cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lipoproteins and lipids in cow and human aqueous humor

The aqueous humor of the cow and human was examined for the presence of lipids and lipoproteins. Whole aqueous humor collected from cow eyes within 30 min after slaughter contained about 1 micrograms/ml of cholesterol and phospholipid. Upon fractionation of bovine aqueous into various density ranges following sequential ultracentrifugations , about 99% of the total cholesterol was recovered at a density of greater than 1.063. Apolipoprotein A-I, the major apolipoprotein of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), was the major protein seen upon electrophoresis of the 1.063-1.21 fraction. Particles of about 80 A mean diameter were observed by electron microscopy in the 1.063-1.21 fraction. Using rocket immunoelectrophoresis, a concentration of about 2 micrograms/ml of apolipoprotein A-I was measured in cow aqueous humor and slightly less in aqueous humor from the adult human collected post-mortem (1-36 h). In conclusion, aqueous humor of cow and man appears to contain about 4 micrograms/ml of HDL and it is likely the sole lipoprotein in this fluid. The potential importance of this lipoprotein in supplying lipids to the lens is discussed.
Hyperlipidemia in Children with Chronic Renal Insufficiency

Summary: Total serum cholesterol, phospholipids, and triglyceride levels, lipoprotein fractionation, and plasma parathormone levels were measured in a group of 31 nonnephrotic children with various levels of renal function and on hemodialysis. Group A served as controls and consisted of eight healthy children with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) greater than 110 ml/min/1.73 m2. Group B consisted of six children with GFR of 60 to 95 ml/min/1.73 m2. Group C consisted of nine children with GFR of 10 to 40 ml/min/1.73 m2, and group D consisted of eight children on maintenance hemodialysis with GFR of 0 to 5 ml/min/1.73 m2. Among the groups, there were no significant differences in total serum cholesterol and phospholipid levels. A significant (P > 0.05) increase in triglyceride levels was observed in patient groups C and D. Lipoprotein fractionation revealed a significant increase (P > 0.05) in the pre-beta lipoprotein levels (very low density lipoproteins) in patients in group D with 63% of these patients demonstrating a type IV lipoprotein pattern. There were no significant differences observed in the beta lipoproteins (low-density lipoproteins). However, the alpha lipoproteins (high-density lipoproteins) decreased significantly (P > 0.05) in patients whose GFR was below 40 ml/min/1.73 m2 (group C) as well as patients in group D. Absolute plasma parathormone levels did not significantly correlate with serum triglyceride levels and remained normal until after the onset of hemodialysis when they increased significantly in all patients. Speculation: Evidence has been accumulating over the past few years that chronic hemodialysis and renal transplant adult patients have shortened survival because of accelerated atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease for which hyperlipidemia could be one of several etiologic factors. Similar epidemiologic studies have not been performed in children. We have demonstrated for the first time in children that alterations in serum triglycerides and alpha lipoproteins (high-density lipoproteins) occur early in chronic renal insufficiency and before the onset of uremia when the glomerular filtration rate falls below 40 ml/min/1.73 m2. These lipid abnormalities become further aggravated with the onset of hemodialysis. If pediatric renal transplant patients show similar lipid abnormalities, then the potential for cardiovascular complications will be of importance in the early medical management of these children.
What is the Best Measure of Psychological Reactance? An Empirical Test of Two Measures

This study examines two measures of psychological reactance. In search of identifying the best measure, each is compared vis-a-vis the other with respect to reliability and validity by placing each in a nomothetic network with a freedom threat, attitude, motivation, and source appraisal. The results are discussed with an emphasis on future practices regarding the best approach to measure psychological reactance.
Cl− channels in basolateral renal medullary vesicles VIII. Partial purification and functional reconstitution of basolateral mTAL Cl− channels

Cl − channels in basolateral renal medullary vesicles VIII. Partial purification and functional reconstitution of basolateral mTAL Cl − channels. Cl − channels fused from basolateral mTAL membranes into planar bilayers have distinctive functional characteristics which, when taken together, are unique among Cl − channels. The properties of these 50 to 60pS channels can account for the characteristics of basolateral Cl − conductances in microperfused mTAL segments and thus may mediate net basolateral Cl − absorption in the intact mTAL. In the present studies, we solubilized basolateral membranes from rabbit mTAL. Since basolateral mTAL Cl − channels contain arginine- and lysine-rich domains, we exposed these solubilized membranes to sequential cation- and anion-exchange chromatography. The bound and unbound eluates from cation- and anion-exchange chromatography were reconstituted into proteoliposomes which, when fused into bilayers, yielded Cl − channels whose properties were virtually identical to those described above for native basolateral mTAL channels fused into bilayers. As judged by valinomycin-sensitive conductive 36 Cl − uptake, proteoliposomes reconstituted from the unbound eluates after anion-exchange chromatography were enriched at least 30-fold in Cl − channel activity and had about 30% of the total Cl − channel activity solubilized in native vesicles.
Survival of Adult Asian Citrus Psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), on Harvested Citrus Fruit and Leaves

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Ku wayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), is an important citrus pest primarily because it vectors bacteria putatively responsible for huanglongbing disease, one of the most serious diseases of citrus world wide (Halbert & Manjunath 2004). Both the psyl lid and pathogen have been introduced into Flor ida (Bove 2006). The psyllid has spread to other citrus production areas in the USA including Texas (French et al. 2001), where huanglongbing has not been observed although the psyllid is widespread. Pertinent to this report is that the psyllid has been found in California a number of times since 2008 (Halbert et al. 2010) and once in Arizona in backyard citrus trees near Yuma dur ing 2009 (Bech 2009). Permanent establishment of the psyllid has apparently occurred in Califor nia but only in the Los Angeles area, and estab lishment has not yet occurred in Arizona. Pre venting establishment of the psyllid in an area being invaded may be achieved through concerted eradication efforts in conjunction with the estab lishment of large quarantine areas to assist in preventing the spread of the psyllid with har vested fruit trucked to areas where the psyllid has not been found. In fact, adult psyllids have been found with fruit transported after harvest (Halbert et al. 2010). However, no information was available regarding psyllid survival on har vested fruit, which could be valuable in determin ing if or when fruit from an infested grove might safely be moved after harvest. Because leaves sometimes contaminate bins of fruit during har vest, information on the survival of psyllids on leaves could also be valuable in determining when harvested fruit might be moved. We there fore conducted 2 experiments on survival of adult psyllids on harvested fruit and leaves. In 1 survival experiment, psyllids were con fined to the following: detached mature leaves, detached stems with mature leaves, or detached stems without leaves from 4 citrus cultivars
Dictionaries for kids; Or why Charlie Brown's Snoopy about words

Picture if you can: a word And if you can, you have the beginnings of a children's dictionary. Take a child, or better yet have one of your own, shake him in a bag filled with picture‐words, and the most pleasing combinations are likely to occur. The point of this illustration, and all word illustrations for that matter, is the potential they possess in the hands of a child for unlimited possibilities, creative growth, and excitement about language.
Requirements for a high-power target test facility

Future advances in several research areas are being based around accelerator facilities that employ targets for generating neutrons, neutrinos or rare isotopes. The demand for higher neutron intensities and particle or isotope production is driving facilities to higher accelerator powers and more intense beams on targets. The challenges to target development are significant for accepting higher power levels while maintaining reasonable lifetimes. In the case of short-pulse liquid metal spallation targets the most significant issue is cavitation damage erosion. Although research and development is underway, long-term progress is hampered by lack of a test facility that provides prototypic beam in a flexible testing and analysis environment. The requirements of such a facility are significant, but it was recognized by some in the spallation neutron source community that many of its features would be useful for the development of targets in other research areas. This paper outlines the requirements of a desired facility that serves not only the spallation source community, but also those of other research areas. The scope of requirements includes beam parameters, test cell infrastructure, remote handling, post-irradiation examination and waste handling. Discussion and consensus between the potential users is hoped to lead to collaboration towards making the facility a reality.
Examining Metabolic Syndrome Definitions in Overweight Hispanic Youth: A Focus on Insulin Resistance

Objective To examine the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in overweight Hispanic youth according to three published pediatric definitions. Furthermore, the relationship of each definition to directly measured insulin resistance was examined.
Antipathetic magnesium—manganese relationship in basal metalliferous sediments

Abstract Basal metalliferous sediments from sites 77B, 80 and 81 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project represent mixtures of pelagic clay, biogenic ooze, and a metalliferous component of hydrothermal origin. The metalliferous end-member of the sediments displays a strong inverse relationship (r = −0.88) between Mg and Mn. Mg is most likely tied up in an X-ray amorphous Mg-silicate (“sepiolite”), whereas Mn occurs almost exclusively in an oxide phase. Precipitation of the Mg-rich phase is favored by high flow rates and limited mixing of the hydrothermal end-member (source of silica) with seawater (source of Mg). Under those conditions much of the hydrothermal Mn2+, with its slow oxidation kinetics, may escape to the free water column. In contrast, in highly-diluted hydrothermal fluids, which provide a source solution for Mn-rich sediments, dissolved silica is diluted below saturation with respect to “sepiolite”. The separation of the Mn and Mg phases may be further compounded by hydraulic fractionation.
Surface modification of spectra™-900 polyethylene fibers using RF-plasma

RF-plasma polymerization and bonding of allylamine onto ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) “Spectra™-900” is described using an inductively coupled plasma reactor. This process was found to enhance the interfacial strength between the fibers (Spectra-900) and room-temperature-cured epoxy matrix up to fivefold. Fibers covalently coated with allylamine plasma showed no loss in tensile strength, while argon gas plasma pretreatment of the same fibers caused up to 10% reduction in tensile strength depending on the energy and duration of the treatment. Optimum treatment was attained through a short argon plasma etching (15 s), followed by allylamine polymerization and coating for 3 min. The coating process was found to protect the fiber surface from etching by plasma ion bombardment. A loss of 19% of the original diameter was found during the 15 s precoating etching with argon plasma, indicating the sensitivity of the fiber structure to plasma etching.
The exocyclic 1,N2-deoxyguanosine pyrimidopurinone M1G is a chemically stable DNA adduct when placed opposite a two-base deletion in the (CpG)3 frameshift hotspot of the Salmonella typhimurium hisD3052 gene.

The pyrimidopurinone adduct M 1 G [3-(2'-deoxy-β-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)pyrimido[1,2-a]-purin-10(3H)-one], formed in DNA upon exposure to malondialdehyde or base propenals, was incorporated into 5'-d(ATCGCMCGGCATG)-3'.5'-d(CATGCCGCGAT)-3', where M = M 1 G. This duplex contained a two-nucleotide bulge in the modified strand, and was named the M 1 G-2BD oligodeoxynucleotide. It provided a model for -2 bp strand slippage deletions associated with the (CpG) 3 -iterated repeat hotspot for frameshift mutations from the Salmonella typhimurium hisD3052 gene. M 1 G was chemically stable in the M 1 G-2BD duplex at neutral pH. The two-base bulge in the M 1 G-2BD oligodeoxynucleotide was localized and consisted of M 1 G and the 3'-neighbor deoxycytosine. The intrahelical orientation of M 1 G was established from a combination of NOE and chemical shift data. M 1 G was in the anti conformation about the glycosyl bond. The 3'-neighbor deoxycytosine appeared to be extruded toward the major groove. In contrast, when M 1 G was placed into the corresponding fully complementary (CpG) 3 -iterated repeat duplex at neutral pH, spontaneous and quantitative ring-opening to N 2 -(3-oxo-1-propenyl)-dG (the OPG adduct) was facilitated [Mao, H., Reddy, G. R., Marnett, L. J., and Stone, M. P. (1999) Biochemistry 38, 13491-13501 ]. The structure of the M 1 G-2BD duplex suggested that the bulged sequence lacked a cytosine amino group properly positioned to facilitate opening of M 1 G and supports the notion that proper positioning of deoxycytosine complementary to M 1 G is necessary to promote ring-opening of the exocyclic adduct in duplex DNA. The structure of the M 1 G-2BD duplex was similar to that of the structural analogue 1,N 2 -propanodeoxyguanosine (PdG) in the corresponding PdG-2BD duplex [Weisenseel, J. P., Moe, J. G., Reddy, G. R., Marnett, L. J., and Stone, M. P. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 50-64]. The fixed position of the bulged bases in both instances suggests that these exocyclic adducts do not facilitate transient bulge migration.
Green's function for general disk-crack problems

Abstract The two-dimensional elasticity problem of a circular disk with an embedded edge dislocation is considered. Using Muskbelishvili's complex variable method and reducing the case under consideration to a Hilbert problem, closed-form solutions are obtained. The dislocation solution may be used as a Green's function to tackle general disk-crack cases. As an example, a disk containing a slant crack subjected to point loads is studied, numerical procedures for calculating the stress intensity factors for both internal and edge cracks are presented.
Finite Element Modeling of Spot Welding for Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS)

Weldability is a critical enabler for application of new grades of steel, which have found widespread applications in the auto industry to meet new safety regulations and reduce weight of vehicles. There are a wide variety of these grades of steel which are being used across the industry. Even within a OEM the number of material and gauge combinations becomes quite large. This requires a considerable amount of testing to prove out welding feasibility of these steels. This paper discusses the use of a finite element method (FEM) to model spot welding of DP600 and correlates the results with experiments. Improved accuracy and confidence in these tools can provide a way to better understand the physics of the process and improve the weldability of these steels in a cost effective manner.Copyright © 2007 by Ford Motor Company
Infrared missile domes: is there a figure of merit for thermal shock?

It is the purpose of this paper to demonstrate that the concept of a 'universal' figure of merit for thermal shock has no merit since the ability of an IR dome to survive transient thermal stresses depends not only on intrinsic material properties but also on the thermal environment as characterized by the Biot number (Bi). For this reason, the thickness of the dome plays an essential role because it may have an impact on the heat-flow regime (thermally thick or thermally thin) and, therefore, on peak thermal stresses. Furthermore, in a thermally thin regime (Bi < 1), the resistance to thermal shock will be enhanced by making the dome as thin as possible, that is, as determined by structural requirements, which are not reflected in the derivation of the Hasselman parameters. The procedure outlined in this paper provides a direct measure of the thermal shock resistance (TSR) in the sense that it yields the 'ultimate' thermal shock temperature, i.e., the allowable recovery temperature rise above the wall temperature at the onset of the shock.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Risk of fatal arrhythmic events in long QT syndrome patients after syncope.

Objectives The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for fatal arrhythmias in long QT syndrome (LQTS) patients presenting with syncope. Background Syncope is highly predictive for future fatal arrhythmias in the LQTS. However, there are no data regarding risk stratification and management strategies in the high-risk subset of LQTS patients presenting with syncope. Methods A total of 1,059 LQTS patients with a corrected QT interval ≥450 ms presenting with syncope as a first symptom were drawn from the International LQTS Registry. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify risk factors for a severe arrhythmic events comprising aborted cardiac arrest, appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy, and sudden cardiac death. Results The lowest risk was found in patients with only 1 syncopal episode occurring before the start of beta-blocker therapy. In contrast, patients experiencing syncope after starting beta-blocker therapy had a 3.6-fold increase in the risk of severe arrhythmic events (p Conclusions Patients with syncope during beta-blocker therapy are at high risk of life-threatening events, and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy should be considered in these patients. The risk of beta-blocker failure is highest in young children and in women.
Two mechanisms for poststimulus hyper-polarisations in cultured mammalian neurones

LONG lasting hyperpolarising responses following high frequency spike discharges in neurones from several sub-mammalian species have been attributed to either electrogenic ion transport1,2 or to a long lasting increase in K+ conductance3,4. These prolonged hyperpolarising responses of whatever mechanism result in alterations of neuronal behaviour which may have important functional consequences for the integrative activity of the central nervous system (CNS). Similar potentials have been reported in studies on the intact mammalian CNS5–7, but the complexity of these preparations has prevented a thorough analysis. Such phenomena can be studied using intracellular recording techniques in dissociated cell cultures of mammalian neural tissue, and here we demonstrate post-stimulus hyperpolarising responses in cultured spinal neurones and suggest the underlying mechanisms.
Comments on Bette Furn's “adjustment and the near-death experience”

The author of the article critiques Bette Furn's paper in an effort to provide better strategies for helping people that have had near-death experiences (NDEs), and presents an alternative perspective from someone who has experienced an NDE.
Bonding of human meniscal and articular cartilage with photoactive 1,8-naphthalimide dyes

This study focused on meniscal cartilage repair by using the laser-activated photoactive 1,8- naphthalimide dye N,N'-bis-{6-[2-(2-(2- aminoethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxyethyl]amino-1H-benz (de)isoquinolin-1,3(2H)-dion-2- yl}-1,11-diamino-3,6,9-trioxaundecane. Harvested cadaveric human menisci were debrided and carved into strips 1 mm thick, 10 mm long, and 3 mm wide. Each strip was divided into two flaps, the surface painted with photoactive dye, the painted surfaces overlapped, the sample wrapped in Saran film, and the composite sandwiched between two glass slides at a pressure of approximately 3 kg/cm2. The sample then was transilluminated by argon ion laser light of 457.9-nm wavelength at a power density of 200 mW/cm2 with exposure times up to 5 h (3902 J/cm2 energy density). Essentially, the same procedures were performed for human femoral articular cartilage samples. Control experiments were conducted with laser irradiation alone and with dye alone. All the specimens were stored in isotonic saline solution for 2 h after irradiation to ensure hydration. The bond shear-strength was then tested and samples prepared for optical and electron transmission microscopy. Shear strength values of up to 1.8 kg/cm2 for meniscal tissues and 1.2 kg/cm2 for articular cartilaginous tissues were obtained for exposures of 3902 J/cm2. Shear strength values of approximately 0.9 kg/cm2 and 0.4 kg/cm2, respectively, for meniscus and cartilage were obtained with 459 J/cm2 exposure. Dye- and light-only controls exhibited 0 kg/cm2 shear strength values. Microscopy revealed close contact at the bonded surface in the laser-activated, dye-treated-specimens. This study shows that the laser-activated photoactive dyes have the capability of athermally bonding the meniscal and articular cartilage surfaces.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Economic Aspects of Drug Delivery in Asthma

The need for cost-effective asthma therapy is driven by the high prevalence of asthma as well as the high cost of both medical care and lost productivity through illness. Limited healthcare resources demand proven therapies that maintain sustained disease control. Optimal disease control is the essence of cost effectiveness, but this in turn is dependent on correct drug selection and appropriate drug delivery. Successful treatment depends on delivery of medication to the site of action in the airways. Although there is a substantial number of aerosol delivery systems available, there is considerable confusion as to the most suitable method in different clinical settings, and across different age groups. Optimal drug delivery can be achieved without adding substantially to the overall cost of therapy. Both drugs and delivery systems need to be individualised to the needs of the patients. The early introduction of oral corticosteroids for acute exacerbations has resulted in reduced hospitalisation and shortened illness, providing substantial cost savings. A reduction in the reliance on nebuliser therapy in both the acute and chronic setting will further optimise therapy and reduce costs. We have reviewed the current literature to determine the most cost-effective methods of drug delivery in asthma.
Sequential reduction of nitrate and nitrous oxide under field conditions as brought about by organic amendments and irrigation management

Abstract The effect of organic amendments and irrigation management in the field were studied with respect to E h , NO 3 − , and soluble organic C concentrations in the soil solution, and gaseous concentrations of N 2 O, CO 2 , and the ratio N 2 to O 2 . Duplicate plots were treated with fresh bovine manure as follows: control 45t·ha −1 , 180 t·ha −1 with a standard irrigation cycle (SI), and 180 t·ha −1 with a double irrigation (DI). Samples to 230cm were obtained at several depths in each profile during the 84-day study. The general order for treatment effects upon CO 2 concentrations and soluble C was the same: SI > DI > 45 t·ha −1 > control. The order for N 2 /O 2 was 180 t·ha −1 (SI and DI) > 45 t·ha −1 and control. The order for both N 2 O and NO −1 was the same: 45 t.ha −1 and DI > SI and control. The most important factor affecting N 2 O concentrations was the NO 3 − concentration; soil solution concentrations greater than 16 μN·ml −1 had much higher frequencies of high N 2 O concentrations. The sequential reduction of NO −1 3 → N 2 O → N 2 was noted in all treatments by the following observations: (i) the concentrations of both NO − 3 and N 2 O were highest at the beginning of the experiment; (ii) the concentrations of CO 2 and N 2 /O 2 were higher near the end: (iii) sub-ambient concentrations of N 2 O were more frequent near the end of the study. Use of N 2 O as an indicator of denitrification is cautioned since one of the highest manured treatments (SI) had N 2 O concentrations no different than the control, but had much higher CO 2 and N 2 /O 2 concentrations and more reduced ( E h ) conditions. We conclude that use of a single irrigation method is far superior to the double irrigation method with respect to reducing losses of NO 3 − and N 2 O and for conserving organic N arid water.
Hybrid T-Helper Cells: Stabilizing the Moderate Center in a Polarized System

Polarization of cell phenotypes, a common strategy to achieve cell type diversity in metazoa, results from binary cell-fate decisions in the branching pedigree of development. Such “either-or” fate decisions are controlled by two opposing cell fate-determining transcription factors. Each of the two distinct “master regulators” promotes differentiation of its respective sister lineage. But they also suppress one other, leading to their mutually exclusive expression in the two ensuing lineages. Thus, promiscuous coexistence of the antagonist regulators in the same cell, the hallmark of the common “undecided” progenitor of two sister lineages, is considered unstable. This antagonism ensures robust polarization into two discretely distinct cell types. But now the immune system's T-helper (Th) cells and their two canonical subtypes, Th1 and Th2 cells, tell a different story, as revealed in three papers recently published in PLOS Biology. The intermediate state that co-expresses the two opposing master regulators of the Th1 and Th2 subtypes, T-bet and Gata3, is highly stable and is not necessarily an undecided precursor. Instead, the Th1/Th2 hybrid cell is a robust new type with properties of both Th1 and Th2 cells. These hybrid cells are functionally active and possess the benefit of moderation: self-limitation of effector T cell function to prevent excessive inflammation, a permanent risk in host defense that can cause tissue damage or autoimmunity. Gene regulatory network analysis suggests that stabilization of the intermediate center in a polarizing system can be achieved by minor tweaking of the architecture of the mutual suppression gene circuit, and thus is a design option readily available to evolution.
Delphi Forecasts of Land Use: Transportation Interactions

The Delphi method is used to predict the impacts of three alternative transportation programs in San Jose, California. Variables projected concern both land use (e.g., number of single-family housing units) and choice of transit mode. Forecasts are made for 1990 and 2000 for four spatial zones within San Jose. Delphi panelists are individuals familiar with land use and transportation issues in the San Jose area. A preliminary questionnaire survey is used to set general economic conditions and land use policies that serve as a context for specific forecasts of land use-transportation interactions. Strengths and weaknesses of the Delphi method in forecasting land use are assessed.
Host Cell Factor-1 Recruitment to E2F-bound and Cell Cycle Control Genes is Mediated by THAP11 and ZNF143

Host cell factor-1 (HCF-1) is a metazoan transcriptional coregulator essential for cell-cycle progression and cell proliferation. Current models suggest a mechanism whereby HCF-1 functions as a direct coregulator of E2F proteins, facilitating the expression of genes necessary for cell proliferation. In this report, we show that HCF-1 recruitment to numerous E2F-bound promoters is mediated by the concerted action of zinc finger transcription factors THAP11 and ZNF143, rather than E2F proteins directly. THAP11, ZNF143, and HCF-1 form a mutually dependent complex on chromatin, which is independent of E2F occupancy. Disruption of the THAP11/ZNF143/HCF-1 complex results in altered expression of cell-cycle control genes and leads to reduced cell proliferation, cell-cycle progression, and cell viability. These data establish a model in which a THAP11/ZNF143/HCF-1 complex is a critical component of the transcriptional regulatory network governing cell proliferation.
Resource aggregation for fault tolerance in integrated services networks

For several real-time applications it is critical that the failure of a network component does not lead to unexpected termination or long disruption of service. In this paper, we propose a scheme called RAFT (Resource Aggregation for Fault Tolerance) that guarantees recovery in a timely and resource-efficient manner. RAFT is presented in the framework of the Reliable Back-bone (RBone), a virtual network layered on top of an integrated services network. Applications can request fault tolerance against RBone link and node failures. The basic idea of RAFT is to setup every fault tolerant flow along a secondary path that serves as a backup in case the primary path fails. The secondary path resource reservations are aggregated whenever possible to reduce the overhead of providing fault tolerance. We show that the RSVP resource reservation protocol can support RAFT with simple extensions.
Combating Child Exploitation Online: Predictors of Successful ICAC Task Forces

According to Osuagwu et al. (2010), there are currently 657 million people online. Unfortunately, many of these Internet users are not utilizing this efficient and easy technology in a legal way. The Internet has become a medium for child exploitation for hundreds of thousands of offenders internationally. Federal law enforcement in the United States has begun fighting back in a variety of ways, including specialized task forces that focus on the investigation and prosecution of Internet crimes against children, such as the Internet Crimes against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program. The ICAC was designed to help federal, state, and local law enforcement develop initiatives and programmes to reduce instances of crimes against children. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the literature by examining the potential factors that affect the productivity of these task forces. Language: en
The Anatomical Biological Value on Pretreatment (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography Predicts Response and Survival in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer.

18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has become increasingly relevant in the staging of head and neck cancers, but its prognostic value is controversial. The objective of this study was to evaluate different PET/CT parameters for their ability to predict response to therapy and survival in patients treated for head and neck cancer. A total of 28 consecutive patients with a variety of newly diagnosed head and neck cancers underwent PET/CT scanning at our institution before initiating definitive radiation therapy. All underwent a posttreatment PET/CT to gauge tumor response. Pretreatment PET/CT parameters calculated include the standardized uptake value (SUV) and the anatomical biological value (ABV), which is the product of SUV and greatest tumor diameter. Maximum and mean values were studied for both SUV and ABV, and correlated with response rate and survival. The mean pretreatment tumor ABV max decreased from 35.5 to 7.9 (P = 0.0001). Of the parameters tested, only pretreatment ABV max was significantly different among those patients with a complete response (CR) and incomplete response (22.8 vs. 65, respectively, P = 0.021). This difference was maximized at a cut-off ABV max of 30 and those patients with ABV max < 30 were significantly more likely to have a CR compared to those with ABV max of ≥ 30 (93.8% vs. 50%, respectively, P = 0.023). The 5-year overall survival was 80% compared to 36%, respectively, (P = 0.028). Multivariate analysis confirmed that ABV max was an independent prognostic factor. Our data supports the use of PET/CT, and specifically ABV max , as a prognostic factor in head and neck cancer. Patients who have an ABV max ≥ 30 were more likely to have a poor outcome with chemoradiation alone, and a more aggressive trimodality approach may be indicated in these patients.
A ZVS Bi-Directional DC&#8211;DC Converter for Multiple Energy Storage Elements

This letter presents a high-power-density multi-input dc-dc converter interfaced with energy storage elements such as a battery and an ultracapacitor. The converter consists of three half-bridges and a high-frequency multi-winding transformer. Bi-directional power flow between input and output is achieved by adjusting the phase-shift angles of the voltages across the two sides of the transformer. Soft-switching is implemented naturally by snubber capacitors and transformer leakage inductance. Operation principles are analyzed in detail. Simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the performance of the proposed converter
When You Have a Hammer

Race statistics and race policy have been intertwined in American history since its founding, starting with the infamous three-fifths clause, continuing with policies based on nineteenth-century race science, the restrictionist immigration at the turn of the century, the Jim Crow regime, and carrying into the civil rights era through such policy concepts as institutional racism, statistical proportionality, disparate impact, and affirmative action. Across this history, the policies and the statistics were about “race,” whether they punished or benefited, were racist or antiracist. But can there be policy that misuses race statistics, that is presented as about race when it should not be? Race statistics are a powerful policy hammer in American history, but not everything is, in fact, a nail. Today the census undercount is argued over as if it is about race; it isn't really. Posing far greater danger, census race categories have worked their way into genomic medicine. The nineteenth-century belief that “race is biological” lingers in the American mind. The use of census categories in genomic medicine risks re-biologizing race. Maybe we should not leave the hammer lying around.
Tropospheric rivers: A one‐year record and a possible application to ice core data

The morphology of tropospheric rivers has been examined for the period June 1991–May 1992 from atmospheric specific humidity and wind velocity data. Vertically integrated water vapor flux vectors are subjected to harmonic analysis and the high frequency components (periods less than 3 days) show large amplitude values in the North Atlantic, North Pacific, South Atlantic, South Indian Ocean and South Pacific plus small amplitude occurrences in the Red Sea-Arabian Sea region in the December–February season. In June–August the latter is replaced with a large amplitude monsoon-related region over South-East Asia. Maximum intensities increase slightly in altitude with latitude. The correspondence between rivers, frontal boundaries and storm tracks is noted. Sometimes rivers originating over the North Pacific cross North America and reach Greenland while at other times they pass polewards over the North Atlantic, raising the possibility that water vapor involved in ice core formation may have evaporated from surface water bodies with different temperature and salinity characteristics. Changes in oxygen isotope variations at a point may therefore reflect changes in the dynamics of tropospheric rivers in addition to local temperature changes.
The calculation of signal stable ranges in combinational circuits

The estimation of signal stable ranges in a combinational circuit is an important issue for determining clock time in a synchronous system. An optimal clocking period time highly depends on the accuracy of the shortest path length as well as the longest path length in a combinational circuit. In this paper, a sensitization criterion for the short path is first proposed. Based on this sensitization criterion, an accurate model for calculation of signal stable range can be created. This will allow the output stable range of a gate to be the union of its inputs when the input leads hold a controlling value, rather than to be always the intersection. Then, an LS-algorithm for calculation of signal stable ranges is presented in which both the sensitizable shortest path and the sensitizable longest path are considered. It avoids the exhaustive search by tracing the path sensitization and eliminates some conservative restriction to get more accurate results in a more efficient way, compared to the previous approaches. The speedup and the improved accuracy of the proposed LS-algorithm showed promising experimental results. >
The influence of debris flows on channels and valley floors in the Oregon Coast Range, U.S.A.

Debris flows are one of the most important processes which influence the morphology of channels and valley floors in the Oregon Coast Range. Debris flows that initiate in bedrock hollows at heads of first-order basins erode the long-accumulated sediment and organic debris from the floors of headwater, first- and second-order channels. This material is deposited on valley floors in the form of fans, levees, and terraces. In channels, deposits of debris flows control the distribution of boulders. The stochastic nature of sediment supply to alluvial channels by debris flows promotes cycling between channel aggradation which results in a gravel-bed morphology, and channel degradation which results in a mixed bedrock- and boulder-bed morphology. Temporal and spatial variability of channel-bed morphology is expected in other landscapes where debris flows are an important process.
The Current Role of Endocrine Therapy in Locally Advanced Breast Cancer to Improve Breast Conservation Rates

The use of neoadjuvant therapy is well established in the treatment of the breast cancer, and neoadjuvant endocrine therapy is emerging as a safe and an effective alternative to chemotherapy in selected patients with a hormone receptor–positive locally advanced breast cancer without compromising survival rates. Neoadjuvant endocrine therapy increases the rate of breast conservative surgery in women initially requiring mastectomy, and the latest generation of endocrine therapy, the aromatase inhibitors, has been proved to be superior to tamoxifen. Biomarkers such as Ki67, estrogen receptor, and the PEPI index can be used to select and monitor patients if neoadjuvant endocrine therapy is considered. Biomarkers can give predictive information in weeks, and alternative treatment can be considered before or after surgical resection. The benefits of the neoadjuvant approach are not only tumor size reduction to improve surgical approach, but also to better understand the impact of the treatment on the tumor and treatment resistance due to tumor heterogeneity.
Dissecting Aortic Aneurysm in Hamsters Treated with Cortisone Acetate

SummaryMassive thoracic or abdominal hemorrhage has been found in 51 of 77 hamsters treated for 26 to 162 days with cortisone acetate. All of these animals bore implants of human fetal tissue. Histological sections of 26 of these animals demonstrated dissecting aortic aneurysm in 23 and necrotizing arteritis in 3 animals. The aorta of the other 25 animals with gross hemorrhage was not examined histologically. Six non-transplant-bearing hamsters treated with cortisone died with microscopically proved dissecting aortic aneurysm.
Uplink Power Control in LTE - Overview and Performance, Subtitle: Principles and Benefits of Utilizing rather than Compensating for SINR Variations

Uplink power control is a key radio resource management function. It is typically used to maximize the power of the desired received signals while limiting the generated interference. This paper presents the 3GPP long term evolution (LTE) power control mechanism, and compares its performance to two reference mechanisms. The LTE power control mechanism constitutes of a closed loop component operating around an open loop point of operation. Specifically, the open loop component has a parameterized fractional path loss compensation factor, enabling a trade-off between cell edge bitrate and cell capacity. The closed-loop component can be limited to compensate for long-term variations, enabling fast channel quality variations to be utilized by scheduling and link adaptation. Simulation results indicate that the LTE power control mechanism is advantageous compared to reference mechanisms using full path loss compensation and SINR balancing. The fractional pathless compensation can improve the cell-edge bitrate and/or the capacity with up to 20% while at the same time battery life time is improved. The fast SINR balancing closed loop mechanism performs poorly at high load since it does not utilize the link adaptation and the full link performance capability in LTE.
The Transgenerational Consequences of Discrimination on African-American Health Outcomes

Disparities in African American health remain pervasive and persist transgenerationally. There is a growing consensus that both structural and interpersonal racial discrimination are key mechanisms affecting African American health. The Biopsychosocial Model of Racism as a Stressor posits that the persistent stress of experiencing discrimination take a physical toll on the health of African Americans and is ultimately manifested in the onset of illness. However, the degree to which the health consequences of racism and discrimination can be passed down from one generation to the next is an important avenue of exploration. In this review, we discuss and link literature across disciplines demonstrating the harmful impact of racism on African American physical health and the health of their offspring.
Serotherapy for Ebola: Back to the Future

Two American missionary workers infected with Ebola virus were administered a combination of preformed monoclonal antibodies previously demonstrated to work only in monkeys. This commentary discuss...
TO DENIGRATE, IGNORE, OR DISRUPT: Racial Inequality in Health and the Impact of a Policy-induced Breakdown of African American Communities

In this article we seek to show that prevailing ideological viewpoints on Black health misinterpret Black behavior, and that dominant racial ideologies themselves have negative health effects on African American communities. Second, we show that public policies and practices reflecting prevailing ideological viewpoints harm African American communities. Together, these ideologies and policies undermine Black health by adversely impacting the immune, metabolic, and cardiovascular systems, fueling the development or progression of infectious and chronic disease. Third, we argue that health reform pursued within the same prevailing ideological viewpoints that misinterpret Black health problems have limited effectiveness. We argue for culturally appropriate public policies that value African American social perspectives and coping mechanisms. We suggest that substantive health reform is best pursued through a democratic movement that challenges dominant ideological commitments.
Genotyping Encephalitozoon cuniculi by Multilocus Analyses of Genes with Repetitive Sequences

Encephalitozoon cuniculi infects a wide range of mammalian hosts. Three genotypes based on the number of GTTT repeats in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the rRNA have been described, of which genotypes I and III have been identified in humans. In this study, the genetic diversity of E. cuniculi was examined at the polar tube protein (PTP) and spore wall protein I (SWP-1) loci. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the PTP gene divided 11 E. cuniculi isolates into three genotypes in congruence with the result of analysis of the ITS of the rRNA gene. The three PTP genotypes differed from one another by the copy number of the 78-bp central repeat as well as point mutations. These E. cuniculi isolates also differed from one another in the number of 15- and 36-bp repeats in the SWP-1 gene. In addition, some E. cuniculi isolates had heterogeneous copies of the SWP-1 gene with various numbers of repeats. Intragenotypic variation was also observed at the SWP-1 locus. Based on the length polymorphism and sequence diversities of the PTP and SWP-1 genes, two simple PCR tests were developed to differentiate E. cuniculi in clinical samples. Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a common microsporidian parasite that infects various mammals, such as rabbits, rats, mice, horses, foxes, cats, dogs, muskrats, leopards, baboons, and humans (7, 13). Recent characterization of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the rRNA gene has identified three genotypes of E. cuniculi based on the number of GTTT repeats present: a genotype or strain I from rabbits containing three repeats, a genotype or strain II from mice containing two repeats, and a genotype or strain III from dogs containing four repeats (9). Thus far, both genotype or strain I and genotype or strain III genotypes of E. cuniculi have been found in humans, indicating that human E. cuniculi infection can be of zoonotic origin (6, 8, 18, 20, 21). The number of human E. cuniculi isolates characterized so far, however, is very small (13). Currently, genotyping of E. cuniculi involves mostly DNA sequencing of ITS, which is not practical in most diagnostic laboratories because of the technical demands and high cost. Thus, there is a need for the development of simpler genotyping tools that are more cost-effective and can be performed in most diagnostic laboratories. This will allow the genotyping of E. cuniculi in large numbers of laboratories and better characterization of the epidemiology of human E. cuniculi infection. Recently, genes coding for the polar tube protein (PTP) and spore wall protein I (SWP-1) of E. cuniculi were reported (2, 5). Because the gene has long central repeats of 78 bp in PTP and 15 and 36 bp in SWP-1 and the number of repeats in repetitive proteins tends to vary in other parasites such as Plasmodium spp., we examined the sequence diversity of PTP and SWP-1 genes among various isolates of E. cuniculi. This study has led to the development of two simple PCR-based molecular diagnostic tests.
A Design Model for Salient Permanent-Magnet Machines With Investigation of Saliency and Wide-Speed-Range Performance

An important differentiator between surface and internally mounted permanent-magnet machines is the effect of rotor saliency. To explore this, a computationally efficient salient permanent-magnet machine model is set forth. This model is used in a formal multiobjective machine design optimization. It is shown that rotor saliency has little effect on the minimization of machine mass, magnet volume, or loss in a wide-speed-range permanent-magnet synchronous machine application. This suggests that the nonsaliency of standard surface mount machines may not be a limitation in wide-constant-power speed range applications, provided that the machines are designed for flux weakening.