cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical features of bilirubin encephalopathy.

The prototype of bilirubin encephalopathy occurs in the term infant with marked hyperbilirubinemia and is characterized by a neuropathology with consistent topography and a neurologic syndrome with consistent clinical features, i.e., extrapyramidal movement disorder, hearing deficits, and abnormalities of vertical gaze. The possibility of neurotoxicity from intermediate levels of bilirubin has been raised particularly in studies of the premature infant; however, a consistent neurologic syndrome in this context has been difficult to define. Sensorineural hearing loss and, perhaps, impaired cognitive development are suggested by recent data.
Pseudoaneurysm of facial artery after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy, complicated by infection after embolization

Abstract This is a case report regarding the postoperative complication of pseudoaneurysm of the facial artery likely due to mechanical injury after a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO). This article will discuss diagnosis, management, embolization therapy using Onyx (ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer in dimethyl sulfoxide – DMSO) and review the literature on pseudoaneurysm formed after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy. We will also discuss the common embolic agents and apparent adverse reaction of local infection that may be due to the presence of residual Onyx in the soft tissues.
Preparation of canine factor VII deficient substrate plasma.

Abstract An essential reagent for the specific one-stage assay of clotting factor VII (proconvertin) is substrate plasma containing an adequate complement of fibrinogen, factor II (prothrombin), factor V (proaccelerin), and factor X (Stuart) but deficient in factor VII. In the past, such plasma was available only from patients homozygously deficient in factor VII, and frequently was in scarce supply. A method is described in which mongrel dogs are given a large single intravenous injection of warfarin. Because canine plasma has a high level of factor X, a point in time following warfarin administration may be selected at which the plasma factor VII level has fallen to undetectable levels while the plasma factor X level is still over 40 per cent of normal (human). A variety of plasmas were simultaneously assayed for factor VII with canine and human factor VII deficient substrate plasmas. The results of these comparisons indicate that the use of canine factor VII deficient substrate plasma provides a reliable method for assaying factor VII.
Diffraction Limited Emission from a Diode Laser Array in an Apertured GRIN Lens External Cavity

Phase-locked diode laser arrays have been studied intensively for their potential as high power optical sources •• •>. Most of the laser designs that have been reported suffer from poor beam quality, beam broadening or steering with increasing drive current. On the other hand, laser arrays in external cavity configurations offer an alternative solution to achieve high power in a diffraction-iimited beam.
Prescriber preferences for behavioural economics interventions to improve treatment of acute respiratory infections: a discrete choice experiment.

Objective To elicit prescribers9 preferences for behavioural economics interventions designed to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing, and compare these to actual behaviour. Design Discrete choice experiment (DCE). Setting 47 primary care centres in Boston and Los Angeles. Participants 234 primary care providers, with an average 20 years of practice. Main outcomes and measures Results of a behavioural economic intervention trial were compared to prescribers9 stated preferences for the same interventions relative to monetary and time rewards for improved prescribing outcomes. In the randomised controlled trial (RCT) component, the 3 computerised prescription order entry-triggered interventions studied included: Suggested Alternatives (SA), an alert that populated non-antibiotic treatment options if an inappropriate antibiotic was prescribed; Accountable Justifications (JA), which prompted the prescriber to enter a justification for an inappropriately prescribed antibiotic that would then be documented in the patient9s chart; and Peer Comparison (PC), an email periodically sent to each prescriber comparing his/her antibiotic prescribing rate with those who had the lowest rates of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. A DCE study component was administered to determine whether prescribers felt SA, JA, PC, pay-for-performance or additional clinic time would most effectively reduce their inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. Willingness-to-pay (WTP) was calculated for each intervention. Results In the RCT, PC and JA were found to be the most effective interventions to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing, whereas SA was not significantly different from controls. In the DCE however, regardless of treatment intervention received during the RCT, prescribers overwhelmingly preferred SA, followed by PC, then JA. WTP estimates indicated that each intervention would be significantly cheaper to implement than pay-for-performance incentives of $200/month. Conclusions Prescribing behaviour and stated preferences are not concordant, suggesting that relying on stated preferences alone to inform intervention design may eliminate effective interventions. Trial registration number NCT01454947; Results.
Triennial changes in groundwater quality in aquifers used for public supply in California: utility as indicators of temporal trends.

From 2004 to 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey collected samples from 1686 wells across the State of California as part of the California State Water Resources Control Board’s Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Priority Basin Project (PBP). From 2007 to 2013, 224 of these wells were resampled to assess temporal trends in water quality. The samples were analyzed for 216 water-quality constituents, including inorganic and organic compounds as well as isotopic tracers. The resampled wells were grouped into five hydrogeologic zones. A nonparametric hypothesis test was used to test the differences between initial sampling and resampling results to evaluate possible step trends in water-quality, statewide, and within each hydrogeologic zone. The hypothesis tests were performed on the 79 constituents that were detected in more than 5 % of the samples collected during either sampling period in at least one hydrogeologic zone. Step trends were detected for 17 constituents. Increasing trends were detected for alkalinity, aluminum, beryllium, boron, lithium, orthophosphate, perchlorate, sodium, and specific conductance. Decreasing trends were detected for atrazine, cobalt, dissolved oxygen, lead, nickel, pH, simazine, and tritium. Tritium was expected to decrease due to decreasing values in precipitation, and the detection of decreases indicates that the method is capable of resolving temporal trends.
A Role for Human Skin Mast Cells in Dengue Virus Infection and Systemic Spread

Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes serious global human disease and mortality. Skin immune cells are an important component of initial DENV infection and systemic spread. Here, we show that mast cells are a target of DENV in human skin and that DENV infection of skin mast cells induces degranulation and alters cytokine and growth factor expression profiles. Importantly, to our knowledge, we also demonstrate for the first time that DENV localizes within secretory granules in infected skin mast cells. In addition, DENV within extracellular granules was infectious in vitro and in vivo, trafficking through lymph to draining lymph nodes in mice. We demonstrate an important role for human skin mast cells in DENV infection and identify a novel mechanism for systemic spread of DENV infection from the initial peripheral mosquito injection site.
Speed limits in autonomous vehicular networks due to communication constraints

Autonomous vehicles need to be aware of other vehicles in their vicinity in order to avoid collisions and successfully perform their tasks. Such network awareness is ensured by exchanging location and control information over wireless radio channels. However, wireless interference constraints limit the number of messages that can be exchanged between the vehicles. In this paper, we study the impact of such communication constraints on maximum vehicle speed in dense autonomous vehicular networks. We define hazard rate to be the fraction of time a vehicle enters an ‘uncertainty region’, i.e., a region where there is a positive probability of other vehicles being present due to lack of situational awareness. We show that the hazard rate follows a threshold behavior with respect to maximum speed v as the network density n increases to infinity. We show that for a 2D network the hazard rate tends to 1, if the maximum speed v decreases slower than n−3/2; and tends to 0, if v decreases faster than n−3/2. For the network hazard rate, which is the fraction of time any vehicle enters its uncertainty region, the threshold is n−2. Finally, we extend these results to a 3D network and show that the thresholds for the 3D network are larger than in the 2D network.
Consequences of atomic layer etching on wafer scale uniformity in inductively coupled plasmas

Atomic layer etching (ALE) typically divides the etching process into two self-limited reactions. One reaction passivates a single layer of material while the second preferentially removes the passivated layer. As such, under ideal conditions the wafer scale uniformity of ALE should be independent of the uniformity of the reactant fluxes onto the wafers, provided all surface reactions are saturated. The passivation and etch steps should individually asymptotically saturate after a characteristic fluence of reactants has been delivered to each site. In this paper, results from a computational investigation are discussed regarding the uniformity of ALE of Si in Cl2 containing inductively coupled plasmas when the reactant fluxes are both non-uniform and non-ideal. In the parameter space investigated for inductively coupled plasmas, the local etch rate for continuous processing was proportional to the ion flux. When operated with saturated conditions (that is, both ALE steps are allowed to self-terminate), the ALE process is less sensitive to non-uniformities in the incoming ion flux than continuous etching. Operating ALE in a sub-saturation regime resulted in less uniform etching. It was also found that ALE processing with saturated steps requires a larger total ion fluence than continuous etching to achieve the same etch depth. This condition may result in increased resist erosion and/or damage to stopping layers using ALE. While these results demonstrate that ALE provides increased etch depth uniformity, they do not show an improved critical dimension uniformity in all cases. These possible limitations to ALE processing, as well as increased processing time, will be part of the process optimization that includes the benefits of atomic resolution and improved uniformity.
Defining the abdominal radiologist based on the current U.S. job market.

The purpose of the study is to characterize current practice patterns of abdominal radiologists based on work descriptions within job postings on numerous national radiology specialty websites. Job postings for either “abdominal” or “body” radiologists were searched weekly on five society websites (SAR, SCBT-MR, ARRS, ACR, RSNA) over a 1-year period. Postings were reviewed for various characteristics. Nine hundred and sixteen total ads for 341 unique abdominal radiologist positions were reviewed (34.6% academic, 64.2% private practice, 1.2% other). Postings occurred most commonly in March (12.3%) and least commonly in November (4.8%). States with most positions were Florida (27), California (26), and New York (24). Of postings delineating expectations of specific abdominal modalities, 67.4% mentioned MRI, 58.5% ultrasound, 41.1% fluoroscopy, 14.3% PET, and 54.0% interventions. Additional non-abdominal expectations included general radiology (28.7%), breast imaging (21.1%), and general nuclear medicine (9.7%). Additional skills included prostate MRI (7.0%), OBGYN ultrasound (5.0%), and CT colonoscopy (2.6%). 79.2% required an abdominal imaging fellowship (specifically a body MRI fellowship in 4.1%). By using job postings for abdominal radiologists, we have taken a practical approach to characterizing the current status of this subspecialty, reflecting recent job expectations and requirements. The large majority of positions required a body fellowship, and the positions commonly entailed a variety of skills beyond non-invasive diagnostic abdominal imaging. Of note, expectations of considerable minorities of positions included abdominal interventions, general radiology, and breast imaging. These insights may guide the development of abdominal radiology fellowships and mini-fellowships, as well as assist radiologists entering or returning to the job market.
Considerations in the Observation of Weather

This chapter examines limitations in pulsed-Doppler radar observations of weather caused by range–velocity ambiguities, weather signal decorrelation, ground clutter, and antenna sidelobes and rotation. Furthermore, because of the statistical uncertainties associated with Doppler spectral moment estimation, sometimes an undesirably long dwell time is required for acceptable measurement accuracy. Various techniques to mitigate these restrictions are described. Finally, we briefly discuss how radar hardware affects measurement accuracy.
The CoMo Project: Towards A Community-Oriented Measurement Infrastructure

CoMo (Continuous Monitoring) is a passive monitoring system. CoMo has been designed to be the basic building block of an open network monitoring infrastructure that would allow researchers and network operators to easily process and share network traffic statistics over multiple sites. This paper identifies the challenges that lie ahead in the deployment of such an open infrastructure. These main challenges are: (1) the system must allow any arbitrary traffic metric to be extracted from the packet streams, (2) it must provide privacy and security guarantees to the owner of the monitored link, the network users and the CoMo users, and (3) it must be robust to anomalous traffic patterns or traffic query loads. We describe the high-level architecture of CoMo and, in greater detail, the resource management, query processing and security aspects.
The Speed of Adjustment in Growth Models

Until now, the focus of our analysis has been on the existence of the balanced growth path and its properties. However, it is of considerable interest to consider the question: How long will it take an economic system to reach a balanced growth path? For example, suppose that a given economy is already in long run equilibrium growth. Now let the government increase the overall saving rate by appropriate fiscal measures. We know that (see exercise 3.1) the effect of this is to raise the growth rate initially but eventually the growth rate will move back to the natural rate. How long will it take to achieve nearly complete adjustment, if the values of the parameters of the system are known? What are the policy implications of the length of the adjustment period? If the adjustment period is very long, then an increase in the growth rate resulting from a higher saving rate will continue for a long time. On the other hand, if the fiscal policy goal is to raise the equilibrium level of per capita income, a small adjustment time is more desirable. If the model adjusts to equilibrium faster than the parameters are likely to change, then there is a strong justification for assuming the parameters to be constant. If adjustment is slow, the limiting behavior of the model is not very relevant because the values of the parameters would have changed in the interim period. It is therefore essential to know the adjustment time for a given model of economic growth. In this chapter, we take a broad spectrum of growth models and compare their speeds of adjustment.
The logic of distributed protocols: preliminary report

A propositional logic of distributed protocols is introduced which includes both the logic of knowledge and temporal logic. Phenomena in distributed computing systems such as asynchronous time, incomplete knowledge by the computing agents in the system, and game-like behavior among the computing agents are all modeled in the logic. Two versions of the logic, the linear logic of protocols (LLP) and the tree logic of protocols (TLP) are investigated. The main result is that the set of valid formulas in LLP is undecidable.
Social Stratification and Risk for Cardiovascular Disease: Examination of Emotional Suppression as a Pathway to Risk

This article examines whether emotional suppression is associated with socioeconomic position (SEP) in a community sample of Black and White men, and whether emotional suppression may help explain the aggregation of multiple biopsychosocial risk factors for cardiovascular disease at lower SEP (social support, depression, cardiovascular stress reactivity). Aim 1 tests whether multiple indicators of SEP show a consistent graded association with self-reported trait suppression, and whether suppression mediates associations between SEP and perceived social support and depressive affect. Aim 2 tests whether suppression during a laboratory anger recall task mediates associations between SEP and cardiovascular reactivity to the task. All measures of higher SEP were associated with lower suppression. Findings in this racially diverse sample of adult men suggest that socioeconomic disparities in emotional suppression may be more likely to confer cardiovascular risk through disruption of affect and social relationships, than through direct and immediate physiological pathways.
Utilizing cultural and ethnic variables in a survey to identify individuals at high risk for gastric cancer.

23Background: Absence of national US gastric cancer (GC) screening necessitates alternative methods like surveys to identify high-risk populations. Identification of high-risk persons may be enhanc...
“Bigender is just a Tumblr thing”: microaggressions in the romantic relationships of gender non-conforming and agender transgender individuals

This study focuses on the microaggressions that gender non-conforming and agender identified transgender individuals receive from their romantic partners. While microaggressions have been studied i...
Modified enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique of methotrexate assay to improve sensitivity and reduce cost

Methotrexate is an important component in many chemotherapy protocols. The blood concentration of Methotrexate is used to determine the regimen of folinic acid. However, the lower limit of Siemens assay kit is 0.30 μmol/L in China. This study extended the limit from 0.3 to 0.05 μmol/L and reduced the test cost by optimizing the parameters of Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique assay. Parameters of Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique assay were modified to decrease the volume of reagents A and B. Then a standard curve with a new custom set of calibrators was prepared to detect low concentration. Intra-day and inter-day imprecision were assessed by control material and samples. The linearity of the modified assay was verified by analyzing a range of quality controls with known concentration from 0.05 to 1.00 μmol/L. At last, the same samples were tested by modified Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique assay and Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry assay respectively. A simple linear regression was performed to verify the validity of the modified Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique assay. Intra-day and inter-day imprecision show good reproducibility at all levels (0.05, 0.12, 0.43, 0.82 μmol/L). The linearity equation of modified assay was y = 0.9913x + 0.0046, in which y was the mean of measured concentration and x was the target concentration (R2 = 0.9994). In the range of 0.05–10.00 μmol/L, correlation between the Modified assay and Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry assay was significant (r = 0.9968). In the range of 0.30–10.00 μmol/L, the correlation between modified and commercial assays was significant (r = 0.9987) as well. The modified assay enhanced the sensitivity of Siemens VIVA-E to 0.05 μmol/L. In addition, the test number of a reagent Kit increased from 140 to 210. This means the cost of detection was reduced about 30%.
Online Interactive Experiments on Networks

Conducting human experiments using crowdsourcing platforms, such as Amazon Mechanical Turk, has made it possible to collect a much larger amount of experimental data in a much shorter period of time relative to what was possible in traditional physical lab settings. This has provided a new suite of methods for conducting randomized experiments in socio-technical systems, allowing for straightforward causal inference [1-4]. However, using crowdsourcing platforms to experimentally study real-time interactions between individuals presents numerous practical challenges. These studies need fairly large groups of subjects to be present simultaneously in each session, and outcomes typically occur at the level of the group (i.e., session) rather than the individual. Yet most crowdsourcing platforms are not designed to facilitate simultaneous structured interactions between subjects. Thus, it can be difficult (and expensive) to recruit enough participants to achieve a sufficient degree of statistical power (especially for session-level outcomes). In this tutorial, we will discuss best practices for designing and conducting online social network experiments where human subjects (and programmed bots) interact simultaneously within a specified network structure. We will show how the experimental design can be informed by computational models in an iterative process (i.e., using experimental data to calibrate the computational model and use the computational model to optimize the design and find the right parameters for the experiments). We will also introduce additional tools/platforms that facilitate conducting such studies and walk the audience through the implementation steps of a typical experiment on networks using customized and publicly available software.
Abstract 5301: The role of ID4 in regulating SAT1 gene expression in prostate cancer phenotype

Introduction: Inhibitor of DNA binding 4 (ID4), a bHLH protein and a transcriptional regulator, is a tumor suppressor gene in prostate cancer. ID4 is expressed in prostate cancer cells (LNCaP), which are androgen sensitive, but epigenetically silenced in a more aggressive DU145 cells. The epigenetic silencing of ID4 is associated with increasing tumor grade and castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). ID4 regulates the expression of some other genes such as SAT1, which is a rate limiting enzyme found in the X chromosome involved in the catabolic pathway of polyamine metabolism by catalyzing the N(1)-acetylation of spermidine and spermine. Recently, SAT1 was also shown to mediate histone H3 acetylation suggesting its role in regulating gene expression. Next generation sequencing (NGS) data showed a significant low expression of SAT1 when ID4 is up regulated and vise-versa, which led to a hypothesis that ID4 might regulate the expression of SAT1 gene in prostate cancer cells. Experimental procedures: The NGS (exon sequencing) was performed on prostate cancer cells either over-expressing ID4 (DU145(+)ID4) or cells in which ID4 was genetically silenced (LNCaP(-)ID4). Moreover, immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis was performed on mice prostates tissues (WT and ID4-/- mice) and DU145(+)ID4 tumor xenografts tissues to analyze SAT1 protein expression in the presence and the absence of ID4. Results: The NGS and IHC data analysis suggested that Spermidine/spermine N(1)-acetyltransferase (SAT1) is up-regulated in cells lacking ID4 such as (LNCaP(-)ID4) but down-regulated in cells which express ID4 (DU145(+)ID4). These results prompted us to investigate the effect of silencing SAT1 on ID4 expression and on cancer phenotype. Conclusion: The expression of ID4 gene in prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP, and DU145(+)ID4 cells showed low expression of SAT1 gene compared with cells lacking ID4 gene as in LNCaP(-)ID4 and DU145 cells. Acknowledgment: These studies were supported by the NIH/NIMHD/P20 Grant #P20MD002285. Citation Format: Majid Al-Zahrani. The role of ID4 in regulating SAT1 gene expression in prostate cancer phenotype [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5301.
Fluoroscopically guided caudal epidural steroid injections for axial low back pain associated with central disc protrusions: a prospective outcome study.

To determine if axial low back pain (LBP) associated with central disc protrusions can be improved by caudal epidural steroid injections (ESIs). Adults with chronic (> 3 months) moderate-to-severe axial LBP with L4–5 and/or L5-S1 central disc protrusions were enrolled in this prospective study. Participants underwent caudal ESIs under standard-of-care practice. The numerical rating scale (NRS) pain score, modified North American Spine Society satisfaction, and Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) were collected at one week, one month, three months, six months, and one year post-injection. Pre-injection magnetic resonance images were assessed by a musculoskeletal radiologist. Sixty-eight participants (42 males, 26 females) were analyzed. There were statistically significant improvements in all outcome measures at all follow-up time points, with the exception of NRS best pain at six months. Clinically significant improvements in outcomes were observed at various time points: at three months and one year for current pain; at one week, one month, three months, six months, and one year for worst pain; and at one month and one year for RMDQ. The proportion of satisfied participants ranged from 57 to 69% throughout the study. No adverse events were observed. This study demonstrated significant improvements in pain and function following caudal ESIs in a cohort of axial LBP with associated central disc protrusions. Further studies, including the use of randomized controlled trials, are needed to determine the ideal subset of candidates for this treatment and to explore additional applications that caudal ESIs may have for chronic LBP.
A target contrast signal theory of parallel processing in goal-directed search

Feature Integration Theory (FIT) set out the groundwork for much of the work in visual cognition since its publication. One of the most important legacies of this theory has been the emphasis on feature-specific processing. Nowadays, visual features are thought of as a sort of currency of visual attention (e.g., features can be attended, processing of attended features is enhanced), and attended features are thought to guide attention towards likely targets in a scene. Here we propose an alternative theory – the Target Contrast Signal Theory – based on the idea that when we search for a specific target, it is not the target-specific features that guide our attention towards the target; rather, what determines behavior is the result of an active comparison between the target template in mind and every element present in the scene. This comparison occurs in parallel and is aimed at rejecting from consideration items that peripheral vision can confidently reject as being non-targets. The speed at which each item is evaluated is determined by the overall contrast between that item and the target template. We present computational simulations to demonstrate the workings of the theory as well as eye-movement data that support core predictions of the theory. The theory is discussed in the context of FIT and other important theories of visual search.
68 Zn(d, p) 69 Zn reaction at 7.5 MeV

The $^{68}\mathrm{Zn}(d, p)^{69}\mathrm{Zn}$ reaction has been studied with an incident deuteron bombarding energy of 7.5 MeV. A total of 48 levels below ${E}_{x}=4.8$ MeV have been identified in $^{69}\mathrm{Zn}$.
Lord Cornwallis is dead: the struggle for democracy in the United States and India: by Nico Slate, Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 2019, 372 pp, £31.95 (hardcover), ISBN 978-0-674-98344-1

On 6 February 2015, police responded to reports of a ‘skinny black guy’ in a Madison, Alabama, neighborhood. Upon arrival, the police apprehended the suspect and threw him forcefully to the ground,...
Destabilizing Stability? Exchange Rate Arrangements and Foreign Currency Debt

Emerging markets (EMs) often respond to shocks by intervening in foreign exchange (FX) markets and thus preventing full exchange rate adjustment. This response can serve to dampen the effect of shocks and increase monetary policy space but may also incentivize economic participants to increase risk taking and take on more FX debt. This paper empirically analyzes the role of exchange rate flexibility in affecting such risk taking, by using rolling correlations and difference-in-difference estimations. The results suggest that a shift towards greater exchange rate flexibility often coincides with a decline in external FX debt. The findings also highlight the importance of using complementary policies to deal with financial stability issues related to the exchange rate, such as FX-specific macroprudential policies and policies aimed at promoting financial development.
Staphylococcus lugdunensis causing Epididymo-orchitis with scrotal pyocele.

Abstract Staphylococcus lugdunensis, originally identified in 1988, is a coagulase negative staphylococcus (CNS) that has become a significant human pathogen. It has been found as a source of skin and soft tissue infection, endocarditis, urogenital tract infection, joint infection, and meningeal infection. Rarely, it manifests as scrotal infections or complications. Correct identification of the bacterial organism and prompt treatment is crucial in these cases, as delayed intervention can lead to complications requiring orchiectomy. We describe a rare case of a young male who presented with scrotal pain and swelling and was found to have epididymo-orchitis with scrotal pyocele on imaging. He underwent scrotal exploration with incision and drainage and did not require an orchiectomy. Wound cultures grew S. lugdunensis, and the patient clinically improved after being treated with appropriate antibiotics. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of scrotal abscess and epididymo-orchitis with pyocele formation caused by S. lugdunensis.
A Comparison of Norms: Bicomplex Root and Ratio Tests and an Extension Theorem

A new root and ratio test for bicomplex power series produces the bicomplex extension theorem, where any complex power series with positive radius of convergence R extends, via a simple change of t...
Family Environmental Dynamics Differentially Influence Spoken Language Development in Children With and Without Hearing Loss

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether families of children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) are organized similarly to those of typically developing, typically hearing (TH) c...
Iodine-124 for quantitative PET imaging of macromolecule transport in CSF

1195 Objectives Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which surrounds the brain and spinal cord, provides a promising drug delivery avenue to the CNS. The rates and character of drug molecule translocations in CSF need to be studied, preferably, in non-human primates that have similarly structured CNS. Such studies can be carried out non-invasively using PET. The potentially slow rates of the processes of interest require a label with a long physical half-life. Among the currently available positron emitters, 124I has the longest physical half-life (4.2 days). However, the impact of the spectral characteristics of the 124I emission on the data quality has to be assessed to assure the quantitative character of the studies. Methods Imaging was carried out using MicroPET P4 (Siemens/Concorde Microsystems). Spatial resolution (FWHM) was studied using a line source, O=0.19 mm, in aqueous surrounding. A cylindrical phantom was used to evaluate the count-rate performance and sensitivity of coincidence detection. Model proteins (enzyme replacement therapy candidates) were used in imaging studies in cynomolgus monkeys. The proteins labeled with 124I were administrated via intralumbar injection to the spinal CSF pool. Results The spatial resolution of PET images with 124I was satisfactory although lower than for the more conventional short-leaving positron emitters (2.45 mm for 124I vs. 1.69 mm for 18F vs. 1.69 mm for 64Cu). Linearity of the true coincidence count-rate was observed up to 1.2 mCi. The animal studies demonstrated excellent delineation and resolution of the tissues of interest, including lymph nodes and major nerves. The quality of numerical data was appropriate for the analysis of protein pharmacokinetics in all experimental timeframes, from minutes (dynamic studies) to several hours and days. Conclusions PET imaging with 124I is capable of providing the data suitable for quantitative analysis of drug transport in CSF in non-human primates. Research Support This work was supported by a grant from Shire HGT, Lexington, MA
A New Algorithm for Predicting the Apparent Polarization Angle of Linearly Polarized Spacecraft

With the advent of nonecliptic spacecraft orbits and the inclusion of a NASA X-Y mounted antenna within the DSN it has become apparent that the current polarization angle prediction formulas may be insufficient for future needs. This article presents a new formulation for predicting the polarization angle which properly accommodates these new features in a concise, straightforward form.
Optimizing two-component light-switchable systems for controlling gene expression in Escherichia coli (991.2)

Light-induced gene expression is a powerful tool for manipulating cells because it allows for precise spatial and temporal control of cellular behavior. A light-sensitive two-component system based on the Synechocystis PCC6803 phytochrome CcaS and the cognate response regulator CcaR has been previously constructed in Escherichia coli.1 The chromophore-binding domain of CcaS performs a reversible photoconversion between a green (~535 nm) and a red (~672 nm) light absorbing form. The green form phosphorylates CcaR, which then induces expression of the cpcG2 promoter by binding to a conserved direct repeat designated the G-box. Green light-induced transcription from PcpcG2 was about ~4.3-fold for this original construct. In order to engineer a constitutively expressed green/red light-switchable two-component system with improved fold-inducibility, we built different ccaS expression cassettes using the constitutive promoter J23106 and RBSs with various translation initiation rates. This library was first scre...
The Whiz Kids

In October 1945, Henry Ford II received a telegram in his office at the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan written by Charles "Tex" Thornton, a U.S. Air Force colonel. The telegram presented an opportunity for Ford to deploy a system of statistical control which had been developed and applied successfully in the management of the Army Air Forces. Henry Ford II had recently assumed control of his grandfather's troubled automotive empire, and was looking for experienced auto industry men to help him make Ford a dominant name once again. Thornton had no industry experience whatsoever, but seemed convinced that his ideas could be applicable to Ford's company. Perhaps the Ford Motor Company could use an injection of new ideas. Hiring Thornton and his men could end up being Ford's most inspired move. Or his most disastrous.Learning Objective:To examine the early application of statistical control at the Ford Motor Company.
Direct writing of channel waveguide on a tellurite glass using a focused ultraviolet laser beam

Direct writing with a 244 nm doubled frequency Ar-ion laser has been applied to a tellurite bulk glass to increase locally the refractive index. Channel waveguides have been fabricated and have been characterised using the near field pattern (NFP) method for refractive index profile measurement. Tellurite waveguides represent a useful device to realise passive and active devices, based on their excellent qualities as non-linear and hosting materials.
Gravity and Large‐Scale Structure: Observational Evidencea

: In our present understanding, cosmological structure on large scales is formed by the action of gravity amplifying small initial fluctuations. On large scales, where fluctuations are weak and perturbation theory applies, that presumption can be tested against observations. In particular, the anisotropic shapes of structures formed by gravity predicts a characteristic behavior of the bispectrum, or third moment of density in Fourier space, that can be used as a signature to separate effects of gravity from more local, nongravitational forces that may play a role in galaxy formation.
Short-Term Stability of a Class of Capacitively Tuned Transducer Oscillators

A class of transducer oscillators is characterized by a tuning method that exchanges short-term for long-term stability. The nonlinear effects of the internal noise, when the tuning method is used with a four-element RC feedback network, is analyzed using the principle of slowly varying phase and amplitude. The short-term stability for both white and flicker noise is given. Theoretical expressions are compared with practical measurements.
Water loss of crabs from different habitats

Abstract 1. 1. Evaporative water loss in eleven species of brachyuran crabs was related to habitat. Crabs from terrestrial environments lost the least water while species from aquatic conditions lost the most. 2. 2. Evaporative loss was a function of body weight in all species. Small crabs had higher rates of loss per g than did large. Exponential equations depiciting the relationship were developed. 3. 3. Evaporative loss increased at higher temperature. 4. 4. Indirect evidence indicates that most water loss of crabs is through the integument exclusive of the gill chamber. 5. 5. Water loss of hermit crabs increased three times when their protective mollusk shell is removed. 6. 6. Water loss in the most terrestrial species of crabs was several times greater than terrestrial vertebrates, insects and arachnids.
A study of test functions for optimization algorithms

This paper proposes to study in a systematic way some classes of test functions for optimization algorithms. Methods are provided for generating test functions with certain specific properties.
Use and Misuse of the Ejection Fraction

L eft ventr icular function is one of the major de terminants of mortal i ty and morbid i ty in pat ients under going hear t opera t ions and, consequently, a mat ter of considerable concern to surgeons assessing pat ients for operat ion. A recent review, for example, inc luded 134 references deal ing with coronary bypass grafting in patients with modera te or severe left ventr icular dysfunction [1]. In current practice the ejection fraction is used to assess ventr icular function. Values of 0.20 or less are taken as evidence of severe left ventr icular dysfunction and may be a reason to r ecommend against operation. Yet, who among us has not taken such a pat ient to the opera t ing room only to find a low pu lmonary ar tery pressure and normal cardiac output upon insert ion of a pu lmonary ar tery catheter and to then have the pat ient survive the procedure with little inotropic suppor t required? The current popular i ty of the ejection fraction as an index of ventr icular contractil i ty is due to its relative ease of measuremen t by ventr icular c ineangiography, isotope imaging, or echocardiography. The calculations involve a number of mathemat ic assumpt ions regard ing such matters as ventr icular geomet ry and can be criticized on that account, especial ly when appl ied to the right ventricle or to the d iseased left ventricle with asymmetr ic contraction. Of more concern, however, is the f requent failure to consider the possible influence of a number of physiologic factors that are well known to affect the ejection fraction as a measure of myocardia l contractility. The abil i ty of the hear t to function as a pump depends on a complex in terre la t ionship be tween the heart rate, preload, ventr icular compliance, and afterload in addi tion to myocardia l contractility itself. All have impor tan t effects on myocardia l performance and on the "contractility indices" devised to assess it. The ventr icular ejection fraction is, unfortunately, no exception. Physiologists have long apprec ia ted that the extent of shor tening of cardiac muscle depends as much on its preload, afterload, and f requency of contraction as on its contractile state [2]. For example, in our laboratory [3] using an isolated right ventr icular "S tar l ing" prepara t ion in which hear t rate, afterload, and pre load were all control led (Fig 1), we could vary the ejection fraction over a wide range s imply by varying the pre load (Fig 2). Obviously, the contractile state of the myocard ium rema ined unchanged in this acute exper imenta l model. In an even more basic preparat ion, we could vary the
Data intensive analysis on the gordon high performance data and compute system

The Gordon data intensive computing system was designed to handle problems with large memory requirements that cannot easily be solved using standard workstations or distributed memory supercomputers. We describe the unique features of Gordon that make it ideally suited for data mining and knowledge discovery applications: memory aggregation using the vSMP software solution from ScaleMP, I/O nodes containing 4 TB of low-latency flash memory, and a high performance parallel file system with 4 PB capacity. We also demonstrate how a number of standard data mining tools (e.g. Matlab, WEKA, R) can be used effectively on Dash, an early prototype of the full Gordon system.
Dissection of the bacteriophage T4 late promoter complex.

Abstract Activated transcription of the bacteriophage T4 late genes is generated by a mechanism that stands apart from the common modalities of transcriptional regulation: the activator is gp45, the viral replisome's sliding clamp; two sliding-clamp-binding proteins, gp33 and gp55, replace the host RNA polymerase (RNAP) σ subunit. We have mutagenized, reconfigured and selectively disrupted individual interactions of the sliding clamp with gp33 and gp55 and have monitored effects on transcription. The C-terminal sliding-clamp-binding epitopes of gp33 and gp55 are perfectly interchangeable, but the functions of these two RNAP–sliding clamp connections differ: only the gp33–gp45 linkage is essential for activation, while loss of the gp55–gp45 linkage impairs but does not abolish activation. Formation of transcription-ready promoter complexes by the sliding-clamp-activated wild-type T4 RNAP resists competition by high concentrations of the polyanion heparin. This avid formation of promoter complexes requires both linkages of the T4 late RNAP to the sliding clamp. Preopening the promoter compensates for loss of the gp55–gp45 but not the gp33–gp45 linkage. We interpret the relationship of these findings and our prior analysis to the common model of transcriptional initiation in bacteria in terms of two parallel pathways, with two RNAP holoenzymes and two DNA templates: (1) gp55–RNAP and the T4 late promoter execute basal transcription; (2) gp55–gp33–RNAP and the T4 late promoter with its mobile enhancer, the T4 sliding clamp, execute activated transcription. gp55 and gp33 perform σ-like functions, gp55 in promoter recognition and gp33 (as well as gp55) in enhancer recognition. gp33 operates the switch between these two pathways by repressing basal transcription.
Forming user models by understanding user feedback

An intelligent advisory system should be able to provide explanatory responses that correct mistaken user beliefs. This task requires the ability to form a model of the user's relevant beliefs and to understand and address feedback from users who are not satisfied with its advice. This paper presents a method by which a detailed model of the user's relevant domain-specific, plan-oriented beliefs can gradually be formed by trying to understand user feedback in an on-going advisory dialog. In particular, we consider the problem of constructing an automated advisor capable of participating in a dialog discussing which UNIX command should be used to perform a particular task. We show how to construct a model of a UNIX user's beliefs about UNIX commands from several different classes of user feedback. Unlike other approaches to inferring user beliefs, our approach focuses on inferring only the small set of beliefs likely to be relevant in contributing to the user's misconception. And unlike other approaches to providing advice, we focus on the task of understanding the user's descriptions of perceived problems with that advice.
Promoter prediction based on a multiple instance learning scheme

Core promoters are crucial regions for initiation of gene transcription. Identification of core promoters is important to the understanding of transcriptional regulation and elucidation of relationships among genes of an organism. Experimentally locating core promoters is laborious and costly. Therefore, it is desirable to develop computational approaches to support and complement experimental methods. However, computational prediction of core promoters of eukaryotic species is challenging. In this paper, we first formulate the core promoter prediction problem as a variation of the multiple instance learning problem. We then develop a new algorithm for identifying core promoters with a high positive prediction rate and a high sensitivity. Since many computational biology problems can be formulated under the multiple instance learning paradigm, our approach may inspire future research of applying multiple instance learning techniques to complex biology problems and our method may have broad potential applications.
WATER ANOMALIES AND THE DOUBLE-WELL TAKAHASHI MODEL

Abstract Water in its liquid state has many anomalous properties. It is only recently that a molecular-level explanation of these anomalies was discovered through recognition that a thermal competition takes place between the inner and outer second-neighbor structure in liquid water. This essential feature, which sets water off from all other liquids, is captured here in a double-well Takahashi model. The availability of an exact solution of this model allows one to understand how the various anomalies arise as the temperature and pressure of the system are varied. It is expected that this study will give useful leads in future computer molecular dynamics studies of real water using new water potentials that take into account this important outer structure characteristic.
The suppressive power of positive thinking: Aiding suppression-induced forgetting in repressive coping

Participants scoring high and low on a measure of repressive coping style (Mendolia, 2002) first learned a series of related word pairs (cue–target). Half of the cues were homographs. In the subsequent think/no-think phase (Anderson & Green, 2001), they responded with targets on some trials and suppressed thoughts of targets on others. Suppressed targets were always emotionally negative, as were targets associated with baseline cues reserved for the final test. Some participants were provided with emotionally benign or positive substitutes to help them suppress, and these substitutes were related to different meanings of the homographic cues, compared to those established by the targets. On the final test, all cues were presented for target recall. Only the repressors significantly benefited from the provision of positive substitutes to aid forgetting of the negative targets, regardless of the nature of the cues.