cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Graph Patterns, Reinforcement Learning and Models of Reputation for Improving Coalition Formation in Collaborative Multi-agent Systems

We outline a new model of multi-agent coalition formation which focuses on how collaborative agents can improve their coalition formation skills over time, learning from their prior interactions. The proposed research direction builds on our prior work on distributed coalition formation in collaborative multi-agent systems (MAS), centered at partitioning the underlying network of agents into non-overlapping cliques. At the core of that prior research is the MCDCF algorithm which provides a semantically simple, fully decentralized, local and (for sufficiently sparse networks) scalable mechanism for multi-agent coalition formation [1, 2, 3]. Our goal is to extend the MCDCF-based coalition formation along several new dimensions. First, we want to consider candidate coalitions that (i) no longer have to be cliques but can be more general types of (connected) subgraphs, and (ii) that also satisfy additional, more complex “compatibility” properties stemming from individual agents’ capabilities and preferences. Second, we begin exploration of semantically more rich and versatile ways of capturing this inter-agent compatibility than what’s found in the existing literature. In particular, we propose applying graph pattern techniques to capture a variety of qualitative “compatibility relationships” among agents. Next, we revisit approaches to and benefits of reinforcement learning (RL) in the context of autonomous agents repeatedly engaging in coalition formation. Last but not least, we discuss benefits of each agent maintaining other agents’ reputations that quantify those agents’ coalition formation effectiveness in the past. With these extensions, we argue that the resulting modeling framework adequately captures core aspects of a much richer class of multi-agent coalition formation scenarios, as well as, more broadly, of a variety of distributed consensus reaching problems in collaborative MAS.
Discovering new vulnerabilities in computer systems

Vulnerability research plays a key role in preventing and defending against malicious computer system exploitations. Driven by a multi-billion dollar underground economy, cyber criminals today tirelessly launch malicious exploitations, threatening every aspect of daily computing. To effectively protect computer systems from devastation, it is imperative to discover and mitigate vulnerabilities before they fall into the offensive parties' hands. This dissertation is dedicated to the research and discovery of new design and deployment vulnerabilities in three very different types of computer systems. The first vulnerability is found in the automatic malicious binary (malware) detection system. Binary analysis, a central piece of technology for malware detection, are divided into two classes, static analysis and dynamic analysis. State-of-the-art detection systems employ both classes of analyses to complement each other's strengths and weaknesses for improved detection results. However, we found that the commonly seen design patterns may suffer from evasion attacks. We demonstrate attacks on the vulnerabilities by designing and implementing a novel binary obfuscation technique. The second vulnerability is located in the design of server system power management. Technological advancements have improved server system power efficiency and facilitated energy proportional computing. However, the change of power profile makes the power consumption subjected to unaudited influences of remote parties, leaving the server systems vulnerable to energy-targeted malicious exploit. We demonstrate an energy abusing attack on a standalone open Web server, measure the extent of the damage, and present a preliminary defense strategy. The third vulnerability is discovered in the application of server virtualization technologies. Server virtualization greatly benefits today's data centers and brings pervasive cloud computing a step closer to the general public. However, the practice of physical co-hosting virtual machines with different security privileges risks introducing covert channels that seriously threaten the information security in the cloud. We study the construction of high-bandwidth covert channels via the memory sub-system, and show a practical exploit of cross-virtual-machine covert channels on virtualized x86 platforms.
Remote sensing archeological sites through Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imaging

Advances in technology and lowering cost make drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (U.A.V.), appealing platforms for remote sensing. Data acquired through these technologies have broad appeal and widespread application across many industries and disciplines. Archaeologists have used aerial imagery derived from many sources as a means of identifying sites and ancient landscapes, yet this imagery has traditionally been acquired through satellite and aircraft platforms making cost and time a primary concern. For this reason, the availability of inexpensive U.A.V.s affords archaeologists access to obtaining their own data at a fraction of the cost. However, are they effective? For the purposes of this study, the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ UAV, along with supporting software, was evaluated for its ability to create visible light imagery and elevation datasets useful in remote sensing archaeological sites. To test its effectiveness, a site was chosen in Bertie County, North Carolina discovered in 2007. The Salmon Creek site (31BR264), as it is known, is partially understood from previous archaeological studies as the location of a 16th Century Native American village. This previous work provided a foundation which our results could be tested and evaluated against and proved important to our interpretation of the data. The project not only demonstrated the effectiveness of the U.A.V. to acquire usable datasets, but contributed to the ongoing research.
Appropriate Education for the Gifted in America: An Echo of Earlier Words

(1988). Appropriate Education for the Gifted in America: An Echo of Earlier Words. Gifted International: Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 72-84.
The effect of temperature on ozone formation in the propene/nitrogen dioxide/air system

Abstract A series of laboratory experiments were conducted to determine whether the positive correlation observed in the ambient atmosphere between ozone and temperature could, in part, be due to a temperature dependency of the photochemical smog reaction kinetics. The experiments were conducted using the propene/NO2/air system in General Motors Research Laboratories’ dynamic irradiation chamber. Over the range of temperatures investigated, 10°C to 50°C, the maximum observed ozone concentration increased with increasing temperature from 10°C to 40°C. Between 40°C and 50°C there was no further increase in ozone. In contrast, it was observed that the amount of peroxyacetylnitrate formed decreased with increasing temperature. These observations can be attributed to the temperature dependence of the thermal decomposition of peroxyacetylnitrate. At low temperatures, the increased stability of this compound makes it a sink for nitrogen dioxide; conversely, at higher temperatures, peroxyacetylnitrate is too unst...
Comparison of the recommendations of the AAPM TG-51 and TG-51 addendum reference dosimetry protocols

This work quantified differences between recommendations of the TG-51 and TG-51 addendum reference dosimetry protocols. Reference dosimetry was performed for flattened photon beams with nominal energies of 6, 10, 15, and 23 MV, as well as flattening-filter free (FFF) beam energies of 6 and 10 MV, following the recommendations of both the TG-51 and TG-51 addendum protocols using both a Farmer® ionization chamber and a scanning ionization chamber with calibration coefficients traceable to absorbed dose-to-water (Dw) standards. Differences in Dw determined by the two protocols were 0.1%–0.3% for beam energies with a flattening filter, and up to 0.2% and 0.8% for FFF beams measured with the scanning and Farmer® ionization chambers, respectively, due to kQ determination, volume-averaging correction, and collimator jaw setting. Combined uncertainty was between 0.91% and 1.2% (k = 1), varying by protocol and detector.
Quantum Chemical Rovibrational Analysis of the HOSO Radical

syn-HOSO is the most stable form of hydrogenated sulfur dioxide, a possible intermediate in the creation of sulfuric acid. Recent work has characterized the structure and rotational constants, but the present work provides new insights into the vibrational spectra of this molecule. The central S–O bond is weaker than the terminal S–O bond, which allows for near-free rotation of the hydrogen atom. The stretches and the torsional modes are relatively bright infrared emitters/absorbers. The torsional mode is very low in frequency making it a potential target for terahertz observation. The other vibrational frequencies for HOSO are reduced relative to the corresponding frequencies in SO2, H2SO4, and the HOS radical making the infrared features of syn-HOSO likely red-shifted in mixed spectral observation, where oxygen, hydrogen, and sulfur are all found.
Fighting on Two Fronts: Entrepreneurial Strategies in Regulated Environments

Powerful institutional actors – such as elected officials, regulatory agencies and the courts – affect virtually every business sector. Although many studies have explored how established firms att...
First-pass metabolism of midazolam by the human intestine

The in vivo intestinal metabolism of the CYP3A probe midazolam to its principal metabolite, 1'-hydroxymidazolam, was investigated during surgery in 10 liver transplant recipients. After removal of the diseased liver, five subjects received 2 mg midazolam intraduodenally, and the other five received 1 mg midazolam intravenously. Simultaneous arterial and hepatic portal venous blood samples were collected during the anhepatic phase; collection of arterial samples continued after reperfusion of the donor liver. Midazolam, 1'-hydroxymidazolam, and 1'-hydroxymidazolam glucuronide were measured in plasma. A mass balance approach that considered the net change in midazolam (intravenously) or midazolam and 1'-hydroxymidazolam (intraduodenally) concentrations across the splanchnic vascular bed during the anhepatic phase was used to quantitate the intestinal extraction of midazolam after each route of administration. For the intraduodenal group, the mean fraction of the absorbed midazolam dose that was metabolized on transit through the intestinal mucosa was 0.43 +/- 0.18. For the intravenous group, the mean fraction of midazolam extracted from arterial blood and metabolized during each passage through the splanchnic vascular bed was 0.08 +/- 0.11. Although there was significant intersubject variability, the mean intravenous and intraduodenal extraction fractions were statistically different (p = 0.009). Collectively, these results show that the small intestine contributes significantly to the first-pass oxidative metabolism of midazolam catalyzed by mucosal CYP3A4 and suggest that significant first-pass metabolism may be a general phenomenon for all high-turnover CYP3A4 substrates.
Warming Up: Descriptive Statistics and Essential Probability Models

This chapter portrays how to make sense of gathered data before performing the formal statistical inference. The covered topics are types of data, how to visualize data, how to summarize data into few descriptive statistics (i.e., condensed numerical indices), and introduction to some useful probability models.
NEUROTRANSMITTER FUNCTION | Dopamine Modulation of Neurotransmission: Relationship to Epilepsy

Dopaminergic inputs to the prefrontal cortex are important for the integration of neuronal signals, the formation of working memory, and the establishment of memory fields. A detailed characterization of cellular mechanisms underlying dopamine effects on neurons in prefrontal cortex is emerging. An important issue is dopamine's net effect on excitability in local neuronal networks and its ability to modify epileptiform activity. In this article, dopamine's effects on single cells and local neuronal networks in vitro are reviewed. Our results from whole cell recording and voltage-sensitive dye imaging show that dopamine's net effect is to increase inhibition. Acting via D1-like receptors, dopamine restricts spatiotemporal spread of synaptic activity in local neocortical networks, predictive of a suppressive effect on epileptiform activity. Emerging technologies should allow examination of effects of dopamine receptor activation in vivo and allow clarification of dopamine's role in epilepsy.
Asymptotic Analysis of Mixing Distributions

Chapter 5 presents joint results of E.M. Stein and the author concerning the asymptotic behavior of mixing distribution densities associated with geometric Brownian motions, Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes, and CIR-processes. Sharp asymptotic formulas with relative error estimates are established for these densities, using various combinations of techniques and tools. The proofs employ a Tauberian theorem for the two-sided Laplace transform, the theory of hypergeometric functions, and some methods from complex analysis. Dufresne’s recurrence formula, which allows one to navigate between the Hull-White models with different values of the model parameters, is also covered in Chap. 5.
Fluorescence intensity modulation of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots assesses reactive oxygen species during chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancer cells

Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanoparticles ranging in size from 2 to 10 nm. QDs are increasingly being developed for biomedical imaging, targeted drug delivery and green energy technology. These have led to much research on QD interactions with various physical, chemical and biological systems. For biological systems, research has focused on the biocompatibility/cytotoxicity of QDs in the context of imaging/therapy. However, there is a paucity of work on how biological systems and bioactive molecules might be used to alter the optoelectronic properties of QDs. Here, it is shown that these properties can be altered by reactive oxygen species (ROS) from chemotherapeutic media and biological cells following controlled changes in cellular activities. Using CdSe/ZnS core-shell QDs, spectroscopic analysis of optically excited QDs with HL60, K562 and T98G cancer cell lines is performed. Our results show statistically significant (P < 0.0001) modulation of the fluorescence emission spectra of the QDs due to the ROS produced by common chemotherapeutic drugs, daunorubicin and doxorubicin and by cells following chemotherapy/radiotherapy. This optical modulation, in addition to assessing ROS generation, will possibly enhance applications of QDs in simultaneous diagnostic imaging and nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery as well as simultaneous ROS assessment and radiosensitization for improved outcomes in cancer treatments. Reactive molecular species produced by biological cells and chemotherapeutic drugs can create electric fields that alter the photophysical properties of QDs, and this can be used for concurrent monitoring of cellular activities, while inducing changes in those cellular activities.
Dnmt1 is essential for egg production and embryo viability in the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus

The function of cytosine (DNA) methylation in insects remains inconclusive due to a lack of mutant and/or genetic studies. Here, we provide evidence for the functional role of the maintenance DNA methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1) in an insect using experimental manipulation. Through RNA interference (RNAi), we successfully posttranscriptionally knocked down Dnmt1 in ovarian tissue of the hemipteran Oncopeltus fasciatus (the large milkweed bug). Individuals depleted for Dnmt1, and subsequently DNA methylation, failed to reproduce. Eggs were inviable and declined in number, and nuclei structure of follicular epithelium was aberrant. Erasure of DNA methylation from gene or transposon element bodies did not reveal a direct causal link to steady-state mRNA levels in somatic cells. These results reveal an important function of Dnmt1 seemingly not contingent on directly controlling gene expression. This study provides direct experimental evidence for a functional role of Dnmt1 in egg production and embryo viability and uncovers a trivial role, if any, for DNA methylation in control of gene expression in O. fasciatus.
Cultivar-specific seedling vigor and expression of a putative oxalate oxidase germin-like protein in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)

For genetic screening and breeding purposes, an in vitro germination system that reflects relative field emergence potential was used to screen for germination-enhancing and stress-induced genes from germinating seedlings from two varieties of sugar beet. Three full-length germin-like protein (GLP) gene classes were recovered from stress-germinated seedlings of a superior emerging variety. GLP gene expression, oxalate oxidase protein activity, the H(2)O(2) content of stressed seedlings, but not catalase activity, were induced by stress germination conditions (e.g. excess water, NaCl, mannitol, or oxalate) in a good emerging hybrid and were not induced in a poor emerging variety. Only one of the three germin-like protein genes ( BvGer165) was differentially regulated, and was induced only in the good emerger. Hydrogen peroxide promoted germination and partially compensated solute-depressed germination percentages. Unlike other solute recovery by hydrogen peroxide regimes, recovery in oxalic acid plus H(2)O(2) was cultivar-independent. A block in oxalate metabolism is postulated to contribute to lower germination under stress in the lower emerging variety. Selection for stress-induced germin expression, or for down-stream targets, presents the first direct target to enable breeding for improved field emergence of sugar beet.
Laocoön: a tool for high-throughput automated cell counting

STRUCTURED ABSTRACT Motivation There are current programs and plugins that automatically count the number of cells in a given image. However, many of these processes are not entirely automatic, as they require user input to specify a region of interest and are also frequently inaccurate. Results This project presents laocoon, a Python package specifically designed to automatically and efficiently count the number of fluorescently-labelled cells in images. This package not only allows for reliable cell counting, but returns the proportion of cells in each cell cycle relative to all the cells in the DAPI channel, which is currently used for research purposes, but could ultimately be utilized for clinical purposes. Availability and Implementation This package, its corresponding execution instructions, and further information about the underlying algorithms, are currently available in the GitHub repository https://github.com/edukait/laocoon under the MIT license and can be run on the command terminal of any operating system. Alternatively, laocoon is available in the Python Package Index (PyPi), so the user can use the pip command to immediately download the package. Contact kaitlin.y.lim@gmail.com
Academic optimism and a touch of wisdom

I am honored to be part of a series that includes many of my academic idols – scholars I have read and cited for years. Because my involvement in educational psychology has lasted for over half a century, I have been asked before to share some “acquired wisdom” (Shaughnessy, 2004; Woolfolk Hoy, 1996, 2000, 2008a, 2008b, 2018). Selected ideas from those previous musings made their way into this essay.
IMERG V06: Changes to the Morphing Algorithm

AbstractAs the U.S. Science Team’s globally gridded precipitation product from the NASA–JAXA Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, the Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG...
Temporal Fat Pad Volume in Patients With Thyroid Eye Disease

Purpose To determine whether thyroid eye disease (TED) is associated with a change in temporal fossa soft tissue volume. Methods CT imaging studies were selected from patients with TED considering orbital decompression surgery and from an age-matched group of controls presenting to the Emergency Department for nontraumatic conditions requiring CT imaging. Measurements of the temporal fossa fat pad and soft tissue thickness were used as a proxy for volume and were performed using the zygomaticotemporal suture as a reference point. Categorical variables were described using frequencies and percentages, while continuous variables were described using medians and standard deviations. Chi-square tests were used to assess the relationship between gender and age group, while t-tests were used to examine the relationship between continuous variables and age group. Results A total of 56 CT scans were evaluated, including scans from 28 patients with TED and 28 controls. The following measurements were found to be significantly larger in the TED population: left fat pad measured 5 mm above the zygomaticotemporal suture (p = 0.012), right fat pad measured 15 mm above the suture (p = 0.005), right soft tissue measured 15 mm above the suture (p = 0.026), left fat pad measured 15 mm above the suture (p = 0.006), and the left soft tissue measure 15 mm above the suture (p = 0.032). Conclusions Thyroid eye disease is associated with an increase in temporal fossa fat pad and soft tissue volume. These findings suggest that TED disease may produce pan-facial changes rather than changes confined to the peri-orbital region.
Medication Abortion Using Mifepristone and Misoprostol

Half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended, and 40% of these pregnancies end in elective termination. At current abortion rates, one in four women will have an abortion by the age of 45. Despite the demand for abortion services, 90% of all counties in the United States have no abortion provider. Furthermore, the majority of women seek abortion services at nonprimary care sites, disrupting continuity of care for those who might prefer to access abortion service from their primary care provider. Over 90% of all abortions occur in the first trimester, when safe, simple, and highly effective abortion services can be provided in the primary care setting. Further, 75% of abortion patients are eligible to receive medication abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol, which can be provided in the primary care setting utilizing skills already elements of family medicine training and practice, specifically pregnancy diagnosis and patient-centered counseling skills. If primary care clinicians were to offer abortion care, they could greatly improve timely access to safe abortion and relevant reproductive health services, particularly in rural and underserved settings.
To Read or To Do? That's The Task: Using Transfer Learning to Detect the Intent of an Email

This research studies the problem of email overload and proposes a system that automatically detects whether the email is "to read" or "to do". The goal of our research is to test if a Language Model trained on the entire Enron email data (around 500,000 emails) then retrained on a subset of intent labeled emails (i.e. transfer learning) would outperform an LSTM model trained on the intent email dataset only. We conduct several experiments using transfer learning in three different scenarios: 1) using pre-trained Language Model as features extractor for SVC. 2) retrain all layers of the pre-trained Language Model on the intent email dataset. 3) gradually retraining the pre-trained Language Model layer by layer, starting from the last layer. We evaluate the results on a subset of Enron Email Dataset. Comparing with a baseline model consists of two LSTM layers, we were able to increase the accuracy from 85.42% to 88.43%.
Physical Activity Surveillance Using Wearable Activity Monitors: Are US Adults Willing to Share Their Data?

Purpose:Wearable activity monitors (wearables) have generated interest for national physical activity (PA) surveillance; however, concerns exist related to estimates obtained from current users wil...
Tetrahydropyridines via FeCl3-Catalyzed Carbonyl-Olefin Metathesis.

Herein we describe the application of Lewis-acid-catalyzed carbonyl–olefin metathesis toward the synthesis of substituted tetrahydropyridines from commercially available amino acids as chiral pool ...
Conjecture: 100% of elliptic surfaces over $\mathbb{Q}$ have rank zero

Based on an equation for the rank of an elliptic surface over $\mathbb{Q}$ which appears in the work of Nagao, Rosen, and Silverman, we conjecture that 100% of elliptic surfaces have rank $0$ when ordered by the size of the coefficients of their Weierstrass equations, and present a probabilistic heuristic to justify this conjecture. We then discuss how it would follow from either understanding of certain $L$-functions, or from understanding of the local behaviour of the surfaces. Finally, we make a conjecture about ranks of elliptic surfaces over finite fields, and highlight some experimental evidence supporting it.
Keeping Students on Track to Postsecondary Success: Learnings from the Pathways to Adult Success (PAS) Initiative:

Background/ContextOver the past decade early warning systems which use predictive indicators to identify students in need of additional supports to stay on track to high school graduation have spre...
Covariance Patterns of the Commodityand Equity Markets: A Recent Surprise

This study is designed to dissect the covariance patterns of the returns on the commodity and equity markets. Analyzing monthly return data from 1970M1 to 2013M7, we obtain results showing that returns on the commodity and equity markets co-vary weakly in the opposite direction (r = -0.12) in the 1970s, move together in the same (weakly positive) direction (r = 0.18) in the 1980s, then journey in the slightly opposite (r = -0.08) direction again in the 1980s, and run together in the weakly positive (r = 0.19) direction again in the 2000s. Then comes a surprise: In the past 3½ years (from 2010 to 2013M7), there is a significantly positive surge (r = 0.793) in the covariance between the returns on the commodity and equity markets. The OLS estimates show that return on the stock market can significantly (r 2 = 0.63) explain the return variability of the commodity market in the 2010s, as compared to other periods.
Older Women and Opioid Analgesia after Breast Cancer Surgery.

Abstract Purpose To explore which factors influence opioid analgesia use in older women during the 48-hour period after hospital discharge following initial breast cancer surgery. Design This cross-sectional, descriptive study involved a cohort (n = 57) of older women recruited for a larger study of breast cancer patients. Methods We gathered patient-reported data pertinent to perioperative and post-discharge pain control. Data were analyzed using linear regression to explore those characteristics that had the greatest influence on the amount of post-discharge opioid analgesia required. Results After hospital discharge, 29 older women (51%) with breast cancer avoided opioid analgesia for various reasons. The number of prescribed opioid tablets each woman self-administered determined the total dosage of analgesia required 48 hours post-discharge. Conclusions The majority of this sample of older women with early-stage breast cancer experienced adequate pain relief after surgery and required little or no postoperative or postdischarge opioid analgesia. Optimization of the pain control experience for older women with breast cancer requires thorough pain assessment from diagnosis through survivorship through the end of life. This can be achieved by equipping women in this population to advocate for their pain control needs in real time. Future studies that elucidate preferences, beliefs, and current pain control practices before, during, and after breast cancer surgery will improve safety and efficacy of pain control for this fast-growing population.
A Need for Consistency in Behavioral Phenotyping for ASD: Analysis of the Valproic Acid Model

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent and impairing neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1 : 54 persons. Over the last several decades, the reported incidence of ASD in the US has increased potentially due to increased awareness and improved diagnostic measurement. Although ASD prevalence is increasing, the etiology of ASD remains relatively unknown. To better understand the neurological basis of ASD, rodent models of ASD have been developed for research. Currently, there is not a standardized set of behavioral tests to quantify ASD-like behavior in rodents. The goal of this review is to present an overview of the methodologies used to analyze ASD-like behaviors in rodents, focusing on the valproic acid (VPA) model, and illustrate inconsistencies between different approaches. Despite that the in utero VPA rodent model for ASD is widely used and extensively characterized, behaviors vary substantially between different researchers. Moving forward, consistency in behavioral method analytics would benefit progress in evaluating interventions for all models of ASD and help to uncover unique qualities underlying mechanisms causing ASD signs and symptoms.
A phase 1b study of personalized neoantigen vaccine plus pembrolizumab in adults with advanced cancer.

2615Background: Neoantigens (NeoAg) are key targets for personalized immunotherapy but efficient methods for their systematic identification and therapeutic targeting remain elusive. We developed a...
DATE LABELS AND COLLEGE STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF MILK DRINKABILITY

Abstract A thematic analysis of written responses to an intercept survey explored young adult beliefs about date labels and their use in judging milk quality and safety. General questions about label location and how it influenced shopping decisions were followed by specific questions on using labels to determine milk drinkability. College students in U.S. Northeast and Southwest participated in this qualitative study where they described the purpose of a label as ensuring milk freshness and to help them avoid illness. A question that contextualized container status as previously open or unopened found that respondents relied on an expiration date when deciding whether to drink milk or discard it. The majority responded, “no,” they would not drink from an expired container regardless of its open/unopened status. A theme of “freshness” dominated when participants were asked to describe what a date label told them about milk quality. While students were comfortable estimating quality some were less certain about food safety. They wrote that the date label told them nothing or that they “don’t know” what it told them. The majority would discard expired milk. In terms of recommended changes, a theme of noticeability emerged concerning label size, location, and format along with a subtheme of a need for standardization. Observations of milk containers in local stores found date label variability in location and phrase both within and among brands. Consumer education on the limitations of a date label coupled with training in safe food handling has the potential to build confidence in using edible postdated food and reduce its waste.
Central Venous Access

This section introduces central venous access methods and discusses the major indications for this procedure. External and tunneled catheters, and the implantable subcutaneous port are described, as are their relative pros and cons. The technique of central venous catheterization is detailed, including a description of the most common postoperative complications. A classic case of a patient requiring central venous access for chemotherapy is described and questions are provided for review.
Pax3 isoforms in sensory neurogenesis: Expression and function in the ophthalmic trigeminal placode

Background: In the trigeminal placode, Pax3 is classified as necessary but not sufficient for sensory neuron differentiation. One hypothesis is that different Pax3 isoforms regulate cellular differentiation uniquely. Pax3 is known to sometimes activate and sometimes repress gene transcription, and its activity can be dependent on the isoforms present. Pax3 isoforms had not previously been characterized in chick sensory neurogenesis. Results: Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis revealed three well-expressed Pax3 splice variants: full-length (flPax3), Pax3V1, and Pax3V2. Each was characterized for its effect on neurogenesis by misexpression in placodal ectoderm. The differences observed were more apparent under conditions of enhanced neurogenesis (by means of Notch inhibition), where flPax3 and Pax3V1 caused failed differentiation, while Pax3V2 misexpression resembled the neuronal differentiation seen in controls. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed a progressive increase in Pax3 expression, but no significant change in relative isoform expression. Of interest, Notch inhibition led to a significant increase in Pax3 expression. Conclusions: We can conclude that: (1) flPax3 and Pax3V1 inhibit neuronal differentiation; (2) Pax3V2 is permissive for neuronal differentiation; (3) while absolute levels change over time, relative splice form expression levels are largely maintained in the trigeminal placode domain; and (4) Pax3 expression generally increases in response to Notch inhibition. Developmental Dynamics 243:1249–1261, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION FOR HEALTH CARE PRACTICE

The probably future developments in social work education for health care practice are viewed from a systems perspective. The developing needs of social work in health care are examined within the context of the developing needs of the broader field of social work practice, since changes in this larger system cannot but impact upon the health care social work subsystem. Similarly, education for health care social work practice is seen within the perspective of the broader system of social work education for practice in general, because developments in this larger system determine the directions that will be taken by the smaller system of educational training. The interfacing of the two systems, social work practice and social work education, is examined.
Institutions of Youth Development: The Significance of Supportive Staff-Youth Relationships

Youth development organizations are key institutions that contribute to healthy outcomes for youths. The development of caring staff-youth relationships is one key youth development program strategy. Using structural equation modeling, the present study examined the importance of these relationships on impacting school-related attitudes and behaviors among 149 youth participants in a Boys & Girls Club program. Results indicate that staff-youth relationships are positively related to the development of pro-social school behaviors, and negatively associated with the display of anti-social school behaviors. Findings point to the importance of supportive staff-youth relationships within institutions serving youths.
GABA blockade unmasks an OFF response in ON direction selective ganglion cells in the mammalian retina

One unique subtype of retinal ganglion cell is the direction selective (DS) cell, which responds vigorously to stimulus movement in a preferred direction, but weakly to movement in the opposite or null direction. Here we show that the application of the GABA receptor blocker picrotoxin unmasks a robust excitatory OFF response in ON DS ganglion cells. Similar to the characteristic ON response of ON DS cells, the masked OFF response is also direction selective, but its preferred direction is opposite to that of the ON component. Given that the OFF response is unmasked with picrotoxin, its direction selectivity cannot be generated by a GABAergic mechanism. Alternatively, we find that the direction selectivity of the OFF response is blocked by cholinergic drugs, suggesting that acetylcholine release from presynaptic starburst amacrine cells is crucial for its generation. Finally, we find that the OFF response is abolished by application of a gap junction blocker, suggesting that it arises from electrical synapses between ON DS and polyaxonal amacrine cells. Our results suggest a novel role for gap junctions in mixing excitatory ON and OFF signals at the ganglion cell level. We propose that OFF inputs to ON DS cells are normally masked by a GABAergic inhibition, but are unmasked under certain stimulus conditions to mediate optokinetic signals in the brain.
Relaxation-Assisted Dual-Frequency Two-Dimensional Infrared Spectroscopy: Measuring Distances and Bond Connectivity

Potential of a novel relaxation-assisted 2DIR spectroscopy method is demonstrated on several molecular systems, including model compounds, peptides, and transition metal complexes. The cross-peaks for modes separated by distances greater than 11A can be easily detected using RA 2DIR. A correlation of the energy transport time (arrival time) with the intermode distance is shown in several molecular systems for a number of mode pairs.
Phycobilins of cryptophycean algae. Novel linkage of dihydrobiliverdin in a phycoerythrin 555 and a phycocyanin 645.

Abstract Cryptomonad strain IVF2 phycoerythrin 555 carries phycoerythrobilins attached through single thioether bonds at alpha-Cys-18, beta-Cys-82, and beta-Cys-158 and a doubly linked 15,16-dihydrobiliverdin (DBV) at beta-DiCys-50,61 (for sequence numbering, see Sidler, W., Nutt, H., Kumpf, B., Frank, G., Suter, F., Brenzel, A., Wehrmeyer, W., and Zuber, H. (1990) Biol. Chem. Hoppe-Seyler 371, 573-547). Analysis of the beta-DiCys-50,61-linked DBV by 1H homonuclear and 1H-13C heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy establishes that the thioether bond from Cys-50 is to the 3"-carbon of the DBV ring A and that from Cys-61 is to the 18'-carbon of ring D, i.e. the peptide-linked bilin is an 8,12-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-3-(2-(cysteinyl-S)-ethyl)-18-(1-(cysteinyl-S)-e thyl)- 2,7,13,17-tetramethylbiladiene-ab-1,19(16H,21H)-dione. DBV is also present at beta-DiCys-50,61 in cryptomonad strain UW374 phycocyanin 645 (Wedemayer, G. J., Kidd, D. G., Wemmer, D. E., and Glazer, A. N. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 7315-7331). NMR spectroscopy shows that the thioether bonds to this DBV are also at 3" and 18'. Linkage of tetrapyrroles to polypeptides through the 3"-carbon has not hitherto been reported.
The Indeterministic Einstein Equation: Quantum Jumps, Spacetime Structure, and Dark Pseudomatter

Current physics is faced with the fundamental problem of unifying quantum theory and general relativity, which would have resulted in quantum gravity. The main effort to construct the latter has been bent on quantizing spacetime structure, in particular metric. Meanwhile, taking account of the indeterministic aspect of the quantum description of matter, which manifests itself in quantum jumps, essentially affects classical spacetime structure and the Einstein equation. Quantum jumps give rise to a family of sets of simultaneous events, which implies the existence of universal cosmological time. In view of the jumps, the requirement for metric and its time derivative to be continuous implies that the Einstein equation should involve pseudomatter along with matter. Pseudomatter manifests itself only in gravitational effects, being thereby an absolutely dark ``matter''.
The solar wind near the sun - The solar envelope.

This paper discusses the structure of the solar envelope and the physical processes which might occur in the envelope. The envelope is the region between ≈2R⊙ and ≈(25–50) R⊙.
Properties of Mutants in Galactose Taxis and Transport

β-Methylgalactoside (mgl) permease mutants of Escherichia coli, which are defective in three genes, mglA, mglB, and mglC, were assayed for galactose taxis and galactose transport. The mglB product is the galactose-binding protein. Previous evidence, supported by our new findings, shows that the galactose-binding protein is the recognition component for galactose taxis as well as for galactose transport. Most mutants defective in mglB showed strong effects on both chemotaxis and transport; however, a couple showed effects chiefly on one process or the other, thus allowing a separation of chemotaxis and transport. The mglA and mglC products have not yet been identified, but they must be components of the galactose transport machinery since mutants defective in mglA or mglC, or both, showed strongly reduced transport. Although some of these mutants showed little chemotaxis, most gave close to wild-type chemotactic responses. Thus, transport is not required for galactose taxis. The bacteria detect changes in the fraction of binding protein associated with galactose, not changes in the rate of transport.
Rapid Diagnosis of Cytomegalovirus Pneumonia in Marrow Transplant Recipients by Bronchoalveolar Lavage Using the Polymerase Chain Reaction, Virus Culture, and the Direct Immunostaining of Alveolar Cells

The objective was to compare the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), virus culture, and immunostaining of alveolar cells used alone and in combination as diagnostic methods for the rapid diagnosis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia in marrow transplant recipients. Seventy-five marrow transplant recipients with clinical and radiological evidence of pneumonitis were used as subjects. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed on all patients to obtain material for conventional and/or rapid CMV culture, immunostaining of alveolar cells with monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs), and amplification of CMV-DNA by PCR. Assay results were then prospectively correlated with clinical outcome. Seven of the 75 patients (9.3%) had CMV pneumonitis and 6 patients (8%) had CMV infection without pneumonia. PCR is the most sensitive assay for the detection of CMV in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. For the diagnosis of CMV pneumonitis, the sensitivity of alveolar cell immunostaining and PCR were both 100%. The sensitivity of virus culture was 85.7%. The positive predictive value for each test, used alone, for the identification of CMV pneumonitis was low. However, when the result of the PCR assay was assessed in combination with CMV immunostaining of alveolar cells, the sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive value of this strategy was 100%. The concomitant use of PCR and the rapid immunostaining of alveolar cells for CMV has facilitated the development of a sensitive and specific diagnostic algorithm for the detection and early treatment of CMV pneumonitis in transplant recipients.
Human performance in the cold.

The literature dealing with human performance in the cold is reviewed. Seven major areas are discussed: a) tactile sensitivity, b) manual performance, c) tracking, d) reaction time, e) complex beha...
Direct calculation of the noise evolution in a highly nonlinear transmission system using the covariance matrix

Summary form only given. In this work, we report for the first time the successful direct calculation of the covariance matrix /spl Hscr/ that characterizes the noise propagation, in a dispersion-managed soliton (DMS) system at 10 Gb/s over a distance of 24,000 km. We transmit the 8-bit sequence 11101000 in a time window of 800 ps in a single channel; all pulses are co-polarized. The calculation that we present here is completely deterministic in contrast to earlier work in which we reported the calculation of /spl Hscr/ based on Monte Carlo simulations. This deterministic approach requires substantially less CPU time while producing a much higher level of accuracy.
Use of a Novel Mouse Genotype to Model Acute Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

Withdrawal from benzodiazepines in physically dependent rodents often requires that the drug be dislodged from its receptor with a competitive antagonist. Withdrawal Seizure-Prone (WSP) mice were selectively bred for their susceptibility to handling-induced withdrawal convulsions following chronic treatment with ethanol. Reflecting pleiotropic genetic influences, they also experience more severe withdrawal from other sedative-hypnotics including the benzodiazepine, diazepam. We used this susceptible genotype to test whether other benzodiazepine receptor (BZR) agonists also produce physical dependence following acute administration, comparing studies of spontaneous withdrawal with those where convulsions were precipitated by a BZR antagonist (flumazenil). Separate groups of mice were tested following a single injection of one of eight BZR agonists. Several doses of each drug were tested for spontaneous withdrawal, and a single dose of each drug was tested for precipitated withdrawal. Withdrawal convulsions were seen after all of the drugs by at least one method, suggesting that BZR agonists as a class elicit acute physical dependence in this susceptible genotype.
Nuclear Resonance Vibrational Spectroscopy Applied to [Fe(OEP)(NO)]: The Vibrational Assignments of Five-Coordinate Ferrous Heme-Nitrosyls and Implications for Electronic Structure

This study presents Nuclear Resonance Vibrational Spectroscopy (NRVS) data on the five-coordinate (5C) ferrous heme−nitrosyl complex [Fe(OEP)(NO)] (1, OEP2− = octaethylporphyrinato dianion) and the corresponding 15N18O labeled complex. The obtained spectra identify two isotope sensitive features at 522 and 388 cm−1, which shift to 508 and 381 cm−1, respectively, upon isotope labeling. These features are assigned to the Fe−NO stretch ν(Fe−NO) and the in-plane Fe−N−O bending mode δip(Fe−N−O), the latter has been unambiguously assigned for the first time for 1. The obtained NRVS data were simulated using our quantum chemistry centered normal coordinate analysis (QCC-NCA). Since complex 1 can potentially exist in 12 different conformations involving the FeNO and peripheral ethyl orientations, extended density functional theory (DFT) calculations and QCC-NCA simulations were performed to determine how these conformations affect the NRVS properties of [Fe(OEP)NO]. These results show that the properties and forc...
Intracranial Aneurysm and Hemorrhagic Stroke in Glucocorticoid-remediable Aldosteronism

There are anecdotal reports of early cerebrovascular complications occurring in patients with glucocorticoid-remediable aldosteronism (GRA). The issue has never been systematically evaluated. In th...
Pressure/temperature fluid cell apparatus for the neutron powder diffractometer instrument: Probing atomic structure in situ

This contribution describes a new local structure compatible gas/liquid cell apparatus for probing disordered materials at high pressures and variable temperatures in the Neutron Powder Diffraction instrument at the Lujan Neutron Scattering Center, Los Alamos National Laboratory. The new sample environment offers choices for sample canister thickness and canister material type. Finite element modeling is utilized to establish maximum allowable working pressures of 414 MPa at 15 K and 121 MPa at 600 K. High quality atomic pair distribution function data extraction and modeling have been demonstrated for a calibration standard (Si powder) and for supercritical and subcritical CO2 measurements. The new sample environment was designed to specifically target experimental studies of the local atomic structures involved in geologic CO2 sequestration, but will be equally applicable to a wide variety of energy applications, including sorption of fluids on nano/meso-porous solids, clathrate hydrate formation, catalysis, carbon capture, and H2 and natural gas uptake/storage.
Journey across the osteoclast

Living bone is continuously remodeled. Certain bone cells, osteoblasts, build bone, even as other bone cells, osteoclasts, degrade it. In this week9s issue, Salo et al. (p. 270) and Nesbitt et al. (p. 266) show that the bone matrix, degraded in a compartment under the osteoclast, is transferred through the cell for release into the extracellular space by transcytosis. In their Perspective, Mostov and Werb discuss the similarities of bone transcytosis to membrane-trafficking processes in other cells and argue that transcytosis is not just a degradation pathway, but may also be a critical regulatory step in bone remodeling and thus a potential target for therapy.