras mutations, Pten deletion and express human MUC1 as self. Upon AdCre injection under the ovarian bursa, the MKP mice progress to endometrioid ovarian tumors. Using a freshly isolated, orthotopic ovarian tumor from a MKP mouse, we generated an ovarian cancer cell line MKP-T-2F8 (or simply 2F8) that triggers multiple MUC1 expressing intraperitoneal (IP) tumors. At baseline, the cells express low PD-L1 but expression increases after in vivo growth. Using the 2F8 transplantable tumor model, we tested in vivo the therapeutic effectiveness of anti-PD-L1 antibody (10F.9G2). MUC1.Tg or wild type mice were IP injected with 8x10E5 of 2F8 cells, followed by three doses of 200ug of anti-PD-L1 (or isotype control) antibody, administered IP every 2 weeks, starting 3 weeks post-tumor challenge. The anti-PD-L1 treated MUC1.Tg mice showed significantly increased survival (p= 0.02), with no evidence for peritoneal tumor. In contrast, wild type mice which grow 2F8 tumors and develop spontaneous anti-MUC1 antibodies in high titers, did not respond to anti-PD-L1 therapy. These results demonstrate that targeting PD-L1 is a viable therapeutic strategy in ovarian cancer; however, tumor-bearing hosts with Th2-driven immune imbalance may not benefit from PD-L1 blockade.
Diadema antillarum 17 years after mass mortality: is recovery beginning on St. Croix?

Diadema antillarum was once ubiquitous in the Caribbean, but mass mortality in 1983-84 reduced its numbers by >97%. We measured Diadema abundance on back reefs and patch reefs that have been well studied for >25 years. From June 2000 to June 2001, popula- tions on back reefs have increased >100% (June 2001 mean densities 0.004-0.368/m 2 ), while patch reef popu- lations increased >350% (June 2001 densities 0.236- 0.516/m 2 ). Populations are dominated by small urchins, suggesting high recent recruitment. Increased Diadema densities appear to be affecting macroalgae abundance. The general spatio-temporal pattern of recovery around St. Croix seems to be following that of the die-off, sug- gesting that the same oceanographic features that spread Diadema's pathogen are now carrying urchin larvae.
An energy sensor for control of energy intake

Control of energy intake, either in response to changes in the energy content of food or in energy expenditures and storage, is based on the detection of a feedback signal generated in the processing of metabolic fuels for energy. Evidence from studies of the fructose analogue, 2,5-AM, indicates a sensor in liver responds to changes in intracellular ATP or some closely associated event and communicates this information to the brain via vagal afferent neurons. Such a mechanism could serve as the energy sensor which controls energy intake.
Directed Reflections: Pragmatic and Metapragmatic Corralling

T o discuss a collection of papers is to corral them-at one step removed; for, however volunteered, they have already been corralled by the editors. Corralled, they are subject to comparison (according to the etiquette of discussion: thematic, theoretical comparison, yes; comparison of genre perhaps, of style with caution; comparison of quality, no). They are assumed to share common concerns of a substantive or theoretical nature or both. They are subject to the manipulation-the readings and misreadings-of their discussant, whose responsibility for such manipulations is attenuated by the fact of their having been already corralled by the editors, whose responsibility is itself attenuated by the fact that the papers have been volunteered by their authors, who in turn are relieved of responsibility by the fact that their papers are only reporting the facts, or are in fact the result of complicated negotiations between them (as writers and researchers) and their (corralled?) informants. I might add that authorial (as well as editorial and discussant) responsibility is further lightened by the institutionalized prestige of the endeavor itself, its theory, its implication-the contribution it makes to knowledge (the advancement of social, cultural, psychological understanding) and practice (therapeutic, social-engineering). What is missing in this consideration of pragmatically constituted deflectionary nestings are the plays of desire and power that lie behind and are lost in the nestings: the real and fantasmatic, conscious and unconscious desires for prestige, promotion, salary increase, or escape from ajob one hates; the desire to contribute to the discipline, to society, to advance or destroy a colleague, to honor a mentor, to memorialize an informant, to seek textual immortality, a place in history-all of which are, as our science tells us, subject to the effects of institutionally lodged power. It is to call attention to power and desire-to the undersong of the pragmatically constituted pictures of reality we draw-
Biological Rhythmicity of Nasal Airway Patency : A Re-examination of the 'Nasal Cycle'

Rhinomanometric observations of nasal airway patency were obtained for each nasal passage every 10 min throughout an uninterrupted 8-h session. The 49 airflow observations for each nasal passage were subjected to autocorrelation analysis, a statistical technique for quantifying periodicities in a temporal sequence of observations. No significant periodicities were found in any of the 16 subjects when the autocorelation functions were interpreted by conventional statistical criteria. However, when less stringent criteria were applied, we found suggestive evidence for rhythmicity in one (7 subjects) or both nasal passages (2 subjects). The relationship in patency between the two sides of the nose was characterized with correlation coefficients. These correlations were significantly negative in 7 subjects, indicating bilateral reciprocity of patency. In addition, the correlations were significantly positive in one, and nonsignificant in 8 subjects. Only a minority of subjects (13%) displayed the classical na...
Differential Induction of Rat Hepatic Cytochromes P450 3A1, 3A2, 2B1, 2B2, and 2E1 in Response to Pyridine Treatment

Pyridine (PY) effects on rat hepatic cytochromes P450 (CYP) 3A1 and 3A2 expression were examined at the levels of metabolic activity, protein, and mRNA and were compared with those of CYP2B1/2 and CYP2E1. CYP3A metabolic activity as well as CYP3A protein and mRNA levels increased following treatment of rats with PY. CYP3A1 and CYP3A2 were differentially affected by PY treatment in terms of induction levels, dose dependence, and stability of mRNA. CYP3A1 mRNA levels maximally increased ∼42-fold after PY treatment, whereas CYP3A2 mRNA level increased ∼4-fold. Moreover, CYP3A1 mRNA levels decreased more rapidly than those of CYP3A2 as determined following inhibition of transcription with actinomycin D or cordycepin. Treatment of rats with PY resulted in a dose-dependent increase in CYP3A1, CYP3A2, and CYP2B1/2B2 protein levels. In contrast to the effects of PY treatment on CYP3A1 and 2B, CYP2E1 protein levels increased in the absence of a concomitant increase in CYP2E1 mRNA levels. Treatment of rats with PY at 200 mg/kg/day for 3 days increased both protein and mRNA levels of CYP3A2, whereas treatment with higher than 200 mg/kg/day for 3 days increased CYP3A2 protein levels without an increase in CYP3A2 mRNA levels. These data demonstrated that PY regulates the various CYPs examined in this study at different levels of expression and that PY regulates CYP3A1 expression through transcriptional activation and CYP3A2 expression through transcriptional and post-transcriptional activation at a low- and high-dose PY treatment, respectively.
A lifting based system for optimal compression and classification in the JPEG2000 framework

In this paper, we propose a novel design for a lifting based system that achieves the optimal trade off between compression and classification performances. In addition, it can also achieve superior compression performance compared to existing wavelet kernels. The proposed system is based on bi-orthogonal filters and can operate in the JPEG2000 framework. Typically, in our proposed system the trade off point between compression and classification is automatically determined by the system. However, the user can also fine-tune the relative performance if required using two adjustors (one for compression and one for classification). Extensive simulations have been performed to demonstrate the efficiency of our system. Our simulation result shows that a 99% classification performance can be achieved at a comparable reconstruction quality whilst a superior compression performance over the JPEG2000 standard can be achieved at a classification rate of 70%.
Analysis and design of passive band-stop filter-type vibration isolators for low-frequency applications

The aim of this paper is to design a stiff and lightweight passive vibration isolator that has wide stop-band at low frequencies. First of all, bandwidths of single-degree-of-freedom (sdof) dynamic vibration absorbers and lever-type anti-resonant vibration isolators are formulated in a general framework. Then, by making use of these formulations, a 2dof vibration isolator is synthesized to obtain large bandwidth at low frequencies. It has been shown that inertial coupling was beneficial in obtaining a stiff and lightweight design. More importantly, asymmetry in the inertial forcing terms generated by the levered masses yielded a vibration isolator that has two anti-resonance frequencies in its stop-band. Finally, bandwidth improvement over the previously analyzed isolators is demonstrated via numerical examples.
A waveform correlation method for identifying quarry explosions

A waveform correlation method is presented for identifying quarry explosions by attributing them to known mines characterized by multiple master events. The objective is to provide a reliable automatic procedure for screening the large number of quarry explosions likely to be detected by networks of in-country stations monitoring compliance with test-ban treaties. The method generalizes existing correlation techniques to compare waveforms from an unlocated event recorded at an array of sensors with a linear combination of master event waveforms recorded at the same array. The use of a linear combination reduces the chance of a missed location caused by some variation in mechanism or spectral excitation between the events being compared. The weights in the linear combination are filters, offering some compensation for variations in source time functions and errors of waveform alignment. The use of array data reduces the likelihood of false attribution by reducing bias and variance in the correlation measurement. In a test conducted with P -wave data segments recorded at a 13-element array, the method successfully resolves two source regions separated by 4 km at a range of 150 km. Resolution with single-station waveform correlations is marginal due to the limited amount of data. The statistics of the sample waveform correlation coefficient are developed and demonstrate that single-station waveform correlations are unreliable unless estimated with large signal durations T or bandwidths B . A time-bandwidth TB product exceeding 100 (or smaller TB with more stations) is necessary for reliable event attribution. The related problem of separating superimposed waveforms from two events in different source regions may be solved by cancellation. The waveforms of one event are again approximated by a linear combination of waveforms from master events in the same mine. The residual signals, obtained by subtracting the approximation from the superimposed waveforms, estimate the waveforms from the second event. This method achieves significant separation of waveforms from events 6 km apart at a range of 150 km, using data from the 13-element array. Its resolution exceeds that of conventional beam-forming methods.
Frame Semantics for Stance Classification

Determining the stance expressed by an author from a post written for a two-sided debate in an online debate forum is a relatively new problem in opinion mining. We extend a state-of-the-art learningbased approach to debate stance classification by (1) inducing lexico-syntactic patterns based on syntactic dependencies and semantic frames that aim to capture the meaning of a sentence and provide a generalized representation of it; and (2) improving the classification of a test post via a novel way of exploiting the information in other test posts with the same stance. Empirical results on four datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our extensions.
Special-Class Placement, Level of Intelligence, and the Self-Concepts of Gifted Children: A Social Comparison Perspective

Two hypotheses derived from social comparison tested the influence of instructional segregation on the self-concepts of elementary school gifted children. The self-concept scores of half the children were assessed prior to their participation in a one-day-per-week segregated enrichment program for the gifted. The remaining children were tested during program participation. The higher self-concept scores of students assessed prior to the program were interpreted as support for the contention that the reduced heterogeneity of ability in gifted classrooms forces some gifted children to see their abilities in a less favorable light. Each group was further divided by high and low IQ scores (a misnomer). The lowest self-concept scores accrued to low IQ children assessed during program participation. This was interpreted as support for the notion that transition to segregated classes for the gifted most dramatically affects the self-concepts of those children who are at the low end of the distribution of abiliti...
Video Evidence of Infanticide by a Female Red-winged Blackbird

Abstract Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain infanticide in animals, but the behavior has only been observed in a few bird species. I describe video evidence of infanticide by a female Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) at a nest in Valley Forge National Historical Park in Pennsylvania. A female Red-winged Blackbird was seen pecking and pulling at the sole remaining 5-day-old nestling and eventually pulled the nestling from the nest until it fell to the ground. A female Red-winged Blackbird later returned to the nest with food 1 hour after the infanticide and made several visits with food in its bill. The last visit to the empty nest occurred 7 hours after the infanticide occurred. There were not sufficient plumage differences between the feeding and attacking bird to determine conclusively that they were different birds. The occurrence of infanticide could be explained by several hypotheses and might be more common in Red-winged Blackbirds than has been reported. For example, infant...
Adolescents Demonstrate Greater Gait Balance Control Deficits After Concussion Than Young Adults

Background:Age has been described as a factor that affects recovery after concussion. The recommended management protocol is to treat adolescents in a more cautious manner than adults. However, few studies have prospectively and longitudinally assessed the way these age groups perform on motor tasks after concussion.Purpose:To examine dual-task gait balance control deficits after concussion in a group of adolescents and young adults in reference to matched control subjects within 72 hours of injury and throughout 2 months after injury.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.Methods:Adolescents and young adults who sustained a concussion and individually matched controls completed a whole-body motion gait analysis while simultaneously performing a cognitive task. Subjects with concussion reported to the laboratory within 72 hours after injury and at the following time points: 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, and 2 months after injury. Control subjects completed the same protocol at similar time points. Ga...
Isotope geochemistry of Proterozoic talc occurrences in Archean marbles of the Ruby Mountains, southwest Montana, U.S.A.

Talc occurs as massive, economic deposits in upper amphibolite facies marbles of Archean age in southwestern Montana. Previous workers have demonstrated that the talc is a replacement of the marble that resulted from interaction with a large volume of fluid. δ18O (SMOW) values for dolomite and calcite range from 20–25‰ for the unaltered Archean marbles to as little as 8–10‰ in the talc deposits, suggesting that the metasomatic fluids had low δ18O values. In contrast, δ13C values for calcite and dolomite are similar for all samples (–2 to +2‰ PDB). Therefore, it is likely that the metasomatic fluids were oxygen-rich and carbon-poor, namely water-rich and CO2-poor. A CO2-poor fluid is also indicated by Δ13C (calcite-graphite) values (3.6–5.3‰), which appear little altered from values expected for upper amphibolite facies marbles, and by the occurrence of the mineral assemblage talc+calcite. 40Ar/39Ar age spectra for hornblende, phlogopite, and biotite record cooling at 1.72 Ga from a regional thermal event. 40Ar/39Ar age spectra of fine-grained muscovite associated with the talc date talc formation at 1.36 Ga. The Ar data limit the temperature of talc crystallization to below ~350 DEGC, the biotite closure temperature for Ar diffusion. If the metasomatic fluid was seawater (0‰), then the carbonate oxygen data require a minimum temperature of 270 DEGC for talc formation. Oxygen (δ18O = 4.7 to 8.8‰) and hydrogen (D/H = −49.9 to −57.6 SMOW) isotope data for the talc are consistent with a 200–300 DEGC metasomatic fluid derived from seawater, based on theoretical models of the fractionation of oxygen and hydrogen between talc and water. Regional, northwest-trending faults associated with the extension that formed the Belt Basin in the Middle Proterozoic may have provided channels for seawater to circulate in continental crust and to react with marble, forming talc at depths of 5–10 km.
Face Inversion Impairs the Ability to Draw Long-Range, but Not Short-Range, Spatial Relationships Between Features

Art instructors have promoted the idea that reproducing upside-down models facilitates drawing accuracy. However, perceptual research has demonstrated that face inversion impairs the perception of ...
Thiol Adsorption on and Reduction of Copper Oxide Particles and Surfaces

The adsorption of 1-dodecanethiol at room temperature and at 75 °C on submicron cuprous and cupric oxide particles suspended in ethanol has been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Thiol adsorption occurs in all cases via Cu–S bond formation, with partial dissolution of CuO at 75 °C and formation of a copper–thiolate complex replacement layer. Regardless of temperature, the surface of the CuO particles is essentially completely reduced to either Cu2O or metallic copper, as evidenced by loss of the characteristic Cu2+ XPS features of dried powder samples. Companion ultrahigh-vacuum studies have been performed by dosing clean, oxygen-dosed, and ozone-treated single crystal Cu(111) with methanethiol (MT) gas at room temperature. In the latter case, the surface corresponds to CuO/Cu(111). XPS confirms MT adsorption in all cases, with an S 2p peak binding energy of 162.9 ± 0.1 eV, consistent with methanethiolate adsorption. Heating o...
X-Ray Rocking Curve Analysis of S-Implanted GaAs

The effect of rapid thermal annealing on strain reduction in 1.15 MeV S-implanted GaAs wafers irradiated to a dose of 5 × 1014/cm2 has been studied by double-crystal x-ray diffraction technique. X-ray rocking curves exhibit characteristic thin film fringes between the peak of unstrained GaAs and the major peak of the strained region. The maximum strain, i.e., the separation between the two peaks, as well as the number of minor fringes decreases with increasing RTA temperature, while the relative spacing between the fringes remains constant. At temperatures above 900°C, the main peaks begin to overlap; however, a residual positive strain can be measured for temperatures as high as 1100°C.
Definition of the National Rotor Testbed: An Aeroelastically Relevant Research-Scale Wind Turbine Rotor.

Sandia is designing a set of modern, research-quality blades for use on the V27 turbines at the DOE/SNL SWiFT site at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. The new blades will replace OEM blades and will be a publicly available resource for subscale rotor research. Features of the new blades do not represent the optimal design for a V27 rotor, but are determined by aeroelastic scaling of relevant parameters and design drivers from a representative megawatt-scale rotor. Scaling parameters and design drivers are chosen based two factors: 1) retrofit to the existing SWiFT turbines and 2) replicate rotor loads and wake formation of a utility scale turbine to support turbine-turbine interaction research at multiple scales. The blades are expected to provide a publicly available baseline blade design which will enable increased participation in future blade research as well as accelerated hardware manufacture and test for demonstration of innovation. This paper discusses aeroelastic scaling approaches, a rotor design process and a summary of design concepts.
Uniform distribution of 1-D SnO2 nanorod arrays anchored on 2-D graphene sheets for reversible sodium storage

Abstract It is still a challenging task to develop reliable electrodes for sodium ion batteries. Herein, a facile procedure is formulated to synthesize a 3-D composite of 1-D SnO 2 nanorods anchored on 2-D graphene sheets for reversible sodium storage. The nanorods are uniformly distributed on the graphene sheets with only one end anchored on graphene, which could be attributed to the unique surface properties of graphene oxide precursor with abundant oxygenate groups. Relatively improved electrochemical performances with a specific capacity of ~200 mA h/g for at least 100 cycles, and good rate performance at current of five times of the original current have been achieved for the SnO 2 nanorods@Graphene composite. The improved performance as compared to bare SnO 2 nanorods could be attributed to the unique structures that prevent the restacking of graphene, avoid the agglomeration of SnO 2 nanorods and accommodate the volume changes.
Bidirectional Exchanges of Medical Students Between Institutional Partners in Global Health Clinical Education Programs: Putting Ethical Principles into Practice

Abstract Background One-third of US medical students participate in global health (GH) education, and approximately one-quarter of US medical schools have structured programs that offer special recognition in GH. GH clinical electives (GHCEs) are opportunities for students to experience a medical system and culture different from their own. GHCEs are administered through institutional affiliation agreements, often between an institution in a high-income country (HIC) and one in a low- or middle-income country (LMIC). Although these agreements suggest the exchange of students in both directions, GHCEs are traditionally characterized by students from HICs traveling to LMICs. Objectives The goal of this study was to investigate the availability of opportunities for students from LMICs participating in GHCEs at partner institutions in HICs and to describe the costs of these opportunities for students from LMICs. Methods We conducted a web-based search of 30 US institutions previously identified as having structured programs in GH. We determined which of these schools have programs that accept medical students from international schools for GHCEs, as well as the administrative requirements, types of fees, and other costs to the international student based on information available on the web. Descriptive statistics were employed for the quantitative analysis of costs. Findings We found that, although the majority of US institutions with structured GH programs sending students to sites abroad accept international students at their sites in the United States, nearly one-fifth of programs do not offer such opportunities for bidirectional exchange. We also characterized the substantial costs of such experiences, because this can represent a significant barrier for students from LMICs. Conclusions Access to GHCEs in US partner institutions should be an important underlying ethical principle in the establishment of institutional partnerships. The opportunities available to and experiences of students from LMIC partner institutions are important areas for future GH education research.
Epidemic investigation on notifiable diseases in Shiyan City of Hubei Province from 2011-2013

[Objective]To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and variation trends of notifiable diseases in Shiyan City of Hubei Province from 2011-2013, and explore control measures.[Methods]The data collected from National Disease Reporting System were analyzed statistically.[Results]During 3 years, no category A infectious disease was reported, 38 323 cases of 21 kinds category B infectious diseases were reported, with 63 death cases, average incidence of 381.63/100 000 and annual mortality rate of 0.63/100 000. The top 6 diseases were viral hepatitis, tuberculosis, syphilis, dysentery, gonorrhea, H1N1, which occupied 99.02% of all cases of category B infectious diseases. There were 32 736 cases of 8 kinds of category C infectious diseases were reported, with annual morbidity rate of 325.99/100 000. The top 3 diseases were HFMD, other infectious diarrhea and mumps, which occupied 92.91% of all cases of category C infectious diseases.[Conclusion]During 2011-2013, the epidemic features of category B infectious diseases is stable, but category C shows upward trend. The currently control method should focus on hepatitis, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases of category B, HFMD, other infectious diarrhea and mumps of category C. And the comprehensive long-term prevention mechanism should be establish.
Free Market Policy Prescriptions

Free market efficiency arguments are often used as justifications for policies that strike many people as unfair, unequitable, or cold-hearted. Debates of these arguments tend to go nowhere because the participants argue at cross purposes. In this chapter I will look at some common free market arguments concerning such issues as the minimum wage, educational vouchers, crime, and anti-discrimination laws and present efficiency-type arguments that could be used to counter the free market position on these issues. In short, I will present some “immanent” criticisms of free market policies by accepting the assumptions upon which these policies are based and following their logic one step beyond that contemplated by typical policy makers. We will discover that in many cases what at first appeared to be an efficient policy may turn out to be quite counterproductive.
Soil microbial diversity and activity linked to crop yield and quality in a dryland organic wheat production system

One of the primary goals of organic agriculture is increasing soil quality through the enhancement of soil biological diversity and activity. Greater soil microbial activity and diversity increase soil organic matter turnover and contribute to soil fertility, one of the main challenges associated with organic management. The objectives of this study were to 1) compare soil microbial abundance and activity between organic and conventional cropping systems, and 2) explore connections between soil microbial community indicators and crop productivity in organic and conventional winter wheat (Triticum aestivum)/spring wheat/winter pea (Pisum sativum) rotations. Soil and plant tissue was sampled following six years of organic and conventional management, and soil was analyzed for microbial abundance and activity. Fungal and bacterial abundance, soil enzyme activity, and soil organic carbon (C) were greater in the organic system than in the conventional system, and all four measures were positively correlated. Community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) indicated that C substrate utilization was greater in the organic than in the conventional system, though bacterial T-RFLP data did not demonstrate different community structure between systems, suggesting that management type affected bacterial community function, but not structure. Fungal T-RFLP results indicated that fungal community structure was different between the organic and conventional systems. Hay yield and tissue nitrogen (N) were greater in the organic system, and were positively correlated with fungal and bacterial abundance, but grain yield and protein were greater in the conventional system. The results of this study indicate that management type (organic vs. conventional) has implications for microbial abundance and microbial community function, and that differences in soil microbial abundance and activity likely impact crop yields and N uptake.
Accountable Care Organizations and Prostate Cancer Care

AbstractIntroduction: Accountable care organizations have the potential to increase the value of health care by improving population health and enhancing financial stewardship. How practice context modifies effects on a specialty focused disease, such as prostate cancer care, has implications for their success.Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of newly diagnosed men with prostate cancer between 2012 and 2013 using national Medicare data. Practice affiliation (small single specialty, large single specialty, multispecialty groups) and accountable care organization alignment were measured at the patient level. Generalized linear multivariable models were fitted to derive adjusted rates of treatment and spending for the 12-month period after diagnosis according to accountable care organization alignment and practice affiliation.Results: Of 15,640 patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer 1,100 (7.0%) were aligned with accountable care organizations. Patients in these organizations had use...
An exploration of localness on twitter during the 2012 U.S. elections

This poster presents an exploratory method used to analyze the geography of Twitter use. A shift has taken place in political speech from local to diffuse online environments, which necessitates the use of new tools and methods to analyze discourse. As such, this study presents a geo-spatial analysis of tweets to members of the U.S. Congress in 2012 to aid researchers carrying out comparable research in the future. This poster also presents summarized findings about the sometimes localized, often national distribution of geo-located tweets to Congress members. This poster concludes by calling for discussion about spatial analysis and social media tools, while highlighting methodological problems encountered in this study and offering directions for future research.
Therapy of Encephalopathy with ESES/CSWS

Researchers at University of Pavia, Italy review treatment options for electrical status epilepticus in sleep (ESES)/continuous spikes and waves during slow sleep (CSWS) and their comparative value.
An administrative stage inference algorithm for use in patients receiving chemotherapy for colorectal cancer.

e18121Background: Claims data are often used for evaluating cancer care outcomes; however, such data lack information about cancer stage. We developed a claims-based stage inference algorithm to cl...
Privacy and pleasure: A paradox of the hedonic use of computer-mediated social networks

Abstract Despite legitimate privacy concerns regarding their use, hundreds of millions of people still visit online social network sites every day. Although people state that they are concerned about their privacy, they engage in online behaviors that are contrary to this stated belief. This study draws from social capital and social exchange theories to provide a hedonic explanation for this seemingly contradictory stated beliefs and actual behavior. This study proposes that the enjoyment derived from computer-mediated social network (CMSN) sites serves as an incentive for individuals to ignore privacy concerns. Results of our study help explain how people exchange their privacy concerns for hedonic benefits. We found that the enjoyment derived from this social exchange is sufficient to override users' privacy concerns. This reduction in privacy concerns is proposed to explain continued use of online social networks.
Comparison of a computed tomographic pulmonary trunk to aorta diameter ratio with echocardiographic indices of pulmonary hypertension in dogs

There are limited criteria for the detection of pulmonary hypertension in dogs undergoing computed tomography (CT) for pulmonary disease. This retrospective analytical exploratory study compared a CT pulmonary trunk to aorta ratio with echocardiographic estimates of pulmonary hypertension. Dogs having both a contrast thoracic CT and echocardiogram were selected and maximal pulmonary trunk and descending aorta diameters were measured by two observers on a single transverse CT image. Computed tomographic diameter ratios were compared with the echocardiographic parameters of tricuspid regurgitation gradient, right ventricular acceleration time-to-ejection time ratio, pulmonary insufficiency gradient, and pulmonary artery to aorta diameter. A total of 78 dogs were sampled, with 44 dogs having one or more finding suggestive of pulmonary hypertension. A moderate positive correlation was shown between tricuspid regurgitation gradient and CT pulmonary trunk to aorta ratio (r = 0.61, P-value < 0.0001). Mean CT pulmonary trunk to aorta ratio of dogs with moderate (P = 0.0132) and severe (P < 0.0003) pulmonary hypertension were significantly higher than normal dogs. There was no significant difference in mean CT pulmonary trunk to aorta ratio between normal and mild pulmonary hypertension dogs (P = 0.4244). The intraclass correlation coefficient (0.72) showed good reproducibility of the ratio. Findings indicated that CT pulmonary trunk to aorta ratio is a reproducible and potentially useful method to predict moderate and severe pulmonary hypertension in dogs, but not mild pulmonary hypertension. In dogs undergoing thoracic CT for pulmonary disease, an increased ratio should prompt follow up echocardiography.
Impact of Detergents on Membrane Protein Complex Isolation.

Detergents play an essential role during the isolation of membrane protein complexes. Inappropriate use of detergents may affect the native fold of the membrane proteins, their binding to antibodies, or their interaction with partner proteins. Here we used cadherin-11 (Cad11) as an example to examine the impact of detergents on membrane protein complex isolation. We found that mAb 1A5 could immunoprecipitate Cad11 when membranes were solubilized by dodecyl maltoside (DDM) but not by octylglucoside, suggesting that octylglucoside interferes with Cad11–mAb 1A5 interaction. Furthermore, we compared the effects of Brij-35, Triton X-100, cholate, CHAPSO, Zwittergent 3-12, Deoxy BIG CHAP, and digitonin on Cad11 solubilization and immunoprecipitation. We found that all detergents except Brij-35 could solubilize Cad11 from the membrane. Upon immunoprecipitation, we found that β-catenin, a known cadherin-interacting protein, was present in Cad11 immune complex among the detergents tested except Brij-35. However, t...
Ethical Issues Regarding LGBT and Intersex Service Members

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons now serve in the military, though the policy for transgender service members will change. This chapter will present several examples of optimal health care. It will discuss a wide range of issues. These will include, for example, military providers supporting these members’ efforts to have biologically related children and their providing a combination of medicines referred to as PrEP to help protect them from acquiring HIV. Optimal practices with transgender members include providers’ understanding that these members may have needs for not only top and bottom surgery but breast augmentation or contouring surgery on their upper body. The final section will discuss special needs of intersex persons, especially when they are children. Since the military can change its policies quickly and can enforce them, it has a unique opportunity to model the highest medical and ethical standards when responding to these persons’ needs.
Low-Frequency Current Fluctuations and Sliding of the Charge Density Waves in Two-Dimensional Materials

We investigated low-frequency noise in two-dimensional (2D) charge density wave (CDW) systems, 1T-TaS2 thin films, as they were driven from the nearly commensurate (NC) to incommensurate (IC) CDW phases by voltage and temperature stimuli. This study revealed that noise in 1T-TaS2 has two pronounced maxima at the bias voltages, which correspond to the onset of CDW sliding and the NC-to-IC phase transition. We observed unusual Lorentzian features and exceptionally strong noise dependence on electric bias and temperature, leading to the conclusion that electronic noise in 2D CDW systems has a unique physical origin different from known fundamental noise types. We argue that noise spectroscopy can serve as a useful tool for understanding electronic transport phenomena in 2D CDW materials characterized by coexistence of different phases and strong pinning.
Foodborne Giardia duodenalis and Typanosoma cruzi

Giardia duodenalis and Trypanosoma cruzi may be related phylogenetically, but they are very different organisms. Both, in a foodborne sense, are transmissible directly or indirectly via feces, but one is primarily by the feces of the infected vertebrate (Giardia) host and the other primarily via the feces of the insect host (T. cruzi). These features of transmission translate into different strategies for controlling the potential for infection. Giardia control that may impact on foodborne transmission includes insuring that water used in irrigating crops be free on contamination, that feces used to fertilize crops not contain human or potentially zoonotic Giardia, and that food handlers practice the best of sanitary habits. Trypanosoma cruzi control that may impact on foodborne transmission largely should center on vector control and making sure that the environment in which foods are prepared is free on these insects. Guidelines for food preparation and mandatory pasteurization of beverages and foods produced in highly endemic areas can and should be mandated. For both parasites, it is also helpful to treat infected individuals to minimize transmission risks.
Erlotinib in the treatment of recurrent or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: A single-arm phase 2 clinical trial

Background Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is a very common malignancy in which most patients present with localized disease. Recurrent and metastatic disease is rare, and there is no standard therapy. These tumors frequently overexpress the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). We conducted a phase 2 trial to determine the response rate to therapy with erlotinib, an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in patients with locoregionally recurrent or metastatic CSCC that was not amenable to curative treatment (NCT01198028). Methods Eligible patients had CSCC not amenable to curative intent therapy. Patients who had previously received anti-EGFR targeted therapy were excluded. All patients received oral therapy with erlotinib 150 mg daily. Response was assessed every 8 weeks, and treatment continued until progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was overall response rate according to RECIST 1.1 criteria. Results A total of 39 patients received treatment during the trial; 29 of these patients were evaluable for response. The overall response rate was 10% (3/29); all responses were partial responses. The disease control rate (partial response + stable disease) was 72% (21/29). The median progression-free survival was 4.7 months (95% confidence interval, 3.5-6.2 months); the median overall survival was 13 months (95% confidence interval, 8.4-20.5 months). No unexpected toxicities were seen. Conclusion Erlotinib therapy was feasible for most patients with incurable CSCC and was associated with expected toxicities. However, only a modest response rate of 10% was observed. Further study of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in this patient population is not warranted. Cancer 2018;124:2169-73. © 2018 American Cancer Society.
Chapter 13 Imperfect information in the product market

Publisher Summary Consumers are imperfectly informed. They do not know the characteristics of all the products in the market or the prices at which they are available at all sellers. There is no Walrasian auction ensuring that a particular commodity is sold at the same price by all stores. There is no Government Inspector ensuring that what appear to be two identical commodities are in fact identical. And given the myriad of variations in product characteristics, the consumer is constantly making decisions concerning whether the differences in qualities are worth the differences in prices. These informational imperfections have fundamental implications for the way product markets function, at least, for many of the commodities, which consumers purchase. These considerations may be relatively unimportant in the market for wheat or perhaps even in the market for steel. But elsewhere, they are potentially of considerable importance. They help explain why such markets are inherently imperfectly competitive, why prices may be considerably in excess of marginal costs, and why entry may be difficult. They help explain not only why equilibrium may be characterized by price dispersions but also why, in some circumstances, equilibrium must be characterized by price dispersions.
Tunneling Spectroscopy of Metallic Quantum Dots

A quantum dot is an isolated piece of conducting material which forms a small enough ”box” that the confinement of electrons within it leads to resolvable discrete quantum energy levels, as opposed to the continuum of energies in a sample of macroscopic size. Here we specifically address metallic quantum dots produced by deposition of a thin, granular film onto an insulating substrate, from which a single selected grain is connected to two electrical leads by high-resistance, low-capacitance tunnel junctions. If these leads have tunneling resistances well in excess of the quantum resistance R Q =h/e2 ≃ 23 kΩ, the number of electrons on the grain is a good quantum number. This number can be changed one at a time by tunneling processes through the junctions, and the equilibrium number also can be controlled by an additional gate electrode which is coupled only electrostatically to the grain under study. In such a system, it is possible to carry out tunneling spectroscopy measurements which directly reveal the structure of the energy eigenvalues of the electrons in a small metallic grain which typically contains a few thousand conduction electrons. Such measurements were first carried out a few years ago by Ralph, Black, and myself on nanograins of Al [1]–[4]. More recent measurements have extended this work to nanoparticles of the heavy metal Au [5, 6] and to alloys of Al and Au [7].
The Human Argininosuccinate Synthetase Locus and Citrullinemia

Argininosuccinate synthetase is an enzyme which functions in the urea cycle in ureotelic animals, and genetic deficiency of the enzyme in man causes an inborn error of metabolism, citrullinemia. The purpose of this chapter is to summarize recent developments in the molecular analysis of the human argininosuccinate synthetase locus and to relate this information to available clinical, metabolic, enzymatic, and genetic information. We also will discuss the opportunities to study gene regulation in tissue culture using this locus.
Development of a Course in Embryo Transfer and Related Technologies

and Implications Embryo transfer is a reproductive technology that many livestock producers utilize as a part of their genetic improvement programs. Global use of embryo transfer technologies is increasing, and a need existed to modernize the animal science curriculum so that progressive livestock breeders would understand the intricacies of these technologies. During fall semester 1995, a two-credit lecture course in embryo transfer and related technologies was offered for the first time through the animal science department. In the fall of 1996, a 1credit laboratory course was added to the animal science curriculum to provide meaningful hands-on training in embryo transfer technologies. These two courses have provided hundreds of animal science and veterinary medicine students with theoretical and practical training in embryo transfer and related technologies in cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, and goats.
Capsule Robot in Gastro-Intestinal Tract: A Case Study for Robot Programming and Navigation

We present a case study of a pill-sized capsule robot operating in the human’s gastro-intestinal (GI) tract. A design example to conceptually build such a micro-robot is first presented, and a laboratory module is then developed to demonstrate robot navigation techniques. Medical considerations, such as size, speed, safety, and functionality of the robot are discussed, and robot building components are provided including sensors, actuators, processing, communicating, and power supply. The laboratory module is built on the 3D Webots simulation platform. Behavior-based robot navigation methods are introduced to program the robot to navigate in the human’s body.
An Evaluation (and Vindication?) of Lewis Terman: What the Father of Gifted Education Can Teach the 21st Century:

Lewis Terman is widely seen as the “father of gifted education,” yet his work is controversial. Terman’s “mixed legacy” includes the pioneering work in the creation of intelligence tests, the first...
A Coasean Approach to Cost-Benefit Analysis

Government regulation is said to be justified when private markets fail to efficiently allocate resources owing to so-called "externalities." Yet as Ronald Coase convincingly showed decades ago, the presence of externalities can be usefully attributed to the "costs of market transactions," putting the entire notion of market failure on shaky ground. What kind of failure is it when the parties affected by an alleged externality decline to spend a dollar transacting to capture ninety-nine cents in benefits? Transaction costs are real social costs and, at least conceptually, must be factored in to any social calculus. This essay proposes a relatively simple Coasean approach to cost-benefit analysis where transaction costs are sufficiently low that competition can be expected to drive the parties toward efficient resource allocation. A rule is justified under this approach only if the regulator can show it is likely to reduce the relevant transaction costs. If so, the parties will adjust their private arrangements to reduce any inefficiencies out of self-interest. There is no need for the regulator to quantify total costs and benefits. This is the information the parties--the men and women "on the spot"--are best able to identify on their own.
Microbial drug resistance.

Publisher Summary It is unfeasible and unnecessary to coerce the complex biological events contributing to the origin of resistance into a single theory. Experimental evidence suggests that a few models define most examples of resistance development, particularly if the models are so combined as to provide either genotypic or phenotypic alterations of resistance level. If the body of present knowledge is to be kept sufficiently resilient to absorb new information without the impairment of established principles, it must be granted that resistance can arise in a variety of ways to be considered as complementary rather than mutually exclusive. This does not deny that a relatively important place must be assigned to certain methods of resistance development. Geneticists have been concerned with the spontaneous origin of resistance by mutation and the subsequent establishment of mutant clones by selective action of the drug.