cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Olfactory discrimination of age-specific hydrocarbons generates behavioral segregation in a honeybee colony

The functioning of a honeybee colony relies on the coordination of colony activities via inter-individual interactions. While the structure of this interaction network keeps the young individuals relatively isolated from the rest of the colony, there are two possible mechanisms that can generate this organizational immunity. A spatial segregation that restricts the young bees to the center of the colony can shield them with equal effectiveness as a behavioral segregation in which old bees choose to interact with young bees less frequently. We test the role of these two mechanisms by determining the interaction frequency between different age groups and testing their correlation with the olfactory sensitivity of different age groups to the cuticular odor of each other. Young bees were found to interact with bees of all age groups with equal frequency, which correlates with their lack of olfactory bias for any specific age, while old bees interacted more with other old bees, which correlates with their higher olfactory sensitivity toward the cuticular odor of old bees. The distribution of olfactory responsiveness was found to be positively skewed for old bees, which provides a mechanistic basis for the heterogeneous connectivity of the interaction network observed in an earlier study. As old bees are more likely to be responsible for introducing a potential disease into the colony from the outside and spreading it via the interaction network, these results suggest that behavioral segregation, mediated by olfactory discrimination, plays an important role in generating the organizational immunity within the honeybee colony.
A Community-based Evaluation of the Vita-Stat Automatic Blood Pressure Recorder

A random sample of ten community-based Vita-Stat automatic blood pressure recorders (ABPR) was evaluated for accuracy and repeatability. Each of 518 adult volunteers had two randomly ordered systolic and diastolic Vita-Stat blood pressure measurements compared with two corresponding measurements obtained by a trained observer using a Random-Zero sphygmomanometer. Eight of the ten Vita-Stat recorders underestimated systolic blood pressure. In contrast, diastolic blood pressure was overestimated by nine of the ten machines. While the overall differences in average blood pressure were small (mean +/- SEM = -2.4 +/- 0.6 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure and +2.3 +/- 0.4 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure), the magnitude of the average discrepancy varied considerably by machine (+4.7 to -13.8 mm Hg for systolic and +5.0 to -2.0 for diastolic blood pressure). At every level of systolic and diastolic blood pressure the Vita-Stat ABPR provided a less accurate method of classifying blood pressure among individuals than the human observer. Additional analyses exploring the ability of the Vita-Stat machine to measure an individual's blood pressure within 2, 4, or 6 mm Hg of the corresponding Random-Zero value again suggested that the Vita-Stat ABPR was less accurate than the human observer. Duplicate Vita-Stat readings were less repeatable than corresponding Random-Zero measurements. Based on the findings of this study, the Vita-Stat ABPR appears to be an unsatisfactory tool for community-based self-measurement of blood pressure.
Heavy-electron metals

A new class of metals has been found in which the electrons have effective masses orders of magnitude larger than the free-electron mass. Some of these metals are superconducting at low temperatures. This superconductivity seems to be unconventional, with an underlying mechanism different from that in all other known superconductors.
Identified motor neurons in the cockroach exhibit stereotypic peripheral branching and nerve terminal structure

The peripheral branching of the identified motor neurons Df and Ds which innervate the coxal depressor muscles in the legs of cockroaches was examined using the anterograde transport of a cobaltic-lysine complex and the retrograde transport of cobaltous ion or horseradish peroxidase. In all animals the axons of these motor neurons leave the ganglion in the dorsal portion of nerve root 5 and undergo a 180 degree spiral that brings them directly to the first branch. They leave the nerve root at this branch to innervate the muscles. The pattern of branching of Df within muscles 178 and 179 was highly stereotyped with little variability being observed among identical and homologous muscles within the same and different individuals. The great extent of the neuronal branching within the muscles suggests that a relatively large percentage of the surface area of the muscle fibers is involved in intercellular interactions with the motor neurons. The two motor neurons could also be distinguished by the structure of their axon terminals. Those of Df were beaded and extended either parallel or perpendicular to the muscle fiber. those of Ds were thinner, wavy, less regular, and appeared with a greater frequency. Identified neurons may therefore be further characterized by their stereotypical peripheral branching and axon terminal structure.
Malignant Mesothelioma and Occupational Exposure to Asbestos: An Analysis of 1445 Cases

Asbestos exposure is indisputably associated with the development of malignant mesothelioma (MM). However, relatively few studies have correlated the manner of exposure with asbestos fiber content and type. We report findings from 1445 MMs with known exposure histories, including fiber burden analyses performed in 268 cases. A total of 1445 histologically and immunohistochemically confirmed cases of MM were placed in 23 categories, according to the predominant manner of asbestos exposure. Asbestos body counts were determined by light microscopy. Asbestos fiber content and type were assessed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Ninety-four percent of cases fell into 19 of the 23 exposure categories. Six occupational categories, including pipefitter, boilermaker, machinist, electrician, maintenance worker and sheetmetal worker, as well as one para-occupational (household contact) exposure category, were represented. Twelve categories reflected the kind of industry in which exposure occurred. These included insulation, shipbuilding, railroad, oil/chemical, paper mill, US Navy, molten metal, glass/ceramic, power, automotive, asbestos manufacture and construction. Elevated levels of commercial amphibole fibers were identified in all 19 categories. The highest levels were identified among insulation and asbestos manufacturing industries and pipefitters. The median value of non-commercial amphibole fibers exceeded commercial amphibole fibers in four categories (automotive industry, household contacts, building occupants and environmental exposures). Multiple exposure categories were identified in one-quarter of cases. The majority of MMs in the USA fall into a limited number of exposure categories, with overlap of categories in a substantial proportion of cases. For most exposure categories, commercial amphiboles are the predominant fiber type.
Attribute-Based Multi-Dimensional Scalable Access Control For Social Media Sharing

Media sharing is an extremely popular paradigm of social interaction in online social networks (OSNs) nowadays. The scalable media access control is essential to perform information sharing among users with various access privileges. In this paper, we present a multi-dimensional scalable media access control (MD-SMAC) system based on the proposed scalable ciphertext policy attribute-based encryption (SCP-ABE) algorithm. In the proposed MD-SMAC system, fine-grained access control can be performed on the media contents encoded in a multi-dimensional scalable manner based on data consumers' diverse attributes. Through security analysis, we show that the proposed MC-SMAC system is able to resist collusion attacks. Additionally, we conduct experiments to evaluate the efficiency performance of the proposed system, especially on mobile devices.
SASH: a self-adaptive histogram set for dynamically changing workloads

Most RDBMSs maintain a set of histograms for estimating the selectivities of given queries. These selectivities are typically used for cost-based query optimization. While the problem of building an accurate histogram for a given attribute or attribute set has been well-studied, little attention has been given to the problem of building and tuning a set of histograms collectively for multidimensional queries in a self-managed manner based only on query feedback. In this paper, we present SASH, a Self-Adaptive Set of Histograms that addresses the problem of building and maintaining a set of histograms. SASH uses a novel two-phase method to automatically build and maintain itself using query feedback information only. In the online tuning phase, the current set of histograms is tuned in response to the estimation error of each query in an online manner. In the restructuring phase, a new and more accurate set of histograms replaces the current set of histograms. The new set of histograms (attribute sets and memory distribution) is found using information from a batch of query feedback. We present experimental results that show the effectiveness and accuracy of our approach.
Dynamic test allocation model for software reliability

In any non trivial software system the reliability of the software cannot be determined exactly. Instead, we must apply statistical methods to create an estimate based on a sample of test cases. Our goal is, given a fixed total number of test cases, to determine how to allocate these test cases among the partitions of the software so as to minimize the variance incurred by the maximum likelihood estimator of the overall software reliability. In contrast to fixed sampling models, where the proportion of test cases taken from each partition is determined before reliability testing begins, we make allocation decisions dynamically throughout the testing process. We compare the results from the dynamic test allocation model with the optimal sampling model and demonstrate its strength with respect to the variance incurred when the overall system reliability is estimated by its maximum likelihood estimator both theoretically and through Monte Carlo simulations.
Inkjet-printed gold nanoparticle electrochemical arrays on plastic. Application to immunodetection of a cancer biomarker protein

Electrochemical detection combined with nanostructured sensor surfaces offers potentially low-cost, high-throughput solutions for detection of clinically significant proteins. Inkjet printing offers an inexpensive non-contact fabrication method for microelectronics that is easily adapted for incorporating into protein immunosensor devices. Herein we report the first direct fabrication of inkjet-printed gold nanoparticle arrays, and apply them to electrochemical detection of the cancer biomarker interleukin-6 (IL-6) in serum. The gold nanoparticle ink was printed on a flexible, heat resistant polyimide Kapton substrate and subsequently sintered to create eight-electrode arrays costing <0.2 euro per array. The inkjet-printed working electrodes had reproducible surface areas with RSD <3%. Capture antibodies for IL-6 were linked onto the eight-electrode array, and used in sandwich immunoassays. A biotinylated secondary antibody with 16-18 horseradish peroxidase labels was used, and detection was achieved by hydroquinone-mediated amperometry. The arrays provided a clinically relevant detection limit of 20 pg mL−1 in calf serum, sensitivity of 11.4 nA pg−1 cm−2, and a linear dynamic range of 20–400 pg mL−1.
Design of rectangular printed planar antenna via input impedance for supporting mobile wireless communications

We present a printed planar antenna suitable for mobile wireless communications. Since the printed antenna is easy to fabricate due to its simplicity, low cost, and light weight, it is widely used in communication systems. The conventional patch antennas take too much surface area to be applied to a mobile receiver. Although the size is reduced using the printed antenna, a reasonably wide bandwidth should still be considered. To overcome the disadvantage of narrow bandwidth, the substrate should be physically thick and the dielectric constant should be smaller. We suggest a simple form of printed planar antenna and show the optimal input impedance depending on the antenna size and operating frequency. The performance evaluation is achieved analytically for a prototype antenna model.
Effect of ethanol consumption during pregnancy on folate coenzyme distribution in fetal, maternal, and placental tissues

Abstract Ethanol has been shown to be a teratogen in humans and experimental animals; however, the mechanism of its actions is not known. Because ethanol interferes with the metabolism of folate coenzymes that participate in various biosynthetic pathways of nucleic acids, the effect of gestational ethanol consumption on the distribution of folate coenzymes in tissues was investigated with an eye to the possibility that such effects might shed light on the mechanism by which ethanol produces its teratogenic effect. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a 35% ethanol-calorie liquid diet from gestation days 7–21; controls were pair-fed with isocaloric sucrose substituted for ethanol. Rats were killed on day 21. Food intake, maternal weight gain, litter size, and conceptus weight were similar between ethanol and control rats. However, fetal weight was decreased and placental weight increased in ethanol group as compared with the control. Total folates and folate coenzymes were determined in fetal liver and brain, placenta, and maternal liver. Ethanol consumption decreased 5-methyltetrahydrofolate in the placenta, which was compensated by increasing tetrahydrofolate and formyltetrahydrofolates. In fetal liver, formyltetrahydrofolates and formiminotetrahydrofolate were decreased and tetrahydrofolate increased with ethanol. In fetal brain, ethanol not only decreased total folates but also altered the coenzyme pattern by decreasing 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and increasing tetrahydrofolate and formyltetrahydrofolates. These changes in folate coenzyme pattern indicate ethanol-induced alteration in folate metabolism. The possible physiologic significance of these changes in relation to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is discussed.
Thermal injuries in autogenous tissue breast reconstruction

We report on four patients with partial and full thickness burns following autogenous tissue breast reconstruction. Three burns were confined to the flap and one burn involved the flap and rim of adjacent skin. Heat sources included a heating pad (n = 3) and sunlight through a bathing suit (n = 1). The injuries occurred from 6 days to 4 years following the reconstruction. The burns were the result of impaired thermoregulatory capacity of transplanted tissue. All wounds healed with local wound care or debridement and skin grafting.
Health literacy and medication awareness in outpatient neurology.

As researchers continue to illuminate the complexities of neurologic disorders and their management, the clinician faces an equally intensifying burden: how to communicate these advances effectively to patients. Health literacy (HL) refers to a person's ability to find, comprehend, and use basic information and resources in order to make appropriate decisions related to his or her health. We describe the first study of low HL prevalence using a validated measure in a cohort of adult neurology outpatients without dementia. Of 201 subjects, 20.5% had low HL and 26% were unable to name any of their medications. In a multivariate regression model controlling for demographic and clinical factors, low HL was associated with lower education, greater disease duration, each 1-point decrease in the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination, and the presence of a caregiver. As clinicians, we must incorporate specific communication and patient education strategies into our daily practice to truly optimize our patients' care.
Medical Myths: Unprepared For The End Stages Of End-Stage Kidney Disease

A patient with end-stage kidney disease avoids dialysis in favor of a “peaceful death,” but the reality is far from expectations.
Targeting Transglutaminase-2 to Overcome Chemoresistance in Cancer Cells

The ability of tumor cells to develop resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy and to metastasize to distant organs represents a major roadblock in the successful treatment of cancer. In fact, more than 90% of cancer deaths can be attributed to the failure of drugs to kill tumor cells. One feature common among drug-resistant and metastatic tumor cells is an increased resistance to apoptosis—the ability of cancer cells not only to grow and survive successfully in the stressful environments of foreign tissues (metastasis) but also to display resistance to genotoxic therapies. Therefore, to improve cancer therapy, tumor-encoded genes, whose increased expression in cancer cells contributes to the development of resistance to drug-induced damage (apoptosis), need to be defined.
Litigating Crawford v. Washington: 'Testimonial' Hearsay, and the Right to Confrontation and Cross Examination

Four years ago Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's “original intention of the framers” approach to constitutional interpretation gained a major foothold with an emerging majority of the U.S. Supreme Court in Crawford v. Washington, 541 U.S. 36 (2004). This, of course, is the case that altered the methodology for judicial interpretation of the relationship of the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment and a variety of rules of evidence that permit the receipt of hearsay in criminal cases.For almost a quarter century preceding Crawford, federal and state courts had struggled to apply the doctrine of Ohio v. Roberts, 448 U.S. 56 (1980). While recognizing the core value protected by the Confrontation Clause to be a criminal defendant’s right to in court cross-examination of adverse witnesses, the Roberts Court concluded that it was nevertheless consistent with the receipt of certain kinds of hearsay evidence from “unavailable” witnesses, so long as there were adequate “indicia of reliability.” Moreover, “Reliability can be inferred without more in a case where the evidence falls within a firmly rooted hearsay exception.” But this did not define the limits of constitutionally acceptable hearsay, so long as the proponent could show “particularized guarantees of trustworthiness.” Id. at 64-66. [This reminds me of a cartoon I once saw in the New Yorker depicting a lawyer standing up in court and saying to the judge, “Your honor, I know it’s hearsay – but it’s damn good hearsay!”]Finding the Roberts approach inherently unpredictable and at odds with the “original intent” of the framers of the Confrontation Clause, Justice Scalia’s opinion for the Court recast the inquiry. Instead of looking at the reliability (truth) of a hearsay statement, the focus should be on the manner or procedure by which the statement was obtained for use as evidence. Viewed from this perspective, only those hearsay exceptions that permit the receipt of uncross-examinable “testimonial” statements run afoul of the Confrontation guarantee.Like all ground breaking decisions, Crawford raises more questions than it answers, and that will be the focus of our discussion. Keep in mind, however, that Crawford and its burgeoning progeny address a narrow range of issues that arise in applying the hearsay rules. For the most part, hearsay legal doctrine is left undisturbed.
Pediatric cardiac transplantation for non-dilated cardiomyopathies

Abstract Cardiomyopathy is the leading diagnosis for pediatric heart transplantation in children over 1 year of age. The majority of these patients usually have dilated cardiomyopathy. Children with hypertrophic and restrictive types of cardiomyopathy comprise less than 20% of the total children transplanted. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the smallest subgroup to receive a cardiac transplant (6%). The mean age at listing in the Pediatric Heart Transplant Study (PHTS) was 7.6 years; however, 39% were infants listed at a mean of 3.2 ± 2.8 months of age. A patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy older than 1 year had low waitlist mortality and survival after transplant was no different than dilated or non-cardiomyopathy patients. The infant subgroup had the poorest overall survival with waitlist mortality of 33%, within a few months after listing. Restrictive cardiomyopathy is the rarest type of cardiomyopathy (2–5%) but accounts for 11% of children transplanted with cardiomyopathy in PHTS. Survival after listing in infants
Polygenic Risk of Schizophrenia and Cognition in a Population-Based Survey of Older Adults

Cognitive impairment is a common feature of the major psychotic disorders, with deficits often present in at risk individuals and unaffected first-degree relatives. Previous studies have suggested that polygenic risk scores (PRS) for schizophrenia (SCZ) are associated with cognitive deficits, but there has been little examination of this association in longitudinal datasets, or comparison with other disorders. We used mixed models to study the association between PRS for 4 adult onset psychiatric disorders with cross-sectional cognitive performance and longitudinal cognitive decline in 8616 older adults from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), followed for an average of 10 years. PRS were computed for SCZ, bipolar disorder (BD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and Alzheimer's disease (ALZ). SCZ PRS associated with decreased cognitive function (z = -3.00, P = .001, ΔR (2) = 0.04%), which was largely driven by an association with impaired attention and orientation (z = -3.33, P = 4.3×10(-4), ΔR (2) = 0.08%). We found no effect of BD or MDD PRS on cognition, in contrast to a robust effect of the APOE4/TOMM40 locus (z = -5.05, P = 2.2×10(-7), ΔR (2) = 0.36%), which was primarily associated with impaired verbal memory (z = -5.15, P = 1.3×10(-7), ΔR (2) = 0.21%). APOE4/TOMM40 locus and the ALZ PRS, but not the PRS for SCZ, were associated with greater cognitive decline. In summary, using a large, representative sample of older adults, we found evidence for different degrees of association between polygenic risk for SCZ and genetic risk factors for ALZ on cognitive function and decline, highlighting potential differences in the pathophysiology of cognitive deficits seen in SCZ and ALZ.
DNA methylation, chromatin inheritance, and cancer.

Cancer is a process driven by the accumulation of abnormalities in gene function. While many of these changes are genetic, epigenetically mediated changes in gene expression are being increasingly appreciated. This latter process emphasizes the need to understand two key components of heritable, but reversible, modulation of gene promoter function that are closely tied to one another – formation of chromatin which modulates transcription and establishing patterns of DNA methylation. The link lies first in the recruitment to methylated cytosines of a family of methyl-CpG binding domain proteins (MBDs), which are direct transcriptional repressors and can complex with transcriptional corepressors including histone deacetylases (HDACs). Additionally, the proteins that catalyze DNA methylation, DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), also directly repress transcription and associate with HDACs. Regulation of these above chromatin-DNA methylation interactions as a function of DNA replication timing is emerging as a key event in the inheritance of transcriptionally repressed domains of the genome. Importantly, synergy between HDAC activity and DNA methylation is operative for a key epigenetic abnormality in cancer cells, transcriptional silencing of tumor suppressor genes. This change has now been recognized for genes that are essential for normal regulation of virtually every major cell function including cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, DNA repair, and cell–cell, cell–substratum interaction. Understanding the molecular determinants of both normal and abnormal patterns of chromatin formation and DNA methylation thus holds great promise for our understanding of cancer and for means to better diagnose, prevent, and treat this disease.
Abstract PR12: Examining the Latina paradox: Impact of neighborhood Latina density on breast cancer survival in Texas

Purpose: Despite a worse risk factor profile, Latina breast cancer patients often experience better survival outcomes compared to whites. The reasons for this Paradox are unclear and may reflect advantages that are largely social and cultural in nature. We examine whether the percent of other Latinas in a patient9s neighborhood a marker of local area social and cultural context moderates Latina-white differences in survival among breast cancer patients. Methods: We examined all-cause and breast-cancer specific mortality among female adult (≥18 years) non-Latina white and Latina breast cancer patients, diagnosed 1995-2009 and recorded in the Texas Cancer Registry (TCR). We linked TCR data to mammography machine data obtained from the FDA and U.S. Census data. We examined the associations and interactions of patient Latina ethnicity and neighborhood percent Latina using shared frailty Cox proportional hazard models (patients nested within census tracts.) Covariates included patient age, diagnosis year, tumor stage, grade, histology, urban/rural residence, and local area mammography capacity. Results: Of 151,275 Texas women, Latinas (vs. whites) were more likely to live in urban, high poverty, high Latina density, and poor mammography capacity neighborhoods. Univariate survival analyses indicated that Latinas (vs. whites) were more likely to die from breast cancer-specific causes (HR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.19-1.28) and less likely to die from all-causes (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.86-0.90). The interaction between patient Latina ethnicity and neighborhood Latina density and was statistically significant for both breast cancer and all-cause death (p more likely to die from both outcomes. Discussion: Findings were surprising, because prior research has found Latinas experience protective effects of ethnic enclaves (areas with greater Latina density). Here we found the opposite to be true. Given the heterogeneity of the Latina population, effects of Latina ethnicity on mortality must be disentangled from shared language preferences, socioeconomic and contextual factors. We are currently analyzing the synergistic impact of nativity, neighborhood poverty and the percentage of foreign-born neighborhood residents on cancer mortality. This knowledge is critical to inform intervention design including targeting subgroups of Latinas in Texas at highest risk for breast cancer mortality. This abstract was also presented as Poster B24. Citation Format: Sandi L. Pruitt, Simon Craddock Lee, John M. Ruiz, Lei Xuan, Jasmin A. Tiro. Examining the Latina paradox: Impact of neighborhood Latina density on breast cancer survival in Texas. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 9-12, 2014; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015;24(10 Suppl):Abstract nr PR12.
Analysis of infectious disease in Shanghai Disney surrounding areas and exploration of the Shanghai Disney long-term prevention strategy

Objective To analyze the infectious disease in Shanghai Disney surrounding areas and explore the long-term prevention strategy. Methods The study population was the residents living around Shanghai Disney within 10 kilometers radius. The infectious disease data from 2007 to 2012 were collected from China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention,and analyzed by descriptive epidemiology. Results There were 27,224 cases of statutory infectious diseases reported around Shanghai Disney from 2007 to 2012,Category A infection( 2 cases),Category B infection( 12,166 cases),Category C infection( 15,056 cases). The morbidity of Category A and B infection was of overall downward trend. The morbidity of Category C infection was increasing yearly. Overall,the majority cases were blood and sexually transmitted diseases( accounting for 66. 51%),its trend was generally stable. Followed by respiratory diseases( accounting for26. 04%),rising faster. Intestinal infectious diseases decreased significantly( accounting for 7. 12%). The peak incidence of ABC infectious diseases was from May to July. In Category A and B infectious diseases,the predominant age of onset was from 25 to 30 years old,the predominant occupation was worker,and the predominant household registration cases were in Pudong New Area. The incidence rate of the two towns close to Disney was the highest( 197. 04 /100 000). In Category C infectious diseases,the predominant age of onset was from 0 to 5 year-old,the predominant occupation was diaspora children,and the predominant household registration cases were of other provinces. The incidence rate of the four towns around the outer ring of Disney was the highest( 209. 20 /100,000). Conclusions Starting with the peak incidence,we can prevent the outbreak and epidemic of tuberculosis,scarlet fever,hand-foot-mouth diseases from May to July. For 25 to30 year-old household registration workers in this area,we must attach importance to the prevention and control measures of the blood,sexually and respiratory transmitted diseases. For diaspora and kindergarten children,we should focus on the control of hand-foot-mouth disease. Meanwhile,combining with the characteristics of the region,we should focus on the prevention and control of Category A and B infectious diseases in two towns close to Disney and Category C infectious diseases in four towns around Shanghai Disney. By learning from foreign advanced technology,we can establish our own disease surveillance systems. By strengthening professional development and training talent,we can enhance the ability to protect large-scale events.
Screening for Prostatic Carcinoma

AbstractRoutine testing for prostatic carcinoma by digital rectal examination, transrectal ultrasonography and prostate specific antigen determination has been proposed to reduce deaths by earlier diagnosis. The questionable reliability of results, cost of screening, and inability to establish a balance between the benefits of treatment and the adverse effects on the quality of life of the men screened make screening experimental until controlled studies prove its value.
Screening Chemicals for Estrogen Receptor Bioactivity Using a Computational Model

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering high-throughput and computational methods to evaluate the endocrine bioactivity of environmental chemicals. Here we describe a multistep, performance-based validation of new methods and demonstrate that these new tools are sufficiently robust to be used in the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). Results from 18 estrogen receptor (ER) ToxCast high-throughput screening assays were integrated into a computational model that can discriminate bioactivity from assay-specific interference and cytotoxicity. Model scores range from 0 (no activity) to 1 (bioactivity of 17β-estradiol). ToxCast ER model performance was evaluated for reference chemicals, as well as results of EDSP Tier 1 screening assays in current practice. The ToxCast ER model accuracy was 86% to 93% when compared to reference chemicals and predicted results of EDSP Tier 1 guideline and other uterotrophic studies with 84% to 100% accuracy. The performance of high-throughput assa...
Auditory script location does not affect acquisition and maintenance of vocal initiations by children with autism

The present study evaluated whether two different locations of auditory scripts, relative to target discriminative stimuli, affected acquisition and maintenance of initiations of vocal interactions by four boys with autism or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. An alternating-treatments design with an initial baseline was used. Button-activated recording devices used to play the scripts were placed either on target stimuli or held behind the participants' heads to initiate interactions about a variety of toys. After scripts and the devices were faded, the frequency of initiations emitted was greater for two participants during the device-visible condition, greater for another participant during the device-not-visible condition, and no difference as a function of auditory script location for the fourth participant. These results suggest that fading an auditory script played behind a child's head may be equally as effective for establishing stimulus control by target items as fading an auditory script initially attached to items.
Nitrogen metabolism in Rhodopseudomonas globiformis

Rhodopseudomonas globiformis strain 7950 grew with a variety of amino acids, urea, or N2 as sole nitrogen sources. Cultures grown on N2 reduced acetylene to ethylene; this activity was absent from cells grown on nonlimiting NH 4 + . Glutamate dehydrogenase could not be detected in extracts of cells of strain 7950, although low levels of an alanine dehydrogenase were present. Growth ofR. globiformis on NH 4 + was severely inhibited by the glutamate analogue and glutamine synthetase inhibitor, methionine sulfoximine. High levels of glutamine synthetase (as measured in the γ-glutamyl transferase assay) were observed in cell extracts of strain 7950 regardless of the nitrogen source, although N2 and amino acid grown cells contained somewhat higher glutamine synthetase contents than cells grown on excess NH 4 + . Levels of glutamate synthase inR. globiformis were consistent with that reported from other phototrophic bacteria. Both glutamate synthase and alanine dehydrogenase were linked to NADH as coenzyme. We conclude thatR. globiformis is capable of fixing N2, and assimilates NH 4 + primarily via the glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase pathway.
Esophageal Disease in Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has multiple clinically important effects on the esophagus. Diabetes results in several esophageal motility disturbances, increases the risk of esophageal candidiasis, and increases the risk of Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal carcinoma. Finally, “black esophagus,” or acute esophageal necrosis, is also associated with DM. These four entities and their relationship with DM will be reviewed in this section.
Revisitng Bounded Suboptimal Heuristic Search

A* is the optimal algorithm for finding optimal solutions to heuristic search problems. Given the same amount of information, no search can expand fewer nodes. Many applications of heuristic search only require that we find solutions of reasonable quality or in a reasonable amount of time, where reasonable is defined by the needs of a user. My doctoral work will address these problems by developing new bounded suboptimal algorithms which perform better than the previous approaches. I will show that anytime searches can incorporate these new algorithms to improve their own performance. I will demonstrate that anytime search is not the correct approach when a deadline is known at the beginning of the search, and introduce deadline-aware search algorithms that address this setting directly.
Model Neuron Based on the Josephson Effect

A superconducting Josephson junction may be used to model the behavior of a biological neuron, but on a much faster time scale. I first list the properties of the biological neuron to be modeled, then introduce the Josephson effect, and finally describe how the properties of the Josephson junction model neuron correspond to the properties of the biological neuron. An important advantage of the Josephson, junction model neuron compared to the biological neuron is its speed. A Josephson junction model neuron functions on a 10-9 to 10-12 second time scale, whereas the biological neuron functions on a 10-3 second time scale.
Platelet Function Disorders

Disorders of platelet function include a disruption in platelet function that is independent of actual platelet count.
New Heat Stable Processable Aromatic Polymers

For a number of years we have been seeking heat stable polymers which were relatively cheaply made, processable either by solution or melt techniques, stable in air to temperatures of at least 300°C, curable by heating to give insoluble high melting and infusible products without gas formation, and stable to oxidation and hydrolysis, which would maintain their strength to at least 200°C. They should also have excellent adhesive properties toward metals, fibers, and glass cloth, and thus be useful as matrix resins for composites and for protective coatings for metals.
A melanin-mediated cancer immunotherapy patch

Melanin is capable of transforming 99.9% of the absorbed sunlight energy into heat, reducing the risk of skin cancer. We here develop a melanin-mediated cancer immunotherapy strategy through a transdermal microneedle patch. B16F10 whole tumor lysate containing melanin is loaded into polymeric microneedles that allow sustained release of the lysate upon insertion into the skin. In combination with the near-infrared light irradiation, melanin in the patch mediates the generation of heat, which further promotes tumor-antigen uptake by dendritic cells, and leads to enhanced antitumor vaccination. We found that the spatiotemporal photoresponsive immunotherapy increases infiltration of polarized T cells and local cytokine release. These immunological effects increase the survival of mice after tumor challenge and elicited antitumor effects toward established primary tumor and distant tumor. Collectively, melanin generates local heat, boosts T cell activities by transdermal vaccines, and promotes antitumor immune responses.
The effects of school choice on achievement gaps between private and public high schools: Evidence from the Seoul high school choice program

Abstract In 2010, Seoul began a universal school choice program for high schools. The implementation of school choice introduced autonomy, competition, and sorting, barely existent when public and private schools were under strong governmental control. Using school-level panel data, this study investigated how a newly introduced school choice policy affected achievement gaps between private and public high schools. We found evidence that competition and autonomy have minimal impacts on the achievement of private and public high schools. However, we found that student sorting did significantly increase the achievements of private high schools, widening existing gaps between public high schools.
Employment among Patients Starting Dialysis in the United States

Background and objectives Patients with ESRD face significant challenges to remaining employed. It is unknown when in the course of kidney disease patients stop working. Design, setting, participants, & measurements We examined employment trends over time among patients ages 18–54 years old who initiated dialysis in the United States between 1996 and 2013 from a national ESRD registry. We compared unadjusted trends in employment at the start of dialysis and 6 months before ESRD and used linear probability models to estimate changes in employment over time after adjusting for patient characteristics and local unemployment rates in the general population. We also examined employment among selected vulnerable patient populations and changes in employment in the 6 months preceding dialysis initiation. Results Employment was low among patients starting dialysis throughout the study period at 23%–24%, and 38% of patients who were employed 6 months before ESRD stopped working by dialysis initiation. However, after adjusting for observed characteristics, the probability of employment increased over time; patients starting dialysis between 2008 and 2013 had a 4.7% (95% confidence interval, 4.3% to 5.1%) increase in the absolute probability of employment at the start of dialysis compared with patients starting dialysis between 1996 and 2001. Black and Hispanic patients were less likely to be employed than other patients starting dialysis, but this gap narrowed during the study period. Conclusions Although working-aged patients in the United States starting dialysis have experienced increases in the adjusted probability of employment over time, employment at the start of dialysis has remained low.
Learning from failure: a meta-analysis of the empirical studies

The authors searched five scholarly databases for a decade of research publications examining learning from failure as an instructional strategy. Out of 187 publications, 62 were found to be relevant to the topic from which only 12 used experimental design to examine the issue and reported statistics appropriate for meta-analysis. The studies also represented only two of our search domains-productive failure and failure-driven memory. The small number of experimental studies on this topic is a telling indication of the state of experimental research in this area. However, they revealed a moderately positive result for the effect of learning from failure. An examination of moderating variables indicated that participants’ grade level, subject matter domain, and study’s duration, while not significant in explaining the differences across the examined studies, showed positive medium effect sizes. Instructional design implications of our findings and limitations of the study are discussed.
On the divisibility of #Hom(Γ,G) by |G|

Abstract We extend and reformulate a result of Solomon on the divisibility of the title. We show, for example, that if Γ is a finitely generated group, then | G | divides # Hom ( Γ , G ) for every finite group G if and only if Γ has infinite abelianization. As a consequence we obtain some arithmetic properties of the number of subgroups of a given index in such a group Γ.
Role of Trade Finance

This chapter takes a look at trade finance, which represents a set of financial arrangements and mechanisms to support international trade. Trade finance is an important element supporting trade and globalization. This chapter defines trade finances in more detail and presents some examples of common contracts. It reviews the existing evidences on trade finance and presents new descriptive evidences on the use of common trade finance types around the world. Finally, it discusses the role of trade finance in the recent global financial crisis and presents arguments for policy actions to support trade finance during the crisis.
Pre-prison, prison, post-prison: post traumatic stress symptoms

Those sentenced to prison bring with them individual characteristics acquired prior to incarceration. This study assesses the effect of pre-prison experiences on adjustment to the prison environment. Regression analysis indicates that pre-prison experiences are significantly related to the likelihood of participating in, or being exposed to, elements of the incarceration experience that may cause Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms. A second component of this study assesses the relationship between elements of the incarceration experience and Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms. Regression analysis indicates that aspects of the incarceration experience constitute traumatic stressors that cause Post Traumatic stress Symptoms in some individuals. This study also assesses the relationship between pre-prison experiences and Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms, independent of the incarceration experience, as well as assessing the relationship between a combination of the pre-prison and inprison independent variables with development of Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms. Data for this study are drawn from surveys administered to 208 men recently released from prison in a Mid-Western state.
Model dimensionality effects on the amplification of seismic waves

Abstract Despite recent advances in numerical methods and computer architectures that make it ever more practical to obtain computationally the surface response to idealized or realistic seismic events, while fully accounting for three-dimensional effects due to topography or to heterogeneities, reliance on one-dimensional models persists. As discrepancies between computed and recorded responses still remain, in this study we aim at highlighting the effect the model dimensionality choice has on the discrepancies, in the presence of topographic features and/or heterogeneity. First, we briefly discuss the components of an integrated seismic-motion simulator that deploys best-practice tools for the study of wave amplification in arbitrarily heterogeneous sedimentary basins, while also accounting for topography. Then, we report numerical experiments in two and three dimensions for various prototype topography-endowed and layered domains, and compare the motion amplification/de-amplification patterns against one-dimensional simulations, in order to quantify the effects model dimensionality has on surface motion. We conclude that one-dimensional models greatly underestimate the effects of topography and heterogeneity on the amplification of seismic waves; two-dimensional models fair better, but, in general, they too underestimate the response. It appears that, in the presence of topography and complex stratification, there is no suitable alternative other than three-dimensional models to account for reasonable estimates of motion amplification to guide the design of earthquake-resistant structures.
Molecular Nearest Neighbors Determine Generalization of Odorant Mixtures

Most natural odors arise from mixtures of multiple odorants. Some such mixtures are perceived "elementally", with each odorant component clearly identifiable, while others are perceived "configurally", with the mixture adopting a perceptual quality distinct from any of the components. While the perceptual similarity of two mixtures is presumably related in some way to the similarity of the corresponding components, given the elemental/configural dichotomy it is unclear if any formal principle can be used to predict mixture similarity. To investigate this problem, we trained mice to respond to a binary reference mixture of structurally similar odorants (S+) and then tested generalization of this response to other structurally related binary test mixtures. Across 5 experiments, we parametrically varied these mixtures in distinct ways to test candidate models for the perceptual similarity of mixtures. The best-performing model predicted behavioral responses by considering, for each component of the S+, only the similarity of the most structurally similar ("nearest neighbor") component of each test mixture. We conclude that for mixture generalization tasks the olfactory system may deemphasize or discard information about mixture components not perceptually "near" enough to any of those in the S+, consistent with a sparse and elemental rule for perception of structurally-related binary mixtures.
Book Review: Motivation and Self-Regulated Learning: Theory, Research, and Applications by Edited by Dale H. Schunk and Barry J. Zimmerman (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2008)

Excerpt: Understanding self-regulated learning is essential in today’s academic and social world, and this handbook is a keeper for developers, faculty, and students. As learning moves through its various levels and depths, relevance is essential. Though teachers are trained in content, many are not supported in the dynamics of how to help students move toward the intrinsic or self-regulated end of the motivational continuum. Because it is impossible to separate successful learning from healthy development, learning is enhanced as students become in charge of their learning by being supported in autonomy as well as the development of academic competencies.
Percutaneous Transverse Sinus Cannulation for Dural Arteriovenous Fistula Coiling: Operative Video

This is the case of an 84-year old woman, found to have a symptomatic transverse sinus dural arteriovenous fistula. The transverse sinus was isolated from all venous circulation and its arterial feeders stemmed from the occipital artery, precluding both arterial and venous access for effective obliteration of the fistula. Therefore the patient underwent a combined open surgical/endovascular approach, where the sinus was percutaneously cannulated through a single burr hole, allowing access for effective coiling of the fistula. In this video, we present the rationale, feasibility, and technical implications for this procedure.1.