cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multidimensional image processing for remote sensing anomaly detection

This paper presents a unique multidimensional image processing approach for autonomous detection of anomalous materials in unknown natural clutter scenarios. Scene anomaly detection has a wide range of use in remote sensing applications requiring no specific material signatures. The approach uses a repeated multisampling scheme to characterize the unknown clutter background and the most popular anomaly detection algorithm—the Reed-Xiaoli algorithm—for scoring. The approach requires only a small fraction of the data cube to characterize clutter, it does not perform segmentation, and it is invariant to objects' scales (i.e., relative spatial sizes of objects in the imagery). Results using real multivariate spectral data are promising for autonomous manmade object detection tasks under different atmospheric conditions.
Wind, water, wound, walk--do the data deliver the dictum?

Objective To evaluate the teaching dictum "wind, water, wound, walk" in the modern surgical environment. Design A retrospective cohort study. Setting Hospitals enrolled in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Participants We identified 11,137 patients enrolled in American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant Use File (2011) who were older than 18 years; underwent a general surgical procedure; and developed a postoperative pneumonia (PNA, "wind"), urinary tract infection (UTI, "water"), surgical site infection (SSI, "wound"), or venous thromboembolic event (VTE, "walk") for inclusion in the study. Patients were excluded if they had an infection present at the time of surgery or were missing information on the time of diagnosis. Results The median day of diagnosis differed significantly according to occurrence type (median day of PNA=5, UTI=8, SSI=11, and VTE=9, p Conclusions The dictum should be taught as, "wind, water, walk, wound" to reflect the timing and progression of the diagnosis of PNA, UTI, VTE, and SSI. The dictum did not reflect the timing or sequence of the occurrences in the cohort diagnosed after discharge. Educators must teach trainees to apply the dictum in the appropriate patient setting. As surgical care changes, we must continue to reassess our educational pearls to ensure that they reflect the modern reality.
Comparison of heparin-immobilized vs. antibody-immobilized microspheres for the capture and detection of cytokines during microdialysis sampling

Heparin-immobilized beads were compared against antibody-immobilized beads for improving the collection of targeted cytokines through microdialysis sampling probes. Heparin offers an advantage over antibodies with respect to its stability and cost. The cytokines, MCP-1 and RANTES, exhibited increased flux through the probes when either heparin-immobilized or antibody-immobilized beads were included in the perfusion fluid. This suggests that heparin-immobilized beads may be a viable alternative to antibody-immobilized beads to increase the flux of select cytokines during microdialysis sampling.
Visual suffix effects on the Optacon: A test of changing state, primary linguistic, and attentional theories

An experiment compared the effects of an alphabetic and a nonalphabetic suffix on the serial recall of letters of the alphabet presented with the visual display of the Optacon, a reading aid for the blind. The Optacon presents “changing state” stimuli, that is, those that change over time during presentation. The results showed generalized decrements from the suffixes in the absence of recency in the control condition and no specific end-of-sequence suffix effect. The findings contradict the theory that recency and end-of-sequence suffix effects, characteristic of most auditory, and a few visual, stimuli, are presented in the recall of all changing state stimuli, and provide some support for the Shand and Klima view that stimuli that map into the primary linguistic mode of the subject do exhibit such properties. Additionally, the finding that both an alphabetic and a square suffix led to equivalent decrements from a suffix contradict some attentional theories of the effects of suffixes on visual stimuli.
The existence of a unique and bounded solution of the algebraic Riccati equation of multimodel estimation and control problems

Abstract The existence of a unique and bounded solution of the algebraic matrix Riccati equation arising in multimodel estimation and control problems is established for sufficiently small' values of two parameters. This is obtained under control oriented assumptions imposed on the slow and fast subsystems and by applying the Implicit Function Theorem.
Allantoinase activity and ureide content of mesophyll and paraveinal mesophyll of soybean leaves

Abstract Paraveinal mesophyll (PVM) is a specialized soybean ( Glycine max Merr.) leaf tissue which represents a significant biochemical compartment. Stereological measurements showed that PVM makes up 23% of the mesophyll volume in nodulated soybean. To get an indication of the extent of involvement of PVM in ureide metabolism, physical characteristics, distribution of allantoinase activity and ureide content were determined in isolated PVM protoplasts (PVMP) and mesophyll protoplasts (MP). PVMP were larger and contained less chlorophyll and protein than MP. PVMP had twice as much allantoinase activity per protoplast but only half as much allantoinase activity when expressed on a volume basis as compared to MP. Total leaf ureide concentration was high and nearly equally distributed between MP and PVMP. PVMP had a higher ureide content per protoplast, a higher concentration of allantoic acid and a lower ratio of allantoin to allantoic acid. These results suggest that both tissues have the capacity to assimilate allantoin in vivo. The data are discussed with reference to the relative access of the two mesophyll tissues to incoming ureides.
Millimeter-Scale Fuel Cell With Onboard Fuel and Passive Control System

We report microfabrication of a millimeter-scale fuel cell with onboard fuel and a passive control mechanism. This unique power source has a total volume of 9 muL (3times3times1 mm3), which makes it the smallest fully integrated fuel cell reported in the literature. The first generation of this device delivered an energy density of 254 Wmiddoth/L. The device uses a reaction between a metal hydride, LiAlH4, and water vapor to generate hydrogen in a reactor. The generated hydrogen exits the reactor through a nanoporous silicon wall to reach a hybrid silicon/Nafion membrane electrode assembly. A passive micro- fluidic control system regulates hydrogen generation through controlled delivery of water vapor to the metal hydride based on the reactor pressure. The development of this unique power source greatly benefits the portable electronics industry and enables future technologies that require significantly high energy density power sources such as cognitive arthropods ("thinking" insect- sized robots). This paper provides details of the device micro- fabrication processes, component integration, and performance analysis. [2008-0168].
CHARMM Additive All-Atom Force Field for Acyclic Polyalcohols, Acyclic Carbohydrates, and Inositol

Parametrization of the additive all-atom CHARMM force field for acyclic polyalcohols, acyclic carbohydrates, and inositol is conducted. Initial parameters were transferred from the alkanes and hexopyranose carbohydrates, with subsequent development and optimization of parameters unique to the molecules considered in this study. Using the model compounds acetone and acetaldehyde, nonbonded parameters for carbonyls were optimized targeting quantum mechanical interaction data for solute−water pairs and pure solvent thermodynamic data. Bond and angle parameters were adjusted by comparing optimized geometries to small molecule crystal survey data and by performing vibrational analyses on acetone, acetaldehyde, and glycerol. C−C−C−C, C−C−C−O, C−C−O−H, and O−C−C−O torsional parameters for polyol chains were fit to quantum mechanical dihedral potential-energy scans comprising over 1500 RIMP2/cc-pVTZ//MP2/6-31G(d) conformations using an automated Monte Carlo simulated annealing procedure. Comparison of computed co...
The national animal health monitoring system in Michigan. II. Methodological issues in the estimation of frequencies of disease in a prospective study of multiple dynamic populations

Abstract Procedures are proposed for the computation of disease frequency measures and of their associated variances from data collected through prospective study of multiple dynamic cohorts (herds) with a National Animal Health Monitoring System. Estimates of either the annual incidence density for a group of herds or the 1-month risk of disease can be calculated from the same within-herd measure of monthly incidence density. It is proposed that the choice of measure to be estimated depends on the intended use of the information. Risk estimates are appropriate for producers and clinical health professionals making decisions at the animal or herd level. Incidence density measures are appropriate for extrapolation to reference populations used for state- and regional-level decision-making.
An architectural framework for supporting heterogeneous instruction-set architectures

An architectural framework that allows software applications and operating system code written for a given instruction set to migrate to different, higher performance architectures is described. The framework provides a hardware mechanism that enhances application performance while keeping the same program behavior from a user perspective. The framework is designed to accommodate program exceptions, self-modifying code, tracing, and debugging. Examples are given for IBM System/390 operating-system code and AIX utilities, showing the performance potential of the scheme using a very long instruction word (VLIW) machine as the high-performance target architecture. >
Management of genetically modified herbicide–tolerant sugar beet for spring and autumn environmental benefit

When used in genetically modified herbicide–tolerant (GMHT) crops, glyphosate provides great flexibility to manipulate weed populations with consequences for invertebrates and higher trophic levels, for example birds. A range of timings of band and overall spray treatments of glyphosate to GMHT sugar beet were compared with a conventional weed control programme in four field trials over 2 years. Single overall sprays applied between 200 and 250 accumulated day degrees (above a base air temperature of 3°C; °Cd) and band applied treatments applied at 10% or 20% ground cover within the crop rows generally gave significantly greater weed biomass and seed rain than conventional treatments, while later band sprays (more than 650 °Cd) reduced seed return. Two overall sprays of glyphosate produced low weed biomass and generally lowest seed return of all treatments but tended to give some of the highest yields. However, the early overall sprays (200–250 °Cd) and band sprays gave as good or better yields than the conventional and were generally equivalent to the two overall–spray programme. Viable seeds in the soil after the experiment were generally higher following the early overall (200–250 °Cd) and the band spray treatments than following the conventional. The results show that altered management of GMHT sugar beet can provide alternative scenarios to those of the recent Farm Scale Evaluation trials. Without yield loss they can enhance weed seed banks and autumn bird food availability compared with conventional management, or provide early season benefits to invertebrates and nesting birds, depending on the system chosen. Conventional weed control does not have the flexibility to enable these scenarios that benefit both agriculture and environment, although there may be some options for increasing weed seed return in autumn.
Postsurgical chronic pain.

Any operation, indeed, any surgical intervention inevitably causes acute pain that usually subsides over time. However, persistent, chronic postsurgical pain may be severe in 2% to 10% of patients. As reviewed by Kehlet et al, this discomfort generally lasts longer than 3 to 6 months after surgery. For example, thoracotomy has a 30% to 40% estimated incidence of chronic pain with a 10% incidence of severe, disabling pain. Several factors are in play in the development of postsurgical pain including:
Open Hearts Build Lives: Positive Emotions, Induced Through Loving-Kindness Meditation, Build Consequential Personal Resources

B. L. Fredrickson's (1998, 2001) broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions asserts that people's daily experiences of positive emotions compound over time to build a variety of consequential personal resources. The authors tested this build hypothesis in a field experiment with working adults (n = 139), half of whom were randomly-assigned to begin a practice of loving-kindness meditation. Results showed that this meditation practice produced increases over time in daily experiences of positive emotions, which, in turn, produced increases in a wide range of personal resources (e.g., increased mindfulness, purpose in life, social support, decreased illness symptoms). In turn, these increments in personal resources predicted increased life satisfaction and reduced depressive symptoms. Discussion centers on how positive emotions are the mechanism of change for the type of mind-training practice studied here and how loving-kindness meditation is an intervention strategy that produces positive emotions in a way that outpaces the hedonic treadmill effect.
HIV in central nervous system and behavioral development: an HIV-2287 macaque model of AIDS.

Objective: To determine which route of inoculation produced consistent and frequent HIV infection in the central nervous system (CNS) and alterations in cognitive and motor development in infant macaques.
A simple transmission line model for narrow slot apertures having depth and losses

A simple transmission line model is given to approximately represent a narrow slot aperture having depth when the conductivity of the conducting plane (and slot walls) is large but not necessarily infinite and when somewhat lossy gaskets are placed in the slot. Slot and gasket dimensions, in addition to the electrical parameters of the conducting plane and gasket, are restricted so that gasket- and wall-loss-effects only need to be included locally (near the slot cross section) and additionally so that the slot voltage is nearly constant locally (however diffusion into the depth of the slot is considered when very lossy gaskets are introduced). Normal incidence is emphasized since this is typically the most important case for slots that are not too long compared to the wavelength. The transmission line model is used to obtain simple approximate formulas for resonant quality factor, slot voltage, penetrant fields, and transmitted power. Low frequency quantities including magnetic dipole moments are also obtained. Gaskets with air gaps are considered and optimum choices for electrical parameters are discussed. >
Characteristics of Winter Precipitation Variation over Northern Central Eurasia and Their Connections to Sea Surface Temperatures over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

Abstract This study reveals spatial and temporal characteristics of precipitation variability and their teleconnections to sea surface temperatures (SSTs) over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by analyzing 68 yr of recent precipitation records over the former Soviet Union. In addition to a general increasing trend of about 0.4 mm yr−1 or 6% decade−1 over much of the study region, three major modes of precipitation variation are identified. A quasi-biennial variation of 2–3 yr is found over the region surrounding the Caspian and Aral Seas. An El Nino timescale precipitation variation of 4–5 yr is present over southern central Siberia and is associated with eastern tropical Pacific SSTs. A quasi-decadal timescale variation of about 11–12 yr is evident over central European Russia. This quasi-decadal precipitation variation is closely linked to a major SST anomaly pattern of alternating latitudinal belts over the Atlantic and SST variations over the equatorial Pacific Ocean. These associations to SSTs are str...
Corporate Voting and the Proxy Process: Managerial Control Versus Shareholder Oversight

A rise in shareholder activism and recent changes in the SEC's proxy rules have been accompanied by an increase in shareholders' use of the proxy process. However, because managers have discretion over the design and implementation of the proxy process, issues remain concerning shareholders' ability to initiate change by voting. More generally, we hypothesize that certain features of the institutional and regulatory environment may allow managers to influence shareholder voting turnout and results. To the extent managers may strategically influence votes, they may disenfranchise shareholders and, conceivably, reduce the control rights of shares. We find evidence suggesting that managers control the proxy process and receive a vote-getting advantage from doing so. The results indicate that managers hire proxy solicitors when ballots include nonroutine management or shareholder proposals, and bundle nonroutine management or difficult-to-pass issues with others in joint proposals. It appears that managers also craft proposals so that they are classified as routine, rather than nonroutine, which increases the number of votes cast in support of proposals. We find that routine management proposals received as many as 14.42% more affirmatively cast votes than nonroutine proposals of the same proposal type and as much as 17.25% higher voting turnout. The passage of as many as 5.3% of routine proposals may have been due to their classification as routine rather than nonroutine proposals. Some institutional features, however, appear to constrain managers' ability to gain shareholder votes. Notably, against recommendations from ISS, an advisory service providing voting recommendations to many institutional investors, were associated with 13.63% to 20.56% fewer affirmative votes for management proposals, depending on the specific proposal type.
Stakeholders’ Perspectives of Sustainable Tourism Development A New Approach to Measuring Outcomes

The purpose of this study is to examine the perspectives of tourism stakeholders regarding sustainable tourism outcomes in protected areas. We compared the responses of residents with residents, and tourists with tourists, in two protected areas of Nepal, namely, the Annapurna Conservation Area and Chitwan National Park. Tourism sustainability was evaluated with six tourism impact subscales measuring negative and positive ecological, economic, and social impacts. Data were collected using the survey method. Respondents included 230 residents and 205 tourists in Annapurna, and 220 residents and 210 tourists in Chitwan. Data analysis involved a series of multigroup confirmatory factor analyses with Annapurna and Chitwan as comparison groups and tourism impact subscales as latent constructs. Results revealed that residents and tourists perceive positive and negative impacts differently across protected areas. This suggests that the form of tourism development affects the sustainability outcomes in protected ...
Single food focus dietary guidance: lessons learned from an economic analysis of egg consumption

There is a large body of literature evaluating the impact of various nutrients of eggs and their dietary cholesterol content on health conditions. There is also literature on the costs of each condition associated with egg consumption. The goal of the present study is to synthesize what is known about the risks and benefits of eggs and the associated costs from a societal perspective. A risk apportionment model estimated the increased risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) attributable to egg cholesterol content, the decreased risk for other conditions (age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataract, neural tube defects, and sarcopenia) associated with egg consumption, and a literature search identified the cost of illness of each condition. The base 795 case scenario calculated the costs or savings of each condition attributable to egg cholesterol or nutrient content. Given the costs associated with CHD and the benefits associated with the other conditions, the most likely scenario associated with eating an egg a day is savings of $2.82 billion annually with uncertainty ranging from a net cost of $756 million to net savings up to $8.50 billion. This study evaluating the economic impact of egg consumption suggests that public health campaigns promoting limiting egg consumption as a means to reduce CHD risk would not be cost-effective from a societal perspective when other benefits are considered. Public health intervention that focuses on a single dietary constituent, and foods that are high in that constituent, may lead to unintended consequences of removing other beneficial constituents and the net effect may not be in its totality a desirable public health outcome. As newer data become available, the model should be updated.
Abscission: Response to Red and Far-Red Light

Craker, L. E., Zhao, S. Y. and Decoteau, D. R. 1987. Abscission: response to red and far-red light.—J. exp. Bot. 38: 883-888. The dose-response and time relationship of red and far-red light in the inhibition and promotion, respectively, of dark-induced leaf abscission was quantified using cuttings of coleus (Coleus Blumei Benth.). A continuous photon flux of approximately 15 nM m "2 s~1 of red light was sufficient to prevent leaf abscission. Abscission was promoted by exposure to a photon flux of approximately 10 nM m" 2 s"1 of far-red light. The inhibition of abscission by red light could be reversed by treatment with far-red and the promotion of abscission by far-red light could be reversed by treatment with red light. The data were consistent with a phytochrome receptor system located in the leaves that controlled the presence of an abscission-inhibiting substance in the abscission zones.
A Formaldehyde-Free Soy-Based Adhesive for Making Oriented Strandboard

A formaldehyde-free adhesive consisting of soy flour, polyethylenimine, maleic anhydride, and sodium hydroxide was investigated for making randomly oriented strandboard (R-OSB) and oriented strandboard (OSB). The hot-press conditions and the adhesive usage rate were optimized in terms of enhancing internal bond strength (IB), modulus of rupture (MOR), and modulus of elasticity (MOE) of the resulting R-OSB and OSB. The IB, MOR, and MOE were the highest at a hot-press temperature of 170°C, a hot-press time of 4–5 min, and an adhesive usage rate of 7%. The strengths of the OSB panels made with this formaldehyde-free adhesive were compared with those of commercial OSB panels purchased at a local Home Depot store.
Design methodology for fine-grained leakage control in MTCMOS

Multi-threshold CMOS is a popular technique for reducing standby leakage power with low delay overhead. MTCMOS designs typically use large sleep devices to reduce standby leakage at the block level. We provide a formal examination of sneak leakage paths and a design methodology that enables gate-level insertion of sleep devices for sequential and combinational circuits. A fabricated 0.13 /spl mu/m, dual V/sub T/ test chip employs this methodology to implement a low-power FPGA core with gate-level sleep FETs and over 8/spl times/ measured standby current reduction. The methodology allows local sleep regions that reduce leakage in active configurable logic blocks (CLBs) by up to 2.2/spl times/ (measured) for some CLB configurations.
A black-box re-weighting analysis can correct flawed simulation data

There is a great need for improved statistical sampling in a range of physical, chemical, and biological systems. Even simulations based on correct algorithms suffer from statistical error, which can be substantial or even dominant when slow processes are involved. Further, in key biomolecular applications, such as the determination of protein structures from NMR data, non-Boltzmann-distributed ensembles are generated. We therefore have developed the “black-box” strategy for reweighting a set of configurations generated by arbitrary means to produce an ensemble distributed according to any target distribution. In contrast to previous algorithmic efforts, the black-box approach exploits the configuration-space density observed in a simulation, rather than assuming a desired distribution has been generated. Successful implementations of the strategy, which reduce both statistical error and bias, are developed for a one-dimensional system, and a 50-atom peptide, for which the correct 250-to-1 population ratio is recovered from a heavily biased ensemble.
Probable values of the cosmological constant in a holographic theory

We point out that for a large class of universes, holography implies that the most probable value for the cosmological constant is zero. In four space-time dimensions, the probability distribution takes the Baum-Hawking form, dP similar to exp(cM(p)^(2)/Lambda)d Lambda.
Eradication of HIV: current challenges and new directions

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can potently suppress human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication and prevent progression to AIDS. However, HAART does not cure infected patients. Instead, HIV persists in latently infected CD4+ T cells and various cryptic cellular reservoirs. Hence, under current therapy regimens, patients must continue taking HAART for the remainder of their lives. Eliminating residual replication-competent virus is critical if eradication of HIV is to be achieved. While this challenge is formidable, we describe here a number of innovative approaches intended to further deplete HIV in HAART-treated patients. New antiretroviral drugs that target different viral proteins and stages of the virus life cycle, compounds that enhance anti-HIV immune responses and novel gene therapy approaches may each play a role in improving long-term suppression of the virus. Moreover, methods for more specifically and efficiently inducing HIV from latency and eliminating the newly activated host cells are also under development.
Robust gene silencing mediated by antisense small RNAs in the pathogenic protist Entamoeba histolytica

RNA interference uses small RNAs (sRNA), which target genes for sequence-specific silencing. The parasite Entamoeba histolytica contains an abundant repertoire of 27 nt antisense (AS) sRNA with 5′-polyphosphate termini, but their roles in regulating gene expression have not been well established. We demonstrate that a gene-coding region to which large numbers of AS sRNAs map can serve as a ‘trigger’ and silence the gene fused to it. Silencing is mediated by generation of AS sRNAs with 5′-polyphosphate termini that have sequence specificity to the fused gene. The mechanism of silencing is independent of the placement of the trigger relative to the silenced gene but is dependent on the sRNA concentration to the trigger. Silencing requires transcription of the trigger-gene fusion and is maintained despite loss of the trigger plasmid. We used this approach to silence multiple amebic genes, including an E. histolytica Myb gene, which is upregulated during oxidative stress response. Silencing of the EhMyb gene decreased parasite viability under oxidative stress conditions. Thus, we have developed a new tool for genetic manipulation in E. histolytica with many advantages over currently available technologies. Additionally, these data shed mechanistic insights into a eukaryotic RNA interference pathway with many novel aspects.
Follow-on biologics: a new play for big pharma: Healthcare 2010.

The U.S. pharmaceutical industry plays a vital role in shaping the face of American healthcare. As an industry rooted in innovation, its continued evolution is inherent. With major patent expirations looming and thin product pipelines, the industry now must consider new directions to maintain growth and stability. Follow-on biologics, derived from living organisms and marketed after the patent expiration of similar therapies, represent a growing opportunity for big pharmaceutical firms, as discussed during Yale’s Healthcare 2010 conference in April. Key characteristics of follow-on biologics make them a worthwhile investment for big pharma companies: They command high prices, will likely have fewer entrants than generics due to high barriers to entry, and play to the existing strengths of big pharma firms. With the recent healthcare legislation providing the way for consistent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation, the timing seems right to continue the push into this new and growing market.
Judicial Retirements and the Staying Power of U.S. Supreme Court Decisions

The influence of U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions depends critically on how these opinions are received and treated by lower courts, which decide the vast majority of legal disputes. We argue that the retirement of justices on the Supreme Court serves as a simple heuristic device for lower court judges in deciding how much deference to show to Supreme Court precedent. Using a unique data set of the treatment of all Supreme Court majority opinions in the courts of appeals from 1953 to 2012, we find that negative treatments of Supreme Court opinions increase, and positive treatments decrease, as the justices who supported a decision retire from the Court. Importantly, this effect exists over and above the impact of retirements on the ideological makeup of the Supreme Court.
Deglaciation and postglacial environmental changes in the Teton Mountain Range recorded at Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park, WY

Abstract Sediments contained in lake basins positioned along the eastern front of the Teton Mountain Range preserve a continuous and datable record of deglaciation and postglacial environmental conditions. Here, we develop a multiproxy glacier and paleoenvironmental record using a combination of seismic reflection data and multiple sediment cores recovered from Jenny Lake and other nearby lakes. Age control of Teton lake sediments is established primarily through radiocarbon dating and supported by the presence of two prominent rhyolitic tephra deposits that are geochemically correlated to the widespread Mazama (∼7.6 ka) and Glacier Peak (∼13.6 ka) tephra layers. Multiple glacier and climate indicators, including sediment accumulation rate, bulk density, clastic sediment concentration and flux, organic matter (concentration, flux, δ13C, δ15N, and C/N ratios), and biogenic silica, track changes in environmental conditions and landscape development. Sediment accumulation at Jenny Lake began centuries prior to 13.8 ka and cores from three lakes demonstrate that Teton glacier extents were greatly reduced by this time. Persistent ice retreat in Cascade Canyon was slowed by an interval of small glacier activity between ∼13.5 and 11.5 ka, prior to the end of glacial lacustrine sedimentation ∼11.5 ka. The transition to non-glacial sediments marks the onset of Holocene conditions at Jenny Lake and reflects a shift toward warmer summers, increased vegetation cover, and landscape stability in the Tetons. We discuss the Teton lake sediment records within the context of other regional studies in an effort to construct a comprehensive overview of deglaciation and postglacial environmental conditions at Grand Teton National Park.
Development of a Pre-Clinical Patellar Component Test for Total Knee Arthroplasty

Patellar component failure accounts for the majority of complications with total knee arthroplasty procedures [1]. Current patellar component tests involve loads that do not categorize failures as seen in clinical data. The aim of this project is to define the forces that lead to failure and design a test that can predict these failures. Clinical data reveals that the primary mode of failure of patellar components involves polyethylene wear most prominent at the lateral aspect of the component in various types of patella designs. Research on normal knee anatomy, kinematics and forces indicates that quadriceps tension results in a net lateral force exerted on the patella. This force, combined with the lateral to medial motion of the patella and its contact with the femoral condyles during 60° to 140° flexion, is theorized to be the contributing factor that leads to the observed clinical failure.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Fabrication of 1.55-μm dispersion-shifted polarization-maintaining optical fiber

Polarization-maintaining optical fiber (PMF), which maintains a state of polarization over a long length, has many applications from coherent transmission systems to fiber-optic sensors. Especially, in a long coherent transmission system, it is necessary that a PMF have low loss and low dispersion in the 1.55-µm wavelength region.1
Online fast transient angle stability assessment of N-2 contingency set

The total number of N-2 faulty element combinations is huge in large scale power system. Transient angle stability analysis for all N-2 contingencies cannot be finished in given time required by online assessment. The index for contingency severity ranking is proposed to filter out slight cases. The index is calculated based on the stability margins and dynamic modes of the N-1 contingency and sensitivity analysis of another faulty element to generators in the critical cluster. Contingencies with larger index are selected for detailed transient angle stability assessment in order. If the transient angle stability margins of multiple sequential contingencies are greater than 0, subsequent contingencies can be judged stable. Real engineering applications in actual power grid have fully confirmed the validity and practicability of this method.
Specific (3H) ouabain binding to rat heart and skeletal muscle: effects of thyroidectomy.

Administration of triiodothyronine increased specific [3H]ouabain binding by 46% in gastrocnemius muscle and 54% in heart ventricle muscle microsomal suspensions derived from euthyroid rats. Thyroidectomy decreased specific [3H]ouabain binding by 37% and 56% in skeletal and heart muscle microsomes, respectively. Administration of triiodothyronine to thyroidectomized rats increased specific [3H]ouabain binding by 69% in gastrocnemius muscle and 425% in cardiac muscle membrane preparations. Scatchard analysis revealed that regulation of specific [3H]ouabain binding sites by triiodothyronine is mediated by alterations of dissociation constants and not by changes in the maximal number of binding sites. These observations are incompatible with the hypothesis that induction of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase of cardiac and skeletal muscle membrane is the molecular mechanism for the thermogenic action of thyroid hormones. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors thank Ms. Lily S. Kung for measuring ATP hydrolytic activity in cardiac microsomal suspensions.
The Wave Flap: A Single-Stage, Modified Nasal Sidewall Rotation Flap for the Repair of Defects Involving the Mid-Alar Groove

BACKGROUNDReconstruction of defects straddling the alar groove presents the dual challenges of resurfacing the nasal sidewall and alar subunits while simultaneously recreating the alar groove. The wave flap (WF) is a modified, medially based, nasal sidewall rotation flap that uses locally recruited
12 - Molecular and Genetic Analysis of Tomato Fruit Development and Ripening

Publisher Summary This chapter describes tomato as a model system for fruit development, isolation of ripening-related genes, and determination of the physiological functions of ripening genes. The chapter presents a description of progress toward the isolation of the rin , nor , and Nr loci . Little is known of the biochemical activities or patterns of expression of any of the three targeted ripening genes. The chapter presents a strategy for map-based cloning of fruit-ripening genes. Certain prerequisites for a map-based cloning strategy become apparent and include the ability to score the phenotype of interest in a segregating population, the availability of DNA markers and polymorphic germplasm for RFLP mapping, a representative YAC library that contains the dominant allele of the target locus, and the technology for transformation and regeneration of the biological system used.
Why Aren’t More Primary Care Residents Going into Primary Care? A Qualitative Study

Workforce projections indicate a potential shortage of up to 31,000 adult primary care providers by the year 2025. Approximately 80 % of internal medicine residents and nearly two-thirds of primary care internal medicine residents do not plan to have a career in primary care or general internal medicine. We aimed to explore contextual and programmatic factors within primary care residency training environments that may influence career choices. This was a qualitative study based on semi-structured, in-person interviews. Three primary care internal medicine residency programs were purposefully selected to represent a diversity of training environments. Second and third year residents were interviewed. We used a survey guide developed from pilot interviews and existing literature. Three members of the research team independently coded the transcripts and developed the code structure based on the constant comparative method. The research team identified emerging themes and refined codes. ATLAS.ti was used for the analysis. We completed 24 interviews (12 second-year residents, and 12 third-year residents). The age range was 27–39 years. Four recurrent themes characterized contextual and programmatic factors contributing to residents’ decision-making: resident expectations of a career in primary care, navigation of the boundary between social needs and medical needs, mentorship and perceptions of primary care, and structural features of the training program. Addressing aspects of training that may discourage residents from careers in primary care such as lack of diversity in outpatient experiences and resident frustration with their inability to address social needs of patients, and strengthening aspects of training that may encourage interests in careers in primary care such as mentorship and protected time away from inpatient responsibilities during primary care rotations, may increase the proportion of residents enrolled in primary care training programs who pursue a career in primary care.
Raising the Curtain on Suzanne Bing’s Life in the Theatre

From 1913 to 1929, Suzanne Bing’s theatrical career was intertwined with Jacques Copeau’s at the Vieux-Colombier Company and School. From 1930 to 1934, she taught at and acted with the collective Compagnie des Quinze, directed by Copeau disciple Michel Saint-Denis. Although the claim could be made that collective creation grew out of her teaching, she is largely unacknowledged. Copeau, whose active collaborator (and lover) she was, referred to her deprecatingly as “the muse of the Vieux-Colombier.” Bing put aside her acting career to devote herself to developing a new breed of actor for Vieux-Colombier Company. The Vieux-Colombier School’s innovative curriculum owed much to her work with children at a Montessori-based school where she introduced improvisations and theatre games, which she later expanded upon with her acting students.
Variable rate MIMO communication with airborne platforms: An experimental study

Motivated by the need for robust and high throughput communication with airborne platforms, a variable rate MIMO scheme that combines the D-BLAST architecture with per antenna spreading was proposed. This paper is focused on the experimental study of this approach. We developed a software defined radio implementation of the variable rate MIMO system based on GNU Radio. Over the air transmission and reception is enabled by Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP). The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in realizing the throughput gain afforded by MIMO communication under potentially rank deficient channel conditions that are often present in an airborne environment.
A Novel Motif for S-Adenosyl-l-methionine Binding by the Ribosomal RNA Methyltransferase TlyA from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Capreomycin is a potent ribosome-targeting antibiotic that is an essential component of current antituberculosis treatments, particularly in the case of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Optimal capreomycin binding and Mtb ribosome inhibition requires ribosomal RNA methylation in both ribosome subunits by TlyA (Rv1694), an enzyme with dual 2′-O-methytransferase and putative hemolytic activities. Despite the important role of TlyA in capreomycin sensitivity and identification of inactivating mutations in the corresponding Mtb gene tlyA, which cause resistance to capreomycin, our current structural and mechanistic understanding of TlyA action remains limited. Here, we present structural and functional analyses of Mtb TlyA interaction with its obligatory co-substrate for methyltransferase activity, S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM). Despite adopting a complete class I methyltransferase fold containing conserved SAM-binding and catalytic motifs, the isolated TlyA carboxyl-terminal domain exhibits no detectable affinity for SAM. Further analyses identify a tetrapeptide motif (RXWV) in the TlyA interdomain linker as indispensable for co-substrate binding. Our results also suggest that structural plasticity of the RXWV motif could contribute to TlyA domain interactions, as well as specific recognition of its two structurally distinct ribosomal RNA targets. Our findings thus reveal a novel motif requirement for SAM binding by TlyA and set the stage for future mechanistic studies of TlyA substrate recognition and modification that underpin Mtb sensitivity to capreomycin.
Traumatic Brain Injury in Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans: New Results from a National Random Sample Study

This study randomly sampled post-9/11 military veterans and reports on causes, predictors, and frequency of traumatic brain injury (TBI) (N=1,388). A total of 17.3% met criteria for TBI during military service, with about one-half reporting multiple head injuries, which were related to higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, back pain, and suicidal ideation. The most common mechanisms of TBI included blasts (33.1%), objects hitting head (31.7%), and fall (13.5%). TBI was associated with enlisted rank, male gender, high combat exposure, and sustaining TBI prior to military service. Clinical and research efforts in veterans should consider TBI mechanism, effects of cumulative TBI, and screening for premilitary TBI.
Biomedical membranes from hydrogels and interpolymer complexes

Biomedical applications of hydrogel membranes require understanding of their structural characteristics and diffusive behavior. Thus, the subject of this review is the analysis of the response of such biomembranes to their surrounding environment. This responsive behavior may be due to the presence of certain functional groups along the polymer chains or specific interactions between polymer chains (complexation). This behavior is particularly important in the use of these physiologically responsive materials in membrane applications. We begin with an introduction to the structural characteristics and behavior of hydrogel membranes followed by a discussion of the types of environmentally responsive behavior seen with hydrogels. The subject of interpolymer complexation is then treated with emphasis on complexation due to hydrogen bonding and how this type of behavior may be used to produce responsive membranes. Finally, the theories of transport in membranes are reviewed.
Prevalence of EBV, HPV and MMTV in Pakistani breast cancer patients: A possible etiological role of viruses in breast cancer.

Abstract Background Breast cancer being a multifactorial disease, the role of infectious agent in development of disease is of great interest. The high incidence of breast cancer around the world has woken the interest in a viral etiology of breast cancer. Despite decades of research, no etiologic factor(s) for human breast cancer has been known and the quest for a contributing cause has all but been abandoned during the past years. Recent investigations have linked breast cancer to viral infections, such as Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), Human papillomavirus (HPV) and mouse mammary tumor virus. Aim To investigate the possible association of EBV, HPV and MMTV infection with breast cancer development and progression. Methods Screening of isolated genomic DNA from FFPE breast cancer tissue biopsies (n = 250) using standard polymerase chain reaction and correlation of virus prevalence with BC disease outcomes using statistical analysis software (SPSS 16.0). Results Our findings suggest the prevalence of EBV (24.4%), HPV (18.1%) and MMTV (29.3%), while coinfection of HPV and EBV was detected in 9.2% (23/250), co infection of HPV and MMTV in 3.2% (8/250) and coinfection of EBV and MMTV in 6% (15/250) of breast cancer samples. No virus was detected in 59.5% of the breast cancer samples. Mono infection of EBV and HPV do not statistically co-relate with the clinico-pathological outcomes of breast cancer disease, though MMTV infection does co-relate with age and grade of breast cancer disease. In our study, the prevalence of coinfection of HPV, EBV and MMTV in Pakistani breast cancer patients is rare, still there is a possibility of synergistic carcinogenic effect of different viruses in the development of breast cancer disease. Conclusion The significant percentage of virus prevalence shows potential role in breast cancer development. However, this study provides substantial but not conclusive evidence for the involvement of viruses in BC disease development and progressiveness.
Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients Exposed to Intramuscular Interferon beta-1a (IM IFNβ-1a) (S30.006)

OBJECTIVE: Review prospective pregnancy outcomes in women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who were exposed to intramuscular interferon beta-1a (IM IFNβ-1a) during pregnancy. BACKGROUND: Given the high prevalence of MS in women in their reproductive years, disease-modifying therapies are likely to be used by women of childbearing potential. DESIGN/METHODS: Worldwide pregnancy cases reported to Biogen Idec from May 1996 to 31 December 2012 will be reviewed for potential association between drug exposure and teratogenicity or maturation defects. Prospective cases involved IM IFNβ-1a exposure during pregnancy, reported spontaneously or reported through clinical trials or registries, with the outcome unknown at the time of initial report. RESULTS: From May 1996 to Jun 2012, there were over 1000 prospective pregnancies in IM IFNβ-1a–exposed women from spontaneous reports only. Outcomes were known for about half of these cases with a birth defect rate of approximately 2%,including both major and minor congenital malformations. No pattern suggesting an unusual distribution of birth defects was observed. Birth defect rates in the general population are between 2.7% and 5.8%, depending on the methodology used for calculation (denominator being live birth cases or all outcomes). The reported rate of spontaneous loss was consistent with the expected rate of 15%–16% in the US general population. In the Avonex US pregnancy registry, birth defects reviewed according to MACDP standards were observed in 6.3% of 306 outcomes in 302 prospectively enrolled pregnant women; 5.6% if calculated with all outcomes in the denominator; the rate of spontaneous abortions was 10.5%. CONCLUSIONS: No pattern suggesting an unusual distribution of birth defects was observed among women with MS exposed to IM IFNβ-1a during pregnancy. Reporting rates for spontaneous abortions were consistent with those in the general population. Supported by: Biogen Idec Inc. Disclosure: Dr. Tomczyk has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec as an employee. Dr. Sperling has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec as an employee. Dr. Sperling hold stock and/or stock options in Biogen Idec.