cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organization of sleeping and waking states in infants: consistency across contexts.

Abstract The sleep and waking states of infants are described from direct behavioral observations made in the home for a 7-hour period on weeks 2, 3, 4, and 5. States were analyzed separately for two contexts: infant alone and infant with the mother. States analyzed included Alert, Waking (Non-Alert) Activity, Fussing or Crying, Drowse or Sleep-Wake Transition, Active Sleep, Quiet Sleep, and Unclassified Sleep. Individual state profiles for each context were obtained for each week. A quantitative measure of profile consistency over weeks was calculated as an index of stability of state organization. Infants showed considerable range in state stability over weeks. State stability when alone was significantly correlated with state stability when with the mother (r=.67), even though there were differences in sleep-wake distributions and in level of stimulation in these contexts. These findings demonstrate within-individual consistency in CNS control of behavioral states, across sleep and wakefulness and throughout the diverse activities of the caretaking environment.
Progress in insulation research — 1938

Continuing a series based on the annual report of the chairman of the Conference on Electrical Insulation of National Research Council, this article presents a summary of the principal research work on gaseous, liquid, and solid dielectrics during the past year. A comprehensive list of references is included.
5-Methyltryptophan: An internal standard for tryptophan determination by ion-exchange chromatography

Abstract The use of 5-methyltryptophan as an internal standard to facilitate tryptophan determination is described. Protein is hydrolyzed in the presence of 5-methyltryptophan for 18 hr at 120° in 5.0 n NaOH in the absence of oxygen and in the presence of starch or thiodiglycol as an antioxidant. Ion-exchange chromatography of the hydrolysate on Durrum DC-2 resin using pH 5.43 citrate (0.175 n Na+) completely resolved tryptophan and 5-methyltryptophan from one another, other amino acids, and artifacts of the alkaline hydrolysate. The chromatographic conditions and stability of tryptophan and 5-methyltryptophan were established initially by demonstrating quantitative recovery of both amino acids that had been added prior to hydrolysis of ribonuclease A, a protein devoid of tryptophan. The tryptophan content of several well-characterized proteins was determined, and the results, after correction to 100% recovery of 5-methyltryptophan, agreed well with values obtained by established procedures.
Determining optimal clinical target volume margins in head-and-neck cancer based on microscopic extracapsular extension of metastatic neck nodes

Purpose: To determine the optimal clinical target volume margins around the gross nodal tumor volume in head-and-neck cancer by assessing microscopic tumor extension beyond cervical lymph node capsules. Methods and Materials: Histologic sections of 96 dissected cervical lymph nodes with extracapsular extension (ECE) from 48 patients with head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma were examined. The maximum linear distance from the external capsule border to the farthest extent of the tumor or tumoral reaction was measured. The trends of ECE as a function of the distance from the capsule and lymph node size were analyzed. Results: The median diameter of all lymph nodes was 11.0 mm (range: 3.0–30.0 mm). The mean and median ECE extent was 2.2 mm and 1.6 mm, respectively (range: 0.4–9.0 mm). The ECE was Conclusion: For N1 nodes that are at high risk for ECE but not grossly infiltrating musculature, 1 cm clinical target volume margins around the nodal gross tumor volume are recommended to cover microscopic nodal extension in head-and-neck cancer.
In vitro transposition of Tn552: A tool for DNA sequencing and mutagenesis

We have explored the potential of the Tn 552 in vitro transposition reaction as a genetic tool. The reaction is simple (requiring a single protein component), robust and efficient, readily producing insertions into several percent of target DNA. Most importantly, Tn 552 insertions in vitro appear to be essentially random. Extensive analyses indicate that the transposon exhibits no significant regional or sequence specificity for target DNA and leaves no discernible 'cold' spots devoid of insertions. The utility of the in vitro reaction for DNA sequencing was demonstrated with a cosmid containing the Mycobacterium smegmatis recBCD gene cluster. The nucleotide sequence of the entire operon was determined using 71 independent Tn 552 insertions, which generated over 13.5 kb of unique sequence and simultaneously provided a comprehensive collection of insertion mutants. The relatively short ends of Tn 552 make construction of novel transposons a simple process and we describe several useful derivatives. The data presented suggest that Tn 552 transposition is a valuable addition to the arsenal of tools available for molecular biology and genomics.
Mutations in specific structural regions of immunoglobulin light chains are associated with free light chain levels in patients with AL amyloidosis.

Background The amyloidoses are protein misfolding diseases characterized by the deposition of amyloid that leads to cell death and tissue degeneration. In immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (AL), each patient has a unique monoclonal immunoglobulin light chain (LC) that forms amyloid deposits. Somatic mutations in AL LCs make these proteins less thermodynamically stable than their non-amyloidogenic counterparts, leading to misfolding and ultimately the formation of amyloid fibrils. We hypothesize that location rather than number of non-conservative mutations determines the amyloidogenicity of light chains. Methodology/principal findings We performed sequence alignments on the variable domain of 50 kappa and 91 lambda AL light chains and calculated the number of non-conservative mutations over total number of patients for each secondary structure element in order to identify regions that accumulate non-conservative mutations. Among patients with AL, the levels of circulating immunoglobulin free light chain varies greatly, but even patients with very low levels can have very advanced amyloid deposition. Conclusions Our results show that in specific secondary structure elements, there are significant differences in the number of non-conservative mutations between normal and AL sequences. AL sequences from patients with different levels of secreted light chain have distinct differences in the location of non-conservative mutations, suggesting that for patients with very low levels of light chains and advanced amyloid deposition, the location of non-conservative mutations rather than the amount of free light chain in circulation may determine the amyloidogenic propensity of light chains.
Estimating Strictly Piecewise Distributions

Strictly Piecewise (SP) languages are a subclass of regular languages which encode certain kinds of long-distance dependencies that are found in natural languages. Like the classes in the Chomsky and Subregular hierarchies, there are many independently converging characterizations of the SP class (Rogers et al., to appear). Here we define SP distributions and show that they can be efficiently estimated from positive data.
Beyond touchdowns, homeruns, and three-pointers: an examination of fantasy sport participation motivation

This research examined the motivation aspects of a large and growing phenomenon that is fantasy sport. Through the lens of the uses and gratifications approach and using mixed methods research, motivations of the fantasy sport user were analysed. Qualitative online focus groups and a quantitative survey were administered to develop, validate, and explore fantasy sport motivations. The results revealed the top three motivating factors as fanship, competition, and social sport and the bottom three as fan expression, ownership, and escape. The factors of competition, achievement, and surveillance had significant positive correlations with overall satisfaction while the factors of competition and camaraderie had significant positive correlations with future intentions. This research provides more information and insight into the burgeoning field of fantasy sport. The results of this study provide practitioners a more comprehensive view into the attitudes, feelings, and motives of the fantasy sport user. Both academic and practical implications are highlighted.
Band reporting probabilities of mallards, American black ducks, and wood ducks in eastern North America

Estimates of band reporting probabilities are used for managing North American waterfowl to convert band recovery probabilities into harvest probabilities, which are used to set harvest regulations. Band reporting probability is the probability that someone who has shot and retrieved a banded bird will report the band. This probability can vary relative to a number of factors, particularly the inscription on the band and the ease with which it can be reported. Other factors, such as geographic reporting region, and species and sex of the bird may also play a role. We tested whether reporting probabilities of wood ducks (Aix sponsa) and American black ducks (black ducks; Anas rubripes) differed from those of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and whether band reporting varied geographically or by the sex of the banded bird. In the analysis of spatially comparable wood duck and mallard data, a band reporting probability of 0.73 (95% CI = 0.67–0.78) was appropriate for use across species, sex, and reporting region within the United States. In the black duck–mallard comparison, the band reporting probability of black ducks in Eastern Canada (0.50, 95% CI = 0.44–0.57) was lower than in the Eastern United States (0.73, 95% CI = 0.62–0.83). These estimates reflected an increase in overall band reporting probability following the addition of a toll-free telephone number to band inscriptions. Lower reporting in Eastern Canada may be because of cultural, linguistic, or logistical barriers. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
PREVALENCE OF AVIAN PARAMYXOVIRUS 1 AND AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUS IN DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS (PHALACROCORAX AURITUS) IN EASTERN NORTH AMERICA

Although it is well established that wild birds, such as cormorants, carry virulent avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (APMV-1; causative agent of Newcastle disease) and avian influenza virus (AIV), the prevalence of these viruses among Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the Great Lakes region of North America has not been rigorously studied. We determined the prevalences of APMV-1 and AIV in Double-crested Cormorants from the interior population of eastern North America. From 2009 to 2011, oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs and serum samples were collected from 1,957 individual Double-crested Cormorants, ranging from chicks to breeding adults, on breeding colony sites in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Mississippi, USA, and Ontario, Canada, as well as on the wintering grounds of migratory populations in Mississippi, USA. Prevalence of antibodies to APMV-1 in after-hatch year birds was consistently high across all three years, ranging from 86.3% to 91.6%. Antibody prevalences in chicks were much lower: 1.7, 15.3, and 16.4% in 2009, 2010, and 2011, respectively. Virulent APMV-1 was detected in six chicks sampled in 2010 in Ontario, Canada. Only one adult was positive for AIV-specific antibodies and five individuals were positive for AIV matrix protein, but the latter were negative for H5 and H7 AIV subtypes. We provide further evidence that Double-crested Cormorants play an important role in the maintenance and circulation of APMV-1 in the wild, but are unlikely to be involved in the circulation of AIV.
Mutant TEM β-Lactamase Producing Resistance to Ceftazidime, Ampicillins, and β-Lactamase Inhibitors

A derivative of the TEM-1 beta-lactamase producing clinically significant levels of resistance to ceftazidime and beta-lactamase inhibitors in the presence of penicillins was generated following five rounds of DNA shuffling and selection. This complex mutant enzyme contained three amino acid substitutions including those of residues 104 and 276 that are known to produce extended-spectrum resistance and, correspondingly, resistance to beta-lactamase inhibitors. Although the Glu104Lys substitution by itself produced low levels of ceftazidime resistance, additional amino acid replacements in the enzyme with the triple mutation resulted in further enhancement of resistance to ceftazidime. Kinetic studies of the purified beta-lactamase enzyme with the triple mutation indicated enhancement of the catalytic efficiency for turnover (kcat/Km) of ceftazidime. The increases in the Ki values of both clavulanic acid and tazobactam for the enzyme with the triple mutation were consistent with the observed bacterial resistance to the reversibility of beta-lactam resistance with these inhibitors.
The anatomy of the cauda equina on CT scans and MRI

The nerve roots of the cauda equina may be visualised by contrast-enhanced CT scans and by surface-coil MRI. We have identified the pattern of anatomy from L2-L3 to L5-S1 in 10 human cadaver specimens and correlated this with anatomical dissections. Individual roots are slightly more distinct on contrast-enhanced CT than on surface-coil MRI. There is a crescentic oblique pattern of nerve roots at the lower lumbar levels which is still apparent in the more crowded proximal sections. In all cases, the axial images correlated precisely with the dissections. Current imaging modalities can help the clinical understanding and management of abnormalities in this region of the spine.
Comparative value of single-beat load-independent contractility indices in dilated cardiomyopathy and mitral regurgitation

Abstract Objective We sought to compare single-beat estimates of contractility indices. Methods Echocardiography was performed for 6 control patients, 8 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, and 9 patients with mitral regurgitation (MR). Left ventricular volume waveform, outflow tract velocities, and mitral annulus velocities were recorded with carotid tonometry. Numeric simulations were used to generate the same data while varying contractility, compliance, and MR. Estimates of elastance (normalized systolic and bilinearly approximated), preload-recruitable stroke work, and preload-adjusted maximal power were calculated. Results Normalized systolic and bilinearly approximated elastance were decreased in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy ( P P = .0002 and .02, respectively). Preload-recruitable stroke work and preload-adjusted maximal power were decreased in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy only ( P Conclusions Single-beat indices are decreased in dilated cardiomyopathy, but in MR show dissimilar behavior.
Design languages for cleanroom software engineering

Choosing a good design language is essential for success in using the cleanroom software engineering techniques. The design language should be tailored to support the important aspects of cleanroom, most importantly, functional decomposition of intended functions and functional verification. To support these goals, a good design language should be capable of providing a high level of abstraction. Many existing implementation languages, such as C++, C, and PL/1, are suitable for this purpose, given appropriate guidelines on their use. These languages have the additional benefits of being familiar to users, and making the design-to-code step unnecessary. The paper describes the important principles in creating a design language for use with cleanroom software engineering. It then discusses the guidelines needed to produce a viable design language from one existing implementation language. >
QUANTITATIVE BIO-ASSAY OF CHOBIONIC GONADOTROPHIN WITH THE MALE FROG

INTRODUCTION The efficiency and accuracy of “pregnancy testing” with the male Batrachia is well established and has been reviewed recently by Galli-Mainini (1948). While adapting the male Rana pipiens at this laboratory for the routine analysis of serum and urine for gonadotrophin, it became expedient to explore the quantitative aspects of the test. Studies were initiated utilizing the conventional minimal effective dose method of bio-assay. During this procedure it was noted that the time necessary for the appearance of spermatazoa in the test animals’ urine was indirectly proportional to the amount of gonadotrophinadministered. The time response-dose relationship proved to have a degree of constancy sufficiently great to provide a relatively accurate method of bio-assay. The time response-dose relationship and the minimal effective dose findings are presented as a rapid and efficient quantitative bio-assay method for chorionic gonadotrophin. It should be noted that the “male frog technique” used in this...
Origin of Cohesion and Its Dependence on Saturation for Granular Media

By definition, cohesion is the stress (act) of sticking together. Yet, in engineering mechanics, particularly in soil mechanics, cohesion refers to shear strength under zero normal stress, or the intercept of a material’s failure envelope with shear stress axis in the shear stress-normal stress space. Cohesion under saturated drained conditions is called drained cohesion and under variably saturated conditions is called apparent cohesion. This paper summarizes and extends recent work showing that there exists a unique functional relation between drained cohesion and apparent cohesion as they share common sources of physical origin, namely, van der Waals attraction, double layer repulsion, cementation, and capillary attraction. All of these forces depend on saturation and material (soil) type. Cohesion and apparent cohesion can be unified by a unified effective stress called suction stress under variably saturated conditions. Cohesion can be unambiguously de-composed into the product of tangent frictional angle and suction stress or tensile stress, and thus can be physically interpreted as the mobilized suction stress to internal frictional stress. Under such conceptualization, suction stress is the true cohesion as it is the stress of sticking granular particles together. Together with the internal friction angle, it can be used to mathematically describe cohesion of all granular materials under variably saturated conditions.
The Stoichiometry of an SK Channel Peptide and Calmodulin

SK potassium channels modulate the cellular membrane potential in response to intracellular calcium. SK requires that calcium binds to the calcium sensor, calmodulin (CaM), to open. Comprised of four identical subunits, SK has at least four putative CaM binding sites; at least one site is encoded per carboxyl tail. Understanding how SK channels operate requires knowing how many CaMs bind to SK. Previous work has shown that in a crystal the SK peptide (SKp) forms a ‘2:2 complex' with CaM in saturating calcium. We have used a recombinant CaM binding SK peptide (SKp) without affinity tags to measure stoichiometry. Orthogonal approaches were used to measure the molecular mass of particles in solution and in the presence of 1 mM calcium. Light scattering results show that SKp and CaM form a complex with a molecular mass close to 29 kDa, which is consistent with a 1:1 SKp:CaM complex. Sedimentation equilibrium studies show an intermediate molecular weight consistent with alternate stoichiometries, but not likely present as a 2:2 complex. In sedimentation velocity measurements, the sedimentation rate of the complex that forms varies with the molar ratio of SKp:CaM. For example, when SKp and CaM are equimolar, van Holde-Weischet analyses yields a sedimentation constant of 2.50 s (s=1x10−13s). If CaM is in two fold molar excess over SKp, the sedimentation constant increases to 2.96 s. If SKp is in two fold molar excess over CaM, a distinct species forms with a sedimentation constant of 2.75 s. Finally, 2D spectrum analyses combined with Monte Carlo statistics support alternative stoichiometric ratios, but also exclude the formation of a ‘2:2 complex'. The data suggest these proteins have different modes of interaction in a dilute solution than occurs in a crystal.
On variable-length coding of sources with side information at multiple decoders

In this paper, we generalize Simonyi's result to the case of variable-length coding. Our result shows that the asymptotic minimum rate is given by the maximum complementary graph entropy in the characteristic graph family.
E-026 Time and Pressure - Possible Reasons Behind Worse Outcomes For GETA Patients Undergoing Stroke Interventions

Background Several publications have shown poor outcomes for GETA patients undergoing endovascular stroke interventions. Our goal was to examine the factors directly related to GETA that may impact procedural outcomes. Our hypothesis being that GETA patients are sicker, the procedure may take longer and there may be fluctuations in blood pressure. Methodology An IRB approved retrospective analysis was performed on patients that had undergone stroke interventions over the last 5-years and for whom anesthesia records were available. Blood pressure parameters and time intervals were recorded at multiple steps during a patient’s progress from the ER to the ICU. Patient demographic information and comorbidities were also recorded, as was 90-day clinical outcome. Results Out of 190 patients, GETA was administered in 108(56.8%) and non-GETA in 82(43.2%) patients. The mean age was 67.9(±16.2) years in the GETA and 67.1(±17) years in the non-GETA-group (p = 0.7). The mean NIHSS was 18.9(±8.7) in the GETA versus 13.4(6.8) in the non-GETA-group (p Conclusion GETA was associated with worse outcomes and higher mortality, however, GETA patients had also presented with worse deficits and by itself was not an independent predictor of outcome when NIHSS, age and recanalization were taken into account. A significantly higher BP fluctuation was seen in GETA versus non-GETA groups and a higher difference in pre and post-induction SBP portended a poor outcome amongst the GETA-group. Lastly the interval between arrival and groin puncture was significantly longer in GETA patients. At times GETA may be a necessity in sick patients, however, by strictly controlling BP and introducing measures to reduce delay in procedure start time (such as invasive BP monitoring through the femoral sheath), the “adverse” effect of GETA may be countered in endovascular stroke interventions. Disclosures A. Rai: 2; C; Stryker Neurovascular, Codman Neuro. S. Boo: None. J. Domico: None. T. Roberts: None. J. Carpenter: None.
Prime mover sizing for base-loaded combined heating and power systems:

This article considers the problem of sizing prime movers for combined heating and power (CHP) systems operating at full load to satisfy a fraction of a facility's electric load, i.e. a base load. Prime mover sizing is examined using three criteria: operational cost, carbon dioxide emissions (CDE), and primary energy consumption (PEC). The sizing process leads to consider ratios of conversion factors applied to imported electricity to conversion factors applied to fuel consumed. These ratios are labelled RCost, RCDE, RPEC depending on whether the conversion factors are associated with operational cost, CDE, or PEC, respectively. Analytical results show that in order to achieve savings in operational cost, CDE, or PEC, the ratios must be larger than a unique constant RMin that only depends on the CHP components efficiencies. Savings in oper- ational cost, CDE, or PEC due to CHP operation are explicitly formulated using simple equations. This facilitates the process of comparing the tradeoffs of optimizing the savings of one criterion over the other two - a task that has traditionally been accomplished through computer simula- tions. A hospital building, located in Atlanta, Georgia, was used as an example to apply the methodology presented in this article.
Conflicts of interest and the quality of recommendations in clinical guidelines.

Background There is increasing concern that conflicts of interest affect the development process of clinical practice guidelines. We evaluated The American Psychiatric Association's Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Major Depressive Disorder to determine the existence of financial and intellectual conflicts of interest and examine their possible effects. We selected this guideline because of its influence on clinical practice and because this guideline recommends pharmacotherapy for all levels of depression, despite controversies over the evidence base. Methods and Findings We determined the number and type of financial conflicts of interest for members of the guideline development group as well as for the independent panel charged with mitigating any effect of these conflicts. We also quantified the potential for intellectual conflicts of interest. We examined the quality of references used to support recommendations, as well as the degree of congruence between the research results and the recommendations. Fewer than half (44.4%) of the studies supporting the recommendations met criteria for high quality. Over one-third (34.2%) of the cited research did not study outpatients with major depressive disorder, and 17.2% did not measure clinically relevant results. One-fifth (19.7%) of the references were not congruent with the recommendations. Financial ties to industry were disclosed by all members (100%) of the guideline development committee with members reporting a mean 20.5 relationships (range 9–33). The majority of the committee participated on pharmaceutical companies' speakers' bureaus. Members of the independent panel that reviewed the guidelines for bias had undeclared financial relationships. As a marker of intellectual conflict of interest, 9.1% of all cited research and 13% of references supporting the recommendations were co-authored by the six guideline developers. Conclusions The prevalence of conflicts of interest among panel members was high. The quality of the evidence cited raises questions about the validity of the recommendations. Attention to the quality of cited studies and to the risk of bias resulting from conflicts of interest should be a priority for guideline development groups.
Specific P-selectin and P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 genotypes/haplotypes are associated with risk of incident CHD and ischemic stroke: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study

Objective P-selectin (PSEL) and its ligand, P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1), play key roles in both the inflammatory response and the atherosclerotic process, but there are conflicting results regarding the affect of PSEL and PSGL-1 gene variation on risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. We tested the association of four PSEL and two PSGL-1 polymorphisms with incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and ischemic stroke among 13,875 participants in the prospective Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. We also tested common haplotypes in the PSEL and PSGL-1 genes to assess associations with incident CHD and ischemic stroke.
RECIPROCITY AND INTERCHANGE IN THE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS OF WILD MALE CHIMPANZEES

Social relationships in nonhuman primates result from investments that individuals make while pursuing fitness-maximizing strategies. These strategies sometimes include social exchange, either reciprocity (exchange of the same acts) or interchange (exchange of different acts). Individuals in many species may negotiate for services in biological markets, particularly grooming and agonistic support. They also may compete for access to valuable social partners. Abundant evidence for reciprocity in grooming and in support and for competition over partners exists, notably for females in some cercopithecines. However, evidence for interchange of grooming and support is scarcer, and apparent interchange may be a byproduct of correlations between grooming or support and some third variable (e.g. dominance rank). Chimpanzees have been prominent in discussions of social exchange, especially because male chimpanzees cooperate in many ways. Most analyses of interchange have used data on captive chimpanzees; these provide good evidence for reciprocity, but ambiguity with regard to interchange. Data on an unusually large chimpanzee community at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda, strongly support the argument that social exchange is prominent in social relationships among males. Males at Ngogo show reciprocity in grooming and support. They also interchange grooming given and support received, as well as grooming received and support given, independently of reciprocity in grooming and support and of correlations of support and grooming with dominance rank. However, most cooperation in contests with third parties took low risk forms (e.g. both participants outranked their opponent). In this, males at Ngogo resemble captive chimpanzees and female cercopithecines. Reciprocity and interchange in this context may be important in the maintenance of social bonds between males, and in attainment and maintenance of high dominance rank, but probably represent mutualism, not reciprocal altruism.
Ikaros and Aiolos Inhibit Pre-B-Cell Proliferation by Directly Suppressing c-Myc Expression

Pre-B-cell expansion is driven by signals from the interleukin-7 receptor and the pre-B-cell receptor and is dependent on cyclin D3 and c-Myc. We have shown previously that interferon regulatory factors 4 and 8 induce the expression of Ikaros and Aiolos to suppress pre-B-cell proliferation. However, the molecular mechanisms through which Ikaros and Aiolos exert their growth inhibitory effect remain to be determined. Here, we provide evidence that Aiolos and Ikaros bind to the c-Myc promoter in vivo and directly suppress c-Myc expression in pre-B cells. We further show that downregulation of c-Myc is critical for the growth-inhibitory effect of Ikaros and Aiolos. Ikaros and Aiolos also induce expression of p27 and downregulate cyclin D3 in pre-B cells, and the growth-inhibitory effect of Ikaros and Aiolos is compromised in the absence of p27. A time course analysis further reveals that downregulation of c-Myc by Ikaros and Aiolos precedes p27 induction and cyclin D3 downregulation. Moreover, downregulation of c-Myc by Ikaros and Aiolos is necessary for the induction of p27 and downregulation of cyclin D3. Collectively, our studies identify a pre-B-cell receptor signaling induced inhibitory network, orchestrated by Ikaros and Aiolos, which functions to terminate pre-B-cell expansion.
Lowering the barrier to wireless and mobile experimentation

The success of ns highlights the importance of an infrastructure that enables efficient experimentation. Similarly, Netbed's automatic configuration and control of emulated and live network environments minimizes the effort spent configuring and running experiments. Learning from the evolution of these systems, in this paper we argue that a live wireless and mobile experimental facility focusing on ease of use and accessibility will not only greatly lower the barrier to research in these areas, but that the primary technical challenges can be overcome.The flexibility of Netbed's common abstractions for diverse node and link types has enabled its development from strictly an emulation platform to one that integrates simulation and live network experimentation. It can be further extended to incorporate wireless and mobile devices. To reduce the tedium of wireless and mobile experimentation, we propose automatically allocating and mapping a subset of a dense mesh of devices to match a specified network topology. To achieve low-overhead, coarse repeatability for mobile experiments, we outline how to leverage the predictability of passive couriers, such as PDA-equipped students and PC-equipped busses.
A finite element model for column-supported shells of revolution

A finite element model suitable for the analysis of column-supported shells of revolution is presented. This model combines in a single analysis axisymmetric shell elements with nodal circles and column elements with nodal points. Thus, it takes advantage of the axisymmetry of the shell, while the non-axisymmetric nature of individual columns is fully accounted for. The compatibility between the two different types of elements is achieved through the use of a co-ordinate transformation. The accuracy of the solutions is demonstrated through numerical examples. When a shell of revolution supported on equispaced columns of the same stiffness is subjected to a harmonically varying load in the circumferential angle, it is found that the resulting displacements are associated with selective harmonic terms. An equation which precisely defines this coupling mechanism is also derived.
Enhanced subarctic Pacific stratification and nutrient utilization during glacials over the last 1.2 Myr

The relationship between climate, biological productivity, and nutrient flux is of considerable interest in the subarctic Pacific, which represents an important high-nitrate, low-chlorophyll region. While previous studies suggest that changes in iron supply and/or physical ocean stratification could hypothetically explain orbital-scale fluctuations in subarctic Pacific nutrient utilization and productivity, previous records of nutrient utilization are too short to evaluate these relationships over many glacial-interglacial cycles. We present new, high-resolution records of sedimentary δ15N, which offer the first opportunity to evaluate systematic, orbital-scale variations in subarctic Pacific nitrate utilization from 1.2 Ma. Nitrate utilization was enhanced during all glacials, varied with orbital-scale periodicity since the mid-Pleistocene transition, was strongly correlated with enhanced aeolian dust and low atmospheric CO2, but was not correlated with productivity. These results suggest that glacial stratification, rather than iron fertilization, systematically exerted an important regional control on nutrient utilization and air-sea carbon flux.
Evidence for Functional Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in the Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus

Molitor, Scott C. and Paul B. Manis. Evidence for functional metabotropic glutamate receptors in the dorsal cochlear nucleus. J. Neurophysiol. 77: 1889–1905, 1997. The parallel fibers (PFs) of the ...
Leakage power proliferation in short-channel cache memories

This work investigates the escalation of leakage power loss in today’s low power processors as their feature size shrinks rapidly. The problem seems to exacerbate as technology scaling dives steadily into Very Deep Submicron (VDSM). A quantitatively analysis has been carried out in several cache systems and has shown that the 1-way set associativity optimizes this power component across various generations.
Evaluation of different Turbulence Models for analysis of Jet Impingement in Gas Turbine Blades

Heat Transfer in gas turbine blades, as a performance enhancing parameter, has gained high importance given the turbine inlet temperatures being above the safe operating point of the alloys used. One of the most effective techniques to achieve this heat transfer is through jet impingement using compressed air on the internal surface of the blade. Jet Impingement has high local heat transfer and is often used in the leading edge of gas turbine blades. As a balance between high local and average heat transfer is desired to balance thermal stresses and uniform surface temperatures, the flow in the impingement channel is modeled so as to get the most accurate predictions compared to a valid set of experimental data. Computational Fluid Dynamics will be used to simulate the flow conditions with an attempt to benchmark against a validated experimental data set. Different turbulence models will be compared to assess their ability in accurately and efficiently simulating the heat transfer processes within an impingement channel. Commercially available modern turbulence models, compared against experimental results from the literature, include Realizable k-, quadratic and cubic k-, k-, v 2 -f, EB k-. The geometry used was a 3x20 rectangular inline array with a jet to target distance of six diameters at a Reynolds number of 15000. The experiment was performed with an uncertainty of 12.3% for the heat transfer predictions. With an average Nusselt number of 55.54 which is about 19% off from the experimental data, the v 2 -f model best matches the experiment with the EB k- being the most accurate among the others. The trends in span wise and surface distribution of Nusselt number were appropriately captured with the stagnation region being prominent upstream eventually spreading over the surface downstream.
Adaptive Optics Microperimetry and OCT Images Show Preserved Function and Recovery of Cone Visibility in Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 Retinal Lesions

Purpose To evaluate visual function and disease progression in the retinal structural abnormalities of three patients from two unrelated families with macular telangiectasia (MacTel) type 2. Methods Adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) and AOSLO microperimetry (AOMP) were used to evaluate the structure and function of macular cones in three eyes with MacTel type 2. Cone spacing was estimated using histogram analysis of intercone distances, and registered spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scans were used to evaluate retinal anatomy. AOMP was used to assess visual sensitivity in and around areas of apparent cone loss. Results Although overall lesion surface area increased, some initially affected regions subsequently showed clear, contiguous, and normally spaced cone mosaics with recovered photoreceptor inner/outer segment (IS/OS) reflectivity (two of two eyes). The AOMP test sites fell within three categories: normal-appearing cones (N), dimly reflecting cones (D), and RPE cell mosaics (R). At N sites, AOMP threshold values (arbitrary units [au]) increased with increasing eccentricity (slope = 0.054 au/degree, r(2) = 0.77). The N thresholds ranged from 0.04 to 0.27 au, D thresholds from 0.04 to 0.33 au, and R thresholds from 0.14 to 1.00 au. There was measurable visual sensitivity everywhere except areas without intact external limiting membrane (ELM) and with diffuse scattering in the IS/OS and posterior tips of the outer segments (PTOS) regions on OCT. Conclusions Visual sensitivity and recovery of cone visibility in areas of apparent focal cone loss suggests that MacTel type 2 lesions with a preserved ELM may contain functioning cones with abnormal scattering and/or waveguiding characteristics. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00254605.).
Bias in military studies of mefloquine.

Dear Editor: I am concerned that the recent retrospective questionnaire-based study of the effects of antimalarial drugs on work performance conducted among UK military personnel by Terrell et al .1 may lack internal validity owing to bias, and that as a consequence their recent paper’s conclusions are unsupported by evidence. As described by Terrell et al ., completion rates ‘were consistently poor throughout the study period with only 150–200 questionnaires returned per tranche of around 1000 troops’.1 This unsatisfactorily high non-response rate—∼80%—raises concerns of likely …
Trichoderma spp. from roots of fumigated Douglas-fir trees infected with Phellinus weirii

Seven species of Trichoderma were isolated from roots of 104 live Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga men- ziesii) trees infected with laminated root rot caused by Phellinus weirii. The trees were treated 10 years earlier with one of three fumigants: Vorlex, methylisothio- cyanate, or chloropicrin. Sample chips from root sec? tions appearing to be stained or decayed by P. weirii were plated on malt agar. Most (73%) of the Tricho? derma spp. isolated were T. viride. Though not tested statistically, Trichoderma spp. were isolated more often from fumigated trees than from nonfumigated trees. In root sections of nonfumigated trees, Trichoderma spp. were isolated significantly less often where P. wei? rii was viable than where it was not.
Electrophysiological Analysis of Complex Brain Systems: Sensory-Evoked Potentials and Their Generators

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on neural sources of selected sensory-evoked potentials for electrophysiological analysis of complex brain systems. Sensory-evoked potentials represent a class of electrophysiological procedures that involve stimulation of sensory receptors or afferent nerves, and recording the evoked electrical activity from some portion or portions of the neural pathways. Typical stimuli might be a flash of light or a changing visual pattern for eliciting visual-evoked potentials, a click or tone of a specific frequency for auditory-evoked potentials, or an electrical shock to a peripheral nerve for somatosensory-evoked potentials. It is highly important that the recording of sensory-evoked potentials overcome signal-to-noise problems because of the small voltage of most of the evoked responses relative to other ongoing neural and non-neural electrical activity. This is typically accomplished through a combination of optimizing electrode placements, amplification and filtering of signals, and signal averaging or processing in phase with repetitive stimulation. This chapter provides basic concepts about localization of evoked potential generators. The chapter also elaborates electroretinograms, flash-evoked potentials, and pattern-evoked potentials. Brain stem auditory-evoked responses are also explained in detail.
Spinal Cord Herniation After Cervical Corpectomy with Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Background Spinal cord herniation (SCH) is rare, is mostly idiopathic, and occurs predominantly in the thoracic spine. SCH is less common in the cervical spine and has been reported after posterior cervical spine surgery associated with the development of pseudomeningoceles. Two cases of SCH have been reported after anterior cervical corpectomies for ossified posterior longitudinal ligament with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. We report the third such case, but the first in a patient without ossified posterior longitudinal ligament (degenerative disc disease and pseudarthrosis). Case Description A 56-year-old woman presented with bilateral arm pain and weakness. She had undergone 3 previous anterior cervical spine surgeries at an outside medical center with the most recent 7 years ago with C5 and C6 corpectomies and fusion with a persistent CSF leak. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography myelography showed spinal cord herniation through the mesh cage at C6. The patient underwent a redo C5 and C6 corpectomy with untethering of the spinal cord. The patient was asymptomatic 2 years later. Conclusions This is the first reported case of anterior cervical SCH in a patient without ossified posterior longitudinal ligament after multiple anterior cervical fusions including a cervical corpectomy for pseudarthrosis with a CSF leak. We hypothesize that persistent CSF leak causes a pressure gradient across the dura mater through the cage to the lower pressure in the retropharyngeal space, which led to herniation of the spinal cord into the anterior cage. We review the literature and discuss the treatment choices for anterior cervical SCH.
Exponential growth of the USA overdose epidemic

Accidental poisoning cases were abstracted from death record reports provided by the US National Center for Health Statistics for the period 1979 to 2015. A graph of the resultant death counts by year generated a tight exponential curve (R2 = 0.99) with growth rate of 9% per year and a doubling time of approximately 8 years. The mechanisms that have driven five continuous epidemic doublings of overdose deaths over a 37 year period, despite considerable variability in drug usage and drug control activities, are unclear. That this continuous exponential growth pattern began well before the onset of the current opioid epidemic suggests that deep sociological, economic, and technological factors may be operative. Regardless of underlying mechanisms, simple extrapolation of the fitted curve forecasts approximately 300,000 new deaths in the next five years.
Parental Participation in the Process of Youth Joining a Program: Perspectives from Adolescents and Parents

Objective This study examined the nature and extent of parental participation in the process of adolescents joining an organized program and identify factors underlying variations in overarching patterns of participation. Background Adolescents become increasingly interested in making their own choices and decisions. Thus, families must balance parental goals and adolescents' desire for autonomy in their social activities. Method Interviews were conducted with 62 adolescent program participants and 52 parents. Data analyses followed an inductive approach to identify emergent patterns in the data. Results We identified four roles parents played at the time their adolescent joined a program: emotional supporter, manager, informant, and instrumental supporter. Further, analyses revealed variations in roles and level of involvement related to adolescent age and ethnicity, as well as gaps between adolescent and parent perspectives. Overarching variations in parental engagement (the extent to which parents exerted influence during the joining process) were linked to parent, adolescent, and program factors. Conclusion Findings indicate that a multitude of factors intersect and shape whether and how parents attempt to influence the joining process and manage adolescents' social activities. Implications Our findings can be used by program administrators and youth leaders to strengthen outreach and recruitment efforts with adolescents from ethnically and socioeconomically diverse family backgrounds.
Supported Lipid Bilayers as Mimics for Cell Surfaces and as Tools in Biotechnology

The phospholipid bilayer is a universal molecular architecture that is shared by all cell membranes. The canonical vision of this material is a fluid mosaic [1] of proteins, lipids, and cholesterol that exhibits both a high degree of lateral fluidity and heterogeneity [2, 3]. There is widespread evidence for miscibility phase separation in membranes [4, 5, 6]. The membrane thus consists of a nanoemulsion of two-dimensional phase domains, often referred to as rafts, which are dynamic entities populated with distinctive and changing sets of proteins. The localization and cooperative arrangement of membrane components, especially in the 1–1000nmsize range, is broadly implicated in many facets of cell membrane function. There is tremendous interest, both from academy and industry, in membrane lateral structure and the way it regulates the activity of constituent membrane proteins.
Analysis of the Reduction Rate of Hematite Concentrate Particles in the Solid State by H 2 or CO in a Drop-Tube Reactor Through CFD Modeling

The kinetic analysis of the reduction of hematite concentrate particles by individual reducing gas H2 or CO was performed using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based approach in this paper. The particle residence time was calculated through the integration of the equation of particle motion. Non-uniform particle temperature profiles inside the reactor were obtained, and were taken into consideration for the kinetic analysis. The calculated reduction degrees based on this approach are in good agreement with the experimental values.