cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uniform Nomenclature to Describe Clinical Features of Pigmented Lesions.

Uniform terminology to describe features of malignancy facilitates communication among physicians and disciplines, enabling any clinician to reconstruct the lesion or mass in their mind simply based on the description. It is time to revisit the plethora of terms describing the clinical features of pigmented lesions. In the beginning of mammography, reports by radiologists lacked uniform, clear language, which is similar to the array of terms used in dermatology to describe pigmented lesions (Figure). Mammography readings varied between physicians and institutions, ultimately diminishing the quality and delivery of patient care. In response, the American College of Radiology (ACR) developed the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) with the hopes of standardizing mammography language and reporting.4,5 The Reporting and Data System (RADS) framework was pivotal in the management of breast cancer.4 Furthermore, this system has been replicated in the imaging of several organs. Given the maturity of the RADS framework and its proven success, we are proposing a nomenclature system for the visual classification of melanocytic lesions based on the RADS model.
Willingness to fight and die

What would motivate someone to willingly enter frontline combat against the Islamic State? New research finds three compelling reasons: commitment to some sacred values, forsaking commitment to their own kin for those same values, and belief in the spiritual strength of one’s own group compared to that of the enemy.
Profiles of culturally salient positive parenting practices among urban-residing Black Head Start families.

Objectives To better understand within-group variability in positive parenting practices among low-income Black families, the present study, grounded in a multidimensional comparative framework, examined (a) patterns of positive parenting practices among U.S.-born African American parents and Black Caribbean immigrant parents and (b) the extent to which these patterns related to parents' daily family social support, parents' social sensitivities, and children's social-emotional outcomes. Method A person-oriented approach was employed with data from 524 African American and Black Caribbean immigrant parents (mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts/uncles) of preschool-aged children in Head Start. Results Multistage hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that although the best solution for both ethnic groups was a 5-profile solution, the particular profiles that emerged across the 2 groups were distinct. Further, different parenting practices were salient among the 'high positive parenting' profiles and 'low positive parenting' for African Americans and Caribbean immigrants. In addition, demographic factors (education, gender, and marital status) differentially related to patterns of positive parenting across the 2 ethnic groups, and these patterns of parenting were associated with children's social emotional development and parenting resources in meaningful ways. Conclusions Findings underscore the importance of conducting within-group studies that examine variability across ethnocultural groups identified as belonging to the same racial group. Indeed, there was variation in the manifestations of positive parenting within and across the ethnic groups included in this study (i.e., African Americans and Caribbean immigrants) that can inform future research and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record
Localizing and Recognizing Labels for Multi-Panel Figures in Biomedical Journals

Multi-panel figures are common in biomedical journals. Often the subpanels are of different types, e.g. x-ray, microscopy, sketch, etc. Visual information retrieval of such figures can significantly benefit from Panel Label Recognition techniques that index figures for search engines, image content tagging, and correlating with figure (sub)captions. It is a challenging task due to large variation in the label locations, sizes, contrast to background, etc. In this work, we propose a 3-stage recognition algorithm. The first stage is formulated as object detection, where we extract Histograms of Oriented Gradient (HOG) features and train a linear Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. Label candidates are detected using sliding windows at different locations and scales. We also trained a convolutional deep neural network (CNN) to remove false positives. The second stage is formulated as image classification. We trained a 50-class RBF SVM classifier and estimate the posterior probabilities of each candidate label. The last stage is formulated as sequence classification. We used a beam search algorithm on the posterior probabilities estimated in the second stage along with a set of label sequence constraints to select an optimal label sequence. The algorithm is trained on 9,642 figures, and evaluated on the remaining 1,000 figures shows that the proposed algorithm achieves good precision and recall.
Fruit, Vegetables, and Extracts: Role in Cancer Prevention

Gamma delta T cells are cytotoxic lymphocyte cells that kill malignant cells. They also kill macrophages when the immune response is completed and no longer needed. These cells are modified by dietary bioactive compounds in what is known as nonantigen priming. These cells respond faster and to a greater extent after priming. Modification of these cells by diet is hypothesized to prevent cancer because they cannot only kill malignant cells but they can also reduce the inflammation that has been associated with an increased incidence of cancer.
Research project shows importance of pre-employment hearing testing.

Forty employees received pure-tone baseline hearing tests at the time they began employment as LSM operators for the U.S. Postal Services; the workplace eight-hour average sound level (TWA) was 85 dBA. Nineteen operators from the original group had their hearing retested three years later. None of the retested subjects showed large or systematic changes in hearing sensitivity over the three-year period. For the audiometric frequencies most susceptible to noise exposure (3000, 4000, 6000 Hz), only 5 percent of the operators showed a bilateral change in threshold greater than 5 dB at any frequency, and none of them showed more than a 10 dB threshold change in both ears. None of the operators displayed a Standard Threshold Shift as described by OSHA. The data further suggested that many workers began their LSM work assignment with a pre-existing hearing loss and, based upon audiometric and history information, the impairment probably resulted from prior occupational and/or nonoccupational noise exposure. The importance of hearing-conservation programs for employees is emphasized.
Executable Architectures Using Cuckoo Search Optimization Coupled with OPM and CPN-A Module: A New Meta-Architecture Model for FILA SoS

Understanding System of Systems (SoS) requires novel ways to apply systems engineering processes. Acknowledged SoS have recognized objectives, a designated manager and resources for the SoS. The goal of this research is to develop a proof of concept tool suite for Acknowledged SoS systems simulation. This suite is named flexible, intelligent and learning architectures for System of Systems (FILA-SoS). FILA-SoS assists the SoS manager in architecture generation, selection, and implementation working as an aid for decision making. Binary cuckoo search constrained optimization is used to generate meta-architectures which are evaluated by a fuzzy assessor for quality assurance. The architecture is then converted into an executable structure using Object Process Methodology (OPM) and Colored Petri Nets (CPN). A hybrid methodology comprising of OPM and CPN approach is implemented for simulating the acquisition environment. Initial application for a Search and Rescue (SAR) SoS, consisting of 25 individual systems with ten capabilities gave promising results.
Id Quo Cognoscimus

In a book published eleven years ago, I defended a thesis about Thomas Aquinas’s theory of cognition that has not been widely accepted. My claim was that, despite Aquinas’s apparent statements to the contrary, he actually does conceive of sensible and intelligible species as in a way the objects of cognition. I acknowledged that Aquinas does believe it is the external world we perceive and think about, in normal cases, rather than our mental images or ideas. In this sense, Aquinas is a realist about cognition. Nevertheless, I maintained that he is a kind of representational realist, inasmuch as we come to apprehend external things – to perceive them and think about them – in virtue of grasping an internal representation of those things. I said that this thesis has not been widely accepted. Alas, it has not even been narrowly accepted – unless one counts the sole, limiting case of myself. This is to say that, so far as I know, no one else has been persuaded that this reading of Aquinas is correct. A better man would at this point conclude he is wrong, but I (again alas) am not that man, and so I must confess to remaining persuaded of my original thesis. Still, I am not here going to offer further arguments for that thesis, or even recite the original arguments.1 Instead, I want to step back from the case of Aquinas and consider more generally the philosophical issues at stake in the Aristotelian idea that forms – that is, species – can be used to explain mental representation. I believe it is not generally recognized just how perplexing and problematic an idea this is, and that the reason for our failure is that we do not have a very clear sense in general of what forms are and how they relate to their subject. The thesis of this paper is that, once we reach a clear sense of the different things a form might be, we are forced to make various hard choices about how to understand species in cognition.
Tax-Free Exchanges of Art and Other Collectibles

In a thriving art market, investors making changes to their collections understandably might want to save tax dollars by structuring like-kind exchanges. But the lack of specific guidance regarding the definition of like-kind art and other collectibles — and the unusual nature of collectibles transactions — clouds the applicability of Section 1031 to such arrangements. This article suggests that tax advisors can create structures that will help such transactions come within the qualified intermediary safe harbor, while keeping in mind that many positions an owner might take with respect to like-kind art or other collectibles are subject to challenge.
Daoism as the Philosophic Foundation of Chinese Economic Reform: a Conjecture

The reforms of Deng Xiaoping and the opening of China in the 1970s were predicated on something called “socialism with Chinese Characteristics”. Deng never explained its meaning in detail. This paper offers a conjecture suggesting that Daoism is the philosophical foundation of Chinese economic reform. Daoism is eminently Chinese and through the concepts of wu wei, yin/yang, qi and others from The Tao Te Ching, the Zhuangzi, and Pheasant Cap Master it offers the flexibility to organize markets within the Chinese context. The paper suggests how a Daoist philosophic foundation supports China’s rise both economically and politically. It concludes with the observation that China’s long term objective may be something like Zhuangzi’s and Pheasant Cap Master’s unity and that the West’s “end of history” may have past while the Chinese may have just begun. (B)y Marxism we mean Marxism that is integrated with Chinese conditions, and by socialism we mean a socialism that is tailored to Chinese conditions and has a specifically Chinese character….Socialism means eliminating poverty. Pauperism is not socialism, still less communism (Deng Xiaoping, Socialism with Chinese Characteristics [1]). …China’s rise is not the rise of an ordinary state, but the rise of a country, sui generis, a civilizational state, a new model of development and a new political discourse which questions many of the Western assumptions about democracy, good governance and human rights, and all this may usher in a wave of change unprecedented in human history. Zhang Weiwei, The China Wave [2]).
Ion-Induced Localized Nanoscale Polymer Reflow for Three-Dimensional Self-Assembly.

Thermal reflow of polymers is a well-established phenomenon that has been used in various microfabrication processes. However, present techniques have critical limitations in controlling the various attributes of polymer reflow, such as the position and extent of reflow, especially at the nanoscale. These challenges primarily result from the reflow heat source supplying heat energy to the entire substrate rather than a specific area. In this work, a focused ion beam (FIB) microscope is used to achieve controllable localized heat generation, leading to precise control over the nanoscale polymer reflow. Through the use of the patterning capability of FIB microscopy, dramatically different reflow performances within nanoscale distances of each other are demonstrated in both discrete periodic and continuous polymer structures. Further, we utilize a self-assembly process induced by nanoscale polymer reflow to realize 3D optical devices, specifically, vertically aligned nanoresonators and graphene-based nanocub...
Premarital Cohabitation and Direct Marriage in the United States: 1956–2015

Cohabitation rates and durations increased rapidly beginning in the late 1960s, and by 2011–2015, 70% of first marriages among women under age 36 began in premarital cohabitation lasting an average...
Study of Misalignment Effects on Hybrid Power Transfer and Wireless Antenna System for Implanted Devices

In this paper, we present the study of the effects of lateral and angular misalignment on a hybrid compact system consisting of a high-frequency coil (13.56 MHz) to transfer power, and an ultra-high frequency antenna (905 MHz) for data communication for implanted medical devices. We numerically simulated the system under misalignment conditions and studied the system performance of power transfer and communication to an implanted receiver inside a layered body tissue model. Insertion loss (S 21 ) and transmission efficiency (η) for different misalignment conditions were evaluated. It is shown that the proposed hybrid system performance is stable in the range of lateral misalignment of -10 mm to 10 mm, and angular misalignment of 0° to 60°.
An Undocumented Immigrant With End-Stage Renal Disease.

Dialysis has transformed end-stage renal disease from a death sentence into a chronic condition, but it’s a particularly burdensome one. Hemodialysis requires hours in a hospital or clinic, multipl...
The fate of selected heavy metals and arsenic in a constructed wetland

The fate of Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, and As in a horizontal subsurface flow-constructed wetland was studied. The concentrations of the risk elements in treated municipal wastewater, wetland sediment...
Magnetic Phase Transitions in Acceptor GICs

Graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) prepared from transition metal chlorides have the advantage of inserting many graphite layers between sequential magnetic layers, without significantly affecting the structure of these layers. The effects of the graphite layers are to greatly increase the interlayer distance, and reduce the interplanar exchange interaction J′. With a significant reduction of J′, especially in the high stage compounds, we may have the right conditions for observing 2D magnetism.1
EFFECTS OF ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGED STATUS AND SECONDARY VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ON ADOLESCENT WORK EXPERIENCE AND POSTSECONDARY ASPIRATIONS

Data from theNational Education Longitudinal Study: 1988-94 (1996)was used to examine participation in secondary vocational education, work experiences, and postsecondary aspirations of high school seniors (in 1992) on the basis of disadvantaged status. Nondisadvantaged youth and vocational track participants were more likely to be employed than peers experiencing economic disadvantage and those with limited or no vocational education involvement, respectively. Adolescents who were enrolled in a vocational track or program were more likely to be employed over 20 hours per week than other adolescents. Vocational participants and economically disadvantaged youth with limited or no vocational involvement expressed low educational and occupational aspirations.
US Mortality Due To Congenital Heart Disease Across the Lifespan from 1999-2017 Exposes Persistent Racial/Ethnic Disparities

ABSTRACT Background Congenital heart disease (CHD) accounts for approximately 40% percent of deaths in United States (US) children with birth defects. Previous US data from 1999-2006 demonstrated an overall decrease in CHD mortality. The objective of our study was to assess current trends in US mortality related to CHD from infancy to adulthood over the last 19 years and determine differences by sex and race/ethnicity. Methods We conducted an analysis of death certificates from 1999-2017 to calculate annual CHD mortality by age at death, race/ethnicity, and sex. Population estimates used as denominators in mortality rate calculation for infants were based on National Center for Health Statistics live birth data. Mortality rates in individuals >1 year of age utilized US Census Bureau bridged-race estimates as denominators for population estimates. We characterized temporal trends in all-cause mortality, mortality resulting directly due to and related to CHD by age, race/ethnicity, and sex using joinpoint regression. Results There were 47.7 million deaths with 1 in 814 deaths due to CHD (n=58,599). While all-cause mortality decreased 16.4% across all ages, mortality resulting from CHD declined 39.4% overall. The mean annual decrease in CHD mortality was 2.6%, with the largest decrease for those age >65years. The age-adjusted mortality rate decreased from 1.37 to 0.83 per 100,000. Males had higher mortality due to CHD than females throughout the study, although both sexes declined at a similar rate (∼40% overall), with a 3-4% annual decrease between 1999 and 2009, followed by a slower annual decrease of 1.4% through 2017. Mortality resulting from CHD significantly declined among all race/ethnicities studied, although disparities in mortality persisted for non-Hispanic Blacks versus non-Hispanic Whites (mean annual decrease 2.3% versus 2.6%, respectively; age-adjusted mortality rate 1.67 to 1.05 versus 1.35 to 0.80 per 100,000, respectively). Conclusions While overall US mortality due to CHD has decreased over the last 19 years, disparities in mortality persist for males compared to females and for non-Hispanic Blacks compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Determining factors that contribute to these disparities such as access to quality care, timely diagnosis, and maintenance of insurance will be important moving into the next decade.
Personality and Sociocultural Retardation

This article presents some of the evidence indicating the importance of noncognitive variables in determining how well the socioculturally retarded child will achieve in structured testing and scholastic situations. Socioculturally retarded children come from intellectually and experientially restricted environments, and such environmental restrictions appear to influence the personality structures of these children. They approach formal testing and scholastic situations with poor achievement motivation, with little expectation for success and high expectation of failure, with heightened anxiety, with poor self concepts, and with a need for emotional nurturing. These noncognitive variables influence learning so that consideration must be given these factors along with the consideration given to cognitive variables in formal academic programs.
Accountable Care Organizations’ Increase In Nonphysician Practitioners May Signal Shift For Health Care Workforce

Both the number and the size of accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program have been increasing. The number of ACOs rose from 220 in 2013 to 548 in 2018, while the...
Hierarchical Optimization of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Design and Facility Logistics

This study proposes a bi-level optimization program to represent the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure design and utilization management problem with user-equilibrium (UE) decisions. The upper level aims to minimize total facility deployment costs and maximize the revenue generated from EV charging collections, while the lower level aims to minimize the EV users' travel times and charging expenses. An iterative technique is implemented to solve the bi-level mixed-integer non-linear program that generates theoretical lower and upper bounds to the bi-level model and solves it to global optimality. A set of conditions are evaluated to show the convergence of the algorithm in a finite number of iterations. The numerical results, based on three demand levels, indicate that the proposed bi-level model can effectively determine the optimal charging facility location, physical capacity, and demand-responsive pricing scheme. The average charging price in medium demand level is increased by 38.21% compared to the lower level demand due to the surge in charging needs and highly utilized charging stations.
ATTR Amyloidosis: Current and Emerging Management Strategies: JACC: CardioOncology State-of-the-Art Review

Transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) is increasingly diagnosed owing to the emergence of noninvasive imaging and improved awareness. Clinical penetrance of pathogenic alleles is not complete and therefore there is a large cohort of asymptomatic transthyretin variant carriers. Screening strategies, monitoring, and treatment of subclinical ATTR-CA requires further study. Perhaps the most important translational triumph has been the development of effective therapies that have emerged from a biological understanding of ATTR-CA pathophysiology. These include recently proven strategies of transthyretin protein stabilization and silencing of transthyretin production. Data on neurohormonal blockade in ATTR-CA are limited, with the primary focus of medical therapy on judicious fluid management. Atrial fibrillation is common and requires anticoagulation owing to the propensity for thrombus formation. Although conduction disease and ventricular arrhythmias frequently occur, little is known regarding optimal management. Finally, aortic stenosis and ATTR-CA frequently coexist, and transcatheter valve replacement is the preferred treatment approach.
Shoulder to shoulder: why stance matters in instructional coaching

Drawing on adult learning theory, this article proposes a coaching stance that is conducive to cultivating teacher agency and developing teacher effectiveness. As university-based teacher educators...
Role of diet in hyperuricemia and gout.

Abstract Background Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, affecting 41 million adults worldwide. The global burden of gout has been increasing over the last three decades, yet its management remains suboptimal. The primary aim of this manuscript is to review the impact of various diets such as the DASH, Mediterranean, and low purine diets; weight loss; and individual foods, including alcohol, caffeine, cherry, dairy, high-fructose corn syrup, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin C on hyperuricemia and clinical gout outcomes such as flares and tophi. Conclusion Few studies to date have specifically evaluated the effect of various dietary approaches on hyperuricemia among people with gout and on gout-specific outcomes. Overall, the dietary factors appear to have a small effect on serum urate levels, and their impact on the long-term clinical course of gout is uncertain. Limited evidence suggests that avoidance of certain foods and beverages may decrease the frequency of gout flares. Weight loss may be beneficial for prevention as well as treatment of gout. Urate-lowering therapy remains the mainstay of therapy, with diet and dietary factors studied to date playing a limited role in the definitive management of gout.
Early Stopping as Nonparametric Variational Inference

We show that unconverged stochastic gradient descent can be interpreted as a procedure that samples from a nonparametric approximate posterior distribution. This distribution is implicitly defined by the transformation of an initial distribution by a sequence of optimization steps. By tracking the change in entropy over these distributions during optimization, we form a scalable, unbiased estimate of a variational lower bound on the log marginal likelihood. This bound can be used to optimize hyperparameters instead of cross-validation. This Bayesian interpretation of SGD suggests improved, overfitting-resistant optimization procedures, and gives a theoretical foundation for early stopping and ensembling. We investigate the properties of this marginal likelihood estimator on neural network models.
Isothermal Oxidation of Ti2SC in Air

The oxidation behavior of fully dense Ti 2 SC was studied thermogravimetrically in air in the 500-800°C temperature range. The oxidation product was a single-layer of rutile in all cases. At 800°C, the oxide layer was not protective and the oxidation kinetics were rapid. At 600 and 700°C, and up to ∼50 h, the kinetics were parabolic before they became linear. It was only at 500°C that the weight gain reached a plateau after a 50 h initial parabolic regime. Mass spectrometry of the gases evolved during oxidation confirmed that both CO 2 and SO 2 are oxidation products. The overall oxidation reaction is thus Ti 2 SC + 4O 2 ― 2TiO 2 + SO 2 + CO 2 . On the basis of this and previous work, we conclude that oxidation occurs by the outward diffusion of titanium, sulfur, and carbon, the latter two either as atoms or in the form of CO 2 and SO 2 and, most probably, the inward diffusion of oxygen. Mesopores and microcracks were found in all rutile layers formed except those formed at 500°C. The presence of these defects is believed to have led to significantly higher oxidation rates as compared to other rutile-forming ternary carbides, such as Ti 3 SiC 2 .
Using commercial semiconductor technologies in space

New issues are discussed that must be considered when unhardened commercial technologies are used in space applications, as well as hardness assurance techniques. Large differences in dose-rate effects were observed for different circuit types from the same manufacturer, which may be due to differences in the thickness of isolation oxides used in processing. Data are presented for scaled MOS devices that show how total dose hardness and hard error rates are projected as devices are scaled to smaller feature size. Hard errors are expected to be a significant problem for devices with feature size below 0.6 /spl mu/m.
A partial structural repeat forms the heterodimer self-association site of all beta-spectrins.

Abstract The self-polymerization of alpha beta-spectrin heterodimers to form tetramers and higher oligomers is central to its role as a membrane stabilizer and organizer. Mutations near the amino terminus of alpha I sigma 1-spectrin or the COOH terminus of beta I sigma 1-spectrin often lead to profound impairment heterodimer polymerization and to hemolytic disease of varying severity. Previous studies using an 80-kDa univalent fragment of alpha I sigma 1-spectrin have established that the amino-terminal segment of alpha I sigma 1-spectrin mediates the association of the alpha subunit with either intact heterodimers or with isolated beta-spectrin (beta I sigma 1). However, the nature of the self-association site in beta-spectrin has remained unclear. In the present study, native beta-spectrin and recombinant beta-spectrin peptides representing COOH-terminal portions of two alternative transcripts of the gene on chromosome 2 (beta I sigma 1 or "erythrocyte" spectrin and beta I sigma 2 or "muscle" spectrin), and one transcript of the gene on chromosome 14 (beta II sigma 1 or "beta G-fodrin") have been examined for their ability to bind either intact alpha beta-spectrin or the alpha I-spectrin 80-kDa univalent fragment. Deletion of the nonhomologous beta-spectrin sequence downstream of repeat 17 (spectrin domain III) had no discernible effect on binding. Truncations proximal to codon 2085 of beta I sigma 1-spectrin demonstrated a precipitous loss of activity, accounted for by a loss of both binding affinity and capacity. Further truncations to repeat 16 (codon 1979) restored binding activity to levels approximating that of the intact molecule. Repeat 16/17 and 17/16 chimeras displayed reduced binding activity. Collectively, these data indicate that the beta-subunit self-association site is highly sensitive to conformation, involves widespread interactions within the 17th repeat unit, is largely independent of sequences in domain III, and can be recreated by the deletion of all residues distal to the COOH end (codon 1979) of the 16th and presumably other spectrin sequence repeat units. All beta-spectrins appear to use this binding motif, regardless of the nature of the nonhomologous sequence in domain III.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Increases Risk of Incident Dementia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults (P03.098)

OBJECTIVE: To determine if obstructive sleep apnea increases risk of dementia in older adults. BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in dementia and is also associated with cognitive impairment among non-demented individuals. A recent study reported that OSA is a risk factor for incident dementia among elderly women, but there are no reports of whether this risk is independent of gender. DESIGN/METHODS: Participants in the Sleep Heart Health Study who were also enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study were included. Presence of OSA was detected by ambulatory polysomnography in 1997-1998, and defined as apnea and hypopnea index (with 4% SpO2 desaturations) ≥5/hour. Cognitive status was carefully adjudicated in 1998-1999, as previously described. Only participants with normal cognitive status at this time were included in the analysis. Yearly assessments provided information regarding onset of dementia and vital status. Data were censored at 2006. Time to dementia was compared between those with and without OSA, using Cox regression. Results were adjusted for gender, age, and Apoee4 allele status. RESULTS: In this older, community based, cognitively-normal sample (n=208, mean age 76.9 ±3.6 years, 40% male), OSA was diagnosed in 110 (53%). Dementia developed in 109 (52%) participants. Of the 56 (27%) participants who died by 2006, 25 (12%) had developed dementia and were censored at time of dementia diagnosis. OSA was independently associated with dementia diagnosis (Hazard Ratio (HR)=1.65, 95% CI=1.10-2.48, p=0.017) after adjustment for female gender (HR=1.57, p=0.043), age (HR=1.09, p=0.002), and Apoee4 allele (HR=1.56, p=0.042). CONCLUSIONS: OSA increased prospective risk of dementia in an older cohort of men and women independent of age, gender, and Apoee4 allele status. Disclosure: Dr. Ju has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lopez has received personal compensation for activities with Merz Pharma. Dr. Redline has received research support from National Institutes of Health. Dr. Stein has nothing to disclose.
Domains outside of the DNA-binding domain impart target gene specificity to myogenin and MRF4.

Abstract Myogenin and MRF4 belong to the MyoD family of muscle-specific transcription factors, which can activate myogenesis when introduced into nonmyogenic cells. These proteins share homology within a basic-helix-loop-helix motif that mediates DNA binding and dimerization, but they are divergent in their amino and carboxyl termini. Although myogenin and MRF4 bind the same sequence within the muscle creatine kinase enhancer, only myogenin efficiently transactivates this enhancer. By creating chimeras of myogenin and MRF4, we show that the specificities of these factors for transactivation of the muscle creatine kinase enhancer can be interchanged by swapping their amino and carboxyl termini. Within these chimeras, strong cooperation between the amino and carboxyl termini was observed. These findings suggest that myogenin and MRF4 discriminate between muscle-specific enhancers and that target gene specificity is determined by domains surrounding the basic-helix-loop-helix region.
Weight maintenance following the STRIDE lifestyle intervention for individuals taking antipsychotic medications.

Objective Individuals taking antipsychotic medications have increased risk of obesity-related early morbidity/mortality. This report presents weight maintenance results from a successful weight loss and behavioral lifestyle change program developed for people taking antipsychotic medications. Methods STRIDE was a two-arm randomized controlled trial. Intervention participants attended weekly group meetings for 6 months, then monthly group meetings for 6 months. Assessments were completed at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24 months. Results At 24 months, intervention participants lost 3.7% of baseline weight and control participants 2.1%, a non-significant difference. Fasting glucose results followed a similar pattern. There was a statistically significant difference, however, for fasting insulin—the intervention group's levels decreased between the end of the intensive intervention (at 6 months) and 24 months (10.1-7.91 μU/mL); control participants’ levels increased (11.66 to 12.92 μU/mL) during this period. There were also fewer medical hospitalizations among intervention participants (5.7%) than controls (21.1%; χ2 = 8.47, P = 0.004) during the 12- to 24-month post-intervention maintenance period. Conclusions Weight change differences between arms diminished following the intervention period, though fasting insulin levels continued to improve. Reduced hospitalizations suggest that weight loss, even with regain, may have long-term positive benefits for people taking antipsychotic medications and may reduce costs.
Modified flow cytometry and cell-ELISA methodology to detect HLA class I antigen processing machinery components in cytoplasm and endoplasmic reticulum

Flow cytometry and cell-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are useful techniques for the quantitative analysis of cell surface antigen expression. Furthermore, flow cytometry can detect intracellular markers in cells permeabilized to facilitate the intracellular penetration of antibodies. However, to the best of our knowledge, neither method has been used to detect antigens located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of cells. This limitation has a negative impact on the analysis of the expression of HLA class I antigen processing machinery components in cells. Therefore in this study, we show that markers located in cytoplasm and ER can be detected by flow cytometry and cell-ELISA in cells sequentially fixed with paraformaldehyde, heated in a microwave oven, permeabilized with saponin and reacted with monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Utilizing LMP10 as an intracytoplasmic marker and calreticulin and tapasin as ER luminal markers, we show that the modified flow cytometry and cell-ELISA are sensitive, simple and reproducible methods to detect HLA class I antigen processing machinery components in cells. Furthermore, testing of 10 human cell lines with HLA class I antigen processing machinery component-specific mAb has shown that the results obtained with the modified flow cytometry and cell-ELISA are significantly correlated. These results altogether indicate that the modified flow cytometry and cell-ELISA methods we have described will facilitate the analysis of the expression of HLA class I antigen processing machinery components in cells under physiological and pathological conditions. The resulting information will contribute to the characterization of the effect of changes in the expression of antigen processing machinery components on the recognition of cells by the host's immune system.
Social Trust and E-Commerce Experimental Evidence for the Effects of Social Trust on Individuals’ Economic Behavior

In this study, an experimental design embedded in a national survey is used to examine the impact of social trust on participation in e-commerce. To what extent does generalized trust in people influence economic behavior, particularly in newly established realms such as the Internet? Although some previous work has posited a role for social trust in encouraging both e-commerce and economic development more generally, evidence has been based on cross-sectional associations and, primarily, at the aggregate level of entire countries. While these relationships have been suggestive, studies have yet to confirm a causal role for social trust in influencing e-commerce. Would increasing levels of social trust actually encourage greater e-commerce participation? This study combines the representativeness of a national survey with the internal validity of an experimental design to answer this question.
Cell contact in relation to embryonic induction.

Abstract Evaluation of available information on the degree of intimacy of association between inductive interactants indicates that close association rather than contact in the physical sense is a general requirement. It appears that inductive interaction occurs under experimental conditions in particular systems over distances ranging up to tens of microns. However, it cannot safely be concluded that the inductive mediators move in free solution. To the extent that the activity of such mediators depends upon conditions normally present only in the immediate vicinity of cells, induction is characterized by “contact” —though of a physiological rather than a physical kind.
Segmentation and matching: Towards a robust object detection system

This paper focuses on detecting parts in laser-scanned data of a cluttered industrial scene. To achieve the goal, we propose a robust object detection system based on segmentation and matching, as well as an adaptive segmentation algorithm and an efficient pose extraction algorithm based on correspondence filtering. We also propose an overlapping-based criterion that exploits more information of the original point cloud than the number-of-matching criterion that only considers key-points. Experiments show how each component works and the results demonstrate the performance of our system compared to the state of the art.
A model of incentive contracts for just-in-time delivery

Abstract A mathematical model is used to analyze how to structure on-time delivery incentives in a contract between a buyer and a single supplier of raw materials when early shipments are forbidden. The buyer's choice of incentives takes the supplier's cost-minimizing response to incentives into account. The least cost incentive a buyer can select is specified by a probability of on-time delivery and an incentive scheme to achieve that probability. These optimal solutions are characterized without specifying the flow time distribution. A Method of selecting incentives that can help buyers improve on-time delivery performance is provided; however, the limitations of incentives are also considered. Achieving exactly 100% on-time delivery is shown to be non-optimal and only feasible under specific conditions. When management can not specify the shortage cost, their selection of a desired probability of on-time delivery allows for the determination of an imputed shortage cost.
BT NGA deployment & evolution strategy as drivers for NG-PON2 requirements

This paper outlines the current regulatory situation in the UK and BT’s open access operating model. It presents BT’s current FTTP architecture and design giving details of the interconnection points for unbundling purposes at Ethernet level as well as the components making the design future proof.
Short-term modulation of interleukin-1β signaling by hyperoxia: uncoupling of IκB kinase activation and NF-κB-dependent gene expression

We have been interested in elucidating how simultaneous stimuli modulate inflammation-related signal transduction pathways in lung parenchymal cells. We previously demonstrated that exposing respiratory epithelial cells to 95% oxygen (hyperoxia) synergistically increased tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-mediated activation of NF-kappaB and NF-kappaB-dependent gene expression by a mechanism involving increased activation of IkappaB kinase (IKK). Because the signal transduction mechanisms induced by IL-1beta are distinct to that of TNF-alpha, herein we sought to determine whether hyperoxia modulates IL-1beta-dependent signal transduction. In A549 cells, simultaneous treatment with hyperoxia and IL-1beta caused increased activation of IKK, prolonged the degradation of IkappaBalpha, and prolonged the nuclear translocation and DNA binding of NF-kappaB compared with cells treated with IL-1beta alone in room air. Hyperoxia did not affect IL-1beta-dependent degradation of the interleukin receptor-associated kinase differently from treatment with IL-beta alone. In contrast to the effects on the IKK/IkappaBalpha/NF-kappaB pathway, simultaneous treatment with hyperoxia and IL-1beta did not augment NF-kappaB-dependent gene expression compared with treatment with IL-1beta alone. Similar observations were made in a different human respiratory epithelial cell line, BEAS-2B cells. In addition, simultaneous treatment with hyperoxia and IL-1beta caused hyperphosphorlyation of the NF-kappaB p65 subunit compared with treatment with IL-1beta alone. In summary, concomitant treatment of A549 cells with hyperoxia and IL-1beta augments activation of IKK, prolongs degradation of IkappaBalpha, and prolongs nuclear translocation and DNA binding of NF-kappaB. This activation, however, is not coupled to increased expression of NF-kappaB-dependent genes, and the mechanism of this decoupling is not related to decreased phosphorylation of p65.
Constant Gradient Piping Test Apparatus for Evaluation of Critical Hydraulic Conditions for the Initiation of Piping

A laboratory apparatus has been developed for assessing the hydraulic conditions necessary for the initiation of piping erosion. The apparatus is designed to provide a constant hydraulic gradient throughout a sample while retaining the sample in a sample holder. Increasing differential head is applied across the sampler while observations of soil behavior and measurements of pore pressure throughout the sampler are made. Observations of soil behavior during the tests have identified four stages of the initiation of piping: 1) first visible movement, 2) heave progression, 3) boil formation, and 4) total heave. Tests were performed on sandy soils representing a variety of grain size, grain shape, gradation, and specific gravity. The effects these soil properties have on the critical hydraulic conditions needed to initiate piping erosion were evaluated based on observations and test results.
NRE, the major nitrogen regulatory protein of Penicillium chrysogenum, binds specifically to elements in the intergenic promoter regions of nitrate assimilation and penicillin biosynthetic gene clusters

NRE, the nitrogen regulatory protein of Penicillium chrysogenum, contains a single Cys2/Cys2-type zinc-finger motif followed immediately by a highly basic region. The zinc-finger domain was expressed to Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with β-galactosidase. In order to test the putative DNA-binding ability of NRE, the intergenic promoter region of the nitrate reductase/nitrite reductase gene cluster (niiA-niaD) of Penicillium was sequenced. Our results show that NRE is a DNA-binding protein and binds to the intergenic promoter regions of the P. chrysogenum niiA-niaD and acvA-pcbC gene cluster, encoding the first two enzymes in penicillin biosynthesis. Three of the four high-affinity NRE-binding sites contained two GATA core elements. In one of the recognition sites for NRE, one GATA motif was replaced by GATT. The two GATA elements showed all possible orientations, head-to-head, head-to-tail and tail-to-tail, and were separated by between 4 and 27 bp. Missing-contact analysis showed that all three purines in both of the GATA core sequences and the single adenine residue in each of the complementary TATC sequences were involved in the binding of NRE. Moreover, loss of purines in the flanking regions of the GATA elements also affect binding of NRE, as their loss causes reduced affinity.
Implementation of information technologies in the teaching of "Science for the 21st century"

We illustrate the use of World Wide Web technologies for the teaching of general science topics to undergraduate non-science majors. The newly developed course, Science for the 21st Century, consists of modules each presenting scientific topics of current interest and broad appeal. Network- and computer-based tools are used by instructors to: 1) present multimedia material in lectures; 2) produce and store Web-based modules; 3) communicate notices about the course. Students use computers to: 1) access and review lecture material; 2) explore information sources (located on our server or elsewhere) for term projects and homework assignments; 3) obtain information about the course and communicate with instructors. We describe our experiences with this course and formulate some general conclusions which might be of interest to others wishing to use network-based resources for teaching.
CHAPTER 8: Star Tech: The Net Generation!

ABSTRACT Today's students are super-savvy with technology, experiential, participatory, visual, kinesthetic learners who crave interaction with other students. Their world revolves around music, movies, music videos, PC and video games, and TV programs. It is a remixed, digital, mobile, always-on media environment. This chapter examines the characteristics of these Net Geners and how elementary and secondary teacher education programs need to respond to adapt to their needs. How can teachers compete with their level of overstimulation? They can't, but they can tap into it. Teachers can activate the students' prior knowledge of the cultural elements in their world to generate motivation, interest, and attention to learn new material from our world. Teachers need to leverage the music to which the Net Geners are listening, the videos and TV programs they're watching, and the games they're playing as teaching tools. These tools can be executed in a cooperative, social, learner-centered environment in which e...
Use of curium neutron flux from head-end pyroprocessing subsystems for the High Reliability Safeguards methodology

Abstract The deployment of nuclear energy systems (NESs) is expanding around the world. Nations are investing in NESs as a means to establish energy independence, grow national economies, and address climate change. Transitioning to the advanced nuclear fuel cycle can meet growing energy demands and ensure resource sustainability. However, nuclear facilities in all phases of the advanced fuel cycle must be ‘safeguardable,’ where safety, safeguards, and security are integrated into a practical design strategy. To this end, the High Reliability Safeguards (HRS) approach is a continually developing safeguardability methodology that applies intrinsic design features and employs a risk-informed approach for systems assessment that is safeguards-motivated. Currently, a commercial pyroprocessing facility is used as the example system. This paper presents a modeling study that investigates the neutron flux associated with processed materials. The intent of these studies is to determine if the neutron flux will affect facility design, and subsequently, safeguardability. The results presented in this paper are for the head-end subsystems in a pyroprocessing facility. The collective results from these studies will then be used to further develop the HRS methodology.
Teaching Geographic Concepts through Fieldwork and Competition.

Abstract This article describes the benefits of combining field-based learning within the context of a competitive setting in the geography curriculum. Findings and data are presented based on experiences gathered from teaching an upper-level university geography course that combined geographic techniques and theory into a game of capture-the-flag. Students analyzed a variety of geospatial data sources, using ArcMap Geographic Information System software, to prepare a series of maps for the game. Students reported a first-time understanding of many geographic skills that were previously ambiguous to them when the material was presented in a different format, such as lectures and labs.