cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The precedence effect: Fusion and lateralization measures for headphone stimuli lateralized by interaural time and level differences

The present investigation assessed fusion and localization dominance aspects of the precedence effect under headphones across a variety of stimulus conditions in 10 normal-hearing listeners. Listeners were presented with “lead-lag” pairs of brief (123 μs) impulses or trains of such pairs lateralized by interaural time or level differences (ITD or ILD). Listeners used a touch-sensitive display to indicate for the final lead-lag pair presented on each trial (1) whether one or two locations were perceived and (2) the location perceived. In the event two locations were perceived, subjects were further instructed to indicate the left-most location perceived. Results demonstrated that lead-lag fusion was more robust for stimuli lateralized by ITD than ILD, particularly when cues of the test stimulus differed from cues of the preceding “buildup” stimulus, consistent with Krumbholz and Nobbe [(2002). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 112, 654–663]. Unexpectedly, results also demonstrated reduced localization dominance with increasing lead-lag delay, suggesting that the fusion aspect of the precedence effect may be dissociated from the localization dominance aspect under buildup. It is thus argued that buildup of fusion might be understood more generally as an example of auditory object formation rather than a special facility for enhanced sound localization.
An estrogen receptor chimera senses ligands by nuclear translocation

We have developed a new mammalian cell-based assay to screen for ligands of the estrogen receptor. A fluorescently tagged chimera between the glucocorticoid and the estrogen receptors, unlike the constitutively nuclear estrogen receptor, is cytoplasmic in the absence of hormone and translocates to the nucleus in response to estradiol. The chimera maintains specificity for estrogen receptor alpha ligands and does not show cross-reactivity with other steroids, providing a clean system for drug discovery. Natural and synthetic estrogen receptor alpha agonists as well as phytoestrogens effectively translocate the receptor to the nucleus in a dose-dependent manner. Antagonists of the estrogen receptor can also transmit the structural signals that result in receptor nuclear translocation. The potency and efficacy of high-affinity ligands can be evaluated in our system by measuring the nuclear translocation of the fluorescently labeled receptor in response to increasing ligand concentrations. The chimera is transcriptionally competent on transient and replicating templates, and is inhibited by estrogen receptor antagonists. Interestingly, the nucleoplasmic mobility of the chimera, determined by FRAP analysis, is faster than that of the wild type estrogen receptor, and the chimera is resistant to ICI immobilization. The translocation properties of this chimera can be utilized in high content screens for novel estrogen receptor modulators.
III-nitride deep ultraviolet micro- and nano-photonics

Recent progresses in epitaxial growth, fundamental studies of high Al content AlGaN alloys with Si and Mg doping, light polarization properties, and deep UV LEDs combined with microlens or photonic crystal structure to improve light extraction are presented. For Si doped Al 0.7 Ga 0.3 N, a room temperature n-type resistivity as low as 0.0075 Ω•cm has been obtained. We have also achieved n -AlN with a free electron concentration and mobility of about 1.0 x 10 17 cm -3 and 2 cm 2 /Vs, respectively. For Mg doped Al 0.7 Ga 0.3 N, we have obtained a resistivity around 10 5 Ω cm at room temperature and confirmed p -type conduction at elevated temperatures (> 700 K) with a resistivity of about 40 Ω cm at 800 K. Based on the optimized material growth, 280 nm deep UV LED with forward voltage of 6.7 V, and output power of 0.35 mW has been achieved at 20 mA. To enhance light extraction efficiency, sapphire microlens array was monolithically integrated on flip-chip bonded deep UV LED substrates; a light extraction enhancement of 55% was achieved. To improve the transverse light extraction, photonic crystal structures were incorporated into the devices, and significant light extraction enhancement was achieved.
Failure Accommodation in Digital Flight Control Systems by Bayesian Decision Theory

A design method for digital control systems which is optimally tolerant of failures in aircraft sensors is presented. The functions of this system are accomplished with software instead of the popular and costly technique of hardware duplication. The approach taken, based on M-ary hypothesis testing, results in a bank of Kalman filters operating in parallel. A moving window of the innovations of each Kalman filter drives a detector that decides the failure state of the system. The detector calculates the likelihood ratio for each hypothesis corresponding to a specific failure state of the system. It also selects the most likely state estimate in the Bayesian sense from the bank of Kalman filters. The system can compensate for hardover as well as increased noise-type failures by computing the likelihood ratios as generalized likelihood ratios. The design method is applied to the design of a fault tolerant control system for a current configuration of the space shuttle orbiter at Mach 5 and 120,000 ft. The failure detection capabilities of the system are demonstrated using a real-time simulation of the system with noisy sensors.
Cognitive load, trigger salience, and the facilitation of triggered displaced aggression

Researchers hypothesize that a state of limited cognitive processing capacity increases aggression. In the context of the triggered displaced aggression (TDA) paradigm, a 2 (Salience of triggering event: high/low) × 2 (Cognitive load at trigger: yes/no) × 2 (Cognitive load at aggression: yes/no) between participants experiment tested this hypothesis. Results showed that inducing cognitive load in previously provoked participants while they received a triggering provocation augmented aggression toward the target when the latter was highly salient. Affective reactions to the trigger partially mediated this effect. In contrast to expectation, however, inducing cognitive load while participants aggressed against their target did not affect aggression levels. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vulnerability of breeding waterbirds to climate change in the Prairie Pothole Region, U.S.A.

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of the north-central U.S. and south-central Canada contains millions of small prairie wetlands that provide critical habitat to many migrating and breeding waterbirds. Due to their small size and the relatively dry climate of the region, these wetlands are considered at high risk for negative climate change effects as temperatures increase. To estimate the potential impacts of climate change on breeding waterbirds, we predicted current and future distributions of species common in the PPR using species distribution models (SDMs). We created regional-scale SDMs for the U.S. PPR using Breeding Bird Survey occurrence records for 1971–2011 and wetland, upland, and climate variables. For each species, we predicted current distribution based on climate records for 1981–2000 and projected future distributions to climate scenarios for 2040–2049. Species were projected to, on average, lose almost half their current habitat (-46%). However, individual species projections varied widely, from +8% (Upland Sandpiper) to -100% (Wilson's Snipe). Variable importance ranks indicated that land cover (wetland and upland) variables were generally more important than climate variables in predicting species distributions. However, climate variables were relatively more important during a drought period. Projected distributions of species responses to climate change contracted within current areas of distribution rather than shifting. Given the large variation in species-level impacts, we suggest that climate change mitigation efforts focus on species projected to be the most vulnerable by enacting targeted wetland management, easement acquisition, and restoration efforts.
Elevated temperature strength and room-temperature toughness of directionally solidified Ni-33Al-33Cr-1Mo

The eutectic composition Ni-33Al-33Cr-1Mo has been directionally solidified (DS) via a modified Bridgman technique at rates ranging from 7.6 to 508 mm/h to determine if the growth rate affects the mechanical properties. Microstructural examination revealed that all DS rods had grain/cellular microstructures containing alternating plates of NiAl and Cr alloyed with Mo. At slower growth rates (≤12.7 mm/h), the grains had sharp boundaries, while faster growth rates (≥25.4 mm/h) led to cells bounded by intercellular regions. None of the growth conditions resulted in either dendrites or third phases. Compressive testing between 1200 and 1400 K indicated that alloys DS at rates between 25.4 and 254 mm/h possessed the best strengths, while room-temperature toughness exhibited a plateau of about 16 MPa√m for growth rates between 12.7 and 127 mm/h. Thus, a growth rate of 127 mm/h represents the best combination of fast processing and mechanical properties for this system.
Aesthetics, Ethnography, and Exhibition at the Quai Branly

A common thread linking the essays in this collection suggests that the surrealist movement's interest in non-Western art and artifacts often placed them in a paradoxical position: Their political opposition to colonialism was at times undermined by their fascination with the opportunity such unfamiliar objects afforded them to interrogate the limits of human experience. In this essay, I explore the extent to which such surrealist aesthetics, encouraging an erosion of the boundary between art and ethnography, have influenced the display of non-Western art in France. In examining specific examples illustrating the tendency of the Musee du quai Branly in Paris to treat non-Western art and artifacts as “aestheticized commodities” symbolizing difference, I argue that this approach, no doubt conditioned by surrealist flirtations with “primitive” art, has persisted until the present day, leaving an indelible mark on the design and exhibitionary practices of what was touted to be France's first “postcolonial mus...
Bioconversion of n−3 and n−6 PUFA by Clavibacter sp. ALA2

Clavibacter sp. ALA2 oxidized n−3 and n−6 PUFA into a variety of oxylipins. Structures of products converted from EPA and DHA were determined as 15,18-dihydroxy-14,17-epoxy-5(Z),8(Z),11(Z)-eicosatrienoic acid and 17,20-dihydroxy-16,19-epoxy-4(Z),7(Z),10(Z),13(Z)-docosatetraenoic acid by GC-MS and NMR analyses. In contrast, γ-linolenic acid and arachidonic acid were converted to diepoxy bicyclic FA, tetrahydrofuranyl monohydroxy FA, and trihydroxy FA. Thus, the structures of bioconversion products were different between n−3 and n−6 PUFA. Furthermore, strain ALA2 placed hydroxy groups and cyclic structures at the same position from the ω-terminal despite the number of carbons in the chain and the double bonds in the PUFA.
Experimental Characterization and Material-Model Development for Microphase-Segregated Polyurea: An Overview

Numerous experimental investigations reported in the open literature over the past decade have clearly demonstrated that the use of polyurea external coatings and/or inner layers can substantially enhance both the blast resistance (the ability to withstand shock loading) and the ballistic performance (the ability to defeat various high-velocity projectiles such as bullets, fragments, shrapnel, etc. without penetration, excessive deflection or spalling) of buildings, vehicles, combat-helmets, etc. It is also well established that the observed high-performance of polyurea is closely related to its highly complex submicron scale phase-segregated microstructure and the associated microscale phenomena and processes (e.g., viscous energy dissipation at the internal phase boundaries). As higher and higher demands are placed on blast/ballistic survivability of the foregoing structures, a need for the use of the appropriate transient nonlinear dynamics computational analyses and the corresponding design-optimization methods has become ever apparent. A critical aspect of the tools used in these analyses and methods is the availability of an appropriate physically based, high-fidelity material model for polyurea. There are presently several public domain and highly diverse material models for polyurea. In the present work, an attempt is made to critically assess these models as well as the experimental methods and results used in the process of their formulation. Since these models are developed for use in the high-rate loading regime, they are employed in the present work, to generate the appropriate shock-Hugoniot relations. These relations are subsequently compared with their experimental counterparts in order to assess the fidelity of these models.
Fitting it all in: integration of 12 cross-cutting themes into a School of Medicine curriculum.

Changing demographic, social, economic and technological trends have impacted the expectations of the Academic Health Center in preparing physicians to serve the needs of the American society, resulting in revisions to current curricula. In addition to the traditional basic sciences and clinical disciplines, accredited medical schools are required to provide curriculum exposure in behavioral health, communication skills, diversity and cultural awareness, ethics, evidence-based medicine, geriatrics, integrative medicine, pain management, palliative care, public health, socio-economic dynamics, and domestic violence. These themes are considered ‘cross-cutting’ since it is recognized these important curricular components apply across all years of medical school. In this article, the authors describe a strategic model developed at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine (UNMSOM) to integrate horizontally and vertically 12 cross-cutting themes as an evolving interdisciplinary curriculum reform process. These areas were defined through a combination of internal self-study, external requirements, and student and faculty interest. In the early stage of use of this model at UNMSOM, the authors describe the new cross-cutting themes that have been integrated. Minimal disruption and a spirit of cooperation and acceptance have characterized the curricular change that has been required. Preliminary assessment indicates that the program has been successful.
Phase and amplitude inversion of crosswell radar data

Phase and amplitude inversion of crosswell radar data estimates the logarithm of complex slowness for a 2.5D heterogeneous model. The inversion is formulated in the frequency domain using the vector Helmholtz equation. The objective function is minimized using a back-propagation method that is suitable for a 2.5D model and that accounts for the near-, intermediate-, and far-field regions of the antennas. The inversion is tested with crosswell radar data collected in a laboratory tank. The model anomalies are consistent with the known heterogeneity in the tank; the model's relative dielectric permittivity, which is calculated from the real part of the estimated complex slowness, is consistent with independent laboratory measurements. The methodologies developed for this inversion can be adapted readily to inversions of seismic data (e.g., crosswell seismic and vertical seismic profiling data).
Pleural Drainage After Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot

Prolonged pleural effusion after congenital heart surgery results in extended hospitalization. Pleural drainage was evaluated in 39 consecutive patients undergoing repair of tetralogy of Fallot, to identify risk factors for persistent pleural effusion. Duration and amount of drainage was examined by the Kaplan-Meier method and risk factors were evaluated by univariable and multivariable analyses. Median time of pleural drainage was 6.1 days, range 3 to 42 days. Duration of pleural drainage correlated with length of hospital stay (p < 0.0001). Postrepair right atrial pressure (p = 0.018) and preoperative hemoglobin (p = 0.035) were risk factors for persistent drainage. The presence of a previous right thoracotomy reduced drainage duration (p = 0.034). Prolonged mechanical ventilation increased the average daily volume of effusion (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, prolonged pleural effusion is an important morbidity factor after repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Bilateral chest tube insertion is indicated in patients with high preoperative hemoglobin and elevated postrepair right atrial pressure. Right thoracotomy is the preferred surgical approach when a preliminary palliative shunt is required.
Nonparametric prediction of event times in randomized clinical trials.

In clinical trials with planned interim analysis, it can be valuable for logistical reasons to predict the times of landmark events such as the 50th and 100th event. Bagiella and Heitjan (Stat Med 2001; 20: 2055–63) proposed a parametric prediction model for failure-time outcomes assuming exponential survival and Poisson enrollment. When little is known about the distributions of interest, there is concern that parametric prediction methods may be biased and inefficient if their underlying distributional assumptions are invalid. We propose nonparametric approaches to make point and interval predictions for landmark dates during the course of the trial. We obtain point predictions using the Kaplan–Meier estimator to extrapolate the survival probability into the future, selecting the time when the expected number of events is equal to the landmark number. To construct prediction intervals, we use a simulation strategy based on the Bayesian bootstrap. Monte Carlo results demonstrate the superiority of the no...
Human fertility in global perspective

Sir David Owen, who should have given this lecture, died very suddenly and unexpectedly at the end of June.U Thant said in a tribute: ‘David Owen was literally the first member of the United Nations Secretariat. He joined the United Nations directly from the San Francisco Conference in 1945…. As the first and only Executive Chairman of the Technical Assistance Board he was key organizer of what has now become the United Nations Development Programme…. When he left the United Nations a year ago to assume his new post as Secretary General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation he was continuing the work to which he had devoted his life, the application of human ingenuity and technological progress to problems of peoples of the world. It is a tragedy, and a loss to all mankind, that his life and his new career have been so abruptly cut short.’
Brentuximab vedotin: treatment role for relapsed refractory systemic anaplastic large-cell lymphoma

The identification of CD30 has been known since 1985. Trials exploring the targeted therapy focusing on this antigen have led to the successful development and approval of brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris®) for treatment of relapsed refractory systemic anaplastic large-cell lymphoma. Brentuximab vedotin has a high-level of response with generally durable remission. Common side effects of brentuximab vedotin include peripheral neuropathy, fatigue, nausea, arthralgia, and pyrexia. Grade 3-4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperglycemia have also been reported. Development of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy from John Cunningham virus is a very rare occurrence, but its seriousness has prompted the US FDA to mandate a black box warning. Brentuximab vedotin is currently being evaluated to be used in conjunction with other chemotherapy regimens, including in frontline therapies to induce potentially higher complete remission rate than chemotherapy alone and thus achieve potentially higher progression-free survival rates that might translate ultimately to improve overall survival.
Current concepts and newer developments in the treatment of malignant gliomas

Primary malignant brain tumors account for only 2% of all adult cancers but they cause a disproportionately high cancer-related disability and death. Survival of malignant glioma patients has changed only modestly over the past three decades despite the emergence of new treatment strategies for these tumors. In this review, we describe the standard treatment modalities for malignant glioma, which include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, as well as the status of novel therapies that have been developed to target various aspects of glioma cell biology. We also address this issue of drug delivery as a factor limiting the efficacy of systemic administration of therapeutics and attempts to overcome this barrier. Further progress towards a cure for malignant gliomas will require a greater understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving the growth, and resistance to therapy, of these challenging tumors.
Fast and efficient incremental learning for high-dimensional movement systems

We introduce a new algorithm, locally weighted projection regression (LWPR), for incremental real-time learning of nonlinear functions, as particularly useful for problems of autonomous real-time robot control that requires internal models of dynamics, kinematics, or other functions. At its core, LWPR uses locally linear models, spanned by a small number of univariate regressions in selected directions in input space, to achieve piecewise linear function approximation. The outstanding properties of LWPR are that it i) learns rapidly with second order learning methods based on incremental training, ii) uses statistically sound stochastic cross validation to learn iii) adjusts its local weighting kernels based on only local information to avoid interference problems, iv) has a computational complexity that is linear in the number of inputs, and v) can deal with a large number of possibly redundant and/or irrelevant inputs, as shown in evaluations with up to 50 dimensional data sets for learning the inverse dynamics of an anthropomorphic robot arm. To our knowledge, this is the first incremental neural network learning method to combine all these properties and that is well suited for complex online learning problems in robotics.
Manufacturing and services: From mass production to mass customization

Manufacturing and services constitute two of the five sectors of every country’s economy; depending on the maturity of the economy, they are — in terms of employment — typically the two largest sectors. The outputs or products of an economy can also be divided into goods products (due to manufacturing, construction, agriculture and mining) and services products. To date, the goods and services products have, for the most part, been mass produced; it is the premise of this paper that recent technological advances — including flexible manufacturing, cloud computing, nanotechnology and smart sensing — can better enable the transformation from mass production to mass customization. We regard mass customization as the simultaneous and real time management of supply and demand chains, based on a taxonomy that can be defined in terms of its underpinning component and management foci. From a components perspective, we first consider the value chain of supplier, manufacturer, assembler, retailer, and customer, and then develop a consistent set of definitions for supply and demand chains based on the location of the customer order penetration point. From a management perspective, we classify the methods that are employed in the management of these chains, based on whether supply and/or demand are flexible or fixed. Interestingly, our management taxonomy highlights a very critical research area at which both supply and demand are flexible, thus manageable. Simultaneous management of supply and demand chains sets the stage for mass customization which is concerned with meeting the needs of an individualized customer market. Simultaneous and real time management of supply and demand chains set the stage for real time mass customization (e.g., wherein a tailor first laser scans an individual’s upper torso and then delivers a uniquely fitted jacket within a reasonable period, while the individual is waiting). The benefits of real time mass customization cannot be over-stated as goods and services become indistinguishable and are co-produced — as “servgoods” — in real time, resulting in an overwhelming economic advantage.
NNWSI waste form performance test development

A test method has been developed to measure the release of radionuclides from the waste package under simulated NNWSI repository conditions, and to provide information concerning materials interactions that may occur in the repository. Data from 13 weeks of unsaturated testing are discussed and compared to that from a 13-week analog test. The data indicate that the waste form test is capable of producing consistent, reproducible results that will be useful in evaluating the role of the waste in the long-term performance of the repository. 6 references, 3 figures.
Heme initiates changes in the expression of a wide array of genes during the early erythroid differentiation stage.

Heme is central to oxygen sensing and utilization in all living organisms. It directly regulates numerous molecular and cellular processes for systems that sense or use oxygen. In mammals, heme plays an indispensable role in erythroid cell differentiation. To investigate heme regulatory functions, we identified, by differential display, and confirmed, by quantitative RT-PCR and Northern blotting analysis, the genes whose expression is altered by heme during the early stage of K562 cell differentiation. These include genes encoding a GAP-associated p62 protein, histone H2A.Z, a subunit of the small nuclear ribonucleoprotein complex, and the chaperonin Tcp20, and a cellular immediate-early-response gene. The results suggest that heme initiates changes in key factors that control a wide array of processes ranging from cell cycle and Ras signaling to chromatin structure, splicing and protein folding. These key factors might act together to mediate heme action, which is critical for erythroid cell differentiation.
Phylogenetic analysis of nitric oxide reductase gene homologues from aerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria.

Nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are climatically important trace gases that are produced by both nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. In the denitrification pathway, N2O is produced from nitric oxide (NO) by the enzyme nitric oxide reductase (NOR). The ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea also possesses a functional nitric oxide reductase, which was shown recently to serve a unique function. In this study, sequences homologous to the large subunit of nitric oxide reductase (norB) were obtained from eight additional strains of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, including Nitrosomonas and Nitrosococcus species (i.e., both β- and γ-Proteobacterial ammonia oxidizers), showing widespread occurrence of a norB homologue in ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. However, despite efforts to detect norB homologues from Nitrosospira strains, sequences have not yet been obtained. Phylogenetic analysis placed nitrifier norB homologues in a subcluster, distinct from denitrifier sequences. The similarities and differences of these sequences highlight the need to understand the variety of metabolisms represented within a “functional group” defined by the presence of a single homologous gene. These results expand the database of norB homologue sequences in nitrifying bacteria.
InGaAs nanoelectronics: from THz to CMOS

Integrated circuits based on InGaAs Field Effect Transistors are now widely used in the RF front-ends of smart phones and other mobile platforms, wireless LANs, high data rate fiber optic links and many defense and satellite communication systems. InGaAs ICs are also under intense research for new millimeter-wave applications such as collision avoidance radar and gigabit WLANs. In the last few years, as Si CMOS faces mounting difficulties to maintain its historical scaling path, InGaAs-channel MOSFETs have emerged as a credible alternative for mainstream logic technology capable of scaling to the 10 nm node and below. To get to this point, a number of fundamental technical problems had to be solved though there are still many challenges that need to be addressed before the first non-Si CMOS technology becomes a reality. The intense research that this exciting prospect is generating will also reinvigorate the long march of InGaAs FETs towards the first true THz electronics technology. This talk will review progress and challenges of InGaAs-based FET technology for THz and CMOS.
Earliest Recollections and Birth Order: Two Adlerian Exercises

Two exercises demonstrate the potential influence of two Adlerian principles-earliest recollections and birth order-on personality. In one exercise, students record and study their earliest recollection. In another exercise, students discuss their position in their family constellation. Students rated both exercises highly; undergraduates valued the birth order exercise more, but graduate students valued the earliest recollections exercise more.
Regional Changes in Extreme Climatic Events: A Future Climate Scenario

In this study a regional climate model is employed to expand on modeling experiments of future climate change to address issues of 1) the timing and length of the growing season and 2) the frequency and intensity of extreme temperatures and precipitation. The study focuses on California as a climatically complex region that is vulnerable to changes in water supply and delivery. Statistically significant increases in daily minimum and maximum temperatures occur with a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. Increases in daily temperatures lead to increases in prolonged heat waves and length of the growing season. Changes in total and extreme precipitation vary depending upon geographic location.
Lattice-based models for controlled sharing of confidential information in the Saudi Hajj system

The pilgrimage (Hajj) is an annual event that takes place in Saudi Arabia. Three major government ministries (Foreign, Internal, and Hajj) create and process Hajj data separately in their systems. Currently all data sharing between these ministries regarding Hajj is done manually. Benefits from sharing data electronically are obvious. But due to the sensitivity of some data and the common requirement of not sharing everything, a trusted environment which provides interoperability between these systems while ensuring confidentiality of shared data is needed. In order to study the possibility of establishing such an environment, data was collected regarding the security requirements of the three Saudi ministries directly from the source through interviews. There are three increasingly sophisticated security requirements: no obligation access security, multi level security, and Chinese Wall security. The paper analyzes each security requirement, builds a lattice model for it, and uses these models to specify the information flow policy for each system.
Detecting Data Races on Framework-Based Applications

Race conditions are hard to detect in framework-based applications. Frameworks often improve performance by providing threading, but this threading is usually hidden from application programmers. Therefore, it is easy for application programmers to accidentally create data races. Data races can be detected tracing the flow of execution, but tracing tends to produce too much data. However, the structure of frameworks can be used to control the amount of data collected and that makes tracing practical. We have developed a tracing and analysis tool that allows application programmers to explore different configurations of an application and find probable data races. This enables them to have multithreaded frameworks safely without having to learn the details of the framework design
Using inferred residue contacts to distinguish between correct and incorrect protein models

Motivation: The de novo prediction of 3D protein structure is enjoying a period of dramatic improvements. Often, a remaining difficulty is to select the model closest to the true structure from a group of low-energy candidates. To what extent can inter-residue contact predictions from multiple sequence alignments, information which is orthogonal to that used in most structure prediction algorithms, be used to identify those models most similar to the native protein structure? Results: We present a Bayesian inference procedure to identify residue pairs that are spatially proximal in a protein structure. The method takes as input a multiple sequence alignment, and outputs an accurate posterior probability of proximity for each residue pair. We exploit a recent metagenomic sequencing project to create large, diverse and informative multiple sequence alignments for a test set of 1656 known protein structures. The method infers spatially proximal residue pairs in this test set with good accuracy: top-ranked predictions achieve an average accuracy of 38% (for an average 21-fold improvement over random predictions) in cross-validation tests. Notably, the accuracy of predicted 3D models generated by a range of structure prediction algorithms strongly correlates with how well the models satisfy probable residue contacts inferred via our method. This correlation allows for confident rejection of incorrect structural models. Availability: An implementation of the method is freely available at http://www.doe-mbi.ucla.edu/services Contact: david@mbi.ucla.edu Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Sports Competition and International Capitalism

The extreme competitiveness in American sports limits the possibility of mass citizen participation. Highly competitive sports are not enjoyable for most participants, except the very best, and sports facilities are often only available to these same select few. In any event, sports participation is often seen as impossible by most citizens since they do not measure up to the image of sports superstars found in the mass media. Also, rampant competition often leads to high levels of sports violence and a dehumanization of both competitors and spectators. Such sports competition based on individual excellence is not found in China where collective, nationwide excellence and breadth of participation are emphasized. The widespread ethic of individual excellence and individual competition in sports seems to be a product of international capitalism, since both international capitalism and the sports empire are dominated by the same groups of people and com petitive sports serve the interests of international ca...
Transfer of Nazca Ridge Pelagic Sediments to the Peru Continental Margin

A complex set of lithologies, including calcareous oozes, hemipelagites, and turbidites, was recovered from the landward wall of the Peru Trench at its intersection with the Nazca Ridge. The sequence occurs at a water depth of 4,900 m and overlies an acoustic basement in the lowermost continental slope. Early Pliocene calcareous ooze overlies Pliocene to Quaternary ooze; both of these deposits are sandwiched between late Pleistocene (⩽ 400,000 yr), organic-rich turbidites and hemipelagic deposits typical of the Peru Trench and margin. Planktonic and benthic foraminiferal assemblages indicate that the early Pliocene ooze originally was deposited on the Nazca Ridge above the calcium carbonate compensation depth (4,000 m) and to the west of the cool Peru-Chile Current. The Pliocene-Pleistocene ooze contains a temperate fauna associated with the Peru-Chile Current. Block faulting at the terminus of the Nazca Ridge displaced the calcareous ooze 1,900 m from the top of the ridge to the trench below. Apparently these lithologies were then folded against or thrust beneath the lower continental slope within the past 400,000 yr. The stratigraphic sequence and the physiographic setting of the Nazca Ridge–Peru Trench intersection indicate convergence of the Nazca Ridge with the South American block. A minimum convergence rate of 0.8 cm/yr is calculated for the Pleistocene based upon the past and present geographic positions of the calcareous ooze. The best estimate of the rate is 2.8 cm/yr.
Endothelial Bmp4 Is Induced During Arterial Remodeling: Effects on Smooth Muscle Cell Migration and Proliferation

The endothelium of actively remodeling arteries is known to secrete factors that control medial SMC function [1]. The inward remodeling and neointimal development seen in diseased arteries is mediated by numerous factors that may stimulate or inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation. One family of proteins thought to play an important role of vascular development and remodeling is the TGF-β superfamily of signaling molecules. The bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are the largest subgroup of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) protein superfamily, and over 20 BMP subfamily members have been identified in human and mouse [2]. Although they were named for their ability to induce ectopic cartilage and bone formation in vivo [3], these proteins have subsequently been shown to play key regulatory roles in a diverse set of developmental processes [4]. In embryonic cardiovascular development, BMPs are a key element in the induction of cardiac myogenesis [5]. BMP2 and BMP6 have been detected in adult human atherosclerotic arteries and are implicated in pathologic arterial calcification [6, 7]. BMPs act primarily through binding with two types of transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptors that are classified as type I (Alk-2, -3, and -6) and type II (BMPR-II, ActR-IIA and ActR-IIB). Activation of BMP receptors initiates phosphorylation of downstream signaling molecules known as receptor-regulated Smads [8]. BMP signaling is tightly controlled by extracellular inhibitory molecules including noggin, and through a series of positive and negative intracellular cofactors including the inhibitory Smads 6 and 7 [9]. BMP4 is one of the regulatory molecules in the TGF-β/BMP family. It functions at multiple stages of mammalian development and adult tissue remodeling including mesoderm induction, cartilage and bone induction, limb growth and differentiation, and fracture repair [10, 11]. Recently, cultured endothelial cells have been shown to express BMP4 in response to both cytokines and oscillatory shear stress [12]. Additionally, flow alterations in PTFE arterial grafts result in increased BMP4 mRNA levels that are accompanied by decreased expression of the extracellular BMP inhibitor noggin [13]. In this study, we evaluated the in vivo expression of BMP4 in mice after carotid ligation. We then evaluated the effects of BMP signaling on SMC proliferation, migration, and apoptosis using adenovirus-mediated delivery of a constitutively active BMP receptor. Our results suggest that BMP4 may counterbalance the effects of mitogens and chemoattractants that are activated during neointimal lesion formation.
Development and Validation of the Prolonged Activation and Anticipatory Race-Related Stress Scale

This article describes two separate studies that were conducted to develop and validate a measure of the prolonged stress activation and anticipatory race-related stress response in African America...
Veto Players, Nuclear Energy, and Nonproliferation: Domestic Institutional Barriers to a Japanese Bomb

The basic insight of the “veto players” literature from comparative politics—the more veto players, the more policy rigidity—has been nearly absent from the study of nuclear proliferation. Yet, when states need mutual agreement among a large number of veto players, this greatly lengthens the odds against radical nuclear policy change. The veto players perspective helps to explain the historical resilience of Japan's fifty-year pursuit of a complete nuclear fuel cycle for exclusively peaceful purposes. Although a long line of Japan observers have focused on statements by Japanese politicians suggesting the possibility of redirecting some of the country's large nuclear estate toward military ends, Japan's traditional nuclear policy has in fact become increasingly entrenched over the years, given the rising number of institutionalized veto players in its nuclear policymaking arena. This point is relevant not only to the long-standing question of whether Japan will acquire nuclear weapons, but also to the pos...
The resting cardiointegram: correlation with stress thallium perfusion studies

The cardiointegram is a noninvasive technique for the analysis of the electrical signals of the heart obtained by a transformation of the voltage versus time format by a series of integrations. The stress thallium perfusion study is a widely used test for the detection of coronary artery disease. In order to evaluate the correlation between the resting cardiointegram and the stress thallium 201 perfusion study, 20 patients with normal resting electrocardiograms underwent stress thallium tests and resting cardiointegrams. The cardiointegram was determined on two resting complexes of leads I, II, V4, V5, and V6 and called abnormal if five of ten complexes deviated outside a normalized template. There was concordance of the cardiointegram and the thallium study in 16 of 20 patients (80%). The sensitivity for the detection of coronary artery disease was 71%, and the specificity was 80%. The overall accuracy was 74%. Thus in patients with normal electrocardiograms, the cardiointegram is a useful noninvasive test for the detection of coronary artery disease.
Protective Role of Alginic Acid Against Metal Uptake by American Oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

Little is known about how colloidal macromolecular organic matter (COM) modifies the bioavailability of toxic metals to aquatic organisms. In order to understand the physical and chemical properties of COM on the bioavailability of some metals to estuarine bivalves used as biomonitors, American oysters (Crassostrea virginica) were exposed to natural COMs and model acid polysaccharides (APS, alginic acid (AA), kappa carrageenan (CAR), and latex particles), and natural colloidal organic carbon (COC), tagged with either radioactive Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Hg or Zn, or 14 C-labelled sugar OH groups. Filter-feeding oysters efficiently removed latex particles 0.04 µm in diameter, with removal half-times of 2.5-5.5 h, equivalent to a filtration rate of approximately 3 L day −1 g −1 . Thus, AA protects against metal uptake by oysters, which is confirmed by metal dry-weight concentration factors (DCFs) similar to, or lower than, those for 14 C-labelled AA. However, metal-DCFs for CAR and COC were higher than for 14 C-labelled counterparts, suggesting that in these treatments, metal uptake was enhanced over that of carbon. The 14 C-labelled AA was taken up significantly more than other 14 C-labelled organics, suggesting different behavior in the digestive tract. Bioavailabilty of metals bound to organic nanoparticles with different nutritional and physiological properties is not fully understood, and will require further experiments.
Monte Carlo Simulation of Discrete Space Charge Effects in Photoelectron Emission Microscopy

Abstract: Interactions among discrete charges in the emission current of a photoelectron imaging system can limit its spatial resolution, significantly affecting the performance and design of emission microscopes employing high current densities. Under intense laser illumination a sample can emit photocurrent densities exceeding tens of amperes/cm2. This study describes Monte Carlo estimations of electron trajectory aberrations produced by discrete electron space charge interactions in a photoelectron emission microscope. The results also apply to photoelectron sources that might be used in other kinds of devices. A model of the emission process was used to assemble bunches of about 500 randomly positioned electrons whose individual trajectories were computed. Trajectory distortions of one member in each bunch that were due to the coulomb forces exerted by its neighbors were used to evaluate aberrations for a variety of voltages, current densities, and instrument configurations. Aberrations estimated in this way are smaller than those predicted by earlier theory or obtained in pulsed imaging experiments. Here we discuss the reasons for these differences, offer suggestions for improved instruments, and present experimental images.
Immunomodulation in Dermatology

B cell-targeting therapies. T cell-targeting therapies. Anti-TNF therapies. Other pathways.
A Review of “The Korean War at Sixty: New Approaches to the Study of the Korean War”

There are many U.S. conflicts that are more obscure in the American national memory than the Korea War; for instance, the Second Seminole War and the Philippine-American War both were very contenti...
Late-season activity of pteromalid (Hymenoptera) parasites of filth flies (Diptera: Muscidae) in eastern Nebraska.

The study was initiated during September 1984 to determine late-season hostseeking activity of native filth fly parasites on livestock confinements in eastern Nebraska, and to measure late-season and overwintering survival of two introduced pteromalid species. Parasitism in introduced house fly pupae in 10 sites declined from about 50% in September until no parasitism was observed in pupae exposed during mid-November. Of the five species of pteromalid wasps recovered, Muscidifurax zaraptor Kogan and Legner accounted for ca. 75% of the parasite guild throughout the sampling period. Two species, Spalangia endius Walker and Sphegigaster sp., commercially sold for fly control in feedlots and dairies, were released six times at four sites each beween 4 October and 15 November. Emergence of S. endius generally decreased as temperatures decreased; however, emergence of Sphegigaster sp. remained high throughout the release period. Further, S. endius failed to survive the winter in parasitized pupae in the field, but some Sphegigaster sp. survived the winter in five of six populations placed in the field.
Intimate Partner Violence and Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening: A Gynecologic Oncology Fellow Research Network Study.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study were to examine barriers to cervical cancer screening among women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and accessed domestic violence shelters, to compare barriers among those up-to-date (UTD) and not UTD on screening, and to evaluate acceptability of human papillomavirus self-sampling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional survey in which domestic violence shelters in Ohio were identified and women completed an anonymous survey assessing UTD screening status, barriers related to screening, history of IPV, intention to follow up on abnormal screening, and acceptability of self-sampling. Characteristics of UTD and not UTD women were compared using Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: A total of 142 women from 11 shelters completed the survey. Twenty-three percent of women were not UTD. Women who were not UTD reported more access-related barriers (mean = 2.2 vs 1.8; p =.006). There was no difference in reported IPV-related barriers between women who were not UTD and those who are UTD (mean = 2.51 in not UTD vs 2.24 in UTD; p =.13). Regarding future screening, of the women who expressed a preference, more women not UTD preferred self-sampling than UTD women (32% vs 14%; p =.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, access-related barriers were more commonly reported among women not UTD with screening. Addressing these barriers at domestic violence shelters may improve screening among not UTD women. Self-sampling may also be one feasible approach to support screening in this population. Language: en