cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microprocessor-based reduction of gamma spectra: A fast method for deconvolution of overlapped peaks

Abstract A procedure for fitting multiplets is described. The algorithm can be coded entirely in integer arithmetic, and achieves mainframe speeds and accuracies on simple 16-bit microprocessors. For extremely overlapped doublets (separation less than 1 FWHM), peak height ratios are typically accurate to 1–4%, even when one peak is comparatively small.
Carbonate Adsorption Mechanism on Goethite Studied with ATR–FTIR, DRIFT, and Proton Coadsorption Measurements

The adsorption reaction of bicarbonate at the goethite-water interface was investigated by determining the speciation and coordination of adsorbed carbonate species using in situ attenuated total reflectance (ATR)-Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transformed (DRIFT) spectroscopies, and the proton coadsorption by pH-stat measurements. The spectra of the adsorbed carbonate species indicated monodentate inner-sphere surface complexes. Only the carbonate anion species was detected as the adsorbed species in the pH range of 4.8 to 7.0. The DRIFT spectra indicated the existence of additional protonated surface groups associated with adsorbed carbonate. The proton-to-bicarbonate coadsorption stoichiometry was 0.54:1 in 0.011 M NaCl and 0.86:1 at very low ionic strength. These proton stoichiometry values appear to be higher than stoichiometry that have been reported for other bivalent oxyanions. The adsorption reaction of carbonate and the concurrent proton adsorption reactions on goethite are proposed.
980-89 Lack of Evidence for Atrial Stunning After DC Shock in Patients in Normal Sinus Rhythm Undergoing ICD Insertion: A Study Using TEE

Transient left atrial (LA) dysfunction (“stunning”) and the appearance of spontaneous echo contrast (“smoke”) have been reported in patients undergoing DC cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. It has been suggested that cardioversion-induced LA dysfunction may promote new thrombus formation leading to thromboembolic complications in AF patients even in the absence of demonstrable LA thrombus prior to cardioversion. In order to confirm previous observations of LA stunning end to investigate the determina nts of this response, we investigated LA function in a series of patients undergoing implantable defibrillator insertion and testing. Eight patients (67 ± 6 yrs, 5 M/3 F) with ischemic heart disease (n = 6) or cardiomyopathy (n = 2) and VTNF were studied. All patients were in NSR, had significant impairment of systolic LV function, and demonstrated inducible VT or VF in the EP lab. Intraoperative transesophegeal echocardiography with a biplane or multiplane probe was used to image the LA, mitral valve and LA appendage (LAA). Blood flow velocities were measured at the tips of the MV leaflets and LAA orifice by pulsed-wave Doppler before and 30 to 120 seconds after DC shocks of 15–20 joules with transvenous intracardiac electrodes lin SVC and RV apex, n = 7) or epicardial patches (n = 1) while in sinus rhythm. Measurements from three different cardiac cycles were averaged for each patient. Baseline LAA orifice flow velocity was 44 ± 16 cm/s and remained unchanged after DC shock, 46 ± 20 cm/s (p = ns). Similarly, MV peak A-wave velocity was 70 ± 34 cm/s at baseline and was not significantly different after DC shock, 69 ± 42 cm/s (p = ns). No evidence of LA “smoke” was seen in any patient before or after the shock. Conclusion As opposed to previous reports after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation, DC shocks alone do not produce LA dysfunction in patients in NSR even in the presence of left venticular dysfunction. LA stunning after DC shocks may require prior atrial fibrillation or specific atrial substrate.
Neutron-capture cross sections for 186 Os and 187 Os and the age of the Universe

WE have measured the neutron-capture cross sections for 186Os and 187Os in the energy range up to 150 keV, corresponding to stellar temperatures up to ∼ 18×108 K. The knowledge of these cross sections enables us to calibrate the 187Re→187Os nuclear β-decay clock and thus to make a new radiogenic determination of the age of the Universe.
The Effects of Service Dogs on Social Acknowledgments of People in Wheelchairs

ABSTRACT Able-bodied people often exhibit behaviors that show them to be socially uncomfortable upon encountering a physically disabled stranger. These behaviors include less eye contact, gaze avoidance, greater personal distance, and briefer social interactions. This study examined whether persons in wheelchairs with service dogs receive more frequent social acknowledgement from able-bodied strangers than people in wheelchairs without dogs receive. Behaviors of passersby were recorded by an observer who followed a person in a wheelchair at a distance of 15 to 30 feet. Observations were made in public areas amid pedestrian traffic, areas such as shopping malls and a college campus. The behaviors of passersby to the person in a wheelchair, with or without a service dog, were recorded, including smiles, conversation, touch, gaze aversion, path avoidance, or no response. Results indicated that both smiles and conversations from passersby increased significantly when the dogs were present. These findings sugg...
A Combinatorial Description of the U2=0 Version of Heegaard Floer Homology

We show that every 3–manifold admits a Heegaard diagram in which a truncated version of Heegaard Floer homology (when the holomorpic disks pass through the basepoints at most once) can be computed combinatorially.
Raman scattering of azafullerene C48N12

Raman scattering activities and Raman-active frequencies are reported for the minimum energy structure of azafullerene C{sub 48}N{sub 12} at the B3LYP/6-31G* level of theory. Analysis of the vibrational spectrum shows that the most intense IR and Raman bands are those associated with C-C vibrations, and that strong IR and Raman C-N vibrations occur below 1400 cm{sup -1}. Together with the recently reported infrared, optical absorption and x-ray spectroscopies, a complete identification of this cluster should now be feasible.
Fidelity of a Rydberg-blockade quantum gate from simulated quantum process tomography

We present a detailed error analysis of a Rydberg blockade mediated controlled-not quantum gate between two neutral atoms as demonstrated recently in Isenhower et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 010503 (2010)] and Zhang et al. [Phys. Rev. A 82, 030306 (2010)]. Numerical solutions of a master equation for the gate dynamics, including all known sources of technical error, are shown to be in good agreement with experiments. The primary sources of gate error are identified and suggestions given for future improvements. We also present numerical simulations of quantum process tomography to find the intrinsic fidelity, neglecting technical errors, of a Rydberg blockade controlled phase gate. The gate fidelity is characterized using trace overlap and trace distance measures. We show that the trace distance is linearly sensitive to errors arising from the finite Rydberg blockade shift and introduce a modified pulse sequence which corrects the linear errors. Our analysis shows that the intrinsic gate error extracted from simulated quantum process tomography can be under 0.002 for specific states of ${}^{87}$Rb or Cs atoms. The relation between the process fidelity and the gate error probability used in calculations of fault tolerance thresholds is discussed.
Resolution enhancement of color video sequences

We propose a new multiframe algorithm to enhance the spatial resolution of frames in video sequences. Our technique specifically accounts for the possibility that motion estimation will be inaccurate and compensates for these inaccuracies. Experiments show that our multiframe enhancement algorithm yields perceptibly sharper enhanced images with significant signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improvement over bilinear and cubic B-spline interpolation.
Estrogen Induction of Luteinizing Hormone Release in Castrated Adult Human Males

Circulating levels of gonadotropins, testosterone, and estradiol (E2) were determined in six castrated adult male subjects. Four subjects were sequentially given 1.5 and 5 mg E2 benzoate (E2B) im daily for 9 days in two consecutive experiments performed 4–6 days and 6–8 weeks after orchidectomy. The remaining two patients were treated with 5 mg E2B for 9 days 3 and 4 weeks, respectively, after orchidectomy. Three of these patients were taking oral estrogens before the study. During treatment each subject demonstrated a dose-dependent suppression of FSH and LH with a subsequent risein LH from nadir to levels well above control values, while E2 concentrations remained elevated. In patients not on chronic estrogen treatment both doses of estradiol induced a LH surge on the fifth or sixth day which was comparabl in magnitude and duration to the spontaneous peak seen at midcycle in normal women. In three estrogen-pretreated subjects, the 5-mg dose of E2B induce a LH discharge which consisted of multiple peaks ...
High-resolution DNA-binding specificity analysis of yeast transcription factors

Transcription factors (TFs) regulate the expression of genes through sequence-specific interactions with DNA-binding sites. However, despite recent progress in identifying in vivo TF binding sites by microarray readout of chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-chip), nearly half of all known yeast TFs are of unknown DNA-binding specificities, and many additional predicted TFs remain uncharacterized. To address these gaps in our knowledge of yeast TFs and their cis regulatory sequences, we have determined high-resolution binding profiles for 89 known and predicted yeast TFs, over more than 2.3 million gapped and ungapped 8-bp sequences (‘‘k-mers’’). We report 50 new or significantly different direct DNA-binding site motifs for yeast DNA-binding proteins and motifs for eight proteins for which only a consensus sequence was previously known; in total, this corresponds to over a 50% increase in the number of yeast DNA-binding proteins with experimentally determined DNA-binding specificities. Among other novel regulators, we discovered proteins that bind the PAC (Polymerase A and C) motif (GATGAG) and regulate ribosomal RNA (rRNA) transcription and processing, core cellular processes that are constituent to ribosome biogenesis. In contrast to earlier data types, these comprehensive k-mer binding data permit us to consider the regulatory potential of genomic sequence at the individual word level. These k-mer data allowed us to reannotate in vivo TF binding targets as direct or indirect and to examine TFs’ potential effects on gene expression in ;1700 environmental and cellular conditions. These approaches could be adapted to identify TFs and cis regulatory elements in higher eukaryotes.
Biotic, geochemical, and paleomagnetic changes across the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary at Braggs, Alabama

Exposed near Braggs, Alabama, is one of the few well-studied, nearly continuous shallow-marine Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary sections; it allows a glimpse of the biotic and environmental changes that occurred in the latest Cretaceous to earliest Paleocene. Paleomagnetic, strontium isotopic, and biostratigraphic data closely constrain the age of a series of lithologic, geochemical, and biotic variations and suggest that no more than 100–200 ka could be missing at the boundary. A major reduction in macrofaunal diversity associated with lithofacies changes occurs prior to but within 300 ka of the nannofossil-defined boundary. Approximately 40% of the apparent faunal reduction is attributed to the “Lazarus effect.” Faunal and floral assemblages, trends in carbon isotopic composition of benthic invertebrates, and lithologic characteristics indicate that a latest Maestrichtian regression culminated near the boundary (Chron C29R; Micula murus zone), significantly later than recent estimates. Water depths at this site remained shallow during the subsequent early Paleocene (zone NP1) transgression and did not reach depths equivalent to those of the late Maestrichtian until zone NP2. Relatively minor climatic changes across the boundary are suggested by a ≤4 °C cooling trend seen in the oxygen-isotope paleotemperatures. A high-resolution 87 Sr/ 86 Sr record from well-preserved macrofossil calcite shows a pattern of smooth variation and elevated values near the boundary; however, the early Paleocene “spike” of other workers was not found.
Inputs drive cell phenotype variability

.What is the significance of the extensive variability observed in individual members of a single-cell phenotype? This question is particularly relevant to the highly differentiated organization of the brain. In this study, for the first time, we analyze the in vivo variability within a neuronal phenotype in terms of input type. We developed a large-scale geneexpression data set from several hundred single brainstem neurons selected on the basis of their specific synaptic input types. The results show a surprising organizational structure in which neuronal variability aligned with input type along a continuum of sub-phenotypes and corresponding gene regulatory modules. Correlations between these regulatory modules and specific cellular states were stratified by synaptic input type. Moreover, we found that the phenotype gradient and correlated regulatory modules were maintained across subjects. As these specific cellular states are a function of the inputs received, the stability of these states represents ‘‘attractor’’-like states along a dynamic landscape that is influenced and shaped by inputs, enabling distinct state-dependent functional responses. We interpret the phenotype gradient as arising from analog tuning of underlying regulatory networks driven by distinct inputs to individual cells. Our results change the way we understand how a phenotypic population supports robust biological function by integrating the environmental experience of individual cells. Our results provide an explanation of the functional significance of the pervasive variability observed within a cell type and are broadly applicable to understanding the relationship between cellular input history and cell phenotype within all tissues.
Anti-matrix metalloproteinase-9 DNAzyme decreases tumor growth in the MMTV-PyMT mouse model of breast cancer

Despite continued improvements in diagnosis, surgical techniques, and chemotherapy, breast cancer patients are still overcome by cancer metastasis. Tumor cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis are mediated, at least in part, through degradation of basement membrane by neutral matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) produced by tumor and stromal cells. Evidence suggests that MMP-9 plays a significant role in breast tumor cell invasion and metastasis. DNAzymes or catalytic oligonucleotides are new classes of gene targeting molecules that bind and cleave a specific mRNA, resulting in decreased protein expression. The application of anti-MMP-9 DNAzyme (AM9D) for the treatment of primary and metastatic breast cancer was evaluated in vitro and in vivo using MDA-MB-231 cells and the MMTV-PyMT transgenic breast cancer mouse model. Spontaneously developed mammary tumors in MMTV-PyMT transgenic mice were treated intratumorally with naked AM9D, once a week for 4 weeks. The stability of DNAzyme was determined in vitro and in vivo using fluorescently labeled DNAzyme. AM9D specifically inhibited expression of MMP-9 in MDA-MB-231 cells resulting in reduced invasive property of these cells by 43%. Weekly intratumoral treatment of spontaneously developed mammary tumors in MMTV-PyMT transgenic mice was sufficient to significantly reduce the rate of tumor growth and final tumor load in a dose dependent and statistically significant manner (P < 0.05). This decrease in tumor growth was correlated with decreased MMP-9 protein production within the treated tumor tissues. Tumors treated with AM9D were also less vascularized and contained more apoptotic cells compared to control and untreated tumors. These results show that targeting and down regulation of MMP-9 by AM9D could prove useful as a therapy against breast carcinoma tumor growth and invasion.
On the nature of pad cratering

Intent was to study the effects and interactions of the main process and environmental factors which are likely to affect pad performance. Real time observation of crack propagation under the pad achieved by cross-sectioning very carefully to the middle of the pad and then subjecting it to cyclic loading revealed some important location dependencies. Experimentation also involved cyclic bending of prepared samples with different preconditioning levels of reflow, moisture and cycling, followed by measurement of the crack area under the pad, post cycling. This shed light on the complex degradation mechanisms at play which did not necessarily have linear dependencies nor were they as basic intuition may have led us to believe. An effort was made to develop an analytical model with the help of Multiple Regression techniques.
Self-calibration of parallel mechanisms with a case study on Stewart platforms

Self-calibration has the potential of: 1) removing the dependence on any external pose sensing information; 2) producing high accuracy measurement data over the entire workspace of the system with an extremely fast measurement rate; 3) being automated and completely noninvasive; 4) facilitating on-line accuracy compensation; and 5) being cost effective. A general framework is introduced in this paper for the self-calibration of parallel manipulators. The concept of creating forward and inverse measurement residuals by exploring conflicting information provided with redundant sensing is proposed. Some of these ideas have been widely used for robot calibration when robot end-effector poses are available. By this treatment, many existing kinematic parameter estimation techniques can be applied for the self-calibration of parallel mechanisms. It is illustrated through a case study, i.e. calibration of the Stewart platform, that with this framework the design of a suitable self-calibration system and the formulation of the relevant mathematical model become more systematic. A few principles important to the system self-calibration are also demonstrated through the case study. It is shown that by installing a number of redundant sensors on the Stewart platform, the system is able to perform self-calibration. The approach provides a tool for rapid and autonomous calibration of the parallel mechanism.
FIELD MANAGEMENT OF HOT MIX ASPHALT VOLUMETRIC PROPERTIES

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Demonstration Project No. 74 has clearly shown that significant differences exist between the volumetric properties of the laboratory designed and plant produced hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixes. The volumetric properties include voids in the mineral aggregate (VMA) and the voids in the total mix (VTM). This project was undertaken to develop practical guidelines for the HMA contractors to reconcile these differences thereby assisting them to consistently produce high quality HMA mixes. The HMA mix design and field test data from 24 FHWA demonstration projects were entered into a database. The data included mix composition (asphalt content and gradation) and volumetric properties. The data were analyzed to identify and, if possible, quantify the independent variables (such as asphalt content and the percentages of material passing No. 200 and other sieves) significantly affecting the dependent variables (such as VMA and VTM). Based on the preceding work, troubleshooting charts have been constructed to correct and reconcile differences between the volumetric properties of the job mix formula and the produced mix.
Serum Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen as a Surrogate for Cervical Tumor Volume Defined on Brachytherapy Planning Magnetic Resonance Imaging During Definitive Chemoradiation Therapy

Purpose/Objective(s): Elevated serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) at diagnosis of cervical cancer and failure of serum SCCA to normalize at the completion of chemo-radiation therapy (CRT) are independent indicators of recurrence. Recently, we found that tumor volume of > 48 cc on MRI at the second brachytherapy fraction is also an early marker of recurrence risk. This study analyzes the relationship between changes in serum SCCA and cervical MRI tumor volumes over the course of definitive CRT. Materials/Methods: Patients with FIGO IB1-IVB cervical cancer who received definitive CRT with MRI-guided HDR brachytherapy and FDGPET/CT-guided IMRT were considered for analysis. Serum SCCA was measured at diagnosis and with each of 6 brachytherapy fractions (BF1-6). Tumor volumes were contoured by the treating physician as part of treatment planning, using T2W and ADC maps from diffusion weighted MR sequences. Two hundred patients with three or more serum SCCA levels and corresponding MRI volumes were included in the analysis. Pearson’s test for correlation was used to detect an association between diagnostic serum SCCA and MRI tumor volumes, repeated mixed measures was used to detect a temporal association between on-treatment serum SCCA and tumor volumes. Results: While both serum SCCA and MRI tumor volume decreased over the course of treatment, there was no significant association between the two at any given time (p Z 0.67). Diagnostic serum SCCA did not predict residual tumor volume at BF6 (p Z 0.11, p Z 0.91) or percent change in volume over time from BF1 to BF6 (p Z 0.47), even if a paradoxical increase in serum SCCA was seen (p Z 0.37). However, patients with tumor volume > 48cc at BF2 had greater serum SCCA at diagnosis (mean 10.4 vs 20.5 ng/mL, p Z 0.02). Mean diagnostic serum SCCA was two times lower in patients whose tumor volume was < 99 at BF1 and < 48 at BF2 compared to patients with higher volumes at those time points (10.51 vs 19.67 ng/mL, p Z 0.02). Conclusions: Patients with high serum SCCA at diagnosis were more likely to have large tumor volumes at BF2, which is associated with recurrence. Those with low diagnostic serum SCCA had smaller tumor volumes at the first two BFs. We found no significant association, however, between on-treatment serum SCCA and MRI tumor volume or volumetric changes. These data suggest that diagnostic serum SCCA corresponds with tumor volumes at the start of CRT. We hypothesize that serum SCCA may indicate a cellular-propensity for radio resistance and recurrence. Author Disclosure: L. Henke: None. S. Markovina: None. P. Dyk: None. S. Price: None. T. DeWees: None. P.W. Grigsby: None.
Nitrogen fixation in association with Ecuadorean bromeliads

Phytotelm plants create an important bioresource (Fish 1983) by impounding Moisture in open cavities. Surveys of the phytotelmata created by the overlapping leaf bases of epiphytic 'tank' bromneliads have revealed rich, complex communities incorporating vertebrates (e.g. Wake 1987) and invertebrates (e.g. Laessle 1961, Palacios-Vargas 1981, Picado 1913), sometimes at densities exceeding those on the forest floor (Paoletti et al. 1991). Fish's (1983) estimation that bromeliads held 50,000 1 hawater in a Columbian cloud forest provides perspective oln the amount of substratum that these plants may provide for fauna. Concentrations of dissolved gases in bromeliad tanks have been examiined to determiine how so numerous aquatic biota are supported, but there was no evidence of 02 inputs from the epiphyte (Benzing el al. 1971, Laessle 1961). Nitrogen fixation was not considered nor is much known about potential diazotrophs in bromeliad phytotelmata. Nitrogenase activity occurs elsewhere in the crowns of trees, for instance, in lichens in a northern temperate conifer forest (Pike 1978), in the phylloplane of vascular epiphytes (Sengupta el al. 1981) and throughout the canopy of an Antillian cloud forest (Fritz-Sheridan & Portecop 1987). Bentley & Carpenter (1980, 1984) demonstrated acetylene reduction activity (ARA) and direct flux of fixed '5Ng from cyanobacteria associated with epiphyllous liverworts at rates sufficient to supply about 25% of the N present in foliage of understorey We[fia geoi-gii L. (Palmae). We measured ARA associated with phytotelm bromeliads in Ecuador and discuss its possible significanlce. Acetylene reduction activity was measured at three locations: (1) in moist primary forest and in an adjacent abandoned cacao plantation at the Rio
Identifying risk using ODC based growth models

The paper uses the relative growth of defects, classified using orthogonal defect classification to get a finer insight into dynamics of the software development process during later parts of testing. This is particularly useful to help identify management actions to better use people resources (both skill and staffing levels) to respond to difficulties experienced with the product in test. Specifically, the technique helps to: identify the reasons for instability in the product demonstrated by growth modelling. Evaluate the relative stability of specific aspects of the product, such as design, code, etc. Guide the choice of resource levels and skills necessary to respond to difficulties faced in the development process. >
Polyunsaturated:saturated ratio of diet fat influences energy substrate utilization in the human.

In order to examine the effect of dietary long chain fatty acid composition on energy substrate utilization, basal metabolism rate (BMR) and the thermogenic effect of food (TEF) were measured in eight subjects consuming diets varying only in diet fat polyunsaturated:saturated (P:S) ratio. Subjects consumed the low P:S (0.241 +/- 0.02) and high P:S (1.65 +/- 0.28) ratio diets for seven days using a crossover design. Fat and carbohydrate oxidation during BMT and TEF over 230 minutes after a breakfast meal were determined on days 1 and 7 of each diet period using open circuit respiratory gas exchange. On day 7, BMR respiratory quotient was reduced (P less than .05) for the low P:S (0.826 +/- 0.005) compared with high P:S (0.853 +/- 0.014) ratio diet, resulting in an increased basal fat oxidation rate with low P:S (0.074 +/- 0.006 g/min) compared with high P:S (0.059 +/- 0.008 g/min) ratio diet feeding. The cumulative contribution of fat oxidation to TEF on day 7 was lower (P less than .01) for the low P:S (1.35 +/- 1.6 g) compared with high P:S (6.49 +/- 0.8 g) ratio diets. This was paralleled by opposite differences (P less than .05) in the contribution of carbohydrate oxidation to TEF (21.0 +/- 3.0 g and 13.1 +/- 3.4 g, respectively, for each diet treatment). On day 1 in subjects switching from either home and alternate test diets, and on day 7, caloric expenditure of TEF after low P:S was not statistically lower compared to the high P:S ratio diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Ethnic and sex differences in ownership of preventive health equipment among rural older adults with diabetes.

The major complications associated with diabetes (cardiovascular disease, nephropathy, lower extremity amputation, and blindness) can be reduced or delayed through diabetes self-management, which includes dietary modification, exercise, medical management, foot care, and self-monitoring of blood glucose.1 Special equipment assists with accomplishing the tasks associated with successful adherence. For example, glucose self-measurement is entirely dependent on equipment for regular monitoring. Other self-care domains, such as foot care and medication adherence, are more easily performed if equipment is available, such as hand-held mirrors and pill boxes. Exercise equipment, which can be used in the place of exercise behaviors that do not require equipment, such as walking, also provides alternatives for performance of self-management. Diabetes self-management among older adults in rural communities, particularly those who are members of racial minority groups, may be a challenge due to high levels of poverty, limited availability of diabetes self-management education, environmental barriers, and lack of access to diabetes self-management equipment.2–5 Despite a wealth of information on the level of performance of diabetes self-management practices across various populations, very little information documents ownership of self-management equipment among adults with diabetes. These data are useful to understanding barriers to self-management and may identify vulnerable populations. This study examines the ownership of diabetes self-management equipment across self-management domains among older rural adults, and the demographic and health characteristics associated with equipment ownership. We hypothesize that ownership of equipment will be less among men, among racial minorities, among those with fewer economic resources, and those in poorer health, including people with limited mobility.
Joint Tomlinson-Harashima precoding and scheduling for multiuser MIMO with imperfect feedback

In this paper, we propose a crosslayer approach that explores Tomlinson-Harashima precoding (THP) at the physical layer to reduce the multiuser scheduling burden at the MAC layer, and improves the sum rate of the downlink multiuser MIMO system. Our proposed scheme is further evaluated with imperfect feedback, obtained by the long range prediction (LRP) technique. Compared to some existing scheduling schemes, the proposed scheme approaches the performance upper bound in certain scenarios, while incurring much less computation complexity. Significant gains are still maintained with imperfect channel state information (CSI), fed back at a rate much lower than the data rate
Short-day increases in aggression are inversely related to circulating testosterone concentrations in male Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus).

Many nontropical rodent species display seasonal changes in both physiology and behavior that occur primarily in response to changes in photoperiod. Short-day reductions in reproduction are due, in part, to reductions in gonadal steroid hormones. In addition, gonadal steroids, primarily testosterone (T), have been implicated in aggression in many mammalian species. Some species, however, display increased aggression in short days despite basal circulating concentrations of T. The goal of the present studies was to test the effects of photoperiod on aggression in male Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) and to determine the role of T in mediating photoperiodic changes in aggression. In Experiment 1, hamsters were housed in long and short days for either 10 or 20 weeks and aggression was determined using a resident-intruder model. Hamsters housed in short days for 10 weeks underwent gonadal regression and displayed increased aggression compared to long-day-housed animals. Prolonged maintenance in short days (i.e., 20 weeks), however, led to gonadal recrudescence and reduced aggression. In Experiment 2, hamsters were housed in long and short days for 10 weeks. Half of the short-day-housed animals were implanted with capsules containing T whereas the remaining animals received empty capsules. In addition, half of the long-day-housed animals were castrated whereas the remaining animals received sham surgeries. Short-day control hamsters displayed increased aggression compared to either castrated or intact long-day-housed animals. Short-day-housed T treated hamsters, however, did not differ in aggression from long-day-housed animals. Collectively, these results confirm previous findings of increased aggression in short-day-housed hamsters and suggest that short-day-induced increases in aggression are inversely related to gonadal steroid hormones.
Central Role of the Cell in Microbial Ecology

Summary: Over the last few decades, advances in cultivation-independent methods have significantly contributed to our understanding of microbial diversity and community composition in the environment. At the same time, cultivation-dependent methods have thrived, and the growing number of organisms obtained thereby have allowed for detailed studies of their physiology and genetics. Still, most microorganisms are recalcitrant to cultivation. This review not only conveys current knowledge about different isolation and cultivation strategies but also discusses what implications can be drawn from pure culture work for studies in microbial ecology. Specifically, in the light of single-cell individuality and genome heterogeneity, it becomes important to evaluate population-wide measurements carefully. An overview of various approaches in microbial ecology is given, and the cell as a central unit for understanding processes on a community level is discussed.
Recent Problems and Strategies in Thermochemistry

Abstract Current trends in thermochemistry involve increasingly complex reaction systems and product mixtures in which equilibria exist or in which competing reactions are part of the source of energy in the process. Illustrations are provided for reduction to the standard state process of results obtained when hydrolyzing solutes or weak electrolytes are present, by secure pathways making maximum use of attainable guidance in reaching the reference state. The hydrolyzing systems illustrated are mercuric perchlorate, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium carbonate solutions. The utilization of enthalpy-of-mixing data is also illustrated, and problems relating to the standard state for solids are discussed.
Comparing 3-T multiparametric MRI and the Partin tables to predict organ-confined prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of our study was to test our hypothesis that multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) may have a higher prognostic accuracy than the Partin tables in predicting organ-confined (OC) prostate cancer and extracapsular extension (ECE) after radical prostatectomy (RP). Methods and materials After institutional review board approval, we retrospectively reviewed 60 patients who underwent 3-T mpMRI before RP. mpMRI was used to assess clinical stage and the updated version of the Partin tables was used to calculate the probability of each patient to harbor OC disease. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of mpMRI in detecting OC and ECE were calculated. Logistic regression models predicting OC pathology were created using either clinical stage at mpMRI or Partin tables probability. The area under the curve was used to calculate the predictive accuracy of each model. Results Median prostate-specific antigen level at diagnosis was 5 ng/ml (range: 4.1–6.7 ng/ml). Overall, 52 (86.7%) men had cT1 disease, 7 (11.7%) had cT2a/b, and 1 (1.6%) had cT3b at digital rectal examination. Biopsy Gleason score was 6, 3+4 = 7, 4+3 = 7, 8, and 9 to 10 in 28 (46.7%), 15 (25%), 3 (5%), 10 (16.7%), and 4 (6.6%) patients, respectively. At mpMRI, clinical stage was defined as cT2a/b, cT2c, cT3a, and cT3b in 11 (18.3%), 23 (38.3%), 21 (35%), and 5 (8.4%) patients, respectively. At final pathology, 38 men (63.3%) had OC disease, whereas 18 (30%) had ECE and 4 (6.7%) had seminal vesicle invasion. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of mpMRI in detecting OC disease were 81.6%, 86.4%, 91.2%, and 73.1%, respectively, whereas in detecting ECE were 77.8%, 83.4%, 66.7%, and 89.7%, respectively. At logistic regression, both the Partin tables–derived probability and the mpMRI clinical staging were significantly associated with OC disease (all P Conclusions The predictive accuracy of mpMRI in predicting OC disease on pathological analysis is significantly greater than that of the Partin tables. mpMRI had a high PPV (91.2%) when predicting OC disease and a high NPV (89.7%) with regard to ECE. mpMRI should be considered when planning prostate cancer treatment in addition to readily available clinical parameters.
PerfCompass: toward runtime performance anomaly fault localization for infrastructure-as-a-service clouds

Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) clouds are becoming widely adopted. However, as multiple tenants share the same physical resources, performance anomalies have become one of the top concerns for users. Unfortunately, performance anomaly diagnosis in the production IaaS cloud often takes a long time due to its inherent complexity and sharing nature. In this paper, we present PerfCompass, a runtime performance anomaly fault localization tool using online system call trace analysis techniques. Specifically, PerfCompass tackles a challenging fault localization problem for IaaS clouds, that is, differentiating whether a production-run performance anomaly is caused by an external fault (e.g., interference from other co-located applications) or an internal fault (e.g., software bug). PerfCompass does not require any application source code or runtime instrumentation, which makes it practical for production IaaS clouds. We have tested PerfCompass using a set of popular software systems (e.g., Apache, MySQL, Squid, Cassandra, Hadoop) and a range of common cloud environment issues and real software bugs. The results show that PerfCompass accurately diagnoses all the faults while imposing low overhead during normal application execution time.
Alunite dissolution rates: Dissolution mechanisms and implications for Mars

Abstract Alunite (KAl 3 (SO 4 ) 2 (OH) 6 ) is a hydrated aluminous sulfate mineral associated with acidic, oxidizing aqueous environments on Earth. Additionally, orbiting spacecraft and rovers on Mars have reported spectral data that indicate a range of mono- and polyhydrated sulfate phases and hydroxysulfate phases, suggesting such conditions also existed on Mars in the past. This study examines alunite dissolution rates in aqueous systems with varying pH, temperature, and solution chemistry conditions. Alunite dissolution rates in dilute solutions are 2–3 orders of magnitude slower than jarosite dissolution rates measured under analogous conditions. Similar to jarosite, alunite dissolution rates vary as a function of activity of H + and OH − following the rate law log r (mol m −2 s −1 ) = −0.133(±0.02)pH − 10.65(±0.07) at pH r = 0.194(±0.04)pH − 12.53(±0.26) at pH > 5. However, minimum alunite dissolution rates are shifted to higher pH (5–5.5), likely due to differences in Fe and Al speciation. Alunite and jarosite rates converge in saturated NaCl and CaCl 2 brines as the activity of water decreases, suggesting that differences in water exchange rates with Fe 3+ and Al 3+ control dissolution rates in dilute solutions, while metal–Cl − complexation occurs at similar rates within the brines. Particle lifetimes based on measured dissolution rates in dilute solutions show that alunite particles are expected to be preserved two orders of magnitude longer than jarosite particles over a range of pH and temperature conditions. In particular, alunite is more likely to be preserved in neutral to moderately alkaline systems compared to jarosite, which is expected to be preserved in more acidic conditions. Alunite dissolution produced amorphous Al-rich alteration products at moderate to high pH. Unlike jarosite, alunite dissolution does not show a clear trend as a function of temperature; alunite dissolution rates do not increase with increasing temperature, likely due to lower alunite solubility at higher temperature. Therefore, alunite is expected to be more prevalent in hydrothermal systems compared to jarosite.
High-performance direct solution of finite element problems on multi-core processors

The solution of linear system of equations is at the core of finite element (FE) analysis software. While engineers have been increasing the size and complexity of their models, the growth in the speed of a single computer processor has slowed. Today, computer manufacturers have increased overall processor performance by increasing the number of processing units in a computer using so-called multi-core processors. A FE analysis solver is needed which takes full advantage of these multi-core processors. In this study, a direct solution procedure is proposed and developed which exploits the parallelism that exists in current symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) multi-core processors. Several algorithms are proposed and developed to improve the performance of the direct solution of FE problems. A high-performance sparse direct solver is developed which allows experimentation with the newly developed and existing algorithms. The performance of the algorithms is investigated using a large set of FE problems. Furthermore, operation count estimations are developed to further assess various algorithms. A multifrontal method is adopted for the parallel factorization and triangular solution on SMP multi-core processors. A triangular solution algorithm that is especially efficient for the solution with multiple loading conditions is developed. Furthermore, a new mapping algorithm is designed to find independent factorization tasks that are assigned to the CPU cores in order to minimize the parallel factorization time. As the factorization and triangular solution times are reduced by the use of parallel algorithms, other components of FE analysis such as assembly of the stiffness matrix become a bottleneck for improving the overall performance. An assembled stiffness matrix is not required by the developed solver. Instead, element stiffness matrices and element connectivity information are the inputs. The developed solver never assembles the entire structural stiffness matrix but assembles frontal matrices on each core. This reduces not only the execution time but also the memory requirement for the assembly. Finally, an out-of-core version of the solver is developed to reduce the memory requirements for the solution. I/O is performed asynchronously without blocking the thread that makes the I/O request. Asynchronous I/O allows overlapping factorization and triangular solution computations with I/O. The performance of the developed solver is demonstrated on a large number of test problems. A problem with nearly 10 million degree of freedoms is solved on a low price desktop computer using the out-of-core version of the direct solver. Furthermore, the developed solver usually outperforms a commonly used shared memory solver.
Synthesis and comparative evaluation of novel 64Cu-labeled high affinity cell-specific peptides for positron emission tomography imaging of tumor vasculature

Tumor angiogenesis, the formation of new tumor blood supply, has been recognized as a hallmark of cancer and represents an important target for clinical management of various angiogenesis-dependent solid tumors. Previously, by screening a bacteriophage peptide library we have discovered the FHT-peptide sequence that binds specifically to bone marrow-derived tumor vasculature with high affinity. Here in an effort to determine the potential of the FHT-peptide for in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of aggressive tumor vasculature we studied four FHT-derivatives: NOTA-FHT, NOTA-(FHT)2, NOTA-PEG-FHT, and NOTA-PEG-(FHT)2. These peptide analogs were synthesized, labeled with the PET radionuclide (64)Cu, and characterized side-by-side with small animal PET and computed tomography imaging (microPET/CT) at 1 h, 4 h, and 24 h post injection in a subcutaneous Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) tumor model. Because of its excellent in vivo kinetic properties and high tumor-to-background ratio, the (64)Cu-NOTA-FHT radiopeptide was selected for more detailed evaluation. Blocking studies with excess of unlabeled peptide showed specific and peptide mediated (64)Cu-NOTA-FHT tumor uptake. Biodistribution experiments in the same tumor model confirmed microPET/CT imaging results. Human radiation absorbed dose extrapolated from rodent biodistribution of (64)Cu-NOTA-FHT revealed favorable dosimetry profile. The findings from this investigation warrant further development of (64)Cu-NOTA-FHT as a potential targeted diagnostic radiopharmaceutical for PET imaging of aggressive tumor vasculature.
Effects of norepinephrine infusions on mesenteric arterial blood flow and its tissue distribution.

Infusions of norepinephrine into the superior mesenteric artery or stimulation of the mesenteric periarterial nerves of cats or dogs produces a transient reduction in mesenteric blood flow but, as stimulation or infusion continues, flow returns to near control values (1-3). Studies based on India ink injections, changes in capillary filtration coefficient and isotope clearances suggested that a redistribution of intestinal blood flow occurred during the “escape” from the vasoconstrictor influence (4, 5). Vasoconstriction in the mucosa appeared to be well maintained throughout whereas blood flow in the submucosa increased. However, other observations (6, 7) have indicated that escape may be due to relaxation of the same vascular elements which were initially constricted.The purpose of the present investigation was to determine whether norepinephrine escape occurred in animals other than the dog and cat and to reexamine the possibility that escape is associated with a redistribution of blood flow among the ...
High Temperature Bending Strength and Thermal Shock Resistance of Carbon-Ceramics Composites

Carbon-ceramics composites were prepared from C-B4C, C-B4C-NbC, C-B4C-TaC and C-B4C-TiC mixed powder by hot-pressing under the pressure of 19.6 MPa at 2200°.After hot-pressing, NbC, TaC and TiC changed into borides through the reaction with coexisting B4C.Bending strength in the range from room temperature to 2000° and thermal shock resistance in the quenching temperature ranging from 0° to 1000°were measured for these carbon-ceramics composites.Bending strength of the composites prepared from C-B4C, C-B4C-NbC and C-B4C-TaC mixed powders increased monotonically with an increase of temperature up to 1600°-1700°.Its maximum value was 1.3-1.6 times that at room temperature.Bending strength decreased with temperature above 1600°-1700°.Bending strength of the composite prepared from C-B4C-TiC mixed powder also increased with an increase of temperature up to 1500°, but the amount of increase in strength at high temperatures was small in comparison with the strength increase for other composites.Bending strength also decreased above 1500° in this case.The carbon-ceramics composites showed very high thermal shock resistance.The critical quenching temperature difference of the composites prepared from 60 vol%C-30 vol%B4C-10 vol%NbC (or TaC or TiC) and 70 vol%C-20 vol%B4C-10 vol%NbC (or TaC or TiC) was 700°-900° and more than 1000° respectively.These values are much higher than those for such oxides as Al2O3 and ZrO2.From these experimental results, it is considered that these carbon-ceramics composites are possibly used at high temperatures up to 1500°-1700° under high stresses as a structural material.
Surveillance of antibody levels of hepatitis B in Futian District of Shenzhen in 2010

[Objective]To understand the antibody levels of hepatitis B in Futian District of Shenzhen City,and provide reference for developing immunization strategy. [Methods]A total of 569 investigation targets were selected randomly from 7 age groups.ELISA double antigen detection was employed to detect hepatitis B virus antibody(anti-HBs). [Results]The anti-HBs positive rate was 74.69%,among which 74.37% were males and 75.00% were females.With the increasing age,the anti-HBs positive rate in the population decreased gradually,and a statistically significant difference was found.The times of immunization and seroconversion rate were positively correlated. [Conclusion]At present,the anti-HBs positive rate of school-aged children in the Shenzhen Futian district is relatively high.It is necessary to strength the adult immunoprophylaxis against hepatitis B infection.