cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genomic control of patterning

The development of multicellular organisms involves the partitioning of the organism into territories of cells of specific structure and function. The information for spatial patterning processes is directly encoded in the genome. The genome determines its own usage depending on stage and position, by means of interactions that constitute gene regulatory networks (GRNs). The GRN driving endomesoderm development in sea urchin embryos illustrates different regulatory strategies by which developmental programs are initiated, orchestrated, stabilized or excluded to define the pattern of specified territories in the developing embryo.
Intraventricular metaplastic meningioma in a child: case report and review of the literature

Childhood meningiomas are rare and display important differences from adult forms. We report the first case of an intraventricular metaplastic meningioma arising in a child. A 7-year-old female underwent resection of an enhancing tumor arising within the left lateral ventricle. It was composed of monomorphic cells embedded within an abundant myxoid stroma. The cells demonstrated epithelial membrane antigen and vimentin immunoreactivity. Ultrastructural analysis demonstrated intermediate filaments, complex intercellular interdigitations and desmosomes, and a diagnosis of myxoid (metaplastic) meningioma was rendered. This case reflects the higher incidence of intraventricular meningiomas in childhood and greater incidence of intraventricular meningiomas in the left lateral ventricle. Recognition of the grade I myxoid meningioma in this case is paramount since chordoid meningiomas, which share similar histologic features, are of a higher grade and worse prognosis.
Propellant flow rate through simulated liquid-core nuclear rocket fuel bed.

Experimental investigation of the validity of Zuber and Finlay's (1965) gas flow-rate formula for a two-phase flow in a rotating cylinder under high centrifugal acceleration. This formula was originally derived from tests in a 1-g environment in pipes. In the light of the investigation results obtained, the formula is valid also for a high-g environment in the rotating chamber tested.
Some Theoretical and Pedagogical Implications of the Markedness Differential Hypothesis

This paper is intended as a programmatic contribution to the work of a number of scholars in second language acquisition (SLA) who are attempting to explain various facts about SLA in terms of an interaction between native-language transfer and language universals (Gass & Selinker, 1983). In the present paper, some of the theoretical assumptions and consequences of the Markedness Differential Hypothesis (MDH) (Eckman, 1977) are discussed in comparison with the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis. Crucial differences between the two hypotheses are presented, and empirical evidence in favor of the MDH is reviewed. Pedagogical implications of the MDH are then taken up, and a strategy for interlanguage-intervention is discussed in light of an empirical study. Finally, several problems for the MDH which have been proposed in the literature are considered.
Variation-Aware Macromodeling and Synthesis of Analog Circuits Using Spline Center and Range Method and Dynamically Reduced Design Space

Manufacturing and process irregularities in nanometer technologies can degrade yield and severely slow down the design cycle time. Process variation aware methodologies can help in yield improvement and meeting time-to-market requirements for system-on-chip designs. Analog circuits are extremely sensitive to device mismatches and exhibit non-linear variations in their performance under the influence of manufacturing irregularities. Performance variation in blocks can lead to degraded system performance. In this work, we present a variation-aware performance macromodeling technique for analog building blocks that is fast and accurate and guarantees convergence during synthesis. The improvements in accuracy and time complexity of the macromodel generation process is achieved by constructing a target design region graph and dynamic reduction of the design space. The target design region also helps in reducing time during re-synthesis and achieving faster convergence. Experimental results demonstrate the accuracy of the macromodels and the reduction in synthesis time compared to spice based simulation-in-the-loop evaluations and static and adaptive sampling based techniques.
Conservation implications of browsing by Odocoileus virginianus in remnant upland Thuja occidentalis forests

Regeneration success of canopy dominants is linked to multiple factors, including the ability of their seedlings to survive browsing and to utilize available resources in the understory. In remnant upland northern white cedar Thuja occidentalis L. forests, eAects of browsing on recruitment of cedar seedlings were evaluated at 7 sites, including known deer yards, located on a portion of the Lake Superior Highlands in northeastern Minnesota. Experimental plantings and vegetation surveys were conducted inside and outside large deer exclosures constructed between 1937 and 1997. Objectives were to determine severity and intensity of browsing by Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman, the ability of seedlings to survive browsing in environments beneath T. occidentalis and adjacent paper birch (Betula papyrifera) Marshall canopies, and potential long-term sapling recruitment under diAerent browsing scenarios. From 1994 to 1997, 76% of unexclosed planted T. occidentalis seedlings had been browsed at least once, compared with 0% of exclosed seedlings. Increased browsing intensity and decreased light availability increased T. occidentalis mortality rates. Simulation models and vegetation surveys demonstrated that the best recruitment rates occurred for seedlings planted under Betula canopy and subjected to low browsing severity, but no recruitment occurred under high browsing pressure under either canopy type. The current level of browsing in these forests has the potential to alter the future composition of canopy tree species through sustained prevention of T. occidentalis recruitment. # 2000 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Profinite Heyting Algebras and Profinite Completions of Heyting Algebras

This paper surveys recent developments in the theory of profl- nite Heyting algebras (resp. bounded distributive lattices, Boolean algebras) and proflnite completions of Heyting algebras (resp. bounded distributive lattices, Boolean algebras). The new contributions include a necessary and su-cient condition for a proflnite Heyting algebra (resp. bounded distribu- tive lattice) to be isomorphic to the proflnite completion of a Heyting alge- bra (resp. bounded distributive lattice). This results in simple examples of proflnite bounded distributive lattices that are not isomorphic to the profl- nite completion of any bounded distributive lattice. We also show that each proflnite Boolean algebra is isomorphic to the proflnite completion of some Boolean algebra. It is still an open question whether each proflnite Heyting algebra is isomorphic to the proflnite completion of some Heyting algebra.
Service Recovery in Pharmacies

ABSTRACTIt is not surprising that service mistakes and failures occur in pharmacy, a system that delivers in excess of 2.5 billion prescriptions per year. Effectively recovering from these mistakes is critical for both the pharmacy organization and the individual pharmacist involved. Effective service recovery is that part of quality management designed to alter the negative perceptions of consumers following a mistake. This study explored the best way for pharmacists to respond to a mistake in the pharmacy, along with consumer intentions based on this response. Seven critical recovery initiatives were identified. Sixty percent of the respondents indicated they would continue patronizing the pharmacy if the mistake were handled correctly. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Disruption of Shmt1 Impairs Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Mnemonic Function in Mice

Impaired folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism (OCM) has emerged as a risk factor for several diseases associated with age-related cognitive decline, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown and thus hinder the identification of subpopulations most vulnerable to OCM disruption. Here we investigated the role of serine hydroxymethyltransferase 1 (SHMT1), a folate-dependent enzyme regulating de novo thymidylate biosynthesis, in influencing neuronal and cognitive function in the adult mouse. We observed Shmt1 expression in the hippocampus, including the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus (DG), and examined hippocampal neurogenesis and hippocampal-dependent fear conditioning in mice deficient for Shmt1. We used a 3 × 3 design in which adult male Shmt1(+/+), Shmt1(+/-), and Shmt1(-/-) mice were fed folic acid control (2 mg/kg), folic acid-deficient (0 mg/kg), or folic acid-supplemented (8 mg/kg) diets from weaning through the duration of the study. Proliferation within the DG was elevated by 70% in Shmt1(+/-) mice, yet the number of newborn mature neurons was reduced by 98% compared with that in Shmt1(+/+) mice. Concomitant with these alterations, Shmt1(+/-) mice showed a 45% reduction in mnemonic recall during trace fear conditioning. Dietary folate manipulations alone did not influence neural outcomes. Together, these data identify SHMT1 as one of the first enzymes within the OCM pathway to regulate neuronal and cognitive profiles and implicate impaired thymidylate biosynthesis in the etiology of folate-related neuropathogenesis.
G-SESAME: web tools for GO-term-based gene similarity analysis and knowledge discovery

We have developed a set of online tools for measuring the semantic similarities of Gene Ontology (GO) terms and the functional similarities of gene products, and for further discovering biomedical knowledge from the GO database. The tools have been used for about 6.9 million times by 417 institutions from 43 countries since October 2006. The online tools are available at: http://bioinformatics.clemson.edu/G-SESAME.
Hydrothermal synthesis and properties of Ce1−xBixO2−δ solid solutions

Abstract The structure, thermal expansion coefficients and ionic and electronic conductivities of Ce1−xBixO2−δ (x=0–0.30) solid solutions prepared hydrothermally were investigated. The uniformly small particle size (25–50 nm) of the hydrothermally prepared materials allows sintering of the samples into highly dense ceramic pellets at 900–1300°C, a significantly lower temperature, compared to that at 1600–1650°C required for ceria solid electrolytes prepared by solid state techniques. The solubility limit of Bi2O3 in CeO2 was determined to be around 20 mol. %. The maximum conductivity, σ600°C∼10−2 S/cm with Ea=1.01 eV, was found at x=0.20. The thermal expansion coefficients, determined from high-temperature X-ray data, are 11.7±0.6×10−6 K−1 for CeO2 and, increase with increasing Bi substitution, 16.4×10−6 K−1 at x=0.20.
Use of animated cartoons with children's songs to increase compliance with ultrasonography in young children.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of animated cartoons with children’s songs to increase compliance with ultrasonography (US) examination in young children. Materials and Methods: Animated cartoons with children’s songs viewed on a cell phone were played just before the start of US examination when pediatric patients were agitated or irritable. The effect of this method was evaluated for initial responses and sustained responses (grade 0, no response; 1, partial response; and 2, good response). Site of US examination, scan duration, and the helpfulness of this method (0, useless; 1, partially helpful; and 2, very helpful) were also recorded. Results: Among 464 pediatric patients who underwent US during the study period, 88 children (19%) needed to be calmed (67 abdominal and 21 other parts of the body). All subjects were less than five years of age (mean 1.5 years), except for four patients with mental retardation. Scan duration was less than 5 minutes in almost all examinations. Five children refused to watch the cartoon. Initial responses were good in 75 and partial in eight children. Sustained responses were good in 70 and partial in 12 children. The cartoons were very helpful in 73 (83%) and partially helpful in nine (10%) children. The effect of watching the cartoon did not change with sex, age (less or more than one year), or site of examination. Conclusion: Animated cartoons with children’s songs viewed on a cell phone were helpful (93%) in increasing compliance with US examination in young children of both the abdomen and other parts.
Multilevel screen design using direct binary search

Screening is an efficient halftoning algorithm that is easy to implement. With multilevel devices, there is a potential to improve the overall image quality by using multilevel screening, which allows us to choose among multiple native tones at each addressable pixel. We propose a methodology for multilevel screen design using direct binary search (DBS). We refer to one period of the screen as a multitone cell. We define a multitone schedule, which for each absorptance level specifies the fraction of each native tone used in the multitone cell. Traditional multitoning uses only one native tone in smooth areas corresponding to absorptance values near the native tones, an approach that introduces contouring artifacts. To reduce contouring, we employ schedules that use more than one native tone at each absorptance level. On the basis of the multitone schedule, multitone patterns are designed level by level by adding native tones under the stacking constraint. At each level the spatial arrangement of the native tones is determined by a modified DBS search. We explore several different multitone schedules that illustrate the image-quality trade-offs in multitone screen design.
Rare-earth transition metal carbides

Methane and ethane were used to prepare rare-earth transition metal carbides. The structural and magnetic properties of these carbides have been studied. Interstitial carbon atoms expand the unit cell of the R/sub 2/Fe/sub 17/ (R=Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Dy, Er) and RFe/sub 10/M/sub 2/ (R=Y, Nd, Sm and M=Mo, V) structures by about 7.5 and 1.5%, respectively. Thus lattice expansion resulted in increases of Curie temperature and spontaneous magnetization. The easy magnetization direction of Sm/sub 2/Fe/sub 17/ is changed from planar to uniaxial with the carbon uptake, while in other R/sub 2/Fe/sub 17/ compounds it remains planar. For RFe/sub 10/M/sub 2/ with R=Y and Nd, a uniaxial anisotropy is observed after carbonation. >
Chatbots in the library: is it time?

Purpose – This paper aims to describe a pilot at the University of Nebraska‐Lincoln for a chatbot that answers questions about the library and library resources.Design/methodology/approach – The chatbot was developed using a SQL database to store the question and answers using artificial intelligence mark‐up language metadata. The user interface was built using PHP, adapted from Program‐O. The open source PHP program was modified to support better display and the launching of URLs within the chatbot screen. Database content was created by “mining” library websites for information, and analyzing chat logs.Findings – The chatbot answers questions from a variety of users from around the world. It has attracted an unexpected number of social chatters, which required some additional metadata to accommodate personal chatting and to guide questions back to the intent of the project. The majority of questions are directional or factual questions that Pixel can handle. The database proved to be practical to build ...
Adherence, haemagglutination and cell surface characteristics of motile aeromonads virulent for fish

. Motile Aeromonas spp. virulent for fish were studied with regard to their adhesion profile. Electron microscopy demonstrated the presence of fimbriae (pili) on Aeromonas cells regardless of virulence potential. The results show no significant correlations between ability to haemagglutinate, yeast cell co-agglutination and virulence. All strains expressed mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin activity against guinea pig erythrocytes. Using four types of red blood cells no characteristic haemagglutinin pattern related to virulence could be discerned. Expression of surface haemagglutin(s) on Aeromonas hydrophila appears to be medium dependent; strains grown in liquid media demonstrated enhanced haemagglutination activity. Both virulent and avirulent strains had in vitro epithelial cell adhesive capabilities. Cell surface characteristics measured by agglutination in acriflavine and stability after boiling indicated that most virulent strains agglutinated in the presence of acriflavine, but not all sedimented after boiling. The ability of 10 selected strains of A hydrophila to grow in normal pooled catfish serum was determined. Only 17% of the virulence variations can be explained by their sensitivity to serum.
Extracellular Renal Guanosine Cyclic 3′5′-Monophosphate Modulates Nitric Oxide– and Pressure-Induced Natriuresis

This study addresses the hypothesis that NO- and pressure-induced natriuresis are inhibited when guanosine cyclic 3,5-monophosphate (cGMP) is prevented from being transported outside its renal synthesizing cells in vivo. Rats received a renal interstitial (RI) infusion of NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) or SNAPorganic anion transporter inhibitor probenecid (PB) or SNAPPBcGMP. SNAP alone increased UNa V( P0.05 at 1 hour and P0.005 at 2 hours). In contrast, SNAP failed to increase UNaV when coinfused with PB, but cGMP coinfused with SNAPprobenecid restored the natriuretic response. SNAP alone increased RI cGMP (P0.05) during the second experimental period. PB abolished the increase in RI cGMP in response to SNAP (P0.01), but cGMP levels were restored by coinfusion with cGMP. PB also abolished SNAP-induced increases in fractional excretion of Na (FENa) and lithium (FELi) (both P0.01). PB also abolished the rise in RI cGMP and natriuresis induced by raising renal perfusion pressure (RPP) from 100 to 160 mm Hg in rats subjected to a standard pressure-natriuresis protocol and the natriuretic response was rescued by coinfusion with cGMP. RI administration of phosphodiesterase type V (PDE V) reduced both RIcGMP and UNaV in parallel (both P0.01) without altering RIcAMP. The data demonstrate that export of cGMP from its renal synthesizing cells into the extracellular RI compartment is critical for the natriuretic action of NO donor SNAP or increased RPP and that RI cGMP controls basal Na excretion. Extracellular cGMP modulates NO- and pressure-induced natriuresis. (Hypertension. 2007;50:958-963.)
Tandem gait performance in essential tremor patients correlates with cognitive function.

Background: Emerging yet separate literatures have highlighted gait/balance impairments (i.e., mild ataxia) and cognitive problems in patients with essential tremor (ET). However, the relationship between the two has not been studied. The goal of these analyses was to study the relationship between gait/balance impairments and cognitive problems in ET. One-hundred-twenty ET cases were enrolled in an epidemiological study at Columbia University Medical Center. A Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS, range = 0–41 [no deficits]) was administered and a videotaped assessment of tandem gait was performed, during which the number of missteps during 10-steps was counted. Results: The mean TICS score was 35.7 (range 25–39), and mean number of tandem mis-steps was 2.9 (range 0–10). The number of tandem mis-steps was correlated with the TICS score (Spearman’ sr =�0.245, p = 0.011, i.e., individuals who had more tandem gait difficulty also had more cognitive difficulty). In a multivariate analysis, tandem mis-steps were associated with TICS score (p= 0.04) independent of age and other factors. Conclusions: More cognitive difficulty was associated with more tandem gait difficulty in ET. Ambulation often requires the concurrent use of both cognitive and motor neural systems; hence it is possible that the cognitive and gait problems in ET reflect an underlying pervasive disorder affecting both cognitive and motor circuits.
Patterns of extinction in prairie dog metapopulations: plague outbreaks follow El Niño events

Outbreaks of many vector-borne human diseases are broadly correlated with climatic variation, but evidence of similar fluctuations in disease in natural host populations is rare. Here, we use 21 years of monitoring of black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies to demonstrate a link between extinctions of colonies attributed to plague (Yersinia pestis) and climatic fluctuations associated with El Nini Southern Oscillation events that promote the growth of flea vector and rodent host populations. During epizootics, rates of extinction of the largest colonies (>16 ha) were nearly as high (>60%) as for the smallest ones (<3 ha), but only a third of intermediate-sized colonies were extirpated. The probability of extinction was influenced by the size and fate of adjacent colonies, but there was no predictable relationship between extinction probabilities and intercolony distance, indicating that spatial isolation does not reduce the vulnerability of colonies to plague. By causing sporadic extinctions of colonies, plague creates a metapopulation structure that has altered the dynamics of prairie dog colonies as they respond to a century of human persecution and habitat loss.
An approach to computers that perceive, learn, and reason

The purpose of this paper is to mention some of the problems which I believe will be central ones in the effort to design machines that can in some sense be said to perceive, think, learn, make reasonable inferences, or learn to perform acts of skill. First I wish to discuss a general conceptual outlook which has important consequences for our approach to the design of such machines. I shall show how this outlook calls for modifying or supplementing some current approaches; however, specific techniques for dealing adequately with the problems raised remain to be found. The second part of the paper will point to specific techniques which now exist for dealing with the problem of reasonable inference and inductive judgment, but which to my knowledge have not been considered in connection with computers and control mechanisms.
Effects of Rotating-Bending and Torsional Fatigue Loads on Gas Tungsten Arc (GTA) Welded AISI 1018 Low Carbon Steel Joints

Most welded structures are subjected to multiaxial fatigue load and majority of the fatigue failure initiated from weld joints. Therefore, it is important to evaluate multiaxial fatigue behavior of commonly used welded materials. In the current investigations, the influence of rotating bending fatigue load along with torsional pulsed load was appraised for most commonly used AISI 1018 low carbon steel. A rotating-bending-torsional fatigue testing unit was designed and manufactured for biaxial fatigue test of welded and un-welded specimens. For welded specimens, Gas Tungsten Arc welding (also known as Tungsten-Inert-Gas (TIG) welding) was carried out on 19.05 mm diameter round bar of AISI 1018 steel using ER70-S2 filler metal. For rational comparison, only defects-free specimens were carefully chosen and tested. After welding, uniaxial tensile test was conducted to understand the fatigue loading criteria during rotating-bending fatigue test. Due to TIG welding, tensile strength was decreased considerably about 18% as compared to base metal. Rotating-bending (RB) and rotating-bending-torsional (RBT) fatigue tests were conducted to obtain a systematic understanding of biaxial fatigue behavior. RB fatigue life of welded specimens reduced compared to base metal as a result of complex thermal cycle during welding process and microstructural changes. Under combined loading conditions (RBT), base metal specimens did not exhibit significant difference on the fatigue behavior. However, for the welded specimens, the fatigue strength was reduced by about 12.8%. Moreover microstructural characterization and fracture surface analysis were performed to understand the fracture behavior of the tested specimens.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Cargo prioritization and terminal allocation problem for inland waterway disruptions

To mitigate inland waterway disruption impacts, we introduce the cargo prioritization and terminal allocation problem (CPTAP) to minimize the total value loss of disrupted barge cargoes. CPTAP is formulated as a nonlinear binary integer program, and problems of realistic size can be efficiently and effectively solved with a genetic algorithm approach. The final solution identifies an accessible alternative terminal for each disrupted barge and the prioritized offloading turn that each barge takes at its assigned terminal. Implementation of CPTAP results in reduced cargo value loss and response time when compared with a naive minimize distance approach.
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN INFERRED LEVELS OF GENE FLOW AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTANCE IN A PHILOPATRIC CORAL, BALANOPHYLLIA ELEGANS.

When the dispersal capability of a species is considerably less than its geographic range, genetic differences between populations should increase with the distance separating those populations. This pattern should be most evident in linearly distributed species. The sessile solitary cup coral Balanophyllia elegans lives along nearly the entire Pacific coast of North America, yet its crawling larvae usually settle within 40 cm of their birthplace. In this paper, I document geographic patterns of allozyme differentiation within and among populations of B. elegans and estimate the proportion of observed geographic pattern attributable to gene flow between adjacent populations. Genetic subdivision among localities separated by up to 3000 km was high (FST = 0.283, SE = 0.038). Inferred gene flow between pairs of localities (M∘, individuals per generation) correlated inversely with the geographic distance between those localities, consistent with the pattern expected for a species at equilibrium in which gene flow occurred exclusively between adjacent localities. Within localities, patches separated by 4 to 30 m were also significantly subdivided, but genetic differentiation between patches did not vary significantly with the distance separating them. Simulations revealed that the power to detect genetic pattern expected from gene flow between adjacent populations increased with both the number of loci used to infer gene flow and the heterozygosity of those loci. Simulations also verified that when geographic distance poorly approximated the number of steps between populations, reduced major-axis regression more accurately portrayed the structural relationship between gene flow and separation than did ordinary least-squares regression. Attenuation of gene flow with distance explained 15% of the between-locality pattern of genetic differentiation in B. elegans. The remaining variation appeared to be due to neither natural selection nor a recent rangewide recolonization. Loci from the northern sampled localities, however, had fewer alleles than those from the remainder of the range, suggesting these localities had been recolonized recently following Pleistocene cooling.
Detecting Rare Variants

The limitations of genome-wide association (GWA) studies that are based on the common disease common variants (CDCV) hypothesis have motivated geneticists to test the hypothesis that rare variants contribute to the variation of common diseases, i.e., common disease/rare variants (CDRV). The newly developed high-throughput sequencing technologies have made the studies of rare variants practicable. Statistical approaches to test associations between a phenotype and rare variants are quickly developing. The central idea of these methods is to test a set of rare variants in a defined region or regions by collapsing or aggregating rare variants, thereby improving the statistical power. In this chapter, we introduce these methods as well as their applications in practice.
Functional interaction between the SSeCKS scaffolding protein and the cytoplasmic domain of β1,4-galactosyltransferase

The β1,4-galactosyltransferase family contains at least seven unique gene products, of which β1,4-galactosyltransferase I (GalT) is the most exhaustively studied. GalT exists in the Golgi complex, similar to many other glycosyltransferases, as well as on the cell surface, where it functions as a signaling receptor for extracellular glycoside ligands. When expressed on the surface, GalT associates with the cytoskeleton and, upon ligand-induced aggregation, induces cell-type specific intracellular signal cascades. In an effort to define the mechanisms by which surface GalT exerts these intracellular effects, we used the yeast two-hybrid system to identify proteins that specifically interact with the GalT cytoplasmic domain. The yeast two-hybrid screen identified two distinct clones (1.12 and 2.52) that showed identity to portions of SSeCKS (Src Suppressed C Kinase Substrate). SSeCKS is a previously defined kinase and cytoskeleton scaffolding protein whose subcellular distribution and functions are remarkably similar to those attributed to GalT. Both SSeCKS and GalT have been localized to the perinuclear/Golgi region as well as to filopodia/lamellipodia. SSeCKS and GalT have been implicated in regulating cell growth, actin filament dynamics, and cell spreading. Interestingly, 1.12 and 2.52-GFP constructs were localized to subcellular domains that correlated with the two purported subcellular distributions for GalT; 2.52 being confined to the Golgi, whereas 1.12 localized primarily to filopodia. Coimmunoprecipitation assays demonstrate stable binding between the GalT cytoplasmic domain and the 1.12 and 2.52 domains of SSeCKS in appropriately transfected cells. Similar assays demonstrate binding between the endogenous GalT and SSeCKS proteins also. Coimmunoprecipitation assays were performed in both directions and produced similar results (i.e. using either anti-GalT domain or anti-SSeCKS domain antibodies as the precipitating reagent). A functional interaction between the GalT cytoplasmic domain and SSeCKS was illustrated by the ability of either the 1.12 or 2.52 SSeCKS domain to restore a normal adhesive phenotype in cells overexpressing the TL-GFP dominant negative construct. TL-GFP is composed of the GalT cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains fused to GFP, and leads to a loss of cell adhesion on laminin by displacing the endogenous GalT from its cytoskeleton binding sites. This is the first reported interaction between a glycosyltransferase and a scaffolding protein, and suggests that SSeCKS serve to integrate the various functions ascribed to the GalT cytoplasmic domain.
Nonlinear integral resonant controller for vibration reduction in nonlinear systems

A new nonlinear integral resonant controller (NIRC) is introduced in this paper to suppress vibration in nonlinear oscillatory smart structures. The NIRC consists of a first-order resonant integrator that provides additional damping in a closed-loop system response to reduce high-amplitude nonlinear vibration around the fundamental resonance frequency. The method of multiple scales is used to obtain an approximate solution for the closed-loop system. Then closed-loop system stability is investigated using the resulting modulation equation. Finally, the effects of different control system parameters are illustrated and an approximate solution response is verified via numerical simulation results. The advantages and disadvantages of the proposed controller are presented and extensively discussed in the results. The controlled system via the NIRC shows no high-amplitude peaks in the neighboring frequencies of the resonant mode, unlike conventional second-order compensation methods. This makes the NIRC controlled system robust to excitation frequency variations.
Competition and Innovation Efficiency

The complexity of the innovations process and the diverse forms it can take raise two critical issues for the modern technology-intensive firms. It raises the development costs both internally and externally, internally because the firms may not have all the necessary assets or strongholds and externally because the firms may lack the opportunities for appropriating the intra-industry R&D knowledge capital. Secondly the technology strategy and its economic aspects, for example, how to choose between fixed and flexible technology, have strongly influenced the risk in organizational environment. To reduce these twin costs, that is, the cost of development and the cost of risk and uncertainty, the incentives for collaboration and/or networking in R&D have increased significantly. The theorists have argued that if competitors are not allowed to collaborate in R&D, then they may not invest enough because of the free rider problem. Collaboration and/or cooperation in R&D may also lead to collaboration on the product and marketing side, thus affecting the entry-exit dynamics, for example, it may prevent potential entry by outsiders, because of the scale effects of pooled knowledge capital. Policymakers at the state level have increasingly been aware of these circumstances and recognized the fact that most firms do not have all the necessary assets, both physical and human for developing latest technologies and staying on the edge of the dynamic cost frontier based on innovation.
Can Stem Cells Be Used to Enhance Cognition

Abstract Multipotent stem cells exist throughout the adult human body and play important roles in tissue maintenance and repair. Growing evidence suggests that within the brain, neural stem cells also play a critical role in cognition. These findings have led researchers to question whether strategies that increase neural stem cell populations within key brain regions could perhaps be used to enhance cognition. In this chapter we review the brain's capacity for plasticity and regeneration and the potential role of both endogenous neurogenesis and stem cell transplantation in augmenting this capacity. We also explore the relationship between neural stem cells and cognition in the healthy, aging, and pathological brains and discuss the molecular mechanisms by which stem cells may exert their effects on learning and memory.
Developmental Assessment as a Basis for Planning Educational Programs for Autistic Children

Although educational strategies and management systems have been developed and reported for working with autistic children, the utilization of assessment data to plan individualized programs has no...
Patient-reported quality of life during definitive and postprostatectomy image-guided radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Abstract Purpose The importance of patient-reported outcomes is well-recognized. Long-term patient-reported symptoms have been described for individuals who completed radiation therapy (RT) for prostate cancer. However, the trajectory of symptom development during the course of treatment has not been well-described in patients receiving modern, image-guided RT. Methods and materials Quality-of-life data were prospectively collected for 111 prostate cancer patients undergoing RT using the validated Prostate Cancer Symptom Indices, which assessed 5 urinary obstructive/irritative and 6 bowel symptoms. Patients who received definitive RT (N = 73) and postprostatectomy RT (N = 38) were analyzed separately. The frequency and severity of symptoms over multiple time points are reported. Results An increasing number of patients had clinically meaningful urinary and bowel symptoms over the course of RT. A greater proportion of patients undergoing definitive RT reported clinically meaningful urinary symptoms at the end of RT compared with baseline in terms of flow (33% vs 19%) and frequency (39% vs 18%). Individuals receiving postprostatectomy radiation also reported an increase in symptoms including frequency (29% vs 3%) and nocturia (50% vs 21%). Clinically meaningful bowel symptoms were less commonly reported. Patients receiving definitive RT reported an increase in diarrhea (9% vs 4%) and urgency (12% vs 6%) at the completion of RT compared with baseline. Both bowel and urinary symptoms approached their baseline levels by the time of first follow-up after treatment completion. The majority of patients who had clinically meaningful urinary or bowel symptoms during RT did not have them at 2 years or beyond, and development of new symptoms in the long term was uncommon. Conclusions There is a modest increase in urinary and bowel symptoms over the course of treatment for individuals receiving definitive and postprostatectomy image-guided RT. These data can help inform both providers and patients regarding the trajectory of symptoms and allow for reasonable expectations regarding toxicity under treatment.
Using Journals to Enhance Learning in Business Classes.

This study investigates the process of using journals that incorporated holistic approaches (cognitive, affective, spiritual, multiple intelligences, and inclusive education) to infuse passion, engage students in deeper reflection, and foster higher level personal skills reflected in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA) Core Competencies. The journal writing process was used in a managerial accounting class that incorporated a service-learning experience. The course is an introductory level cost accounting course required of all business students. The use of journal writing as a teaching tool in this study provides substantial evidence of the student meaning making process as they reflected individually in journals and in collaboration with others. The holistic approaches used in this classroom journal writing experience evoked feelings and imagination using symbols, film, quotations, and open-ended questions. Students developed the ability to listen more deeply to the multiple perspectives of the diverse population within their class and in the community. Students became more self-confident and formed deeper connections with others as they worked together in the classroom and community in a nurturing and open environment. As they reflected deeply in journals about their service-learning experience mission and their own identities, values, and relationships they solved problems more effectively, communicated better, and deepened their understanding of business, accounting, and diversity issues. This growth in learning was perceived by participants and observed by me from their journals, discussions, and group work.
293. Optimal In Vivo Treg Induction and Suppression of Immune Responses By Synergistic Use of Rapamycin and FLT3 Ligand

Immune-mediated rejection of therapeutic proteins is a major hurdle for gene and protein replacement therapies for genetic disease. However, optimal induction and expansion of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) counteract effector responses. We have previously shown that co-administration of antigen with rapamycin simultaneously promotes deletion of conventional CD4+ T cells and induction of Treg, so that we were able to induce tolerance to factors VIII and IX in treatment of the X-linked bleeding disorders hemophilia A and B. Here, we found in DO11.10 Rag−/− mice (homozygous for ovalbumin-peptide specific TCR, deficient in endogenous mature B, T or Treg cells) that the cytokine FMS-like receptor tyrosine kinase ligand (Flt3L) enhances the in vivo effect of rapamycin via selective expansion of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC), resulting in substantially improved induction of OVA-specific Treg. This regimen, consisting of co-administration of rapamycin/Flt3L/OVA 3x/week for 1 month, also prevented OVA-specific CD8+ T cell responses in immune competent mice after intrasmuscular OVA gene transfer with an AAV1 vector. Flt3L signaling is critical to the generation and steady state expansion of both the conventional (CD11c+, CD8+CD11c+) and plasmacytoid (CD11cmid-loPDCA-1+) subsets of DC, which indirectly expands naturally occurring Treg. Interestingly, Flt3L-induced signaling in DC and DC precursors occurs through the mTOR pathway and can therefore be blocked by rapamycin, posing the question of why we are able to use these drugs synergistically for Treg induction. We find that limited doses of rapamycin selectively block Flt3L-induced expansion of conventional DC (cDC) but not pDC. Induced mTOR signaling is effectively blocked in cDC, while pDC have increased mTOR activity and are thus more resistant to inhibition by rapamycin. Consequently, Flt3L and rapamycin synergistically promote induction of antigen-specific Treg via selective expansion of pDC. During Flt3L/rapamycin/antigen co-administration, Treg induction is abrogated upon pDC depletion, thus confirming that Treg induction is pDC dependent. Similarly, Flt3L/antigen by itself fails to induce Treg, indicating that both pDC and rapamycin are required for Treg induction in this regimen.Finally, we are able to demonstrate in a therapeutic model for FVIII protein replacement therapy that combined Flt3L/rapamycin/FVIII treatment is superior in prevention of inhibitory antibody responses in hemophilia A mice (BALB/c F8e16−/−) when compared to rapamycin/FVIII only. In contrast, Flt3L/antigen administration in the absence of rapamycin, while enhancing activation induced cell death (AICD) of conventional CD4+ T cells, fails to induce Treg and also fails to induce tolerance to OVA or to FVIII. Thus, the differential effect of rapamycin on DC subsets can be exploited to improve tolerance induction via enhanced Treg induction, creating new opportunities for development of immune tolerance therapies with wide applicability.
Theorizing Foreshadowed Death Narratives: Examining the Impact of Character Death on Narrative Processing and Skin Self-Exam Intentions.

Narratives are common in health campaigns and interventions, with many depicting individuals battling a particular illness or disease. Past research has focused primarily on the form and effects of survivor stories, but considerably less attention has been devoted to stories in which 1 or more of the central characters passes away. The goal of the current study was to compare the relative persuasive impact of survivor and death narratives in influencing skin prevention behaviors and to test narrative mediators that might explicate underlying mechanisms of effect. To that end, adults (N = 635, M age = 32.43 [SD = 11.23]) were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 narrative intervention conditions in an online message experiment. Participants read 1 of 2 stories about a person with melanoma (Rusty or Diane) that was manipulated as a narrative depicting the survival, death, or foreshadowed death of the main character. Foreshadowed death narratives increased intentions to perform a skin self-exam (SSE), a relationship ...
The Absorption, Distribution, and Metabolism of Ethanol and Its Effects on Nutrition and Hepatic Function

The factors that govern blood and tissue concentrations of ethanol are the rate of absorption from the site of administration, the distribution space for ethanol in the body, and the rate of its elimination. Ethanol is neither accumulated to any extent by specific organs nor preferentially bound to cellular components. It is eliminated principally by oxidative metabolism in the liver. Consequently, after absorption and distribution in tissue and extracellular water, the primary determinant of the duration and extent of its pharmacologic action is the rate of its oxidation by the liver. For this reason, the enzymatic pathways of ethanol metabolism and their control by genetic and environmental factors have been important areas for detailed study. Furthermore, the oxidation of ethanol can produce profound abnormalities in the metabolic functions of the liver as well as nutrient imbalance. Knowledge of these interrelationships is fundamental to the understanding and treatment of many of the medical consequences of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, some of which may be life-threatening. These aspects of the biochemistry and pharmacology of ethanol are the principal focus of this chapter.
Prophylactic Indomethacin Compared with Delayed Conservative Management of the Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Extremely Preterm Infants: Effects on Neonatal Outcomes.

Objective To determine whether prophylactic indomethacin (PINDO) has more or less morbidity than delayed conservative management of the moderate-to-large patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Study design We performed a prospective double cohort controlled study of infants delivered at ≤27 6/7 weeks gestation (n = 397). From January 2005 through April 2011, all infants were treated with PINDO (n = 247). From May 2011 through August 2016, no infant was treated with indomethacin until at least 8 postnatal days (conservative epoch, n = 150). Echocardiograms were performed on day 7 and at planned intervals until the PDA was small or closed. A single neonatologist prospectively collected all data. Results The incidence of moderate-to-large PDA on day 7 and duration of exposure to moderate-to-large PDA were significantly less in the PINDO epoch (incidence = 10%, median = 2 days) than the conservative epoch (incidence = 67%, median = 14 days). Ligation rates were low in both epochs (PINDO = 14%, conservative = 5%). In multivariate analyses, PINDO infants had a significantly lower incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (risk ratio = 0.68, CI: 0.46-0.89) and BPD or death (risk ratio= 0.78, CI: 0.62-0.95) than conservative infants. There were no differences between the epochs in death, intraventricular hemorrhage grades 3 and 4, necrotizing enterocolitis, or retinopathy of prematurity receiving treatment. The effects of PINDO on BPD and BPD or death were no longer significant when analyses were adjusted for presence of a moderate-to-large PDA on day 7. The significant effects of PINDO were independent of whether or not a ligation was performed. Conclusions PINDO decreases BPD and BPD or death compared with delayed conservative PDA management. These effects are mediated by closure of the PDA.
Technology Management: Case of Cost, Frugal and Reverse Innovations

The forces of globalization have created an interconnected world where consumer demand for high tech products and services is rapidly growing in emerging markets. Established multinational firms are facing increasing competitive pressures from new firms in developing countries. In order to maintain a strategic competitive advantage, firms must be adept at developing high value and low cost products and services that are tailored to specific market segment’s needs. The purpose of this study is to aid firms in identifying the appropriate new product development strategy to pursue.
Real-time High Performance Anomaly Detection over Data Streams: Grand Challenge

Real-time analytics over data streams are crucial for a wide range of use cases in industry and research. Today's sensor systems can produce high throughput data streams that have to be analyzed in real-time. One important analytic task is anomaly or outlier detection from the streaming data. In many industry applications, sensing devices produce a data stream that can be monitored to know the correct operation of industry devices and consequently avoid damages by triggering reactions in real-time.While anomaly detection is a well-studied topic in data mining, the real-time high-performance anomaly detection from big data streams require special studies and well-optimized implementation. This paper presents our implementation of a real-time anomaly detection system over data streams. We outline details of our two separate implementations using the Java and C++ programming languages, and provide technical details about the data processing pipelines. We report experimental results and describe performance tuning strategies.