cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A "Gen 2" RFID monitor based on the USRP

We have developed a low cost software radio based platform for monitoring EPC Gen 2 RFID traffic. The Gen 2 standard allows for a range of PHY layer configurations and does not specify exactly how to compose protocol messages to inventory tags. This has made it difficult to know how well the standard works, and how it is implemented in practice. Our platform provides much needed visibility into Gen 2 systems by capturing reader transmissions using the USRP2 and decoding them in real-time using software we have developed and released to the public. In essence, our platform delivers much of the functionality of expensive (
Metal complexes of alkylating agents. V. Complexes of phosphoramide mustard derivatives

Abstract Metal complexes of phosphoramide mustard derivatives of RR′P(O)N(CH2CH2Cl)2 where R  R′  NH2 (L1); R  OP(R′)(O)N(CH2CH2Cl)2 and R′  N(CH3)2 (L2) have been prepared. The L2 ligand is a novel organophosphorus compound. Metal complexes of L1 include M(ClO4)n(L1)x where n = 2, x = 4, M  Cu, Mg; n = 2, x = 5, M  Co, Ni; n = 3, x = 5, M  Al; n = 2, x = 6, M  Ba, Mn; and MCl2(L1)x where x = 3, M  Co; x = 4, M  Cu. Metal complexes of L2 include M(ClO4)x(L2)x(H2O)y where x = 2, M  Ba, Co, Cu, Mg, Mn, Ni; x = 3, M  Al, La and y = 2, 4, 6 or 8. Nickel(II) and cobalt(II) complexes of trimethyl phosphonoacetate (TMPA) with stoichiometry Ni(TMPA)2(ClO4)2·3H2O and Co(TMPA)2(ClO4)2·2H2O have also been prepared.
An unexpected phosphate binding site in Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase: Crystal structures of apo, holo and ternary complex of Cryptosporidium parvum enzyme

The structure, function and reaction mechanism of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) have been extensively studied. Based on these studies, three anion binding sites have been identified, one 'Ps' site (for binding the C-3 phosphate of the substrate) and two sites, 'Pi' and 'new Pi', for inorganic phosphate. According to the original flip-flop model, the substrate phosphate group switches from the 'Pi' to the 'Ps' site during the multistep reaction. In light of the discovery of the 'new Pi' site, a modified flip-flop mechanism, in which the C-3 phosphate of the substrate binds to the 'new Pi' site and flips to the 'Ps' site before the hydride transfer, was proposed. An alternative model based on a number of structures of B. stearothermophilus GAPDH ternary complexes (non-covalent and thioacyl intermediate) proposes that in the ternary Michaelis complex the C-3 phosphate binds to the 'Ps' site and flips from the 'Ps' to the 'new Pi' site during or after the redox step. We determined the crystal structure of Cryptosporidium parvum GAPDH in the apo and holo (enzyme + NAD) state and the structure of the ternary enzyme-cofactor-substrate complex using an active site mutant enzyme. The C. parvum GAPDH complex was prepared by pre-incubating the enzyme with substrate and cofactor, thereby allowing free movement of the protein structure and substrate molecules during their initial encounter. Sulfate and phosphate ions were excluded from purification and crystallization steps. The quality of the electron density map at 2A resolution allowed unambiguous positioning of the substrate. In three subunits of the homotetramer the C-3 phosphate group of the non-covalently bound substrate is in the 'new Pi' site. A concomitant movement of the phosphate binding loop is observed in these three subunits. In the fourth subunit the C-3 phosphate occupies an unexpected site not seen before and the phosphate binding loop remains in the substrate-free conformation. Orientation of the substrate with respect to the active site histidine and serine (in the mutant enzyme) also varies in different subunits. The structures of the C. parvum GAPDH ternary complex and other GAPDH complexes demonstrate the plasticity of the substrate binding site. We propose that the active site of GAPDH can accommodate the substrate in multiple conformations at multiple locations during the initial encounter. However, the C-3 phosphate group clearly prefers the 'new Pi' site for initial binding in the active site.
The Effects of Feedback on Perseverative Errors in Preschool Aged Children.

Research using the Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) showed that young children are usually able to sort accurately by an initial rule but are unable to switch to a new rule when the two rules conflict. In 2 experiments, the DCCS was modified to study the effects of feedback on 3- to 5-year-old children in a problem-solving task. In Experiment 1, half of the children in each of two age groups (36 to 44 months and 52 to 60 months) were administered the DCCS task using the standard (no feedback) procedure and the other half received feedback on their post-switch responses. Children who received feedback were able to categorize according to the new (correct) rule, whereas the children in the younger age group who did not receive feedback continued to perseverate. Experiment 2 with 3-year-olds replicated the results from Experiment 1 but found that children's successful performance with feedback on the card-sorting task did not lead to improved performance on the post-switch phase of a subsequent DCCS task....
CONSUMER RESPONSE TO PROMOTIONS IN THE PRESENCE OF SURCHARGE: IMPLICATIONS FOR ONLINE RETAILING

This research examines the impact of surcharges on deal value perceptions of online promotions and purchase intentions. Based on research on mental accounting and price partitioning laboratory experiments investigate if consumers differ in perceptions of economically equivalent promotions presented as reduced product price, reduced shipping surcharge, a partitioned price (dollars-off promotion) or a bundled price (free shipping) for high and low priced items with relatively low or high shipping fees at retail websites. Experimental analyses show that sales price promotions are more effective than others for low-base price and low surcharge items. For relatively high surcharge or high base price, purchase intent is highest for free shipping followed by reduced shipping, dollars-off and sale price for all items. Results suggest that effectiveness of various promotion frames at online stores differs based on base price and relative surcharge level.
Deep vein thrombosis associated with a single dose of romiplostim in a high-risk patient.

Purpose The case of a patient who developed thrombosis after receiving a single dose of romiplostim is reported. Summary A 63-year-old, 76-kg Caucasian man arrived at our clinic complaining of right-lower-extremity edema and redness. The patient had a complicated cardiac history, including two coronary artery bypass grafts and five percutaneous coronary interventions. The patient had a history of stage IV marginal zone lymphoma of the distal stomach and proximal duodenum and stage IV mantle cell lymphoma, both of which were successfully treated. He also underwent peripheral blood autologous bone marrow transplantation. Over a year later, the patient was found to have profound thrombocytopenia, with a platelet count of <5 × 109/L. A bone marrow biopsy was negative for active lymphoma but suggested idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP). One week after receiving a single subcutaneous dose (1 μg/kg) of romiplostim, the patient complained of lower-right-extremity edema and redness. Suspicion of a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was confirmed with a Doppler study. At the time of his DVT, his platelet count was 51 × 109/L. The patient was given enoxaparin 1 mg/kg subcutaneously twice daily for six months. Romiplostim was discontinued after the first dose; however, the patient continues to take danazol. Since then, the patient’s platelet count has consistently remained above 50 × 109/L. The patient had no further venous thromboembolic events. Conclusion A 63-year-old man with a history of cardiovascular disease and prior malignancy developed a DVT after receiving a single dose of romiplostim for the treatment of ITP.
Detection of progressive retinal nerve fiber layer loss in glaucoma using scanning laser polarimetry with variable corneal compensation.

Glaucoma is a progressive disease characterized by pathologic loss of ganglion cells and retinal nerve fiber layer with or without associated visual field loss.1 Current management of glaucoma is focused on reducing intraocular pressure, and treatment is considered effective if it is able to slow or halt disease progression. Accurate methods for detecting disease progression are therefore essential to monitor patients and evaluate the efficacy of therapy. Although automated perimetry has been the standard method for detecting progressive disease, it is known that many patients can have progressive structural damage that precedes detectable associated changes in the visual field.2,3 Evaluation of progressive structural damage in glaucoma can be performed by comparing the appearance of the optic disc on longitudinal stereophotographs. This method, however, is limited by the need for subjective evaluation performed by skilled examiners, requirement for pupillary dilation, and may also offer suboptimal evaluation of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL). Several imaging technologies have become available to objectively evaluate the optic disc and the RNFL. One of these technologies, scanning laser polarimetry (SLP), provides quantitative estimates of the thickness of the RNFL with potential use for diagnosis and follow-up of glaucoma patients.4,5 It is based on the principle that polarized light passing through the birefringent RNFL undergoes a measurable phase shift, known as retardation, which is linearly related to histologically measured RNFL tissue thickness.6 The introduction of variable corneal compensation (VCC) in a commercially available scanning laser polarimeter (GDx VCC, software version 5.5.1; Carl-Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA) has resulted in improved diagnostic accuracy compared to earlier versions of this technology, which used fixed corneal compensation.7-12 GDx VCC measurements are reproducible13,14 and detect RNFL loss in patients with glaucomatous visual field damage as well as in glaucoma suspects.11,15-18 However, the ability of this technology to monitor progressive RNFL loss in a longitudinal study has not yet been reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of the GDx VCC to detect progressive RNFL loss in glaucoma patients and patients suspected of having the disease. We report on the ability of the GDx VCC to detect progressive disease, as well as on the factors influencing longitudinal measurements of the RNFL thickness obtained by this instrument.
Control of renal calcium, phosphate, electrolyte, and water excretion by the calcium-sensing receptor

Through regulation of excretion, the kidney shares responsibility for the metabolic balance of calcium (Ca 2+ ) with several other tissues including the GI tract and bone. The balances of Ca 2+ and phosphate (PO 4 ), magnesium (Mg 2+ ), sodium (Na + ), potassium (K + ), chloride (Cl − ), and water (H 2 O) are linked via regulatory systems with overlapping effects and are also controlled by systems specific to each of them. Cloning of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) along with the recognition that mutations in the CaSR gene are responsible for two familial syndromes characterized by abnormalities in the regulation of PTH secretion and Ca 2+ metabolism (Familial Hypocalciuric Hypercalcemia, FHH, and Autosomal Dominant Hypocalcemia, ADH) made it clear that extracellular Ca 2+ (Ca 2+ o ) participates in its own regulation via a specific, receptor-mediated mechanism. Demonstration that the CaSR is expressed in the kidney as well as the parathyroid glands combined with more complete characterizations of FHH and ADH established that the effects of elevated Ca 2+ on the kidney (wasting of Na + , K + , Cl − , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ and H 2 O) are attributable to activation of the CaSR. The advent of positive and negative allosteric modulators of the CaSR along with mouse models with global or tissue-selective deletion of the CaSR in the kidney have allowed a better understanding of the functions of the CaSR in various nephron segments. The biology of the CaSR is more complicated than originally thought and difficult to define precisely owing to the limitations of reagents such as anti-CaSR antibodies and the difficulties inherent in separating direct effects of Ca 2+ on the kidney mediated by the CaSR from associated CaSR-induced changes in PTH. Nevertheless, renal CaSRs have nephron-specific effects that contribute to regulating Ca 2+ in the circulation and urine in a manner that assures a narrow range of Ca 2+ o in the blood and avoids excessively high concentrations of Ca 2+ in the urine.
Study of thin film annealing by ellipsometry

Abstract Quenched in defects decrease the conductivity of thin gold films deposited on bismuth oxide. Isothermal and isochronal annealing studies indicate that in the temperature range of 75–130°C monovacancy migration occurs. The calculated activation energy of 0.79 eV is in good agreement with literature data. Corresponding anneals in situ by ellipsometry show definite changes in the ellipsometer parameters Δ and ψ. The results emphasize the fact that the optical properties of thin films may be changed by annealing of defects, and that ellipsometry may be of considerable value in studying the annealing kinetics of thin films.
Localized Corrosion of Al-Based Amorphous-Nanocrystalline Alloys with Solute-Lean Nanocrystals: Pit Stabilization

The localized corrosion resistance of several partially nanocrystalline Al-based metallic glasses was examined in fully amorphous, partially nanocrystalline, and fully crystalline microstructures. In all of the alloys examined, Al 90 Fe 5 Gd 5 , Al 53 Fe 7 Gd 8 , Al 90 Co 3 Ce 7 , and Al 87 Ni 7 Gd 6 , the pitting potential remained elevated relative to pure Al in all partially nanocrystalline states. The pit growth kinetics of the alloys, which were examined using an artificial pit technique, showed that the anodic kinetics were ennobled and the cathodic kinetics were faster than those of pure Al. The pit stability product was also found to be lower for Al than for the fully amorphous alloys. Artificial pit growth experiments also showed that the difference in the repassivation potential between pure Al and the amorphous alloys is not due to the differences in the potential dependence of the transition to tunneling. There was no significant difference between the pit growth kinetics of the fully amorphous and partially nanocrystalline states of the alloys. Because the nanocrystals do not affect the growth kinetics of large (d » nanocrystal radius) artificial pits, it is concluded that any effects nanocrystals have on the pitting resistance of alloys must be related to pit initiation or early growth.
Effects of drugs on the tunicate

Abstract 1. 1. Physiological control of the tunicate heart is of particular interest in view of the importance of the phylogenetic position of this class. A new approach to this problem was made in this laboratory by obtaining the electrocardiogram of the tunicate heart (isolated within its pericardium) by means of a Grass oscillograph and a suitable amplifier system. 2. 2. The Ciona electrocardiogram was not necessarily correlated with visually observed movements of the myocardial endothelium; normal spikes, at 1/1·9 sec (28°C), can be obtained with relatively quiescent hearts, or hearts exhibiting partial beats. 3. 3. Acetylcholine, pilocarpine, physostigmine, quinidine and procaine had relatively little effect on spike frequency, but increased, particularly in the case of pilocarpine and procaine, spike duration. 4. 4. Epinephrine markedly increased cardiac rate, while digitalis restored spike amplitude and frequency in failing hearts.
Taking aim at the truth

One prominent feature of belief is that a belief cannot be formed at will. This paper argues that the best explanation of this fact is that belief formation is a process that takes aim at the truth. Taking aim at the truth is to be understood as causal responsiveness of the processes constituting belief formation to what facilitates achieving true beliefs. The requirement for this responsiveness precludes the possibility of belief formation responding to intentions in a way that would count as forming a belief at will.
The Academic Achievement of Adolescents from Immigrant Families: The Roles of Family Background, Attitudes, and Behavior

The goal of this study was to determine the relative impact of family background, parental attitudes, peer support, and adolescents' own attitudes and behaviors on the academic achievement of students from immigrant families. Approximately 1,100 adolescents with Latino, East Asian, Filipino, and European backgrounds reported on their own academic attitudes and behaviors as well as those of their parents and peers. In addition, students' course grades were obtained from their official school records. Results indicated that first and second generation students received higher grades in mathematics and English than their peers from native families. Only a small portion of their success could be attributed to their socioeconomic background; a more significant correlate of their achievement was a strong emphasis on education that was shared by the students, their parents, and their peers. These demographic and psychosocial factors were also important in understanding the variation in academic performance among the immigrant students themselves.
High extraction efficiency experiments with the Los Alamos free electron laser

Abstract The injector, radio-frequency power system, beam transport, and cavity optics of the Los Alamos free electron laser system have been significantly improved. We report here on experiments to determine the effects of these improvements on extraction efficiency and to demonstrate performance comparable to that found in amplifier experiments and in reasonable agreement with simulations. The experiments used wigglers with 12% and 30% wavelength taper. Measurements were made with and without a prebuncher and with sideband suppression accomplished by cavity-length detuning. The free electron laser produced extraction efficiencies up to 4.4% and showed well-defined buckets of decelerated electrons.
Nucleate pool boiling of aqueous polymer solutions on a cylindrical heater

Abstract Heat transfer and ebullience behavior in saturated, nucleate pool boiling in aqueous dilute to semi-dilute solutions of a surface-active (hydroxyethyl cellulose or HEC-QP300) and a shear-thinning (polyacrylic acid or Carbopol 934) polymer on a horizontal, cylindrical heater are experimentally characterized. The influence of fluid rheology and interfacial properties (dynamic surface tension and wettability) on the heat transfer coefficient is delineated. In HEC solutions, nucleate boiling is enhanced with increasing concentration c till an optimum near the critical polymer concentration ( c * ∼600 wppm); at higher concentrations, the enhancement decreases considerably. Contrarily, there is continuous deterioration in the boiling heat transfer, relative to water, in Carbopol solutions with increasing concentrations. Adsorption of macromolecules, or agglomerates of smaller monomers onto a heating surface that may favor the formation of new nucleation sites, together with a decreased dynamic surface tension, are responsible for the general growth in the number of active bubbles in surface-active HEC solutions. In HEC solutions with c > c * as well as in all Carbopol solutions, on the other hand, higher viscosity tends to suppress the micro-convection near the wall and the bubble growth, thereby weakening the boiling process.
Stent thrombosis in randomized clinical trials of drug-eluting stents

BackgroundDefinitions of stent thrombosis that have been used in clinical trials of drug-eluting stents have been restrictive and have not been used in a uniform manner. MethodsWe applied a hierarchical classification of stent thrombosis set by the Academic Research Consortium (ARC) across randomized trials involving 878 patients treated with sirolimus-eluting stents, 1400 treated with paclitaxel-eluting stents, and 2267 treated with bare-metal stents. We then pooled 4 years of follow-up data. All events were adjudicated by an independent clinical-events committee. ResultsThe cumulative incidence of stent thrombosis according to the original protocol definitions was 1.2% in the sirolimus-stent group versus 0.6% in the bare-metal–stent group (P=0.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.4 to 1.5) and 1.3% in the paclitaxel-stent group versus 0.8% in the bare-metal–stent group (P=0.24; 95% CI, −0.3 to 1.4). The incidence of definite or probable stent thrombosis as defined by the ARC was 1.5% in the sirolimus-st...
952-25 Carpentier Techniques for Mitral Valve Reconstruction: Experiences in 560 Patients Over 14 Years

Between 6/79 and 6/93 a total of 560 patients with mitral insufficiency had Carpentier type mitral valve reconstruction with ring annuloplasty. The primary etiology of mitral disease was degenerative in 46%, rheumatic in 21%, ischemic in 18% and other in 15%. Concomitant cardiac procedures were performed in 283 patients (51%). Hospital mortality was 5.9% 133/560) overall and 2.5% (7/277) for isolated mitral reconstruction. Multivariate analysis revealed that NYHA classification, age, and associated coronary disease were significant predictors of increased operative risk. Late clinical and echocardiographic follow-up (f/u) was 98% complete, with a mean f/u interval of 3.5 years (range 1 month-14 years; total f/u 1,977 patient-years). Actuarial freedom from complications at 5 and 10 years was as follows: thromboembolic = 93% &86%, anticoagulant = 97% & 97%, endocarditis = 97%& 95%, reoperation = 90% & 83%; survival from all cardiac death was 85% & 77%, Pulmonary artery pressure, concomitant cardiac procedures, and associated coronary disease were predictive of late cardiac death by Cox regression analysis. Ten year freedom from reoperation was significantly better in nonrheumatic (90%) than in rheumatic patients (67%, p l 0.001). These data demonstrate durable long-term results and a continued low risk of late complications after mitral valve reconstruction using Carpentier techniques. This experience suggests that mitral valve reconstruction should be considered the procedure of choice for nonrheumatic patients with mitral valve insufficiency.
Poly(organophosphazene) – ungewöhnliche neue Hochpolymere

Ein hochpolymeres System mit einem aus alternierenden Phosphor- und Stickstoffatomen aufgebauten anorganischen Gerust verspricht viele der Probleme zu losen, die bei konventionellen organischen Polymeren auftreten. Der folgende Aufsatz gibt einen Uberblick uber die Chemie, die Struktur sowie die biomedizinischen und technologischen Aspekte dieser Polymere.
Reciprocal Negative Affect in Parent-Child Interactions and Children's Peer Competency.

The relationship between preschool children's peer competency and the exchange of reciprocal negative affect displays during physical play with parents was examined. Teacher ratings of children's peer competency were obtained from children's preschools. Parents and children (41 families) were observed during a physical play paradigm called "the hand game" which permitted physically stimulating play, yet which also permitted clear recording of participants' facial expressions. Interactions were coded second by second for 8 min using a system of 12 mutually exclusive and exhaustive codes to categorize the affect displayed by participants. Fathers who typically responded to their children's negative affect displays with negative affect of their own had children who shared less, were more aggressive, and avoided others. Implications of the findings for theories of family-peer relationships are discussed.
The Development of Verbal Efficiency, Metacognitive Strategies, and Their Interplay

This article explores the interplay between low-level reading subcomponents, metacognitive aspects of reading, and how this relation changes developmentally. First, theories relevant to the question of how subcomponent efficiencies, available resources, and metacognitive aspects of reading interrelate are reviewed. Second, research documenting increases in a reader's subcomponent efficiencies is briefly surveyed. Next, research revealing the child's developing metacognitive competencies is explored. To conclude, compensatory-encoding theory (Walczyk, 1993) is used to propose a model of the development of the interplay between resources, subcomponent efficiencies, and metacognitive aspects of reading. Diagnotic and intervention implications are considered.
Optimizing OLED Structures for a‐Si Display Applications via Combinatorial Methods and Enhanced Outcoupling

Active-matrix organic light-emitting displays driven by amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film transistors (TFT) require superior organic light-emitting device (OLED) performance in order to achieve sufficient pixel brightness and to avoid degradation of the a-Si transistors. In addition, the a-Si TFT circuitry of high-resolution full-color displays can become rather complex and therefore occupies a large amount of the pixel area, leading to a significantly reduced aperture ratio with conventional bottom-emitting OLEDs. A top-emitting device architecture is therefore advantageous. In this paper we describe general concepts for optimizing top-emitting OLEDs via combinatorial methods and for enhancing outcoupling. To optimize OLED performance, we use combinatorial device fabrication. Our system allows the simultaneous fabrication of 10 × 10 individual devices on one substrate, enabling a systematic variation of material combinations and electrodes as well as of device parameters such as layer thickness, layer sequence, and dye dopant concentrations. In the first part, we present an overview of the capabilities of combinatorial methods for electrical and electro-optical device optimization. We show results on multilayer OLEDs ranging from trilayer devices to phosphorescent five-layer OLEDs. The second part describes an outcoupling concept that allows the emission characteristics of top-emitting OLEDs to be tailored. We demonstrated that and analyzed how the angular intensity distribution and the spectral characteristics can be tuned. Light outcoupling can be enhanced by simply varying the optical thickness of a dielectric layer deposited on top of a semitransparent metal electrode. Using this capping-layer concept the outcoupled light intensity in forward direction was increased by a factor of 1.7 while concomittantly achieving a high color purity. The strength of the capping-layer concept is in particular that the optical and the electrical device performance can be optimized separately. Using optimized layer thicknesses and the capping concept, we achieve an efficiency of NTSC (National Television Standard Committee) white from separate red, green and blue sub-pixels exceeding 22 cd/A under realistic display-driving conditions, thus enabling the world's largest (20-inch) a-Si active-matrix OLED display. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
“CONTENT VALIDITY” IN MODERATION

“Content validity” has been widely but unwisely hailed as a solution to many problems in employee selection. The enthusiasm and its scope must be tempered. The arguments of this paper begin with the recognition that sampling from content domains cannot logically be substituted for criterion-related validity. Moreover, it must be recognized that the psychometric notion of validity ordinarily refers to scores, not to the stimulus content of a test. It is therefore suggested that evaluations of scores be based on the principle of construct validation; that is, that possible sources of contamination be considered as alternative hypotheses about what is measured by a content sample as it is scored.
Progress towards quantitative high-resolution electron microscopy

Abstract In recent years there has been a great upsurge of applications involving quantitative high-resolution electron microscopy, in particular comparing experimental micrographs with image simulations for determination of defect structures. Emphasis has been given to the determination of experimental parameters, the utilization of slow-scan CCD cameras for digital recording and extraction of quantitative structural and chemical information. More attention to surface cleanliness is needed to improve signal quality and the possibility of electron irradiation damage should not be overlooked. Issues related to adoption of a reliability of R -factor are briefly discussed.
Manifest mastoiditis in childhood: a current critical review*

Summary We made a follow-up study on forty children from our patient material, which had been operated because of manifest mastoiditis. We could establish the following: the number of operations has been increasing in recent years while there has been a significant drop in the number of cases with a preceding phase of otitis. A very characteristic pathological alteration, viz. the proliferation of granular tissue was found during the operation indicating that a short anamnestic period is illusory since before the mastoiditis manifests itself, there has obviously been a latent, long-lasting inflammatory process which apparently goes on without symptoms. Antibiotics, their excessive and unnecessary dosage, together with viral infections reducing immunity, may play a considerable role in the occurrence of these characteristic changes.
Large-scale malware indexing using function-call graphs

A major challenge of the anti-virus (AV) industry is how to effectively process the huge influx of malware samples they receive every day. One possible solution to this problem is to quickly determine if a new malware sample is similar to any previously-seen malware program. In this paper, we design, implement and evaluate a malware database management system called SMIT (Symantec Malware Indexing Tree) that can efficiently make such determination based on malware's function-call graphs, which is a structural representation known to be less susceptible to instruction-level obfuscations commonly employed by malware writers to evade detection of AV software. Because each malware program is represented as a graph, the problem of searching for the most similar malware program in a database to a given malware sample is cast into a nearest-neighbor search problem in a graph database. To speed up this search, we have developed an efficient method to compute graph similarity that exploits structural and instruction-level information in the underlying malware programs, and a multi-resolution indexing scheme that uses a computationally economical feature vector for early pruning and resorts to a more accurate but computationally more expensive graph similarity function only when it needs to pinpoint the most similar neighbors. Results of a comprehensive performance study of the SMIT prototype using a database of more than 100,000 malware demonstrate the effective pruning power and scalability of its nearest neighbor search mechanisms.
Mercury, vaccines, and autism, revisited.

Baker’s recent article1 presented fascinating insights and perspectives on the intertwined stories of mercury, vaccines, and autism. As a researcher in mercury with some involvement in the autism issue (as a participant in expert committees for the National Institutes of Health, the National Research Council, and the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] as well as an invited reviewer of a proposed clinical trial of mercury chelation in autism), I would like to offer some additions to an excellent article.
Nucleotide Fluctuation Analysis of Dim-Light Vision Rhodopsin Gene and mRNA Sequences in Vertebrates

Fractal dimension and Shannon entropy were used to analyze the nucleotide fluctuation of dim-light vision rhodopsin gene. The maximal absorption wavelengths of the studied gene sequences span a range of 480 nm to 526 nm. The di-nucleotide Shannon entropy correlates with (a) the mono-nucleotide Shannon entropy with R² of 0.99; (b) the CG+GC content with R² of 0.86 (N = 6). The absorption maximal wavelength correlation with the CG+GC content was found to have an R² of 0.82 for the gene sequence and 0.91 for the mRNA sequence. The fractal dimensions of the gene sequences and mRNA sequences were found to be correlated with R² of 0.78. Selection pressure on the CG+GC content at the gene and mRNA levels would be a consistent observation for phenotype dim-light functionality.
Convenience Is Not Enough

A recent survey of studies [Tenopir, Hitchcock, & Pillow (2003). Use and users of electronic library resources: An overview and analysis of recent research studies. Washington, DC: Council on Library and Information Resources.] concluded “both faculty and students use and like electronic resources and most readily adopt them if the sources are perceived as convenient, relevant, and time saving to their natural workflow” (p. iv). However, the results of access studies show that actual use of online content is relatively low. This is because navigation to the online content in these various collections is not convenient, requires multiple steps in order to reach relevant content, and is not integrated into a student's natural workflow. In our research, we have designed, implemented, deployed, and evaluated a method for making content available to students that targets the content to their current need.
Through a bat's ear

The nature of bats' acoustic imaging, which combines time and frequency-domain operations in a variety of ways, is discussed. A description is given of a simulated sonar receiver based on the brown bat's auditory system. Algorithms that mix time and frequency-domain techniques to reconstruct target shape from echoes have been tested successfully in a computer, and work is in progress to develop a VLSI chip capable of real-time operation with these algorithms. >
Lessons from Anaplasma phagocytophilum: Chromatin Remodeling by Bacterial Effectors

Bacterial pathogens can alter global host gene expression via histone modifications and chromatin remodeling in order to subvert host responses, including those involved with innate immunity, allowing for bacterial survival. Shigella flexneri, Listeria monocytogenes, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum express effector proteins that modify host histones and chromatin structure. A. phagocytophilum modulates granulocyte respiratory burst in part by dampening transcription of several key phagocyte oxidase genes. The A. phagocytophilum protein AnkA localizes to the myeloid cell nucleus where it binds AT-rich regions in the CYBB promoter and decreases its transcription. AT-rich regions of DNA are characteristic of matrix attachment regions (MARs) which are critical for chromatin structure and transcription. MAR-binding proteins, such as SATB1, interact with histone modifying enzymes resulting in altered gene expression. With A. phagocytophilum infection, histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) expression is increased and histone H3 acetylation is decreased at the CYBB promoter, suggesting a role for AnkA in altering host epigenetics and modulating gene transcription, at this, and perhaps other loci. This review will focus on how bacterial pathogens alter host epigenetics, by specifically examining A. phagocytophilum AnkA cis-regulation of CYBB transcription and epigenetic changes associated with infection.
Response theory of open quantum systems

We discuss in this paper the various objections to the Kubo formalism initiated by van Kampen. We motivate the need to embed the system of interest in a larger reservoir to resolve these objections using the van Hove limit. In particular, in the context of spin magnetic systems, we show that it is precisely the spin–lattice coupling together with the above limit which is responsible for the validity of the linearization ansatz.
Limitations of the rank transform procedure: A study of repeated measures designs, Part II

Abstract The applicability of the transform (RT) procedure in two-way generalized repeated measures designs were each individual receives each now treatment but only one column treatment is studied. All of the common testing problems in balanced and unbalanced designs are examined. The asymptotic version of the rank transformation (Akitras, 1990) is used to identify valid RT statistics and to obtain their asymptotic properties. The two valid statistics are for the hypothesis of no row effect (H 0 : all α i + γ ij = 0), and for the hypothesis of no column effect (H 0 : all β j + γ ij = 0). For the hypothesis of no row effect, the error covariance matrix is allowed to depend on the column treatment but the statistic is valid only in the balanced case. It is pointed out that the validity of this statistics is due to the robustness of the F-statistic, which is also shown, to model violations incured by the rank transformation. For the hypothesis of no column effect, the statistic is shown to be valid even in the unbalanced case but the covariance matrix is assumed constant. Further, it is shown that the RT procedure is not valid for testing for main effects or for testing for interaction.
Design of vaccine adjuvants incorporating TNF superfamily ligands and TNF superfamily molecular mimics

TNF superfamily ligands play a critical role in the regulation of adaptive immune responses, including the costimulation of dendritic cells, T cells, and B cells. This costimulation could potentially be exploited for the development of prophylactic vaccines and immunotherapy. Despite this, there have been only a limited number of reports on the use of this family of molecules as gene-based adjuvants to enhance DNA and/or viral vector vaccines. In addition, the molecule latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1), a viral mimic of the TNF superfamily receptor CD40, provides an alternative approach for the design of novel molecular adjuvants. Here, we discuss advances in the development of recombinant TNF superfamily ligands as adjuvants for HIV vaccines and as cancer immunotherapy, including the use of LMP1 and LMP1-CD40 chimeric fusion proteins to mimic constitutive CD40 signaling.
Gender Differences in College Leisure Time Physical Activity: Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior and Integrated Behavioral Model.

Abstract Objective: National data consistently report that males participate in leisure time physical activity (LTPA) at higher rates than females. This study expanded previous research to examine gender differences in LTPA of college students using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) by including 2 additional constructs, descriptive norm and self-efficacy, from the integrated behavioral model. Participants: Participants were college students (N = 621) from a large public university in the southeastern United States. Methods: A self-report, classroom-based assessment with validated and reliable measures of LTPA, TPB constructs, descriptive norm, self-efficacy, and demographics was conducted in fall 2009. Results: Regression analyses revealed attitude (β = .119), intention (β = .438), self-efficacy (β = .166), body mass index (BMI) (β = −.084), and sports participation (β = .081) as significantly associated with LTPA for females (R 2 = .425, p < .001), whereas intention (β = .371) was significant for male...
Differential hepatic protein tyrosine nitration of mouse due to aging – Effect on mitochondrial energy metabolism, quality control machinery of the endoplasmic reticulum and metabolism of drugs

Aging is the inevitable fate of life which leads to the gradual loss of functions of different organs and organelles of all living organisms. The liver is no exception. Oxidative damage to proteins and other macromolecules is widely believed to be the primary cause of aging. One form of oxidative damage is tyrosine nitration of proteins, resulting in the potential loss of their functions. In this study, the effect of age on the nitration of tyrosine in mouse liver proteins was examined. Liver proteins from young (19-22 weeks) and old (24 months) C57/BL6 male mice were separated using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and electroblotted onto nitrocellulose membranes. Proteins undergoing tyrosine nitration were identified using anti-nitrotyrosine antibody. Three different protein bands were found to contain significantly increased levels of nitrotyrosine in old mice (Wilconxon rank-sum test, p<0.05). Electrospray ionization liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-LC-MS/MS) was used to identify the proteins in these bands, which included aldehyde dehydrogenase 2, Aldehyde dehydrogenase family 1, subfamily A1, ATP synthase, H(+) transporting, mitochondrial F1 complex, β subunit, selenium-binding protein 2, and protein disulfide-isomerase precursor. The possible impairment of their functions can lead to altered hepatic activity and have been discussed.
Cadmium, Copper, Lead, Manganese, and Selenium Levels, and Glutathione Peroxidase Activity in Human Kidney Cortex

Abstract Cadmium, copper, lead, manganese, and selenium concentrations and glutathione peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.19) activity have been determined in human kidney cortex specimens obtained at autopsy. Trace metal concentrations for each specimen were determined in the same digest, while glutathione peroxidase activity was assayed in tissue collected at a site adjacent to that selected for the trace metal determinations. Glutathione peroxidase activities were determined with two substrates, hydrogen peroxide and t-butylhydroperoxide. The effects of age, smoking history, sex, race, and blood pressure on kidney cortex trace metal levels and glutathione peroxidase activity were investigated. Mean kidney cortex cadmium concentration was found to be significantly higher in smokers than in nonsmokers (p=0.010). In addition, the mean kidney cortex lead concentration of hypertensive individuals was found to be significantly higher than that of non-hypertensive individuals (p=0.017), Glutathione peroxidase activities u...
Physics-based modeling and inverse scattering for detection of buried mine-shaped anomalies

Wave scattering from buried non-metallic mine-like targets is modeled using the finite difference frequency domain method to determine the feasibility of identifying mines from shape features. It is shown that for constant cross-sectional target area -- approximately 100 cm2 -- the scattered fields of targets with widely varying shape but roughly the same height- to-width aspect ratio at 500 MHz are virtually indistinguishable regardless of burial depth. However, for GPR frequencies above 700 MHz the same selection of targets buried at a depth of 5 cm can indeed be discriminated by shape. It is deduced that while low GPR sensing frequencies may help to detect shallow anomalies, they do not supply any useful information about the shape details -- particularly the edges -- of the buried non-metallic mine-like targets. Higher frequencies provide significant additional information that can be used for target reconstruction. Based on the intuition generated from this scattering study, we develop a non-linear inverse scattering algorithm based on a low dimensional parameterization of the unknown object and the background. In particular, we use polynomials to represent the contrast in the real and imaginary parts of the object and background complex permittivities. The boundary separating the target from the unknown background is described using a periodic, quadratic B-spline curve whose control points can be individually manipulated. A greedy-type approach is used to minimize a regularized least-squares cost function in order to estimate the control point locations as well as the contrast expansion coefficients.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Polymorphonuclear leukocyte degranulation with exposure to polymethylmethacrylate nanoparticles

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is clinically employed in a wide range of orthopaedic procedures. The etiology of the inflammatory reaction of recipient tissues to PMMA remains unresolved. Classically, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) release cytoplasmic lysosomal granules when exposed to a variety of proinflammatory stimuli. Such degranulation contributes, and partially defines, the local tissue reaction to this foreign material. In the present investigation, PMMA particles (50-60 nm) were mixed with human PMNs, and the amount of lactate dehydrogenase, lysozyme, and beta-glucuronidase released from the cells was quantitated. In all cases, a dose-dependent increase in degranulation followed the addition of increasing amounts of PMMA to the PMNs. In addition, the migration of PMNs was diminished in a dose-dependent manner with exposure to increasing amounts of the cement. These results suggested that PMMA stimulates the release of leukocyte lysosomal contents and alters the migration characteristics of these cells in a manner that is consistent with the local inflammatory reaction to this cement.
IS SEX BETTER? PARASITES SAY NO

Sexual reproduction poses an evolutionary paradox. An organism that reproduces asexually passes on all of its genes to each one of its individual progeny, whereas one that reproduces sexually passes on only half to each. Other things being equal, natural selection favors asexual reproduction, because given the same number of progeny, the asexual individual has double the fitness of the sexually reproducing one.
Toward Automatic Generation Of Object Recognition Program --- Modeling Sensors ---

A model-based vision system requires models in order to predict object appearances. How an object appears in the image is the result of interaction between the object properties and the sensor characteristics. Thus in model-based vision, we ought to model the sensor as well as the object. Previously, the sensor model was not used in model-based vision or, at least, was contained in the object model implicitly. This paper presents a framework between an object model and the object's appearances. We consider two aspects of sensor characteristics: sensor detectability and sensor reliability. Sensor detectability specifies what kinds of features can be detected and in what condition the features are detected; sensor reliability is a confidence for the detected features. We define the configuration space to represent sensor characteristics. We propose a representation method for sensor detectability and reliability in the configuration space. Finally, we investigate how to apply the sensor model to a model-based vision system, in particular, automatic generation of an object recognition program from a given model.
Ribosomal DNA Deletions Modulate Genome-Wide Gene Expression: “rDNA–Sensitive” Genes and Natural Variation

The ribosomal rDNA gene array is an epigenetically-regulated repeated gene locus. While rDNA copy number varies widely between and within species, the functional consequences of subtle copy number polymorphisms have been largely unknown. Deletions in the Drosophila Y-linked rDNA modifies heterochromatin-induced position effect variegation (PEV), but it has been unknown if the euchromatic component of the genome is affected by rDNA copy number. Polymorphisms of naturally occurring Y chromosomes affect both euchromatin and heterochromatin, although the elements responsible for these effects are unknown. Here we show that copy number of the Y-linked rDNA array is a source of genome-wide variation in gene expression. Induced deletions in the rDNA affect the expression of hundreds to thousands of euchromatic genes throughout the genome of males and females. Although the affected genes are not physically clustered, we observed functional enrichments for genes whose protein products are located in the mitochondria and are involved in electron transport. The affected genes significantly overlap with genes affected by natural polymorphisms on Y chromosomes, suggesting that polymorphic rDNA copy number is an important determinant of gene expression diversity in natural populations. Altogether, our results indicate that subtle changes to rDNA copy number between individuals may contribute to biologically relevant phenotypic variation.