cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Narcolepsy in Childhood

Establishing a diagnosis of narcolepsy can be challenging in children given the variability in clinical presentation, the limited descriptive ability of the child, and the reliability of the parents as historians. In the preschool-age child, it may be hard to distinguish physiologic napping from pathologic sleepiness. In school-age children, the combination of inattentiveness, trouble sleeping at night, sleepiness during the day, and hypnagogic hallucinations can be mistaken for mental health disorders, emphasizing the need for a thorough history. Sleep logs, nocturnal polysomnography, the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) (that sometimes needs to be repeated serially over months when the diagnosis is uncertain), human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hypocretin analysis are key diagnostic studies. Management strategies include behavioral and lifestyle changes and cautious use of pharmacotherapy. Behavioral modifications include regular sleep–wake schedules, planned daytime naps to dissipate sleepiness, and regular exercise. Pharmacotherapy should target the symptom(s) most bothersome to the child. Drug treatment of daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep fragmentation, and comorbid depression is with agents that are used on an “off-label” basis. Additionally, parents should monitor the child closely for symptoms of depression. Counseling for emotional support is also suggested.
Deformation and creep in the human chorioamniotic sac.

This paper presents a review of physical pinciples involved in deformation and creep in the human chorioamniotic membrane. These are definable rheological properties found in many materials. Experimental data are presented on 66 human fatal membranes. A difference in the stress tolerance between preterm and term membranes is demonstrated. A computer model has been devised which allows for the calculation of changes in thickness of the membrane at the point of fracture. This computer model allows for the study of the physical property of the tissue in ways which have not previously been suggested. The model suggests that the pathophysiology related to rupture of the membrane is based on changes in the thickness of this tissue occurring secondary to acute and chronic stress applications. The data derived in these experiments suggest a possible physical model for rupture of the membranes; they also introduce questions regarding the anatomic and biochemical makeup of the chorion and the amnion and the respective role that each plays in maintaining the integrity of the human chorioamniotic sac.
AT&T’s Bridge System

AT&T’s Bridge system uses Tseng’s Facet methodology to allocate the data path. Bridge includes scheduling, data path synthesis, module binding, and controller design. See alsoCarnegie Mellon’s Facet / Emerald System (Tseng used to be involved with that system), and AT&T’s CHARM System.
Category (non)fit modulates extrapolative stereotyping of multiply categorizable social targets

Social stereotypes provide a basis for making guesses about others' unknown characteristics. We conducted four studies examining the role of perceived category fit in this process. Disconfirming a particular group stereotype should reduce a target's perceived category fit and, consequently, other distinct stereotypes about the category should seem less applicable to the target. Study 1 focused on targets' fit to a single category. Studies 2–4 explored the more complex case of multiply categorizable targets. In these studies, targets' behavior had contrasting implications for their racial and gender fit. Behavior implying high racial fit also implied low gender fit, and vice versa. All four studies supported the prediction that fit moderates stereotyping. Perceivers were sensitive to fit cues even in the case of complex, multifaceted targets. Thus, behavior disconfirming one particular stereotype can moderate the perceived fit of multiple social categories. Stereotype application is attuned to these contex...
Assessing the impact of delayed blastulation using time lapse morphokinetics and preimplantation genetic testing in an IVF patient population

There is clinical evidence that early cleavage timing parameters predictive of blastocyst development also correlate with embryo implantation potential. The aim of this study is to determine the developmental competency of embryos with delayed blastulation. Retrospective study performed from 2015 to 2016 at the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Northwestern University. A total of 2,292 embryos from 524 patients were included. Day 6 blastocysts had statistically significant longer times for every time point analyzed than day 5 blastocysts (p < 0.001). We found no statistically significant difference in euploidy rates between day 5 (44%) and day 6 (41%) embryos (p = 0.573). t7 and t8 time points were independent predictors of euploidy after controlling for day of biopsy (p < 0.015 and p < 0.014, respectively). Intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) and live birth (LB) were less likely to occur after transferring day 6 embryos (p = 0.0033 and p = 0.0359) without previous genetic testing. However, in embryos that undergo preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A), there were no significant differences in IUP or LB rates. Early time-lapse points can be used to predict embryo development. Day of blastulation may be an independent predictor IUP, with day 6 blastocysts having lower pregnancy and live birth rates. Our data suggests that day 5 and day 6 PGT-A tested embryos show similar rates of euploidy, suggesting that differences in PR seen in the non-PGT-A tested group may be caused by factors other than aneuploidy. Genetic testing technologies in combination with time-lapse microscopy may provide further information to improve IVF outcomes.
Repolarized macrophages, induced by intermediate stereotactic dose radiotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade, contribute to long-term survival in glioma-bearing mice

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a deadly brain tumor with a short expected median survival, despite current standard-of-care treatment. We explored the combination of intermediate stereotactic dose radiation therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy as a novel treatment strategy for GBM. Glioma xenograft-bearing mice were exposed to high dose brain-directed radiation (10 Gy single exposure) as well as mouse anti-PD-1 antibody. The tumor-bearing animals were randomized to four groups: no treatment, radiation alone, anti-PD-1 alone, and radiation + anti-PD-1. Survival was followed, and tumor growth was monitored using MRI. Immunohistochemistry, gene expression arrays, and flow cytometry were used to characterize the treatment-induced effects. Pharmacologic inhibitors of T-lymphocytes, bone marrow derived macrophages, and microglia were used to assess the respective roles of different immune populations in observed treatment effects. We found the combined treatment with high dose radiation and immunotherapy to be highly effective with a 75% complete pathologic response and dramatically improved survival outcomes. We found both CD8+ T-cells and macrophages to be necessary for the full effect of combined therapy, with T lymphocytes appearing to play a role early on and macrophages mediating a later phase of the combined treatment effect. Radiation treatment appeared to trigger macrophage repolarization, increasing M1/M2 ratio. These findings point to a novel immunologic mechanism underlying the interaction between radiotherapy and immunotherapy. They also provide the basis for clinical investigation of immunogenic dose radiation in combination with immune checkpoint blockade as a potential treatment approach for newly diagnosed high grade gliomas.
Surgical Quality Improvement

Surgery has had a longstanding culture of quality improvement. The American College of Surgeons was formed with its mission based on quality improvement. Over the past century, external forces have shaped quality improvement in that many new quality initiatives have been mandated. To effect surgical quality improvement, institutions and Departments of Surgery must have resources to review data; benchmark data against local/regional/national standards; and share data with surgeons. In addition, individual case and the morbidity and mortality conference are invaluable in identifying opportunities for improvement and making a change.
The Effect of School Closures on Teacher Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence From Texas:

Recent scholarship has highlighted the phenomenon of urban public school closures and their effects on student academic outcomes. However, we know little about the broader impact of closures, parti...
The Interactive Effects of Crude Oil and Corexit 9500 on Their Biodegradation in Arctic Seawater.

The risk of petroleum spills coupled with the potential application of chemical dispersants as a spill response strategy necessitates further understanding of the fate of oil and dispersants and their interactive effects during biodegradation. Using Arctic seawater mesocosms amended with either crude oil, Corexit 9500, or both together, we quantified the chemical losses of crude oil and Corexit 9500 and identified microbial taxa implicated in their biodegradation based on shifts in the microbial community structure over a 30-day time course. Chemical analyses included total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), n-alkanes, branched alkanes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for oil loss and the surfactant components dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DOSS), Span 80, Tween 80, Tween 85, and the DOSS metabolite ethylhexyl sulfosuccinate (EHSS) for Corexit loss. Changes to the microbial communities and identification of key taxa were determined by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The nonionic surfactants of Corexit 9500 (Span 80, Tweens 80+85) biodegraded rapidly, dropping to below the limits of detection within 5 days and prior to any detectable initiation of oil biodegradation. This resulted in no observable suppression of petroleum biodegradation in the presence of Corexit compared to that of oil alone. In contrast, biodegradation of DOSS was delayed in the presence of oil, based on the prolonged presence of DOSS concentrations and accumulation of the degradation intermediate EHSS that did not occur in the absence of oil. Microbial analyses revealed that oil and Corexit enriched different overall microbial communities, with the presence of both resulting in a community composition that shifted from one more similar to that of Corexit-only, then shifting to reflect the oil-only community over time, in parallel with the degradation of predominantly Corexit and then oil components. Some microbial taxa (Oleispira,Pseudofulvibacter, Roseobacter) responded to either oil or Corexit, suggesting that some organisms may be capable of utilizing both substrates. Together, these findings reveal interactive effects of crude oil and Corexit 9500 on chemical losses and microbial communities as they biodegrade, providing further insight into their fate when co-present in the environment. Importance Chemical dispersants such as Corexit 9500 are commonly used in oil spill response and are currently under consideration for use in the Arctic, where their fate and effects have not been well studied. This research was performed to determine the interactive effects of the co-presence of crude oil and Corexit 9500 on the degradation of components from each mixture and the associated microbial community structure over time in Arctic seawater. These findings will help yield a better understanding on the biodegradability of dispersant components applied to an oil spill, the temporal microbial community response to dispersed oil, and the fundamental microbial ecology of organic contaminant biodegradation processes in the Arctic marine environment.
Multiphysics simulation of hypersensitive microbolometer sensor using vanadium dioxide and air suspension for millimeter wave imaging

A highly sensitive uncooled antenna-coupled microbolometer for millimeter wave (mmW) imaging is reported in this paper. Vanadium dioxide (VO2) phase-change material is utilized in our design to exploit its non-linear change in electrical resistivity. The proposed microbolometer takes advantage of the large thermal coefficient of resistance (TCR) of VO2 at the non-linear region. The thermal resistance of the device is significantly improved by micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) techniques to suspend the device above the substrate, compared with non-suspended microbolometers. Unlike semiconductor-based sensors that are characterized by capacitive roll-off limitations, the proposed antenna-coupled sensor has an inherently high operating frequency and wide bandwidth suitable for mmW imagers. The finite element method is employed to analyze the electrothermal and electromagnetic performance of the device. The frequency range of operation is 65–85 GHz, and the realized gain at broadside is > 1.0 dB. Simulation results indicate a high responsivity of 1.72 × 103 V/W and a low noise equivalent power (NEP) of 33 pW/√Hz. The enhanced device sensitivity is primarily the result of the sharp change in VO2′s electrical resistivity and is assisted by air suspension using MEMS microfabrication processes. In this work, for the first time, using multiphysics modeling we demonstrate exploitation of VO2′s non-linear behavior in enhancing the sensitivity of a conventional microbolometer. Based on the findings of this study, a pixilated array of the proposed sensors will enable the realization of a highly sensitive mmW camera for a variety of sensing applications.
Comparing the Effect of Systolic Dysfunction on Outcomes By Sex In Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Hypothesis Because there may be signals of sex-based differences in response to HFpEF therapy according to left ventricular ejection fraction, we hypothesize that there will be a prognostic difference in clinical outcomes by sex according to global longitudinal strain (GLS) in HFpEF and this may be associated with treatment heterogeneity with spironolactone. Methods Participants from the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist trial with core lab strain echo data (N=477) were stratified into 4 categories based on sex and GLS relative to the median. Cox-proportional hazards models adjusted for age, race, atrial fibrillation, NYHA class, stroke, and creatinine determined the association of sex/GLS categories with the composite primary endpoint (cardiovascular death, heart failure hospitalization, or aborted cardiac arrest), heart failure hospitalization, cardiovascular death, and all-cause mortality. Results In this cohort (age 70±20 y, 46% male, LVEF 60±16%) the median GLS was -15.6%. Kaplan-Meier estimates for the primary composite outcome stratified by the four sex/GLS groups are shown below (Figure). In adjusted Cox-proportional hazards models, both sex groupings with above-median (e.g. impaired) GLS were associated with a higher risk for the composite primary endpoint, cardiovascular death, and heart failure hospitalizations, but not all cause mortality in comparison with men with below-median GLS (e.g. preserved). However, there was no significant difference in the risk of any of the endpoints between men and women with below-median GLS. Lastly, sex/GLS groupings did not impact the treatment effect of spironolactone vs placebo for any of the endpoints (P-interaction>0.05 for all). ConclusionS The prognostic importance of systolic dysfunction as measured by GLS in HFpEF did not appear to be impacted by sex, and grouping by sex and GLS did not modify the effect of spironolactone on long-term outcomes.
Parametrically Robust Identification Based Sensorless Control Approach for Doubly Fed Induction Generator

This article proposes a modified adaptive control architecture for doubly fed induction generator DFIGs connected to the power grid that can be augmented with the existing conventional vector control of DFIG. The architecture uses online identification of the system transfer function using recursive least squares (RLS). An auto-regressive moving average system model is identified by the RLS algorithm. A minimum variance control architecture then defines an adaptive control law based on the identified model parameters for DFIG control by minimizing the difference of the system output from the model output. The control method nullifies the issues commonly experienced with conventional techniques (e.g., malfunctioning sensors, parameter variations) and ensures acceptable performance during variable grid operating conditions, where the conventional proportional-integral controller commonly fails. Several test cases are performed to analyze and validate the overall performance using real-time simulation for a 1.5 MW wind turbine system.
Torsion-free G2-structures with identical Riemannian metric

Based on a general formula due to Bryant, we work out the topological structure of the space of torsion-free G2-structures generating the same associated Riemannian metric on a compact 7-manifold. We also identify a corresponding Lie group-theoretic structure of the space. These observations are then used to describe the moduli space of torsion-free G2-structures in certain cases — by way of covering spaces.
Research on active noise control and intensity with Professor Jiri Tichy 1984─2000

Before Widrow [1] published the filtered-x algorithm in 1985, Warnaka et al. had a working prototype of a feedforward ANC which also pre-filtered the error path [2]. Tichy's role in this early patent was to break down the system into transfer functions that would align the LMS updates in time. Tichy also was an early investigator in acoustic intensity. By the mid-1990s, a robust frequency-domain ANC system was developed that combined both ANC and intensity to study the power flow and energy conversion in an ANC system [3]. In the early years of ANC, there was much controversy on how the additional energy from a secondary source could result in less energy radiated from a duct driven by a primary source. By using an Intensity error spectrum in a frequency domain ANC system, the power flow (active intensity) was minimized at various positions inside the duct to reveal how the active secondary source uses impedance to govern the radiated energy. This put the controversy to rest and provided clear objective evidence of how sound is actively “cancelled” or more precisely, how controlling waveguide impedance can control radiated sound power. Its an honor to have worked with Jiri.
Literal is not always easier: Literal and default translation, cognitive effort, and comparable corpora

Abstract “Literal translation” is a popular construct in Translation Studies. Research from computational approaches has consistently shown that non-literal translations, i.e., renderings semantically and syntactically different or not close to the source text, are more difficult or effortful to produce than literal ones. This paper researches whether literal translations are systematically less effortful to process than non-literal ones using comparable corpus data. The effort incurred in processing literal translations from a parallel corpus is compared to that of processing the most frequent non-literal renderings found in previous comparable corpus studies. Ten professional translators edited a text using a mock translation environment setup using the keylogger Inputlog. The task was presented as a regular editing process with a full cohesive text presented segment pair by segment pair. Time served as a proxy for overall cognitive effort. We analyzed time from presentation to type (TTP) and time to completion of segment edit (TC), or complete editing events. Results showed that processing efforts are indistinguishable between categories, suggesting that cognitive effort to edit non-literal default translation candidates is not always higher when compared to the most frequent literal translations from a parallel corpus.
Multiple shoot-bud formation and plantlet regeneration on Castanea sativa Mill. seeds in culture.

Primordial initiation and development of shoot-buds has been accomplished by using shoots derived from chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill) seedlings cultured with added 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Germination of chestnut seeds in the presence of BAP (4 – 40 μM) stimulated varying numbers of shoot-buds in those areas of the main axis that were favorably altered. When excised single shoots from these treated seeds were subcultured on a fresh medium containing BAP (4 – 40 μM) continual shoot production was observed. Bud growth and shoot elongation were stimulated by transferring cultures to a reduced concentration of BAP (2 μM) plus indole-3-butyric acid (IBA 0.4 μM). Plant regeneration occurred in the presence of IBA (0.8 μM) after a preconditioning treatment in which naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA 50 μM) and kinetin (k 2 μM) were applied to the tissue culture shoots for 7 days in light.
The demand for money: A variable adjustment model

Abstract Standard models of the demand for money employ the partial adjustment framework in which the adjustment parameter is specified as a constant over the entire sample period. This paper relaxes this assumption. The adjustment parameter is specified as a function of the short-term interest rate. The variable adjustment model is estimated using US quarterly data spanning the 1959.III–1983.IV period and is found to reject the constant partial adjustment model.
Persistence of racial disparities in prescription of first-generation antipsychotics in the USA.

Purpose The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of first-generation antipsychotics (FGA) prescribed for treatment of psychiatric and neurological conditions and use of benztropine to reduce extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) by patient race/ethnicity in a nationally representative sample of adult outpatient visits. Methods The study sample included all outpatient visits (N = 8154) among patients aged 18–69 years where a prescription for one or more antipsychotics was recorded across 6 years of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (2005–2010). Use of FGA was compared by race/ethnicity using multiple logistic regression models accounting for patient and clinical characteristics stratified by neighborhood poverty rate. Frequency of EPS was determined by use of benztropine to reduce or prevent EPS. Results Black patients were significantly more likely than White patients to use FGA (odds ratio = 1.48, p = 0.040) accounting for psychiatric and neurological diagnoses, treatment setting, metabolic factors, neighborhood poverty, and payer source. Black patients were more than twice as likely as White patients to receive higher-potency FGA (haloperidol or fluphenazine), particularly in higher-poverty areas (odds ratio = 2.50, p < 0.001). Use of FGA, higher among Black than White patients, was positively associated with use of benztropine to reduce EPS. Conclusions Racial disparities in the pharmacological treatment of severe mental disorders persist 30 years after the introduction of second-generation antipsychotics. The relatively high frequency of FGA of use among Black patients compared with White patients despite more Food and Drug Administration-approved indications and lower EPS risk for second-generation antipsychotics requires additional research. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Membrane-associated protein synthesis of mammalian cells: II. Isopycnic separation of membrane-bound polyribosomes

Abstract The membrane-bound ribosomes of HeLa cells were analyzed in CsCl buoyant-density gradients. There exist two classes: a heavy class with a density of 1.55 g/ cm 3 and a light class heterogeneously distributed with a mean density of 1.49 g/cm 3 . The lower density of the light class is due to an increased ratio of protein to RNA. This additional protein is not removed with increased ionic strength. Both classes of ribosomes incorporate amino acids at a rate comparable to non-membrane-bound ribosomes. The heavy and light ribosomes appear to correspond to the EDTA-sensitive and the EDTA-resistant ribosomes, respectively.
The roles of the surface oxide film and metal-oxide interfacial defects in corrosion initiation on aluminum

The roles of surface oxide film and metal-film interfacial defects in corrosion initiation on aluminum were investigated. In the first part, a mathematical model was developed for oxide thickness and faradaic current, assuming high-field conduction and a uniform oxide layer thickness, and incorporating as input the measured potential. Electrochemical current and potential transients were measured for various aluminum foils during anodic oxidation of aluminum. The ratio of the experimental faradaic current density to the predicted one using high field model, p, was calculated. The measured faradaic current is about 104 times smaller than that predicted by this model initially, but the two converge after the initial period of time when p approaches 1. This discrepancy may be caused by several reasons. Our nonuniform oxide thickness hypothesis was supported by: (1) similar p~x characteristics for the same film obtained from different polarization experiments, where x is the solid-state barrier layer thickness of the oxide film; (2) the model's capability of predicting film structure change due to pretreatment such as NaOH dissolution, H2SO4 immersion, and electropolishing; (3) the capacity of predicting long-time current decays using high field model; (4) the lower anodic current of the foils subjected a short anodic pulse previously. In the second part, the effect of H3PO4 immersion on pit nucleation on aluminum during anodic etching in hot HC1 solution was investigated. It was found that the phosphoric acid immersion dramatically enhances the susceptibility of aluminum foil to anodic pitting corrosion, and the trend of the pit number density with the immersion time corresponds to decrease of surface oxide film thickness. AFM observation of the topography of foils which were experienced phosphoric acid treatment followed by oxide stripping in chromicphosphoric acid solution revealed presence of cavities. PAS measurements show the existence of interfacial voids of nm dimensions, whose metallic surface is oxide-free. These defects can be introduced by electropolishing and H3PO4 immersion. The strong similarity between the surface cavities and the pits in terms of size, shape, and distribution suggests that interfacial voids may sever as pitting initiation sites. A phenomenological mechanism for pitting precursor site was proposed.
Treatment of Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is defined by an altered mental status in the setting of portosystemic shunting, with or without cirrhosis. The basis of HE is probably multi-factorial, but increased ammonia delivery to the brain is thought to play a pivotal role. Medical therapies have typically focused on reducing blood ammonia concentrations. These measures are moderately effective, but further improvements will require identification of new therapeutic targets. Two medications, lactulose and rifaximin, are currently approved for the treatment of HE in the USA - new compounds are available off-label, and are in clinical trials. The presence of HE is associated with a higher risk of death in cirrhotic patients. Liver transplantation typically cures HE, but HE does not increase the MELD score, and therefore does not contribute to the likelihood of liver transplantation.
Accelerometer-assisted tracking and pointing for deep space optical communications

NASA/JPL has been developing acquisition, tracking and pointing (ATP) technologies for deep space tracking and pointing of an optical communication beam using linear accelerometers to enhance pointing. Linear accelerometers provide excellent accuracy in sensing the vehicle's acceleration with the advantage of small size, low power, low cost, and a broad range of well developed products. We present the concept of accelerometer-assisted tracking, error analysis, and progress made on its implementation.
Residential magnetic fields predicted from wiring configurations: II. Relationships To childhood leukemia.

Case-control data on childhood leukemia in Los Angeles County were reanalyzed with residential magnetic fields predicted from the wiring configurations of nearby transmission and distribution lines. As described in a companion paper, the 24-h means of the magnetic field's magnitude in subjects' homes were predicted by a physically based regression model that had been fitted to 24-h measurements and wiring data. In addition, magnetic field exposures were adjusted for the most likely form of exposure assessment errors: classic errors for the 24-h measurements and Berkson errors for the predictions from wire configurations. Although the measured fields had no association with childhood leukemia (P for trend=.88), the risks were significant for predicted magnetic fields above 1.25 mG (odds ratio=2.00, 95% confidence interval=1.03-3.89), and a significant dose-response was seen (P for trend=.02). When exposures were determined by a combination of predictions and measurements that corrects for errors, the odds ratio (odd ratio=2.19, 95% confidence interval=1.12-4.31) and the trend (p =.007) showed somewhat greater significance. These findings support the hypothesis that magnetic fields from electrical lines are causally related to childhood leukemia but that this association has been inconsistent among epidemiologic studies due to different types of exposure assessment error. In these data, the leukemia risks from a child's residential magnetic field exposure appears to be better assessed by wire configurations than by 24-h area measurements. However, the predicted fields only partially account for the effect of the Wertheimer-Leeper wire code in a multivariate analysis and do not completely explain why these wire codes have been so often associated with childhood leukemia. The most plausible explanation for our findings is that the causal factor is another magnetic field exposure metric correlated to both wire code and the field's time-averaged magnitude.
Clusters in the Luminous Giant H II Regions in M101

We have obtained HST WFPC2 observations of three very luminous but morphologically different giant H II regions (GHRs) in M101, NGC 5461, NGC 5462, and NGC 5471, in order to study cluster formation in GHRs. Images obtained in the F547M and F675W bands are used to identify cluster candidates and for photometric measurements, and images in the F656N band are used to show ionized interstellar gas. The measured colors and magnitudes are compared with the evolutionary tracks generated by the Starburst99 and Bruzual & Charlot population synthesis models to determine the ages and masses of the cluster candidates that are more luminous than MF547M = -9.0. The brightest clusters detected in the PC images are measured and found to have effective radii of 0.7-2.9 pc. NGC 5461 is dominated by a very luminous core and has been suggested to host a super-star cluster (SSC). Our observations show that it contains three R136-class clusters superposed on a bright stellar background in a small region. This tight group of clusters may dynamically evolve into an SSC in the future, and may appear unresolved and be identified as an SSC at large distances, but at present NGC 5461 contains no SSCs. NGC 5462 consists of loosely distributed H II regions and clusters without a prominent core. It has the largest number of cluster candidates among the three GHRs studied, but most of them are faint and older than 10 Myr. NGC 5471 has multiple bright H II regions and contains a large number of faint clusters younger than 5 Myr. Two of the clusters in NGC 5471 are older than R136, but just as luminous; they may be the most massive clusters in the three GHRs studied. The fraction of stars formed in massive clusters has been estimated from the clusters' contribution to the total stellar continuum emission and from a comparison between the ionizing power of the clusters and the ionizing requirement of the associated H II regions. Both estimates show that 50% of massive stars are formed in massive clusters; consequently, the Hα luminosity of an H II region does not provide a sufficient condition for the existence of SSCs. The cluster luminosity functions (LFs) of the three GHRs show different slopes. NGC 5462 has the steepest cluster LF and the most loosely distributed interstellar gas, qualitatively consistent with the hypothesis that massive clusters are formed in high-pressure interstellar environments. The combined cluster LF of the three GHRs has a slope similar to the universal cluster LFs seen in starburst galaxies and nonstarburst spiral galaxies.
Role of Nucleosome Remodeling Factor NURF in Transcriptional Activation of Chromatin

The Drosophila nucleosome remodeling factor (NURF) is a protein complex of four subunits that assists transcription factor-mediated perturbation of nucleosomes in an ATP-dependent manner. We have investigated the role of NURF in activating transcription from a preassembled chromatin template and have found that NURF is able to facilitate transcription mediated by a GAL4 derivative carrying both a DNA binding and an activator domain. Interestingly, once nucleosome remodeling by the DNA binding factor is accomplished, a high level of NURF activity is not continuously required for recruitment of the general transcriptional machinery and transcription for at least 100 nucleotides. Our results provide direct evidence that NURF is able to assist gene activation in a chromatin context, and identify a stage of NURF dependence early in the process leading to transcriptional initiation.
The chondrogenesis of rib perichondrial grafts for repair of full thickness articular cartilage defects in a rabbit model: a one year postoperative assessment.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the results or rib perichondrial grafting after the creation of a full thickness articular cartilage defect. In a rabbit model, rib perichondrium was used to repair defects created in the femoral condyle. The formation of repair tissue (neocartilage) and its chondrogenesis into a tissue resembling articular cartilage was found over time. The gross, histological and biochemical characteristics of the neocartilage were evaluated at intervals of 6, 12, 18, 26 and 52 weeks post transplant, and compared to normal articular cartilage. The neocartilage was characterized by the early formation of relatively large amounts of glycosaminoglycans. A steady increase in the proportion of type II collagen over the time periods was also observed. Improved attachment of the neocartilage to host tissues was seen over the period of 6 to 52 weeks. Successful grafts were seen to proliferate to fill the articular defect and to undergo a chondrogenesis over a post transplant time per...
Linking anonymous location traces through driving characteristics

Efforts to anonymize collections of location traces have often sought to reduce re-identification risks by dividing longer traces into multiple shorter, unlinkable segments. To ensure unlinkability, these algorithms delete parts from each location trace in areas where multiple traces converge, so that it is difficult to predict the movements of any one subject within this area and identify which follow-on trace segments belongs to the same subject. In this paper, we ask whether it is sufficient to base the definition of unlinkability on movement prediction models or whether the revealed trace segments themselves contain a fingerprint of the data subject that can be used to link segments and ultimately recover private information. To this end, we study a large set of vehicle locations traces collected through the Next Generation Simulation program. We first show that using vehicle moving characteristics related features, it is possible to identify outliers such as trucks or motorcycles from general passenger automobiles. We then show that even in a dataset containing similar passenger automobiles only, it is possible to use outlier driving behaviors to link a fraction of the vehicle trips. These results show that the definition of unlinkability may have to be extended for very precise location traces.
Fusarium head blight resistance derived from Lophopyrum elongatum chromosome 7E and its augmentation with Fhb1 in wheat

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance derived from wheatgrass Lophopyrum elongatum chromosome 7E and to determine whether this resistance can augment resistance in combination with other FHB resistance quantitative trait loci (QTL) or genes in wheat. The 'Chinese Spring' -Lophopyrum elongatum disomic substitution line 7E(7B) was crossed to three wheat lines: 'Ning 7840', L3, and L4. F 2 populations were evaluated for type II resistance with the single-floret inoculation method in the greenhouse. Simple sequence repeat markers associated with Fhbl in 'Ning 7840' and L4 and markers located on chromosome 7E were genotyped in each population. Marker-trait association was analysed with one-way or two-way analysis of variance. The research showed that, in the three populations, the average number of diseased spikelets (NDS) in plants with chromosome 7E is 1.2, 3.1 and 3.2, vs. NDS of 3.3, 7.2 and 9.1 in plants without 7E, a reduction in NDS of 2.1, 4.1 and 5.9 in the respective populations. The QTL on 7E and the Fhbl gene augment disease resistance when combined. The effect of the QTL on 7E was greater than that on 3BS in this experiment. Data also suggest that the FHB resistance gene derived from L. elongatum is located on the long arm of 7E.
Quasi-Classical Theory of the Nonspinning Electron

We develop a modified Hamiltonian-Jacobi theory of classical mechanics following the early work of Van Vleck. This modified Hamiltonian-Jacobi theory, or quasi-classical theory, permits us to exhibit in classical mechanics many features that in the past have been exclusively associated with quantum mechanics. We deal with classical wave functions, classical operators, classical "eigenvalue" equations, a classical "sum over paths" formulation of classical mechanics, and with classical creation and destruction operators. Following Van Vleck, one can derive the WKB approximate solutions to the Schr\"odinger equation from the solutions of the classical Hamilton-Jacobi equation. If we apply the methods of Keller to the nonrelativistic and relativistic Kepler problem, we derive eigenvalues from the requirement of single-valuedness imposed on the WKB solutions. It turns out that the energy eigenvalues are those given by the Schr\"odinger equation and the Klein-Gordon equation, respectively. In the particular case of the harmonic oscillator there exists a canonical transformation which transforms the quasi-classical equation into an exact equation of quantum mechanics. We conjecture that if the WKB approximation and the Schr\"odinger equation predict the same eigenvalues, then there always exists a canonical transformation which transforms the quasi-classical equation into the corresponding Schr\"odinger equation. Finally we derive the quasi-classical equations in momentum space.
Multi-layered approach for recovering links between bug reports and fixes

The links between the bug reports in an issue-tracking system and the corresponding fixing changes in a version repository are not often recorded by developers. Such linking information is crucial for research in mining software repositories in measuring software defects and maintenance efforts. However, the state-of-the-art bug-to-fix link recovery approaches still rely much on textual matching between bug reports and commit/change logs and cannot handle well the cases where their contents are not textually similar.This paper introduces MLink, a multi-layered approach that takes into account not only textual features but also source code features of the changed code corresponding to the commit logs. It is also capable of learning the association relations between the terms in bug reports and the names of entities/components in the changed source code of the commits from the established bug-to-fix links, and uses them for link recovery between the reports and commits that do not share much similar texts. Our empirical evaluation on real-world projects shows that MLink can improve the state-of-the-art bug-to-fix link recovery methods by 11--18%, 13--17%, and 8--17% in F-score, recall, and precision, respectively.
Effect of Temperature (-5 to 130 °C) and Fiber Direction on the Dielectric Properties of Beef Semitendinosus at Radio Frequency and Microwave Frequencies

The dielectric properties must be defined to design efficient radio frequency (RF) and microwave (MW) processes by the food manufacturers. The objective of this study was to understand how frequency, temperature, and muscle fiber orientation influence the dielectric properties. The eye of round (Semitendinosus) muscle was selected because it contains large, relatively uniform muscle cells with similar muscle fiber orientation and relatively uniform chemical composition throughout the tissue. Dielectric properties were measured using an open-ended coaxial probe technique at 27, 915, and 1800 MHz and temperatures between -5 and 130 degrees C. Power penetration depth was calculated. Since many commercially prepared, thermally processed, ready-to-eat entrees are made with frozen meat, dielectric property measurements were started from -5 degrees C. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss factors were often higher for muscle with the muscle fiber measured in a parallel orientation to the probe compared to samples of the same treatment (for example, fresh or frozen) in a perpendicular tissue orientation at the same frequency and temperature. Dielectric constant and loss values for frozen beef tended to be higher than fresh beef at the same temperature and frequency. Tissue orientation appeared to have a greater effect on dielectric loss values at lower frequencies. Penetration depth tended to be greater when the direction of propagation was perpendicular to the muscle fiber.
Continental runoff dynamics in the Community Climate System Model 2 (CCSM2) control simulation

[1] We present an analysis of the river transport model (RTM) implementation in a fully coupled Earth system model, the Community Climate System Model, version 2 (CCSM2). The results of a 350-year CCSM2 control simulation were compared to observational river flow data and previous simulations using the Community Climate Model, version 3 (CCM3). River discharge into the Arctic Ocean improved significantly over earlier CCM3 simulations. Significant interannual variability was evident in the control simulation, although at times it exceeded the observational variability. The CCSM2 river discharges to the ocean during the peak discharge month of June for the Amazon, Amur, Ob, St. Lawrence, and Ganges Rivers were found to be within 25% of observations. CCSM2 produced negative river discharges for the St. Lawrence, Parana, and Ob Rivers for some months of the year because of the methods CCSM2 used to calculate runoff resulting from lakes, wetlands, and glaciers. Precipitation and snow cover analyses explained some of the improvements of CCSM2 over CCM3 as well as lingering sources of inaccuracy in the river discharges. The lack of water impoundment in both CCSM2 and CCM3 was shown to be another source of discrepancy between model river discharge and observed streamgage data. We discuss the differences and similarities between CCSM2 river discharges and observations within the context of extant freshwater resource management, observational measurement techniques, and spatial and temporal scales.
Stability and Change in Personality Disorder Features: The Longitudinal Study of Personality Disorders

Background There exists no empirical literature documenting the long-term longitudinal stability of personality pathology comparable to that available for normal personality. A number of test-retest studies have usefully established the short-term reliability of Axis II measures. However, the test-retest design is methodologically inadequate for resolving issues related to the long-term stability of personality disorder (PD). This prospective longitudinal study evaluated the stability of PD features in multiwave perspective. Methods Subjects (N=250) drawn from a nonclinical university population were examined for PD features at 3 different time points using the International Personality Disorders Examination (IPDE) and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory II (MCMI-II) during a study period of 4 years. Results Features of PD displayed considerable evidence of stability for individual differences and group means, at the dimensional level of analysis, on both the IPDE and the MCMI-II. Both measures revealed modest declines in PD features over time; however, the observed changes were associated with relatively small effect sizes. Conclusion Features of PD, viewed from a dimensional perspective, seem to be relatively stable in terms of individual differences and group means based on both clinical interview and self-administered PD assessments.
Space-time self-organization of mesoscale rainfall and soil moisture

The effects of mesoscale circulations induced by soil moisture heterogeneities are studied to assess the impact that the coupling of the land surface and the planetary boundary layer has on the rainfall and soil moisture dynamics at different scales. Our goal is to single out the most important physical mechanisms which affect the behaviour of the land-atmosphere system at the mesoscale leading to a dynamical evolution which shows the same features at different scales both in space and time. In particular we aim to understand if any hypothesis of self-organization in the system can find its rationale in the mesoscale soil-atmosphere coupling. The main mechanisms of interaction have been simulated through a cellular automata model which incorporates in a soil water balance both the local and the large scale phenomena. Fractal features are shown to emerge in the simulated hydrological fields as an effect of the land-atmosphere coupling and this suggests the possible occurrence of self-organization. Some comparisons with real data tend to support such a hypothesis.
Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide-like immunoreactivity in autonomic regulatory areas of the rat medulla oblongata☆

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide-like immunoreactivity (PACAP-LI) was mapped immunohistochemically in the rat medulla oblongata. We found the majority of perikarya with PACAP-LI in the visceral areas of the solitary nucleus, dorsal motor vagal nucleus, nucleus ambiguus, ventrolateral medulla, ventral medullary surface, and caudal raphe nuclei. Medium densities of labeled fibers were detected in the area postrema, solitary nucleus, dorsal vagal and raphe pallidus nuclei. Our morphological data support the hypothesis that PACAP is a central regulator of visceral functions.