cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Semiparametric Bootstrap Technique for Simulating Extreme Order Statistics

Abstract We propose a technique for simulating the joint distribution of the j largest order statistics of a very large sample. We assume that the parent population is in the domain of attraction of the Type 1 (Gumbel) extreme value distribution. The bootstrap variates are generated by resampling the normalized spacings of the k largest observed values in the original data where k is larger than j. We compare the bootstrap distribution to the fitted extremal distribution of Weissman. Both distributions have the same means, conditional on the k largest observed values in the data set. If k is large and the normalized spacings behave as independent and identically distributed exponential random variables then the bootstrap variates behave as though sampled from the extremal distribution. We propose several procedures for estimating k and give a numerical example.
The use of network simulation to enhance network curriculum

The lab-based approach to teaching networking has many advantages when it comes to student learning, but also brings with it a number of unique problems. These include but are not limited to the high cost of monitoring equipment, maintaining the appropriate levels of hardware and software, having an appropriate mix of equipment available, the ability to scale lab facilities as your program grows, and a growing need to deliver course material in a distance format.Network simulation tools can be used to address these issues as well as expand the scope of the courses you teach. A network simulator allows the students to explore a wider range of network alternatives than can often be supported in a university lab facility. This paper will discuss a variety of ways that a network simulator can be used to teach students introductory networking concepts, advanced network concepts, network design, and network performance principles. Sample assignments will be shared and different methods of using the simulator as a teaching tool will be described.
Monitoring Prestress Level in Seven Wire Prestressing Tendons by Inter Wire Ultrasonic Wave Propagation

Researchers at UCSD are investigating, in collaboration with Caltrans, the combination of ultrasonic guided waves and embedded sensors as an approach to provide both prestress level monitoring and defect detection capabilities in concrete-embedded PS tendons. This paper will focus on the prestress level monitoring by first discussing the behavior of ultrasonic guided waves propagating in seven-wire, 15.2-mm diameter twisted strands typically used in post-tensioned concrete structures. A semianalytical finite element analysis is used to predict forced wave solutions as a function of the applied prestress level. A feature shown sensitive to load levels is the inter-wire energy leakage. In order to monitor such feature, piezoelectric sensors were experimentally employed to probe the individual, 5-mm wires comprising the strand. Results of load monitoring in embedded strands during laboratory tests will be presented and a statistical approach will be used to enhance the evaluation of prestress loss in the strands.
An Empirical Examination of State and Local Revocations of Tax‐Exempt Status for Nonprofit Hospitals

In recent years, many states and local authorities have revoked the tax exemptions for several nonprofit hospitals. In this study we examine whether hospital‐specific and governmental revenue‐need characteristics, organized by four underlying constructs, affect state and local tax authorities' decisions to revoke nonprofit hospitals' tax‐exempt status. Based on analyses of state and local tax laws, we distinguish three types of taxes paid by hospitals: Medicaid taxes; state revenue‐based taxes; and local taxes. We separately examine the effects of these characteristics on the revocation of the tax‐exempt status for each type. We use survivorship analysis and fit logistic regressions that employ panel data to study the risk of revocation for each type of tax. Our results suggest that the likelihood that state authorities assess Medicaid taxes increases with the size of the tax base (i.e., patient revenue) and ability to pay, but decreases with lower revenue needs. We find that the likelihood of revocation ...
Noradrenergic function and the cortisol response to dexamethasone in depression

Abstract Abnormalities of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the noradrenergic system have been reported in depression. To study possible interrelations between these two systems, plasma free 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MPHG) was compared with the cortisol response to dexamethasone in 64 depressed patients. Postdexamethasone cortisol nonsuppressors had higher baseline plasma free MHPG values than did cortisol suppressors. Increased severity of some depressive symptoms was associated with increased postdexamethasone cortisol levels. These results indicate that depressed patients with dexamethasone nonsuppression have increased noradrenergic turnover.
Transient and stability analysis of time-domain reactive current analyzers using averaged waveforms

A simple method of characterizing the transient response and the stability of time-domain analog reactive current analyzers is presented. The method of analysis, based on averaged waveforms, allows one to perform a linear analysis on an otherwise nonlinear system. The ability to predict the transient characteristics of these instrumentation circuits allows the instrumentation engineer to predict the settling time of the analyzer under various waveform measurement conditions and, more importantly, detect the presence of unstable equilibrium points in these nonlinear feedback circuits.
An analysis of some of the physical aspects of positron transaxial tomography.

Abstract The physical aspects of using radioisotopes in a computerized transaxial tomography (CTT) system are discussed with particular emphasis on the effect of detector response on system design. Annihilation coincidence detection (ACD) of positron emitting radiopharmaceuticals is contrasted with single photon detection systems and a CTT system based on ACD is described. The potential capabilities of an ACD imaging system is investigated in terms of resolution and efficiency. Intrinsic properties of positron decay, the positron range and the angular distribution of annihilation photons, define the limit of resolution in an ACD imaging system and estimates are made of these limits. The effect of detector size, detector separation and energy discrimination are discussed in terms of their role in determining the level of image noise due to acceptance of scattered radiation and random coincidence events. Estimates of photon limitations in positron emission CTT are made and the effect of statistics on resolution is discussed.
A high-order Lagrangian-decoupling method for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

Abstract In this paper we present a high-order Lagrangian-decoupling method for the unsteady convection diffusion and incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The method is based upon Lagrangian variational forms that reduce the convection-diffusion equation to a symmetric initial value problem, implicit high-order backward-differentiation finite difference schemes for integration along characteristics, finite element or spectral element spatial discretizations and mesh-invariance procedures and high-order explicit time-stepping schemes for deducing function values at convected space-time points. The method improves upon previous finite element characteristic methods through the systematic and efficient extension to high-order accuracy and the introduction of a simple structure-preserving characteristic-foot calculation procedure which is readily implemented on modern architectures. The new method is significantly more efficient than explicit-convection schemes for the Navier-Stokes equations due to the decoupling of the convection and Stokes operators and the attendant increase in temporal stability. Numerous numerical examples are given for the convection-diffusion and Navier-Stokes equations for the particular case of a spectral element spatial discretization.
A Case-Study Assignment to Teach Theoretical Perspectives in Abnormal Psychology

Teaching students to consider alternative theoretical paradigms helps them understand how psychologists think about behavior. This article describes an assignment in which students organize, prepare, and revise a case study of abnormal behavior using a single theoretical perspective. The assignment is personally meaningful for students, provides an excellent opportunity to integrate psychology with other liberal arts, and has received very positive evaluations from hundreds of students over the past 10 years.
Periodontal Disease Associated With Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Inflammatory periodontal disease arises as a response to bacterial plaque. This response, however, may be modified by systemic factors such as nutritional deficiency, hormonal imbalance or severe systemic disease. One such systemic disease that may modify host response to local etiologic factors is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Depression of thrombocyte production is very rarely associated with SLE. A search of the medical literature has revealed only one such reported case. The case history that follows is of a 17-year-old black female with severe gingivitis and spontaneous gingival bleeding associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia. It is believed to be the first such case reported in the dental literature. The clinical, radiographic and hematologic findings will be presented and the medical and periodontal therapy discussed.
Numerical simulation of electroosmotic flow

We have developed a numerical scheme to simulate electroosmotic flows in complicated geometries. We studied the electroosmotic injection characteristics of a cross-channel device for capillary electrophoresis. We found that the desired rectangular shape of the sample plug at the intersection of the cross-channel can be obtained when the injection is carried out at high electric field intensities. The shape of the sample plug can also be controlled by applying an electric potential or a pressure at the side reservoirs. Flow induced from the side channels into the injection channel squeezes the streamlines at the intersection, thus giving a less distorted sample plug. Results of our simulations agree qualitatively with experimental observations.
The Existence of Finitely Based Lower Covers for Finitely Based Equational Theories

By an equational theory we mean a set of equations from some fixed language which is closed with respect to logical consequences. We regard equations as universal sentences whose quantifier-free parts are equations between terms. In our notation, we suppress the universal quantifiers. Once a language has been fixed, the collection of all equational theories for that language is a lattice ordered by set inclusion The meet in this lattice is simply intersection; the join of a collection of equational theories is the equational theory axiomatized by the union of the collection. In this paper we prove, for languages with only finitely many fundamental operation symbols, that any nontrivial finitely axiomatizable equational theory covers some other finitely axiomatizable equational theory. In fact, our result is a little more general. There is an extensive literature concerning lattices of equational theories. These lattices are always algebraic. Compact elements of these lattices are the finitely axiomatizable equational theories. We also call them finitely based . The largest element in the lattice is compact; it is the equational theory based on the single equation x ≈ y . The smallest element of the lattice is the trivial theory consisting of tautological equations. For all but the simplest languages, the lattice of equational theories is intricate. R. McKenzie in [6] was able to prove in essence that the underlying language can be recovered from the isomorphism type of this lattice.
Morphological number, semantic number and bare nouns

This paper compares the properties of bare nouns in a non-plural marking French Lexifier Creole to those in plural marking languages in order to better understand the role played by number, both semantic and morphological, in determining the meaning of bare nouns. A parameter is proposed that distinguishes languages according to whether or not the structure of their nominal expressions obligatorily includes a functional projection for Number. The presence of NumP is taken to enforce the realization of a kind into its instances, offering a link between the morpho-structure of bare nouns and their interpretation that obviates the needs for a semantic parameterization. # 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Letter regarding article by Shvilkin et al, "T-vector direction differentiates postpacing from ischemic T wave inversion in precordial leads".

To the Editor: I read with great interest the contribution of Shvilkin et al.1 The issue they tackled is of utmost importance because of the high prevalence of both the postpacing T-wave inversion, cardiac memory–related changes (CM), and the ischemia-associated but similar-appearing T-wave alterations (ISC). The authors have been delving into the mechanisms of the CM ECG phenomenon from the basic science vintage for some time,2–5 and are now venturing into the clinical applications of the concept. All interested in materia electrocardiographica are now eager to put to the test of practice the authors’ contentions. I would like to offer some thoughts and direct to the authors some questions regarding their hypothesis and their methods. Considering the diverse topography of the ischemic territories, which depends on the particulars of each case, why do they feel that there will be no ischemic T-wave vectors that could be similar in …
Quality of Effluents from Channel Catfish Hatcheries in Northwestern Mississippi

Abstract Samples of water supply and effluent were collected from five commercial hatcheries for channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus in northwestern Mississippi. Hatcheries were visited three times at 2-week intervals during the peak of the catfish spawning season. Samples were analyzed for total suspended solids, soluble and total phosphorus, total ammonia, total nitrogen, and 5-d biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5). Net pollutant loads (effluent concentration minus inflow concentration) were low for all variables. Maximum average net loadings were 10.7 mg/L for total suspended solids, 0.13 mg/L for total phosphorus, 0.28 mg/L for total nitrogen, and 2.07 mg/L for BOD5. Because net pollutant loadings were low and groundwater supplies initially had low concentrations of solids and organic matter, effluents were of excellent quality with respect to those variables. Four of the groundwater supplies contained substantial background levels of phosphorus or nitrogen; accordingly, effluents from those hatcheries h...
Application of microwave irradiation to the synthesis of 14-helical beta-peptides.

We have evaluated the effects of microwave irradiation on the solid-phase synthesis of β-peptides. Sequences designed to adopt the 14-helix, especially those containing the structure-promoting residue trans-2-aminocyclohexanecarboxylic acid (ACHC), suffer from poor synthetic efficiency under standard SPPS conditions. A comparison of microwave and conventional heating shows that both provide excellent synthetic results for shorter sequences; however, we identify a clear benefit from microwave irradiation for longer β-peptides.
Temporal Aspects of Lighting

Temporal characteristics of fluorescent lighting systems during starting might affect their acceptance in commercial and residential lighting. The immediate, full onset of light is usually experienced when switching on incandescent lamp systems. For certain systems using fluorescent lamps, delayed onset or initially low light levels might be experienced. Such characteristics could make them unwelcome additions to commercial and residential settings. The results of a study to investigate subjective and behavioral responses to lighting systems having different temporal characteristics upon start-up are presented.
Induction of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC) mRNA in the lungs of septic rats.

Objective : To study cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC) mRNA induction in lungs of normal, neutropenic, and adrenalectomized rats after intraperitoneal Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration and in cultured rat pulmonary cell lines after exposure to mediators of the septic response. Materials and Methods : Northern blotting was used to assay relative CINC mRNA levels and a colorimetric myeloperoxidase assay was used as a measure of neutrophil infiltration. Results : After a single dose of LPS, rapid induction of CINC mRNA coincided with neutrophil infiltration into lungs, a response that lasted approximately 12 to 24 hours. Multiple LPS treatments resulted in a similar CINC response, but a more prolonged myeloperoxidase response. CINC mRNA induction in lungs was heightened 30% in adrenalectomized animals and 400% in neutropenic ones. LPS and cytokines induced CINC mRNA in cultured endothelial and epithelial cells. Conclusions : Induction of CINC mRNA expression in pulmonary endothelial and/or epithelial cells by systemic LPS or cytokines may play a role in mediating neutrophil infiltration into lungs during sepsis. Markedly increased CINC induction in the lungs of neutropenic animals suggests that neutrophils may act to inhibit expression of this chemoattractant via a negative feedback mechanism.
Storm enhanced densities (SED) as possible sources for Cleft Ion Fountain dayside ionospheric outflows

[1] Foster et al. (2002) and others have reported on elevated ionospheric density regions being convected from the subauroral plasmaspheric region toward noon, in association with convection of plasmaspheric tails in the dayside magnetosphere. It has been suggested that these so-called Storm Enhanced Density (SED) regions could serve as ionospheric plasma source populations for cleft ion fountain outflows. To investigate this scenario, the University of Texas at Arlington Dynamic Fluid Kinetic (DyFK) model is employed to simulate the entry of a high-density plasmasphere-like flux tube entering the cleft region and subjected to an episode of wave-driven transverse ion heating. In these transport simulations, the O+ ion density at higher altitudes is found to increase while the densities at lower altitudes decrease, following this heating episode. Substantial O+ outfluxes are found indicating that the SED-associated O+ ions acquire sufficient energy to reach higher altitudes after the effects of transverse wave heating. O+ outfluxes of 2–3.5 × 108 cm−2 s−1 persist for more than 90 minutes during the simulation episode considered. The simulation results indicate that SED can be a significant source for the cleft ion fountain, and thus in turn, O+ ions to the magnetosphere.
The number of positive integers ≤x and free of prime factors >y

The number defined by the title is denoted by Ψ(x, y). Let u = log xlog y and let ϱ(u) be the function determined by ϱ(u) = 1, 0 ≤ u ≤ 1, uϱ′(u) = − ϱ(u − 1), u > 1. We prove the following: Theorem. For x sufficiently large and log y ≥ (log log x)2, Ψ(x,y) ⪢ xϱ(u) while for 1 + log log x ≤ log y ≤ (log log x)2, and e > 0, Ψ(x, y) ⪢ e xϱ(u) exp(−u exp(−(log y)(35 − e))). The proof uses a weighted lower approximation to Ψ(x, y), a reinterpretation of this sum in probability terminology, and ultimately large-deviation methods plus the Berry-Esseen theorem.
Foundations of Biomolecular Modeling

The 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Martin Karplus, Michael Levitt, and Arieh Warshel for "development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems." The honored work from the 1970s has provided a foundation for the widespread activities today in modeling organic and biomolecular systems.
Individual Preferences Over Development Projects: Evidence from Microlending on Kiva

Peer-to-peer microfinance connects philanthropic citizens with poor entrepreneurs in the developing world, offering new ways to channel charitable contributions. Although the literature suggests that donors’ perceptions of effectiveness affect charitable giving, very little is known about what types of projects individuals perceive as more effective. Using data from Kiva.org, this article presents evidence on the relative popularity of competing development projects. We present estimates of the impact of publicly visible project characteristics on funding speed. Assuming that Kiva lenders are motivated by poverty alleviation, the results shed light on individual philanthropists’ perception of project effectiveness. Knowing this can help practitioners design fundraising strategies more effectively, especially for projects that are inherently less popular.
Unmixing mid-ocean ridge basalts with EXTENDED QMODEL

Abstract Microprobe analyses of major and minor elemental compositions of 103 glass samples from the AMAR rift of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge are used as a test to assess the usefulness of the extended qmodel algorithm for petrological modeling over conventional least squares analyses. This procedure derives end member compositions from the data set itself and does not require an a priori geochemical model. The AMAR samples offer one of the best spatially and geochemically constrained systems, including identification of spatial distributions by submersible observers, an analytical program which provided maximum internal consistency of results, inclusion of multiple cycles of pillowed basalts and sheeted fluid flows, and a broad age distribution relative to the well-defined rift valley. The results of the extended qmodel analyses were consistent with and strengthened the qualitative conclusions of the original interpretation with one major exception. Refractory megacrysts enclosed in the more evolved glasses are not indicated as primary cumulate phases controlling crystal fractionation trends. In addition, “haystacks” built of highly evolved pillows, and sheet flows and pillows were clearly distinguished on the basis of end member composition. The results suggest a magmatic-tectonic history of the rift valley segment that includes early sheet flows followed by the construction of pillowed ridges. This magmatic event was followed by foundering of the axial roof, during which time residual siliceous magma and small quantities of mixed magma were erupted. This model both confirms and extends the previous interpretation, suggesting that the extended qmodel family of algorithms offer powerful alternative to simple least squares decomposition of whole rock data.
Magnetoresistance of copper, gold, and indium

We have measured the transverse magnetoresistance of high-purity polycrystalline wires of copper and gold between 4.2 and 50 K, and of indium between 4.2 and 9 K, in fields up to 5 and 10 T, respectively. Kohler's rule is obeyed by the samples of copper and gold in this range of field and temperature. Deviations from Kohler's rule are, however, quite evident in indium. These departures from Kohler's rule can be understood in terms of the same model invoked to account for similar observations in aluminum.
Interhemispheric transport of viable fungi and bacteria from Africa to the Caribbean with soil dust

Studies over the past several decades have shown that aerosols (e.g., particles of pollution, dust, and smoke from fires) can be transported across great distance over the oceans, from one continent to another. There is, however, only anecdotal indirect evidence for the long-range transport (LRT) of viable microorganisms (MOs) on intercontinental scales (Brown and Hovmoller 2002). In particular, there have been no long-term systematic studies of the LRT of MOs. Here, we report on the measurements of aerosols in the trade winds on Barbados, West Indies, over a 2-year period (1996–1997). We made concurrent daily measurements of bacteria and fungi based on cultures developed from filters. Previous studies have shown that large quantities of African dust are present in winds at Barbados during much of the year. Our study shows that cultivable bacteria and fungi are only found in air that contains African dust. Air transported from other regions yields no viable organisms. These results raise questions about the factors that affect the transport and survivability of MOs in the atmosphere (Prospero et al. 2003).
Personalized active learning for collaborative filtering

Collaborative Filtering (CF) requires user-rated training examples for statistical inference about the preferences of new users. Active learning strategies identify the most informative set of training examples through minimum interactions with the users. Current active learning approaches in CF make an implicit and unrealistic assumption that a user can provide rating for any queried item. This paper introduces a new approach to the problem which does not make such an assumption. We personalize active learning for the user, and query for only those items which the user can provide rating for. We propose an extended form of Bayesian active learning and use the Aspect Model for CF to illustrate and examine the idea. A comparative evaluation of the new method and a well-established baseline method on benchmark datasets shows statistically significant improvements with our method over the performance of the baseline method that is representative for existing approaches which do not take personalization into account.
Behavioral training for urinary incontinence in elderly ambulatory patients.

Research questions addressed by this study were: 1) Is the treatment of chronic urinary incontinence (UI) in elderly, nondemented ambulatory patients using bladder-sphincter biofeedback as effective when performed by an internist/geriatrician and a nurse practitioner as that reported by behavioral scientists?; and 2) how does bladder-sphincter biofeedback compare to a program of behavioral training that does not utilize biofeedback? Twenty-seven patients with UI were assigned based on the number of baseline accidents documented in a self-maintained log, their sex, and the predominant pattern of symptoms (urge or stress) to one of two treatment groups: biofeedback (13 patients) or behavioral training not utilizing biofeedback (14 patients). Patients were given up to six treatments. Patients in both groups achieved a highly significant (P less than .001) reduction in urinary accidents 1 month following treatments compared with their baseline number of accidents. The average reduction of accidents over this time period was 79% for the biofeedback group and 82% for the group receiving behavioral training without biofeedback. All patients showed improvement and no patient experienced any side effect. A internist/geriatrician and a geriatric nurse practitioner may achieve success utilizing behavioral therapy with or without biofeedback for the treatment of chronic urinary incontinence for ambulatory elderly patients.
Dietary standards and future developments

The field of nutrition is in the midst of a major and rapid transition. Just how far we have come can be illustrated by the judgement that it is possible, and indeed desirable, to define multiple criteria of adequacy, multiple levels of requirement, and hence a multitiered population assessment. Moreover, in the past few years, there has also been widespread acceptance of other important concepts: no single dietary standard meets every user's needs; the quality of a diet, as well as its quantity, needs to be considered; alternative dietary standards are required and available; and finally, patterns of dietary intakes must be considered. Finally, there are fresh approaches to the relation of dietary factors and free radicals that appear to be most promising. Indeed, the issues are still unresolved, but a new definition of what RDA might mean may well emerge, along with the other evolving alternative dietary standards. The addition of a new category of naturally occurring compounds to be taken prophylactically under certain circumstances of high risk from free radicals, emphasizes the magnitude of the progress that has already been achieved.
Short-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency

Short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (SCADD) is a disorder of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation that leads to the accumulation of butyrylcarnitine and ethylmalonic acid in blood and urine. Originally described with a relatively severe phenotype, most patients are now diagnosed through newborn screening by tandem mass spectrometry and remain asymptomatic. Molecular analysis of affected individuals has identified a preponderance of private inactivating point mutations and one common one present in high frequency in individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. In addition, two polymorphic variants have been identified that have little affect on enzyme kinetics but impair folding and stability. Individuals homozygous for one of these variants or compound heterozygous for one of each often show an increased level of ethylmalonic acid excretion that appears not to be clinically significant. The combination of asymptomatic affected newborns and the frequent variants can cause much confusion in evaluating and treating individuals with SCADD. The long-term consequences and the need for chronic therapy remain current topics of contention and investigation.
Enhanced Tumor Response to Cycle-Specific Chemotherapy by Parenteral Amino Acid Administration

Forced feeding has been shown to effectively stimulate tumor metabolism in numerous animal models. Significant acceleration of tumor growth by exogenous nutrient administration is generally considered to be detrimental to the host. The present study was performed to determine if substrate-induced alterations in tumor metabolism could be exploited to enhance tumor response to cycle-specific chemotherapy. Following subcutaneous mammary tumor implantation (AC-33) and protein depletion, 39 female Lewis/Wistar rats were randomly assigned to one of four nutritional regimens for 48 hr: (1) protein-depleted food (0.03% protein) ad libitum po, (2) parenteral carbohydrate (18.6% dextrose), (3) parenteral amino acids (2.8% amino acids), or (4) total parenteral nutrition (18.6% dextrose/2.8% amino acids). Methotrexate (5 mg/kg im) was administered to all animals 2 hr after initiating these nutritional regimens. Tumor volume and host toxicity were monitored throughout the study. At sacrifice, significant reduction in ...
Extending Loosely Coupled Federated Information Systems Using Agent Technology

Different FIPA-compliant agent development platforms are available for developing multiagent systems. FIPA compliance ensures interoperability among agents across different platforms. Although most agent implementation platforms provide some form of white- and yellow-page functionalities to advertise and identify agent roles and descriptions, there are no clear architectural standards that define how an agent community can effortlessly adapt to operate in a federated information system (FIS) where new content sources are constantly added or changes are made to existing content sources. This article presents a framework based on the semantic Web vision to address extensibility in a loosely coupled FIS.
Bioinformatics Assessment of β-Myosin Mutations Reveals Myosin's High Sensitivity to Mutations

More than 200 mutations in the β -myosin gene ( MYH7 ) that cause clinically distinct cardiac and/or skeletal myopathies have been reported, but to date, no comprehensive statistical analysis of these mutations has been performed. As a part of this review, we developed a new interactive database and research tool called MyoMAPR (Myopathic Mutation Analysis Profiler and Repository). We report that the distribution of mutations along the β -myosin gene is not homogeneous, and that myosin is a highly constrained molecule with an uncommon sensitivity to amino acid substitutions. Increasing knowledge of the characteristics of MH7 mutations may provide a valuable resource for scientists and clinicians studying diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment of disease associated with these mutations.
Ferroelastic Domains and Anisotropy in Lead Free Piezoelectrics

Our research investigates the correlations between domain texture and microstructural features, including crystallographic texture in bulk and thin film polycrystalline materials to understand the development of piezoelectric and other anisotropic properties in a number of rapidly evolving lead free piezoelectric materials. We investigate approaches to understanding polarization distributions by starting from polarization measurements. In addition, 2D and 3D microstructural simulations are carried out in all types of ferroelectrics to rationalize and then engineer their equilibrium and kinetic response. This paper discusses recent findings associated with bulk piezoelectricity, phase stability, and ferroelastic and ferroelectric domain motion for materials such as Ba(Ti0.8Zr0.2)O3-x(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (BZT-BCT) and Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 (BNT). Conventional and synchrotron-based x-ray diffraction, electron and optical microscopy and piezoelectric characterization techniques are employed to assess texture, both as a function of poling and temperature. The coupling between microstructure and the inherent directional biases fundamental to piezoelectric and ferroelectric performance enable consideration of orientation and anisotropy in systems with unique constraints.
The historical context of science and education at the American Museum of Natural History

In this article I critically examine the historical context of science education in a natural history museum and its relevance to using museum resources to teach science today. I begin with a discussion of the historical display of race and its relevance to my practice of using the Museum’s resources to teach science. I continue with a critical review of the history of the education department in a natural history museum to demonstrate the historical constitution of current practices of the education department. Using sociocultural constructs around identity formation and transformation, I move to the present with a case study of a teacher who transforms the structure of science education in her classroom and school as a result of her identity transformation and association with a museum-based professional education program.
Looking Back at My Work on Conflict Resolution in the Middle East

This autobiographical article traces the author's work on the resolution of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict back to his childhood experiences in Nazi-ruled Austria. It proceeds to describe his early participation in the American civil rights and antiwar movements; his choice of social psychology as his field of study because of its potential relevance to issues of peace, justice, and social change; and his role—as a social psychologist—in the beginnings of the peace research movement. It then describes his introduction to John Burton's work on unofficial diplomacy in the mid-1960s; his development—in collaboration with colleagues and students over the years—of interactive problem solving, an approach derived from Burton's work and anchored in social-psychological principles; and his application of the approach primarily in the Middle East. The article briefly describes the methods of interactive problem solving and reviews his activities during the various phases of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and e...
A relative headspace method for Henry's constants of volatile organic compounds

Abstract A relative headspace gas chromatographic method is described for the measurement of Henry's constants of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in aqueous salt solutions. The method requires the Henry's constant of the VOC in pure water, and employs larger liquid samples than conventional headspace techniques in order to minimize errors arising from solute mass loss from the liquid phase. Henry's constants of five methyl ketones (2-propanone, 2-butanone, 2-pentanone, 2-hexanone, and 2-heptanone) in 0.2 M (molal) to 1.0 M sodium sulfate solutions were measured using the relative method at temperatures between 50 and 80 °C. Reference values of Henry's constants of the five methyl ketones in pure water were measured using a differential headspace technique. The entire data set was correlated using an equation containing three parameters (obtained from VOC + water data) and a single salt parameter. The equation was able to successfully extrapolate Henry's constant data over the entire range of salt concentrations.
Effects of Difluoromethylornithine on Growth Inhibition and Apoptosis in Human Cervical Epithelial and Cancerous Cell Lines

Abstract Objective. Difluoromethylornithine(DFMO), an irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase and an angiogenesis inhibitor, has been used in phase I cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) trials, producing a 50% regression of CIN 3 lesions. DFMO is currently in phase II trials. In the experiments reported here, DFMO's growth inhibition and apoptosis induction were explored in an in vitro model to elucidate mechanisms of action. Methods. Four immortalized cervical epithelial cell lines, serving as in vitro models of precancerous CIN lesions, and nine cervical carcinoma cell lines were studied. DFMO's growth inhibitory effect was tested in monolayer culture and in semisolid medium, and concentrations required for a 50% growth inhibition (IC 50 ) with a 5-day treatment were determined. Apoptosis induction was analyzed using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase assay of DNA fragmentation. Results. DFMO inhibited growth of immortalized cervical epithelial cell lines and cervical cancer cell lines in monolayer culture and in semisolid medium. The immortalized cervical epithelial cell lines were more sensitive than the cervical cancer cell lines to DFMO's growth inhibitory effect. Concentrations required for 50% growth inhibition after a 5-day treatment ranged from 100 μM to >5 mM for cervical carcinoma cell lines and from 100 μM to 1 mM for immortalized cervical epithelial cell lines. DFMO induced apoptosis in precancerous and cancerous cell lines at a concentration of 5 mM, regardless of the cells' human papillomavirus status. Conclusion. DFMO inhibits the growth of cervical precancerous and cancerous cells in vitro in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner, partially through inducing apoptosis.
EXAMINING THE LIFE HISTORY OF AN INDIVIDUAL FROM SOLCOR 3, SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA: COMBINING BIOARCHAEOLOGY AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY

Informacion detallada sobre la vida de un individuo, integrando multiples lineas de evidencia que incluye identificacion del origen geografico, condiciones de salud e indicadores de usos funcionales del cuerpo, puede ser utilizada para aclarar el complejo proceso de la aculturacion en los oasis de San Pedro de Atacama, norte de Chile durante el Horizonte Medio. Este trabajo presenta los resultados de analisis bioantropologicos y quimicos de un individuo (tumba 50, numero de catalogo 1948) del cementerio de Solcor 3 (ca. 500-900 d.C.) en San Pedro de Atacama. Las proporciones de los isotopos de estroncio en el esmalte dentario humano revelan informacion acerca de donde una persona vivio durante su ninez, cuando el esmalte se forma. El individuo 1948 muestra proporciones de isotopos de estroncio claramente fuera del rango que caracteriza a las poblaciones locales de San Pedro de Atacama. Estos datos muestran que el individuo 1948 fue originalmente de un lugar foraneo. El analisis de su salud, rol social y contexto mortuorio nos permite conocer el tratamiento social aplicado a los extranjeros en la region de San Pedro de Atacama durante el Horizonte Medio. Nuestros datos sostienen la idea que la condicion de extranjero del individuo 1948 no fue una limitacion para su asimilacion en la sociedad atacamena. El fue enterrado en un cementerio local, a la moda local, sin que se resaltara su posible origen foraneo. Ademas, los datos con respecto a su salud y estilo de vida no lo distinguen del resto de la poblacion local. Por lo tanto, nuestros analisis sugieren una total aculturacion de este individuo en la sociedad atacamena durante su vida adulta, por lo que retuvo poca o ninguna indicacion de suprobable nacimiento en un area foranea
Insights into the Establishment of the Manila Clam on a Tidal Flat at the Southern End of an Introduced Range in Southern California, USA

Coastal ecosystem modifications have contributed to the spread of introduced species through alterations of historic disturbance regimes and resource availability, and increased propagule pressure. Frequency of occurrence of the Manila clam (Venerupis phillipinarum, Veneridae) in Southern California estuaries has increased from absent or sparse to common since the mid-1990s. Potential invasion vectors include seafood sales and aquaculture, and spread from established northern populations over decades. The clam’s post-settlement habitat preferences are, however, uncertain in this region. Our project aimed to identify factors associated with established patches of the clam within a bay toward the southern end of this introduced range. During summer 2013, we sampled 10 tidal flat sites in Mission Bay, San Diego; each containing an area with and without hard structure (e.g., riprap, boulders). We measured likely environmental influences (e.g., sediment variables, distance to ocean). Manila clam densities across the bay were most strongly associated with site, where highest densities were located in the northern and/or back halves of the bay; and weakly correlated with lower porewater salinities. Within sites, Manila clam density was enhanced in the presence of hard structure in most sites. Prevailing currents and salinity regimes likely contribute to bay wide distributions, while hard structures may provide suitable microhabitats (refuge from predators and physical stress) and larval entrapment within sites. Results provide insights into decisions about future shoreline management efforts. Finally, we identify directions for future study to better understand and therefore predict patterns of establishment of the Manila clam in the southern portion of its introduced range.
Orbital-Angular-Momentum Structure of the A 1 Meson

The orbital angular momentum of the ${A}_{1}$ meson produced from ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}p$ at 16 GeV/c was studied by analyzing the decay angular distributions in the ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ state. A completely Bose-symmetrized formalism was used to measure the ratio $\frac{{g}_{1}}{{g}_{0}}$ of the helicity states of the $\ensuremath{\rho}$ from the ${A}_{1}$ decay. The value obtained, $|\frac{{g}_{1}}{{g}_{0}}|=0.48\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.13$, indicates a substantial $d$-wave contribution in the ${A}_{1}$ decay.
BOUNDARY CONDITIONING TECHNIQUE FOR STRUCTURAL TUNING

Boundary conditions of a structure will strongly influence their natural frequencies. By controlling the conditions at the boundaries in a non-homogeneous and non-uniform fashion, it is shown that the structural natural frequencies can be manipulated in a favorable fashion. The technique is named boundary conditioning. An analytical model has been developed for a plate type structure to illustrate the boundary conditioning technique. The results are presented and discussed, along with references to steel pan tuning.
Loop residues of the receptor binding domain of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry11Ba toxin are important for mosquitocidal activity.

Using a Cry11Ba toxin model, predicted loops in domain II were analyzed for their role in receptor binding and toxicity. Peptides corresponding to loops α8, 1 and 3, but not loop 2, competed with toxin binding to Aedes midgut membranes. Mutagenesis data reveal loops α8, 1 and 3 are involved in toxicity. Loops 1 and 3 are of greater significance in toxicity to Aedes and Culex larvae than to Anopheles. Cry11Ba binds the apical membrane of larval caecae and posterior midgut, and binding can be competed by loop 1 but not by loop 2 peptides. Cry11Ba binds the same regions to which anti-cadherin antibody binds, and this antibody competes with Cry11Ba binding suggesting a possible role of cadherin in toxication.
Issues in Classification

Ideally, the diagnostic classification of childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders should indicate the nature of the individual’s pathology; the severity; the etiological agent or agents, if known; and the prognosis, if known.
PatientNarr: Towards generating patient-centric summaries of hospital stays

PatientNarr summarizes information taken from textual discharge notes written by physicians, and structured nursing documentation. It builds a graph that highlights the relationships between the two types of documentation; and extracts information from the graph for content planning. SimpleNLG is used for surface realization.
Bacterial quorum-sensing signals are inactivated by mammalian cells

Quorum sensing is a cell-to-cell communication system used by pathogenic bacteria to control expression of virulence factors (1–6). In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, quorum-sensing mutants show reduced virulence (1–3, 7, 8), and, in a recent issue of PNAS, Chun et al. (9) reported that human respiratory epithelia have the capacity to inactivate a P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing signal. This capacity appears to be enzymatic in nature, and it functions in some but not all mammalian cells. This finding opens a new area of research and indicates that humans have evolved mechanisms to interfere with a quorum-sensing pathway.
Automated design of operational transconductance amplifiers using reversed geometric programming

We present a method for designing operational amplifiers using reversed geometric programming, which is an extension of geometric programming that allows both convex and non-convex constraints. Adding a limited set of non-convex constraints can improve the accuracy of convex equation-based optimization, without compromising global optimality. These constraints allow increased accuracy for critical modeling equations, such as the relationship between gm and IDS. To demonstrate the design methodology, a folded-cascode amplifier is designed in a [0.18]μm technology for varying speed requirements and is compared with simulations and designs obtained from geometric programming.
Equine castration: A review of techniques, complications and their management

Summary Complications associated with castration occur commonly and, although the majority are mild and resolve easily, potentially life-threatening complications can occur. The preoperative identification of risk factors for these complications can help the veterinarian to take the appropriate measures to reduce these risks. However, even with proper surgical technique, complications can occur. Therefore prompt recognition and initiation of appropriate therapy are essential to prevent further morbidity, death or lawsuits.
Rapid characterization of pesticide residues in contaminated soils by passive sampling devices

Waste sites contain a wide variety of toxic compounds that can vary greatly in concentration and distribution throughout an area This presents logistical problems in providing an accurate characterization of the site Passive sampling devices (PSDs), which consist of polymeric bags containing 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, C18 bonded-phase silica sorbent, or XAD-4 resin, are easily deployed by burying in soil They require no power source, and only a simple extraction or dilution before GC analysis As a result, personnel time and study costs are minimized These PSDs were evaluated in both lab and field studies using pesticide wastes as a model Although the 2,2,4-trimethylpentane PSDs accumulated the pesticides to the highest level, they were subject to solvent loss, making them unacceptable for use in soils C18 and XAD-4 PSDs were similar in their abilities to accumulate the pesticides Of these two, the C18 PSDs were easier and faster to analyze