cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
OCULAR TOXICITY OF TOPICAL CLOTRIMAZOLE PREPARATIONS

AbstractClotrimazole is an antifungal imidazole with in vitro efficacy against Acan-thamoeba species. Lacking a commercially available ophthalmic preparation of clotrimazole, we tested several vehicles for corneal epithelial toxicity in a rabbit model. The mean times to epithelial wound closure are significantly delayed for 1% clotrimazole in polyethylene glycol (p = 0.00002) or in Cremophor (p = 0.003). Use of a commercially available clotrimazole cream preparation did not result in significantly different closure times from control levels (p = 0.7). Further studies are suggested on the bioavailability and potential efficacy of an ophthalmic preparation of clotrimazole in the treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis.
Racial differences in patient expectations prior to resective epilepsy surgery

Abstract We assessed the nature and frequency of preoperative expectations among patients with refractory epilepsy who were enrolled in a seven-center observational study of epilepsy surgery outcomes. At enrollment, patients responded to open-ended questions about expectations for surgical outcome. With the use of an iterative cutting-and-sorting technique, expectation themes were identified and rank-ordered. Associations of expectations with race/ethnicity were evaluated. Among 391 respondents, the two most frequently endorsed expectations (any rank order) were driving (62%) and job/school (43%). When only the most important (first-ranked) expectation was analyzed, driving (53%) and cognition (17%) were most frequently offered. Nonwhites endorsed job/school and cognition more frequently and driving less frequently than whites (all P ⩽ 0.05), whether expectations of any order or only first-ranked expectations were included. Elucidating the reason for these differences can aid in the clinical decision-making process for resective surgery and potentially address disparities in its utilization.
Stress and word position as determinants of imitation in first-language learners.

This study investigated stress (prominence) and word position as decoding cues for first-language learners. Three levels of stress (defined perceptually and acoustically) were assigned systematical...
Acute mixed-lineage leukemia t(4;11)(q21;q23) generates an MLL-AF4 fusion product

Abstract A chromosomal translocation, t(4;11)-(q21;q23), is associated with an aggressive mixed-lineage leukemia. A yeast artificial chromosome was used to clone the chromosomal breakpoint of this translocation in the RS4;11 cell line. The breakpoint sequences revealed an inverted repeat bordered by a consensus site for topoisomerase II binding and cleavage as well as chi-like elements. The der(11) chromosome encodes a fusion RNA and predicted chimeric protein between the 11q23 gene MLL and a 4q21 gene designated AF4. The sequence of the complete open reading frame for this fusion transcript reveals the MLL protein to have homology with DNA methyltransferase, the Drosophila trithorax gene product, and the "AT-hook" motif of high-mobility-group proteins. An alternative splice that deletes the AT-hook region of MLL was identified. AF4 is a serine- and proline-rich putative transcription factor with a glutamine-rich carboxyl terminus. The composition of the complete MLL-AF4 fusion product argues that it may act through either a gain-of-function or a dominant negative mechanism in leukemogenesis.
Tungsten oxide based media for optical data storage and switching applications

We report recent research into laser chemical processes involving tungsten oxide and similar materials having applications in optical data storage and switching. The basic properties of these processes and media are presented with particular attention being directed towards switching times, threshold power requirements and choices of process wavelengths. These characteristics define the architectures of both individual storage and switching devices as well as systems composed of these devices. We discuss these characteristics in term of available components for implementing actual devices and systems. Finally, tungsten oxide technology is presented in the context of competing magneto-optic and phase change technology.
Studies on the Bisoxazoline and (−)–Sparteine Mediated Enantioselective Addition of Organolithium Reagents to Imines

The enantioselective addition of organolithium reagents to N-anisyl aldimines promoted by chiral bisoxazolines and (-)-sparteine as external ligands is described. This reaction proceeds readily with a wide range of aldimine substrates (aliphatic, aromatic, olefinic) and organolithium nucleophiles (Me, n-Bu, Ph, vinyl) in excellent yields (81-99%) and with high enantioselectivities (up to 95.5:4.5 er). The external ligands can be used in substoichiometric amounts albeit with slightly attenuated enantioselectivities. A systematic evaluation of the structural features of the bisoxazolines revealed a primary contribution from the substituent at C(4) and a secondary influence from the bridging substituents. A computational analysis (PM3) provided a clear rationalization for the origin of enantioselectivity.
Adaptive feature split selection for co-training: Application to tire irregular wear classification

Co-training is a practical and powerful semi-supervised learning method. It yields high classification accuracy with a training data set containing only a small set of labeled data. Successful performance in co-training requires two important conditions on the features: diversity and sufficiency. In this paper, we propose a novel mutual information (MI) based approach inspired by the idea of dependent component analysis (DCA) to achieve feature splits that are maximally independent between-subsets (diversity) or within-subsets (sufficiency). We evaluate the relationship between the classification performance and the relative importance of the two conditions. Experimental results on actual tire data indicate that compared to diversity, sufficiency has a more significant impact on their classification accuracy. Further results show that co-training with feature splits obtained by the MI-based approach yields higher accuracy than supervised classification and significantly higher when using a small set of labeled training data.
A bioinformatics method identifies prominent off-targeted transcripts in RNAi screens

Because off-target effects hamper interpretation and validation of RNAi screen data, we developed a bioinformatics method, genome-wide enrichment of seed sequence matches (GESS), to identify candidate off-targeted transcripts in primary screening data. GESS analysis revealed a prominent off-targeted transcript in several screens, including MAD2 (MAD2L1) in a screen for genes required for the spindle assembly checkpoint. GESS analysis results can enhance the validation rate in RNAi screens.
Deep nulling of laser light with a single-mode-fiber beam combiner

The detection of faint companions to bright stars requires the development of very-high-contrast-ratio detection techniques such as nulling interferometry. Here we present, to our knowledge, the first experimental test of a novel beam-combination method, which is based on coupling the light at the center of a dual-aperture interference pattern into a single-mode fiber. Using such a "fiber nuller" approach, a visible He-Ne laser has been stably nulled to as low as 1.3×10−6, thus validating the approach.
Sustained Negative BOLD, Blood Flow and Oxygen Consumption Response and Its Coupling to the Positive Response in the Human Brain

Most fMRI studies are based on the detection of a positive BOLD response (PBR). Here, we demonstrate and characterize a robust sustained negative BOLD response (NBR) in the human occipital cortex, triggered by stimulating part of the visual field. The NBR was spatially adjacent to but segregated from the PBR. It depended on the stimulus and thus on the pattern of neuronal activity. The time courses of the NBR and PBR were similar, and their amplitudes covaried both with increasing stimulus duration and increasing stimulus contrast. The NBR was associated with reductions in blood flow and with decreases in oxygen consumption. Our findings support the contribution to the NBR of (1) a significant component of reduction in neuronal activity and (2) possibly a component of hemodynamic changes independent of the local changes in neuronal activity.
Geographic distribution of urologists throughout the United States using a county level approach.

Purpose: The adequacy of the urologist work force in absolute numbers and relative distribution is unclear. To develop effective policies addressing the needs of an aging population we must better understand the urologist work force. We assessed the geographic distribution of urologists throughout the United States at the county level and determined the county characteristics associated with increased urologist density.Materials and Methods: County level data from the Department of Health and Human Services Area Resource File and the United States Census were analyzed in this ecological study. Logistic regression and ordinal logistic regression models were built to identify predictors of urologist density, defined as the number of urologists per 100,000 individuals. National patterns of urologist density were mapped graphically at the county level.Results: Overall 63% of the counties in the United States lack a urologist. Based on multivariate models urologists were less likely to be found in nonmetropoli...
Achromatic waveguide couplers

Achromatic prism/grating and double-grating waveguide input/output couplers are fabricated. The chromatic characteristics of these couplers are measured and are compared with those of conventional prism and grating couplers. The waveguides used consisted of Corning 7059 on a Pyrex substrate, and the prism material was Schott SF1. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions and demonstrate that as much as several orders of magnitude improvement in the usable wavelength range relative to the uncorrected couplers can be achieved. For the achromatic prism/grating coupler, a usable wavelength range of 33 nm is demonstrated given a tolerance on the coupling angle of +or-0.005 degrees . For the double-grating coupler configuration, the usable range is found to be 12 nm. The corresponding intervals for the uncorrected prism and grating couplers are 6 and 0.08 nm, respectively. >
Morphogenetic signals from chondrocytes promote chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are potentially useful cells for musculoskeletal tissue engineering. However, controlling MSC differentiation and tissue formation in vivo remains a challenge. There is a significant need for well-defined and efficient protocols for directing MSC behaviors in vivo. We hypothesize that morphogenetic signals from chondrocytes may regulate MSC differentiation. In micromass culture of MSCs, incubation with chondrocyte-conditioned medium (CCM) significantly enhanced the production of cartilage specific matrix including type II collagen. In addition, incubation of MSCs with conditioned medium supplemented with osteogenic factors induced more osteogenesis and accumulation of calcium and increased ALP activity. These findings reveal that chondrocyte-secreted factors promote chondrogenesis as well as osteogenesis of MSCs during in vitro micromass culture. Moreover, when MSCs expanded with chondrocyte-conditioned medium were encapsulated in hydrogels and subsequently implanted into athymic mice, basophilic extracellular matrix deposition characteristic of neocartilage was evident. These results indicate that articular chondrocytes produce suitable morphogenetic factors that induce the differentiation program of MSCs in vitro and in vivo.
Involvement of arginine methyltransferase CARM1 in androgen receptor function and prostate cancer cell viability.

BACKGROUND Androgen receptor (AR) may play a role in prostate cancer progression. Coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase (CARM1) catalyzes methylation of histone H3 at Arg-17. METHODS Immunohistochemistry of CARM1 was performed on primary prostate cancer specimens. CARM1 recruitment and histone methylation was analyzed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. The effect of CARM1 overexpression or CARM1 knockdown was assessed on reporter assays, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and endogenous androgen target gene expression. RESULTS CARM1 expression was increased in the nucleus of castration-resistant, but not androgen-stimulated prostate cancer. Androgen stimulation led to CARM1 recruitment and methylation of histone H3 at androgen responsive enhancers. Overexpression of CARM1 stimulated and CARM1 knockdown inhibited AR reporter activity. CARM1 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. CARM1 knockdown inhibited androgen-dependent prostate specific antigen (PSA) and hK2 mRNA expression. CONCLUSIONS CARM1 is essential for AR function and may play a role in prostate cancer progression. CARM1 may represent a novel therapeutic target in prostate cancer. Prostate © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Management of acute lower extremity embolus with use of the oasis thrombectomy device and suction embolectomy.

JVIR 2000; 11:1331–1335 IN the clinical setting of acute lower extremity embolus with limb threatening ischemia, there is a need for a reliable method of percutaneous thrombectomy. Percutaneous removal of arterial thrombus with the use of several devices has been reported, with mixed results (1). One promising class of thrombectomy device extracts thrombus using a Venturi effect created by a rapid jet of saline (rheolytic) (2). There is no one device that is universally applicable, and more than one type of device to achieve complete thrombectomy is often necessary (3). We present a case of an acute lower extremity embolus in which a rheolytic thrombectomy catheter and suction embolectomy were used to rapidly revascularize a threatened limb. A simple technique was used to arrest flow while the rheolytic device was activated to allow the device to more completely remove the thrombus and, at the same time, minimize the risk of distal embolization.
Stress-induced Phosphorylation of Thr486 in c-Myb by p38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinases Attenuates Conjugation of SUMO-2/3

c-Myb plays an essential role in regulation of properly balanced hematopoiesis through transcriptional regulation of genes directly controlling cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The transcriptional activity and protein levels of c-Myb are strictly controlled through post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, and SUMOylation. Conjugation of small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteins has been shown to suppress the transcriptional activity of c-Myb. SUMO-1 modifies c-Myb under physiological conditions, whereas SUMO-2/3 conjugation was reported in cells under stress. Because stress also activates several cellular protein kinases, we investigated whether phosphorylation of c-Myb changes in stressed cells and whether a mutual interplay exists between phosphorylation and SUMOylation of c-Myb. Here we show that several types of environmental stress induce a rapid change in c-Myb phosphorylation. Interestingly, the phosphorylation of Thr486, located in close proximity to SUMOylation site Lys499 of c-Myb, is detected preferentially in nonSUMOylated protein and has a negative effect on stress-induced SUMOylation of c-Myb. Stress-activated p38 MAPKs phosphorylate Thr486 in c-Myb, attenuate its SUMOylation, and increase its proteolytic turnover. Stressed cells expressing a phosphorylation-deficient T486A mutant demonstrate decreased expression of c-Myb target genes Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL and accelerated apoptosis because of increased SUMOylation of the mutant protein. These results suggest that phosphorylation-dependent modulation of c-Myb SUMOylation may be important for proper response of cells to stress. In summary, we have identified a novel regulatory interplay between phosphorylation and SUMOylation of c-Myb that regulates its activity in stressed cells.
Ferrite Toroid Core Circuit Analysis

An analysis of the terminal characteristics of thin ferrite toroid cores under arbitrary drive and load conditions is presented. The analysis is founded only on the following two experimentally confirmed conditions: 1) the time required for a complete reversal of flux under unloaded conditions is inversely proportional to the magnitude of a step-driving field which is in excess of the critical field required to initiate flux change; 2) the open circuit voltage-time output waveforms caused by step driving currents are identical when normalized with respect to amplitude and time. The normalized output voltage waveform f?(x) is used to develop a terminal characteristic equation. It is shown that f?(x) may be obtained by using a nonideal step-input current. Utilizing a modified Gaussian equation to represent f?(x), equations are developed to allow the prediction of core response to arbitrary input waveforms, using 4 parameters easily obtained from voltage response vs NI step-drive plots, and f(x), which is the integral of the normalized expression for the open circuit voltage f?(x), and is proportional to the flux switched in the core. The equations are expanded to include a load circuit and to test the validity of the expressions developed. Theoretical and experimental results are compared for a core loaded with series RL and RLC circuits with both ramp and step-drive currents. Agreement is shown to be good, even though the core used was not particularly thin.
A field trial to determine the feasibility of delivering oral vaccines to wild swine.

A field study was conducted on Ossabaw Island, Georgia (USA) to determine the feasibility of delivering oral vaccines to wild swine (Sus scrofa). Baits were made of polymer-bound fish meal and contained a gelatin capsule as a potential vaccine chamber. Two biomarkers, iophenoxic acid and tetracycline, were incorporated into each bait, and soured chicken mash was used as an attractant. Baits (n = 1,980) were distributed in a grid pattern on a 405-ha test site and monitored for animal disturbance. Within 72 hr, 88% of 393 monitored baits were gone, and observations of track-beds surrounding 100 baits indicated that at least 52% were taken by wild swine. Subsequent testing of 80 wild swine for the biomarkers revealed that 95% of the animals had consumed bait. Track-bed observations indicated that raccoons (Procyon lotor) were the only non-target animal that frequently took baits. Biomarker analyses indicated 44% of 16 raccoons tested had eaten bait. It was concluded that oral vaccine delivery to wild swine s...
Environmental variability and the initiation of dispersal: turbulence strongly increases seed release

Dispersal is a critical process in ecology. It is an important biological driver of, for example, invasions, metapopulation dynamics, spatial pattern formation and pathogen movement. Much is known about the effect of environmental variability, including turbulence, on dispersal of diaspores. Here, we document experimentally the strong but under-explored influence of turbulence on the initiation of dispersal. Flower heads of two thistle species (Carduus nutans and Carduus acanthoides) with ripe seeds were exposed to series of laminar and turbulent air flows of increasing velocity in a wind tunnel. Seed release increased with wind speeds for both laminar and turbulent flows for both species. However, far more seeds were released, at significantly lower wind speeds, during turbulent flows. These results strongly suggest a need for more quantitative studies of abscission in the field, as well as dispersal models that incorporate variability in the diaspore release phase.
ANTHROPOLOGY AND OPEN ACCESS

In an article coauthored in interview format, the authors introduce open-access practices in an anthropological context. Complimenting the other essays in this special section on open access, on the occasion of Cultural Anthropology's move to one version of the gold open access business model, the focus here is on practical information needed by publishing cultural anthropologists. Despite this limitation, the authors work to touch on the ethical and political contexts of open access. They argue for a critical anthropology of scholarly communication (inclusive of scholarly publishing), one that brings the kinds of engaged analysis for which Cultural Anthropology is particularly well known to bear on this vital aspect of knowledge production, circulation, and valuation. [scholarly communication; publishing; open access; neoliberalism; political economy; digital technologies; disciplinary practices]
Heart disease in diabetic patients.

Cardiac artery disease and heart failure are major causes for morbidity and mortality in diabetes in general and in those with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in particular. Hypertension and dyslipidemia are more common in diabetes and the prevalence of coronary artery disease in diabetics is two-fold to four-fold higher than in nondiabetics. In those with CKD the incidence of cardiovascular complications is nearly two-fold higher than those without CKD. Recent studies suggest that the pathophysiology of cardiac disease is complex process involving both microvascular and macrovascular disease. In addition, myocardial lipotoxicity may be a novel contributing factor particularly in type 2 diabetics. Compelling evidence from cardiovascular outcomes trials indicates that treatment with drugs that block the renin-angiotensin system are cardioprotective in diabetics with microalbuminuria and early stages of kidney disease. Multiple risk factor intervention aimed at optimal blood pressure control (BP
Importance of vigilant monitoring after continuous nerve block: lessons from a case report.

Introduction Continuous peripheral nerve block achieves good pain control. However, uncontrolled pain despite an effective block in the target areas of the nerve can be an early sign of ischemia. We report a case of iatrogenic injury to the axillary artery during shoulder surgery in a patient who had continuous supraclavicular block and demonstrate how vigilant monitoring helped the diagnosis and resulted in timely management of upper limb ischemia. Case Report A 58-year-old female underwent total revision surgery of her right shoulder under continuous supraclavicular block. Postoperatively, she complained of pain along the medial side of her forearm despite clinical evidence of nerve block. Continuous neurovascular monitoring and timely angiography confirmed axillary artery injury, and subsequent vascular repair saved the patient9s limb. Conclusion Iatrogenic injuries to vessels or nerves sometimes occur during orthopedic surgical procedures. Regional anesthesia can mask and delay the onset of these symptoms. Postoperative monitoring and the ability to differentiate between the effects of local anesthetics and the body9s response to ischemia are important for avoiding postoperative complications. This case report aims to improve awareness about the need for vigilant monitoring of the distal pulses after peripheral nerve blocks.
Performance mapping for variable-speed ductless heat pump systems in heating and defrost operation

The market for variable-speed ductless heat pump (DHP) systems has grown in North America in recent years. However, the tools available for modeling their performance within building simulation programs have not kept pace. In general, simple empirical models are typically used for characterizing equipment performance for use in system simulation. However, unlike more conventional single-speed systems, DHPs have complicated control algorithms for managing electronic expansion valve opening, compressor speed, fan speed, and defrost operation. Very little work has been done in the development of empirical models that explain the impact of these characteristics on the performance of DHP systems. In this article, an empirical approach is introduced to model the heating and defrost performance of DHP systems under a wide range of conditions. The model incorporates separate relationships for performance associated with maximum, minimum, and intermediate (part-load) heating capacities. The defrost operation of th...
Human Resource Champions: The Next Agenda for Adding Value and Delivering Results

The article reviews the book “Human Resource Champions: The Next Agenda for Adding Value and Delivering Results,” by Dave Ulrich.
Cache protocols with partial block invalidations

The authors introduce hardware cache protocols in which invalidations affect only part of a cached block so that the processor can keep reading the valid part. On a cache miss the entire block is fetched in the cache. The proposed protocols take advantage of the prefetching effects associated with large block sizes while reducing the false sharing miss rate. It does not rely on synchronization as other previous proposals do and therefore it is applicable to systems under any memory consistency model including sequential consistency. Simulation results show that protocols with partial block invalidations may provide significant miss rate and memory traffic reductions over protocols with invalidations of entire blocks. The hardware cost is low and the protocol complexity is only marginally increased. >
Interactive Visualization of Volumetric White Matter Connectivity in DT-MRI Using a Parallel-Hardware Hamilton-Jacobi Solver

In this paper we present a method to compute and visualize volumetric white matter connectivity in diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) using a Hamilton-Jacobi (H-J) solver on the GPU (graphics processing unit). Paths through the volume are assigned costs that are lower if they are consistent with the preferred diffusion directions. The proposed method finds a set of voxels in the DTI volume that contain paths between two regions whose costs are within a threshold of the optimal path. The result is a volumetric optimal path analysis, which is driven by clinical and scientific questions relating to the connectivity between various known anatomical regions of the brain. To solve the minimal path problem quickly, we introduce a novel numerical algorithm for solving H-J equations, which we call the fast iterative method (FIM). This algorithm is well-adapted to parallel architectures, and we present a GPU-based implementation, which runs roughly 50-100 times faster than traditional CPU-based solvers for anisotropic H-J equations. The proposed system allows users to freely change the endpoints of interesting pathways and to visualize the optimal volumetric path between them at an interactive rate. We demonstrate the proposed method on some synthetic and real DT-MRI datasets and compare the performance with existing methods.
Toxins that modulate the sodium channel gating mechanism.

A variety of toxins and chemicals has been shown to modulate the gating kinetics of the sodium channel. Studies of batrachotoxin, grayanotoxins and pyrethroids are summarized here as examples. Batrachotoxin and grayanotoxins eliminate the sodium channel inactivation thereby causing a prolonged, steady-state sodium current to flow during a depolarizing step. The sodium channel activation kinetics are not affected markedly. Batrachotoxin appears to bind to a site in the sodium channel to which the inactivation gate normally binds, thus causing an inhibition of sodium inactivation. Single channel recording experiments have shown that the mean open time of individual sodium channels is greatly prolonged by batrachotoxin. It appears that individual sodium channels are modified by batrachotoxin in an all-or-none manner. Pyrethroids which are synthetic derivatives of pyrethrins also modify the kinetics of sodium channels in a very drastic manner. In the presence of type I pyrethroids which lack a cyano group at the alpha position (e.g., allethrin and tetramethrin), a large steady-state sodium current appears during a step depolarization and a large slowly decaying sodium tail current appears upon repolarization. Thus both the activation and inactivation kinetics are slowed. Type II pyrethroids which contain an alpha-cyano group (e.g., deltamethrin, cyphenothrin, and fenvalerate) exert effects on sodium channels qualitatively similar to those of type I pyrethroids. However, the amplitudes of the steady-state sodium current and sodium tail current are smaller and the time constant of tail current decay is much longer. The mean open time of single sodium channels is greatly prolonged by the pyrethroids, and the effect is much more pronounced in type II than in type I pyrethroids. A high degree of stereospecificity has been found among four isomers of tetramethrin, (+)-trans and (+)-cis isomers being highly active and (-)-trans and (-)-cis isomers almost totally inactive. The inactive isomers bind to the sodium channel sites, thus preventing the action of the active isomers. Because of the unique action of pyrethroids in modulating the sodium channels, they are becoming useful tools for channel physiology and pharmacology.
Equivalence, Dominance, and Similarity Relations between Fault Pairs and a Fault Pair Collapsing Process for Fault Diagnosis

Equivalence and dominance relations used earlier in fault diagnosis procedures are defined as relations between faults, similar to the relations used for fault collapsing. Since the basic entity of diagnostic fault simulation and test generation is a fault pair, and not a single fault, we introduce a framework where equivalence and dominance relations are defined for fault pairs. Using equivalence and dominance relations between fault pairs, we define a fault pair collapsing process, where fault pairs are removed from consideration under diagnostic fault simulation and test generation since they are guaranteed to be distinguished when other fault pairs are distinguished. Another concept, which was used earlier to enhance fault collapsing, is the level of similarity between faults. We extend this definition into a level of similarity between fault pairs and discuss its use for fault pair collapsing. The level of similarity encompasses equivalence and dominance relations between fault pairs, and extends them to allow additional fault pair collapsing.
Dynamic storage cache allocation in multi-server architectures

We introduce a dynamic and efficient shared cache management scheme, called Maxperf, that manages the aggregate cache space in multi-server storage architectures such that the service level objectives (SLOs) of concurrently executing applications are satisfied and any spare cache capacity is proportionately allocated according to the marginal gains of the applications to maximize performance. We use a combination of Neville's algorithm and linear-programming-model to discover the required storage cache partition size, on each server, for every application accessing that server. Experimental results show that our algorithm enforces partitions to provide stronger isolation to applications, meets application level SLOs even in the presence of dynamically changing storage cache requirements, and improves I/O latency of individual applications as well as the overall I/O latency significantly compared to two alternate storage cache management schemes, and a state-of-the-art single server storage cache management scheme extended to multi-server architecture.
Survival of Diabetic Patients on Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis for over Five Years

Of 26 diabetic patients starting CAPD before July 1, 1981, six had survived over five years on this mode of dialysis. Considering as “withdrawn alive” those who received transplants or switched to ...
Characteristics of bolus formation and propagation from breaking internal waves on shelf slopes

A series of laboratory experiments was conducted to study the formation of internal boluses through the run up of periodic internal wave trains on a uniform slope/shelf topography in a two-layer stratified fluid system. In the experiments, the forcing parameters of the incident waves (wave amplitude and frequency) are varied for constant slope angle and layer depths. Simultaneous particle image velocimetry (PIV) and planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) measurements are used to calculate high resolution, two-dimensional velocity and density fields. Over the range of wave forcing conditions, four bolus formation types were observed: backward overturning into a coherent bolus, top breaking into a turbulent bolus, top breaking into a turbulent surge and forward breaking into a turbulent surge. Wave forcing parameters, including a wave Froude number , a wave Reynolds number and a wave steepness parameter , are used to relate initial wave forcing to a dominant bolus formation mechanism. Bolus characteristics, including the bolus propagation speed and turbulent components, are also related to wave forcing. Results indicate that for and , the generated boluses become more turbulent in nature. As wave forcing continues to increase further, boluses are no longer able to form.
Microstructural And Microchemical Analysis of Chalcopyrite Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Films

The microstructure and microchemistry of Cu(In, Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) films have been analyzed by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Specimens were obtained from a number of groups producing high-performance solar cells from these materials. Both plan-view and cross-sectional TEM samples were prepared by mechanical grinding and ion milling. Twins can be found easily within the films while dislocations are present only in a few grains and with low density. No extended structural defects such as stacking faults were discovered. X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy was used to study the chemical composition of grains and grain boundaries. Experimental results showed no difference between the composition in the grain interiors and the grain boundary. In addition, there is no obvious enhancement of oxygen and sodium at grain boundaries. Structural depth dependences were also not found.
Ask the Pharmacist

Abstract H2-receptor antagonists (fagamet [cimetidine] , Zantac [ranitidine], Pepcid [famotidine] , Axid [nizatidine]) decrease the volume and concentration of gastric acid secretion by competitively inhibiting histamine-2 receptor function. They suppress basal, nocturnal, and histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion. H2-blockers do not affect antigeninduced histamine release (at HI receptors) or humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. H2 -antagonists are used to treat duodenal and gastric ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and pathological hypersecretory disorders.
Obesity and Failure of Nonoperative Management of Pediatric Both-Bone Forearm Fractures

Obesity is a major health problem among children in the United States. In addition to being associated with numerous comorbidities, pediatric obesity is associated with a higher prevalence and increased risk of extremity fractures. In pediatric fractures treated nonoperatively, maintaining reduction can be difficult in obese children due to the larger soft tissue envelope. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between obesity and failure of nonoperative management in pediatric …
Connective tissue. IV. Effect of age upon dermal chemical response to adrenal hormones.

SummaryBoth Cortisol and Doca similarly affect the chemistry of the connective tissue in that they result in a decrease in total and insoluble collagen concentration of rat skin. The effects of these hormones upon rat skin are profoundly altered by the age of the animal. The aged rat demonstrates a considerably different dermal chemical response to Cortisol and particularly Doca than does either the young or the mature animal.
Local Housing Market Liquidity and Preferences for Social Insurance

Starting from recent work on homeownership and political preferences, I examine the relationship between homeownership and social insurance in the context of local housing market conditions. In particular, I focus on how "liquid" a local housing market is, and how this affects homeowners' preferences for social spending. I offer two different predictions for how high local housing market liquidity may affect preferences for social insurance. High liquidity increases individuals' access to housing wealth, which can be used as private insurance. In the first hypothesis, this increased private insurance (and perception of wealth) results in the homeowner decreasing his or her demand for social insurance. In the second hypothesis, increased private insurance increases pro-social feelings, and results in the homeowner increasing his or her demand for social insurance. My findings strongly reject the first hypothesis, and provide tentative support for the second.
Lectins and Their Saccharide Receptors as Determinants of Specificity in the Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses lectins and their saccharide receptors as determinants of specificity in the Rhizobium –legume symbiosis. The symbiosis is characterized by a high degree of host specificity. Host specificity is expressed at a very early step of infection of the root hair by infective rhizobia prior to the penetration of the root hair cell wall and formation of the root hair infection thread. The lectin recognition hypothesis states that recognition at infection sites involves the binding of specific legume lectins to unique carbohydrates found exclusively on the surface of the appropriate rhizobial symbiont. The lectin receptors are identified as capsular polysaccharide, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and glycan. Recently, detailed analysis of nodulating and relating non-nodulating mutant strains of Rhizobium reveal structural changes in their LPS that may relate to their nodulating properties. An analysis of nodulating and non-nodulating mutant strains of R. japonicum shows that the antigenic difference on their cell surfaces resided in the somatic antigens, which are acidic heteropolysaccharides that could be extracted and purified as either linked to the core-lipid A of LPS or as the free, unlinked polysaccharide.
Transmission of auditory sensory information decreases in rate and temporal precision at the endbulb of Held synapse during age-related hearing loss

This study performed patch-clamp recording in cochlear nucleus slices from young (1–3 mo) and old (25–30 mo) CBA/CaJ mice. For the first time, the study revealed the functional decline of the spira...
Arts Coding for Social Good: A Pilot Project for Middle-School Outreach

Computer science, particularly in the United States, continues to suffer from underrepresentation by women and students of color. Increasingly, evidence suggests that we need to approach student perceptions of computer science and self perceptions of "who does computer science" before college, at ages in which students have not yet formed difficult-to-change viewpoints. In an effort to address underrepresented groups in computing, as well as to change common, stereotypical perceptions of what a computer scientist is, we ran a pilot summer camp that drew students from our local community and sought to increase their self-efficacy and change the way they conceptualized Computer Science. In designing the course, we leveraged approaches that have shown success at the college level - particularly Computing for Social Good and Media Computation - to introduce students to important concepts. The camp was structured as a week-long, full-day camp in one of the Computer Science department's computer-equipped classrooms, We taught programming in Processing to 28 rising 5th-9th grade students, focusing on artistic aspects and real-world inspiration. In this paper, we report on the project (both successes and failures) and the effects the project had on students' self-efficacy and attitudes towards computer science. We also provide some recommendations for others planning to offer similar camps.
New Delivery Model for Rising-Risk Patients: The Forgotten Lot?

Abstract Background: Shared-risk models encourage providers to engage young patients early. Telemedicine may be well suited for younger, healthier patients although it is unclear how best to incorporate telemedicine into routine clinical care. Introduction: We test the assumptions surrounding the use of telemedicine, younger and rising-risk patients, and primary care in ClickWell Care (CWC), a care model developed at our institution for our own accountable care organization. Materials and Methods: CWC's team of physicians and wellness coaches work together to provide comprehensive primary care through in-person, phone, and video visits. This study examines usage of the clinic over its initial year in operation. Results: 1,464 unique patients conducted a total of 3,907 visits. 2,294 (58.7%) visits were completed virtually (1,382 [35.4%] by phone and 912 [23.3%] by video). Patients were more inclined to see the physician in-person for a new visit (1,065 visits [70.5%] vs. 362 [24%] phone and 83 [6%] video) ...
Estimation of stochastic volatility by using Ornstein–Uhlenbeck type models

Abstract In this study, we develop a technique for estimating the stochastic volatility (SV) of a financial time series by using Ornstein–Uhlenbeck type models. Using the daily closing prices from developed and emergent stock markets, we conclude that the incorporation of stochastic volatility into the time varying parameter estimation significantly improves the forecasting performance via Maximum Likelihood Estimation. Furthermore, our estimation algorithm is feasible with large data sets and have good convergence properties.
Development of regulatory T cells in the thymus - two paths to the same goal?

Mature thymic regulatory T cells (Tregs) are defined by dual expression of Foxp3 and CD25 on CD4SP thymocytes. However, the cellular pathways by which CD4 thymocytes differentiate into Tregs remain incompletely understood. Previous reports demonstrated that Treg development occurred via a two-step process. In step one, strong TCR signaling induces expression of CD25 leading to a CD25 + Foxp3 − Treg progenitor (TRP). In step two, exposure of this TRP to IL2 results in conversion to a CD25 + Foxp3 + Treg. Recently, work by Singer and colleagues have defined a CD25 − Foxp3 lo TRP that can also be converted by IL2 into CD25 + Foxp3 + Tregs. A key question is why two distinct cellular pathways involving distinct TRP populations are needed to reach the same endpoint. Using a combination of maturation marker analysis and RAG2-GFP reporter mice we observed that CD25 + Foxp3 − TRP arise more rapidly than the CD25 − Foxp3 lo TRP following positive selection. Analysis of Nur77-GFP reporter mice revealed that these two progenitor populations also display distinct affinity spectrums for self-peptide. Further, TCR sequencing has provided evidence that these 2 progenitor populations contain largely distinct TCR repertoires, suggesting these different TRP populations may be required to provide tolerance to different antigens. Indeed, our preliminary data suggests that these TRPs home to different locations upon adoptive transfer. Our results suggests a model whereby cells are driven by high affinity or high avidity interactions with self-peptide through two discrete pathways to form a comprehensive Treg repertoire capable of protecting against autoimmunity and reactivity to commensal organisms.
Public Perception of Female Fertility: Initial Fertility, Peak Fertility, and Age-Related Infertility Among U.S. Adults.

Perceptions of fertility are thought to impact reproductive behaviors, yet little is known about how lay people conceptualize the female fertility timeline. In this research, public perception of the female fertility timeline was assessed via a national survey of U.S. adults (N = 990) ranging in age from 18 to 89 years. Although there is no scientific consensus on the makeup of the female fertility timeline, results from this research indicate that the U.S. public posits fertility onset at (approximately) 13 years, peak fertility at 22, ideal first pregnancy age at 23, too late for pregnancy at 46, and infertility at 49. Regression analysis revealed that perceived peak fertility and ideal pregnancy age were positively correlated such that participants perceived the ideal pregnancy age as directly following peak fertility. Education was significantly related to fertility perceptions; those with more education perceived initial fertility to be lower and peak fertility and ideal pregnancy age to be higher. In other words, more highly educated individuals perceived fertility to manifest over a longer period of time as compared to individuals with less education. Black and Hispanic participants and participants with lower income perceived ideal first pregnancy age as significantly lower than did White participants and participants with higher income. These differences may suggest that the seeds of health disparities associated with phenomena such as adolescent pregnancy are lurking in fertility timeline perceptions.
The Bolometric Luminosity Function for the Lowest Mass Stars

We present a luminosity function (LF) for the coolest stars in three POSSII fields — extending earlier LFs to much lower masses at higher precision than has been acheived previously.
Fourier Series and Applications to Partial Differential Equations

This chapter provides an overview of Fourier series and its applications to partial differential equations. When the eigenfunctions are sines and cosines, the expansion is known as a Fourier series. To explain the convergence of the Fourier series, it defined as: a function is piecewise continuous on a finite interval if it is continuous at each point in the interval except possibly at a finite number of points. The chapter explains the Convergence theorem. It provides an overview of Bessel functions and their properties and examines the eigenfunction expansion called a generalized Fourier series involving Bessel functions. The chapter reviews one of the more important differential equations, the one-dimensional heat equation. In one spatial dimension, the solution to the heat equation translates into the temperature in a thin rod or wire of length a. As the rate at which heat flows through the rod depends on the material that makes up the rod, the constant k, which is related to the thermal diffusivity of the material, is included in the heat equation. The chapter further discusses one-dimensional wave equation, Laplace's equation, often called the potential equation, and two-dimensional wave equation in a circular region.