cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential regulation of p34cdc2 and p33cdk2 by transforming growth factor‐β1 in murine mammary epithelial cells

Cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks) are a family of proteins whose function plays a critical role in cell cycle traverse. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) is a potent growth inhibitor of epithelial cells. Since cdks have been suggested as possible biochemical markers for TGF-beta growth inhibition, we investigated the effect of TGF-beta 1 on cdc2 and cdk2 in a normal mouse mammary epithelial cell line (MME) and a TGF-beta-resistant MME cell line (BG18.2). TGF-beta 1 decreases newly synthesized cdc2 protein levels within 6 h after addition. Coincident with this decrease in newly synthesized cdc2 protein was a marked reduction in its ability to phosphorylate histone H1. This decrease in kinase activity is not due to a change in steady-state levels of cdc2 protein, since mRNA and total protein levels of cdc2 are not reduced until 12 h after TGF-beta 1 addition. This suggests that the kinase activity of cdc2 is dependent on newly synthesized cdc2 protein. Moreover, the protein synthesis of another cyclin-dependent kinase, cdk2, is not effected by TGF-beta 1 addition, but its kinase activity is substantially reduced. Thus, it appears that TGF-beta decreases the kinase activity of both cdc2 and cdk2 by distinct mechanisms.
Predicting realizations of daily weather data for climate forecasts using the non‐parametric nearest‐neighbour re‐sampling technique

Weather is one of the primary driving variables that prominently impacts agricultural production and associated disciplines, such as resource management. Lack of daily weather data for many locations along with many prognosis requirements for weather for various applications has resulted in continuous efforts to determine the best possible approach for weather sequence prediction. The goal of this study was to verify the k-nearest neighbours (k-NN) approach for the prediction of daily weather sequences. This method can be employed on the assumption that the weather during the target year is analogous to the weather recorded in the past. We used the nearest-neighbour re-sampling method for the simultaneous prediction of daily radiation, maximum and minimum temperature, and precipitation for multiple locations. A vector of weather variables, including precipitation, radiation, maximum and minimum temperature, on day (t + 1) is re-sampled from historical data by conditioning on the vector of the same variables for the preceding day (t). Observed historical weather data for ten different sites located in Georgia were used for evaluation. The selected sites represent different climatic conditions and the number of daily records varied from 46 to 97 years. The predicted daily and monthly data were compared with both the observed daily and monthly average historical weather data and the target year of 2005 for all ten study sites. The statistical analysis included summary statistics, mean square difference (MSD) and its components, and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test. The results showed that the k-NN approach was able to reproduce a similar pattern of the target year 2005 from the observed historical weather data. For all weather variables, both the lower and upper quartiles (Q1 and Q3) showed a very good agreement with the data of the observed target year. The cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) for the observed and predicted data were not significantly (P > 0.05) different across all sites for precipitation, except for the minimum temperature of seven study sites, radiation for five study sites, and maximum temperature for one study site. Our investigation to determine the minimum number of historical observed weather data required for obtaining reliable prediction revealed that 25 years of data were sufficient to find similar patterns compared to when all available weather data were used across all sites. It can be concluded from this study that the k-NN approach on the basis of pattern recognition can be considered as a reliable method to predict daily weather sequences based on historical weather data. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
An optical signal correlated with the allosteric transition in Scapharca inaequivalvis HbI.

The transient absorbance change within the first 2 μs of photolysis of COHbI (from Scapharca inaequivalvis) reported by Chiancone et al. [Chiancone, E., Elber, R., Royer, W. E., Regan, R., and Gibson, Q. H. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 5711−5718] has been studied in several mutants. Evidence is presented that this change (rts) is associated with the allosteric transition between R and T states. Two different rts spectra relate to Hb2 and Hb2CO. No rts has been observed for mutants at position 97 (normally Phe). Correlation of ligand binding and rts shows that protein function changes at or near the rates of rts, typically, 2 × 106 s-1 (Hb2) and 5 × 105 s-1 (Hb2CO). Unique values of allosteric parameters for several mutants have been obtained by combining kinetic and equilibrium data. The effect of mutation on function thus may be assigned to allostery or to a change in intrinsic heme reactivity.
Mechanisms of hepatic fibrogenesis

Multiple etiologies of liver disease lead to liver fibrosis through integrated signaling networks that regulate the deposition of extracellular matrix. This cascade of responses drives the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) into a myofibroblast-like phenotype that is contractile, proliferative and fibrogenic. Collagen and other extracellular matrix (ECM) components are deposited as the liver generates a wound-healing response to encapsulate injury. Sustained fibrogenesis leads to cirrhosis, characterized by a distortion of the liver parenchyma and vascular architecture. Uncovering the intricate mechanisms that underlie liver fibrogenesis forms the basis for efforts to develop targeted therapies to reverse the fibrotic response and improve the outcomes of patients with chronic liver disease.
Promising New Agents for the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disorders

A groundswell of therapeutic modalities is presently sweeping through the field of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), revolutionising the treatment and management of these disorders. At the forefront of newer agents are biological therapies, also referred to as ‘biologics’. These include infliximab (cA2), CDP 571, rhIL-10, ICAM-1 antisense oligonucleotide (ISIS 2302) and opreleukin (rhIL-11).
Compression of binary images by stroke encoding

The application of digital image systems to document handling in offices is currently limited by the high data transmission and storage costs. This paper describes a new method for encoding binary images of text or line drawings that achieves a high degree of data compaction in return for a small loss of fidelity. Typically, the compressed data stream is only two-thirds of the size of that produced by a reference algorithm employing a 3-pel predictor and a highly sophisticated error encoder. The input image is first processed by a thinning algorithm to extract the centrelines of the strokes that form the characters and lines. A tracking algorithm then connects neighbouring black picture elements into chains whose shapes and positions are encoded to produce the compressed data stream. Outline hardware implementations for the thinning and tracking algorithms are given.
A guide to performing pelvic speculum exams: a patient-centered approach to reducing iatrogenic effects.

Purpose: Current training in the United States for pelvic speculum examinations (PSEs) has a primary focus on the physician-centered goal of visualizing the cervix but may not inform practitioners of potential iatrogenic effects. Such oversight leaves trainees unprepared and unskilled in preventing and addressing adverse outcomes. This article incorporates a literature review into a step-by-step guide to aid the teaching of PSEs. Summary: Iatrogenic effects of PSEs may include mild discomfort, extreme pain, anxiety, psychological (re)traumatization, and sexual pain disorders. A literature-based guide is presented to identify patients at risk for adverse outcomes, set up the exam room, set up the patient, perform the exam, calm distressed patients, and avoid exam-interfering behaviors. Conclusions: Although PSEs can lead to adverse outcomes, awareness of the iatrogenic effects allows clinicians to utilize techniques to prevent or reduce negative effects. A method of incorporating techniques described in th...
Lack of efficacy for fluoxetine in PTSD: a placebo controlled trial in combat veterans.

Background: Fluoxetine and placebo were studied in a population of combat veterans with severe, chronic PTSD. Methods: Twelve male veterans with PTSD were enrolled in a 12 week double-blind evaluation of fluoxetine and placebo. Mean fluoxetine dose at endpoint (week 12) was 48 mg/day with a range of 10 mg to 60 mg. Results: One fluoxetine patient responded (17%) and two of the six placebo patients responded (33%). Conclusions: Fluoxetine patients did not show a greater response than placebo patients in this small sample of male combat veterans with severe, chronic PTSD. Fluoxetine has displayed an efficacious response in controlled studies of patients with PTSD who were predominantly female, suffered civilian (noncombat) traumas, and were overall experiencing less severe PTSD. The reasons for the low response rate to fluoxetine in our study is unknown and will await further study examining variables other than symptoms that might influence outcome, such as gender, comorbidity, prior treatment history, trauma type, severity and chronicity.
Offset compensation in flash ADCs using floating-gate circuits

Traditionally, high speed analog to digital converters (ADC) are built using various forms of the flash converter architecture. However, all of these structures suffer from one major flaw, offsets. Whether these offsets are introduced from the resistive biasing network, mismatches in the comparators, or from other sources, extensive care must be taken to compensate for them. There are several methods used to correct for these offsets, but many of these methods require complicated compensation circuitry or greatly increase the cost and area of the ADC. This paper presents an alternative to these methods, implementing the high speed data converters using floating-gate circuits. The floating-gate circuits provide a method of accurately programming the reference voltages of the flash converter, instead of obtaining them from a resistive biasing network. As a result, any form of offset that is introduced can be compensated for by adjusting the reference voltage.
Modelgen: mining explicit information flow specifications from concrete executions

We present a technique to mine explicit information flow specifications from concrete executions. These specifications can be consumed by a static taint analysis, enabling static analysis to work even when method definitions are missing or portions of the program are too difficult to analyze statically (e.g., due to dynamic features such as reflection). We present an implementation of our technique for the Android platform. When compared to a set of manually written specifications for 309 methods across 51 classes, our technique is able to recover 96.36% of these manual specifications and produces many more correct annotations that our manual models missed. We incorporate the generated specifications into an existing static taint analysis system, and show that they enable it to find additional true flows. Although our implementation is Android-specific, our approach is applicable to other application frameworks.
A Study of South Asian Monsoon Energetics

Abstract Monsoon forecasting is one of the most difficult components of the global weather prediction problem. The operational forecasts over the Asian monsoon region are known to have useful skill only for roughly 2–3 days. The rapid deterioration of monsoon forecasts can be attributed to a number of factors such as data deficiencies, physical parameterization in the forecast models, and representation of orography and surface boundary conditions, such as details of sea surface temperature, snow cover, etc. The study of energetics of the model output helps in understanding the above problems. This study is aimed toward the examination of the monsoon energetics. Here it is shown that the use of kinetic energies of the rotational and divergent motions have a special advantage. In order to show these features in the maintenance of a fully developed monsoon, the authors have taken the results of a global model. Such a model is internally consistent and given a reasonable forecast of the motion, thermal, and ...
The SeqFEATURE library of 3D functional site models: comparison to existing methods and applications to protein function annotation

Structural genomics efforts have led to increasing numbers of novel, uncharacterized protein structures with low sequence identity to known proteins, resulting in a growing need for structure-based function recognition tools. Our method, SeqFEATURE, robustly models protein functions described by sequence motifs using a structural representation. We built a library of models that shows good performance compared to other methods. In particular, SeqFEATURE demonstrates significant improvement over other methods when sequence and structural similarity are low.
Performance of Three Enzyme Immunoassays and Two Direct Fluorescence Assays for Detection of Giardia lamblia in Stool Specimens Preserved in ECOFIX

ECOFIX is a single-vial stool preservative that is both formalin- and mercury-free. We evaluated the abilities of three commercial Giardia lamblia-specific enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) (ProSpecT Giardia Microplate Assay [Alexon-Trend Inc.], Giardia Test [Techlab], and Premier Giardia lamblia [Meridian Diagnostics, Inc.]) and two commercial direct fluorescent-antibody (FA) assays for G. lamblia (Crypto/Giardia IF Test [Techlab] and Merifluor Cryptosporidium/Giardia [Meridian Diagnostics, Inc.]) to detect G. lamblia in 34 G. lamblia-positive and 44 G. lamblia-negative stool specimens (determined by traditional examination for ova and parasites) preserved in ECOFIX compared to their abilities to detect G. lamblia in the same specimens preserved in formalin as the “gold standard” for each assay. Of the 34 formalin-fixed positive specimens, the number detected by each assay was as follows:, Alexon EIA, 34; Meridian EIA, 27; Techlab EIA, 29; Meridian FA assay, 31; and Techlab FA assay, 28. Both FA tests and the Alexon EIA performed well with ECOFIX, but the other two EIAs detected fewer positive specimens (the difference was statistically significant with the Techlab EIA) when ECOFIX was the preservative. Use of G. lamblia cyst antigen from cultured organisms preserved in formalin and ECOFIX demonstrated that the Alexon EIA could detect smaller amounts of antigen in ECOFIX than the other two EIAs could and suggested that cyst antigen is more stable in formalin. We recommend that laboratories use an FA assay or the Alexon EIA if they plan to use ECOFIX as their stool preservative.
Optimal motion planning for flexible space robots

This paper is concerned with optimal motion planning of a flexible space robot. The robot is assumed to consist of two flexible links which are attached to a rigid space station floating in space. The optimal motion planning is first formulated as a two-stage functional optimization problem, which is further simplified into an optimal trajectory planning problem using recently developed stable inversion theory. The motion planning is optimal in the sense that the system performance measured by the manoeuvring time together with control and structural vibration energy is minimized. Besides, the controller also keeps the interference from the arm to the space station satisfactorily small. A suboptimal solution to the corresponding trajectory planning problem is obtained via two decoupling on the linearized zero dynamics. One is of the hyperbolic and the nonhyperbolic parts, and another is of the stable and unstable parts. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.
HYSTEROSCOPY: A MILESTONE IN GYNAECOLOGY

Objective The aim is to stress the fundamental role of hysteroscopy in the diagnosis of the cause of endometrial pathologies. Subjects and methods The results of 10 years’ experience, between December 1984 and January 1995, in the gynaecological endoscopy outpatients' unit of the Catholic University of Rome are reported. A series of 6180 women undergoing diagnostic hysteroscopy is analysed and the indications, contraindications and side-effects of hysteroscopic examination are discussed. Results Outpatients, mean age of 51 years (range 22–81), who underwent hysteroscopic examination had, as main indication, abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). The differing distributions of hysteroscopic findings in pre- and postmenopausal women is stressed, along with the importance of focal endometrial pathologies such as polyps and submucosal myomas in premenopause, the high incidence of endometrial atrophy, and the significant occurrence of hyperplastic and neoplastic hysteroscopic findings in the postmenopause. Primary and secondary infertility are, after AUB, the second most common indications for hysteroscopic examination, and the role of malformation (septate and subseptate uterus), inflammation (intrauterine synechiae) and focal endometrial pathologies (polyps and submucosal myomas) is illustrated. Conclusions As a result of the introduction of hysteroscopy it is now possible to preserve organs, with the slight trauma of noninvasive treatment, rather than using extirpartive surgery. In premenopausal women with AUB (n=2132) the most frequent pathologies were low-risk hyperlasia (25.3%), submucosal myoma (24.5%) and endometrial polyps (8.3%); there were normal findings in 40.2%. There is a low incidence of high-risk hyperplasia (0.7%) and neoplastic pathology (0.5%). In postmenopausal women with AUB there is a high incidence of atrophy (23%), whereas high-risk hyperplasia and neoplastic pathology are five and eight times more common, respectively, in these women than in premenopausal patients.
Cyclin T1 Expression Is Regulated by Multiple Signaling Pathways and Mechanisms during Activation of Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes

Stimulation of primary human T lymphocytes results in up-regulation of cyclin T1 expression, which correlates with phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II (RNAP II). Up-regulation of cyclin T1 and concomitant stabilization of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) may facilitate productive replication of HIV in activated T cells. We report that treatment of PBLs with two mitogens, PHA and PMA, results in accumulation of cyclin T1 via distinct mechanisms. PHA induces accumulation of cyclin T1 mRNA and protein, which results from cyclin T1 mRNA stabilization, without significant change in cyclin T1 promoter activity. Cyclin T1 mRNA stabilization requires the activation of both calcineurin and JNK because inhibition of either precludes cyclin T1 accumulation. In contrast, PMA induces cyclin T1 protein up-regulation by stabilizing cyclin T1 protein, apparently independently of the proteasome and without accumulation of cyclin T1 mRNA. This process is dependent on Ca2+-independent protein kinase C activity but does not require ERK1/2 activation. We also found that PHA and anti-CD3 Abs induce the expression of both the cyclin/CDK complexes involved in RNAP II C-terminal domain phosphorylation and the G1-S cyclins controlling cell cycle progression. In contrast, PMA alone is a poor inducer of the expression of G1-S cyclins but often as potent as PHA in inducing RNAP II cyclin/CDK complexes. These findings suggest coordination in the expression and activation of RNAP II kinases by pathways that independently stimulate gene expression but are insufficient to induce S phase entry in primary T cells.
Expression of the maternally derived X chromosome in the mural trophoblast of the mouse.

SUMMARY Only the maternally derived allelic form of the X-chromosome-linked enzyme phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK-1) is observed in the mural trophoblast of heterozygous female progeny in F3 and backcross matings. We have demonstrated that this expression of the maternally derived PGK-1 is not a result of maternal tissue contamination nor of selection of cells expressing the maternal X chromosome (X ra ). Our results suggest that the expression of X' u in mural trophoblast is a consequence of nonrandom X-chromosome inactivation in trophectoderm cells.
Concomitant Administration of a Histamine2 Receptor Antagonist and Proton Pump Inhibitor Enhances Gastric Acid Suppression

tudy Objective Because it has been hypothesized that histamine2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) might interfere with the action of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) when the drugs are given concomitantly, we sought to compare the pharmacodynamic effects of simultaneous administration of a PPI and an H2RA with the effects of each drug administered alone. Design Prospective, randomized, double-blind, three-way crossover study. Setting Esophageal motility laboratory at a large teaching hospital. Subjects Twenty-one healthy volunteers. Intervention Subjects were randomized to one of three treatment arms: an H2RA (ranitidine 300 mg) plus placebo, a PPI (omeprazole 40 mg) plus placebo, or ranitidine 300 mg plus omeprazole 40 mg, all given once/day at 8 a.m., 30 minutes before a standard breakfast, for 1 week. The subjects then received the other two treatments, with each treatment period separated by a 1-week washout period. Measurements and Main Results The primary outcome was length of time that the gastric pH remained higher than 4. Secondary outcomes were median gastric pH higher than 4 and percentage of time that the gastric pH remained higher than 4. On day 7, ambulatory intragastric pH was recorded over an 8-hour period in each treatment arm. The combination of ranitidine and omeprazole resulted in a significantly longer time that the gastric pH remained higher than 4 (median 410.5 min [interquartile range (IQR) 298.5–454.25 min]) versus either omeprazole alone (median 356.7 min [IQR 254.9–419.2 min], p=0.023) or ranitidine alone (134.1 min [IQR 99.9–302.5 min], p<0.0001). Median gastric pH was also significantly higher when omeprazole and ranitidine were given in combination (pH 5.92 [IQR 4.75–6.46]) than either omeprazole alone (pH 4.88 [IQR 4.27–6.11], p=0.001) or ranitidine alone (pH 2.31 [IQR 2.04–5.27], p=0.0003). Likewise, the percentage of time that the gastric pH remained higher than 4 was significantly higher when omeprazole and ranitidine were given in combination (median 85.52%) than either omeprazole alone (74.31%, p=0.027) or ranitidine alone (27.94%, p=0.0002). Conclusion When a PPI and H2RA were administered concomitantly 30 minutes before breakfast, the H2RA did not decrease the acid suppressive ability of the PPI; rather, it improved gastric acid control. Thus these results failed to support the initial hypothesis of this study. Further prospective studies are needed to test these findings in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease as well as those with erosive esophagitis.
Fluoride additive in epoxide-initiated sol–gel synthesis enables thin-film applications of SnO2 aerogels

Aerogels of SnO2 were synthesized by an epoxide-initiated sol–gel method. Using ammonium fluoride in the precursor solution allowed for tunability of the aerogel morphology while no change in the conductivity was measured. In particular, aerogel shrinkage was decreased dramatically by the addition of the fluoride precursor. Unfluorinated aerogels showed severe shrinkage of 43% volume change upon supercritical drying compared to the original alcogel volume. Fluorinated samples exhibited a much less pronounced shrinkage at 7%. Multiple characterization methods converged to reveal the mechanism by which fluoride enables the morphological tunability. These findings enable the casting of SnO2 aerogels as thin films (which in the absence of fluoride these crack and delaminate due to shrinkage), opening potential uses in many optoelectronic devices including solar cells.
Abstract A4: Race and poverty in late-stage prostate cancer at diagnosis: A multilevel analysis

Objectives: To assess the statistical relationship between stage at diagnosis of prostate cancer and racial category in four southeastern states. Methods: Data from state cancer registries in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, and Maryland were analyzed using a hierarchical generalized linear model to adjust for both patient-level characteristics and area-based measures of socioeconomic status. Results: African-American men had lower odds of being diagnosed with localized disease than white men in each of the four state populations, after adjusting for patient- and area-level characteristics. These odds were statistically significant for men living in Florida (OR = 0.84, 95% C.I. 0.73–0.85) but not in Georgia (OR = 0.84, 95% C.I. 0.70–1.01), Kentucky (OR = 1.02, 95% C.I. 0.82–1.27) or Maryland (OR = 0.91, 95% C.I. 0.74–1.12). Discussion: African Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with later stage prostate cancer in each of these four states. Variation in the proportion of men diagnosed with localized disease across states may reflect differences in sample size or real differences between the populations of these states.
Let's go toy shopping! Exploring early anticipatory socialization for careers and gender expectations

Courses: Gender Communication, Communication and Careers, Organizational Communication.Objectives: At the end of the activity, students will be able: to identify and analyze the socialization of gender expectations, to recognize and describe how early this type of socialization can occur, to critique the early socialization of gendered career expectations through the analysis of toy-store shopping, and to propose new ways to approach this experience.
Hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the colon

Hepatoid adenocarcinoma (HAC) is a rare extrahepatic adenocarcinoma that morphologically and immunophenotypically mimics hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We report the case of a 42-year-old woman with an extensive cancer history who presented with right-sided abdominal pain and lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, and was ultimately diagnosed with colon adenocarcinoma. She underwent sigmoidectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy. Approximately 1 month after completion of chemotherapy, positron emission tomography showed presence of a 1.8 cm × 1.4 cm mesenteric lymph node. She underwent treatment with chemotherapy and radiation followed by lymph node resection. Pathological findings from the lymph node were consistent with poorly differentiated carcinoma with hepatocellular differentiation. When compared with pathology from the colonic resection, both specimens showed histomorphological features and immunohistochemical profiles consistent with hepatocellular differentiation. Given these findings, a diagnosis of HAC of the colon with metastasis to a mesenteric lymph node was made.
Summary: A Very Timely Conference

The conference poster includes a very apt phrase that describes a primary motivation for this conference: Time discovers truth. This aphorism, attributed to Seneca, was certainly affirmed by the many exciting talks and discussions at this conference, in both formal and informal settings.
Pressure dependence of superconductivity in simple cubic phosphorus

The electronic structure and lattice dynamics for simple cubic (sc) P are calculated over the pressure range 0--70 GPa from first principles using the local-density approximation. The $R$ phonon mode is found to be unstable below 20 GPa in the harmonic approximation, but may be stable down to a pressure less than 20 GPa when anharmonicity is considered. The electron-phonon coupling is calculated for pressures above 20 GPa, and the superconducting transition temperature ${T}_{c}$ is found to decrease with increasing pressure throughout this pressure range. The result is in agreement with experimental results above 30 GPa. In contrast to experiment, no evidence for a decrease in ${T}_{c}$ with decreasing pressure below 30 GPa is found. The structural transition from rhombohedral $A7$ to sc is also investigated. An interesting two-step transition is found to occur theoretically which may have relevance for the pressure dependence of ${T}_{c}$. Possible explanations for the discrepancy with experiment are discussed.
Improving Community Acquired Pneumonia Treatment in Inpatient Pediatrics Based on 2011 IDSA Guidelines

Uncomplicated community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the most common medical conditions in hospitalized children. Management can be highly variable since treatment is almost never based on confirmed etiology. National guidelines recommend the use of narrow spectrum antibiotics, limited use of laboratory tests and bronchodilators, and limiting the use of antibiotics for mycoplasma coverage. As part of the AAP-VIP project (I-CAP), we performed a quality …
Research Note: Use of Consecutive Carcass Rinses and a Most Probable Number Procedure to Estimate Salmonellae Contamination of Inoculated Broilers

Abstract Two similar trials were conducted to evaluate the accuracy of the whole carcass rinse technique in combination with a most probable number (MPN) procedure for estimating the number of salmonellae on postchill broilers. Birds were reared in litter-floored pens and inoculated with Salmonella typhimurium (108 cfu/mL) on Days 2, 7, and 14. In each of the two trials six carcasses were consecutively rinsed four times. Each carcass was rinsed with 100 mL of sterile water in sterile plastic bags using an automated shaking device. Salmonellae were enumerated using a three-tube MPN procedure in selenite cystine broth. There were no statistical differences in log10 MPN salmonellae per milliliter of recovered rinse fluid due to trial or consecutive rinse. In several cases salmonellae were not recovered in the initial rinse but were recovered from consecutive rinses of the same carcass. A large amount of variation in MPN levels of salmonellae among individual carcasses occurred within each consecutive rinse. The data suggested that only a percentage of the total salmonellae present on a postchill carcass were recovered with each consecutive rinse, and the organisms were firmly attached prior to processing.
Sex‐specific dispersal by a parasitoid wasp in the field

Although parasitoid wasps are important regulators of herbivorous insect populations, very little is known regarding their movement under field conditions. Here, we examined the vertical and cardinal directionality of dispersal by Binodoxys communis (Gahan) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae), an exotic Asian parasitoid released as a biological control agent of the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Aphidinae), in North American soybeans, Glycine max (L.) Merr. (Fabaceae). The patterns are consistent with time-dependent, sex-specific dispersal strategies; whereas males show flight that is devoid of vertical or cardinal directionality, females consistently move at or above soybean canopy height toward the east and north. Male capture rates also appear to be more correlated with local conditions than those of females. These results suggest that females actively cross the flight boundary layer (the space above which insect flight is largely wind-driven as opposed to self-directed) and follow air currents away from soybean fields, whereas males engage in more localized movement. The data also suggest differing response potentials of the sexes to changing local resource conditions (host availability, female availability, host plant cultivar). We discuss the implications for sex-specific movement on the basic biology of introduced parasitoid species, and their applied role as potential agents in importation biological control programs.
Construction of Curriculum System for Environmental Engineering under the Framework of Professional Certification

The development process of engineering education professional accreditation was briefly introduced.Based on analyzing the existing problems of curricula system setting of environmental engineering,professional certification standard was introduced,and using the standard preliminary exploration and practice was done on the curriculum system setting.It was expected that the improved curriculum system can make students' comprehensive quality and ability to meet all of the requirements of the engineering education professional accreditation,and it was very effective in promoting certified environmental engineer system in line with international practice.
Intervention effectiveness of metabolic syndrome among community residents

[Objective]To study the prevalence of metabolic syndrome(MS) among community residents of Shunhe Hui District of Kaifeng City,and provide scientific evidence and explore method for MS prevention and treatment.[Methods]Cluster sampling method was adopted to select 1 552 community residents aged above 35 years for regular follow-upin July 2009.Behavioral interventions such as diet,physical activity,lifestyle and prevention and treatment of MS were performed by means of group intervention and individual intervention.The investigation was repeated on 1 515 residents in August 2011.The prevalence of MS before and after intervention was analyzed.[Results] After intervention,the general population increased,while the high-risk groups and MS patients decreased,the difference of constituent ratio was significant(χ2=20.298,P0.01).The MS prevalence was 10.50% before intervention and 8.18% after intervention,the difference was significant(χ2=4.855,P0.05).[Conclusion]The effect of integrated intervention is obvious among Community residents and MS patients.
Multimodality Imaging of Cardiac Amyloidosis

Systemic amyloidoses are a group of protein misfolding disorders that are typified by the extracellular deposition of insoluble, non-branching, amyloid fibrils with a common beta-pleated sheet structure. Amyloid fibrils from the precursor proteins—immunoglobulin light chains (primary or AL) and the transthyretin protein (TTR)—usually involve the heart. Most individuals with cardiac amyloidosis present with heart failure as their initial symptom. But, due the multitude of symptoms from systemic disease involvement of the gastrointestinal tract, peripheral and autonomic nervous system, heart, or the kidneys recognition of amyloidosis (and cardiac involvement) is typically delayed. In this chapter we discuss multimodality imaging approaches— echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and targeted radionuclide imaging— to evaluate cardiac amyloidosis. The typical imaging protocols, advantages and disadvantages of each modality, and clinical applications are discussed.
Neighborhood Context and Youth Physical Activity: Differential Associations by Gender and Age.

Purpose:The goal of this research is to examine the extent to which facets of neighborhood sociodemographic contexts influence individual-level physical activity (PA) among youth.Design:Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), geographic information systems (GIS), and census data sources, we explicitly test whether built environment factors have differential associations depending on the age and gender of the youth living in urban census tracts.Setting:Participants are from the NHANES 2003 to 2006 waves.Participants:The study sample for this article was 2706 youth aged 6 to 17 years with valid PA accelerometer measures.Measures:A measure of park accessibility was constructed from the 2006 park GIS layer in Environmental System Research Institute ArcGIS 9.3 data. Average daily minutes of moderate to vigorous PA in bouts equal to or longer than 1 minute were recorded using accelerometers over 4 to 7 days.Analysis:Analysis was conducted with SAS 9.2, including descriptive analyses and...
Alpaca: compact network policies with attribute-carrying addresses

In enterprise networks, policies (e.g., QoS or security) are often defined based on the categorization of hosts along dimensions such as the organizational role of the host (faculty vs. student), and department (engineering vs. sales). While current best practices (VLANs) help when hosts are categorized along a single dimension, policy may often need to be expressed along multiple orthogonal dimensions. In this paper, we make three contributions. First, we argue for Attribute-Carrying IPs (ACIPs), where the IP address allocation process in enterprises considers attributes of a host along all policy dimensions. ACIPs enable flexible policy specification in a manner that may not otherwise be feasible owing to the limited size of switch rule-tables. Second, we present Alpaca, algorithms for realizing ACIPs under practical constraints of limited-length IP addresses. Our algorithms can be applied to different switch architectures, and we provide bounds on their performance. Third, we demonstrate the importance and viability of ACIPs on data collected from real campus networks.
Personhood in a Communitarian Context

Theories regarding the nature and achievement of personhood in a communitarian context appear to differ in significant respects in the writings of several contemporary African philosophers. Ifeanyi Menkiti seems to regard ethnic differences as sufficient to warrant a national accommodation of multiculturalism with respect to moralities and attendant beliefs. Kwasi Wiredu argues that there is a substantive universal moral principle that undercuts such apparent and relatively superficial diversity. Communitarianism also seems to provide a better framework for explaining how a human being becomes a person than classical liberal theory as enunciated by someone like John Rawls. Keywords Communitarianism, liberalism, multiculturalism, personhood, Masolo, Menkiti, Rawls, Wiredu
Model-based relaying supervision for mitigation of cascading outages

Several major outages have been traced to the failure of remote backup protection elements in distance relays. Experience has shown that coordination of remote backup zones in stepped-distance protection can be vulnerable during stressed conditions. Furthermore, relay settings are typically biased for high dependability, resulting in lower security especially when several unexpected events coincide. An incorrect response by a relay during such a condition can trigger or propagate the disturbance. Therefore, a new framework for Model-Based Relaying is introduced to supervise and secure the operation of remote backup protection elements, such as Zone 3. The framework utilizes the fact that while a single relay can observe a 3-phase fault or stressed system condition with similar apparent impedances, other system parameters will be significantly different. Therefore, the framework proposes to include the capability in relays to quickly run circuit model simulations at the relay level. The proposed method aims to work in parallel with and supervise the conventional distance relay's zone 3 for discrimination between 3-phase faults and stressed conditions using the output of local circuit model simulations. Several case studies are evaluated to demonstrate that dependability is not degraded for true fault conditions and security is enhanced for stressed system conditions.
Triangulating Teacher Perception, Classroom Observations, and Student Work to Evaluate Secondary Writing Programs

ABSTRACTCurrent professional development efforts in writing at the secondary level have not resulted in student improvement on large-scale writing assessments. To maximize funding resources and instructional time, school leaders need a way to determine professional development content for writing teachers that aligns with specific student outcomes. The present study addressed this need by triangulating data from 3 sources to identify student-centered professional development needs for writing teachers and discrepancies between teachers’ stated beliefs and actual classroom practices in writing instruction. Results revealed inconsistencies between teachers’ stated beliefs and practices in terms of teaching grammar and conventions in the context of writing and providing formative feedback to students during writing instruction. Although the results of this study are specific to the focal school, experts can apply the process of collecting and analyzing multiple forms of data to determine the quality and need...
Hippocampal Plasticity and Excitatory Neurotransmitters

The identification of excitatory transmitters used at specific pathways in the CNS is a major, but as yet largely unsolved problem which is of critical importance for analyzing the mechanisms of learning and memory. The hippocampus appears to be involved in several aspects of learning and is an excellent model system for the study of these processes. Much evidence favors the idea that glutamate is the transmitter of the perforant path, the major cortical input to the hippocampus. Thus, glutamate release in the dentate gyrus is Ca 2+-dependent and stimulated by depolarization; removal of the perforant path reduces this release as well as the high affinity uptake of glutamate. The glutamate analogue, L-2amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid, selectively blocks synaptic transmission at the lateral but not medial perforant path. The dose required to reduce transmission by 50% is about 3 u m, making this drug the most potent antagonist of excitatory amino acid transmission in the brain. The action is selective to the L-isomer and shorter or longer chain derivatives are less effective. The transmitters of the Schaffer collateral/commissural input to CA1 neurons appear to be glutamate and aspartate based on release and uptake data. An effective antagonist for this pathway has not been found at the present time. The transmitter of the mossy fiber system is unknown, although evidence exists which suggests the involvement of a kainic acid-like molecule. Plasticity studies using L-APB show that paired pulse potentiation in the lateral perforant path is enhanced in the presence of the drug, probably due to interactions with presynaptic release mechanisms.
Photovoice: Adult Patients of Hospice Braşov (Romania) on what it means to Live with Cancer:

This visual essay presents a series of photos which were the result of a more wide-ranging project conducted by the Romanian Hospice Casa Speranței in Brasov. The photos were taken by adult cancer ...
Aortic valve replacement and aorta-coronary bypass surgery. Results with perfusion of proximal and distal coronary arteries.

The results in 80 patients undergoing simultaneous aortic valve replacement and aorta-coronary saphenous vein bypass grafting were analyzed to assess the effect of operative technique. The over-all operative mortality rate of 6.3 percent (five of 80) did not differ significantly from our results with aortic valve replacement alone. All patients who had isolated aortic valve replacement were operated upon with moderate hypothermia. The combined operation was performed in two ways. Thirty-one patients had aortic valve replacement prior to bypass grafting with intermittent coronary ostial perfusion. There were two deaths (6.5 percent), and five myocardial infarctions (16.1 percent) were diagnosed by standard electrocardiographic and enzyme criteria. More recently, 49 patients have undergone bypass grafting prior to aortic valve replacement. The proximal ends of the grafts were either anastomosed high on the aortic root or else were individually cannulated to provide continuous distal perfusion during subsequent aortic valve replacement, with continuous coronary ostial perfusion. There were three operative deaths (6.1 percent) and one myocardial infarction (2.0 percent). The risk of combined aortic valve replacement and coronary bypass need be no greater than the risk of aortic valve replacement alone. Our experience suggests that myocardial perfusion distal to significant coronary artery stenoses reduces the risk of myocardial infarction in patients with coronary artery disease requiring aortic valve replacement.
1st ACM SIGSPATIAL Workshop on Analytics for Local Events and News (LENS 2017): Redondo Beach, California, USA - November 7, 2017

The 1st ACM SIGSPATIAL Workshop on Analytics for Local Events and News (LENS 2017) was held in conjunction with the 25th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference on Advances in Geographic Information Systems (ACM SIGSPATIAL 2017). The workshop is intended to bring together experts from the research community and industry to exchange ideas on opportunities, challenges and cutting-edge techniques for local events and news analytics. The workshop has attracted 12 submissions, including 11 regular research papers and one vision paper, accepted 6 submissions for publications; 5 regular papers and one vision paper, with 50% acceptance rate. The papers are reviewed by 13 program committee members, where each paper is assigned to three reviewers. Total 11 attendants registered for the workshop. The actual number of attendants along the day fluctuated from 11 to 15, with an average of 11 attendants maintained almost all the time. The workshop has achieved its goal with bringing up together experts from both academia and industry with a set of productive discussions and talks.
Delay and Probability Discounting in Humans: An Overview

The purpose of this review is to introduce the reader to the concepts of delay and probability discounting as well as the major empirical findings to emerge from research with humans on these concepts. First, we review a seminal discounting study by Rachlin, Raineri, and Cross (1991) as well as an influential extension of this study by Madden, Petry, Badger, and Bickel (1997). In doing so, we describe the general procedure used for assessing discounting and the resulting form of the obtained discounting functions. With this as background, we review additional empirical findings that have emerged over the last 20 years, by addressing issues such as time consistency and preference reversals, magnitude effects, and the gain-loss asymmetry. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of more recent developments and their implications for the future of this growing area.
[179-POS]: First trimester screening for early onset preeclampsia is a cost effective approach in prenatal care

Objectives To determine if first trimester screening for early-onset preeclampsia can be implemented in a cost effective manner. Methods We used decision tree analysis to determine the breakeven price and the cost-effectiveness price at which the incremental cost effectiveness ratio was $100,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). A recent review article (Poon and Nicolaides, 2014) demonstrated detection rates of 60% and 93% for biochemistry (PlGF and PAPP-A) and combined biochemistry and biophysical (mean arterial pressure and uterine artery Doppler) screening, respectively. A metaanalysis (Roberge et al., 2012) of the effectiveness of administration of aspirin prior to 16 weeks demonstrated a reduction in incidence of early-onset preeclampsia of 89%, with the lower end of the 95% confidence interval of 67%. These parameters were incorporated into 4 scenarios along with assumptions for aspirin treatment compliance (93%), the rate of disability and neonatal death and the cost of care associated with the gestational age of delivery. Utility values of 0, 0.61 and 1.00 were used for death, disability and healthy and discounted 3% per year for an average lifespan of 76 years. Costs were based on 2013 dollars. Results The table shows QALYs gained per 100,000, the breakeven price and the breakeven cost effectiveness price based on screening performance and aspirin effectiveness. Conclusions The data indicate that reasonable prices can be offered for both biochemical and biophysical testing so that the cost of first trimester early-onset preeclampsia screening will be offset by the savings and improved outcomes resulting from reduced numbers of early-onset preeclampsia. Inclusion of additional biochemical markers and the ability to identify some cases of late onset preeclampsia may provide further advantages. Detection (%) Aspirin effectiveness (%) QALYs gained per 100 K Breakeven price Breakeven cost effectiveness price 60 67 299 $164 $463 93 67 463 $255 $718 60 89 397 $219 $615 93 89 615 $339 $954 Disclosures D.A. Krantz: Employee PerkinElmer. T.W. Hallahan: Employee PerkinElmer. J.B. Carmichael: c.Employee PerkinElmer. H. Liu: Employee PerkinElmer.