cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Responsiveness to adipogenic agents in stromal-vascular cultures derived from lean and preobese pig fetuses: an ontogeny study.

Primary cultures of stromal-vascular (S-V) cells from adipose tissue were used to evaluate characteristics of preadipocytes from lean and preobese fetuses at several ages (50, 75, and 110 d). In insulin-supplemented (1 microM) cultures (serum free) there was a significant age x fetal genotype interaction (P less than .01) for glycerol-phosphate dehydrogenase specific activity (GPDH); GPDH activity was genotype-dependent at 110 d (preobese greater than lean). The responses of S-V cultures (preadipocyte development) to 2% pig serum and to insulin (serum free) were similar. Main effects of genotype and age were significant (P less than .05) for protein levels in pig serum and insulin-treated cultures. There was a significant genotype x age (P less than .05) interaction for GPDH activity and protein levels in cultures treated with dexamethasone + 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (DEX-IBMX). Treatment with DEX-IBMX induced more preadipocyte development in cultures from preobese fetuses than in cultures from lean fetuses at 110 d (P less than .05). The responsiveness of S-V cultures to DEX-IBMX (enhanced development) increased considerably between 50 and 75 d regardless of fetal genotype, but there was little response in cultures form 50-d fetuses. Preadipocyte development in lean and preobese fetuses diverged between 75 and 110 d, resulting in many more preadipocytes in preobese fetuses at 110 d. Therefore, S-V cells from preobese fetuses (late term) may be inherently more sensitive to adipogenic agents than S-V cells from lean fetuses.
Potential therapeutic interventions to avoid or treat chronic allograft dysfunction.

Despite the significant improvements that have occurred since the introduction of CsA, long-term renal allograft survival continues to be an area of concern. Management strategies that involve the use of sirolimus offer some promise. A number of observations suggest that sirolimus may have the ability to reduce the rates or slow the progression of chronic nephropathy. First, sirolimus has been shown to inhibit growth-factor-driven proliferation of endothelial and smooth muscle cells in vitro (55, 56). Sirolimus also disrupts signal transduction by a variety of other cytokines such as EGF and PDGE This is significant because cytokine- and growth-factor-stimulated proliferation of endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, parenchymal cells, and fibroblasts appears to underlie the development of chronic nephropathy (see Fellstrom, this supplement). Second, sirolimus has been demonstrated in various animal models to inhibit the arterial intimal thickening that typically follows alloimmune or mechanical injury (56-60; see Morris, this supplement). This transplant vasculopathy is a prominent feature in chronic rejection of other organ transplants. Moreover, at least 1 published study has suggested that sirolimus may be able to stabilize and possibly reverse chronic graft vascular disease (61). However, the relative doses of sirolimus used in these animal studies have been higher than those used in humans, so the relationship of these effects to the clinical setting needs to be further studied to define the relevance of these findings. Third, sirolimus, used in combination with CsA, reduces the incidence of acute rejection episodes in humans, one of the most significant predictors of shortened renal allograft survival (62, 63). Thus, an effect of sirolimus to reduce acute rejection episodes or delay their onset is expected to reduce renal allograft loss. Furthermore, clinical trials suggest that sirolimus treatment may allow dose reductions of CsA or a delay in inception of CsA therapy, which might reduce the acute and chronic nephrotoxicity associated with CsA and other CNIs. Since nephrotoxicity may promote or aggravate renal injury and appears to be common in chronic nephropathy (see Fellstrom and Paul, this supplement), reduced exposure to CNIs may translate into reduced rates of chronic renal allograft dysfunction. There are no currently effective therapies for chronic nephropathy, which is a common cause of late renal allograft loss. Preliminary evidence suggests that sirolimus may eventually prove useful as prophylaxis of or treatment for chronic nephropathy. Thus, sirolimus has come to be regarded as the foundation for maintenance immunosuppressive regimens.
SACRIFICE BEFORE BATTLE

For the Greeks no undertaking was without its appropriate ritual, giving assurance of approval or, at the least, the withholding of hostility on the part of the supernatural. In war, where human life, pride, and prosperity were uniquely at risk, ritual was so conspicuous that it became the paradigm for other human activities. So Xenophon has Socrates say ‘You see men at war appeasing the gods before they engage in battle and asking by means of sacrifices and omens what they ought to do. Do you think we should propitiate the gods any the less when we come to engage in farming?’ (Oec. 5.19-20). Indeed, every stage of the process that led up to a clash of hoplite phalanxes on the field of battle was marked by attention to the gods. Victor Hanson (1989), writing on the Greek way of war, has brought out vividly the grim reality of the fighting, but he chose not to treat there the supernatural dimension. The aim of this essay is to complete the picture, in colors that will perhaps seem no less lurid than those used to describe combat itself.1
Beta-Blockade for Mitral Regurgitation : Could the Management of Valvular Heart Disease Actually Be Moving Into the 21st Century?⁎

Severe valvular heart disease comprises a group of lesions that impose a hemodynamic burden on potentially all 4 cardiac chambers. This burden is eventually fatal if left untreated by timely valve repair or valve replacement. However, defining the word timely is fraught with uncertainty. Ideally,
Cost-Effectiveness in Building a Low-Resource Morphological Analyzer for Learner Language

In this paper, we describe the development of a morphological analyzer for learner Hungarian, outlining extensions to a resourcelight system that can be developed by different types of experts. Specifically, we discuss linguistic rule writing, resource creation, and different system settings, and our evaluation showcases the amount of improvement one gets for differing levels and kinds of effort, enabling other researchers to spend their time and energy as effectively as possible.
Real-time frequency based reduced order modeling of large power grid

Large power systems are complex and real-time modeling of the grid for electromagnetic simulation (EMT) studies is impractical. In general, there are methods that reduce large power system into an equivalent network that requires less computational resource, while preserving electromechanical (low frequency) and high frequency behavior of the original system. This can be achieved by modeling the area not of interest (external area) as a combination of Transient Stability Analysis (TSA) type phasor model equivalent and Frequency Dependent Network Equivalent (FDNE). TSA retains electromechanical behavior, whereas FDNE retains high frequency behavior of the original power system. To this effect, this paper introduces a method of developing FDNE based on an online recursive least squares (RLS) identification algorithm in z-domain, and modeling of reduced power systems as FDNE and as a combination of TSA and FDNE using real-time digital simulators.
Pixel-by-pixel absolute phase retrieval using three phase-shifted fringe patterns without markers

Abstract This paper presents a method that can recover absolute phase pixel by pixel without embedding markers on three phase-shifted fringe patterns, acquiring additional images, or introducing additional hardware component(s). The proposed three-dimensional (3D) absolute shape measurement technique includes the following major steps: (1) segment the measured object into different regions using rough priori knowledge of surface geometry; (2) artificially create phase maps at different z planes using geometric constraints of structured light system; (3) unwrap the phase pixel by pixel for each region by properly referring to the artificially created phase map; and (4) merge unwrapped phases from all regions into a complete absolute phase map for 3D reconstruction. We demonstrate that conventional three-step phase-shifted fringe patterns can be used to create absolute phase map pixel by pixel even for large depth range objects. We have successfully implemented our proposed computational framework to achieve absolute 3D shape measurement at 40 Hz.
Characterizing Three Component Heteromeric Complexes Mediated by Otoferlin, a Multivalent Membrane Fusion Protein, Using a Novel Single-Molecule Assay

Multidomain proteins reside at the heart of cellular signaling, where they can act as multivalent scaffolds for the assembly of protein complexes and as ligand-dependent effectors of signal transduction. Despite their prevalence, it is unclear how multidomain proteins simultaneously interact with multiple clients, and how each domain contributes to the overall activity of the protein. Challenges, including the large size and low solubility have largely limited studies to smaller truncated forms of these proteins. Although more tractable, the relevance of studies on truncated proteins to our understanding of the full-length protein is questionable. Otoferlin, which consists of 6 consecutive C2 domains, serves an example. Expressed almost exclusively in vertebrate sensory hair cells, otoferlin is a 240 kDa transmembrane protein hypothesized to act as the calcium sensor for neurotransmitter release at hair cell ribbon synapses during the encoding of sound. While studies have suggested that some C2 domains of otoferlin may associate with SNARE proteins and the voltage gated calcium channel CaV1.3, no study has quantitatively characterized multivalent and concomitant binding properties of multi-domain or full-length otoferlin owing to its size and solubility. Thus, it remains unclear whether otoferlin can bind these proteins simultaneously and more generally. To address this limitation, we have developed a generally applicable real-time single-molecule colocalization binding titration assay which in combination with single-molecule photobleaching can resolve the binding multivalencies, stoichiometries, and binding affinities of large full-length multidomain proteins enriched from mammalian cell culture. Using this methodology, we conclude that one otoferlin molecule may bind both up to 4 Cav1.3 and 4 SNARE proteins simultaneously, and that physiologically relevant calcium concentrations alter the stoichiometry and affinity. Our results motivate a model in which otoferlin acts as a scaffolding/priming protein that localizes SNARE proteins and the calcium channel in close proximity to synchronize calcium influx and exocytosis.
Velopharyngeal insufficiency and secondary palatal management. A new look at an old problem.

The main objective of primary palatoplasty is to achieve adequate velopharyngeal (VP) function and normal oral-nasal resonance. Many children, however, who undergo cleft palate repair fail to develop normal VP function. Symptoms of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), such as hypemasality and audible nasal air emission, may have a variety of causes, which underscores the need for comprehensive evaluation. This article focuses on the problem of VPI and emphasizes the need for differential diagnosis at the most critical step in management planning. The challenge of the future is to implement the team approach, integrating the expertise of speech scientists and plastic surgeons, so that differential diagnosis can and will lead to differential management.
Democracy, Policy Interdependence, and Labor Rights:

In this study, I examine how domestic regimes mitigate pressure from economically competing states to reduce the protection of labor rights. I argue that democratic states provide higher protection...
A Scoping Review of Positive Lifestyle and Wellness Interventions to Inform the Development of a Comprehensive Health Promotion Program: "HealthPro".

Background. Lifestyle medicine has emerged as a transformational force in mainstream health care. Numerous health promotion and wellness programs have been created to facilitate the adoption of inc...
A Framework for Acoustic Segmentation Using Order Statistic-Constant False Alarm Rate in Two Dimensions From Sidescan Sonar Data

This paper describes a framework for object segmentation from sidescan sonar acoustic data. The current techniques consume a great deal of computational resources to accurately carry out object segmentation. They also involve the tuning of many parameters to obtain good quality images. This is due to the handling of the large data volume generated by these devices and environmental fluctuations such as salinity, density, temperature, and others variations. The framework proposed uses a migration and adaptation of a technique widely used in radar technology for detecting moving objects. This radar technique is known as order statistic-constant false alarm rate (OS-CFAR) applied in 2-D. OS-CFAR 2-D rank orders the samples obtained from a sliding window to make a segmentation of the image. This segmentation is done into several types of regions: acoustic highlight, shadow, and different seafloor reverberation areas. OS-CFAR 2-D is less sensitive than other methods to the presence of the speckle noise due to the use of order statistics. This proposal was contrasted experimentally on real images. Likewise, an experimental comparison with the results obtained with the undecimated discrete wavelet transform, active contours, Markov random field, and accumulated cell averaging CFAR applied in two dimensions technique is also presented.
Safe Debt and Uncertainty in Emerging Markets

This paper develops a methodology for estimating a safe public debt level that would allow countries to remain below a maximum sustainable debt limit, taking into account the impact of uncertainty. Our analysis implies that fiscal policy should target a debt level well below the debt ceiling to allow space to absorb shocks that are likely to hit the economy. To illustrate our findings we apply the methodology to estimate a safe debt level for South Africa. Our results suggest that South Africa’s debt ceiling is around 60 percent of GDP, although uncertainty is high. Simulations suggest targeting a debt-to-GDP ratio of 40 percent of GDP would allow South Africa to remain below this debt ceiling over the medium-term with a high degree of confidence.
Privacy-Preserving Inductive Learning with Decision Trees

With the continued explosion of digitized data, data mining and data collection have become more prevalent. With this growth, we have also seen increased concern over data privacy and intellectual property. Within this environment, an important question has emerged: Can machine learning and data mining techniques be leveraged without compromising privacy? This paper revisits the concepts and techniques of privacy-preserving decision tree learning, a fundamental model of inductive learning. We first examine different privacy risks during decision tree based inductive learning processes, including the sensitivity of private input data and potential privacy risks induced by inference over both the learning output and the intermediate results of inductive learning iterations. We then review and compare the privacy notions and properties of three orthogonal and yet complimentary technical frameworks: randomization-based data obfuscation, differential privacy, and secure multiparty computation. We analyze their effectiveness and review representative approaches in each of these three frameworks. Finally, we highlight some of the open challenges to privacy-preserving solutions for decision tree learning.
Globalizing the Right-Wing: Conservative Activism and Transnational Politics

Transnational activism by environmental, human rights, and other progressive groups has changed international policy and shaped global culture. Yet these movements do not act unopposed. Recently, powerful right-wing forces have also "gone global," though few scholars note this. This paper, part of a larger book project of the same name, proposes new theory on transnational conservative activism and its clashes with progressive groups. In addition, the paper presents a brief case study concerning the global conflict over gun control. Analyzing interlocking conflicts in national and international arenas, the article highlights the contending strategies of conservative and progressive forces as they promote their goals and undermine their foes. The result is a more complete and realistic understanding of transnational politics and an emergent "global civil society."
Contact guidance diversity in rotationally aligned collagen matrices.

Abstract Cancer cell metastasis is responsible for approximately 90% of deaths related to cancer. The migration of cancer cells away from the primary tumor and into healthy tissue is driven in part by contact guidance, or directed migration in response to aligned extracellular matrix. While contact guidance has been a focus of many studies, much of this research has explored environments that present 2D contact guidance structures. Contact guidance environments in 3D more closely resemble in vivo conditions and model cell-ECM interactions better than 2D environments. While most cells engage in directed migration on potent 2D contact guidance cues, there is diversity in response to contact guidance cues based on whether the cell migrates with a mesenchymal or amoeboid migration mode. In this paper, rotational alignment of collagen gels was used to study the differences in contact guidance between MDA-MB-231 (mesenchymal) and MTLn3 (amoeboid) cells. MDA-MB-231 cells migrate with high directional fidelity in aligned collagen gels, while MTLn3 cells show no directional migration. The collagen stiffness was increased through glycation, resulting in decreased MDA-MB-231 directionality in aligned collagen gels. Interestingly, partial inhibition of cell contractility dramatically decreased directionality in MDA-MB-231 cells. The directionality of MDA-MB-231 cells was most sensitive to ROCK inhibition, but unlike in 2D contact guidance environments, cell directionality and speed are more tightly coupled. Modulation of the contractile apparatus appears to more potently affect contact guidance than modulation of extracellular mechanical properties of the contact guidance cue. Statement of Significance Collagen fiber alignment in the tumor microenvironment directs migration, a process called contact guidance, enhancing the efficiency of cancer invasion and metastasis. 3D systems that assess contact guidance by locally orienting collagen fiber alignment are lacking. Furthermore, cell type differences and the role of extracellular matrix stiffness in tuning contact guidance fidelity are not well characterized. In this paper rotational alignment of collagen fibers is used as a 3D contact guidance cue to illuminate cell type differences and the role of extracellular matrix stiffness in guiding cell migration along aligned fibers of collagen. This local alignment offers a simple approach by which to couple collagen alignment with gradients in other directional cues in devices such as microfluidic chambers.
Revisiting Article-S

The frst published account of relative clauses in generative grammar (Smith 1964) analyzed these elements as selected complements of the article or determiner in a nominal. In this paper we revisit the “Article-S” Analysis, examining its underlying assumptions about selection and structure and updating its technical implementation. In so doing we show that Article-S continues to be attractive from a syntactic and semantic point of view. We briei¬‚y examine two broader implications of the account for the analysis of languages claimed in the literature to be “D/DP-less” and for the analysis of restrictive modifcation generally. --- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31513/linguistica.2017.v13n2a14028
Conserved and Divergent Features of Human and Mouse Kidney Organogenesis

Human kidney function is underpinned by approximately 1,000,000 nephrons, although the number varies substantially, and low nephron number is linked to disease. Human kidney development initiates around 4 weeks of gestation and ends around 34-37 weeks of gestation. Over this period, a reiterative inductive process establishes the nephron complement. Studies have provided insightful anatomic descriptions of human kidney development, but the limited histologic views are not readily accessible to a broad audience. In this first paper in a series providing comprehensive insight into human kidney formation, we examined human kidney development in 135 anonymously donated human kidney specimens. We documented kidney development at a macroscopic and cellular level through histologic analysis, RNA in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence studies, and transcriptional profiling, contrasting human development (4-23 weeks) with mouse development at selected stages (embryonic day 15.5 and postnatal day 2). The high-resolution histologic interactive atlas of human kidney organogenesis generated can be viewed at the GUDMAP database (www.gudmap.org) together with three-dimensional reconstructions of key components of the data herein. At the anatomic level, human and mouse kidney development differ in timing, scale, and global features such as lobe formation and progenitor niche organization. The data also highlight differences in molecular and cellular features, including the expression and cellular distribution of anchor gene markers used to identify key cell types in mouse kidney studies. These data will facilitate and inform in vitro efforts to generate human kidney structures and comparative functional analyses across mammalian species.
Just Do It: Remaining Task Focused When Performance Outcomes Loom Large

Plastering billboards, flashing across TV screens, and lettering sport cups and T-shirts, “Just Do It” has become a household phrase. Perhaps this slogan resonates with so many because it emphasizes the process of engaging in athletic activities, rather than any specific outcome or achievement. Excellence in sport is admirable, and many ads for sporting equipment and shoes try to link their products with athletic superstars who have achieved excellence. The “Just Do It” campaign is different, and seems to focus instead on the process of sport without concern for evaluative outcomes. Of course, performance evaluation is implicit in many of the activities we undertake, and it can be difficult to ignore the potential outcomes that are an integral part of these activities. For example, most athletes in competition are focused on success with the hopes of winning. However, we believe that something may be lost if the desired end state eclipses the steps taken to reach that end. Our discussion of performance evaluation will consider both the process of task engagement and the outcomes of task engagement, and we will discuss the implications of our model for performance and intrinsic motivation. In particular, we hope to consider how the quality of an individual’s experience is related to the quality of his or her performance under evaluation contingencies. By evaluation contingency, we refer to any social interaction that imposes or implies performance evaluation for an individual’s task performance (e.g., assigned goals, experimenter evaluation, competition).
Assessing the sensitivity of urban ecosystem service maps to input spatial data resolution and method choice

Abstract Ecosystem service (ES) mapping frequently uses secondary data and value-transfer methods to map services over broad extents at coarse resolutions, possibly causing poor prediction accuracy. Although ES map quality has received some recent attention in the literature, little is known about the accuracy of these maps in urban contexts or about the factors that influence this accuracy. To address this issue, we quantitatively compared and validated ES maps in a heterogeneous urban landscape to generate insight into ES map accuracy in these environments. Using aboveground biomass carbon storage as an example, we examined how input data resolution and assessment method affect the accuracy of urban ES maps. Two mapping methods were employed: (1) maps based on ecosystem components involved in carbon storage (trees and lawns) and (2) maps based on land-cover proxies and data at coarse and fine spatial resolutions. We compared carbon storage predicted by these methods to that estimated by using field-collected data to examine the accuracy of predictions and spatial variation therein. Different methods and data produced similar study area-wide estimates; however, the spatial distribution of estimates varied among methods. Estimates using ecosystem components agreed with the actual observations better than the proxy-based estimates, although map accuracy was improved by using higher resolution land-cover data. Thus, when study area-wide estimates suffice for decision making, proxy-based methods and coarse-resolution data should provide adequate assessments. Detailed ecosystem structure and composition data are needed when fine-resolution, spatially-explicit estimates are required.
Great Expectations: Mexico's Short-Lived Convergence under NAFTA

Upon Mexico's entry into the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), neo-classical trade theory assumed, first, that it had the greatest potential for higher rates of growth, productivity and overall welfare gains due to its relatively underdeveloped status; and second, that Mexico's adjustment to an integrated, liberal economy would be the most painful but also the most beneficial. It was envisioned that the blending of Mexico's endowment factors - cheap labour, natural resources, and proximity to the US market - with the abundant capital and advanced technology of Canada and the US would maximize on NAFTA's competitive potential over the long-term. However, these expectations have yet to fully materialize. This paper reviews the convergence/divergence debate with regard to NAFTA and Mexico, and analyzes the empirical data that have been used to tout both the benefits and the costs of asymmetrical integration. In light of the standstill in Mexico's per capita growth since 2001, this paper concludes with a critique of the potential role of NAFTA as a development tool and argues that the steep regional asymmetries call for a more proactive continental strategy.
Evaluating a Ceramic Resin-Coated Sand for Aluminum and Iron Castings

Shell molding technology remains an important part of metal casting technology because it permits precision sand castings. However, there is a lack of information available on shell resin-coated sand (RCS) produced with ceramics. This paper relates the physical, mechanical, and thermo-mechanical properties of disc-shaped shell core specimens made from either silica or ceramic sands. Gravity-filled disc-shaped shell core specimens were fabricated with silica and ceramic sands. Specimens were laboratory tested and evaluated in aluminum and iron casting trials. Testing included density, abrasion, thermal distortion, hot permeability, impact and retained strength. All tests were accomplished according to newly adopted American Foundry Society standards. With a ceramic RCS, it is possible to produce cores and molds having superior abrasion resistance, strength, and thermal stability when compared to a silica RCS. Ceramic RCS shell core specimens showed fewer casting surface issues when compared to silica RCS shell core specimens in aluminum and iron casting trials.
Balanced Binary Search Trees

In Chap. 6 binary search trees were defined along with a recursive insert algorithm. The discussion of binary search trees pointed out they have problems in some cases. Binary search trees can become unbalanced, actually quite often. When a tree is unbalanced the complexity of insert, delete, and lookup operations can get as bad as \(\Theta (n)\). This problem with unbalanced binary search trees was the motivation for the development of height-balanced AVL trees by G.M. Adelson-Velskii and E.M. Landis, two Soviet computer scientists, in 1962. AVL trees were named for these two inventors. Their paper on AVL trees [AVL62] described the first algorithm for maintaining balanced binary search trees. The chapter goes on to discuss Splay Trees as another example of balanced binary search trees.
Aeroelastic Modeling of the AGARD 445.6 Wing Using the Harmonic-Balance-Based One-Shot Method

The harmonic-balance-based one-shot method is developed for modeling the aeroelastic response of three-dimensional configurations such as aircraft wings in transonic flow regimes. This approach com...
Characterizing the Decision Boundary of Deep Neural Networks.

Deep neural networks and in particular, deep neural classifiers have become an integral part of many modern applications. Despite their practical success, we still have limited knowledge of how they work and the demand for such an understanding is evergrowing. In this regard, one crucial aspect of deep neural network classifiers that can help us deepen our knowledge about their decision-making behavior is to investigate their decision boundaries. Nevertheless, this is contingent upon having access to samples populating the areas near the decision boundary. To achieve this, we propose a novel approach we call Deep Decision boundary Instance Generation (DeepDIG). DeepDIG utilizes a method based on adversarial example generation as an effective way of generating samples near the decision boundary of any deep neural network model. Then, we introduce a set of important principled characteristics that take advantage of the generated instances near the decision boundary to provide multifaceted understandings of deep neural networks. We have performed extensive experiments on multiple representative datasets across various deep neural network models and characterized their decision boundaries. The code is publicly available at this https URL.
The Value of Five Cents: Mismatched Meaning Making at a Bottle and Can Redemption Center:

Drawing on a year-long ethnography at a non-profit bottle and can redemption center, this study examines the mismatched meanings ascribed by recyclers (or “canners”) and redemption center managemen...
Quantile-Based Subgroup Identification for Randomized Clinical Trials

In many clinical trials, treatment effects may be heterogeneous across subgroups so that individuals in such groups receive different benefits. Recognizing this difference can be quite important for the purposes of clinical decision-making. For personalized medicine problems, we argue in this paper that it is natural to consider quantiles. Subgroup identification methods have not been developed for quantiles. In this article, we introduce approaches to quantile-based subgroup identification that are motivated by potential outcomes considerations. A variety of penalized regression approaches are considered in this paper. The causal framework highlights the utility of the approach in terms of incorporation of heterogeneity. Simulated datasets as well as an example from the AIDS clinical trial are used to illustrate the methodology.
An Interactive System to Compare, Explore and Identify Discrepancies across Map Providers

All online map service providers are working hard to maintain high-quality maps to provide high-quality services. Example inaccuracies that can be encountered in the provided maps may include missing road segments, shifted road segments, missing road connections, missing or incorrect turn restrictions, and mislabeling road attributes like marking a directional road as one-way. Maps may also be rapidly changing in some areas due to new constructions. While the accuracy of various mapping systems, as given by service providers, is known to be high, even the minor discrepancies in the underlying maps may lead to unsatisfactory user experience in routing and location-based services. In this paper, we present a system that compares the routes returned by the public APIs of some major routing engines, namely Bing Maps, Google Maps, and OpenStreetMap. The system highlights the differences in the proposed routes between these routing engines, given the same start/end points for a planned trip. The route differences are examined based on travel distance, travel duration, and route geometry. The system can also enforce a routing engine to take the same route as another routing engine to identify the possible discrepancies in the underlying mapping system of each routing engine. The system identifies and categorizes the discovered discrepancies, across various engines, in (1) the geometry of the road segments, (2) the connectivity and turn restrictions of the Road Network Graph (RNG), and (3) the attributes of the road segments. The presented system is currently in pilot use by a group of professional editors to support their daily work of identifying, visually inspecting, and interactively trying alternative corrections to the underlying RNGs in various parts of the globe. This helps us develop the system's capabilities even further based on their continuous feedback in real usage scenarios.
Wearable Sweat Rate Sensors

Sweat plays a significant role in human homeostasis by regulating the body temperature via evaporative cooling under heat or work stress. Water and electrolytes (mainly sodium and chloride) constitute almost 99% of the sweat composition. Excessive sweat loss disturbs the human homeostasis, impairs circulation, and impedes heat dissipation. Some of the limitations of the conventional sweat loss measurement techniques lie in their wearability, sweat sampling, analyte contamination from skin, and evaporation. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a wearable sensor for continuous sweat rate measurement in wearable form factors. The wearable sensor consists of low-cost printed interdigitated electrodes for impedance sensing, a serpentine shaped paper-based microfluidic channel, and a polyurethane encapsulation layer. In this report, we present the benchtop characterization of the proposed sensor’s capability to track the sweat rate. The microfluidics can hold sweat volumes up to 82 µL and enable the detection of sweat rates on various locations of the body for extended periods.
A Self-limiting Hawkes Process: Interpretation, Estimation, and Use in Crime Modeling

We introduce a self-limiting Hawkes process, building off of the standard Hawkes process and self-correcting point process in the literature. The self-limiting Hawkes process is intended to model situations in which competing forces - one driven by self-excitation and one by the tendency to block events from occurring - can be effectively captured by considering a single stochastic intensity. The example presented here is urban crime. We show that under some circumstances the parameters of the self-limiting Hawkes process can be well-estimated by adapting existing techniques. We apply these techniques to crime data, showing that the self-limiting Hawkes process is a plausible alternative to the standard Hawkes process for modeling crime.
Pathology quiz case

A 3-MONTH-OLD BOY presented with a nasal mass that he had had since birth. According to the his mother, the mass had slowly been getting larger and was now causing some nasal obstruction and difficulty in his nasal breathing. His mother described occasional snoring and intermittent episodic epistaxis. The birth history was unremarkable; the patient had never been hospitalized and had never undergone surgery. His medical history also was unremarkable. His family history was notable for sinus disease, cancer, reflux, and ear infections on the maternal side. A review of systems revealed swollen eyes, nasal congestion, and daytime cough accompanied by a runny nose, sneezing, and restless sleep. Physical examination revealed a well-appearing child in no respiratory distress. His facial structures were remarkable for a broad nasal dorsum. Anterior rhinoscopy showed a large mass originating from the lower lateral cartilage and completely obstructing the right nostril. It appeared to extend to the superior part of the vestibule, but the extent of the entire lesion could not be determined by anterior rhinoscopy alone. Palpation of the mass showed a smooth, rubbery lesion that did not blanche with direct pressure. The lesion was nonpulsatile and did not change in size when the patient cried. Examination of the scalp, ears, oral cavity, and neck revealed no abnormalities. A computed tomographic scan and a magnetic resonance imaging scan showed a 0.7 1.8 1.1-cm soft tissue mass in the anterior right nasal cavity (Figure 1), without extension into the bony nasal framework, nasopharynx, paranasal sinuses, or skull base. No bony erosion was observed. A transnasal excision of the mass was performed with endoscopic guidance. The mass was excised from vestibular skin without difficulty, and a small mucosal attachment from the inferior turbinate was freed with electrocautery. Grossly, the lesion, which was dense and glistening, was a small, tan, white, and focally red mass. The histopathologic features of the lesion are shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3. What is your diagnosis?
The decline of training in open biliary surgery: effect on the residents' attitude toward bile duct surgery.

Background: After more than a decade of growth for laparoscopic cholecystectomy and decline in open cholecystectomy, the impact on the training of resident in other open biliary operations can be analyzed quantitatively. Methods: The national operative statistics for residents' biliary operations from 1988 to 2001 (data in the public domain) were analyzed by regression analysis to establish trends and to calculate the rate of change. For laparoscopic biliary operations, the changes in laparoscopic and open operations over time and the number of operations per trainee each year were used to measure the growth of a laparoscopic operation and to predict future trends. A survey of attitude, management algorithm, and self-confidence for coping with unexpected events in laparoscopic cholecystectomy also was conducted for senior residents and recent graduates. Results: In 2001, open cholecystectomy decreased to 28%, open common duct exploration to 27%, sphincteroplasty to 20%, of 1988 (baseline year) levels. Cholecystostomy and choledochoenteric bypass decreased to 70% and 75%, respectively. The decline began before the era of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, but accelerated after its introduction. Many of the recent graduates surveyed in one program indicated a preference for a nonsurgical, mainly endoscopic, approach for all bile duct conditions, but also for the assistance of senior surgeons in the operative management of unexpected events. Conclusion: The popularity of noninvasive therapy in biliary surgery significantly reduced the resident's exposure to open biliary surgery, adversely affecting their confidence in the management of unexpected events encountered during laparoscopic operations. Supplemental and remedial education measures must be instituted in training programs.
The signal for translational readthrough of a UGA codon in sindbis virus RNA involves a single cytidine residue immediately downstream of the termination codon

The nucleotide sequences surrounding termination codons influence the efficiency of translational readthrough. In this report, we examined the sequence requirement for efficient readthrough of the UGA codon in the Sindbis virus genomic RNA which regulates production of the putative viral RNA polymerase, nsP4. The UGA codon and its neighboring nucleotide sequences were subcloned into a heterologous coding context, and readthrough efficiency was measured by cell-free translation of RNA transcripts in rabbit reticulocyte lysates. The CUA codon immediately downstream of the UGA codon was found to be sufficient for efficient translational readthrough. Further mutagenesis of residues in the CUA triplet demonstrated that mutations at the second or third residues following the UGA codon (U and A, respectively) had little effect on readthrough efficiency. In contrast, replacement of the cytidine residue immediately downstream of the UGA codon with any of the other three nucleotides (U, A, or G) dramatically reduced the readthrough efficiency from approximately 10% to less than 1%. These results show that a simple sequence context can allow efficient readthrough of UGA codons in a mammalian translation system. Interestingly, compilation studies of nucleotide sequences surrounding eukaryotic termination codons indicate a strong bias against cytidine residues immediately 3' to UGA termination codons. Taken together with our results, this bias may reflect a selective pressure for efficient translation termination for most eukaryotic gene products.
Nucleolin-enhanced deadenylation and bulk translation (566.1)

Rate of translation is one of the critical factors, determining protein abundance in a cell. After a pioneer round of translation in which 80S ribosome scans the linear mRNA, a cap-dependent mRNP c...
Properties of silicon suspensions and slip-cast bodies

The effect of varying pH, sonication times, and solid loading of silicon powder suspensions on the properties of powder/water suspensions and on the resulting pore characteristics of slip-cast bodies was studied. Aqueous suspensions of ground an aged silicon powder (of 0.3 micron median Stokes diameter and containing 1.3 vol pct Fe2O3 powder) were prepared, with solids loading in the range of 30-56 vol pct, and were adjusted to varying pH values by addition of either HCl or NH4OH or NaOH. Suspension aliquots were sonicated for 0, 15, 30, or 60 min. Suspensions were characterized by zeta potentials, ionic strength, and viscosity. Pore characteristics of cast bodies were determined by mercury porosimetry. It was found that intermediate pH values (pH 7-9), long sonication (60 min), and high solid loadings (56 vol pct) produced samples with highest green densities and smallest median pore radius.
An interchangeable Mapleson A‐E breathing system is practical and cost effective

Background: In locations where oxygen and anesthesia gas supplies are limited, and where circle systems are not practical, means to reduce fresh gas flow during maintenance of inhalational anesthesia are of potential value. We investigated whether a common transport breathing apparatus could be modified to allow interchange between Mapleson D (Map-D) and Mapleson A (Map A) configurations. Methods: A common Map-D transport system was converted to a Map-A system by switching positions of the exhaust valve and the elbow connector where fresh gas is delivered; these two breathing systems were compared in this study. The key question was whether rebreathing of CO2 could be eliminated at a lower fresh gas flow rate (FGF) with the Map-A design. A structured protocol was followed. Results: A mean decrease in FGF of 2.8 l/min was seen with the Map-A apparatus when compared with the Map-D (P = 0.003). With no significant differences in physiologic or anesthetic variables, FGF/VE was significantly lower with the Mapleson A configuration than with the Mapleson D system design (1.1 vs. 1.8; P = 0.007). The extent to which FGF could be lowered when switching between Mapleson D and A systems correlated strongly with the patients' respiratory rate while under anesthesia (r = 0.45, P < 0.01). Conclusions: Cost and resource savings can be realized through the use of a breathing system modification that achieves appropriate ventilation at lower fresh gas flows.
Stochastic Simulation of the Kinetics of Multiple Interacting Nucleic Acid Strands

DNA nanotechnology is an emerging field which utilizes the unique structural properties of nucleic acids in order to build nanoscale devices, such as logic gates, motors, walkers, and algorithmic structures. Predicting the structure and interactions of a DNA device requires good modeling of both the thermodynamics and the kinetics of the DNA strands within the system. The kinetics of a set of DNA strands can be modeled as a continuous time Markov process through the state space of all secondary structures. The primary means of exploring the kinetics of a DNA system is by simulating trajectories through the state space and aggregating data over many such trajectories. We expand on previous work by extending the thermodynamics and kinetics models to handle multiple strands in a fixed volume, and show that the new models are consistent with previous models. We developed data structures and algorithms that allow us to take advantage of local properties of secondary structure, improving the efficiency of the simulator so that we can handle larger systems. The new kinetic parameters in our model were calibrated by analyzing simulator results on experimental systems that measure basic kinetic rates of various processes. Finally, we apply the new simulator to explore a case study on toehold-mediated four-way branch migration.
Partial complementation of the UV sensitivity of Deinococcus radiodurans excision repair mutants by the cloned denV gene of bacteriophage T4.

Abstract Deinococcus radiodurans has 2 endonucleases that incise UV-irradiated DNA, UV endonuclease-α and UV endonuclease-β, that are believed to functionally overlap. Both endonucleases must be mutationally inactivated to yield an incisionless, markedly UV-sensitive phenotype. denV , the bacteriophage T4 gene encoding pyrimidine dimer-DNA glycosylase (PD-glycosylase), was introduced and expressed via duplication insertion in D. radiodurans wild-type, and single and double UV endonuclease mutants. The strain deficient in UV endonuclease-α has wild-type UV resistance, and the expression of PD-glycosylase exerted no survival effect on this strain or wild-type. Expression of denV increased survival of both the markedly UV-sensitive double mutant and the moderately UV-sensitive strain deficient only in UV endonuclease-β. In endonuclease-β-deficient cells phenotypic complementation by denV was almost complete in restoring UV resistance to wild-type levels. These results suggest that UV endonuclease-α (which is present in the endonuclease-β-deficient cells) does not recognize one or more types of cyclobutane dimer incised by the PD-glycosylase or UV endonuclease-β.