cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Threshold measurement: applications to excitable membranes of nerve and muscle.

Tracking the firing threshold of membranes is best accomplished with threshold hunters, automatic devices that adjust stimulus strength so as to hold constant the probability of an all-or-none response. We present a formalism for analyzing the performance of threshold hunters. An index for error is defined between the threshold of the membrane and the output of the threshold hunter. Errors are separated into tracking error, quantization error, and a fluctuation error that reflects the probabilistic nature of responses to liminal stimuli. The engineering trade-offs between these errors are quantified for conditions where the threshold undergoes rapid transients (e.g. after conditioning impulses) and where it changes more gradually (e.g. during exposure to anesthetics or recovery from tetanus). Several methods for decreasing the total error of the threshold hunter by using the outcomes from previous test stimuli are analyzed quantitatively to provide criteria for the design of hunters to extract a maximum of information concerning threshold with a minimum of interference with the preparation. In nerve axon the distribution of the firing threshold depends on impulse activity patterns, and a strategy for measuring this effect is presented.
A model for prediction of world food production and allocation

This report presents and documents a computer model of world food production and allocation whose purpose is to serve as an organizational framework, a heur istic tool, and a basis for development of future models in the study of the world climate/food system. The assumptions upon which this model is based are not fully realistic since they do not take into account the constraints of data availability; nor do they adequately deal with the yet-but-little-under stood components and linkages of the climate/food system. Yet this model provides a basis upon which successively better models will be built. It pro vides the starting point for the evolution of a series of models toward one whose response to the various climatic, technological, and human inputs is sufficiently similar to the response of the real system to make it useful as a predictive and heuris tic policy tool.
Ovulation in postpartum rats.

In a long—term study, the vast majority of Sprague—Dawley rats from the Holtzman Co. have been found to deliver between 6 AM and 4 PM on Day 23 of pregnancy. Temporal examination for the presence of ova in the oviducts following parturition demonstrated that the time of follicle rupture occurred between 9 PM to 12 midnight postpartum whereas that in cyclic rats is from 12 midnight to 4 AM. Determination of the ovulatory surge of gonadotropin in the postpartum rat was carried out by phenobarbital blockade experiments, neutralization of circulating LH with ovine LH antiserum and direct measurement of serum LH by radioimmunoassay. It was observed that as in the cyclic rats the period occupied by the initial triggering process for ovulation in the individual postpartum rat is relatively brief. However, for the whole population, the period stretched from early morning to late evening. Ovulation was observed the day after a single iv injection of either LH or FSH during pregnancy. A single dose of estradiol ben...
Relationship of circadian activity and social behaviors to reentrainment rates in diurnal Octodon degus (Rodentia)

Abstract Previous experiments with female Octodon degus showed that entrained males (donors) inhibited and entrained females accelerated female phase-shifters' reentrainment rates of temperature and activity rhythms following 6-h advances. In this experiment, entrained males were housed with other entrained males or with phase-shifting females (experiencing a phase advance of the light dark (LD) cycle) and entrained females were housed with other entrained females or with phase-shifting females. Pairs separated by a barrier were videotaped for 66 h to identify the behavioral interactions that underlie the opposite effects of donor social cues on reentrainment rates in females. As reported previously, female phase-shifters housed with entrained females reentrained faster than those housed with entrained males following 6-h advances. Despite accelerated reentrainment, the timing or total durations of general activity, sleep, cage investigation, barrier investigation, and scent marking did not differ between female phase-shifters housed with male or female donors, although all phase-shifters increased investigatory behaviors compared to entrained animals. In contrast, male and female donors housed with female phase-shifters increased the frequency of scent marking and the duration of cage and barrier investigation compared with those housed with entrained same-sex conspecifics. Changes in scent marking and sniffing investigation suggest olfactory cues, not alterations in sleep or other daily rhythms, supply the critical social influence necessary to alter reentrainment rates in females. Daily and/ or specific phase increases in motor activity did not correlate with accelerated reentrainment. We suggest that the salience of social cues perceived by female phase-shifters, female phase-shifters' sensitivity to cues and/or the strength of emitted donor cues may contribute to differential responses of the circadian system in females housed with male vs. female donors.
Vitamin D insufficiency is prevalent and vitamin D is inversely associated with parathyroid hormone and calcitriol in pregnant adolescents.

Few large studies have assessed changes in calcitropic hormones and maternal 25(OH)D status across pregnancy, and how this may impact maternal bone turnover and neonatal hormone status. We aimed to identify determinants of 25(OH)D, PTH, and calcitriol across pregnancy in a longitudinal study of 168 pregnant adolescents (≤18 y of age). Maternal 25(OH)D, PTH, and calcitriol were assessed at mid-gestation (~26 weeks), delivery, and in cord blood. Data were related to measures of maternal anthropometrics, dietary intake, physical activity, and bone turnover markers. Approximately 50% of teens and their infants had serum 25(OH)D ≤20 ng/mL; 25(OH)D was lower in African Americans versus Caucasians (p<0.001). PTH increased across gestation (p<0.001). Elevated PTH (≥60 pg/mL) was detected in 25% of adolescents at delivery, and was associated with increased concentrations of serum NTX (p=0.028). PTH and calcitriol did not significantly differ across the range of Ca intakes consumed (257-3220 mg/day). In the group as a whole, PTH was inversely associated with 25(OH)D in maternal circulation at mid-gestation (p=0.023) and at delivery (p=0.019). However, when the cohort was partitioned by 25(OH)D status, this relationship was only present in those with 25(OH)D ≤20 ng/mL, suggestive of a threshold below which 25(OH)D impacts PTH during pregnancy. Mid-gestation 25(OH)D was inversely associated with calcitriol at delivery (p=0.023), irrespective of Ca intake. Neonatal PTH and calcitriol were significantly lower than (p<0.001), but unrelated to maternal concentrations. These findings indicate that maternal 25(OH)D status plays a role in calcitropic hormone regulation in pregnant adolescents.
Sedimentation and distributions of green and brown morphs of the Caribbean coral Porites astreoides Lamarck

Sediments suspended in the water column and settling on to reef surfaces are thought to exert control on coral distributions through both lethal and sublethal effects. I investigated whether variation in sedimentation rates can adequately explain patterns of distribution observed along depth gradients for green and brown colonies of the common Caribbean coral Porites astreoides Lamarck. Colony abundances and rates of downward flux of suspended particulates (i.e., sedimentation rates) were assessed along depth gradients at four sites (Tague Bay, Buck Island, Cane Bay and Salt River Canyon) on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. In all but one instance, 12 m depth at Tague Bay, distributions of green and brown P. astreoides varied predictably with differences in sedimentation rates: higher levels of sedimentation corresponded with a lower proportion of green colonies. Laboratory experiments conducted with colonies from the low sediment Cane Bay site showed that brown colonies not only shed sediment from the colony surface significantly better than green colonies, but also suffer less sediment-induced tissue death. While previous models of sediment resistance in corals have been based on variation in colony shape and polyp architecture, results obtained here indicate that major differences in these parameters may not be necessary for differential tolerances to occur.
One-step, low-temperature deposited perovskite solar cell utilizing small molecule additive

In the current study, the perovskite absorber (CH3NH3PbI3) is processed via one-step deposition employing the small molecule additive, BmPyPhB, which can be dissolved in dimethylformamide along with precursors. Here, 1,3-Bis(3,5-di(pyridin-3-yl)phenyl)benzene (BmPyPhB) functions as the morphology controller to introduce an intermediate phase during perovskite film growth, which allows well-defined and precrystallized domains formed before the annealing treatment. Furthermore, a chloroform solvent wash procedure is applied afterward to remove BmPyPhB from perovskite without damaging the predetermined morphology. Thus, postannealing as low as 100°C for 5 min can achieve the optimal power conversion efficiency of 8% in a planar-structured inverted solar cell. © 2015 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) (DOI: 10.1117/1.JPE.5.057405)
Genetic analysis of multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex disease with a significant genetic contribution. Similar to other complex diseases, the genetic risk for MS results from a combination of many genetic variants which individually confer only modest effects. Here we review the results of the complementary genetic approaches of linkage and association in MS, highlighting the challenges of identifying loci of modest effect. We describe meta-analytical approaches that provide additional statistical power necessary for detecting such loci and further apply this approach to evaluate the association of a CTLA-4 variant with MS. Lastly, we review recent important advances in our understanding of the patterns of genetic variation in the human genome and speculate about how these advances will aid in future studies of the genetic causes of MS.
Ocean Optics: Introduction And Overview

This paper provides an introduction and overview of the discipline known as "ocean optics". Emphasis is on basic concepts, the optical quantities involved, their measurement, and interconnecting theoretical relationships. Specific topics include radiometric quantities, inherent optical properties, apparent optical properties, measuring the spectral absorption coefficient, effect of bandwidth on Gershun's Law, measuring the volume scattering function, effect of the deep chlorophyll layer, removal of cloud effects from depth profiles of irradiance, and future directions.
Vegetation and soil recovery in wilderness campsites closed to visitor use.

Recreational use of wilderness results in impacts to vegetation and soil in trails and campsites. Traditionally, campsite impact studies have compared campsites receiving various levels of use with unused control areas. Field studies in Sequoia National Park, California, indicate that the degree of impact to vegetation and soils also varies within campsites. The central areas of campsites, where trampling is concentrated, show lower plant species diversity, differences in relative species cover, more highly compacted soils, and lower soil nutrient concentrations than do peripheral, moderately trampled, and untrampled areas within the same campsite. Three years after closure to visitor use, the central areas show less increase in mean foliar plant cover, and soils remain more highly compacted than in previously moderately trampled areas of the same sites. Changes in relative species cover over time are used to assess both resiliency to trampling and species composition recovery within campsites closed to visitor use.
Comprehensive Tax Reform in Jamaica

When the fiscal situation of a country gets too far out of control, government will often call for a comprehensive review of the tax system to try to get back on a sustainable path. Jamaica is just...
Coping with breast cancer in later life: the role of religious faith.

Purpose: To identify and examine religious and spiritual coping strategies among elderly women with newly diagnosed breast cancer. Methods: A convenience sample of 33 women age 65 years was recruited within 6 months of diagnosis. Respondents participated in a structured interview with open-ended questions. Transcripts of the interviews were analysed independently by three researchers and themes were discussed until consensus was reached. Results: Participants’ religious background was varied: 17 Protestant, five Catholic, six Jews, and four Other. There was great variation in the frequency of religious service attendance. Religious and/or spiritual belief either increased or stayed the same during the time of health crisis. Analysis of transcripts revealed three themes. Religious and spiritual faith provided respondents with the emotional support necessary to deal with their breast cancer (91%), with social support (70%), and with the ability to make meaning in their everyday life, particularly during their cancer experience (64%). Conclusions: Religious and spiritual faith provides elderly women newly diagnosed with breast cancer with important tools for coping with their illness and should be recognized by diagnosing physicians. It may be important to encourage these patients to seek religious support and/or to reconnect with their religious community. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Descriptions of Two New Species of the Platylomia spinosa Species Group (Hemiptera: Cicadidae)

ABSTRACT Two new species, Platylomia constanti Lee, sp. nov. and Platylomia maxima Lee, sp. nov., of the Platylomia spinosa species group are described from Luzon, Philippines. These new species are distinguished from their congeners by the combination of the following characters: larger body, long operculum, wide abdomen, presence of infuscation only at bases of apical cells 2 and 3 on the fore wing, blackish ground color of the dorsal and ventral parts of the body, and the different shape of the uncal lobe. The 2 new species are different from each other not only in collection altitude and season but also in morphology such as the shape of the dorsal beak, shape of the male operculum, shapes of some markings on the body, and the length of the basal vein of the apical cell 1.
Do irregular stress-strain relationships of crunchy foods have regular periodicities?

The attractors of the jagged, normalized, dimensionless, stress-strain relationships of three dry snacks, breadstick, pretzel and Zwieback, were constructed using the Packard-Taken method. No unambiguous pattern could be revealed but the shape of the attractors differed from that of a totally random sequence. Although the existence of underlying characteristic periodicities could not be proven using the method with the available data it could not be ruled out either.
A Recursive Bayesian Estimation Method for Solving Electromagnetic Nondestructive Evaluation Inverse Problems

Estimating flaw profiles from measurements is a typical inverse problem in electromagnetic nondestructive evaluation (NDE). This paper proposes a novel state-space approach for solving such inverse problems. The approach is robust in the presence of measurement noise. It formulates the inverse problem as a tracking problem with state and measurement equations. The state-space model resembles the classical discrete-time tracking problem. The model allows recursive Bayesian nonlinear filters based on sequential Monte Carlo methods to be applied in conjunction with numerical models that represent the measurement process (i.e., solution of the forward problem). We apply our approach to simulated eddy-current and magnetic flux leakage NDE measurements (with and without measurement noise) from known flaw shapes, and the results indicate the feasibility and robustness of the proposed method.
Prevention of age-related spontaneous mammary tumors in outbred rats by late ovariectomy.

Abstract Background: Breast cancer prevention trials have shown that the antiestrogen tamoxifen inhibits development of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors. In Sprague–Dawley rats, removal of ovarian function in young animals can reduce the incidence of spontaneous age-dependent mammary tumors. However, it is not known whether removal of ovaries late in life, before middle age onset, can still prevent mammary tumor development. Methods : In this study we used Hsd:Sprague–Dawley ® SD ® (Hsd) rats to determine the effect of late ovariectomy on mammary tumor development. Intact, sham-ovariectomized and ovariectomized rats were followed until 110 weeks of age, or over their life span. In some experiments, palpable tumors were surgically removed upon presentation. Results : Removal of ovaries before middle age onset (∼5–7 months) inhibited development of spontaneous mammary tumors by 95%. Only one mammary tumor was observed in 19 late ovariectomized animals while 47 total tumors developed in 42 non-ovariectomized animals. Tumor incidence was reduced from 73.8 to 5.3% (relative risk=0.05, 95% CI=0.0072–0.354). The frequency of mammary carcinomas in non-ovariectomized virgin female rats was one in eight rats. Spontaneous rat carcinomas expressed ER and other biomarkers, such as cyclin D1. When palpable tumors were removed by surgical excision, tumor multiplicity increased from 0.76 to 1.61 tumors per rat. Surprisingly, ovariectomy increased the 110-week survival rate and maximum life span of Hsd rats. Conclusion: Late ovariectomy prevents spontaneous mammary tumor development in Hsd rats. This animal model may be useful for evaluating novel interventions in breast cancer prevention.
The Bryophyte Flora of Jefferson County, Ohio

Abstract A survey of the bryophyte flora, Anthocerotophyta (hornworts), Marchantiophyta (liverworts), and Bryophyta (mosses) of Jefferson County, Ohio was conducted from 1998 to 2004. Jefferson County (106,416 ha) is located in the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau region. Its eastern border is the Ohio River. Approximately 20% of the county has been mined for coal since the early 1900's, and 29% has been cleared for agriculture. Seventeen (17) species of liverworts and 1 species of hornwort were found. Jefferson County records for moss species increased from 0 to 115. The moss flora of Jefferson County is compared to that of other Ohio counties using Sorenson's similarity index (SI).
Large-scale variations of the Somali current during the southwest monsoon, 1970

Abstract Hydrographic measurements of the Somali Current between the equator and 12°N during the Southwest monsoon in August and September, 1970, indicate that the general pattern of circulation may change considerably within a season. Differing from the structure found during the same period in 1964, two regions of cold upwelled water were encountered along the Somali coast during August: at approximately 6°N and at 10°N, each being associated with a branch of the current that turned eastward offshore. During late August, the current structure of the southern cell appeared to translate along the coast to the northeast and merge with the northern cell near 10°N during September. The northern anticyclonic cell (that had been between 6°N to 10°N during August) then appeared to enlarge and weaken by the end of September. Near the boundaries of the cells, stations at approximately the same position, but occupied from two weeks to one month apart, indicate large changes (up to 10°C at 100 m) in the thermal structure in the upper 200 meters during this period.
Going abroad through acquisitions: an exploratory analysis of Indian companies' recent international expansion

Since the 1990s, Indian companies have been acquiring firms abroad. The pace of acquisitions has accelerated recently. While the popular press has been covering with gusto major Indian acquisitions, academics have not yet addressed the whys and wherefores of this phenomenon. As much of the information on foreign acquisitions has to be collected from diverse sources and the data may be incomplete, this reluctance to explore the topic is understandable. Drawing on extant academic literature on Third World multinationals and traditional multinationals, the paper puts forward several tentative hypotheses to explain the phenomenon and tests them using aggregate as well as anecdotal evidence. Its major conclusion is that Indian companies may have now joined the ranks of traditional multinationals from Europe, USA, and Japan. Acquisitions are a manifestation of Indian firms' efforts to compete globally. The paper then outlines possible future research avenues in this emerging area of international business.
Recognizing subjectivity: a case study in manual tagging

In this paper, we describe a case study of a sentence-level categorization in which tagging instructions are developed and used by four judges to classify clauses from the Wall Street Journal as either subjective or objective. Agreement among the four judges is analyzed, and based on that analysis, each clause is given a final classification. To provide empirical support for the classifications, correlations are assessed in the data between the subjective category and a basic semantic class posited by Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech and Svartvik (1985).
Should positive sentinel node cases have a further axillary dissection

The treatment of lymph node metastasis in human cancers has been a source of controversy for many years. Several contemporary randomized trials indicate no survival advantage to performing axillary dissection in contrast to merely observing the axilla after invasive breast cancer. This assumption is confirmed since survival advantages cannot be demonstrated when comparing greater or lesser lymph node dissections or dissection vs. observation of regional lymph nodes in melanoma and breast cancer and all other epithelial cancers.Many recent studies indicate that axillary metastases, when they do occur in this era of mammographic screening and small invasive cancers, demonstrate metastases in the axillary sentinel nodes only in from 20% to almost 100% depending on primary cancer size. For instance, in T1a and T1b cancers, 50–100% of lymph node metastases, infrequently discovered, are contained entirely within the sentinel nodes. In T2 cancers, this proportion is roughly 25–50%, and in T3 cancers it ranges from 20% to 40%. A number of recent articles have demonstrated no difference in survival and very little nodal recurrence when patients with positive sentinel nodes are not followed by axillary dissection although the axillary disease tends to be less advanced in observed compared to treated patients with axillary dissection. Nevertheless, basic principles have been reconfirmed in these reports.It has also been shown in animal research that clones of particular metastatic site cells demonstrate organ specificity. Transplanted human breast cancers demonstrate specific homing abilities to selective distant metastatic organ sites such as lymph nodes, bone, lung, or even adrenal gland. Genetic profiles of the different clones of cells with high metastatic specificity are each unique. Thus it is assumed that lymph node specific metastatic cells (and other organ-site-specific cells) have no ability to lodge and grow in other metastatic sites; this has been demonstrated clinically in clinical trials previously mentioned.Therefore, there is no benefit in performing subsequent axillary dissections even when the sentinel node biopsy is positive, because of: (1) very low risk (≤2%) of recurrent clinical nodal metastases, (2) the lack of impact on disease specific or overall survival, (3) most lymph node metastases are limited to the sentinel nodes, and (4) lymph node metastases are only indicators not governors of the distant metastases. The American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG) Z-11 Trial was designed to specifically address this point, but unfortunately was closed early because of poor accrual; nevertheless, 900 patients were enrolled and will be analyzed over time to address this point.
Error modeling for hierarchical lossless image compression

The authors present a new method for error modeling applicable to the multi-level progressive (MLP) algorithm for hierarchical lossless image compression. This method, based on a concept called the variability index, provides accurate models for pixel prediction errors without requiring explicit transmission of the models. They also use the variability index to show that prediction errors do not always follow the Laplace distribution, as is commonly assumed; replacing the Laplace distribution with a more general distribution further improves compression. They describe a new compression measurement called compression gain, and give experimental results showing that the using variability index gives significantly better compression than other methods in the literature. >
OpenICE: An Open, Interoperable Platform for Medical Cyber-Physical Systems

Medical devices in hospitals and other clinical settings are not yet networked with each other. This leads to compartmentalization and siloing of information, false positive alarms where stand-alone devices are not aware of the patient's context, and worsened patient outcomes when novel, life-saving algorithms cannot even be prototyped. In response to this situation, we have developed an open source implementation of the Integrated Clinical Environment (ICE) standard ASTM 2761-09(2013). The platform consists of software device adapters for medical devices (including anesthesia machines, ventilators, and patient monitors), OMG DDS standard middleware, and demonstration applications. Applications can be built on this platform to implement smart alarms, physiologic closed-loop control algorithms, data visualization, and clinical research data collection. The ICE standard defines an architecture for building a safe patient-centric Integrated Clinical Environment. It defines roles for device adapters, a network controller that mediates traffic, a supervisor capable of hosting applications, a data logger for forensic analysis, and external interfaces to hospital resources such as an EHR, ADT, or pharmacy system. Over the last 8 years, working with a broad team of collaborators, we have built numerous prototype medical distributed systems. These have ranged from a deterministic, hard real-time network implemented on custom FPGA hardware to approaches built on web services. There exist many different middlewares, and our requirements allow us to choose an appropriate one. An ideal middleware would support an abstract API that would permit many instantiations on varying hardware and software platforms. Safe interoperability requires that participants on the network all play by the same rules. DDS was chosen as the middleware for this prototype because it supports the expression of a wide range of quality of service parameters, allowing us to support a variety of clinical scenarios suggested by our user community. Data published by apps can be indistinguishable from that provided by physical medical devices, enabling sophisticated data processing apps that may generate data for use by other system components. Matching publishers to subscribers requires that all of the participants use a common set of terms. For this work, a subset of the ISO/IEEE 11073-10101 nomenclature was used. This allows for components (applications or devices) to be interoperable. Using this approach, device manufacturers will be able to produce devices with electronic interfaces that will work with any ICE application, and any ICE application will work with any device that provides the necessary data elements. We are presenting an initial implementation here in anticipation of useful feedback from the CPS community furthering future versions that will be suitable for mainstream clinical use. Updates will be available to the community at mdpnp.sourceforge.net, and we are working on an ICE Application exchange (ICE AX) site where clinical researchers can post and download ICE applications.
Analogical processing: a simulation and empirical corroboration

This paper compares the performance of the Structure-Mapping Engine (SME), a cognitive simulation of analogy, with two aspects of human performance. Gentner's Structure-Mapping theory predicts that soundness is highest for relational matches, while accessibility is highest for surface matches. These 'predictions have been borne out in psychological studies, and here we demonstrate that SME replicates these results. In particular, we ran SME on the same stories used in the psychological studies with two different kinds of match rules. In analogy mode, SME closely captures the human soundness ordering. In mereappearance mode, SME captures the accessibility ordering. We briefly review the psychological studies, describe our computational experiments, and discuss the utility of SME as a cognitive modeling tool.
Improved rates and asymptotic normality for nonparametric neural network estimators

We obtain an improved approximation rate (in Sobolev norm) of r/sup -1/2-/spl alpha//(d+1)/ for a large class of single hidden layer feedforward artificial neural networks (ANN) with r hidden units and possibly nonsigmoid activation functions when the target function satisfies certain smoothness conditions. Here, d is the dimension of the domain of the target function, and /spl alpha//spl isin/(0, 1) is related to the smoothness of the activation function. When applying this class of ANNs to nonparametrically estimate (train) a general target function using the method of sieves, we obtain new root-mean-square convergence rates of Op([n/log(n)]/sup -/(1+2/spl alpha//(d+1))/[4(1+/spl alpha//(d+1))])=op(n/sup -1/4/) by letting the number of hidden units /spl tau//sub n/, increase appropriately with the sample size (number of training examples) n. These rates are valid for i.i.d. data as well as for uniform mixing and absolutely regular (/spl beta/-mixing) stationary time series data. In addition, the rates are fast enough to deliver root-n asymptotic normality for plug-in estimates of smooth functionals using general ANN sieve estimators. As interesting applications to nonlinear time series, we establish rates for ANN sieve estimators of four different multivariate target functions: a conditional mean, a conditional quantile, a joint density, and a conditional density. We also obtain root-n asymptotic normality results for semiparametric model coefficient and average derivative estimators.
A comparison of Bayes risk weighted vector quantization with posterior estimation with other VQ-based classifiers

We compare the compression and classification performance of various vector-quantizer based classifiers on real images. These quantizers include a Bayes risk weighted vector quantizer, Kohonen's "learning vector quantizer" (LVQ), and an independent design of quantizer and classifier. Both full search and tree-structured codes are considered. The quantizers are applied to aerial photographs and medical images where the goal is to both compress the images and classify particular features within the images. We demonstrate that for the examples considered, Bayes risk weighted vector quantization with posterior estimation obtains similar or superior classification and compression performance to that obtained with the other systems. >
Effects of the Putative Transcriptional Regulator IclR on Francisella tularensis Pathogenesis

Francisella tularensis is a highly virulent Gram-negative bacterium and is the etiological agent of the disease tularemia. IclR, a presumed transcriptional regulator, is required for full virulence of the animal pathogen, F. tularensis subspecies novicida U112 (53). In this study, we investigated the contribution of IclR to the intracellular growth, virulence, and gene regulation of human pathogenic F. tularensis subspecies. Deletion of iclR from the live vaccine strain (LVS) and SchuS4 strain of F. tularensis subsp. holarctica and F. tularensis subsp. tularensis, respectively, did not affect their abilities to replicate within macrophages or epithelial cells. In contrast to F. tularensis subsp. novicida iclR mutants, LVS and SchuS4 ΔiclR strains were as virulent as their wild-type parental strains in intranasal inoculation mouse models of tularemia. Furthermore, wild-type LVS and LVSΔiclR were equally cytotoxic and induced equivalent levels of interleukin-1β expression by infected bone marrow-derived macrophages. Microarray analysis revealed that the relative expression of a limited number of genes differed significantly between LVS wild-type and ΔiclR strains. Interestingly, many of the identified genes were disrupted in LVS and SchuS4 but not in their corresponding F. tularensis subsp. novicida U112 homologs. Thus, despite the impact of iclR deletion on gene expression, and in contrast to the effects of iclR deletion on F. tularensis subsp. novicida virulence, IclR does not contribute significantly to the virulence or pathogenesis of F. tularensis LVS or SchuS4.
Electric power control center visualization using Geographic Data Views

The paper introduces a new technique for power system visualization known as geographic data views, or GDVs. The impetus behind the development of GDVs is to use dynamically created visualization in order to show a wider range of power system information than is possible using the existing geographically based wide-area visualizations that are becoming common in electric power control centers. With the GDV approach power system visualizations can be dynamically created by operators or engineers using power system information along with geographic information imbedded in the power system model. The paper demonstrates the approach for several sample data sets.
A Novel MAPK–microRNA Signature Is Predictive of Hormone-Therapy Resistance and Poor Outcome in ER-Positive Breast Cancer

Purpose: Hyperactivation of ERK1/2 MAPK (hMAPK) leads to loss of estrogen receptor (ER) expression and poor outcome in breast cancer. microRNAs (miRNA) play important regulatory roles and serve as biomarkers of disease. Here, we describe molecular, pathologic, and clinical outcome associations of an hMAPK–miRNA expression signature in breast cancer. Experimental Design: An hMAPK–miRNA signature was identified, and associations of this signature with molecular and genetic alterations, gene expression, pathologic features, and clinical outcomes were determined in primary breast cancers from training data and validated using independent datasets. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified subsignatures associated with increased disease recurrence and poorer disease survival among ER-positive (ER + ) patients, respectively. Results: High-hMAPK–miRNA status significantly correlated with ER-negativity, enrichment for basal and HER2-subtypes, and reduced recurrence-free and disease-specific survival in publicly available datasets. A robust determination of a recurrence signature and a survival signature identified hMAPK–miRNAs commonly associated with poor clinical outcome, and specific subsets associated more closely with either disease recurrence or disease survival, especially among ER + cancers of both luminal A and luminal B subtypes. Multivariate analyses indicated that these recurrence and survival signatures significantly associated with increased risk of disease-specific death and disease recurrence in ER + cancer and ER + cancers treated with hormone therapy. Conclusions: We report an hMAPK–miRNA signature and two subsignatures derived from it that associate significantly with adverse clinical features, poor clinical outcome, and poor response to hormone therapy in breast cancer, thus identifying potential effectors of MAPK signaling, and novel predictive and prognostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets in breast cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 21(2); 373–85. ©2014 AACR .
High average-power induction linacs

Designs for LIAs (linear induction accelerators) stem primarily from physics concerns about stable beam transport and emittance preservation; these concerns lead to specific design features of the induction cores and injectors, stringent requirements on energy regulation, and specification of voltage gradient and precision magnetic alignment. Further challenges unique to HAP (high average power) operation (e.g. transient suppression, thermal management) heighten requirements on switching, reset regulation, jitter, power regulation/compensation, diagnostic sensing, and active control. The authors review how the HAP test stands and the total system integration on the ETA-II (Experimental Test Accelerator II) are developing the technologies needed to satisfy these requirements. >
Gaseotransmitters: new frontiers for translational science.

Translational research on endogenous gaseous mediators—nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide—has exploded over the past decade. Drugs that modulate either the gaseous mediators themselves or their related intracellular signaling pathways are already in use in the clinics, and still more are being tested in preclinical models and clinical trials. Discussed here are the chemical and pharmacological properties that present challenges for the translation of these potentially toxic molecules.
Thermomechanical Loading Constraints

There is a great deal of concern for thermomechanical fatigue (TMF) durability as it is an important technological problem. TMF is an unavoidable consequence of operating equipment at high temperatures. To get to and from high service temperatures, it is necessary to undergo temperature variation. If the variation is rapid enough, which is the case for high performance equipment, thermal stresses and strains are imposed by the transient thermal gradients in the alloy as heat flows in and out of the component. It is the cyclic thermal stresses and strains that cyclically deform the material and impart TMF damage. TMF has been approximated by isothermal fatigue studies for a number of years, but there is a growing concern regarding the adequacy of this approach. Examples, such as the one shown in figure 1, have been found over the past few years, show TMF damage to be more severe than would be expected from isothermal life prediction methods. How and why TMF damage differs from isothermal damage and how these differences might be predicted by advanced life prediction schemes is the subject of this paper.
The System Diagrams: Shifting Perspectives

As society becomes increasingly saturated with information, the design of that information becomes ever more important. However, rather than reinforcing the agency of the user, many information design products limit one’s possibilities for action. Take bus route maps (Figure 1), for instance. No problems emerge when looking at each bus route separately, but when users try to compare them to one another, it is difficult to understand their relationship. Only scattered information is made available, so that users are unable to form a clear, holistic understanding of how the bus service operates. Consequently, if an unexpected delay in a bus service were to occur, passengers might not be able to find and take an alternate route. Although a variety of approaches are available to resolve this problem, using system diagrams is a method that allows information designers to consider the holistic context. It is necessary not only to understand the system itself but also to study diagrams as a means of effectively describing the system, which is abstract in nature. The use of diagrams is a key component in communicating the holistic structure of an information system; however, a lack of rigorous discussion in the field means that designers often have difficulty examining systems as an integral part of their work. The purpose of this article is to provide a theoretical framework that broadens designers’ conception of system diagrams and enables them to design diagrams that can be effectively applied to various situations, needs, and design problems. In the first half of the article, we introduce four kinds of system diagrams and analyze different examples; the second half of the article focuses on how different modes of thinking are used to address varied needs and goals in the design process.
Deaths in the 3 May 1999 Oklahoma City Tornado from a Historical Perspective

Abstract The 3 May 1999 Oklahoma City tornado was the deadliest in the United States in over 20 years, with 36 direct fatalities. To understand how this event fits into the historical context, the record of tornado deaths in the United States has been examined. Almost 20 000 deaths have been reported associated with more than 3600 tornadoes in the United States since 1680. A cursory examination of the record shows a break in 1875. Prior to then, it is likely that many killer tornadoes failed to be reported. When the death toll is normalized by population, a near-constant rate of death is apparent until about 1925, when a sharp fall begins. The rate was about 1.8 people per million population in 1925 and was less than 0.12 people per million by 2000. The decrease in fatalities has resulted from two primary causes: a decrease in the number of killer tornadoes and a decrease in the number of fatalities in the most deadly tornadoes. Current death rates for mobile home residents, however, are still nearly what...
What's in a name? The impact of accurate Staphylococcus pseudintermedius identification on appropriate antimicrobial susceptibility testing

Bacteria in the Staphylococcus intermedius group, including Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, often encode mecA-mediated methicillin resistance. Reliable detection of this phenotype for proper treatment and infection control decisions requires that these coagulase-positive staphylococci are accurately identified and specifically that they are not misidentified as S. aureus. As correct species level bacterial identification becomes more commonplace in clinical laboratories, one can expect to see changes in guidance for antimicrobial susceptibility testing and interpretation. The study by Wu et al. in this issue (M. T. Wu, C.-A. D. Burnham, L. F. Westblade, J. Dien Bard, S. D. Lawhon, M. A. Wallace, T. Stanley, E. Burd, J. Hindler, R. M. Humphries, J Clin Microbiol 54:535-542, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JCM.02864-15) highlights the impact of robust identification of S. intermedius group organisms on the selection of appropriate antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods and interpretation.
Pertussis toxin alters the concentration and turnover of manganese superoxide dismutase in rat lung

Treatment of rats with pertussis toxin (PTX) decreases the activity of manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) in the lung and results in oxygen toxicity in air (L. B. Clerch, G. Neithardt, U. Spencer, J. A. Melendez, G. D. Massaro, and D. Massaro. J. Clin. Invest. 93: 2482-2489, 1994). To examine aspects of the mechanism of the PTX-induced fall in Mn-SOD activity, we injected rats with PTX (50 micrograms/kg), killed the rats 72 h later, and measured the activity, concentration, specific activity, and turnover of Mn-SOD in the lung. Treatment with PTX caused an approximately 50% fall in Mn-SOD activity and Mn-SOD concentration but no change in Mn-SOD specific activity. PTX also caused an increase in Mn-SOD mRNA concentration, a fall in Mn-SOD synthesis, and an increase in the half-life of Mn-SOD and general proteins. We conclude the PTX-induced low concentration of Mn-SOD is due to a decrease of translational efficiency. We suggest that, under normoxic conditions, signal transduction via heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding proteins regulates the expression of Mn-SOD at the level of translation and Mn-SOD degradation.
Evaluation of point-of-care PRO assessment in clinic settings: integration, parallel-forms reliability, and patient acceptability of electronic QOL measures during clinic visits

Assessment of patient-reported outcomes (PROs), such as health-related quality of life, has become an important component of healthcare that measures the impact of disease and medical treatment on patient health. Collecting PROs during point-of-care assessments and integrating them into the clinical setting, however, remains challenging. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the reliability, usability, and acceptability of point-of-care electronic PRO assessments implemented in a prostate cancer clinic. Fifty subjects completed paper–pencil and computerized formats of the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC), a validated, condition-specific QOL instrument, at separate times before treatment. Parallel-forms reliability was evaluated by comparing mean scores, variations in response distribution, and correlations between administration formats. Correlation coefficients of at least 0.70 were used for reliability testing. Differences between administration forms, indicating potential bias, were compared using the signed-rank test. A 6-item acceptability scale was also used to evaluate patient acceptability and satisfaction with the electronic format. Mean scores and standard deviations were similar between the paper–pencil and electronic forms across all EPIC instrument domains, and no assessment bias was found. Each EPIC domain demonstrated a high reliability between administration formats (correlation coefficients: 0.70–0.98). The majority (>90 %) of respondents found that the computerized QOL format was user friendly and simple to use. Point-of-care computerized QOL assessments were reliable and acceptable to patients in this study, supporting the feasibility of PRO integration at the point-of-care in clinical settings.
Brain Tumors Arising in the Setting of Chronic Epilepsy

Brain tumors, along with malformations of cortical development (cortical dysplasia), hippocampal sclerosis, and remote ischemic damage, are among the more common identifiable causes of pharmacoresistent chronic epilepsy. The majority of tumors arising in this setting present in the first two decades of life and fortunately most tumors tend to be low grade neoplasms, with at least half of the tumors representing glioneuronal neoplasms. The spectrum of tumor types which have been identified in this clinical setting of chronic epilepsy continues to expand with the recent addition of the angiocentric glioma to The WHO Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System. This chapter will review some of the more commonly encountered tumors that arise in the setting of medically intractable epilepsy.
Hand injuries at a mine hospital.

An analysis of 100 successive industrial hand injuries, (plus a small number of domestic hand injuries), presenting at Mangula Hospital. (Mangula Hospital caters for the Mangula Copper Mining Complex about 120 miles north of Salisbury).