cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reencoder design for soft-decision decoding of an (255,239) Reed-Solomon code

The most computationally demanding step in soft-decision decoding of RS codes is bivariate polynomial interpolation. The reencoding and coordinate transformation based technique can significantly reduce the computation complexity of the original interpolation problem, thus making the algebraic soft-decision decoder practically feasible. In this paper, an implementation of the reencoding and coordinate transformation procedure is presented. The novelties of our design include a fast algorithm to determine the reencoding points, an area efficient erasure-only RS decoding architecture, and an overlapped scheduling of the various procedures required for the reencoding process to reduce the overall latency. The synthesis result shows that the proposed design is sufficiently fast for any existing or developing interpolation architecture.
A Dynamic Pressure-Aware Associative Placement Strategy for Large Scale Chip Multiprocessors

This paper describes dynamic pressure-aware associative placement (DPAP), a novel distributed cache management scheme for large-scale chip multiprocessors. Our work is motivated by the large non-uniform distribution of memory accesses across cache sets in different L2 banks. DPAP decouples the physical locations of cache blocks from their addresses for the sake of reducing misses caused by destructive interferences. Temporal pressure at the on-chip last-level cache, is continuously collected at a group (comprised of local cache sets) granularity, and periodically recorded at the memory controller(s) to guide the placement process. An incoming block is consequently placed at a cache group that exhibits the minimum pressure. Simulation results using a full-system simulator demonstrate that DPAP outperforms the baseline shared NUCA scheme by an average of 8.3% and by as much as 18.9% for the benchmark programs we examined. Furthermore, evaluations showed that DPAP outperforms related cache designs.
A radical idea: men and women are different

See article by Dantas et al. [8] in this issue. Gender has a pronounced influence on the type and severity of cardiovascular disease that will likely ensue during one's lifetime. Sex differences have been noted in most major cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease, stroke, and hypertension. Aside from the humanitarian benefit, a huge economic incentive exists for developing more effective treatments for hypertension, especially in Western societies. For example, in the United States, one in four adults has high blood pressure, with the estimated economic cost exceeding US$50 billion annually. Until age 55 years, a higher percentage of men than women has hypertension—a sex difference primarily due to a lower incidence in young, white females. Interestingly, in African–American and Mexican–American populations, the sex difference is negligible [1]. The underlying cause of this sexual dimorphism is unknown and has been the focus of much research. Discovering the mechanism for this protective effect should allow the development of novel pharmacological therapies for cardiovascular patients of both sexes. Endothelial dysfunction is thought by many to … *Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, E102 Veterinary Medicine Building, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. Tel.: +1-573-882-7193; fax: +1-573-884-6890. bowlesd{at}missouri.edu
Damage Detection in Nonlinear Systems Using Optimal Feedback Auxiliary Signals and System Augmentations

An optimal sensitivity enhancing feedback control has been proposed recently. This method differs from previous sensitivity enhancing approaches because in addition to placing the closed-loop eigenvalues of the interrogated system, the eigenvectors are also optimally placed. This technique addresses two major limitations of frequency-based damage detection methods: the low sensitivity of the frequencies to damages and the limited range of damage scenarios identifiable from frequency-only measurement data. An unresolved challenge is enhancing sensitivity for nonlinear systems. This paper addresses this challenge by using optimal feedback auxiliary signals to enhance sensitivity for damage detection in nonlinear systems. The nonlinearity is accounted for by creating augmented linear models of higher order (in a higher dimensional state space). The methodology for constructing augmented linear systems with this property has been previously proposed by the authors (2008, "Multiple Augmentations of Nonlinear Systems and Generalized Minimum Rank Perturbations for Damage Detection, " J. Sound Vib., 316(1-5), pp. 101-121). Herein, the focus is on generalizing the previous work on sensitivity enhancing feedback and on system augmentation for enhancing sensitivity of damage detection in nonlinear systems. Results obtained by applying the optimal feedback auxiliary signals and optimal augmentation to a nonlinear mass-spring system are presented.
Passage of procaine hydrochloride and para-aminobenzoic acid across the human placenta

Abstract Maternal and fetal blood levels of procaine and para-aminobenzoic acid were studied following intravenous injection of procaine hydrochloride to the mother during normal delivery. Procaine under 4 mg. per kilogram of body weight did not cross the placental barrier. With larger doses, procaine was found early in th, fdal umbilical vein, reaching a peak concentration of 8.5 µg per milliliter. Para-minobenzoic acid appeared in the fetus following maternal injection of 2 mg. per kilogram of procaine; its blood levels were higher and its peak concerllralions were achieved later than procaine. The infants were born in good condition with Apgar scores ranging from 6 to 10 and unrelated to doses of procaine injected into Ihe mother. No significant signs of toxicity wert observed with the dose used.
Spermatogenesis: An Overview

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive overview of spermatogenesis and the various steps involved in the development of the male gamete, including cellular processes and nuclear transformations that occur during spermatogenesis, to provide a clear understanding of one of the most complex cellular metamorphosis that occurs in the human body. Spermatogenesis is a highly complex temporal event during which a relatively undifferentiated diploid cell called spermatogonium slowly evolves into a highly specialized haploid cell called spermatozoon. The goal of spermatogenesis is to produce a genetically unique male gamete that can fertilize an ovum and produce offspring. It involves a series of intricate, cellular, proliferative, and developmental phases. Spermatogenesis is initiated through the neurological axis by the hypothalamus, which releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which in turn signals follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) to be transmitted to the reproductive tract. LH interacts with the Leydig cells to produce testosterone, and FSH interacts with the Sertoli cells that provide support and nutrition for sperm proliferation and development. Spermatogenesis involves a series of cell phases and divisions by which the diploid spermatogonial cells develop into primary spermatocytes via mitosis. Primary spermatocytes in the basal compartment of Sertoli cells undergo meiosis to produce haploid secondary spermatocytes in the ­adluminal compartment of Sertoli cells in a process called spermatocytogenesis. This process gives the cells a unique genetic identity within the population of secondary spermatocytes and subsequent developing cells. After spermatocytogenesis, spermatids elongate to form spermatozoa by spermiogenesis, a morphological development phase in which the nuclear transformations involving chromatin remodeling and compaction occur. Spermatozoa then leave the Sertoli cells through the lumen of the seminiferous tubules, exit through the rete testis, and enter the epididymis for final maturation. This is where spermatozoa acquire motility and acrosomal function. Spermatogenesis in the human male takes about 74 days. Spermatogenesis is regulated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Not all spermatogonia mature into spermatozoa – most are eliminated and phagocytosed in a process called apoptosis. The overall goals of spermatogenesis are (1) to enable the male to transfer genetically recombined DNA by contributing to half of the offspring’s genome and (2) to equip the spermatozoa to effectively navigate through the female reproductive tract and deliver the genetic material to the ovum. In the following sections, the complex transformation of the simple single diploid cell into a fully functional haploid cell is described.
The Hoover Commissions and Federal Recordkeeping

the annals of public administration in the United States the position of the two Hoover Commissions is not unique. They were only the latest in a long series of commissions set up to find ways of improving the organization of the executive branch of the Government. They did, however, have more popular support and greater success in the achievement of their objectives than any of their predecessors. The earliest of the modern attempts to reorganize the executive branch was undertaken by the Cockrell Committee, created by the Senate, which from 1887 to 1889 made a study of business methods in the executive departments. A few years later came the DockeryCockrell Commission, established jointly by the House of Representatives and the Senate to look into the functioning of the executive departments, other Federal agencies, and the laws under which they worked. This was followed by the Keep Commission, acting for the President, which from 1905 to 1909 investigated departmental methods. President Taft, in 19 10, acting with congressional authorization, created the President's Commission on Economy and Efficiency, which functioned until 1913.2 Ini92i the House and the Senate sponsored a Joint Committee on Reorganization of Government Departments and passed the important Budget and Accounting Act. Once again, in 1936-37, two committees operated in the same area, the Byrd Committee for the Senate and the President's Committee on Administrative Management, headed by Louis Brownlow.
Apodized RFI filtering of synthetic aperture radar images

Fine resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems necessarily require wide bandwidths that often overlap spectrum utilized by other wireless services. These other emitters pose a source of Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) to the SAR echo signals that degrades SAR image quality. Filtering, or excising, the offending spectral contaminants will mitigate the interference, but at a cost of often degrading the SAR image in other ways, notably by raising offensive sidelobe levels. This report proposes borrowing an idea from nonlinear sidelobe apodization techniques to suppress interference without the attendant increase in sidelobe levels. The simple post-processing technique is termed Apodized RFI Filtering (ARF).
Abstract P6-01-01: Risk of Invasive Breast Cancer and Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ in Women with Atypical Papillary Lesions of the Breast:

Background: Benign papillary lesions of the breast including papilloma and papillomatosis are believed to be associated with a low risk of developing breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer development in patients who have an atypical papilloma or who have a papilloma in conjunction with atypical hyperplasia is not well defined. Methods: All patients who underwent a biopsy at Duke University Medical Center between October 1992 and December 2009 for a papillary lesion of the breast were identified. Patients were excluded if they had a previous or concurrent diagnosis of invasive or in-situ malignancy or less than 6 months of follow up. The remaining patients were analyzed to determine the risk of developing breast cancer. Results: Median follow up for the 167 patients with a papillary lesion of the breast included in the analysis was 4.6 years. 51 patients had an atypical papillary lesion. 111 patients had atypical hyperplasia in conjunction with a papilloma. 35 patients had a papilloma without atypia or atypical hyperplasia. Patients with an atypical papilloma were more likely to develop an invasive or in-situ breast cancer with a 5 year actuarial risk of 13.0% (24 patients at risk) versus 4.6% (49 patients at risk) (p=0.03). Patients who had atypical hyperplasia in conjunction with a papilloma were also more likely to develop invasive or in-situ breast cancer with a 5 year actuarial risk of 9.8% (48 patients at risk) versus 0% (15 patients at risk) (p=0.05). In the group with an atypical papillary lesion, the actuarial risk of ipsilateral breast cancer or DCIS development was 8.2% at 5 years (24 patients at risk) and 21.1% at 10 years (12 patients at risk). In the group with atypical hyperplasia in conjunction with a papilloma, the actuarial risk of ipsilateral breast cancer development was 3.9% at 5 years (48 patients at risk) and 8.5% at 10 years (18 patients at risk). The majority of patients underwent an excisional biopsy for their papilloma (150 patients). Patients who had a core needle biopsy alone had a 5 year actuarial risk of ipsilateral breast cancer or DCIS of 15.3% versus 2.0% for patients who had an excisional biopsy (p=0.03). All of the patients who had only a core biopsy and later developed an ipsilateral cancer or in-situ disease had an atypical papilloma. Discussion: Papillary lesions of the breast with atypical features may be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and DCIS. Atypical papillary lesions should be fully excised or followed closely. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-01-01.
War, Revenge, and Jewish Ethics: Rabbi Shaul Yisraeli's Essay on Kibiyeh Revisited

In 1953 the government of the newly founded state of Israel sent an elite army unit to attack the village of Kibiyeh, just across the Jordanian border. The attack was in reprisal for violence against Jewish villages on the Israeli side of the border. Since the end of the 1948 war, armed groups from Jordanian border towns had been infiltrating Israel and terrorizing its citizens, and in one such raid on the village of Yehud, a woman and her two young children were killed. The Israeli attack on Kibiyeh was in response to that incident. Kibiyeh was chosen as the target because the perpetrators of the violence in Yehud had apparently come from there. In the Kibiyeh raid, several dozen Arabs were killed, including women and children. Condemnation of the raid from the international community was swift. Opinion in Israel was mostly supportive of the operation, though a vocal minority opposed it.
Sleep Difficulties and Medications in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Registry Study

OBJECTIVES: Sleep difficulties are common in children with autism spectrum disorders, with wide-ranging effects on the child’s daytime behavior. We reviewed data within our Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network Registry to determine the prevalence of sleep difficulties and patterns of medication use. METHODS: Data from 1518 children ages 4 to 10 years were analyzed to determine the number of children documented to have sleep difficulties by parent-completed questionnaires and clinician-completed forms and how these findings related to the use of sleep medications. RESULTS: The Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire total score was ≥41 (associated with clinically significant sleep problems in past research) in 71% of children. The prevalence of sleep diagnoses was less frequent (30% of children aged 4–10 years; P CONCLUSIONS: Parent concerns about sleep may not be reflected in the information gathered during a clinic visit, supporting the need to develop screening practice pathways for sleep in autism spectrum disorders. Furthermore, many medications taken for sleep have adverse effects, supporting the need for evidence-based interventions in this population.
Macromolecular Synthesis in Cells Infected by Frog Virus 3

The best studied member of the Iridoviridae is frog virus 3 (FV3), isolated by Granoff et al. (1966) from a renal adenocarcinoma of the leopard frog, Rana pipiens. Similar isolates were made from normal frog kidney and liver (FV1, FY 2, FV5–FY24), but FV3 was chosen for further investigation because of its presence in the tumor. As it turned out, this unusual cytoplasmic DNA virus bore no causal or even helper relationship to the tumor, which was the result of infection with the Lucke herpesvirus (Naegele et al. 1974), but it did have a number of interesting characteristics that made it a worthy object of study in its own right. FV3 is probably similar or identical to other amphibian virus isolates obtained from bullfrogs, newts, and toads (Wolf et al. 1968; Clark et al. 1969).
Human monocyte-induced tumor cell cytotoxicity.

Activated mouse macrophages are highly cytotoxic for tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. To determine if these observations could be extended to human physiology, monocyte-induced tumor cell cytotoxicity (MITC) was examined in vitro. MITC measured simultaneously by direct tumor cell counts or tumor cell 3H-thymidine incorporation correlated closely (r = 0.9, p
FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS OF MULTI-PURPOSE UNDERWATER DATA COLLECTION DEVICES DEPLOYED WITH REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLES

This paper is following further development of the common framework model for multi-purpose underwater data collection devices focusing on second generation of simulation techniques VMAX2.0 on Perry-Slingsby ROV simulator. It is addressing physics-based simulation differences and their impact on the previous research for deployment challenges of underwater sensor networks called "Safe-Nets" by using Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) in the Black Sea area.
To Like or Not to Like: Facebook® in the Higher Education Classroom

Facebook is ubiquitous on university campuses, and yet, at the time of this writing, there was a distinct absence of Facebook in the higher education classroom – except when used by distracted students during a lecture. Facebook has pedagogical potential. Why are some faculty resistant to using Facebook for purposes of teaching and learning? What empirical data exist to support the use of Facebook? What are the disadvantages to teaching and learning of using Facebook? When faculty have used Facebook for pedagogical purposes, how was it used? These questions will be addressed in this article.
High-Surface-Area Antimony Sulfide Chalcogels

Chalcogels are a new class of aerogel materials with diverse properties relevant to catalysis, ion-exchange, and gas adsorption. We report the synthesis of high-surface-area antimony sulfide chalcogels through the sol–gel process followed by supercritical drying. Four different synthetic routes were employed: (1) hydrolysis of sodium thioantimonite (Na3SbS3); (2) ligand metathesis between Sb3+ metal linker and SbS33– anion; (3) reaction of Sb2S3 with Na2S·9H2O; and (4) reaction of Sb2S3 with KOH. All these reactions enable the formation of antimony sulfide gels. The aerogels derived after supercritical drying exhibit high porosity with Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET) surface areas up to 300 m2 g–1. The oxidation state of antimony in these chalcogels has been assigned by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to be +3. Pair distribution function analysis suggests that the local environment around the Sb atoms is very similar to that of crystalline Sb2S3. All the antimony sulfide chalcogels possess the band ga...
Analyses of the Interleukin32 Transcript Variants in Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Recent data show the IL32 gene has at least nine transcript variants. The aim of this current study is to characterize the different transcript variants based on the latest sequencing data deposited in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and determine which variants are responsible for the differential pattern of gene expression previously observed in MCF7 compared to MDA MB231 cell lines. Analyses of the nine transcript variants showed their sequences were incredibly similar. Other than variant 9, all of the variants differed from variant 1 by deletions. PCR analyses showed that the longer transcript variants contributed more to differential gene expression observed in the MDA MB231 compared to MCF7 cell lines. Because of the similarities between the variant sequences, when determining differential expression in the breast cell lines, investigators should consider strategies that target analyses of a combination of the longer IL32 transcript variants.
CHAPTER VIII – IDENTIFICATION OF THE PFQ AND G-FUNCTIONS WITH THE SPECIAL FUNCTIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the identification of the p F q and G -functions with the special functions. The exponential function e z , the Bessel function J ν ( z ), and the sine integral Si ( z ) are the examples of named functions. Named functions are identified in terms of the p F q notation. The chapter discusses the named special functions expressed as p F q 's. The so-called Coulomb wave functions are essentially confluent hypergeometric functions. The chapter discusses named functions expressed in terms of the G -Function.
Medications and Sleep

Pharmacological agents known to induce central nervous system (CNS) effects and/or CNS side effects almost always affect sleep. These effects include alteration in cognitive levels of sleepiness/alertness, affects on the symptoms of medical, sleep, and psychiatric diagnoses known to affect sleep, and/or alteration of cognitive activity during sleep – generally reported as dreaming. Most drugs affecting sleep exert effects through the γ-aminobutyrate neurotransmitter receptor system. The sleep-associated cognitive states are neurochemically complex. Medications that have the clinical effects of arousal (insomnia) and/or sedation are those that alter reports of dreaming and nightmares.
Do plants manipulate the third trophic level

Recent evidence suggests that many plants respond chemically, morphologically, and structurally to herbivory. These plant responses are thought to deter subsequent herbivores by killing them or reducing growth and fecundity. Some researchers have proposed that plants have evolved these responses as induced defenses against herbivores. Induced plant responses may also alter attack by natural enemies of herbivores by providing search cues for parasites and predators (Faeth, 1988). Likewise, some have used this evidence to suggest that plants have evolved induced responses to manipulate the third trophic level as another line of defense against herbivores (Faeth, 1988). Support for the induced defense via natural enemy hypothesis (hereafter referred to as IDNE) requires that 1) post-herbivory chemical or structural changes occur, 2) natural enemies respond to these changes (Turlings et al., 1990), and 3) the effects of 1) and 2) are translated into discernible effects on population dynamics of phytophagous insect species such that herbivory on the plant is reduced. While there is evidence for the first two requisites of IDNE, support for the third is generally lacking, particular in field studies involving natural populations.
A Comparative Look at Ratings of the Subjective Effects of Beverage Alcohol

The alcoholic’s drinking behavior is commonly accounted for by a tension reduction hypothesis (TRH). However, comparison of the phenomenological states experienced by “addicted” and nonaddicted” alcohol users suggests the existence of a strongly elevated alcohol-induced euphoria in addicted alcoholics which may contribute to the genesis and support of the characteristic alcoholic syndrome.
CHROMATOGRAPHY OF TRANSFER FACTOR AND ASSAY OF FRACTIONS IN VITRO

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the chromatography of transfer factor and assay of fractions in vitro . Typical elution patterns for human leukocyte dialysates derived from 10° cells and chromatographed on Sephadex G25 are shown. A characteristic peak with a high 260/280 O. D. Ratio eluted just after 5/4 Vt and was followed by a series of overlapping peaks with high 280/260 ratios. Elution patterns for radiolabeled folic acid or adenine were not altered by incorporation with TFD. The compounds reproducibly elute in a relatively confined region with little or no smearing. A typical O. D. profile for an undialyzed human leukocyte lysate sample fractionated on Sephadex G25 is shown. The lysate was derived from 108 PPD-sensitive donor cells. In the presence of PPD, a significant increase in transformation above the native response was noted at fraction IV and maximum enhancement appearing in cultures with fraction V, persisted in cultures with fractions that exhibited little or no O.D. at 260 or 280 nm.
Is Abolitionism Guilty of Racism? A Reply to Cordeiro-Rodrigues

Gary Francione is an abolitionist: he maintains that we ought to abolish the institutions and practices that support the exploitation of animals. He also believes that veganism is the “moral baseline”—that is, he thinks it’s morally required of nearly everyone in the developed world, and many beyond it. Luis Cordeiro-Rodrigues claims that abolitionism is guilty of racism, albeit “racism without racists.” I contend that his arguments for this conclusion aren’t successful.
Molecular diagnosis of protozoan parasites by Recombinase Polymerase Amplification

Abstract Infections caused by protozoan parasites affect millions of people around the world. Traditionally, diagnosis was made by microscopy, which is insensitive and in some cases not specific. Molecular methods are highly sensitive and specific, but equipment costs and personnel training limit its availability only to specialized centers, usually far from populations with the highest risk of infection. Inexpensive methods that can be applied at the point of care (POC), especially in places with limited health infrastructure, would be a major advantage. Isothermal amplification of nucleic acids does not require thermocyclers and is relatively inexpensive and easy to implement. Among isothermal methods, recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is sensitive and potentially applicable at POC. We and others have developed RPA diagnostic tests to detect protozoan parasites of medical importance. Overall, our results have shown high specificity with limits of detection similar to PCR. Currently, the optimization of RPA for use at the POC is under development, and in the near future the tests should become available to detect protozoan infections in the field. In this review we discuss the current status, challenges, and future of RPA in the field of molecular diagnosis of protozoan parasites.
(en)Vision(ing) Otherwise: Queering Visuality and Space in Lefebvre’s Production

This article develops and extends parallels between Lefebvre’s The Production of Space and contemporary queer thought, drawing out their shared themes of visuality, subjectivity, and differential s...
Penny wise and pound foolish? How thinking style affects price cognition

Nine-ending pricing is a common marketing technique because of the traditional belief that consumers pay more attention to the dollar digits and less attention to the penny digits. This research challenges the universal effectiveness of nine-ending pricing and identifies thinking style as a moderator for the nine-ending price effect with analytic (holistic) thinkers more (less) prone to the effect of nine-ending prices. Further, we examine cognitive resource as a boundary condition for the moderating effect. Our results demonstrate that holistic thinkers are not responsive to nine-ending prices when they have unlimited cognitive resources. With limited cognitive resources (e.g., under time pressure or cognitive load), both holistic and analytic thinkers are subject to the nine-ending price effect. We identify the lack of holistic thinking as a mechanism underlying the nine-ending effect.
Severe first infusion reaction related to cetuximab in cancer patients in Arkansas.

IntroductionCetuximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody, is a commonly used anticancer drug that prevents binding of epidermal growth factor to epidermal growth factor receptor. It has been widely us...
From ER Diagrams to Information Modules

Modules should be identified with data types, where each data type consists of a set of entities and a collection of mappings. The description of an editorial office is converted into an ER diagram, and then into a data-type diagram. The latter defines a set of modules.
Mutual Diffusion in Polymeric Systems

A comprehensive and unifying discussion of binary mutual diffusion in polymeric systems, ranging from the behavior of a single chain in solution to the behaviour of trace amounts of penetrants in solids, is presented. Mutual diffusion is important in a broad spectrum of practical applications, from the drying and curing of lacquers and enamels at low polymer concentrations to the removal of trace residuals of solvents and monomers at low penetrant concentrations. Applications at intermediate concentration include solvent spinning, pervaporation, barrier packaging and gas membrane separation.
Recognizing and treating anxiety and depression in adolescents. Normal and abnormal responses.

The vicissitudes of adolescence often make an individual question his or her own sanity. Extremes of emotion are not uncommon; however, prolonged states of an emotional extreme and abrupt changes in patterns of usual behavior are indicators of abnormal processes. Anxiety is a normal physiologic and psychologic response to change in or around an individual. Signal anxiety occurs normally to alert the individual that there is something not right with the environment—that a potential danger exists. This arousing of the defense system, toward a fight-or-flight response, is a helpful increase in attention, a focusing of mental, physical, sensory, and emotional systems toward analyzing the environment for seriousness of threat to oneself and mobilizing the most appropriate response. The efficiency with which humans can activate this sensory and mental system is great and assists in many life-saving decisions. When a person is in such a state, however, he or she cannot do a lot of other things simultaneously. This dedication to self-preservation helps to explain how pathologic anxiety states can override other functions and render the individual dysfunctional. Similarly, shutting down of responsiveness to the outside environment may be self-preservative. This is a normal response to extreme fatigue, shock after injury, or sudden and abrupt loss. When the state persists or develops without a specific trigger, it may decrease the individual's ability to think, respond, or enjoy usual activities. Pathologic depressive states can make a person's physiology change such that all experiences are altered, impinging on important developmental achievements. It is important to assist adolescents to develop healthy and flexible responses to different stressors. Recognizing anxiety and depression responses that are healthy and differentiating them from disorders that need more aggressive treatment is critical support for adolescents' health development.
Relationships between eating rate of sheep and live weight gain, weight and fill of the gastrointestinal tract.

Nine ewe and eight wether weanling lambs were fed a pelleted diet containing 60% roughage and 40% concentrate for 12 h/day. Feed consumption (FC) was measured during the first 30 and 60 min (FC-30, -60). Total daily consumption (FCT) was also measured. With these data, feed efficiency (FE), eating rate index (ERI = FC/BW.75) and propensity to eat (percentage FC/unit of time) were calculated. After the completion of these studies, the lambs were slaughtered and weights of the full gastrointestinal tract (GIT) organs, empty organs and wet digesta were obtained. Dry digesta in the organs were estimated from samples of oven-dried digesta. Respective values for males and females were: FE, 6.36 and 7.50 (P less than .01); average daily gain (ADG), 285 and 230 g (P less than .02); FC-30, 597 and 488 g (P less than .05), and FC-60, 706 and 583 g (P less than .05). Significant correlations were found only for females for FC-30 with FCT, ADG with FE and FC-60 with FE (P less than .05). Significant correlations of ERI-30 and ERI-60 with ADG and FE were also observed for the combined sex data. Correlations between eating rate terms and organ or digesta weights were significant only for some reticulorumen (RR) and abomasal parameters. When data from the GIT were correlated with animal performance (FC, ADG, FE), the highest correlations observed were generally for females. Correlations with organ or digesta weights tended to be highest for the small intestine (SI) and ADG; these were followed by values of about equal magnitude for RR organ or digesta weights and ADG or FE. The highest correlations were those between ADG and full organ weight of the SI for males (.86, P less than .01) and between ADG and wet digesta weights of the SI for females (.86, P less than .01). It is concluded that organ and (or) digesta weights of the SI are highly related to animal performance and may be as important as the RR in affecting voluntary feed consumption of pelleted diets.
Maximum Diameter of Prostatic Carcinoma Is a Simple, Inexpensive, and Independent Predictor of Prostate-Specific Antigen Failure in Radical Prostatectomy Specimens: Validation in a Cohort of 434 Patients

The amount of tumor in radical prostatectomy specimens can be determined with several techniques. Maximum tumor diameter correlates well with total tumor volume and can readily be obtained in incompletely submitted specimens. Initial results in a small series suggested that this measure also may predict for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure. We studied whether maximum tumor diameter was an independent predictor of PSA failure in a series of 434 men who underwent radical prostatectomy because of prostatic adenocarcinoma; 118 (27.2%) had PSA failure. Preoperative PSA, Gleason score, pathologic stage, margin status, and largest tumor diameter were determined, and multivariate logistic modeling was performed on the outcome of PSA failure. Maximum tumor diameter was an independent risk factor for PSA failure, along with preoperative serum PSA level, and Gleason score > or = 8. Only 15% of men with tumor with maximum diameter 2. Maximum tumor diameter of prostatic carcinoma is a simple, inexpensive, and independent predictor of PSA failure that can be obtained readily from partially submitted radical prostatectomy specimens.
Increased Cathepsin S activity associated with decreased protease inhibitory capacity contributes to altered tear proteins in Sjögren's Syndrome patients.

Cathepsin S (CTSS) activity is elevated in Sjogren's Syndrome (SS) patient tears. Here we tested whether protease inhibition and cystatin C (Cys C) levels are reduced in SS tears, which could lead to enhanced CTSS-driven degradation of tear proteins. CTSS activity against Cys C, LF and sIgA was tested in SS or healthy control tears. Tears from 156 female subjects (33, SS; 33, rheumatoid arthritis; 31, other autoimmune diseases; 35, non-autoimmune dry eye (DE); 24, healthy controls) were analyzed for CTSS activity and Cys C, LF, and sIgA levels. Cys C and LF showed enhanced degradation in SS tears supplemented with recombinant CTSS, but not supplemented healthy control tears. CTSS activity was significantly increased, while Cys C, LF and sIgA levels were significantly decreased, in SS tears compared to other groups. While tear CTSS activity remained the strongest discriminator of SS in autoimmune populations, combining LF and CTSS improved discrimination of SS beyond CTSS in DE patients. Reductions in Cys C and other endogenous proteases may enhance CTSS activity in SS tears. Tear CTSS activity is reconfirmed as a putative biomarker of SS in an independent patient cohort while combined LF and CTSS measurements may distinguish SS from DE patients.
Transposase-Mediated Chromosomal Integration of Exogenous Genes in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans.

ABSTRACT The development of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans as a non-model host organism for synthetic biology is hampered by a lack of genetic tools and techniques. New plating and liquid-based selection methods were developed to improve the identification of transformed cell lines. Enabled by these methods, a hyperactive transposase was used to generate mutants with integrated genes for the expression of the superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) gene or a 2-keto decarboxylase (KDC) gene, which enabled the production and secretion of isobutyric acid (IBA). An inverse PCR method was used to identify the insertion sites of the KDC gene in several mutants, leading to the identification of a region on the chromosome that may be suitable for future genetic insertions. These results demonstrate that functional exogenous metabolic genes have been chromosomally integrated into A. ferrooxidans, and this advance will facilitate the future development of these cells for new biotechnology applications. IMPORTANCEAcidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is an iron- and sulfur-oxidizing chemolithoautotroph and is a key member of the microbial consortia used in industrial biomining applications. There is interest in exploiting these cells for other metal recovery applications as well as in developing them as unique nonmodel microbial cell factories. Plasmid-driven expression of exogenous genes has been reported, and homologous recombination has been used to knock out some gene expression. Here, new selection protocols facilitated the development of a transposition method for chromosomal integration of exogenous genes into A. ferrooxidans. This greatly expands the available genetic toolbox, which will open the door to greater metabolic engineering efforts for these cells.
Factors associated with dependence on smokeless tobacco, Navi Mumbai, India.

Abstract Objective Nearly 300 million people in India use some type of tobacco product, with about 60% of those using smokeless tobacco. Smokeless tobacco use has been associated with a number adverse health outcomes in India and across South Asia. Method A cross-sectional study of outpatients at a dental hospital in Navi Mumbai, India was conducted between January and June 2015. Trained interviewers administered a 19-item questionnaire to all patients receiving regular dental care. In addition to demographic information, data about the use of smokeless tobacco was collected. Nicotine dependence was assessed using the six-item Fagerstrom Nicotine Dependence Scale, adapted for smokeless tobacco. Results Approximately one third of 1,067 respondents (30.55%; N = 326) reported use of smokeless tobacco. Neither use of smokeless tobacco nor nicotine dependence was associated with any demographic variables. High nicotine dependence was associated with a younger age of initiation of smokeless tobacco use (RD = 0.14; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.25) and with frequency of use, with those who reported daily use having an excess risk of high nicotine dependence of 14% (95% CI: 2%, 27%). Conclusion To reduce dependence on smokeless tobacco in India and subsequent adverse health outcomes, interventions should emphasize a combination of policy and public health interventions focused on increasing the age at which a person initially uses smokeless tobacco and decreasing the frequency of use.
AN ANALYSIS OF SAMA ORAL TRADITIONS ABOUT MONKEYS

Monkeys are commonly found in the folklore of Filipinos and this is also true of the Sama. These stories under the surface give us insight into Sama self-perception as well as their perception of the more dominant groups around them. In this paper two Sama folktales are analyzed, i.e. “The Battle of the Monkeys and the Butterflies”, and “The Battle of the Monkeys and the Sea Cucumbers”. These stories give us an insight into how the Sama interact with neighbouring groups in Sulu. They also affirm, especially to children, character and cultural traits that the Sama perceive as morally upright. Through these stories the storyteller is expressing to his listeners that the Sama are industrious contributors to society and they are also brave and willing to stand up for themselves when necessary. Meanwhile other more dominant seeming groups are depicted as the monkey: brash, angry, and thieves. Also contained in these stories are lessons a child can learn about the environment and science that he needs to know for the context that he grows up in. Keywords: folktales, indigenous literature, children’s literature, animal tales, monkey stories
Classical Theory of Estimation

This chapter is a concise description of the classical theory of point estimation, which seeks optimal estimator among the class of all unbiased estimators, in the sense that it has the smallest variance. The optimal problem involved is intrinsically connected with the notions of sufficiency, minimal sufficiency, completeness, Fisher information, and the Cramer-Rao lower bound. An important class of distributions where sufficient and complete statistics are available is the exponential family, which is also covered in this chapter.
Physician's duty to warn third parties about the risk of genetic diseases.

To the Editor. In the article by McAbee et al,1 the authors discuss two recent legal cases that raise important and emerging issues thrust on us by the new genetics: first, whether physicians have a duty to inform patients diagnosed with a genetic condition of the risks to family members ( Pate )2; and second, whether physicians have a duty to warn family members at risk when patients fail to themselves take this responsibility seriously ( Safer ).3 The authors report that these two cases, taken together, found such duties to exist in the eyes of the law. Critical of these results and concerned that they may signal an emerging trend, they suggest that “appropriate legislative action may be necessary to establish more appropriate guidelines.” Unfortunately, no indication of what would count as an appropriate legislative response is offered. Earlier this year a …
Laudations, Omissions, and Admissions: Skewing the Narratives in Presidential Libraries

Architecture and presidential museum critic Benjamin Hufbauer argues: “Almost all of the presidential libraries, initially at least, present to the public a version of history that is quite distorted and overly favorable to these presidents. This is not surprising, because the presidents and their supporters tend to be signiﬁcantly involved in creating the museum displays.” It is true that presidential museums can improve in time, and at least three, maybe even four, have redesigned exhibits to show a more honest interpretation of an administration or event. But the potential for improvement by no means assures it, and just as many presidential museums are woefully ineffectual. While rigorous and honest interpretations come only with the passage of time, they do not come always with the passage of time. This paper describes the structural deficiencies of the presidential library system, considers how presidential museums, despite their inherent peculiarity, face the same market pressures as their more commonplace counterparts, and examines specific examples of how these deficiencies cloud objectivity in the museum exhibits. To build context, this paper begins with a history of presidential records preservation and the genesis of the presidential library system. It relies on scholarly articles, historic newspaper articles, virtual exhibits, and exhibit reviews for sourcing.
A driver behavior assessment and recommendation system for connected vehicles to produce safer driving environments through a “follow the leader” approach

Abstract As part of the emerging world of intelligent transportation, there is considerable interest in developing connected vehicles that are more capable of identifying and guiding individual drivers’ behavior than collecting mileage as a moving cart. The two goals of this study are (a) to build a conceptual framework for driver assessment and (b) develop recommendation systems to evaluate individual driving performance and guide driver behaviors, thus improving the network traffic conditions and individuals’ perceived safety. A safety score is defined relatively by comparing a driver’s individual pattern to a standard “safe driver” pattern. To elaborate, the proposed system adopts advanced data mining techniques to extract, identify, characterize, and display driving behavior patterns. The scoring system provides a basis of assessing individual drivers, who are then recommended to mimic a nearby “safe” driver in a connected environment. To evaluate and implement the proposed conceptual framework, an anonymous trajectory dataset collected from Pittsburgh urban area is applied to build the scoring system, which is then integrated within a virtually simulated environment. The results show that the proposed behavior assessment and recommendation system framework improves the overall performance of a connected traffic system beyond those attained through baseline connectivity principles.
A Model of the Respiratory System in the Newborn Infant

A dynamic mathematical model is presented which successfully simulates the respiratory control system of the newborn infant in different physiological conditions. The primary objective in constructing this model has been to provide a simulation aid in the investigation of maturation of the respiratory system, and the respiratory disorders during the newborn period, without the need for invasive measurements. The model comprises a continuous plant and a discrete controller. The controller incorporates as key elements, a non-linear multiple regression element and an energy minimization routine for the determination of ventilation and breathing frequency. The plant consists of lungs, body tissue, brain tissue, a cerebrospinal fluid compartment and central and peripheral receptors. The effect of shunt in the lungs is included in the model and the lung volume and the dead space are time varying. The effects of Hering-Breuer type reflexes are embodied to accomplish respiratory synchronization. The model is examined and simulation results of its performance for test conditions in hypoxia and hypercapnia are presented.
Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling Enables Bypass of Oncogenic KRAS Dependency in Pancreatic Cancer.

Oncogenic KRAS (KRAS*) is a key tumor maintenance gene in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), motivating pharmacological targeting of KRAS* and its effectors. Here, we explored mechanisms involving the tumor microenvironment (TME) as a potential basis for resistance to targeting KRAS*. Using the inducible KrasG12D p53 null (iKPC) PDAC mouse model, gain-of-function screens of epigenetic regulators identified HDAC5 as the top hit enabling KRAS* independent tumor growth. HDAC5-driven escaper tumors showed a prominent neutrophil-to-macrophage switch relative to KRAS*-driven tumors. Mechanistically, HDAC5 represses Socs3, a negative regulator of chemokine CCL2, resulting in increased CCL2 which recruits CCR2+ macrophages. Correspondingly, enforced Ccl2 promotes macrophage recruitment into the TME and enables tumor recurrence following KRAS* extinction. These tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in turn provide cancer cell with trophic support including TGFB to enable KRAS* bypass in a Smad4-dependent manner. Our work uncovers a KRAS* resistance mechanism involving immune cell remodeling of the PDAC TME.