cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity of an Ocean General Circulation Model to a Parameterization of Near-Surface Eddy Fluxes

Abstract A simplified version of the near-boundary eddy flux parameterization developed recently by Ferrari et al. has been implemented in the NCAR Community Climate System Model (CCSM3) ocean component for the surface boundary only. This scheme includes the effects of diabatic mesoscale fluxes within the surface layer. The experiments with the new parameterization show significant improvements compared to a control integration that tapers the effects of the eddies as the surface is approached. Such surface tapering is typical of present implementations of eddy transport in some current ocean models. The comparison is also promising versus available observations and results from an eddy-resolving model. These improvements include the elimination of strong, near-surface, eddy-induced circulations and a better heat transport profile in the upper ocean. The experiments with the new scheme also show reduced abyssal cooling and diminished trends in the potential temperature drifts. Furthermore, the need for an...
Design of NoC for SoC with Multiple Use Cases Requiring Guaranteed Performance

Many SoC architectures aimed at the multimedia domain support multiple use cases where only a subset of the applications is active at any time. Further, each multimedia application itself poses strict constraints on core-to-core communication latency. This paper presents an approach for automated synthesis of NoC architectures for such an SoC. We evaluated our design approach through comparisons with two existing techniques aimed at generating best effort and guaranteed throughput designs. Designs generated by our approach showed a marked improvement in both power consumption (12.3% decrease) and resource requirements (12.9% decrease) in comparison to the best effort NoC design approach. In comparison to the existing guaranteed throughput design approach our designs can guarantee core-to-core latency while consuming less power (8.1% decrease) and resources (7.9% decrease).
Age does not predict breast cancer outcome.

Objective: To determine whether age is a prognostic factor of breast cancer and should be used to make treatment recommendations, because younger patients are considered to have a poorer prognosis compared with that of older patients and, thus, often receive more aggressive therapy. Design: A large group of patients with operable breast cancer, all of whom were followed up prospectively as part of two multicenter trials. Setting: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, was the primary hospital and study center, with 12 participating regional institutions. Patients: All 1353 patients underwent uniform local-regional therapy that consisted of a modified radical mastectomy. Patients who were node negative were followed up, and patients who were node positive received systemic chemoendocrine therapy. Main Outcome Measures: Patients were followed up at regular intervals for either recurrence or death. Results: Patients ranged in age from 22 to 75 years with a median age of 56 years. Younger patients had more estrogen receptor—negative tumors ( P P P P =.33) or overall ( P =.30) survival. Using mixture models with covariates, the estimated average hazards (where λ indicates the force of mortality) of breast cancer deaths per year were similar ( P , not significant) for patients 45 years old or younger (λ=0.061), older than 45 years but 65 years old or younger (λ=0.052), and older than 65 years (λ=0.061). Conclusions: In conclusion, younger patients as a group have more aggressive and advanced breast cancer at presentation compared with older patients. Considered in a multivariate model, together with other variables, age does not provide independent prognostic information and should not be used alone for management decisions. (Arch Surg. 1994;129:483-488)
In-Situ Neutron Scattering Measurement of Stress-Strain Behavior of a Bulk Metallic Glass

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) are an emerging class of materials whose unique properties make them excellent choices for many applications. As with crystalline metals, the processing and forming techniques used to produce BMG components necessarily result in residual stresses. However, traditional diffraction stress analysis is difficult to apply to BMG components, because they lack the long-range order necessary to produce sharp diffraction patterns, and thus, the internal strains for BMG have not been examined until recently. In this work, in-situ neutron scattering was used to measure the local elastic internal strain distribution in a Zr57Nb5Cu15.4Ni12.6Al10 BMG as a function of applied stress. Various techniques were used to evaluate the internal strain. The strain was determined in real space, by measuring changes in the atomic pair distribution function (PDF). These results can be used to help understand the elastic deformation of BMGs as well be to evaluate current models of BMG deformation.
A unifying objective function for topographic mappings

Many different algorithms and objective functions for topographic mappings have been proposed. We show that several of these approaches can be seen as particular cases of a more general objective function. Consideration of a very simple mapping problem reveals large differences in the form of the map that each particular case favors. These differences have important consequences for the practical application of topographic mapping methods.
PRENATAL INTERVENTION FOR HYDRONEPHROSIS

AbstractPurpose: The widespread use of prenatal ultrasound results in an increased recognition of fetal hydronephrosis and technological advances now make fetal intervention possible. However, efficacy is unknown, and there have been errors in diagnosis, and associated morbidity and mortality. This review focuses on the current status of prenatal diagnosis and management of hydronephrosis.Materials and Methods: The relevant literature on prenatal physiology, prenatal diagnosis, experimental obstruction and clinical series of prenatal intervention was reviewed.Results: Prenatal ultrasound is a poor discriminator of physiological hydronephrosis, obstruction, renal dysplasia and reflux. Persistent early onset oligohydramnios is the best predictor of poor neonatal outcome. New minimally invasive techniques may aid diagnostically but they may not improve outcome. Dysplasia is often present by the time hydronephrosis is detected and it is not reversible in experimental models. Prenatal intervention is technical...
Respiration shutoff in Escherichia coli K12 strains is induced by far ultraviolet radiations and by mitomycin C.

Ultraviolet radiations (254 nm) (UV) cause respiration to shutoff in Escherichia coli B/r. It has been reported [P.A. Swenson, Photochem. Photobiol., 33 (1981) 855–859 and J. Barbe, A. Vericat and R. Guerero, Mutation Res., 120 (1983) 1–5] that E. coli K12 strains do not shut off respiration after UV. The latter authors also reported that mitomycin C did not cause this ‘SOS’ response. In this paper we report that higher UV fluences than were previously used will cause respiration shutoff in K12 strain W3110 and that cyclic AMP increases the sensitivity of respiration shutoff of irradiated cell suspensions. We also report that mitomycin C shuts off respiration in this strain. Neither UV nor mitomycin C causes respiration shutoff in the recA56 derivative of W3110. Thus respiration shutoff is a recA dependent response to UV and mitomycin C in E. coli K12 strains.
Metamaterial emitters with custom angle and polarization control in the near-IR

Metamaterial coatings have been previously studied for their ability to tailor the dispersive IR emissivity of a surface. Here, we investigate metamaterial structures based on an electromagnetic band-gap surface for use as near-IR emitters with custom angle and polarization selectivity. A genetic algorithm is successfully employed to optimize the metamaterial structures to have minimum emissivity in the normal direction and high emissivity at desired off-normal angles with custom polarization.
Matrix/reinforcement interactions in shock-wave consolidated titanium aluminide reinforced with SiC

Explosive shock-wave consolidation has been used to fabricate a composite consisting of gamma phase titanium aluminide matrix reinforced with paniculate silicon carbide. Although the consolidation process takes less than a microsecond to complete, melting of the surfaces of the titanium aluminide powder particles results in a reaction with the silicon carbide. Titanium suicide and titanium carbide form in the molten zone, depleting it of titanium to the extent that its final composition is TiAl3. In addition, a second titanium suicide phase forms on the surfaces of the silicon carbide particles.
Moderators of agreement between incumbent and non‐incumbent ratings of job characteristics

Past research on both job design and job analysis has evidenced a great deal of variability in the degree of convergence between incumbent and non-incumbent ratings of job characteristics. The present study attempted to shed light on this issue by identifying the factors that moderate the level of agreement between incumbents and non-incumbents. An examination of these moderators informed theoretical and practical aspects of job design and job analysis. As hypothesized, job complexity and job satisfaction moderated the level of agreement between incumbents and non-incumbents, with agreement being highest for jobs involving simple data operations and low levels of incumbents' job satisfaction. Because non-incumbents are affecred by unique factors that do not affect incumbents and vice versa, non-incumbent and incumbent ratings should supplement each other.
Reproducing Natural Spider Silks’ Copolymer Behavior in Synthetic Silk Mimics

Dragline silk from orb-weaving spiders is a copolymer of two large proteins, major ampullate spidroin 1 (MaSp1) and 2 (MaSp2). The ratio of these proteins is known to have a large variation across different species of orb-weaving spiders. NMR results from gland material of two different species of spiders, N. clavipes and A. aurantia, indicates that MaSp1 proteins are more easily formed into β-sheet nanostructures, while MaSp2 proteins form random coil and helical structures. To test if this behavior of natural silk proteins could be reproduced by recombinantly produced spider silk mimic protein, recombinant MaSp1/MaSp2 mixed fibers as well as chimeric silk fibers from MaSp1 and MaSp2 sequences in a single protein were produced based on the variable ratio and conserved motifs of MaSp1 and MaSp2 in native silk fiber. Mechanical properties, solid-state NMR, and XRD results of tested synthetic fibers indicate the differing roles of MaSp1 and MaSp2 in the fiber and verify the importance of postspin stretching treatment in helping the fiber to form the proper spatial structure.
A robot vision system for recognizing 3D objects in low-order polynomial time

The authors present 3D-POLY, a working system for recognizing objects in the presence of occlusion and against cluttered backgrounds. The time complexity of this system is only O(n/sup 2/) for single-object recognition, where n is the number of features on the project. The organisation of the feature data for the models is based on a data structure called the feature sphere. Efficient constant-time algorithms for assigning a feature to its proper place on a feature sphere and for extracting the neighbors of a given feature from the feature sphere representation are presented. For hypothesis generation, local feature sets are used. The combination of the feature sphere idea for streamlining verification and the local feature sets for hypothesis generation results in a system whose time complexity has a low-order polynomial bound. >
Laboratory induced aggression: a positron emission tomography study of aggressive individuals with borderline personality disorder.

Background Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is often associated with symptoms of impulsive aggression, which poses a threat to patients themselves and to others. Preclinical studies show that orbital frontal cortex (OFC) plays a role in regulating impulsive aggression. Prior work has found OFC dysfunction in BPD. Methods We employed a task to provoke aggressive behavior, the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP), which has never previously been used during functional brain imaging. Thirty-eight BPD patients with intermittent explosive disorder (BPD-IED) and 36 age-matched healthy control subjects (HCs) received 18fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18FDG-PET) on two occasions with a provocation and nonprovocation version of the PSAP. Mean relative glucose metabolism was measured throughout the cortex, and difference scores (provoked − nonprovoked) were calculated. A whole brain exploratory analysis for the double difference of BPD-IED − HC for provoked − nonprovoked was also conducted. Results BPD-IED patients were significantly more aggressive than HCs on the PSAP. BPD-IED patients also increased relative glucose metabolic rate (rGMR) in OFC and amygdala when provoked, while HCs decreased rGMR in these areas. However, HCs increased rGMR in anterior, medial, and dorsolateral prefrontal regions during provocation more than BPD-IED patients. Conclusions Patients responded aggressively and showed heightened rGMR in emotional brain areas, including amygdala and OFC, in response to provocation but not in more dorsal brain regions associated with cognitive control of aggression. In contrast, HCs increased rGMR in dorsal regions of PFC during aggression provocation, brain regions involved in top-down cognitive control of aggression, and, more broadly, of emotion.
Microbial services: challenges for microbial ecologists in a changing world

Bacteria, archaea and other microbes have dominated most biogeochemical processes on Earth for >99% of the history of life, but within the past few decades anthropogenic activity has usurped their dominance. Human activity now impacts every ecosystem on the planet, necessitating a new socio-ecological view of ecosystem processes that incorporates human perceptions, responses, activities and ideas into ecology. The concept of ecosystem services is an important link between ecosystem processes and the social sphere. These include the provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting benefits that ecosystems provide to enhance human well-being. Many ecosystem services are provided by microbes, initiating the concept of microbial services to society — an idea long appre- ciated by microbial ecologists. Experimental studies of the biodiversity-ecosystem function relation- ship emphasizing microbial functions are inconclusive, with increasing diversity sometimes being observed to enhance function, while at other times the opposite relationship has been found. A spe- cific function addressing the role of bacteria in helping or hindering carbon storage in the deep ocean in response to iron fertilization is similarly uncertain. Bacteria respond positively to mesoscale iron additions in many cases, but in doing so, may retard carbon storage by decomposing sinking par- ticles. Human exploitation of microbial services to enhance planetary sustainability must be based on focused studies of microbial processes in a human-dominated world.
Plasma membrane isolation on DEAE-Sephadex beads

A much-simplified method for the purification of plasma membranes of cultured cells is presented, based upon the attachment of viable cells to nitrocellulose-treated DEAE-Sephadex beads, and their subsequent shearing by hypotonic lysis, agitation on a vortex mixer and sonication. The method is suggested by an older procedure involving attachment to poly-(L-lysine)-coated glass or polyacrylamide beads; the preparation involved in the present method, however, is considerably easier, more rapid and less expensive. Recovery of L-cell plasma membrane marker enzyme activities is approx. 25%, while contamination by internal membrane markers is much less than 1%.
A migration strategy for automating a vision-based concentricity inspection station

This paper presents the development of an automation migration strategy in transforming a manual visual inspection work cell into a semi-automated one for a medical device manufacturer in China. The object under study is a washer/magnet subassembly used in an air release valve. These two circular components must be bonded concentrically and then inspected with bare eyes by a human inspector. Such inspection process was prone to error as the inspector struggled to keep up with the production cycle time. The methodology employed in this research consists of four steps. First, we examined the cost of rework through the Pareto analysis. The results indicated that the washer/magnet misalignment accounted for more than 40% of valve defects and thus deserved immediate attention. Next, we conducted two Kappa analyses to evaluate repeatability and reproducibility of the human inspectors assigned to perform the inspection tasks. The results showed that the human inspectors failed to pass these tests and a suitable automation solution must be sought. Afterwards, efforts were made to develop a vision based semi-automated concentricity inspection station to eliminate human inspection errors. Hardware setup, software algorithms, lighting and other supporting devices are presented in this paper as well as potential savings for such an installment. Finally, we conducted an economical analysis to compare the semi-automated solution with a fully automated one to identify the best automation migration strategy. The analysis results showed that the semi-automated solution was a favorable choice due to a shorter payback period and its ease of reinstallation if the factory is to be relocated.
Controlled drug release from poly(ortho esters) — A surface eroding polymer☆

Abstract Poly(ortho esters) are a polymer system containing backbone linkages that are stable in base, hydrolyze at very slow rates at the physiological pH of 7.4, and become progressively more labile as the pH is lowered. A major rationale for developing this system was a need for a polymer capable of a wide variety of erosion rates and where erosion could be confined to the surface of a solid device. Surface erosion and variations in delivery rates of therapeutic agents physically incorporated into the polymer can be achieved by either stabilizing the interior of the polymer with a base so that erosion can take place only in the surface layers where the basic excipient is neutralized by the external medium or by using acidic excipients incorporated into the typically highly hydrophobic matrix. In this latter case, surface erosion takes place only in the surface layer where the excipient is exposed to water. Poly(ortho esters) can be prepared by means of a general synthesis that involves the addition of diols to ketene acetals. The reaction is catalyzed by traces of acid, is exothermic, and proceeds to completion virtually instantaneously. Because no small-molecule by-products are evolved, dense, crosslinked materials can be produced by using varying proportions of monomers having a functionality greater than two. For long-term release studies (6–12 months) we have investigated two approaches. In one approach we have used a linear polymer prepared from 3,9-bis(ethylidene 2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro[5,5] undecane) and various mole ratios of 1,6-hexanediol and trans-cyclohexane-dimethanol. Varying this ratios allowed variations in the glass transition temperature from a low of 20°C to a high of 120°C. Erosion rate of the polymer was controlled by incorporation of the slightly acidic, low water solubility salt, calcium lactate. However, using this approach rate of polymer erosion was higher than the rate at which the highly water insoluble levonorgestrel can solubilize so that release rate of leuonorgestrel from the devices was controlled by its rate of dissolution. In the second approach we have used a crosslinked polymer where the interior of the device has been stabilized with the basic, low water solubility salt Mg(OH) 2 . Using this approach, polymer erosion is confined to the surface of the rod-shaped devices. Rate of polymer erosion can be manipulated by the copolymerization of 9,10-dihydroxystearic acid into the crosslinked matrix. Short-term erosion studies and concomitant drug release have been investigated by Himmel-stein. Sparer and Shih at Interx using acid anhydrides to catalyze polymer erosion. Using this approach devices having lifetimes between hours and about one month could be prepared.
Breakdown properties of quenched random systems: The random-fuse network.

An analysis of a prototypical percolation model (the fuse network) for breakdown in quenched random systems is given. The breakdown voltage and the topology of the eventual breakdown path are studied analytically and numerically. New scaling concepts, based on the most critical defect in the network, combined with standard percolation scaling ideas, lead to a complete picture of the strength of the network. The mean breakdown strength and the distribution of breakdown strengths are derived in the different concentration regimes. The breakdown path is described by new order parameters on approach to ${p}_{c}$. One, the number of bonds broken in the breakdown process, is studied in detail. Many models and physical systems should show an analogous behavior and simplified models for two of these problems, brittle fracture and dielectric breakdown in solids, are discussed.
Neonatal urinary ascites due to unilateral vesicoureteric junction obstruction

A case of unilateral vesicoureteric junction obstruction presenting with ascites in a neonate managed successfully with serial ultrasonography and delayed primary reconstruction is described.
Numerous protein-bound solutes are cleared by the kidney with high efficiency

The kidney clears numerous solutes from the plasma; however, retention of these solutes causes uremic illness when the kidneys fail. We know remarkably little about which retained solutes are toxic and this limits our ability to improve dialysis therapies. To explore this, we employed untargeted mass spectrometry to identify solutes that are efficiently cleared by the kidney. High-resolution mass spectrometry detected 1808 features in the urine and plasma ultrafiltrate of 5 individuals with normal renal function. The estimated clearance rates of 1082 peaks were greater than the creatinine clearance indicating tubular secretion. Further analysis identified 90 features representing solutes with estimated clearance rates greater than the renal plasma flow. Quantitative mass spectrometry with stable isotope dilution confirmed that efficient clearance of these solutes is made possible by the combination of binding to plasma proteins and tubular secretion. Tandem mass spectrometry established the chemical identity of 13 solutes including hippuric acid, indoxyl sulfate, and p-cresol sulfate. These 13 efficiently cleared solutes were found to accumulate in the plasma of hemodialysis patients, with free levels rising to more than 20-fold normal for all but two of them. Thus, further analysis of solutes efficiently cleared by secretion in the native kidney may provide a potential route to the identification of uremic toxins.
Effects of biodegradable mulch on soil quality

Biodegradable plastic films are desirable alternatives to traditional black polyethylene plastic for use as mulches in agroecosystems. Efforts are ongoing to engineer biodegradable plastic mulches that could be incorporated into the soil at the end of the crop season, and decomposed by microorganisms, ultimately to CO2, H2O, and biomass. Whether changes in soil quality occur during or following biodegradation is unknown. An 18-month study evaluated the effects on soil quality following burial of four potentially biodegradable mulches and a no mulch control in high tunnel and open field tomato production systems across three geographically distinct locations (Knoxville, TN; Lubbock, TX; Mount Vernon, WA). The mulch treatments included: two starch-based mulches (BioAgri® Ag-Film and BioTelo Agri); one experimental 100% polylactic acid mulch (Spunbond-PLA-10); one cellulose-based mulch (WeedGuardPlus; positive control); and a negative control (no mulch). The soil management assessment framework (SMAF) was used to calculate a soil quality index (SQI) according to five dynamic soil properties: microbial biomass carbon, β-glucosidase, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon (TOC), and pH. Within the 18-month evaluation period, the effects of the biodegradable mulches on the SQI were minor, and dependent upon production system and time of incubation at all locations. In general, the SQI was higher in the high tunnel systems for some of the mulch treatments at Knoxville and Lubbock but the opposite was true at Mount Vernon. By the final sampling at 18 months, the SQI was lowest for WeedGuardPlus at Lubbock and Mount Vernon but at Knoxville, the WeedGuardPlus SQI was not significantly different from the no mulch control. Of the five SMAF indicators evaluated, soil microbial biomass and β-glucosidase activity were the most responsive to mulch and production systems, supporting the use of these variables as soil quality indicators for short-term changes due to this agricultural management practice.
149 SEXUAL DIMORPHISM AND TESTOSTERONE EFFECTS ON LIVER EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR (EGF) RECEPTORS IN MICE

EGF action is mediated by binding to specific plasma membrane receptors. Receptor binding is known to be influenced by hormones involving corticosterone and thyroxine. The EGF receptor population is heterogeneous regarding affinity with an increase in high affinity receptors with increasing age. We studied EGF receptors with regard to binding capacity and affinity in livers from adult male and female mice with or without testosterone treatment. Membranes from individual animals incubated with labeled EGF showed significantly higher binding in males and treated females than in control females. Ka and Bmax were calculated from Scatchard analysis of labeled EGF binding to pooled membranes incubated with increasing amounts of nonlabeled EGF.
Effectiveness of a culturally integrated liver cancer education in improving HBV knowledge among Asian Americans.

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a hepatitis B virus (HBV) educational program in increasing HBV knowledge. Methods Using a cluster randomized control trial to recruit participants from the community-based organization in the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area; a total of 877 Asian American participants completed a self-administered pretest. HBV knowledge was the outcome measure. The intervention group received a 30-minute educational program. After the educational program, the intervention group completed a post-education survey. Six months after the education, all participants were followed by phone. Results The intervention group showed significantly higher knowledge scores than the control group at the 6-month follow-up (between-group difference was 1.44 for knowledge of transmission modes and 0.59 for sequelae, p p Conclusions Findings suggest that this culturally integrated liver cancer educational program increased HBV knowledge. Differential strategies are needed to target age groups, separately educating those younger and those older.
Popliteal vascular entrapment syndrome caused by a rare anomalous slip of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle

Popliteal vascular entrapment syndrome can result in calf claudication, aneurysm formation, distal arterial emboli, or popliteal vessel thrombosis. The most commonly reported causes of this syndrome have been anomalies of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle as it relates to the course of the popliteal artery. We report two cases of rare anomalous slips of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle causing popliteal vascular entrapment syndrome.
Scheduling in multihop WiMAX networks

IEEE 802.16, popularly known as WiMAX, is at the forefront of the technology drive because of the growing demand for high-speed wireless broadband networks. Multihop WiMAX networks are particularly useful as they increase the coverage area without the need to deploy expensive base stations. There are two kinds of multihop WiMAX networks - WiMAX mesh and Mobile Multihop Relay Networks. Scheduling is very important in both of these multihop WiMAX networks. The links have to be scheduled in such a way so that they do not interfere with each other while maximizing the throughput of the networks. As WiMAX networks are geared towards broadband applications, any scheduling scheme should accomodate the rate, latency and jitter requirements of the applications. This article provides an insight to the scheduling framework presented in the IEEE 802.16 standard. It also presents a few representative research proposals for centralized scheduling in WiMAX networks. We discuss some of the research issues and challenges that need to be addressed for multihop WiMAX networks to realize their full potential.
Estimates Of U.S. Multiple Cause Life Tables

Cause elimination life tables estimated from multiple cause of death data for four race/sex groups are presented for the U.S. population in 1969. These “multiple cause” life tables are then compared to cause elimination life tables where the mortality risk eliminated is that of the cause of death only in its occurrence as the underlying cause of death. An evaluation is made of the possible effects of the multiple cause data on our perception of the relative importance of the major causes of death. The reconceptualization of mortality risks made possible by the multiple cause of death data is also assessed in terms of its providing further insight into the “Taeuber paradox.”
Faster implied volatilities via the implicit function theorem

We present a faster, more accurate technique for estimating implied volatility using the standard partial derivatives of the Black-Scholes option-pricing formula. Beside Newton-Raphson and slower approximation methods, this technique is the first to provide an error tolerance, which is essential for practical application. All existing noniterative approximation methods do not provide error tolerances and have the potential for large errors.
One-Dimensional Nil-Daha and Whittaker Functions I

This work is devoted to the theory of nil-DAHA for the root system A1 and its applications to symmetric and nonsymmetric (spinor) global q-Whittaker functions, integrating the q-Toda eigenvalue problem and its Dunkl-type nonsymmetric version.
Neuronal PTP1B regulates body weight, adiposity and leptin action

Obesity is a major health problem and a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Leptin, an adipocyte-secreted hormone, acts on the hypothalamus to inhibit food intake and increase energy expenditure. Most obese individuals develop hyperleptinemia and leptin resistance, limiting the therapeutic efficacy of exogenously administered leptin. Mice lacking the tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B are protected from diet-induced obesity and are hypersensitive to leptin, but the site and mechanism for these effects remain controversial. We generated tissue-specific PTP1B knockout (Ptpn1(-/-)) mice. Neuronal Ptpn1(-/-) mice have reduced weight and adiposity, and increased activity and energy expenditure. In contrast, adipose PTP1B deficiency increases body weight, whereas PTP1B deletion in muscle or liver does not affect weight. Neuronal Ptpn1(-/-) mice are hypersensitive to leptin, despite paradoxically elevated leptin levels, and show improved glucose homeostasis. Thus, PTP1B regulates body mass and adiposity primarily through actions in the brain. Furthermore, neuronal PTP1B regulates adipocyte leptin production and probably is essential for the development of leptin resistance.
The Ferrocyanide/Stabilized Carbon System, a New Class of High Rate, Long Cycle Life, Aqueous Electrolyte Batteries

This work was partially supported by both the Global Climate and Energy Program at Stanford University, and KAUST, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.
Microwave Melting of Ion-Conducting Glasses

Glasses of the system AgI-Ag 2 O-(0.95B 2 O 3 :0.05SiO 2 ) have been formed by microwave processing using a domestic multi-mode oven operating at 900 watts and 2.45 GHz. Microwave heating resulted in rapid melting times with homogeneity in the quenched glasses equivalent to or better than conventional melting at 730°C. The glass forming region in this pseudo-ternary system is compared with the conventionally melted glass forming region in the system AgI-Ag 2 O-B 2 O 3 . A reversible color difference has been observed between glasses conventionally melted and those melted by microwave for all glass compositions in our system.
Relative clonal density of malaria parasites in mixed-genotype infections: validation of a technique using microsatellite markers for Plasmodium falciparum and P. mexicanum.

Quantifying the relative proportion of coexisting genotypes (clones) of a malaria parasite within its vertebrate host's blood would provide insights into critical features of the biology of the parasite, including competition among clones, gametocyte sex ratio, and virulence. However, no technique has been available to extract such data for natural parasite-host systems when the number of clones cycling in the overall parasite population is likely to be large. Recent studies find that data from genetic analyzer instruments for microsatellite markers allow measuring clonal proportions. We conducted a validation study for Plasmodium mexicanum and Plasmodium falciparum by mixing DNA from single-clone infections to simulate mixed infections of each species with known proportions of clones. Results for any mixture of DNA gave highly reproducible results. The relationship between known and measured relative proportions of clones was linear, with high regression r 2 values. Known and measured clone proportions for simulated infections followed over time (mixtures) were compared with 3 methods: using uncorrected data, with uncorrected data and confidence intervals constructed from observed experimental error, and using a baseline mixture of equal proportions to calibrate all other results. All 3 methods demonstrated value in studies of mixed-genotype infections sampled a single time or followed over time. Thus, the method should open new windows into the biology of malaria parasites.
A multiphase approach to efficient surface simplification

We present a new multiphase method for efficiently simplifying polygonal surface models of arbitrary size. It operates by combining an initial out-of-core uniform clustering phase with a subsequent in-core iterative edge contraction phase. These two phases are both driven by quadric error metrics, and quadrics are used to pass information about the original surface between phases. The result is a method that produces approximations of a quality comparable to quadric-based iterative edge contraction, but at a fraction of the cost in terms of running time and memory consumption.
Identification of a novel rhabdovirus in Spodoptera frugiperda cell lines

The Sf9 cell line, derived from Spodoptera frugiperda, is used as a cell substrate for biological products, and no viruses have been reported in this cell line after extensive testing. We used degenerate PCR assays and massively parallel sequencing (MPS) to identify a novel RNA virus belonging to the order Mononegavirales in Sf9 cells. Sequence analysis of the assembled virus genome showed the presence of five open reading frames (ORFs) corresponding to the genes for the N, P, M, G, and L proteins in other rhabdoviruses and an unknown ORF of 111 amino acids located between the G- and L-protein genes. BLAST searches indicated that the S. frugiperda rhabdovirus (Sf-rhabdovirus) was related in a limited region of the L-protein gene to Taastrup virus, a newly discovered member of the Mononegavirales from a leafhopper (Hemiptera), and also to plant rhabdoviruses, particularly in the genus Cytorhabdovirus. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences in the L-protein gene indicated that Sf-rhabdovirus is a novel virus that branched with Taastrup virus. Rhabdovirus morphology was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy of filtered supernatant samples from Sf9 cells. Infectivity studies indicated potential transient infection by Sf-rhabdovirus in other insect cell lines, but there was no evidence of entry or virus replication in human cell lines. Sf-rhabdovirus sequences were also found in the Sf21 parental cell line of Sf9 cells but not in other insect cell lines, such as BT1-TN-5B1-4 (Tn5; High Five) cells and Schneider's Drosophila line 2 [D.Mel.(2); SL2] cells, indicating a species-specific infection. The results indicate that conventional methods may be complemented by state-of-the-art technologies with extensive bioinformatics analysis for identification of novel viruses. Importance The Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 cell line is used as a cell substrate for the development and manufacture of biological products. Extensive testing has not previously identified any viruses in this cell line. This paper reports on the identification and characterization of a novel rhabdovirus in Sf9 cells. This was accomplished through the use of next-generation sequencing platforms, de novo assembly tools, and extensive bioinformatics analysis. Rhabdovirus identification was further confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Infectivity studies showed the lack of replication of Sf-rhabdovirus in human cell lines. The overall study highlights the use of a combinatorial testing approach including conventional methods and new technologies for evaluation of cell lines for unexpected viruses and use of comprehensive bioinformatics strategies for obtaining confident next-generation sequencing results.
Haptic-Enabled Telementoring Surgery Simulation

Medical surgery involves a high degree of skill and experience, making the learning curve for medical trainees quite long. For instance, in eye cataract surgery, despite it only taking around seven minutes for a well-trained surgeon to perform and having a success rate of 99 percent, medical residents need months to become proficient in this procedure to avoid its typical complications. Medical trainees traditionally have acquired surgical skills through apprenticeships in which trainees observe senior surgeons, then perform under guidance until they achieve mastery. Training often makes use of cadavers or laboratory animals, but this type of training is becoming increasingly difficult to do in many countries due to ethical reasons. An effective alternative is medical simulation, which can enhance understanding, improve performance, and assess competence; in preoperative settings, it assists surgeons in remaining at a high technical skill level. Surgical simulation can provide high-fidelity training that increases the diffusion of innovative and less- invasive procedures while decreasing the surgeon's learning curve.
Using correlated surprise to infer shared influence

We propose a method for identifying the sources of problems in complex production systems where, due to the prohibitive costs of instrumentation, the data available for analysis may be noisy or incomplete. In particular, we may not have complete knowledge of all components and their interactions. We define influences as a class of component interactions that includes direct communication and resource contention. Our method infers the influences among components in a system by looking for pairs of components with time-correlated anomalous behavior. We summarize the strength and directionality of shared influences using a Structure-of-Influence Graph (SIG). This paper explains how to construct a SIG and use it to isolate system misbehavior, and presents both simulations and in-depth case studies with two autonomous vehicles and a 9024-node production supercomputer.
Multicore Desktop Programming with Intel Threading Building Blocks

The paper mentions that the Intel Threading Building Blocks is a key component of Intel Parallel Building Blocks. This widely used C++ template library helps developers achieve well-performing modular parallel programs in multiprogrammed environments.
Relationship of ethnicity and CD4 Count with glucose metabolism among HIV patients on Highly-Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART)

Background HIV patients on HAART are prone to metabolic abnormalities, including insulin resistance, lipodystrophy and diabetes. This study purports to investigate the relationship of ethnicity and CD4+ T cell count attained after stable highly-active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) with glucose metabolism in hyperrtriglyceridemic HIV patients without a history of diabetes.
Multicolor InGaAs quantum-dot infrared photodetectors

In this letter, we report two-color InGaAs quantum-dot infrared photodetectors. The InGaAs self-assembled quantum dots were grown on InGaP matrix via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition and fabricated as intersubband photoconductive structure. Bias-controlled two-color photoconductive responses were obtained at two different infrared window, mid-infrared of /spl lambda/=5.5 /spl mu/m and far-infrared of /spl lambda/=9.2 /spl mu/m at 77 K. Our devices were operated with low dark currents and high optical gains, and resulted in peak detectivity D/sup */ of 4.7/spl times/10/sup 9/ cm Hz/sup 1/2//W at /spl lambda/=5.5 /spl mu/m with bias of -2.0 V, and 7.2/spl times/10/sup 8/ cm Hz/sup 1/2//W at /spl lambda/=9.2 /spl mu/m with bias of -0.8 V.
Antibody-induced modulation of TSH receptor post-translational processing

The post-translational processing of the TSH receptor (TSHR) includes intra-molecular cleavage with the loss of a 50 amino acid ectodomain region and the formation of two subunits (a and b), followed by likely a subunit shedding. TSHR antibodies (TSHR-Abs), which are directed at the ectodomain, may influence thyroid function by stimulating or inhibiting TSHR signaling or may bind without any such influence (the neutral group of antibodies). When we examined the characteristics of a series of monoclonal TSHR-Abs, we found that many were able to inhibit receptor cleavage and enhance TSHR expression. This was especially apparent with the neutral type of TSHR-Abs directed to the cleaved region of the ectodomain (aa 316‐366). Indeed, such inhibition appeared to be epitope dependent with TSHR-Abs directed to regions after residues 335‐354 showing no such activity. We propose that this aberrant process, whereby TSHR-Abs influence antigen processing, is a novel mechanism for the maintenance and exacerbation of autoimmune thyroid disease.
Mitigating selfish misbehavior in multi-hop networks using stochastic game theory

Cooperation is a critical issue in autonomous multi-hop networks due to their lack of infrastructure. Each node in the network is at the same time a terminal and a router. As such, cooperation often involves forwarding packets from other nodes, which is not in the best interest of the individual node, due to the cost involved. In this paper, we propose Punish Only n Times (PONT): A distributed algorithm based on stochastic game theory that can force intelligent selfish autonomous nodes to cooperate without a contract in a multi-hop network.
The neurogenic phase of angiotensin II-salt hypertension is prevented by chronic intracerebroventricular administration of benzamil.

Hypertension induced by chronic administration of angiotensin II (AngII) is exacerbated by high-salt intake. Previous studies have demonstrated that this salt-sensitive component is due to increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system, suggesting an interaction of plasma AngII with sodium-sensitive regions of the brain. This study tested the hypothesis that the salt-sensitive component of AngII-induced hypertension would be prevented by intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of the sodium channel/transporter blocker benzamil. Male Sprague Dawley rats were instrumented to measure mean arterial pressure (MAP) by radio telemetry and for ICV administration of benzamil or vehicle and placed in metabolic cages for measurement of sodium and water intake and excretion. In rats consuming a high-salt diet (2.0% NaCl) and treated with ICV vehicle, administration of AngII (150 ng/kg/min, sc) for 13 days increased MAP by ~30 mmHg. ICV administration of benzamil (16 nmol/day) had no effect during the first 5 days of AngII, but returned MAP to control levels by Day 13. There were minimal or no differences between ICV vehicle or benzamil groups in regards to sodium and water balance. A lower dose of ICV benzamil administered ICV at 8 nmol/day had no effect on the MAP response to AngII in rats on a high-salt diet. Finally, in contrast to rats on a high-salt diet, AngII had negligible effects on MAP in rats consuming a low-salt diet (0.1% NaCl) and there were no differences in any variable between ICV benzamil (16 nmol/day) and ICV vehicle-treated groups. We conclude that the saltsensitive component of AngII-induced hypertension is dependent on benzamil blockable sodium channels or transporters in the brain.
A fast histogram-based postprocessor that improves posterior probability estimates

Although the outputs of neural network classifiers are often considered to be estimates of posterior class probabilities, the literature that assesses the calibration accuracy of these estimates illustrates that practical networks often fall far short of being ideal estimators. The theorems used to justify treating network outputs as good posterior estimates are based on several assumptions: that the network is sufficiently complex to model the posterior distribution accurately, that there are sufficient training data to specify the network, and that the optimization routine is capable of finding the global minimum of the cost function. Any or all of these assumptions may be violated in practice. This article does three things. First, we apply a simple, previously used histogram technique to assess graphically the accuracy of posterior estimates with respect to individual classes. Second, we introduce a simple and fast remapping procedure that transforms network outputs to provide better estimates of posteriors. Third, we use the remapping in a real-world telephone speech recognition system. The remapping results in a 10% reduction of both word-level error rates (from 4.53% to 4.06%) and sentence-level error rates (from 16.38% to 14.69%) on one corpus, and a 29% reduction at sentence-level error (from 6.3% to 4.5%) on another. The remapping required negligible additional overhead (in terms of both parameters and calculations). McNemar’s test shows that these levels of improvement are statistically significant.
Isolation: a concept analysis.

Topic Concept analysis of isolation. Purpose This article uses Walker and Avant's methodological approach in distinguishing the concept of isolation between the normal, ordinary language usage and the scientific usage of the concept. Background The importance of social contact has long been recognized as a fundamental need for humans. The concept of isolation is used throughout the lay and scientific literature and has a primarily negative connotation for humans. The experience is sometimes severe enough to result in serious reductions in adaptation and performance. Data Sources The Medline, CINAHL, and Google Scholar databases were searched using the key terms of concept analysis, human, and isolation with no restriction on the year of publication. English language reports were used exclusively. Conclusion Three attributes were identified: sensory deprivation, social isolation, and confinement. Antecedents included individual perception and situational dimensions. Consequences included anxiety, depression, mood disturbances, anger, loneliness, and adverse health events. Through this concept analysis, isolation has been theoretically defined as a state in which an individual experiences a reduction in the level of normal sensory and social input with possible involuntary limitations on physical space or movement. Systematic studies of isolation using this concept can ultimately enhance nurses' knowledge base and contribute to the quality of life for isolated persons.
Humiliation, degradation and the criminal justice system

This paper takes a macro-systemic look at how humiliation pervades the criminal justice system.