cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 277: The small molecule tolfenamic acid inhibits neuroblastoma cell growth through inducing apoptosis and causing cell cycle arrest potentially targeting Sp1 and survivin

Neuroblastoma is an embryonal tumor of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system found in infants and children. Despite intensive therapy, the mortality rate of this malignancy remains more than 50%. The side effects of standard therapy can cause acute and long term damage and toxicity in various biological functions and can lead to the development of secondary tumors. Therefore there is an urgent need in identifying novel strategies in neuroblastoma that improve out come with less toxicity. Specificity proteins (Sp) regulate several important genes associated with neuroblastoma including MYCN and TrkA. Our aim was to exploit the strategy of targeting Sp proteins using TA in the treatment of neuroblastoma. In this study, we examined the anti-proliferative activity of TA using 7 neuroblastoma cell lines and evaluated the ability of TA to induce apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest using selected cell lines. Apoptosis in mammalian cells primarily takes place through extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. Specificity protein (Sp) transcription factors regulate several genes involved in cell proliferation, survival and angiogenesis. Tolfenamic acid (TA), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is known to induce the degradation of Sp proteins and may serve as a novel anti-cancer agent. The objective of this investigation was to examine the anti-cancer activity of TA using established human neuroblastoma cell lines. We tested the anti-proliferative effect of TA using 7 human neuroblastoma cell lines. Cells were treated with TA (0/25/50/100μM) and cell viability was measured at 24, 48, and 72 h post-treatment. Selected neuroblastoma cell lines, LA1 55n and SH-SY5Y were treated with 50 μM TA for 24 and 48 h and tested for cell apoptosis using Annexin-V staining. Caspase activity was measured with caspase 3/7 Glo kit. Cell lysates were prepared and the expression of Sp1, survivin and c-PARP were evaluated through Western blot analysis. TA significantly inhibited the growth of neuroblastoma cells in a dose/time-dependent manner and significantly decreased Sp1 and survivin expression. Apart from cell cycle (G0/G1) arrest, TA caused significant increase in the apoptotic cell population, caspase 3/7 activity and c-PARP expression. These results show that TA effectively inhibits neuroblastoma cell growth potentially through suppressing mitosis, Sp1 and survivin expression, and inducing apoptosis. These results represent a novel strategy for using small molecules for the treatment of neuroblastoma.(Financial assistance: This study is supported by MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando (RB); Run Way to Hope and Hyundai Hope on Wheels Scholar grant awarded to DE). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 277. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-277
Scheduling of a class of DSP algorithms for real-time processing on a multiprocessor architecture: actual versus ideal I/O

Through the analysis of a data-flow-graph representation of an algorithm, the recent work by P.W. Lee (Ph.D. dissertation, Rutgers Univ., NJ, 1988) produces static, nonpreemptive schedules capable of implementing the algorithm on a multiple-processor system. These schedules are based on the assumptions that algorithms of the type that are typical of a class of digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms are computation bound (as opposed to I/O bound) and that data transfer (I/O operations) occurs instantaneously. This raises the question of the effects on the efficiency of the multiprocessor's utilization as the execution of the algorithm changes from computation bound to I/O bound. In the present work the author examines these effects for two cases of an algorithm (typical of this class of DSP algorithms). These cases are with and without a dominant run-time task, where a dominant run-time task is characterized by a far larger execution time than any other task in the algorithm. It is concluded that the ideal I/O assumption put forth by Lee is valid for software structures that exhibit dominant tasks. >
Harnessing the Affordable Care Act to catalyze delivery system reform and strengthen emergency care in America.

As health care reform in the US evolves beyond insurance reform to encompass delivery system reform, the opportunity arises to harness the Affordable Care Act to strengthen patient care in America. One area for dedicated individuals to lead this effort is by improving transitions in patient care across the continuum of team members, specialties, settings, and systems. This article will describe innovations of the surgicalist and acute care surgeon that have emerged in response to the challenges facing surgery in specialization, geography, and the need to comply with health care reform mandates. Three ways will be described to integrate these innovations with pilot programs in the Affordable Care Act: to promote teamwork, to reduce readmissions, and to strengthen emergency care because the key location where the joint efforts intersect most acutely with patient need is in our nation’s Emergency Departments.
Schizophrenia: A Network Crisis

The results of a study comparing the structure and function of the social networks of a group of first-admission schizophrenics with those of a group of multiple-admission schizophrenics are presented. Structurally, the networks of the first-admission patients are larger and more interconnected. Functionally, their networks have a greater percentage of multiplex and nondependent links. On the basis of these data, it is concluded that the most dramatic changes in social networks develop after the patient's first hospitalization. The dissolution of the patient's network is attributed to the antagonistic attitudes and reactions of those close to the patient, as well as to the patient's impaired social competence. Schizophrenia seemingly is a network crisis not only for the individual but for the network as a whole. It is suggested that active intervention at the time of the first psychotic episode may be helpful in avoiding network collapse and the patient's resultant social isolation.
Efficient strongly relational polyhedral analysis

Polyhedral analysis infers invariant linear equalities and inequalities of imperative programs. However, the exponential complexity of polyhedral operations such as image computation and convex hull limits the applicability of polyhedral analysis. Weakly relational domains such as intervals and octagons address the scalability issue by considering polyhedra whose constraints are drawn from a restricted, user-specified class. On the other hand, these domains rely solely on candidate expressions provided by the user. Therefore, they often fail to produce strong invariants. We propose a polynomial time approach to strongly relational analysis. We provide efficient implementations of join and post condition operations, achieving a trade off between performance and accuracy. We have implemented a strongly relational polyhedral analyzer for a subset of the C language. Initial experimental results on benchmark examples are encouraging.
Making the Local Foreign: Shared Language and History in Southern India

This article explores tensions present in the encounter between British colonial understandings of language and local southern Indian categories of linguistic analysis as they appear within Telugu textual sources. It traces the introduction of a new notion of the "foreign" into existing southern Indian discourses on language and examines the displacement of intelligibility as an important reference point for analyzing language use. It furthermore argues that colonial scholars of Telugu reoriented language analyses toward an exclusive interest in the historical origins of words, changing the basis on which the usage of particular words was recognized and legitimized within a larger system of language categorizations.
Cancer, concepts, cohorts and complexity: avoiding oversimplification of overdiagnosis

‘Is cure necessary for those in whom it is possible and possible in those in whom it is necessary?’ Willet Whitman. A cancer diagnosis strikes intense fear in us, and for good reason. Cancer is the leading cause of death in people aged less than 85 years,1 and is viewed as a death sentence which few can escape. Lung cancer is particularly ominous, accounting for more than the next three leading causes combined. However, the National Lung Screening Trial provides hope, demonstrating 20% less lung cancer deaths through CT screening.2 This study also stimulates a focus on overdiagnosis—meaning, any cancer that would not result in death if left untreated. This concept contrasts starkly with the general view of lung cancer as a rapidly fatal disease. This binary, black-and-white view glosses over nuances and hampers a true understanding. Our conceptual framework profoundly affects our understanding of issues, and our thinking must keep pace with advances in an increasingly complex world. This article explores the concept of overdiagnosis and potential implications of CT screening. Extensive evidence indicates that overdiagnosis occurs in many cancers3; although difficult to quantify, the proportion is substantial. Autopsy studies, and studies involving resections for non-malignant reasons (eg, prostatic hypertrophy), suggest undiagnosed prostate, thyroid, breast or lung cancers exist in 10–70% of middle-aged and older individuals.3–5 In addition, long-term follow-up of randomised screening studies (allowing for ‘catch-up’ cancers that are diagnosed later in the non-screened arms), suggests that 15–50% of breast and lung cancers represent overdiagnosis in mammography and chest radiograph screening studies.3 6 7 Probably the strongest evidence comes from population-based studies demonstrating that in many cancers the rate of diagnosis has doubled or tripled, yet the death rate remains unchanged (eg, melanoma, thyroid, renal carcinoma).3 The increased rate of diagnosis …
Diffuse light suppression of back-directional gating imaging in high anisotropic media

We experimentally demonstrate that back-directional gating in an imaging setup can potentially remove unwanted diffuse light to improve the contrast of an object embedded in a high anisotropic surrounding medium. In such back-directional gating, the high anisotropic property of the surrounding medium can serve as a waveguide to deliver the incident light to the embedded object and to isolate the ballistic or snake-like light backscattered from the object in a moderate depth. We further discuss the effects of back-directional gating in the image formation in terms of the image resolution and the depth of field. Although backscattering detections of biological tissue have recently received considerable attention, we, for the first time to our knowledge, show its potential advantage for the contrast improvement in high anisotropic media.
Detection of hepatic metastases with MR imaging: spin-echo vs phase-contrast pulse sequences at 0.6 T.

The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity of T1-weighted and T2-weighted spin-echo (SE) pulse sequences with T2-weighted phase-contrast (PC) imaging techniques for the detection of hepatic metastases. Pulse-sequences performance was evaluated in 52 consecutive patients with 88 hepatic metastases who underwent MR imaging at 0.6 T. Lesion-liver contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) on SE 260/14 (-12.4 +/- 6.7) and PC 2350/60 (+10.8 +/- 4.2) images were significantly (p less than .05) greater than on SE 2350/60 (+ 7.8 +/- 3.9), SE 2350/120 (+8.1 +/- 4.8), SE 2350/180 (+7.9 +/- 4.5), and PC 2350/30 (+4.6 +/- 2.9) images. Sensitivity for detection of 88 individual metastases was comparable on SE 260/14 (78 of 88 patients) and PC 2350/60 (81 of 88 patients) images and was significantly (p less than .05) greater than on in-phase T2-weighted SE images (TE = 60, 70 of 88 patients; TE = 120, 69 of 88 patients; TE = 180, 65 of 88 patients). Histologic analysis of tumor-free liver showed fatty change in 11 of...
Nemertines as predators on tidal flats – High Noon at low tide

Nemertines can be important predators on tidal flats. They have been found to be preferentially active at night low tides. To understand the role of these (and other) predators, it is important to understand how they find their prey on tidal flats. Field observations revealed that the nemertine Lineus viridis feeds on post-spawn Nereis virens in the spring. Field experiments demonstrated that the placement of post-spawn or freeze-thawed N. virens on tidal flats can elicit a foraging response of L. viridis. Nemertines came to the sediment surface in large numbers and crawled toward the prey. Comparative experiments showed that more nemertines were attracted to the sediment surface at day low tides than at day high tides. More nemertines were attracted at night low tides than at day low tides. Numbers of active nemertines on tidal flat areas without prey were always much lower than on tidal flat areas with prey. In an experimental flume in the laboratory, starved nemertines were attracted to prey at current velocities of about 2 cm s 1 . Regardless of whether it was a simulated high tide or low tide in the flume, successful nemertines required about 30 min to cover a distance of 50 cm between the starting point and the prey. It is concluded that the high activity of nemertines during night low tides is due in part to the enhanced probability of locating prey, but is also influenced by prey behavior and potential competitors. Predatory nemertines such as L. viridis easily cover relatively large distances of 5‐10 m in the field, and may thus effectively influence the small-scale distribution of their potential prey on tidal flats. It is proposed to take the activity pattern, mobility and foraging range of predators into account when examining their role in marine soft-bottom assemblages.
COST OF CAPITAL AS A FUNCTION OF FINANCIAL LEVERAGE

This study has three objectives. First, it develops new evidence on the sensitivity of cost of capital in relation to financial leverage. Second, the findings are interpreted in the light of the existing financial theory. The concept of shifting of cost of capital curves is also introduced and explored both in theory and in relation to empirical testing. Third, the conclusions are placed within the framework of financial management at the business firm level. To accomplish these objectives a new, heretofore untried, approach to testing the cost of funds to a firm has been developed. In contrast to the almost universally accepted cross-section analysis, this study develops cost of capital functions for each company separately. Subsequently these functions are aggregated, compared, and also analyzed in a cross-section fashion. This approach, in the opinion of the present author, is supported by the fact that (1) both the Net Operating Income and Net Income theories of cost of capital are stated in terms of a firm, not industry or other grouping of firms, and (2) from the practical point of view the question of optimality of capital structure is relevant, and indeed operationally meaningful, only at the firm level.
International politics and family systems: Some observations on tactics

This paper describes many parallels between the concepts and tactics used in the arena of international politics and those used in the office of a strategic family therapist. Some of the many ideas discussed are: changing the consequences of a behavior, the “Kennedy intervention”, the use of signals, mystifying clarifications, and vague threats. The paper also suggests that the accumulated wisdom employed by statesmen in managing power struggles can be studied by clinicians to resolve conflict in couples and families more successfully.
The Quorum Sensing Volatile Molecule 2-Amino Acetophenon Modulates Host Immune Responses in a Manner that Promotes Life with Unwanted Guests

Increasing evidence indicates that bacterial quorum sensing (QS) signals are important mediators of immunomodulation. However, whether microbes utilize these immunomodulatory signals to maintain infection remain unclear. Here, we show that the Pseudomonas aeruginosa QS-regulated molecule 2-amino acetophenone (2-AA) modulates host immune responses in a manner that increases host ability to cope with this pathogen. Mice treated with 2-AA prior to infection had a 90% survival compared to 10% survival rate observed in the non-pretreated infected mice. Whilst 2-AA stimulation activates key innate immune response pathways involving mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), nuclear factor (NF)-κB, and pro-inflammatory cytokines, it attenuates immune response activation upon pretreatment, most likely by upregulating anti-inflammatory cytokines. 2-AA host pretreatment is characterized by a transcriptionally regulated block of c-JUN N-terminal kinase (JNK) and NF-κB activation, with relatively preserved activation of extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2. These kinase changes lead to CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-β (c/EBPβ) activation and formation of the c/EBPβ-p65 complex that prevents NF-κB activation. 2-AA's aptitude for dampening the inflammatory processes while increasing host survival and pathogen persistence concurs with its ability to signal bacteria to switch to a chronic infection mode. Our results reveal a QS immunomodulatory signal that promotes original aspects of interkingdom communication. We propose that this communication facilitates pathogen persistence, while enabling host tolerance to infection.
Percutaneous venous interventions

Percutaneous procedures by interventional radiologists are becoming an increasingly frequent part of the overall care of patients with complex venous thrombotic diseases. Inferior vena caval filters are used in the setting of failed or contraindicated anticoagulation. Catheter-directed thrombolysis is considered for patients with extensive iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis. Venous angioplasty is often indicated for patients with dialysis shunt venous stenoses, upper extremity venous stenoses and for stenoses within venous bypass grafts. Venous stenting is often employed following angioplasty to ensure long-term procedural success. Finally, suction and mechanical thrombectomy and embolectomy are relatively new procedures that are available to optimize patient management.
Switching transient overvoltage study simulation comparison using PSCAD/EMTDC and EMTP-RV

Switching transients are an important factor on the equipment selection, protection and tower air clearances. Lightning and switching are two primary causes of transient overvoltage in power systems. This paper focuses on a comparative study of the modeling and simulation of a switching transient overvoltage study using two widely used simulation tools: PSCAD/EMTDC and EMTP-RV. The overvoltage modeling and statistical analysis method have been carefully described in both simulations. The comparative overvoltage results for switching transient study are also provided.
Stuck-at fault: a fault model for the next millennium

One of the common misconceptions about a stuck-at fault model is that it does not model a physical defect accurately and therefore is not adequate for testing defects in advancing technologies. Stuck-at fault model can be described as anything but a physical defect model. You can call it abstract, logical, Boolean, symbolic, functional or behavioral model, but don't call it a physical defect model! But that is not a weakness of the stuck-at fault model. To the contrary, abstraction is the main strength of this model and the reason for its longevity. Abstraction is also the reason that it will be the model of choice in the next millenium. By staying away from physical details stuck-at fault model remains effective with changing technologies and design styles. Stuck-at fault model operates in the logic domain while most physical level models operate in analog domain or even in the electromagnetic domain. With the rapidly growing number of transistors on a chip, abstraction is a necessity to manage complexity. So if anything the trend for the next millenium is likely to be a higher level of abstraction. Does the abstraction come at a cost in loss of defect detection? To answer this let us consider two major classes of defects: defects internal to a gate and defects external to a gate.
Enhancing attitudes and intentions in prospective blood donors: evaluation of a new donor recruitment brochure

BACKGROUND: Although little empiric evidence has been published concerning the efficacy of blood donor recruitment materials, research suggests that simple attempts to enhance knowledge may not be sufficient to motivate donation. In contrast, recent donor motivation studies highlight the importance of anxiety, attitudes, and perceived ability to cope with donation (i.e., self-efficacy) as crucial determinants of donation intention. Therefore, recruitment materials that specifically address these constructs have the potential to outperform traditional educational brochures. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to read one of three brochures: 1) a new brochure addressing common donor concerns and suggesting specific coping strategies, 2) a standard blood center brochure, or 3) a control brochure on healthy eating and exercise. Standardized questionnaires were completed before and after the brochures to assess change in blood donation anxiety, attitude, self-efficacy, and intention. RESULTS: Although no significant changes were noted for the control brochure, after reading the new brochure participants reported significant improvements in attitude, anxiety, self-efficacy, and donation intention. The standard donation brochure had an intermediate effect. CONCLUSION: Efforts to address common donor fears and to provide useful coping suggestions may improve the effectiveness of blood donation recruitment materials.
Advantages of borehole vector gravity in density imaging

Borehole gravity is an effective method for directly imaging anomalous mass distributions at large depths, and it has braod applications in mineral and petroleum exploration and production. The method was presently limited to vertical gravity data only. The anticipated development of vector gravimeters may change this scenario dramatically. There was a need to understand the potential capability of vector gravimetry and to develop corresponding modeling and interpretation techniques. We introduced a set of numerical modeling tools for vector gravity and examined the relative information content of vertical and vector gravity data in borehole environments. Through simulations, we illustrated that vector gravity was superior to vertical gravity in applications such as locating and characterizing anomalous mass and in tracking the movement of fluid injection in reservoirs.
Image segmentation utilizing the winner-take-all dynamics in a large-array opto-electronic feedback circuit

Image segmentation is a key element in processing image data. Done properly, image segmentation can both enhance the quality of subsequent processing and enable other higher-level processing to generate useful information. Image segmentation that clearly separates objects from the background can improve the accuracy of the recognition of the object. Isolating important objects within an image requires techniques that divide pixels into object or background information.A technique adopted from the neural network field is presented for performing image segmentation based on the winner-take-all (WTA) scheme implemented with an optoelectronic architecture. This combination allows the parallel nature of optics and the computational strengths of electronics to model a fast and efficient image segmentation system. A model of an architecture for a large array of optoelectronic feedback circuits that can be realized using new technology to perform image segmentation using the WTA scheme is proposed. The architecture is modeled optoelectronically as an interferometer with a simple nonlinearity for the control unit. Results from numerical analysis and simulations show the model can generate WTA behavior. Results from simulations are shown with sample images used to test the model's ability to perform segmentation.
Recordings of the 2004 Parkfield Earthquake on the General Earthquake Observation System Array: Implications for Earthquake Precursors, Fault Rupture, and Coseismic Strain Changes

The 2004 Parkfield earthquake generated a unique set of near-field, high-resolution colocated measurements of acceleration, volumetric strain, and ve- locity at 11 stations in the General Earthquake Observation System (GEOS) array. The recordings indicate no precursory strain or displacement was discernable at sen- sitivities of 10 11 strain and 5 10 8 m 25 sec prior to the earthquake at distances of 0.5 to 12 km of fault rupture. Coherent fault-parallel and fault-normal displacement pulses, observed along the fault north of the epicenter, are consistent with model predictions for "fling," directivity, and displacement for right-lateral, strike-slip fault rupture. The fault-parallel and fault-normal pulses imply apparent rupture velocities of 2.86 0.15 and 3.03 0.24 km/sec, respectively. Unprecedented high-resolution volumetric-strain recordings on opposite sides of the fault show that dynamic strains radiated from ruptured segments of the fault are more than an order of magnitude larger than final coseismic strain offsets associated with fault slip, suggesting that dynamic radiated strain may have contributed to the triggering of failure on unrup- tured segments. High-resolution recordings show that coseismic strain offsets occur abruptly over time intervals of less than 10 sec near the time of arrival of the dominant radiated fault-parallel and fault-normal displacements. Subsequent measurements show that the strain offsets continue to increase by as much as 69% in 5 min and 300% in 24 hr over that measured during initial fault slip at depth. Estimates of local material parameters from simultaneous measurements of volumetric strain and ac- celeration confirm seismic calibration factors previously measurable in situ only at tidal periods.
The Social Construction of School Punishment: Racial Disadvantage Out of Universalistic Process

Black adolescents are much more likely to run afoul of the juvenile justice system than are similar white adolescents, even though the two groups self-report similar rates of offending. Within public schools we find the same differential pattern. Using three waves of longitudinal data collected in schools we evaluate several explanations for the disparity. The greater rates of punishment for blacks occur as a consequence of teachers' perceptions of the students' behavior, their knowledge of students' recent academic performance, and their knowledge of students' past record of being sanctioned. Since black adolescents in our sample received poorer grades and were rated as less well behaved in the past, they were more likely to have been sanctioned and therefore to acquire a cumulative disadvantage. The punishment disparity is best understood as the result of a social construction process. Official reports of juvenile delinquency show that the proportion of black adolescents processed and punished is much higher than the proportion of white adolescents. Yet research on differences in misbehavior using self-report evidence has generally found only slight racial differences. That the differential rates of punishment can be explained by differential rates of misbehavior is not convincing to many. A research debate continues about why black adolescents are disproportionately punished. In school settings a similar pattern seems to exist judging from a review of the available evidence. There is considerable research using offi
A critique of contemporary death penalty abolitionism

This essay seeks to show what is occluded by contemporary arguments in favor of abolishing the death penalty in the United States. Following an exposition of the arguments advanced by the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as those advanced by Hugo Bedau and Austin Sarat, the essay interrogates a pair of presuppositions that are implicit in all. Specifically, the essay first poses questions regarding the contention that death as a punishment is qualitatively different from all others. That contention abstracts capital punishment from the complex of contemporary political forces whose conjuncture goes a long way toward explaining the persistence of the death penalty in the United States. Second, the essay argues that familiar critiques of capital punishment presuppose a specific vision of the state and the form of sovereignty that allegedly defines that state. This vision is anachronistic in so far as it fails to grasp recent transformations in t...
Simple models for disequilibrium fractional melting and batch melting with application to REE fractionation in abyssal peridotites

Abstract Disequilibrium melting arises when the kinetics of chemical exchange between a residual mineral and partial melt is sluggish compare to the rate of melting. To better understand the role of a finite crystal–melt exchange rate on trace element fractionation during mantle melting, we have developed a disequilibrium melting model for partial melting in an upwelling steady-state column. We use linear kinetics to approximate crystal–melt mass exchange rate and obtain simple analytical solutions for cases of perfect fractional melting and batch melting. A key parameter determining the extent of chemical disequilibrium during partial melting is an element specific dimensionless ratio ( e ) defined as the melting rate relative to the solid–melt chemical exchange rate for the trace element of interest. In the case of diffusion in mineral limited chemical exchange, e is inversely proportional to diffusivity of the element of interest. Disequilibrium melting is important for the trace element when e is comparable to or greater than the bulk solid–melt partition coefficient for the trace element ( k ). The disequilibrium fractional melting model is reduced to the equilibrium perfect fractional melting model when e is much smaller than k . Hence highly incompatible trace elements with smaller mobilities in minerals are more susceptible to disequilibrium melting than moderately incompatible and compatible trace elements. Effect of chemical disequilibrium is to hinder the extent of fractionation between residual solid and partial melt, making the residual solid less depleted and the accumulated melt more depleted in incompatible trace element abundances relative the case of equilibrium melting. Application of the disequilibrium fractional melting model to REE and Y abundances in clinopyroxene in abyssal peridotites from the Central Indian Ridge and the Vema Lithospheric Section, Mid-Atlantic Ridge revealed a positive correlation between the disequilibrium parameter e and the degree of melting, which can be explained by an increase in melting rate and a decrease in REE diffusion rate in the upper part of the melting column. Small extent of disequilibrium melting for LREE and equilibrium melting for HREE in the upper part of the melting column can explain the elevated LREE abundances or spoon-shaped REE patterns in clinopyroxene in more refractory abyssal peridotites. The latter has often been attributed to melt refertilization.
Trends in the Happiness of Single Mothers: Evidence from the General Social Survey

We study the subjective well being (SWB) of single mothers from 1972 to 2008 using data from the General Social Survey. While past literature has examined the outcomes of single mothers, an investigation of SWB is warranted, since it has been shown that there are potentially large slippages between economic indicators and SWB. Our results indicate that (i) single mothers report being significantly less happy than non-single-mothers, and (ii) this “happiness gap” shrank between 1972 and 2008.
Genetic control of symbiotic nitrogen fixation in soybeans.

A broad review of plant genetics and breeding programs for improved symbiotic nitrogen fixation by crop species was presented. Historically there has been relatively little direct interest in development of germplasm or cultivars specifically for improved nitrogen fixation in the United States. At present, the major centers of such research are the long-standing program of the Agricultural Research Service at Beltsville, Maryland, and the more recent ARS supported programs in the soybean projects in the Agronomy Department at the University of North Carolina at Raleigh, and the Agronomy Department at Cornell University, and in the alfalfa project at the University of Minnesota at St. Paul.
Position statement on West Nile virus: a committee opinion

Although there is currently no definitive evidence linking West Nile virus (WNV) transmission with reproductive cells, it is recommended that practitioners defer gamete donors who have confirmed or suspected WNV infections. This document replaces the previously published document of the same name, last published in 2012 (Fertil Steril 2012;98:e15-6).
Automatic detection, correction, and visualization of security vulnerabilities in mobile apps

Mobile devices have revolutionized many aspects of our lives. We use them as portable computers and, often without realizing it, we run various types of security-sensitive programs on them, such as personal and enterprise email and instant-messaging applications, as well as social, banking, insurance and retail programs. These applications access and transmit over the network numerous pieces of private information. Guaranteeing that such information is not exposed to unauthorized observers is very challenging given the level of complexity that these applications have reached. Furthermore, using program-analysis tools with out-of-the-box configurations in order to detect confidentiality violations may not yield the desired results because only a few pieces of private data, such as the device's ID and geographical location, are obtained from standard sources. The majority of confidentiality sources (such as credit-card and bank-account numbers) are application-specific and require careful configuration. This paper presents Astraea, a privacy-enforcement system for Android and iOS that dynamically detects and repairs leakage of private data originating from standard as well as application-specific sources. Astraea features several novel contributions: (i) it allows for visually configuring, directly atop the application's User Interface (UI), the fields that constitute custom sources of private data; (ii) it relies on application-level instrumentation, without interfering with the underlying operating system; (iii) it performs an enhanced form of value-similarity analysis to detect and repair data leakage even when sensitive data has been encoded or hashed, and (iv) it displays the results of the privacy analysis on top of a visual representation of the application's UI.
Polygyny in termites: Multiple primary queens in colonies ofNasutitermes corniger (Motschuls) (Isoptera: Termitidae)

The Neotropical termiteNasutitermes corniger is facultatively polygynous. In areas of young second growth in the Republic of Panama, polygynous colonies were found commonly. Of 35 nests collected with at least one queen, 12 colonies had from 2–22 primary (first-form) queens. All females were physogastric, fully pigmented, functional egg layers. Polygynous nests had one royal cell, sometimes with multiple chambers. The queens showed no aggression toward one another under laboratory conditions. All queens within an association were of approximately the same size and weight.
Role of compound glycyrrhizin in clinical treatment

Compound glycyrrhizin's pharmacological effects and clinical evaluation were described through analyzing related literature.Compound glycyrrhizin had anti-inflammatory effect,anti-allergy effect and the effect of protection of hepatocyte plasma membrane as well as glucocorticoid-like effect besides its effect of immune regulation.It could be comprehensively applied to the treatment in the field of hepatosis,dermatology,chemoradiotherapy and so on.Compound glycyrrhizin is one of the ideal medicine in treating hepatosis,dermatology,chemoradiotherapy and so on.
Research on the electric field and protection level for the maintenance of 500kV quadruple-lines on the single tower

Measurement of the electric field and the related protecting methods were essential to the research on the maintenance of 500 kV quadruple-lines on the single tower,and studies in this regard are of great significance.Three different types,500 kV tangent tower,strain tower and 220 kV mixed tangent tower were studied in terms of the ground potential and the surface electric field of people.Meanwhile the distributing pattern of the electric field was analyzed and proposals for further protection measures during maintenance operation are provided.
The Relation between Religion and Well-Being

This article reviews research on religion and well-being, focusing primarily on Western, traditional religions. We provide some nuance, caveats, and future directions for further research. We discuss how and why religious groups may differ in their well-being, that there may be important subgroup differences, that there are multiple dimensions to both religion and well-being, that religion and other cultural identities may interact to impact well-being, and that religion (e.g., religious anxieties) may be associated with lower well-being in some ways. We consider how religious extremism relates to well-being and also suggest that more research is needed regarding well-being in other types of religious and spiritual groups. We hope that this article will add complexity to the important intersections between religion and well-being.
Effect of Resident Involvement on Operative Time and Operating Room Staffing Costs.

Objective The operating room (OR) is a major driver of hospital costs; therefore, operative time is an expensive resource. The training of surgical residents must include time spent in the OR, but that experience comes with a cost to the surgeon and hospital. The objective of this article is to determine the effect of surgical resident involvement in the OR on operative time and subsequent hospital labor costs. Design The Kruskal-Wallis statistical test is used to determine whether or not there is a difference in operative times between 2 groups of cases (with residents and without residents). This difference leads to an increased cost in associated hospital labor costs for the group with the longer operative time. Setting Cases were performed at Greenville Memorial Hospital. Greenville Memorial Hospital is part of the larger healthcare system, Greenville Health System, located in Greenville, SC and is a level 1 trauma center with up to 33 staffed ORs. Participants A total of 84,997 cases were performed at the partnering hospital between January 1st, 2011 and July 31st, 2015. Cases were only chosen for analysis if there was only one CPT code associated with the case and there were more than 5 observations for each group being studied. This article presents a comprehensive retrospective analysis of 29,134 cases covering 246 procedures. Results The analysis shows that 45 procedures took significantly longer with a resident present in the room. The average increase in operative time was 4.8 minutes and the cost per minute of extra operative time was determined to be $9.57 per minute. OR labor costs at the partnering hospital was found to be $2,257,433, or $492,889 per year. Conclusions Knowing the affect on operative time and OR costs allows managers to make smart decisions when considering alternative educational and training techniques. In addition, knowing the connection between residents in the room and surgical duration could help provide better estimates of surgical time in the future and increase the predictability of procedure duration.
Abstract 4412: c-Myc-driven lymphomas require calcium-modulating cyclophilin ligand (CAML) for survival and proliferation

Calcium-modulating cyclophilin ligand (CAML) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein that functions in a complex to mediate tail-anchored (TA) protein insertion into the ER membrane. CAML has also been implicated as a regulator of endocytic trafficking, modulator of intracellular calcium signaling, and essential factor for the survival and proliferation of specialized immune cells. To investigate the role of CAML in cell biology and cancer, we generated Eμ-Myc transgenic mice that carry a conditional deletion allele of CAML. From these mice, we derived B cell lymphoma cell lines driven by c-Myc and induced deletion of the CAML gene by treatment with tamoxifen to activate Cre-ER T2 in vitro. Homozygous loss of CAML in multiple independent B cell lymphoma lines activated apoptosis, while heterozygous deletion led to reduced cell proliferation. Apoptosis was inhibited by caspase inhibitor Q-VD-OPh or Bcl-2/x L overexpression; however, blocking apoptosis did not restore cell division. Loss of CAML did not activate the unfolded protein response, but did induce c-Jun and JNK phosphorylation. Structure-function studies indicated that lymphoma cell viability did not depend on interaction of CAML with TRC40, another component of TA protein insertion machinery. Conversely, expression of a minimal region of CAML that interacts with the TA insertion co-factor WRB was sufficient to rescue growth of CAML-deleted cells. In summary, our study demonstrates an essential pro-survival role for CAML in c-Myc-driven lymphomas. Future investigations will focus on the underlying mechanism of apoptosis in this system to advance our understanding of the biological functions of CAML, and consider CAML-dependent survival as a potential novel target for anticancer therapy. Citation Format: Jennifer C. Shing, Lonn D. Lindquist, Richard J. Bram. c-Myc-driven lymphomas require calcium-modulating cyclophilin ligand (CAML) for survival and proliferation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4412.
Why do I have white spots on my front teeth

Aesthetics have always been important in mainstream society. Fluorosis, a condition of hypomineralization of the enamel, is at its most critical stage when a child is between 22 and 25 months of age. Because their swallowing reflex is not fully developed, children under the age of 6 can swallow between 25 percent and 33 percent of fluoridated toothpaste with each brushing. In order to better-educate parents about fluorosis and its effect on children's teeth, it is worth revisiting the guidelines for toothpaste use.
The failure to achieve sustainability may be in our genes

ABSTRACTBelief in human exceptionalism—the idea that humans are not bound by the same evolutionary constraints and biophysical limitations as other organisms—is rampant in society. To ignore human nature in favor of such a constructivist perspective is foolhardy because it compromises prospects for achieving sustainability. Human activity already exceeds Earth's long-term carrying-capacity, yet many governments and ordinary citizens alike are focused on fostering a new round of material growth. Few academics pay more than lip service to the causal drivers behind such unsustainable behavior. In particular, the sociological model for dealing with overshoot focuses on the shortcomings of social institutions, effectively decoupling the problem from H.sapiens' innate expansionist tendencies and such instinctive drives as competition for social status, mates, territory, and other resources. Understanding human unsustainability depends as much on insights from the behavioral and biological sciences as from the s...
Highly Selective Hydroboration of Alkenes, Ketones and Aldehydes Catalyzed by a Well‐Defined Manganese Complex

Well-defined manganese complexes based on inexpensive, readily available ligands, 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine and its derivatives have been prepared and employed for the selective hydroboration of alkenes, ketones and aldehydes. Highly Markovnikov regioselective hydroboration of styrenes as well as excellent chemoselective hydroboration of ketones over alkenes were achieved, for the first time, by an earth-abundant manganese catalyst.
Phenomenological Distinctions: Two Types of Envy and their Difference from Covetousness

Some recent discussions of envy in moral psychology have defended the controversial claims that (1) envy occurs in two types and that (2) one of these types is benign. For different reasons, Robert Roberts and Gabrielle Taylor, for example, rightly identify a mode of envy focused upon the envier which is lacking envy’s most familiar characteristic: the hostile regard of the neighbor who occupies some superior status with respect to a thing, trait, or capacity of importance to the envier. In this chapter, Michael R. Kelly considers Taylor’s account of envy and suggests a phenomenological development that can accommodate Taylor’s insight that there are two types of envy without running either type into covetousness or endorsing the perhaps indefensible view of a benign form of envy.
Biopsychosocial Evaluation of Sexual Function in End-Stage Renal Disease

This paper discusses the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in end-stage renal disease (ESRD); the biologic, psychologic, and social aspects of sexual dysfunction; and finally, the evaluation process itself.
Comparison of Brands of Media for Isolating Bacteria from Poultry, Beef and Shrimp.

Five brands of media (BBL, Difco, Gibco, Oxoid and Scott) were evaluated for enumerating microorganisms by the aerobic plate count and by Enterobacteriaceae , Escherichia coli , and coliform counts, and for determining Salmonella incidence. Microbiological evaluations were done on raw chickens, raw beef and raw shrimp, except that Salmonella incidence was not determined on shrimp samples. There were statistically significant differences in total plate counts (with chicken, beef and shrimp), Enterobacteriaceae counts (with shrimp) coliforms (with chicken) and E. coli counts (with chicken) by the five brands of media, but these differences were too small to be of practical significance. It was concluded that no differences of practical significance were found among the five brands of media.
MMODM: Massively Multipler Online Drum Machine

Twitter has provided a social platform for everyone to enter the previously exclusive world of the internet, enriching this online social tapestry with cultural diversity and enabling revolutions. We believe this same tool can be used to also change the world of music creation. Thus we present MMODM, an online drum machine based on the Twitter streaming API, using tweets from around the world to create and perform musical sequences together in real time. Users anywhere can express 16-beat note sequences across 26 different instruments using plain text tweets on their favorite device, in real-time. Meanwhile, users on the site itself can use the graphical interface to locally DJ the rhythm, filters, and sequence blending. By harnessing this duo of website and Twitter network, MMODM enables a whole new scale of synchronous musical collaboration between users locally, remotely, across a wide variety of computing devices, and across a variety of cultures.