cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Programmed cell death of the prothoracic glands of Manduca sexta during pupal-adult metamorphosis

The degeneration of the prothoracic glands of Manduca sexta during pupal-adult metamorphosis was analyzed by both light and transmission electron microscopy, and correlated with a functional analysis of the ability of the prothoracic glands to synthesize ecdysteroids in vitro. Apoptosis of degenerating glandular cells was also examined by in situ indirect immunofluorescein detection of digoxigenin-labeled genomic DNA cleavage (the TUNEL method). The ability of the prothoracic gland to synthesize ecdysteroids reached a peak 4 days after pupation, decreased drastically on day 6 and then decreased further to the basal level 2 days later. Prothoracic gland degeneration was initiated on day 6 and was characterized by nuclear condensation, cytoplasmic budding, giant autophagic vacuoles, the disappearance of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum and intercellular channels, and the fragmentation of the cytoplasm into membrane-bound bodies. The cell debris of these degenerating cells was then engulfed by numerous phagocytic hemocytes. The results of the analysis of apoptosis by immunofluorescence detection are in complete accord with the histological, ultrastructural and radioimmunoassay data, suggesting that apoptosis is the basic mechanism for programmed cell death of the cells comprising these vital glands.
The Effect of Fasting Time of Mature, Nonlaying Female Embden Geese on True Metabolizable Energy of Corn

Abstract Mature, nonlaying, female Embden geese were fed either a 12% protein corn-soybean meal diet or alfalfa haylage for 5 months. Excreta collections over a 48-hr fasting period indicated that there was no difference in quantitative excretion due to previous diet and that 12 hr were sufficient to empty the digestive tract of a goose. However, cecal droppings were noted up to 48 hr of collection. In the second experiment, the true metabolizable energy (TME) value of corn was found to increase significantly between 6 and 12-hr periods of fasting prior to force-feeding 50 g of corn. Fasting up to 24 hr resulted in nonsignificant increases in the TME of corn. The TME of corn for geese previously fasted 24 hr was 4.169 kcal/g dry matter. Total metabolic fecal and endogenous urinary energy excretion of mature female geese, ranging from 3817 to 4857 g, was not correlated with body weight. The coefficient of variation was high. The mean metabolic fecal and endogenous urinary energy excretion of female Embden geese for a 24-hr period following an initial 24-hr fast was found to be 8.476 ± .822 kcal of energy per goose.
Human Mortality at Extreme Ages: Data from the NLTCS and Linked Medicare Records

An analysis using the 1982–1999 National Long-term Care Survey (NLTCS) linked to Medicare vital statistics data 1982–2003 focused on deaths at ages 85 + where deviations from the Gompertz mortality function are often observed. To model the complex mortality patterns observed at late age, standard mortality functions were generalized with i) a location parameter, ii) a fixed heterogeneity distribution, and iii) parameters expressing heterogeneity in the individuals' rate of aging. The data are consistent with not only an upper bound to mortality rates but also declines in the yearly hazard rates at ages 100 + . To determine if these patterns could be due to errors in age reporting, effects of plausible age misreporting patterns were simulated. Biases due to age misreporting at ages 95 to 115 did not materially change this pattern.
Statistical pattern recognition in remote sensing

Remote sensing with sensors mounted on satellites or aircrafts is much needed for resource management, environmental monitoring, disaster response, and homeland defense. Remote sensing data considered include those from multispectral, hyperspectral, radar, optical, and infrared sensors. Classification is often one of the major tasks in information processing. For example, we need to identify vegetations, waterways, and man-made structures from remote sensing of earth. The large amount of data available makes remote sensing data uniquely suitable for statistical pattern recognition. This paper will address several issues on statistical pattern recognition that are related to information processing in remote sensing. Though the paper is largely tutorial in nature, some specific issues considered are image models for characterization of contextual information, neural networks for image classification, and the performance measures. Either to supplement the capability of sensors or to effectively utilize the enormous amount of sensor data, many advances in statistical pattern recognition can be very useful in machine recognition of the data. The potentials and opportunities of using statistical pattern recognition in remote sensing are indeed unlimited.
Gelling, and melting, large graphs by edge manipulation

Controlling the dissemination of an entity (e.g., meme, virus, etc) on a large graph is an interesting problem in many disciplines. Examples include epidemiology, computer security, marketing, etc. So far, previous studies have mostly focused on removing or inoculating nodes to achieve the desired outcome. We shift the problem to the level of edges and ask: which edges should we add or delete in order to speed-up or contain a dissemination? First, we propose effective and scalable algorithms to solve these dissemination problems. Second, we conduct a theoretical study of the two problems and our methods, including the hardness of the problem, the accuracy and complexity of our methods, and the equivalence between the different strategies and problems. Third and lastly, we conduct experiments on real topologies of varying sizes to demonstrate the effectiveness and scalability of our approaches.
Routine Anaerobic Blood Cultures: Back Where We Started?

aerobic blood cultures should be routinely performed in the hospital setting has been ongoing for >15 years [1-3]. Previously, reports that the incidence of anaerobic bacteremia was decreasing, that most positive culture results correlated with predictable clinical findings, and that routine use of anaerobic cultures rarely resulted in clinically relevant diagnostic or therapeutic gains compelled some authors to argue that only selective ordering of these tests should be considered [1, 3, 4]. Selective cultures were proposed only for patients considered to be at high risk for anaerobic infection, as determined by the clinician. This would require the development of guidelines or policies to properly select atrisk patients, as well as some determination of the feasibility of this approach. To date, despite calls to selectively obtain anaerobic blood cultures and to consider ad-
Oxygen-assisted reduction of Au species on Au/SiO2 catalyst in room temperature CO oxidation.

An unexpected oxygen-assisted reduction of cationic Au species by CO was found on a Au/SiO2catalyst at room temperature and the produced metallic Au species plays an essential role in CO oxidation on Au/SiO2.
Interfacial structure and micro and nano-mechanical behavior of laser-welded 6061 aluminum alloy blank

I mm thick tailor-welded blank of 6061 alloy has been fabricated by Nd:YAG laser welding. The microstructure and the failure mechanism of the welded blank are investigated using optical microscope, atomic force microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy, microindentation, and nanomechanical tester. The dendrite structure exists at the fusion zone. The partially melted zone is found near the fusion line. The tensile tests show that the welded alloy exhibits lower strength and ductility than the base alloy, and failure occurs at the partially melted zone during tensile testing. Combined nanoindentation with in-situ AFM imaging reveal that the hardness at the partially melted zone is distributed inhomogeneously on the microscopic scale. The hardness at the area adjacent to the grain boundary is lower than that at the center of grain. This is responsible for the failure upon tensile loading, and attributed to the loss of strength and ductility of the welded blank on a macroscopic scale.
Particulate carbonate matter in snow from selected sites in the south-central rocky mountains

Almtraet--Trends in snow acidity reflect the balance between strong acid inputs and reactions with neutralizing materials. Carbonate dust can be an important contributor of buffering capacity to snow; however, its concentration in snow is difficult to quantify because it dissolves rapidly in snowmelt. In snow with neutral or acidic pH, most calcite would dissolve during sample melting if snow samples were processed using standard techniques. Here a method is described for separating particulate carbonate matter from snow. Snow samples were melted in solutions close to saturation with calcite, decreasing the dissolution rate by a factor of 100-200 compared with natural melting of snow. Particulate matter larger than 0.45 tLm in diameter was then filtered from solution and analysed for carbonate content. Particulate carbonate matter concentrations are reported for 25 sites in the south-central Rocky Mountains. Results are compared with Ca 2+ and H + concentrations and regional trends are evaluated. In Colorado, mean particulate carbonate in snow was 43/~gkg -1 at sampling sites in the southern mountains and only 4 t~g kg- t at sites in the northern mountains. The higher calcite concentrations in the south probably are related to the proximity of sampling sites to major outcrops of limestone. Particulate carbonate at sampling sites in Utah and Wyoming ranged from 3-35 t~g kg-a. The levels of particulate calcite measured in snow samples are sufficient to neutralize an average of 0.4/~eq H + kg-t snow. Strong acid anion concentrations in samples from east of Craig, Colorado, were 30-50% higher than in samples from the Colorado Front Range, but H + concentrations were 400-600% higher east of Craig. Relatively low Ca 2 + concentrations in the samples from east of Craig indicate that the difference in snow acidity was due mostly to lower concentrations of neutralizing materials.
Peak-to-RMS reduction of speech based on a sinusoidal model

A sinusoidal-based analysis/synthesis system is used to apply a radar design solution to the problem of dispersing the phase of a speech waveform. Unlike conventional methods of phase dispersion, this solution technique adapts dynamically to the pitch and spectral characteristics of the speech, while maintaining the original spectral envelope. The solution can also be used to drive the sine-wave amplitude modification for amplitude compression, and is coupled to the desired shaping of the speech spectrum. The proposed dispersion solution, when integrated with amplitude compression, results in a significant reduction in the peak-to-RMS (root-mean-square) ratio of the speech waveform with acceptable loss in quality. Application of a real-time prototype sine-wave preprocessor to AM radio broadcasting is described. >
Could chronic pelvic pain be a functional somatic syndrome

The cause of noncyclical chronic pelvic pain (CPP) in many women is unknown: 30% have no identifiable pelvic pathology, and in those who do the relationship of CPP and the pathology is often unclear. Moreover, epidemiologic studies demonstrate that the common findings of endometriosis and adhesions do not greatly increase the odds of having CPP. CPP and the functional somatic syndromes (fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and others) share many characteristics including pain as a prominent symptom and comorbidity. For the functional somatic syndromes, the initial focus of etiologic investigations has been on local mechanisms and then on systemic pathogeneses. We believe that the research trajectories of the functional somatic syndromes and CPP are converging. Their juncture might reveal an important pathologic mechanism for CPP in some women that is primarily outside the pelvis. This observation would open up new areas of exploration and treatment of CPP.
A 2-D numerical study of chaotic flow in a natural convection loop

Abstract This paper numerically investigates the nonlinear dynamics of the unstable convection regime of the thermal convection loop, an experimental analogue of the Lorenz model. The lower half of the toroidal loop is heated and maintained at a constant high temperature, while the upper half is cooled at a constant low temperature. Subject to the proper boundary conditions, the system of governing equations is solved using a finite volume method. The numerical simulations are performed for water corresponding to Pr = 5.83 and Rayleigh number varying from 1000 to 150,000. In the case of a loop heated from below and cooled from above, it has been demonstrated theoretically and experimentally in the literature that multiple flow regimes are possible. Numerical results in terms of streamlines, isotherms, and local heat flux distributions along the walls are presented for each flow regime. Although several studies have investigated the chaotic regime of convection loops, there have been no detailed numerical simulations of the dynamics of flow reversals. Fine-scale flow behavior during the transition from one flow direction to another is illustrated by the temporal evolution of temperature distribution, mass flow rate, and local heat flux at selected locations in the system. Issues related to the observed Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities are discussed.
Interactive Distance Learning: Impact on Student Course Evaluations

To meet the needs of part-time and off-campus students, many institutions of higher education are using distance learning technologies. This study addresses the impact of the interactive television...
Pediatric Cerebellar Tumors: Does ADC Analysis of Solid, Contrast‐Enhancing Tumor Components Correlate Better with Tumor Grade than ADC Analysis of the Entire Tumor?

BACKGROUND Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values assist differentiating malignancy grades in pediatric cerebellar tumors. Previous studies reported the significance of ADC measurements within the solid, contrast-enhancing tumor component (SCT). These measurements take into account only a part of the tumor. In this study, we compared ADC measurements of the SCT versus entire tumor (ET). METHODS ADC values were measured in the SCT and ET. Absolute tumor ADC values and cerebellar and thalamic ratios were compared across tumor grades. RESULTS Thirty-two children with 16 low-grade and 16 high-grade tumors were included. The median age at presurgical MRI was 7.66 years (range .08-17.38 years). In the SCT, absolute ADC values, cerebellar ratio, and thalamic ratio were higher in low- versus high-grade tumors (P < .001). In the ET, absolute ADC values, cerebellar ratio, and thalamic ratio were also higher in low- versus high-grade tumors (P < .005). Cut-off absolute ADC values of .9 × 10−3 mm/s2 (sensitivity 94%, specificity 100%) and 1.5 × 10−3 mm/s2 (sensitivity 88%, specificity 75%) were calculated for measurement in the SCT and ET, respectively, to differentiate between tumors grades. CONCLUSION A rigorous ADC measurement of the SCT has a higher sensitivity and specificity in predicting tumor grade compared to ADC measurement of the ET.
A Review of Current Practices for Evaluating Causal Models in Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Management Research

This paper reviews the literature on structural model evaluation. It discusses the use of fit indices, the influential work of James, Mulaik, and Brett (19821, with emphasis on their prescriptions for model assessment, and recent developments in model evaluation presented since James et al. It then analyzes current modeling practices to determine how well evaluation techniques are being applied. Although modeling practices have improved since an earlier review (James & James, 19891, several problems remain. Suggestions are made for improving model evaluation.
The impact of HIPAA authorization on willingness to participate in clinical research.

Purpose This study systematically examined the impact of inclusion of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) authorization on the willingness of African Americans of diverse sociodemographic characteristics to participate in a clinical research study and explored reasons for nonparticipation. Methods For a purposive sample of 384 African American outpatients at four metropolitan primary care clinics from August 2005 through May 2006, willingness to participate in a hypothetic clinical research study of an antihypertensive medication under one of two experimental conditions was compared. Interviewees were randomly assigned to undergo informed consent alone (control group) or informed consent with HIPAA authorization (HIPAA group). They were asked whether they would participate and reasons for their decisions. Results A smaller proportion of interviewees in the HIPAA group were willing to enroll in the study (27% vs. 39%; p = 0.02), with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.56 (95% confidence interval = 0.36–0.91). Those in the HIPAA group were more likely to give reasons related to privacy (p Conclusions The inclusion of HIPAA authorization within the informed consent process may adversely affect the willingness of African Americans to participate in clinical research and may raise concerns about privacy, understanding the forms, and mistrust or fear of research.
Fundamental data movement algorithms for reconfigurable meshes

A number of data movement algorithms for the two-dimensional reconfigurable mesh are presented. These include computing the prefix sum of a binary sequence and computing the prefix maxima of a sequence of real numbers. These algorithms lead to a fast algorithm to sort a sequence of n reals in O(log n/log m) time on a reconfigurable mesh of size mn*n with 3 >
Accurate Prediction of Secreted Substrates and Identification of a Conserved Putative Secretion Signal for Type III Secretion Systems

The type III secretion system is an essential component for virulence in many Gram-negative bacteria. Though components of the secretion system apparatus are conserved, its substrates—effector proteins—are not. We have used a novel computational approach to confidently identify new secreted effectors by integrating protein sequence-based features, including evolutionary measures such as the pattern of homologs in a range of other organisms, G+C content, amino acid composition, and the N-terminal 30 residues of the protein sequence. The method was trained on known effectors from the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae and validated on a set of effectors from the animal pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) after eliminating effectors with detectable sequence similarity. We show that this approach can predict known secreted effectors with high specificity and sensitivity. Furthermore, by considering a large set of effectors from multiple organisms, we computationally identify a common putative secretion signal in the N-terminal 20 residues of secreted effectors. This signal can be used to discriminate 46 out of 68 total known effectors from both organisms, suggesting that it is a real, shared signal applicable to many type III secreted effectors. We use the method to make novel predictions of secreted effectors in S. Typhimurium, some of which have been experimentally validated. We also apply the method to predict secreted effectors in the genetically intractable human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis, identifying the majority of known secreted proteins in addition to providing a number of novel predictions. This approach provides a new way to identify secreted effectors in a broad range of pathogenic bacteria for further experimental characterization and provides insight into the nature of the type III secretion signal.
Larval Adaptation of the Endangered Maritime Ringlet Coenonympha tullia nipisiquit McDonnough (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) to a Saline Wetland Habitat

The rare maritime ringlet butterfly (Coenonympha tullia nipisiquit McDonnough), which inhabits salt marshes in maritime Canada, experiences tidal flooding throughout its development. Its low vagility and the imminence of sea level rise call for the immediate investigation on the effect of flooding on survival. The maritime ringlet's tolerance to tidewater submergence for up to 24 h was compared with that of the inornate ringlet (C. tullia inornata Edwards), a subspecies occupying nearby upland meadows. The suitability of salt meadow cordgrass [Spartina patens (Aiton) Muhl.], a major host of the maritime ringlet, for neonate inornate ringlet larvae was tested as well. Maritime ringlet larvae showed higher tolerance to tidewater submergence than inornate ringlet larvae, which were more likely to die from submergence stress after a few days. Although tidal submergence is probably not lethal to the maritime ringlet, there is a possibility of negative impact caused by prolonged submergence during storm tides. The inornate ringlet larvae failed to adopt S. patens, and all larvae died within 1 wk when forced to feed on it. The results suggest that the maritime ringlet has evolved physiological adaptations to saline wetland conditions that have enabled it to exploit its current habitat.
Scaling the time course of hypoxia-to-proliferation transition in Mary-X: An in vitro/in vivo model of inflammatory breast cancer

C19 Despite therapeutic intervention, most breast cancer patients succumb to metastatic disease. The lymphovascular tumor emboli often evade both irradiation and chemotherapeutic treatment due to the existence of the hypoxic/quiescent subpopulation of cells, which compose tumor emboli. Therefore, understanding the growth pattern and the proliferation status of the heterogeneous subpopulations of tumor emboli is critical in therapeutic efficacy. However, till now, the study of tumor emboli has been limited to the in vitro model of artificial multicell spheroids, which resemble avascular tumors and micrometastases in some aspects. Rather than the traditional 2-D monolayer model, these 3-D models have been used as an in vitro system to study embolus growth dynamics. Mary-X is uniquely different from the in vitro models studied thus far. Mary-X is a human inflammatory breast cancer xenograft, which grows as spontaneous multicellular spheroids and is the in vitro counterpart of the in vivo lymphovascular tumor emboli. A detailed study of tumor emboli/spheroids growth dynamics is the first-step toward a better understanding of tumor cell growth, metastasis and evasion to chemo/irradiation therapy. Knowledge gained from this study can be employed to improve present therapies and direct the design of new treatments. Lymphovascular emboli or metastatic disease is treated in a mono-specific manner i.e. targeting highly proliferative cells in spite of the fact that emboli are also known to contain a hypoxic/quiescent subpopulation of cells. Proliferative cells are destroyed leaving the inner hypoxic cells to return to a fast dividing state. By the time the metastases are detected the emboli are highly proliferative and drug-resistant. Therefore, determining the transition time of cells re-entering the cell cycle could suggest a more efficacious administration of treatment. To assess the hypoxia-to-proliferation transition, the spheroids will be transfected with a fluorescence-conjugated proliferation reporter gene. The hypoxia-to-proliferation transition (with and without chemotherapy on board) of individual cells will be identified and compared. Mary-X provides a more suitable model to allow for the study of cell cycle time course and analysis of drug effect.
Paclitaxel-induced epithelial damage and ectopic MMP-13 expression promotes neurotoxicity in zebrafish

Paclitaxel is a microtubule-stabilizing chemotherapeutic agent that is widely used in cancer treatment and in a number of curative and palliative regimens. Despite its beneficial effects on cancer, paclitaxel also damages healthy tissues, most prominently the peripheral sensory nervous system. The mechanisms leading to paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy remain elusive, and therapies that prevent or alleviate this condition are not available. We established a zebrafish in vivo model to study the underlying mechanisms and to identify pharmacological agents that may be developed into therapeutics. Both adult and larval zebrafish displayed signs of paclitaxel neurotoxicity, including sensory axon degeneration and the loss of touch response in the distal caudal fin. Intriguingly, studies in zebrafish larvae showed that paclitaxel rapidly promotes epithelial damage and decreased mechanical stress resistance of the skin before induction of axon degeneration. Moreover, injured paclitaxel-treated zebrafish skin and scratch-wounded human keratinocytes (HEK001) display reduced healing capacity. Epithelial damage correlated with rapid accumulation of fluorescein-conjugated paclitaxel in epidermal basal keratinocytes, but not axons, and up-regulation of matrix-metalloproteinase 13 (MMP-13, collagenase 3) in the skin. Pharmacological inhibition of MMP-13, in contrast, largely rescued paclitaxel-induced epithelial damage and neurotoxicity, whereas MMP-13 overexpression in zebrafish embryos rendered the skin vulnerable to injury under mechanical stress conditions. Thus, our studies provide evidence that the epidermis plays a critical role in this condition, and we provide a previously unidentified candidate for therapeutic interventions.
Convergent Origins of Ambrosia Fungi

The genus Ambrosiella appears to be non- monophyletic based on evidence from cladistic anal- ysis of characters derived from nuclear encoded small subunit (18S) rDNA sequences. The conclusion also is supported by differential sensitivity to cyclohexi- mide. Six species of Ambrosiella (A. brunnea, A. sul- cati, A. gnathotrichi, A. sulfurea, A. macrospora, and A. ips) are closely related to species of Ophiostoma (Ophiostomatales) and show cycloheximide toler- ance. Three other species (A. xylebori, A. ferruginea, and A. hartigii) are related to Ceratocystis (Microas- cales) and are intolerant of cycloheximide. The dif- ficulty in determining monophyletic groupings based on morphological characters among the asexual Am- brosiella species parallels that of their close sexual rel- atives Ophiostoma or Ceratocystis that also had been considered closely related in the past. This finding emphasizes the role of strong selection pressure for insect dispersal features, not only for sexual states, but for conidial and yeast forms as well.
Flowering asynchrony and mating system effects on reproductive assurance and mutualism persistence in fragmented fig–fig wasp populations

Premise of the study Plants and animals may experience reproductive Allee effects in fragmented populations, and obligate pollination mutualisms may be especially sensitive to extinction risk via this density-dependent process. In this study we examine how a shift from within-crown reproductive synchrony to asynchrony influences reproductive assurance through contributions to selfing and outcrossing in small, spatially isolated populations of Ficus. Methods The research focuses on the monoecious fig F. petiolaris and consists of phenological analyses and genetic assessments of selfing and outcrossing for populations located in Baja California's Sonoran Desert. Key results Phenological censuses of eight populations revealed within-crown asynchrony in 44% of reproducing trees, with 16% having sufficient overlap of male and female flowering phases to permit selfing via the cycling of pollinating fig wasps within natal trees. In mating system analyses of two of these populations, however, multilocus outcrossing rates (t(m)) were indistinguishable from 1. This result, combined with low levels of inbreeding, indicates selfing to be absent or at best a minor contributor to reproductive assurance. Conclusions The results indicate that the fitness benefits of within-crown asynchrony lie not with selfing, as commonly asserted, but with increased opportunities for outcross pollen transmission and receipt, changing our understanding of the mechanisms by which reproduction is facilitated and extinction risk minimized in naturally fragmented Ficus populations. Given the role of fig fruit as a keystone food resource in many tropical environments, trait variation leading to reproductive assurance in figs, such as within-crown asynchrony, has broader ecosystem-level implications.
Estimating the relative excess risk due to interaction: a bayesian approach

The relative excess odds or risk due to interaction (ie, RERIOR and RERI) play an important role in epidemiologic data analysis and interpretation. Previous authors have advocated frequentist approaches based on nonparametric bootstrap, the method of variance estimates recovery, and profile likelihood for estimating confidence intervals. As an alternative, we propose a Bayesian approach that accounts for parameter constraints and estimates the RERIOR in a case-control study from a linear additive odds-ratio model, or the RERI in a cohort study from a linear additive risk-ratio model. We show that Bayesian credible intervals can often be obtained more easily than frequentist confidence intervals. Furthermore, the Bayesian approach can be easily extended to adjust for confounders. Because posterior computation with inequality constraints can be accomplished easily using free software, the proposed Bayesian approaches may be useful in practice.
An adult with a sinus venosus atrial septal defect and dilated cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy, heart failure and atrial septal defects are well-recognised entities in isolation, but are rarely seen together. Now that 90% of children with congenital heart disease survive into adulthood, such combinations of disease are increasingly seen in adult cardiology. While most young patients with dilated cardiomyopathy respond well to medical therapy, some do not, and require more invasive management. We describe a 32 year-old man with dilated cardiomyopathy and a sinus venosus-type atrial septal defect associated with a remarkable pulmonary to systemic flow ratio of 5:1. We propose that the atrial septal defect blunted his heart failure symptoms by serving as a ‘pop-off’ valve and limiting pulmonary congestion. The patient ultimately failed medical management and received a left ventricular assist device. The case is presented along with a discussion of this unique pathophysiology and a brief review of the literature in this rapidly evolving field.
Dispersal of the Scale Fiorinia externa (Homoptera: Diaspididae) and Effects of Edaphic Factors on Its Establishment on Hemlock

Crawlers of Fiorinia externa Ferris (Homoptera: Diaspididae) were able to disperse on the wind and establish new infestations on Eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr. A significantly greater number of airborne crawlers was trapped on sticky slides along a transect leeward of infested hemlocks than along transects at 3 other directions from these trees. On each transect more crawlers were collected at 15 m (ca. one tree height) from infested trees than from directly beneath trees or at distances beyond 15 m. Living crawlers on slides at the furthest distance examined (105 m) indicated the ability of F. externa to colonize hemlocks at considerable distances from infested trees. There were significant differences between the numbers of F. externa colonists which survived on hemlock planted in 7 soil conditions characteristic of sites where hemlock grows naturally. Survival of 1st and 2nd instars and the rate of development of females were higher on trees least adversely affected by edaphic conditions. Only on fertilized hemlocks was there less mortality and a higher percentage of fecund female scales than on control trees. On control trees, ca. 39% of dispersing crawlers colonized the youngest needles (1976 growth) while only 26, 20, and 15% settled on 1975, 1974, and 1973 foliage, respectively. Possible limitations on the spread of F. externa imposed by the effect of edaphic conditions on the host plant are discussed in the light of hypotheses relating quality of the food and vigor of the host plant to the dynamics of populations of phytophagous insects.
IMPS-32GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME AFTER SEVERE WEST NILE VIRUS NEUROINVASIVE DISEASE

OBJECTIVE: Acute West Nile Virus infection has been shown to cause a broad spectrum of neurological disorders. Beyond cognitive symptoms, little is described regarding long-term sequelae in patient that have suffered from acute West Nile neuroinvasive disease. CASE: We present a case of a patient that suffered from severe West Nile neuroinvasive disease with full recovery, however was subsequently diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme and passed away two years later. DISCUSSION: We also note a potential mechanism in which the west nile infection may cause changes on a cellular molecular signaling level that may explain a correlation between the two disease processes. West Nile infection has been shown to result in increased expression of S100B, a glial protein biomarker with broad functions. S100B is known to increase expression of RAGE (receptor for advanced glycosylation end products), a protein documented to be in abundance in GBM tumors. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a patient with known history of West Nile neuroinvasive disease being subsequently diagnosed with GBM. WNV has potential for altering cellular signaling at a molecular level and increasing expression of molecules known to be in abundance in high grade glioma. Given this association, further investigations are warranted looking into the potential risk for developing CNS neoplasm, as well as further studying the potential relation between the two diseases.
Career expectations of pharmacists with postgraduate training in drug information

The career expectations of pharmacists who have completed postgraduate training in drug information were studied. A questionnaire was mailed to all pharmacists who completed fellowships or residencies in drug information from 1989 to 1993 and the current preceptors of such programs. Recipients were asked to provide information about past and present positions, residency or fellowship training goals, characteristics of an ideal practice setting, satisfaction with current positions, professional activities, and future career goals. Seventy-five pharmacists (26 preceptors and 49 former trainees) returned questionnaires with usable information, for an 86% response rate. Preceptors and former trainees gave similar responses regarding the desired characteristics of an ideal practice setting, overall satisfaction with one's current position, expectations after postgraduate training in drug information, and long-term career goals. However, many former trainees did not list drug information-related positions as the desired first job after training, suggesting that the career opportunities in drug information may need to be stressed more heavily in training programs. Former drug information residents and fellows had career expectations similar to those held by current program preceptors.
Cactáceas de Chihuahua: Tesoro Estal en Peligro de ExtinctionFondo Mixto-Conacyt, Gobierno del Estado, Chihuahua, Mexico, Lebgue Keleng Toutcha, Quintana Martínez Gustavo (2010), 243

Cactaceas de Chihuahua: Tesoro Estal en Peligro de ExtinctionFondo Mixto-Conacyt, Gobierno del Estado, Chihuahua, Mexico, Lebgue Keleng Toutcha, Quintana Martinez Gustavo (2010), 243 DOI:10.2458/azu_rangelands_v32i6_fredrickson
A new level sensitive D Latch using Ballistic nanodevices

In this paper, a D-Latch design using Ballistic Deflection Transistors (BDT) is presented. BDT technology was developed and experimentally proven to operate at THz frequencies. A simple, compact fit based analytical BDT model, developed previously to aid circuit design was utilized in this paper. The empirical device model is integrated into a behavioral Verilog A module to facilitate the investigation of the D-latch design. The D-latch design is based on the concept of BDT multiplexer structure and has been built using two instances of a single BDT modeled in Cadence AMS simulator. The simulation results confirm the correct operation of the D-latch.
The new XCAT series of digital phantoms for multi-modality imaging

We developed a series of 4D Extended Cardiac-Torso (XCAT) phantoms for multimodality imaging research. Highly detailed whole-body anatomies for the initial adult male and female were previously defined for the XCAT using nonuniform rational b-spline (NURBS) surfaces based on the Visible Male and Female anatomical datasets from the National Library of Medicine. To extend the XCAT beyond these adult models, we utilized innovative methods in computational anatomy to efficiently create new phantoms by mapping the template XCAT anatomy (male or female) to match the anatomical framework provided by patient CT data. We applied these methods to create a series of 4D XCAT phantoms representing both genders with varying ages, heights, and weights from pediatric to adult patients. Forty-seven phantoms were created in total, 25 male and 22 female, each containing thousands of anatomical objects. To demonstrate the usefulness of the phantoms, we show example simulation studies in PET, SPECT, and CT using publicly available simulation packages. As demonstrated in the pilot studies, the 4D XCAT series can produce realistic imaging data when combined with accurate models of the imaging process. Distributed to the research community, such a unique library of computational models will have a widespread use in imaging research to quantitatively evaluate and improve imaging devices and techniques and to investigate the effects of anatomy and motion.
Path planning with user route preference - A reward surface approximation approach using orthogonal Legendre polynomials

As self driving cars become more ubiquitous, users would look for natural ways of informing the car AI about their personal choice of routes. This choice is not always dictated by straightforward logic such as shortest distance or shortest time, and can be influenced by hidden factors, such as comfort and familiarity. This paper presents a path learning algorithm for such applications, where from limited positive demonstrations, an autonomous agent learns the user's path preference and honors that choice in its route planning, but has the capability to adopt alternate routes, if the original choice(s) become impractical. The learning problem is modeled as a Markov decision process. The states (way-points) and actions (to move from one way-point to another) are pre-defined according to the existing network of paths between the origin and destination and the user's demonstration is assumed to be a sample of the preferred path. The underlying reward function which captures the essence of the demonstration is computed using an inverse reinforcement learning algorithm and from that the entire path mirroring the expert's demonstration is extracted. To alleviate the problem of state space explosion when dealing with a large state space, the reward function is approximated using a set of orthogonal polynomial basis functions with a fixed number of coefficients regardless of the size of the state space. A six fold reduction in total learning time is achieved compared to using simple basis functions, that has dimensionality equal to the number of distinct states.
Computational analysis of polyazoles and their N-oxides

The polyazoles have five-membered heterocyclic rings with N/C ratios of at least 2/3. Their high nitrogen contents result in relatively high crystal densities and large positive heats of formation, features that make them attractive as frameworks for energetic materials. However the presence of linked nitrogens (catenation) is accompanied by reduced stability (reflected in the large heats of formation). Several related factors may be involved in this, including the weakness of N-N bonds, the possibility of decomposing through release of the very stable N2(g) and the repulsion between lone pairs of neighboring nitrogens. We show that in the polyazoles a particularly important source of reduced stability is the presence of adjacent doubly-coordinated nitrogens, especially if connected by a formal double bond. Our computed polyazole electrostatic potentials are consistent with significant repulsion between the lone pairs of these nitrogens. Introducing an N-oxide linkage on one of them leads to some stabilization; the oxygen withdraws electronic charge from the heterocyclic ring, reducing the electronic repulsion within it. However the N-oxide derivatives having more nitrogen catenation are still the less stable ones. Comparing the polyazoles to the polyazines (six-membered N/C heterocyclic rings), the π electrons in the former are less delocalized and the computed bond lengths in the polyazole rings are consistent with the formal single and double bonds in their Lewis structures. An interesting consequence is that if a second N-oxide is introduced next to the original one, the bond between the two nitrogens remains intact in polyazoles if it is formally double but it is considerably weakened or broken in polyazines, and in polyazoles if formally single.
Analysis of the Dynamic Influence of Social Network Nodes

In recent years, with the development of the social network theories, how to find or mining the most significant node in social network for understanding or controlling the information dissemination has become a hot topic and a series of effective algorithms have been presented. In this paper, a new scheme to measure the dynamic influence of the nodes in a social network is proposed, in which the sum of trust values of the propagation nodes is used. Simulations have been carried out and the results show that our scheme is stable and accurate.
Human papillomavirus testing in head and neck carcinomas guideline from the college of American pathologists

Context Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major cause of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas, and HPV (and/or surrogate marker p16) status has emerged as a prognostic marker that significantly impacts clinical management. There is no current consensus on when to test oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas for HPV/p16 or on which tests to choose. Objective To develop evidence-based recommendations for the testing, application, interpretation, and reporting of HPV and surrogate marker tests in head and neck carcinomas. Design The College of American Pathologists convened a panel of experts in head and neck and molecular pathology, as well as surgical, medical, and radiation oncology, to develop recommendations. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to address 6 key questions. Final recommendations were derived from strength of evidence, open comment period feedback, and expert panel consensus. Results The major recommendations include (1) testing newly diagnosed oropharyngeal squamous cell ca...
The Undergraduate Experience: Focusing Institutions on What Matters Most

The authors of The Undergraduate Experience approach the need for change in higher education by highlighting six themes that enable institutions to focus on what is most important in undergraduate ...
Towards Interactive Curation & Automatic Tuning of ML Pipelines

Democratizing Data Science requires a fundamental rethinking of the way data analytics and model discovery is done. Available tools for analyzing massive data sets and curating machine learning models are limited in a number of fundamental ways. First, existing tools require well-trained data scientists to select the appropriate techniques to build models and to evaluate their outcomes. Second, existing tools require heavy data preparation steps and are often too slow to give interactive feedback to domain experts in the model building process, severely limiting the possible interactions. Third, current tools do not provide adequate analysis of statistical risk factors in the model development. In this work, we present the first iteration of QuIC-M (pronounced quick-m), an interactive human-in-the-loop data exploration and model building suite. The goal is to enable domain experts to build the machine learning pipelines an order of magnitude faster than machine learning experts while having model qualities comparable to expert solutions.
The Reengineering Process

The 16-step reengineering plan in Chapter 4 is reexamined with a software engineering attitude. The five chapters that then follow deal with the most important aspects of the reengineering process.
A Christmas Gift for the Supreme Court: How a 1959 Holiday Party Eclipsed a History of Discrimination

On December 28, 1959, the New York Times published a little news item that was, in hindsight, both (1) a public relations triumph for Banning E. “Bert” Whittington, the U.S. Supreme Court’s Press Officer at the time, and (2) a jurisprudential and institutional relief for the Court. COURT DEFIES PRECEDENT: “One of the last institutions holding out against the Christmas Party succumbed last week. The Supreme Court had a pleasant but sober affair arranged by its press officer, Banning E. Whittington. Five of the Justices – Hugo L. Black, Felix Frankfurter, William O. Douglas, William J. Brennan Jr. and Potter Stewart – joined the small staff of employes. There were fruit punch, cookies and carols by a high school group, with some audience singing, too.” The story has a tone that should ring familiar in the ears of modern consumers of Supreme Court news reporting: good-natured indulgence of that somewhat dull, somewhat behind the times, somewhat culturally clueless wallflower among our great institutions of national government. But the background to that story suggests that the Court was not at all clueless in 1959. Indeed, the Court’s handling of that Christmas party, and the Times coverage of it, may have helped the Court occupy the high ground during its continuing campaign in the 1960s against racial discrimination.
Experiences of Implementing a Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program at the Elementary Level

School counselors face many challenges implementing a Comprehensive Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program ([CDGCP] Dahir, Burnham, & Stone, 2009). This case study explored the experiences o...
Association between incongruence about survivor function and outcomes among stroke survivors and family caregivers.

Background: Stroke survivors and family caregivers often have incongruent appraisals of survivor cognitive, physical, and psychosocial function. Partner incongruence contributes to poor outcomes fo...
Hypothesis Testing Game for Cyber Deception

Deception is a technique to mislead human or computer systems by manipulating beliefs and information. Successful deception is characterized by the information-asymmetric, dynamic, and strategic behaviors of the deceiver and the deceivee. This paper proposes a game-theoretic framework to capture these features of deception in which the deceiver sends the strategically manipulated information to the deceivee while the deceivee makes the best-effort decisions based on the information received and his belief. In particular, we consider the case when the deceivee adopts hypothesis testing to make binary decisions and the asymmetric information is modeled using a signaling game where the deceiver is a privately-informed player called sender and the deceivee is an uninformed player called receiver. We characterize perfect Bayesian Nash equilibrium (PBNE) solution of the game and study the deceivability of the game. Our results show that the hypothesis testing game admits pooling and partially-separating-pooling equilibria. In pooling equilibria, the deceivability depends on the true types, while in partially-separating-pooling equilibria, the deceivability depends on the cost of the deceiver. We introduce the receiver operating characteristic curve to visualize the equilibrium behavior of the deceiver and the performance of the decision making, thereby characterizing the deceivability of the hypothesis testing game.