cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial Resistance of Shigella Isolates in the USA: The Importance of International Travelers

A nationwide sample of Shigella isolates was collected and tested for resistance to 12 antimicrobial agents to assess the prevalence and epidemiologic correlates of antimicrobial resistance in Shigella. Of the isolates, 32% were resistant to ampicillin, 7% to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and 0.4% to nalidixic acid. Fifty (20%) of 252 isolates were associated with foreign travel. The best predictor of clinically important resistance was a history of foreign travel: 20% of isolates from foreign travelers showed trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole resistance, compared with only 4% of isolates from those without such a history. Quinolone resistance was not identified in travel-related isolates, and quinolones may be more appropriate for initial therapy of travel-related shigellosis than is trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
Hypokinesis in rats induced by a schizophrenic mimicking compound.

An experiment was performed to study the effects of a schizophrenic mimicking compound (B 3,4 Dimethoxyphenel-ethalamine) on the activity of rats. Baseline activity was derived for two groups of 10 rats each during four 3-min. trials in an open-field test. 2.8 g/kg weight of the drug or placebo was then injected into the rats. They were run at 50-min. intervals. The activity level of the post-injection trials was compared with the mean baseline activity within and between the groups. The activity level of the compound-injected group decreased significantly as predicted.
Genomic Androgen Receptor-Occupied Regions with Different Functions, Defined by Histone Acetylation, Coregulators and Transcriptional Capacity

Background: The androgen receptor (AR) is a steroid-activated transcription factor that binds at specific DNA locations and plays a key role in the etiology of prostate cancer. While numerous studies have identified a clear connection between AR binding and expression of target genes for a limited number of loci, high-throughput elucidation of these sites allows for a deeper understanding of the complexities of this process. Methodology/Principal Findings: We have mapped 189 AR occupied regions (ARORs) and 1,388 histone H3 acetylation (AcH3) loci to a 3% continuous stretch of human genomic DNA using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) microarray analysis. Of 62 highly reproducible ARORs, 32 (52%) were also marked by AcH3. While the number of ARORs detected in prostate cancer cells exceeded the number of nearby DHT-responsive genes, the AcH3 mark defined a subclass of ARORs much more highly associated with such genes – 12% of the genes flanking AcH3+ARORs were DHT-responsive, compared to only 1% of genes flanking AcH32ARORs. Most ARORs contained enhancer activities as detected in luciferase reporter assays. Analysis of the AROR sequences, followed by site-directed ChIP, identified binding sites for AR transcriptional coregulators FoxA1, CEBPb, NFI and GATA2, which had diverse effects on endogenous AR target gene expression levels in siRNA knockout experiments. Conclusions/Significance: We suggest that only some ARORs function under the given physiological conditions, utilizing diverse mechanisms. This diversity points to differential regulation of gene expression by the same transcription factor related to the chromatin structure.
Supermirror neutron guide coatings

The reflectivities of some commercially manufactured supermirror guide coatings are reported and the effects of interfacial roughness and interdiffusion on the specular reflectivity examined. Uniform reflectivity profiles with average reflectivities of .95 or better out to three times the critical angle of ordinary Ni have been measured. Such high quality coatings can dramatically increase conventional cold neutron guide tube conductance and make possible significantly improved thermal guides.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Molecular Theory of Protein Sorption on Weak Polyelectrolyte Gel-Modified Charged Surface

We developed a detailed molecular theory to determine protein adsorption on a charged surface as a function of the pH, salt concentration, protein concentration and surface charge density, as well as the modification of the surface by the attachment of a weak polyelectrolyte gel film. The approach includes specific molecular details of the proteins, their translational and rotational degrees of freedom as well as the acid-base equilibrium of the titratable amino acids. We also include the conformational degrees of freedom and acid-base equilibrium of the polymeric gel, the solution entropic contributions, and electrostatic and excluded-volume interactions. The experimental titration curve of lysozyme and the isoelectric point (IP) in solution are reproduced successfully. In low salt conditions, lysozyme adsorption profiles as a function of pH on a non-modified surface are broad and have a maximum value at a pH lower than the isoelectric point of the protein. When the salt concentration is increased, maximum adsorption occurs at evenlower pH values. The level of protein adsorption on a gel-modified surface is two orders of magnitude greater than on a non-modified surface, and has a narrower maximum close to the IP at low salt concentration. The molecular theory may explain the excellent properties of such modified surfaces for chromatographic separation of proteins as well as help to design new chromatographic systems. Moreover, the theory provides with a fundamental understanding of the competition between the different contribution that determine the adsorption behavior.
Intravenous perfluorocarbons increased oxygen delivery/ consumption in ARDS in swine

Emulsified perfluorocarbons (PFC) are synthetic hydrocarbons that can carry 50 times more oxygen than human plasma. Their properties may be advantageous in applications requiring preservation of tissue viability in oxygen-deprived states, which makes them a potential candidate for combat and civilian prehospital resuscitation. Our hypothesis was that an intravenous dose of PFC increases vital organ tissue oxygenation, improves survival and reduces or prevents the development of ventilator-associated ARDS. Here we report data from the second part (ARDS only) of a multiphase swine study to investigate the benefits of PFC in treating hemorrhagic shock and preventing ARDS.
Indexing large metric spaces for similarity search queries

One of the common queries in many database applications is finding approximate matches to a given query item from a collection of data items. For example, given an image database, one may want to retrieve all images that are similar to a given query image. Distance-based index structures are proposed for applications where the distance computations between objects of the data domain are expensive (such as high-dimensional data) and the distance function is metric. In this paper we consider using distance-based index structures for similarity queries on large metric spaces. We elaborate on the approach that uses reference points (vantage points) to partition the data space into spherical shell-like regions in a hierarchical manner. We introduce the multivantage point tree structure (mvp-tree) that uses more than one vantage point to partiton the space into spherical cuts at each level. In answering similarity-based queries, the mvp-tree also utilizes the precomputed (at construction time) distances between the data points and the vantage points.We summarize the experiments comparing mvp-trees to vp-trees that have a similar partitioning strategy, but use only one vantage point at each level and do not make use of the precomputed distances. Empirical studies show that the mvp-tree outperforms the vp-tree by 20% to 80% for varying query ranges and different distance distributions. Next, we generalize the idea of using multiple vantage points and discuss the results of experiments we have made to see how varying the number of vantage points in a node affects affects performance and how much is gained in performance by making use of precomputed distances. The results show that, after all, it may be best to use a large number of vantage points in an internal node in order to end up with a single directory node and keep as many of the precomputed distances as possible to provide more efficient filtering during search operations. Finally, we provide some experimental results that compare mvp-trees with M-trees, which is a dynamic distance-based index structure for metric domains.
Effect of Human Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (rhG-CSF) on Cytokines in VLBW Neonates • 1044

Aim: To study the effect of rhG-CSF on proinflammatory plasma cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) which are reported to play an important role in various inflammatory conditions including sepsis, NEC, BPD, and PVL in VLBW neonates. Methods: After obtaining written informed consent in the first week after birth, 20 sick, ventilated VLBW neonates (784 ± 63g) were divided into 3 groups: 5 non-infected & no rhG-CSF (controls) and two groups who both received intravenous rhG-CSF (10 ug/kg/d × 3d) plus conventional therapeutic interventions (10 non-infected and 5 septic). The concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 were measured by ELISA before and after the last dose of study drug between postnatal ages 1-3d and 5-7d.Results: Plasma TNF-α increased significantly in the untreated control group from 149 ± 15 pg/ml to 440 ± 82 pg/ml(p<0.03). Following rhG-CSF infusion, TNF-α decreased from 271± 54 pg/ml to 163 ± 23 pg/ml (p<0.05) in the non-infected group and from 414 ± 145 pg/ml to 299 ± 114 pg/ml in the septic group (p-ns). All of the 5 untreated VLBW neonates had TNF-α levels increase during the time of the study. In contrast, TNF-α levels fell following rhG-CSF treatment in 8 out of 10 of the non-infected (p<0.01) and in 4 out of 5 subjects in the septic group (p<0.04). IL-6 concentrations decreased in all three groups from 652 ± 113 pg/ml to 570 ± 133 pg/ml in the untreated group, from 616 ± 207 pg/ml to 350 ± 56 pg/ml in the non-infected group and from 3182 ± 1420 pg/ml to 673± 397 pg/ml in the septic group (p-ns for all). Conclusion: rhG-CSF treatment blocks the postnatal increase in TNF-α in sick VLBW neonates and returns elevated values to normal in septic neonates. IL-6 levels fall in the first week regardless of drug therapy and are highest in septic patients. We speculate that the anti-TNF-α response to rhG-CSF may be an additional benefit in helping to limit the consequences of multi-organ failure in ventilated VLBW neonates independently of its augmentation of neutrophil counts.
Social Vulnerability to Coastal and Inland Flood Hazards: A Comparison of GIS-Based Spatial Interpolation Methods

Previous research on exposure to flood hazards suggests that individuals characterized by low social vulnerability are more likely to reside in coastal flood hazard zones than individuals of higher social vulnerability, but few studies have examined if similar exposure patterns can be observed in inland flood hazard zones. This paper examines differences in environmental justice implications between coastal and inland flood hazard zones in Tampa Bay, Florida, based on implementation and comparison of five different GIS-based interpolation methods. The results of the authors' study indicate that individuals with traits of low social vulnerability are more likely to reside within either coastal or inland flood hazard zones than areas outside flood zones, and socially vulnerable individuals are more likely to reside within inland flood zones than coastal. They also observe that choice of spatial interpolation method does not significantly affect which socio-demographic groups are most exposed to coastal and inland flood hazards.
A single chip fluorometer for fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy in 65nm CMOS

This paper presents a low-power CMOS fluorometer that utilizes the frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy for oxygen sensing applications. The proposed fluorometer consists of a P+-buried/N-Well/P-Substrate photodiode for optical sensing, a novel phase readout circuit with integrated zero-crossing detection for extracting the frequency-domain phase-shift into a time-domain delay signal, and a high resolution Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) for direct digital output generation. A prototype chip has been fabricated in a low-power 65nm CMOS technology and has been characterized via a sequence of oxygen sensing experiments, during which the fluorescence lifetime of a Ruthenium complex based oxygen sensor is measured as a function of the oxygen concentration. With only 370µW power consumption, the proposed fluorometer architecture and its unique phase readout scheme offer an attraction solution for developing low-power, low cost, and highly integrated devices for time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy.
Destruction of benene in high-temperature flames: Chemistry of benene and phenol

A flat, laminar, premixed H 2 /O 2 /Ar flame was seeded with C 6 H 6 to study the destruction chemistry of single-ring aromatics. Molecular-beam mass spectrometry was used to measure mode fractions of 44 species at =1.79, 2.93 kPa (22 torr), T max =1940 K and a cold-gas velocity of 101 cm/s. The results were used to investigate the C 6 H 6 and C 6 H 5 OH reaction networks proposed in three current literature models. Large errors in the predictions of important reaction partners limited the usefulness of simple mole fraction comparisons or reaction path analysis. A technique called net rate analysis was developed from existing mechanism screening techniques and modified reaction path analyses. Using this method, the reaction networks involving benzene are found to be adequate except for the need of falloff corrections for several reactions, in particular for H addition to C 6 H 6 under the present conditions. The phenol submechanisms strongly overpredict net destruction at high temperatures. Correction of mechanistic problems and inclusion of pressure effects for H elimination from C 6 H 5 OH result in a much-improved net rate prediction. Analysis reveals a need for experimental rate constant data for key phenol reactions above 1200 K. The results were found to hold for the =1.8, C 6 H 6 /O 2 /Ar flame data of Bittner. Comparisons of model-predicted mole fractions with the data lead to incorrect conclusions about phenol chemistry, demonstrating that net rate analysis gives better results even when most important species mole fractions are well predicted.
A review of sediment predictive techniques as viewed from the perspective of nonpoint pollution management

User-oriented criteria for the evaluation of physically based management models are presented. These criteria emphasize the utility rather than the elegance of the model. The standards are then applied to efforts at predicting non-point pollutant loadings. In particular a critical review of sediment pollution is used as the basis for the evaluation of sediment yield models as management tools. A wide range of sediment yield models are rated and recommendations for their use are made.
Supercharacter Theory Constructions Corresponding to Schur Ring Products

Diaconis and Isaacs have defined the supercharacter theories of a finite group to be certain approximations to the ordinary character theory of the group [7]. We make explicit the connection between supercharacter theories and Schur rings, and we provide supercharacter theory constructions which correspond to Schur ring products of Leung and Man [12], Hirasaka and Muzychuk [10], and Tamaschke [20].
Fossil eggs and eggshell from the lowermost Two Medicine Formation of western Montana, Sevenmile Hill locality

ABSTRACT In the last 30 years, the Two Medicine Formation of western Montana has provided a wealth of information about dinosaur reproductive biology. Here, we describe a fossil egg-bearing stratum that occurs approximately 105 m above the base of the formation. This site in the Sevenmile Hill outcrops south of Choteau, Montana, lies immediately above a volcanic tuff and bentonite, dated as 80.0 Ma. Spherulitic eggshells from a quarry at this locality are similar to Spheruprismatoolithus candensus Bray, 1999, which were assigned to the oofamily Prismatoolithidae. However, we refer this eggshell to the Spheroolithidae Zhao, 1979, as Spheroolithus choteauensis, oosp. nov. The quarry also produced Triprismatoolithus stephensi, oogen. et oosp. nov. These symmetrical 30 mm × 75 mm prismatic eggs exhibit three structural layers of calcite and round tubercles on the shell surface. Four additional ootaxa occurred at the First Find Microsite (OTM 99-19): Prismatoolithus hirschi, oosp. nov.; Tubercuoolithus tetonen...
Requirement for cyclin D3 in germinal center formation and function

Germinal centers (GC) of secondary lymphoid tissues are critical to mounting a high-affinity humoral immune response. B cells within the GC undergo rapid clonal expansion and selection while diversifying their antibody genes. Although it is generally believed that GC B cells employ a unique proliferative program to accommodate these processes, little is known about how the GC-associated cell cycle is orchestrated. The D-type cyclins constitute an important component of the cell cycle engine that enables the cells to respond to physiological changes. Cell type- and developmental stage-specific roles of D-type cyclins have been described but the cyclin D requirement during GC reaction has not been addressed. In this study, we report that cyclin D3 is largely dispensable for proliferation and Ig class switching of in vitro activated B cells. In contrast, GC development in Ccnd3(-/-) mice is markedly impaired, as is the T cell-dependent antibody response. Within the GC, although both switched and unswitched B cells are affected by cyclin D3 inactivation, the IgM(-) pool is more severely reduced. Interestingly, despite a compensatory increase in cyclin D2 expression, a significant number of Ccnd3(-/-) GC B cells accumulate in quiescent G0 state. Lastly, although cyclin D3 inactivation did not disrupt BCL6 expression in GC B cells, it completely blocked the GC promoting effect of BCL6 overexpression, suggesting that cyclin D3 acts downstream of BCL6 to regulate GC formation. This is the first demonstration that cyclin D3 plays an important and unique role at the GC stage of B cell development.
Comparison of assays for catechol estrogen synthase activity: Product isolation vs radioenzymatic catechol-O-methyltransferase-coupled procedures

Reported values for the activity of enzymes mediating catechol estrogen formation by hamster kidney and liver, measured by catechol-O-methyltransferase-coupled radioenzymatic assay, have been uniformly low and there have been marked discrepancies in values reported from different laboratories. Therefore, we examined the validity of the radioenzymatic assay used in these studies. NADPH-dependent estrogen 2- and 4-hydroxylase activity of hamster liver microsomes measured by radioenzymatic assay was comparable to that reported in the literature but at least one order of magnitude lower than that obtained with a direct product isolation assay. Several features of the radioenzymatic assay were identified which, together, contribute to the underestimation of enzyme activity. They include, incomplete protection from oxidative degradation of both the catechol estrogens generated and of the catechol-O-methyltransferase and assay conditions which are suboptimal for O-methylation of the catechol estrogens. We conclude that results obtained using the catechol-O-methyltransferase-based radioenzymatic assay can only be considered valid if a consistent stoichiometric relationship can be demonstrated between the amounts of catechol estrogens and their O-methylated products.
Treating Attention Maintained Behavior in a High School Student

Functional behavior analytic approaches have been demonstrated to be widely applicable and efficacious. While interventions have typically focused on children and individuals with intellectual or d...
Making Feminist Sense out of ‘Charlie Wilson's War’

AbstractCharlie Wilson's War (2007), Mike Nichols's film about the womanizing Congressman who engineered black funds for the CIA's proxy war in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan, is historically misleading but highly instructive, because in packaging dominant American masculine identity and war politics as popular entertainment for post-9/11 audiences, it reveals the sexed and gendered ‘politics of the visual’ in global affairs. This intertextual study of ‘Charlie Wilson's war’ as movie, constructed history and legacy examines Wilson as a prime exhibit of a needy masculinity that, like the film's emasculated CIA, bulks itself up through surrogate military selves. It also analyses modes of the imaginary and specularity in brother-bonding with the mujahidin, tracks the proxy system's loops of masculine identity-and-war-making between Stateside and South Asia in the post-Vietnam 1980s and interrogates the dynamics of imperial ‘un-seeing’ in this campaign and its long aftermath. While US proxy wars proliferate worl...
Project Management: A Study in Organizational Conflict

Project management in functional organizations provides a fertile field for much-needed reexamination of the presumption of dysfunctional conflict when managers and employed professionals interact in organizations. Systematic analysis must indentify the foundations of human conflict and determine the extent to which the implications of such conflict for organizational behavior are functional or dysfunctional.
Incremental type-checking for type-reflective metaprograms

Garcia introduces a calculus for type-reflective metaprogramming that provides much of the power and flexibility of C++ templates and solves many of its problems. However, one of the problems that remains is that the residual program is not type checked until after meta computation is complete. Ideally, one would like the type system of the metaprogram to also guarantee that the residual program will type check, as is the case in MetaML. However, in a language with type-reflective metaprogramming, type expressions in the residual program may be the result of meta computation, making the MetaML guarantee next to impossible to achieve.In this paper we offer an approach to detecting errors earlier without sacrificing flexibility: we incrementally type check code fragments as they are created and spliced together during meta computation. The incremental type system is a variant of the gradual type system of Siek and Taha, in which we use type variables to represent type expressions that are not yet normalized and a new dynamic variation on existential types to represent residual code fragments. A type error in a code fragment is treated as a run-time error of the meta computation. We show that the incremental type checker can be implemented efficiently and we prove that if a well-typed metaprogram generates a residual program, then the residual program is also well-typed.
Genetic evidence for a maternal effect locus controlling genomic imprinting and growth.

Crosses between two species of deer mouse (Peromyscus) yield dramatic parent-of-origin effects. Female P. maniculatus (BW) crossed with male P. polionotus (PO) produce animals smaller than either parent. PO females crossed with BW males yield lethal overgrowth that has been associated with loss-of-imprinting (LOI). Previously, we mapped two loci influencing fetal growth. These two loci, however, do not account for the LOI, nor for the dysmorphic phenotypes. Here we report that maternal genetic background strongly influences the LOI. Analyses of crosses wherein maternal genetic background is varied suggest that this effect is likely due to the action of a small number of loci. We have termed these putative loci Meil. Estimation of Meil loci number was confounded by skewed allelic ratios in the intercross line employed. We show that the Meil loci are not identical to any of the DNA methyltransferases shown to be involved in regulation of genomic imprinting. genesis 43:155–165, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Lateral electromagnetic waves from a horizontal antenna for remote sensing in the ocean

The properties of lateral electromagnetic waves on the one hand and antennas in material media on the other are applied to the problem of locating a submerged submarine from measurements of the scattered field observed on the surface of the sea. The method parallels an earlier study on locating a conductor buried in the earth. However, major changes are required because of the quite different properties of the media and the consequent very much lower frequencies. An important improvement is also incorporated in the use of circularly polarized lateral waves. Representative calculations are made to illustrate the relative orders of magnitude of the dimensions and fields involved and the required sensitivity of a receiver. >
Evaluation of Lateral Power MOSFETs in a Synchronous Buck Converter Using a Mixed-Mode Device and Circuit Simulation

This paper presents an evaluation of laterally double-diffused MOS transistors in synchronous dc-dc buck converters using a physical-based mixed device and circuit simulation. It is observed that impact ionization of the low-side transistor can be very high after the dead-time drain overshoot voltage point. In addition, heavy ion irradiation degrades power MOSFET performance and may lead to a potential circuit malfunction due to a significant increase in transient current if heavy ions strike the dc-dc buck converter at a critical time during switching.
Sentence comprehension and general working memory

Although the role of working memory in sentence comprehension has received substantial attention, the nature of this relationship remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction between general, nonverbal working memory (WM) and sentence parsing (SP) in normal English-speaking adults. Accuracy and reaction times were recorded for thirty-one young adults during three on-line tasks: nonverbal WM, SP plausibility, and lexical decision (LD). A significant positive correlation was observed between reaction times for WM and SP, but not between LD and SP. These results suggest that SP may be supported by a general WM capacity, and therefore, some sentence comprehension difficulties observed in the clinical population may potentially be related to impairment in general WM.
Quantification of Extracellular Carbonic Anhydrase Activity in Two Marine Diatoms and Investigation of Its Role

Many microalgae induce an extracellular carbonic anhydrase (eCA), associated with the cell surface, at low carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. This enzyme is thought to aid inorganic carbon uptake by generating CO2 at the cell surface, but alternative roles have been proposed. We developed a new approach to quantify eCA activity in which a reaction-diffusion model is fit to data on 18O removal from inorganic carbon. In contrast to previous methods, eCA activity is treated as a surface process, allowing the effects of eCA on cell boundary-layer chemistry to be assessed. Using this approach, we measured eCA activity in two marine diatoms (Thalassiosira pseudonana and Thalassiosira weissflogii), characterized the kinetics of this enzyme, and studied its regulation as a function of culture pH and CO2 concentration. In support of a role for eCA in CO2 supply, eCA activity specifically responded to low CO2 rather than to changes in pH or HCO3−, and the rates of eCA activity are nearly optimal for maintaining cell surface CO2 concentrations near those in the bulk solution. Although the CO2 gradients abolished by eCA are small (less than 0.5 μm concentration difference between bulk and cell surface), CO2 uptake in these diatoms is a passive process driven by small concentration gradients. Analysis of the effects of short-term and long-term eCA inhibition on photosynthesis and growth indicates that eCA provides a small energetic benefit by reducing the surface-to-bulk CO2 gradient. Alternative roles for eCA in CO2 recovery as HCO3− and surface pH regulation were investigated, but eCA was found to have minimal effects on these processes.
Rational approximation techniques for analysis of neural networks

Artificial neural networks are comprised of an interconnected collection of certain nonlinear devices; examples of commonly used devices include linear threshold elements, sigmoidal elements, and radial-basis elements. We employ results from harmonic analysis and the theory of rational approximation to obtain almost tight lower bounds on the size (i.e., number of elements) of neural networks. The class of neural networks to which our techniques can be applied is quite general it includes any feedforward network in which each element can be piecewise approximated by a low degree rational function. For example, we prove that any depth-d+1 network of sigmoidal units or linear threshold elements computing the parity function of n variables must have R(dn/sup 1//d-/spl epsiv/) size, for any fixed /spl epsiv/>0. In addition, we prove that this lower bound is almost tight by showing that the parity function can be computed with O(dn/sup 1/d/) sigmoidal units or linear threshold elements in a depth-(d+1) network. These almost tight bounds are the first known complexity results on the size of neural networks with depth more than two. Our lower bound techniques yield a unified approach to the complexity analysis of various models of neural networks with feedforward structures. Moreover, our results indicate that the in the context of computing highly oscillating symmetric Boolean functions, networks of continuous-output units such as sigmoidal elements do not offer significant reduction in size compared with networks of linear threshold elements of binary outputs. >
Investigation of measures for grouping by graph partitioning

Grouping by graph partitioning is an effective engine for perceptual organization. This graph partitioning process, mainly motivated by computational efficiency considerations, is usually implemented as recursive bi-partitioning, where at each step the graph is broken into two parts based on a partitioning measure. We study four such measures, namely, the minimum cut, average cut, Shi-Malik normalized cut, and a variation of the Shi-Malik normalized cut. Using probabilistic analysis we show that the minimization of the average cut and the normalized cut measure, using recursive bi-partitioning will, on an average, result in the correct segmentation. The minimum cut and the variation of the normalized cut will, on an average, not result in the correct segmentation and we can precisely express the conditions. Based on a rigorous empirical evaluation, we also show that, in practice, the quality of the groups generated using minimum, average or normalized cuts are statistically equivalent for object recognition, i.e. the best, the mean, and the variation of the qualities are statistically equivalent. We also find that for certain image classes, such as aerial and scenes with man-made objects in man-made surroundings, the performance of grouping by partitioning is the worst, irrespective of the cut measure.
Recruitment order of motor units in human vastus lateralis muscle is maintained during fatiguing contractions.

Motor-unit firing patterns were studied in the vastus lateralis muscle of five healthy young men [21.4 ± 0.9 (SD) yr] during a series of isometric knee extensions performed to exhaustion. Each cont...
rSeqNP: a non-parametric approach for detecting differential expression and splicing from RNA-Seq data

Summary: High-throughput sequencing of transcriptomes (RNA-Seq) has become a powerful tool to study gene expression. Here we present an R package, rSeqNP, which implements a non-parametric approach to test for differential expression and splicing from RNA-Seq data. rSeqNP uses permutation tests to access statistical significance and can be applied to a variety of experimental designs. By combining information across isoforms, rSeqNP is able to detect more differentially expressed or spliced genes from RNA-Seq data. Availability and implementation: The R package with its source code and documentation are freely available at http://www-personal.umich.edu/∼jianghui/rseqnp/. Contact: ude.hcimu@iuhgnaij Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Power as Knowing Participation in Change What’s New and What’s Next

The theory of power as knowing participation in change was derived from Rogers' science of unitary human beings. Following testing and research of the theory and measurement instrument, a practice methodology was developed and the health patterning practice model was initiated. Further developments of the theory are presented and future speculations are proposed.
Alfalfa Extracts Which Stimulate Growth of Neurospora sitophila I: Preparation and Activation of Crude Extracts

Extracts of alfalfa leaf meal may increase or decrease the mycelial weight of Neurospora sitophila in the standard Difco pyridoxine assay. The effect obtained was found to be dependent upon the solvent employed or the subsequent treatment of the extract. Water extracts were inactive or inhibitory. Extracts with 0.1 N or stronger hydrochloric acid were active. Increasing the temperature or time of extraction favored activation only slightly. The inactive water extracts could be activated by the addition of hydrochloric acid or by the extraction of inhibitory material with diethyl ether or dimethylformamide.
Metatheoretical Foundations of Charles Tilly's Durable Inequality

One of the great virtues of Charles Tilly's Durable Inequality is that it might be wrong. So often attempts at constructing grand theories in sociology turn out, on close inspection, to consist largely of tautologies and vacuous propositions—conceptual frameworks that are so flexible and indeterminate that no empirical observations of the world would ever count as surprising. This is not the case for the central arguments in Tilly's book. Consider, for example, a claim that the author makes early in the book about the relatively limited significance of beliefs in the explanation of durable inequality:
Meson exchange, quark pairing, and chiral bag models

It is pointed out that the coupling constants and form factors of the ''cloudy'' (a chiral) bag model are a special case of the quark pairing mechanism for meson exchanges, where the quark reflections are restricted to the hadronic surface. A bag model formula for the pion decay constant f results from a comparison of g/sub piN/N from both models.
Results of a Rubella Screening Program for Hospital Employees: A Five-Year Review (1986–1990)

The Barnes Hospital Employee Health Service (St. Louis, Missouri) rubella screening program was evaluated over the 5-year period between January 1, 1986, and December 31, 1990. A total of 6,969 new employees were hired, and 6,115 (87.7%) were screened for evidence of rubella immunity by the Employee Health Service. Rubella serology was performed on 5,893 (96.4%) of the screened employees, while 222 (3.6%) had documentation of prior rubella vaccination or rubella infection. The absence of immunity was identified in 325 employees or 5.3% of all those screened. Women were more frequently screened by the Employee Health Service than were men (p < 0.0001), and blacks were more frequently screened than were non-Hispanic Caucasians (p < 0.0001). Physicians were less frequently screened than were other departmental groups (p < 0.0001). The rate of seronegativity for each year of hire varied from 4.45 to 6.76%, but these differences were not significant. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that 5-year birth cohorts correlated significantly with serologic status. Employees born in 1960-1964 were least likely to be seronegative, and employees born in 1970 or later were most likely to be seronegative. Sex, race, and department group were not predictive of serologic status, although significant differences in results from different rubella assays were detected. Only 13.8% of seronegative employees were subsequently vaccinated by the Employee Health Service. This study demonstrates a lower seronegativity rate than did previous studies. It identifies groups of employees likely to escape rubella screening and low vaccination rates. It finds increasing seronegativity among employees born after 1964 that correlates with the reported increasing rates of rubella in the United States.
Optical computation using semiconductor optical amplifiers in cross gain modulation

Summary form only given. The performance of optical networks may be improved by replacing electronics with optics. Computer simulation verifies the feasibility of the proposed scheme. The all-optical logic gates, NOT, NOR, and NOT-XOR were simulated using detailed models and typical parameters for commercial devices for the lasers, SOAs, couplers, and other devices. Results are shown for logic inputs that are two different random bit sequences at optical 2.5 Gb/s (OC48). The bit timing for the signals is aligned. RZ line coded signals are used. The carrier density versus time for the SOA shows a drop when the input signal ones drive the device into saturation. For the NOR gate, nonlinear clipping handles the case where both inputs are one at the same time. The NOT-XOR gate requires coherent operation with one carrier signal out of phase with the other by 180 degrees. Output eye diagrams show the deterioration through the gates in terms of loss/gain, shape degradation, and timing deterioration. Performance optimization is discussed for operation at higher bit rates. The results show that all three gates are feasible and can operate at 2.5 Gb/s or even higher with the approach taken.
Blue Light by Second Harmonic Generation in Epitaxial PbTiO 3 Thin Film Waveguide

Epitaxial PbTiO3 thin films have been grown on MgO substrate. The as grown PbTiO3 thin films were multi-domain with the existence of a-domain and c-domain. The amount of a-domain can be reduced with the application SrTiO3 transitional layer, which also improve the crystalline quality and thus the nonlinear optical properties. Blue light generation in the PbTiO3/SrTiO3/MgO heterostructure was demonstrated based on waveguide mode dispersion.
(11R)-13-[2-(4-Hydroxy-phen-yl)ethyl-amino]-4,5-ep-oxy-11,13-dihydro-costunolide monohydrate.

The title compound (systematic name: 12-{[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]aminomethyl}-4,8-dimethyl-3,14-dioxatricyclo[9.3.0.02,4]tetradec-7-en-13-one monohydrate), C23H31NO4·H2O, was obtained by the reaction of tyramine with parthenolide. The configuration of the new chiral center in the title compound is R, establishing the stereospecificity of the amination reaction. The water molecule is disordered over three positions; the site occupancy factors are 0.45, 0.40 and 0.15.
Fräsen, Bohren der Gelenkbolzenlöcher und anderes

In diesem Abschnitt werden noch alle diejenigen Arbeitsvorgange besprochen, die nach dem Nieten bis zur Abnahme und zum Anstrich der Konstruktionen auszufuhren sind. In einem besonderen Teil der Werkstatt sind die zur Bearbeitung der Enden von Stutzen, ⌶-Tragern, Gurtungen, Quer- und Langstragern notwendigen Frasmaschinen, ebenso Bohrmaschinen zum Ausbohren der Locher fur die Gelenkbolzen, Planfrasmaschinen zur Bearbeitung der Flachen von Auflagerplatten, Olfeuerungen zum Erwarmen der Niete, sowie Kompressoren fur die Preslufthammer und die transportablen Aufreiber aufgestellt. Die Zulage fur den Zusammenbau von Bruckentragern und sonstigen Konstruktionsteilen ist mit Kranen ausgerustet.
Modeling the motion of pyrolysis gas through charring ablating material using Discontinuous Galerkin finite elements

A series of efforts were made to solve a simple ablation problem with gas motion through the porous media employing finite element based Galerkin and Discontinuous Galerkin methods. First, one-dimensional solutions of Euler and magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) equations are presented for comparison with analytical results, to validate the code. The spurious oscillations of standard Galerkin approach were mitigated using Discontinuous Galerkin method. We have shown some preliminary results for the ablation problem using both explicit and implicit Discontinuous Galerkin methods in the paper. However an unresolved exit velocity fluctuations to pressure boundary condition, due to which we are not able to go to target time of 5 seconds for this problem. We plan to resolve these issues, and take this code for application of ablation problems in higher dimensions (2-D or 3-D), and bring in plasma application on the surface.
Sympathoadrenal responses during hypoglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hypoxemia in the ovine fetus.

Interrelations of sympathoadrenal function and changes in glucose and insulin homeostasis were studied in chronically cannulated late gestation fetal sheep. Catecholamine secretory rates (based on direct adrenal sampling) and plasma concentrations were determined in the fetus during 2 h of insulin-induced hypoglycemia, during a period of hypoxemia, and during hyperinsulinemia per se (i.e., without hypoglycemia). Fetal insulin infusion (5-10 mU.kg-1.min-1) resulted in hypoglycemia and a significant rise in secretion of epinephrine but not of norepinephrine. By contrast, fetal hypoxemia caused a prompt and significant increase in adrenal secretion of both norepinephrine and epinephrine. Changes in peripheral plasma catecholamine levels were usually, but not always, qualitatively similar to those in adrenal secretion; the latter was a far more sensitive indicator of adrenal function. Hyperinsulinemia per se caused no change in adrenal secretory rates or plasma concentrations of catecholamines. Nevertheless, insulin infusion caused a fetal tachycardia even in the absence of hypoglycemia and hypoxemia, suggesting either a direct effect on the heart or stimulation of sympathetic nerves.
Crystallography, compositions, and properties of white layer by wire electrical discharge machining of nitinol shape memory alloy

Abstract Nitinol shape memory alloy (SMA) is very challenging to machine by conventional mechanical cutting. Wire electric discharge machining (wire-EDM) is an alternative process to machine Nitinol SMAs. The machined surface integrity is critical to product performance such as fatigue, corrosion, and wear, yet few studies have conducted a thorough investigation of the machined surface integrity, in particular white layer (WL). This work focuses on a comprehensive investigation on the crystallography, compositions, and properties of the white layer using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and nanoindentation. The WL by wire-EDM exhibits a porous and non-uniform bi-layered structure. The white layer of Nitinol by EDM is a crystalline structure instead of the traditionally believed amorphous solid. The upper portion of the WL consists of primarily the solid solution phase (Cu + Ni + Zn)-FCC, while Ti 2 O 3 and Nitinol austenite phases dominate the lower portion of the WL. The white layer shows less crystal plastic deformation than the bulk material, and refined grains with random orientation can be found in the WL. The nanohardness of the WL is much higher than that of the bulk material due to oxide hardening.
Meta-analysis Versus Traditional Integrations of Research

Scientists try to answer questions of theoretical interest by gathering relevant data. Controversies can arise from disagreements over the proper methods for gathering such evidence, and the preceding chapters have touched on controversial issues regarding various aspects of the data-gathering process. Procedures for collecting data, however, are not the only source of conflicting methodological viewpoints. The research process is not over once the data are in; indeed, it is clear that some of the liveliest debates concern how to interpret findings after they have been reported. Ideally, such interpretative squabbles will not be settled by a single study but on the basis of patterns emerging from evidence accumulated across numerous investigations. Thus, in the aftermath of research an additional problem often arises: What approaches should be used to summarize the results from a series of studies addressing the same issue?
Long-term analysis of spatio-temporal patterns in population dynamics and demography of juvenile Pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides)

Abstract In estuarine systems, proximity to the ocean has the potential to directly and indirectly drive patterns of fish distribution and population dynamics. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of fisheries-independent data and quantified patterns of density, biomass, and growth rates of juvenile Pinfish ( Lagodon rhomboides) across spatial and temporal scales in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. Spatially, the highest density and biomass were found in the outermost regions (closest to the Gulf of Mexico) of the Bay, and these patterns were generally consistent temporally. Inter-annually, Pinfish density and biomass were the highest during periods coinciding with favorable oceanographic conditions (e.g., anomalously intense and prolonged upwelling) for across-shelf transport of larvae from spawning grounds in the Gulf to Tampa Bay. Intra-annually, density and biomass were the highest during spring and summer likely due to the combined effects of spawning timing (and delivery of new settlers), and high somatic growth fueled by increased secondary and primary productivity. Declines in density and biomass during the late summer through early winter were possibly due to high post-settlement mortality and egress to offshore habitats. Pinfish increased predictably in size across the months of the calendar year, and tended to be larger and grew faster in the innermost regions of the Bay, which were located farthest from the Gulf. Pinfish density was related to the proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, with the outermost regions of the Bay having greater seagrass cover, higher salinity, and being closer to the offshore larval pool where spawning occurs. Thus, this study provided evidence that distance to the ocean was an important driver of biotic and abiotic factors that influenced Pinfish demographic rates across spatial and temporal scales in the largest estuary in Florida.
Lnc-ing NOTCH1 to Idiopathic Calcific Aortic Valve Disease.

No abstract available Keywords: Editorials; H19 long non-coding RNA; Notch1 receptor; cadherin-11; calcification of aortic valve.
Formycin B elimination from the cerebrospinal fluid of the rat.

The goal of this study was to determine whether specific transport systems are involved in nucleoside elimination from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). First, in vitro studies were carried out in isolated choroid plexus tissue slices from rat to ascertain the mechanisms of transport of formycin B, a model nucleoside analogue. 3H-Formycin B accumulated against a concentration gradient in the presence of an Na+ gradient in the isolated ATP-depleted choroid plexus tissue slices. This accumulation was reduced by high concentrations of unlabeled formycin B. Nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBMPR), an equilibrative nucleoside transport inhibitor, inhibited the uptake of formycin B in the absence of an Na+ gradient. These data suggest that both equilibrative and secondary active Na+-nucleoside transport systems are present in rat choroid plexus. In vivo, formycin B, together with inulin as a bulk flow marker, was injected into the lateral ventricle of the anesthetized rat with the aid of a stereotaxic device, and CSF was sampled from the cisterna magna at various times after injection. Twelve rats were randomized and divided into a low- and a high-dose group. The CSF clearance (CLCSF) of formycin B was significantly higher than the CLCSF of inulin in both animal groups (P < 0.01), indicating that formycin B is cleared from CSF by a pathway(s) in addition to bulk flow. Formycin B CLCSF was significantly lower in the high-dose group than in the low-dose group (P < 0.05), suggesting a saturable CSF elimination. The CLCSF of formycin B was also significantly reduced in animals treated with NBMPR (P < 0.05). These data are consistent with the in vitro studies and collectively suggest that formycin B is eliminated from the CSF by a pathway(s) in addition to bulk flow. At least one pathway is saturable and may represent an equilibrative nucleoside transport system which can be inhibited by NBMPR.