cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pure XY gonadal dysgenesis and agenesis in monozygotic twins

Objective To report a case of monozygotic twin sisters who had discordant gonadal dysgenesis although each had a normal 46,XY karyotype. Design Case report. Setting University tertiary hospital. Patient(s) Seventeen-year-old twin sisters, one with gonadal agenesis and the other with pure gonadal dysgenesis followed by dysgerminoma. Intervention(s) Blood samples were obtained for karyotyping and short tandem repeat polymorphism analysis (10 markers). Both patients underwent gonadectomy. Main Outcome Measure(s) Both sisters are well at time of report after gonadectomy for the sister with dysgerminoma and diagnostic laparoscope for the other. Result(s) Dysgerminoma and atrophic ovarian stromal and tubal structures. Conclusion(s) Monozygotic twins can have discordant gonadal dysgenesis even though they are identical genetically.
Workers Perspectives On Mandated Employer Health Insurance

ABSTRACT: There is renewed discussion of using employer mandates as a strategy for decreasing the number of uninsured Americans. California recently passed the Health Insurance Act of 2003, the fir...
The Transient Evolution of Bubbles in Turbulent Channel Flows

Direct numerical simulations of multiphase flows, where every spatial and temporal scale are fully resolved, provide data that allows not only unprecedented insight into the dynamics of the flow but should also aid in the development and testing of models for the unresolved scales in two-fluid and large eddy simulations. DNS of bubbly flows in vertical channels have showed that the structure of such flows is relatively simple but also relatively insensitive to some of the closure terms in equations governing the average flow. Furthermore, most of those simulations have been done for modest Reynolds numbers and uniform bubble size. Here we describe results from a simulation of the transient motion of a larger and more complex system and discuss how the results may help in developing models for the average flow.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Withdrawal symptoms over time among adolescents in a smoking cessation intervention: Do symptoms vary by level of nicotine dependence?

Nicotine dependence may be expressed differently in teens than in adults. Thus, it may not be sufficient to build diagnostic and cessation treatment strategies for teens based on adult-derived clinical and research data. This is the first study to prospectively examine the development of withdrawal symptoms by level of nicotine dependence among adolescent smokers. Forty-seven adolescent smokers completed nicotine withdrawal symptoms measures during 10 weeks of cessation treatment. Nicotine dependence was assessed at baseline using the mFTQ. Change in withdrawal symptoms over time by level of nicotine dependence was examined via mixed model ANOVA. Nicotine withdrawal in daily adolescent smokers was strongly and prospectively associated with the level of nicotine dependence. Craving was rated as the most problematic symptom at the baseline assessment. The results of this study may help guide the development of future research on diagnostic and cessation treatment strategies for teens.
Nonlinear Additive Models for Environmental Time Series, with Applications to Ground-Level Ozone Data Analysis

Abstract Environmental time series usually vary systematically in response to meteorological conditions and thus often are not stationary. In this article a class of additive models are introduced for environmental time series, in which both mean levels and variances of the series are nonlinear functions of relevant meteorological variables. Backfitting algorithms in nonlinear regression are adopted to estimate the unknown functions in the model, and the maximum likelihood method is used to estimate the parameters in the noise component. Asymptotic properties of the parameter estimates, including consistency and limiting distribution, are derived under mild conditions. The model is applied to daily maxima of ground-level ozone concentrations in the Chicago area for possible long-term trend assessment. Compared to alternative models, the proposed models gave more accurate estimations for the 95th and 99th percentiles of the ozone distribution.
Rapid synthesis of novel dipeptide inhibitors of human collagenase and gelatinase using solid phase chemistry

Abstract Solid phase chemistry expedited the systematic modification of the C and N-terminal groups of cysteine derived lead compound 1 (collagenase IC 50 63nM), providing a series of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors. Potent inhibitors of collagenase ( 1–2 , 4–6 , and 10–13 ) and gelatinase ( 4–8 ) were identified. Insights into the binding mode of selective inhibitors will be discussed.
Patient Anxiety in the Dentist's Office

Patient anxiety during three phases of a dental appointment indicated that subjectively experienced anxiety increased as treatment approached and dramatically decreased after treatment. The amount of anxiety change was different for men and women. Implications for anxiety reduction in the dentist's office are discussed.
Orientation and distance in pigeon homing (Columba livia)

Abstract To study the role of distance in the initial orientation of homing pigeons, eight release sites around Bowling Green, Ohio were selected from 8 km to 320 km distance in each of the four cardinal compass directions. Two releases were made from each site and the homeward component of the average heading vector for each of the sixty-four releases was computed and considered in relation to the distance of displacement. The results do not support the idea of an intermediate zone of poor initial orientation. It is known that there are fundamental differences in homing behaviour which cannot be attributed to the stock or methods and therefore must involve loft site and release point connected factors. It is possible that these factors prevent a demonstration of a deterioration of initial orientation at intermediate distances for birds flying to the Bowling Green loft. The same factors may operate to provide the examples obtained at other locations and the cause may not be a general breakdown of the navigational system in some intermediate zone.
The Addition of Radiation to Chemotherapy does not Improve Outcome When Compared to Chemotherapy in the Treatment of Resected Pancreas Cancer: The Results of a Single-Institution Experience

Background Pancreas cancer is highly lethal even at early stages. Adjuvant therapy with chemotherapy (CT) or chemoradiation (CRT) is standard following surgery to delay recurrence and improve survival. There is no consensus on the added value of radiotherapy (RT). We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes in pancreas cancer patients treated with CT or CRT following surgery.
Common Themes of Resilience among Latino Immigrant Families: A Systematic Review of the Literature:

Although there is a plethora of research on resiliency, there are few studies that examine this concept in Latino immigrant families in the United States. Using key terms such as immigrant, Hispanic, Latino, and resiliency, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify characteristics of resilience and understand how these factors uniquely protect Latino immigrant families against stressors related to the migration and assimilation processes. Research on resilience among Latino immigrant families indicates 4 major domains: individual characteristics, family strengths, cultural factors, and community supports. A deeper understanding of how these risk and protective factors contribute to resilience with Latino immigrant families will increase the cultural competence of policy, practice, and research with this population. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
The role of a physician in the composition ofThe Star Spangled Banner

Incidental interactions between Dr. William Beanes, Francis Scott Key and British Rear Admiral George Cockburn led to a magical moment in U.S. history. During the War of 1812, Cockburn abducted Beanes and imprisoned him in the ship's brig. Key agreed to try to gain Beanes release since he was a civilian. Under a flag of truce, Key went to the British flagship anchored in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. Although the British agreed to release Beanes, they detained Key because he overheard their plans to attack Baltimore's Fort McHenry. Under guard on a small boat in the harbor, Key watched as the British bombardment continued all through the night. Inspired by the Americans' gallant defense, Key scribbled the immortal words of the national anthem on the back of an old letter. If the British Red Devil had not imprisoned the elderly physician, the reluctant soldier might never have written the stirring poem.
Hybrid ARQ improvements for RFID systems

This paper investigates potential Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) improvements to the RFID ISO 18000-6C standard. Theoretical models that capture the baseline performance in terms of tag read rate are developed, and a new protocol capable of using HARQ or rateless codes is described. Existing HARQ algorithms such as Chase combining (CC) and incremental redundancy (IR) are studied via simulations and the performance quantified in terms of tag read rate. These empirical results show that CC allows for graceful system degradation and IR achieves read rates close to the capacity limit.
Co-ordinate regulation of herpes simplex virus gene expression is mediated by the functional interaction of two immediate early gene products

At early times after infection with herpes simplex virus, transcription from beta-promoters is initiated only in the presence of a functional 174,000 Mr phosphoprotein (ICP4), encoded by an immediate early (alpha) gene (IE4). A transient expression assay was used to analyze the requirement for two (ICP4 and ICP0) of the five alpha-gene products in the transcriptional regulation of model alpha and beta-gene promoters. These studies reveal that cells cotransfected with plasmids containing the alpha-gene sequences for infected cell proteins (ICPs) 4 and 0 and a thymidine kinase (TK, a beta-gene) gene or the thymidine kinase promoter fused to a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) cassette accumulate 10 to 20-fold more RNA or exhibit 10 to 20-fold more CAT activity than cells cotransfected with a plasmid encoding either alpha-gene protein and a thymidine kinase indicator gene. Functional ICP4 is required for enhanced transcriptional activation in the transient expression assay system. It is also required for the uniform dispersal of ICP0 throughout the nucleus as shown by immunofluorescence staining analysis of transfected cells. Two alpha-promoter-CAT fusions were used as targets to study what effects ICP4, ICP0 and Vmw65 (the virion-associated alpha-gene transactivator) have on expression from alpha-promoters that contain all of the sequences that confer alpha-gene regulation, or only the core sequence governing basal level expression. We conclude that ICP4 can activate alpha-gene expression from the core sequence and, depending on its abundance, activate or repress expression from a promoter containing the sequences required for alpha-gene regulation. Independent of these alpha-regulatory sequences cotransfection with low levels of sequences encoding both ICP0 and ICP4 activate expression. At higher ratios of effector (both ICP4 and ICP0) the target accumulation of CAT activity decreases. Although a ts allele of IE4 (cloned from the mutant virus tsK) does not activate alpha-gene expression it can enhance the ability of ICP0 to activate a target containing alpha-regulatory sequences. Virus studies involving tsK support the conclusion that functional ICP4 is required to activate beta-promoters and to repress expression from alpha-promoters and help to explain the pleiotropic effects of the tsK mutation. These analyses have also revealed the presence of a novel RNA species that overlaps the sequences encoding ICP0. Our results suggest that co-ordinate regulation of HSV gene expression is mediated by the functional interaction of at least two alpha-gene products, ICP0 and ICP4.
Differential effect of environmental temperature on morphine physical dependence and abstinence

1) Ambient temperature (Ta) significantly influenced the display of 4 of the 14 naloxone-precipitated withdrawal signs (nesting, flat posture, vocalization, dyspnea) in morphine-dependent, non-hibernating ground squirrels (Citellus lateralis). 2) Analysis of variance performed on the six quantified signs revealed that Ta during withdrawal, but not during the development of physical dependence, was a significant factor in determining the expression of two signs (nesting and vocalization). 3) The interaction between the influence of Ta during the periods of morphine administration and abstinence was a significant factor in determining the expression of nesting behavior, a finding that is consistent with the natural role of nesting as a behavioral thermoregulatory response. 4) We conclude that environmental temperature modulates the expression of selected components of the naloxone-precipitated abstinence syndrome in C. lateralis without exerting a measurable influence on the development of morphine physical dependence itself.
Problem solving by reference to rules or previous episodes: the effects of organized training, analogical models, and subsequent complexity of experience.

Subjects learned a microcomputer drawing package under different conditions of training organization and practice complexity. Training instructions were presented in either a random or an organized order, and with or without an analogical model of the software package. Practice trials varied in visual and logical complexity. Performance on paper-arid-pencil and problem-solving tests was better following the model than following the no-model condition when practice trials were logically complex; the reverse was true when they were logically simple. Performance on the test of problem solving was also better following organized training than following randomly ordered training when practice trials were visually complex; the reverse was true following visually simple practice. We propose that the subjects performed the tasks by engaging in either episodebased or rule-based processing, and that performance was optimized when the processing used at encoding and retrieval was the same. The acquisition of skill in solving real problems is explained as procedural compilation.
Surviving apoptosis: life–death signaling in single cells

Tissue development and homeostasis are regulated by opposing pro-survival and pro-death signals. An interesting feature of the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) family of ligands is that they simultaneously activate opposing signals within a single cell via the same ligand–receptor complex. The magnitude of pro-death events such as caspase activation and pro-survival events such as Nuclear Factor (NF)-κB activation vary not only from one cell type to the next but also among individual cells of the same type due to intrinsic and extrinsic noise. The molecules involved in these pro-survival and/or pro-death pathways, and the different phenotypes that result from their activities, have been recently reviewed. Here we focus on the impact of cell-to-cell variability in the strength of these opposing signals on shaping cell fate decisions.
Intuition, Inference, and Rational Disagreement in Ethics

This paper defends a moderate intuitionism by extending a version of that view previously put forward and responding to some significant objections to it that have been posed in recent years. The notion of intuition is clarified, and various kinds of intuition are distinguished and interconnected. These include doxastic intuitions and intuitive seemings. The concept of inference is also clarified. In that light, the possibility of non-inferential intuitive justification is explained in relation to both singular moral judgments, which intuitionists do not take to be self-evident, and basic moral principles, which they typically do take to be self-evident in a sense explicated in the paper. This explanation is accomplished in part by drawing some analogies between moral and perceptual judgments in the light of a developmental conception of knowledge. The final section of the paper presents a partial account of rational disagreement and indicates how the kind of intuitionist view defended can allow for rational disagreement between apparent epistemic peers.
To What Extent Can Biogenic SOA be Controlled

The implicit assumption that biogenic secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is natural and can not be controlled hinders effective air quality management. Anthropogenic pollution facilitates transformation of naturally emitted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to the particle phase, enhancing the ambient concentrations of biogenic secondary organic aerosol (SOA). It is therefore conceivable that some portion of ambient biogenic SOA can be removed by controlling emissions of anthropogenic pollutants. Direct measurement of the controllable fraction of biogenic SOA is not possible, but can be estimated through 3-dimensional photochemical air quality modeling. To examine this in detail, 22 CMAQ model simulations were conducted over the continental U.S. (August 15 to September 4, 2003). The relative contributions of five emitted pollution classes (i.e., NOx, NH3, SOx, reactive non methane carbon (RNMC) and primary carbonaceous particulate matter (PCM)) on biogenic SOA were estimated by removing anthropogenic emissio...
Lysis of Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria Erythrocytes by Acid-Activated Serum

Abstract Erythrocytes from paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria patients (PNH-E) are much more susceptible to lysis by acid-activated human serum than normal human erythrocytes. Acidification of normal human serum to pH 6.4 in the absence of erythrocytes generates this lytic activity independently of the alternative pathway of complement activation. A shift of pH of a mixture of purified human C5 and C6 to 6.4 at 0°C generates a similar activity C(56)a that lyses PNH-E together with C7-C9 much more efficiently than normal erythrocytes. Since acidactivation of normal human serum occurs in the absence of C3, the acid-activated C56 appears to be the lytic principle in acidified human serum.
Self-administration of haloperidol in rats☆

Abstract Rats were found to self-administer haloperidol at i.v. unit infusion doses of 1.0 and 2.0 μg/kg but not at 0.25 μg/kg. Apomorphine, when administered i.p., antagonized haloperidol self-administration. These data support other recent findings with respect to a role of central dopaminergic neurons in reward mechanisms.
Renal Dysfunction in End- Stage Liver Disease and Post-Liver Transplant

Renal dysfunction is a frequent complication in patients with end-stage liver disease awaiting orthotopic liver transplantation and in the post-liver transplant period. Although the stereotypical form of renal dysfunction is the hepatorenal syndrome, other causes of acute kidney injury in this population include prerenal azotemia and acute tubular necrosis. Renal injury in a patient with cirrhosis is associated with a poor prognosis.
Posttranscriptional Regulation of US11 in Cells Infected with a Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Recombinant Lacking Both 222-bp Domains Containing S-Component Origins of DNA Synthesis

Abstract The U S 11 gene of herpes simplex virus 1 maps in the unique sequences of the short component of the HSV-1(F) genome approximately 775 bp from the center of the DNA replication origin (Ori S ) and encodes a virion protein which binds RNA in sequence- and conformation-specific fashion, negatively regulates the accumulation of a prematurely terminated transcript of U L 34, associates in the infected cell with the 60S ribosomal subunit, and, late in infection, accumulates in nucleoli. We report the following: (i) Deletion of a 222-bp sequence including Ori S (ΔOri S ) negatively affected the accumulation of the U S 11 protein without decreasing the accumulation of the U S 11 transcript. (ii) The defect, observed at all times after infection, was multiplicity independent, was unrelated to U S 11 protein stability, and apparently resulted from a cis -acting element since a coinfecting virus was unable to complement the ΔOri S virus. (iii) Transcription from the U S 11 promoter initiated from three sites on the ΔOri S virus. Transcripts initiated from two of the three initation sites accumulated similarly in cells infected with the ΔOri S virus or wild-type parent virus. The low-abundance transcript initiating from the third site was apparently unique to the ΔOri S virus but was not expected to alter the coding capacity of the mRNA. (iv) Infected cells accumulated RNA derived by antisense transcription of the genome domain containing the U S 11 gene. One transcript accumulated in larger amounts in cells infected with the ΔOri S virus than in cells infected with parent or repaired virus.
Effects of sample distribution along gradients on eigenvector ordination

In general, disproportionately heavy sampling of the ends of a gradient increases the interpretability of eigenvector ordinations. More specifically, correspondence analysis (CA) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) best reproduce the original positions of samples in simulated coenoclines when samples are clustered toward the ends of the axis. Principal components analysis (PCA) reproduces the original sample positions less well than either CA or DCA and shows no improvement as samples are increasingly clustered toward the ends of the axis. PCA and CA show less curvature of one dimensional data into the second axis when sampling favors the ends of the axis.
Oncofertility and the male cancer patient.

Oncofertility as a discipline plays an important, adjunctive role in the treatment of male patients with cancer. Despite recommendations by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, many clinicians managing malignancies in males fail to consistently incorporate fertility preservation as a routine aspect of health care. Providers involved in the treatment of oncologic patients should have an awareness of the impact of their prescribed treatments on reproductive potential, just as they would be knowledgeable of the potential deleterious effects of cancer therapies on vital organs such as the kidneys, lungs, and liver. Providers should then have a discussion with their patients regarding these potential adverse therapeutic effects or consult a fertility preservation specialist to discuss these matters and fertility preservation options with the patient. Cryopreservation of sperm remains an excellent option for male fertility preservation as it is readily available and results in storage of viable gametes for future use in the event of post treatment infertility. With the use of assisted reproductive techniques (ART), cryopreserved sperm may ultimately result in successful paternity, even in the setting of very low numbers of stored sperm. While sperm cryopreservation is usually an option for adolescent and adult males, fertility preservation in pre-pubertal males presents a more challenging problem. To date, no clinically proven methods are available to preserve fertility in these males. However, some centers do offer experimental protocols under the oversight of an IRB, such as testicular tissue cryopreservation in these males. The hope is that one day science will provide a mechanism for immature germ cells from the testicular tissue of these patients to be used in vivo or in vitro to facilitate reproduction. In closing, studies have shown that the patient’s regard for his provider is enhanced when the issue fertility preservation is raised. While oncologic care is often fraught with time constraints and acute medical concerns, fertility preservation care in the male can typically be administered quickly and without disruption of the overall plan of care.
Post-translational and transcriptional regulation of polyamine biosynthesis in Escherichia coli.

Abstract 1. 1. Ornithine and arginine decarboxylases (ODC and ADC) of Escherichia coli are inhibited post-translationally by antizyme and ribosomal proteins S20 and L34. 2. 2. The inhibition of either enzyme is relieved when excess of the other decarboxylase is added. 3. 3. Using this approach, in vitro as well as in vivo , we demonstrate that the extent of the post-translational inhibition of ODC and ADC in E. coli is at least 65 and 50%, respectively. 4. 4. The inhibited enzyme levels increase even further upon exposure of cells to polyamines. 5. 5. The post-translational mode of regulation can counteract a 4-fold increase of ODC protein in the cell. 6. 6. The negative transcriptional regulation of ODC and ADC expression by polyamines is mediated by transcription factors and not by direct polyamine effects on the promoters of their genes. 7. 7. Three proteins interacting with the ODC promoter region were found by southwestern blot analysis.
Irwin Freedberg on NIH study section.

I met Irwin Freedberg because of my position at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, where I was executive secretary/scientific review administrator in the Division of Research Grants, later renamed the Center for Scientific Review. How did it come about that I, a former bench scientist from a far-off discipline, should be so lucky as to land amidst the investigative dermatologists and get to work — in review — with the likes of Irwin and his distinguished colleagues?
Effect of intranasal inoculation of Streptococcus pneumoniae on the structure of the surface carbohydrates of the chinchilla eustachian tube and middle ear mucosa.

The changes in the cell surface carbohydrates of the eustachian tube (ET) and middle ear subsequent to the intranasal (i.n.) inoculation of Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) type 6A were studied in the chinchilla model of otitis media (OM) using a lectin histochemical technique with six different lectins (SNA, WGA, Succ WGA, BSL II, PNA, ECL). The labeling pattern revealed not only the removal of the terminal sialic acid, but also exposure of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), a component of the trisaccharide receptor for Spn previously identified on human pharyngeal cells. The removal of sialic acid residues progressed from the nasopharyngeal to the tympanic orifice and was most pronounced in those animals from which Spn could be isolated from the middle ear. Our data indicate an alteration of the normal lectin labeling pattern and exposure of GlcNAc restricted mainly to the roof and neck portion, along the course of the eustachian tube. Exposure of part or all of a Spn adherence receptor structure by the pneumococcal enzymes, may facilitate colonization, invasion of the middle ear, and induction of OM.
Evidence from dwarf rats that growth hormone may not regulate the sexual differentiation of liver cytochrome P450 enzymes and steroid 5 alpha-reductase.

Abstract Differences in the pattern of growth hormone (GH) secretion in mature rats (i.e., "continuous" secretion in females versus "pulsatile" secretion in males) are thought to be the underlying cause of sex-dependent differences in a subpopulation of liver microsomal P450 enzymes and steroid 5 alpha-reductase. A new strain of dwarf rats (NIMR/AS) has recently been shown to have low or undetectable levels of circulating GH due to a selective defect in pituitary GH synthesis. We have measured the levels and/or activity of IIA1 (P450a), IIA2 (P450m), IIC11 (P450h), IIC12 (P450i), IIIA2 (a P450p isozyme), and steroid 5 alpha-reductase in liver microsomes from male and female dwarf rats, to test the hypothesis that the expression of these sexually dimorphic enzymes is regulated by GH. In mature rats, the levels of liver microsomal IIA2, IIC11, and IIIA2 were higher in male than in female dwarf rats, whereas the levels of activity of IIA1, IIC12, and steroid 5 alpha-reductase were greater in female than in male dwarf rats. These sex differences resulted from age-related changes in either male dwarf rats (i.e., an increase in IIC11 and IIA2 and a decrease in IIA1) or female dwarf rats (i.e., an increase in IIC12 and 5 alpha-reductase and a decrease in IIIA2). The magnitudes of these sex-dependent, age-related changes were essentially indistinguishable from those observed in normal rats. These unexpected results suggest that GH is not the pituitary factor responsible for regulating the levels of sexually dimorphic, steroid-metabolizing enzymes in rat liver. Alternatively, it is possible that these enzymes are regulated by extremely low levels of GH. In either case, the current model of how steroid-metabolizing enzymes are regulated in rats must be revised to account for the normal sexual differentiation of these enzymes in dwarf rats.
Responses of gibbons ( Hylobates muelleri ) to self, neighbor, and stranger song duets

To determine whether gibbons discriminate among songs given by different groups, I conducted a series of experimental playbacks of recorded Bornean gibbon (Hylobates muelleri)duets. The gibbons did not respond differentially to their own, neighbors’, and strangers’ songs. Failure to show vocal discrimination may be due to factors associated with the experimental procedure or may indicate that there is no selective advantage gained by responding differentially under the playback circumstances.
A Nonparametric Approach to Multiproduct Pricing

Developed by General Motors (GM), the Auto Choice Advisor website (http://www.autochoiceadvisor.com) recommends vehicles to consumers based on their requirements and budget constraints. Through the website, GM has access to large quantities of data that reflect consumer preferences. Motivated by the availability of such data, we formulate a nonparametric approach to multiproduct pricing. We consider a class of models of consumer purchasing behavior, each of which relates observed data on a consumers requirements and budget constraint to subsequent purchasing tendencies. To price products, we aim at optimizing prices with respect to a sample of consumer data. We offer a bound on the sample size required for the resulting prices to be near-optimal with respect to the true distribution of consumers. The bound exhibits a dependence of O(n log n) on the number n of products being priced, showing thatin terms of sample complexitythe approach is scalable to large numbers of products. With regards to computational complexity, we establish that computing optimal prices with respect to a sample of consumer data is NP-complete in the strong sense. However, when prices are constrained by a price ladderan ordering of prices defined prior to price determinationthe problem becomes one of maximizing a supermodular function with real-valued variables. It is not yet known whether this problem is NP-hard. We provide a heuristic for our price-ladder-constrained problem, together with encouraging computational results. Finally, we apply our approach to a data set from the Auto Choice Advisor website. Our analysis provides insights into the current pricing policy at GM and suggests enhancements that may lead to a more effective pricing strategy.
Video Transmission of American Sign Language and Finger Spelling: Present and Projected Bandwidth Requirements

The bandwidth for communicating ASL sentences, isolated lists of ASL nouns, and finger-spelled names by a television type of raster scan was measured for a heterogeneous deaf population. Video sequences of a signer were shown to subjects at 60 frames/s (without interlace) with a raster composed of from 9 to 79 lines/frame corresponding to a bandwidth of from 1.1 to 86 kHz. Most subjects could interpret ASL sentences with little loss at a bandwidth of 21 kHz; the most expert ASL users received sentences at 40-50 percent correct at a bandwidth of 4.4 kHz. Even with the present nonoptimal raster, expert signers require a bandwidth for ASL communication that is just four times greater than the bandwidth required by experienced speakers for equivalent performance with auditory speech. With a more judicious choice of raster parameters, with better display conditions, and with better camera position, it seems quite probable that the present raster-bandwidth requirement could be lowered. Transmission at ordinary (3 kHz) telephone bandwidths will require more sophisticated picture coding, perhaps with different codes for ASL, finger spelling, and speechreading.
Differential response of two derivatives of the BHK21 hamster cell to thymidine

Attempts to synchronize the BHK21 hamster cell C-13 and its polyoma-transformed derivative P-183 with excess thymidine resulted in the observation that the parent cell line could be readily synchronized but the transformed derivative could not. Differences in the growth pattern indicate that excess thymidine (10 mM) stops progress of the virus-transformed derivative at all stages in the life cycle rather than exclusively in S. The data are suggestive but do not establish that the difference is a result of the presence of the virus genome.
Synthesis of pitch materials from hydrogenation of anthracite

Abstract A Pennsylvania anthracite was ground, carefully dried and hydrotreated into materials with properties resembling those of pitches. The hydrotreatment was carried out using two hydrogen donors, 9,10-dihydroanthracene (DHA) and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene (THN), and two catalysts, molybdenum hexacarbonyl (Mo(CO) 6 ) and ammonium tetrathiomolybdate (ATTM). Due to the high reactivity at low temperatures, the degree of hydrogenation was probed in the temperature range 300, 350 and 400 °C. The optimum hydrogen donor, catalyst and hydrogenation temperature were 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene, ammonium tetrathiomolybdate and 300 °C, respectively. This was reflected in an increase in the hydrogen-to-carbon atomic ratio (H/C) from 0.33 for the original anthracite to 0.42 for the pitch-like material from anthracite. Further, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that the anthracite-derived pitch material had a glass transition temperature ( T g ) around 81.6 °C and softening point of 205.7 °C. This indicates that the softening behavior of the anthracite-derived pitch is similar to that of high-softening-point coal tar pitches. The anthracite-derived pitch material was evaluated by producing a small carbon body directly from the anthracite-derived pitch, and partial binding was observed.
One-Dimensional Potential Theory

The one-dimensional version of classical potential theory is so special that its discussion has been deferred to this chapter, and much of this theory is so elementary that it will be left to the reader to formulate and justify. A ball in ℝ with center ξ is an open interval with midpoint ξ, and the averages (u, ξ, δ), A(u, ξ, δ), and αu can play the same role when N = 1 as when N > 1, but more direct methods are sometimes clearer.
The effect of wicking fibres in tissue-engineered bone scaffolds.

The major limitation of large tissue-engineered constructs used for bone regeneration is the lack of vasculature and, therefore, lack of transport of essential nutrients, chemical factors and progenitor cells. Research approaches to improve the transport properties of large scaffolds focus on using angiogenic factors and vasculogenic cells to create new vasculature; however, the slow rate of vessel formation and reliance on vessel self-assembly in these approaches is problematic. In this study, a novel approach has been proposed, using proprietary engineered ‘wicking’ fibres of non-circular cross-section that provide highly efficient transport for fluid and cells. The effect of wicking fibres on the movement of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated protein in a three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel system was analysed. The results indicated that the rate of diffusion of the fluorescent protein was greatly enhanced in hydrogels that contained wicking fibres in comparison to those that did not. The movement of progenitor cells along wicking fibres and round fibres was assessed. This study demonstrated that wicking fibres enhance the movement of critical growth factors and progenitor cells central for bone regeneration. The results suggested that the incorporation of wicking fibres into large tissue-engineered constructs may improve the transport of growth factors and progenitor cells essential for bone formation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
B Cell Differentiation Is Associated with Reprogramming the CCCTC Binding Factor–Dependent Chromatin Architecture of the Murine MHC Class II Locus

The transcriptional insulator CCCTC binding factor (CTCF) was shown previously to be critical for human MHC class II (MHC-II) gene expression. Whether the mechanisms used by CTCF in humans were similar to that of the mouse and whether the three-dimensional chromatin architecture created was specific to B cells were not defined. Genome-wide CTCF occupancy was defined for murine B cells and LPS-derived plasmablasts by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing. Fifteen CTCF sites within the murine MHC-II locus were associated with high CTCF binding in B cells. Only one-third of these sites displayed significant CTCF occupancy in plasmablasts. CTCF was required for maximal MHC-II gene expression in mouse B cells. In B cells, a subset of the CTCF regions interacted with each other, creating a three-dimensional architecture for the locus. Additional interactions occurred between MHC-II promoters and the CTCF sites. In contrast, a novel configuration occurred in plasma cells, which do not express MHC-II genes. Ectopic CIITA expression in plasma cells to induce MHC-II expression resulted in high levels of MHC-II proteins, but did not alter the plasma cell architecture completely. These data suggest that reorganizing the three-dimensional chromatin architecture is an epigenetic mechanism that accompanies the silencing of MHC-II genes as part of the cell fate commitment of plasma cells.
Cross-correlated correlative encoding: an efficient modulation method

A new cross-correlated correlative baseband encoding scheme is presented as a means of doubling the capacity of a mobile communication systems without the cost of complex baseband filtering. System performance is studied in a non-linear amplified channel for 6 to 9 dB improved power efficiency. The system is analyzed for spectrum efficiency, adjacent channel interference (ACI), co-channel interference (CCI) and bit error rate (BER) performance in a Rayleigh faded cellular network. Computer simulated results and hardware experimentation show that modified correlative encoding achieves up to a 70% improvement in spectrum efficiency and double network capacity when compared to constant envelope GMSK modulation used in GSM, DCS1800, PCS1900 and DECT systems.
Desensitization of Gs-coupled receptor signaling by constitutively active mutants of the human lutropin/choriogonadotropin receptor.

Activating mutations of the human lutropin/choriogonadotropin receptor (hLHR), a Gs-coupled receptor, have been identified in young boys with gonadotropin-independent precocious puberty (testotoxicosis). The properties of these mutants have typically been characterized in heterologous cells transfected with recombinant mutant receptor and compared with those expressing wild-type (wt) receptor. The affected individuals, however, are heterozygous and, therefore, express wt receptor in addition to the mutant receptor. The present studies were undertaken to determine what effects, if any, coexpression of a constitutively active hLHR might have on hLHR(wt). HEK 293 cells were cotransfected with hLHR(wt) and hLHR(L457R), a mutant that we have previously shown to be both constitutively active and unresponsive to further hormonal stimulation as determined in both intact cells and isolated membranes. When coexpressed at submaximal concentrations, L457R does not decrease the cell surface expression of hLHR(wt). Coe...
Performance of the HOMME dynamical core in the aqua-planet configuration of NCAR CAM4: equatorial waves

A new atmospheric dynamical core, named the High Order Method Modeling Environment (HOMME), has been recently included in the NCAR-Community Climate System Model version 4 (CCSM4). It is a petascale capa- ble high-order element-based conservative dynamical core developed on a cubed-sphere grid. We have examined the model simulations with HOMME using the aqua-planet mode of CAM4 (atmospheric component of CCSM4) and evaluated its performance in simulating the equatorial waves, considered a crucial element of climate variability. For this we compared the results with two other established models in CAM4 framework, which are the finite-volume (FV) and Eulerian spectral (EUL) dynamical cores. Although the gross features seem to be comparable, important differences have been found among the three dynamical cores. The phase speed of Kelvin waves in HOMME is faster and more satis- factory than those in FV and EUL. The higher phase speed is attributed to an increased large-scale precipitation in the up- per troposphere and a more top-heavy heating structure. The variance of the n= 1 equatorial Rossby waves is underesti- mated by all three of them, but comparatively HOMME sim- ulations are more reasonable. For the n= 0 eastward inertio- gravity waves, the variances are weak and phase speeds are too slow, scaled to shallow equivalent depths. However, the variance in HOMME is relatively more compared to the two other dynamical cores. The mixed Rossby-gravity waves are feeble in all the three cases. In summary, model simulations using HOMME are reasonably good, with some improve- ment relative to FV and EUL in capturing some of the im- portant characteristics associated with equatorial waves.
ZStream: a cost-based query processor for adaptively detecting composite events

Composite (or Complex) event processing (CEP) systems search sequences of incoming events for occurrences of user-specified event patterns. Recently, they have gained more attention in a variety of areas due to their powerful and expressive query language and performance potential. Sequentiality (temporal ordering) is the primary way in which CEP systems relate events to each other. In this paper, we present a CEP system called ZStream to efficiently process such sequential patterns. Besides simple sequential patterns, ZStream is also able to detect other patterns, including conjunction, disjunction, negation and Kleene closure. Unlike most recently proposed CEP systems, which use non-deterministic finite automata (NFA's) to detect patterns, ZStream uses tree-based query plans for both the logical and physical representation of query patterns. By carefully designing the underlying infrastructure and algorithms, ZStream is able to unify the evaluation of sequence, conjunction, disjunction, negation, and Kleene closure as variants of the join operator. Under this framework, a single pattern in ZStream may have several equivalent physical tree plans, with different evaluation costs. We propose a cost model to estimate the computation costs of a plan. We show that our cost model can accurately capture the actual runtime behavior of a plan, and that choosing the optimal plan can result in a factor of four or more speedup versus an NFA based approach. Based on this cost model and using a simple set of statistics about operator selectivity and data rates, ZStream is able to adaptively and seamlessly adjust the order in which it detects patterns on the fly. Finally, we describe a dynamic programming algorithm used in our cost model to efficiently search for an optimal query plan for a given pattern.
A simple spike train decoder inspired by the sampling theorem

Reconstructing a time-varying stimulus estimate from a spike train (Bialek's “decoding” of a spike train) has become an important way to study neural information processing. In this paper, we describe a simple method for reconstructing a time-varying current injection signal from the simulated spike train it produces. This technique extracts most of the information from the spike train, provided that the input signal is appropriately matched to the spike generator. To conceptualize this matching, we consider spikes as instantaneous “samples” of the somatic current. The Sampling Theorem is then applicable, and it suggests that the bandwidth of the injected signal not exceed half the spike generator's average firing rate. The average firing rate, in turn, depends on the amplitude range and DC bias of the injected signal. We hypothesize that nature faces similar problems and constraints when transmitting a time-varying waveform from the soma of one neuron to the dendrite of the postsynaptic cell.
P-wave monitoring of hydrate-bearing sand during CH4–CO2 replacement

a b s t r a c t The replacement of methane for carbon dioxide in natural gas hydrate-bearing sediments is a promising technology in view of a more sustainable use of fossil fuels. While previous studies have shown successful CH4–CO2 replacement in hydrates, the mechanical response of hydrate-bearing sediments during CO2 injection, CH4–CO2 replacement, and CH4 production needs to be adequately understood in order to avert production problems such as borehole instability, sand production, and buckling of the casing. We take advantage of the characteristics of elastic mechanical wave propagation in sediments to monitor CH4 hydrate-bearing sands before, during, and after CO2 injection. Results show that CH4–CO2 replacement occurs without a loss of stiffness in the granular medium. This implies that CO2-flooded sandy reservoirs can remain mechanically stable during and after CH4 gas production. On the other hand, dry CO2 dissolves hydrate, and continued sediment flushing with dry CO2 reduces the degree of hydrate saturation in the pore space, opens the pore throats, and weakens the granular skeleton. This phenomenon may cause a significant loss of strength near the injection points and regions subjected to high liquid CO2 flow rate. The results of complimentary analyses show a decrease in bulk stiffness as water is displaced by liquid CO2, a stiffening of the granular skeleton during hydrate formation at contacts (diffusion limited), and the implications of water solubility in liquid CO2. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Anaerobic and aerobic pathways for salvage of proximal tubules from hypoxia-induced mitochondrial injury.

We have further examined the mechanisms for a severe mitochondrial energetic deficit, deenergization, and impaired respiration in complex I that develop in kidney proximal tubules during hypoxia-re...
Compensation Policy and Quit Rates: A Multilevel Approach Using Benchmarking Data

Using unique linked employee–employer benchmarking data, the paper estimates the impact of compensation policy on quit rates using multilevel models. The analysis examines several aspects of an organization’s compensation policy with a focus on the effect of pay dispersion between employees at the same level in the firm hierarchy, as well as pay dispersion throughout the hierarchy. Overall, the results indicate that firms with egalitarian pay structures have lower quit rates, a finding that is robust to a large set of empirical specifications.
Flawed regionalism: Reconceptualizing Northeast Asia in the 1990s

Abstract The goal of regionalism in Northeast Asia seemed within reach early in the 1990s, but plans clashed and territories failed in their objectives. This paper reviews the shared dreams in Russia, China, and Japan and identifies some of the problems that left plans in tatters by 1994. It summarizes the principal misjudgments during the start‐up phase both in the three national capitals and in three local areas. While local areas acted impulsively with unrealistic expectations, the national capitals hesitated without leading the way or let one‐sided national interests overwhelm regional planning. The preconditions to regionalism are still not in place. Efforts to find a new, realistic model point to the need to address the great power balance, localist‐nationalist contradictions, mutual understanding, and multilateralism, including a division of labor acceptable to all sides.