cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interfractional Uncertainty in the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer With Radiation

Purpose To compare the interfractional variation in pancreatic tumor position using bony anatomy and implanted fiducial markers. Methods and Materials Five consecutively treated patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma who received definitive intensity-modulated radiation therapy at Stanford University (Stanford, CA) underwent fiducial seed placement and treatment on the Varian Trilogy system (Varian, Palo Alto, CA) with respiratory gating. Daily orthogonal kilovoltage imaging was performed to verify patient positioning, and isocenter shifts were made initially to match bony anatomy. Next, a final shift to the fiducial seeds was made under fluoroscopic guidance to confirm the location of the pancreatic tumor during the respiratory gated phase. All shifts were measured along three axes, left (+)–right (−), anterior (−)–posterior (+), and superior (+)–inferior (−), and the overall interfractional tumor movement was calculated based on these values. Results A total of 140 fractions were analyzed. The mean absolute shift to fiducial markers after shifting to bony anatomy was 1.6 mm (95th percentile, 7 mm; range, 0–9 mm), 1.8 mm (95th percentile, 7 mm; range, 0–13 mm), and 4.1 mm (95th percentile, 12 mm; range, 0–19 mm) in the anterior–posterior, left–right, and superior–inferior directions, respectively. The mean interfractional vector shift distance was 5.5 mm (95th percentile, 14.5 mm; range, 0–19.3 mm). In 28 of 140 fractions (20%) no fiducial shift was required after alignment to bony anatomy. Conclusions There is substantial residual uncertainty after alignment to bony anatomy when radiating pancreatic tumors using respiratory gating. Bony anatomy matched tumor position in only 20% of the radiation treatments. If bony alignment is used in conjunction with respiratory gating without implanted fiducials, treatment margins need to account for this uncertainty.
Model-based design of synthetic, biological systems

Abstract Synthetic biology brings engineering tools and perspectives to the design of living systems. In contrast to classical cell engineering approaches, synthetic biology enables cellular networks to be understood as a combination of modular elements in much the same way as unit operations combine to describe a chemical plant. Consequently, models for the behavior of these designed systems are inspired by frameworks developed for traditional chemical engineering design. There are direct analogies between cellular metabolism and reaction networks in a chemical process. As examples, thermodynamic and kinetic models of chemical reaction networks have been used to simulate fluxes within living systems and predict the performance of synthetic parts. Concepts from process control have been brought to bear on the design of transcriptional and translational regulatory networks. Such engineering frameworks have greatly aided the design and understanding of living systems and have enabled the design of cells exhibiting complex dynamic behavior and high productivity of desirable compounds. This review summarizes efforts to quantitatively model cellular behavior (both endogenous and synthetic), especially as related to the design of living systems.
Role of copper ion in regulating ligand binding in a myoglobin-based cytochrome C oxidase model.

Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO), the terminal enzyme in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, catalyzes the four-electron reduction of dioxygen to water in a binuclear center comprised of a high-spin heme (heme a3) and a copper atom (CuB) coordinated by three histidine residues. As a minimum model for CcO, a mutant of sperm whale myoglobin, named CuBMb, has been engineered, in which a copper atom is held in the distal heme pocket by the native E7 histidine and two nonnative histidine residues. In this work, the role of the copper in regulating ligand binding in CuBMb was investigated. Resonance Raman studies show that the presence of copper in CO-bound CuBMb leads to a CcO-like distal heme pocket. Stopped-flow data show that, upon the initiation of the CO binding reaction, the ligand first binds to the Cu+; it subsequently transfers from Cu+ to Fe2+ in an intramolecular process, similar to that reported for CcO. The high CO affinity toward Cu+ and the slow intramolecular CO transfer rate between Cu+ and Fe2+ in...
Specific-Heat Spectroscopy of the Glass Transition

The glass transition has historically been viewed as an anomaly involving the specific heat of supercooled liquids. It is also associated with a divergence of the relaxation times for liquid rearrangements. We have developed a new spectroscopy to study the frequency dependence of the specific heat of liquids which connects these two approaches. We report measurements as a function of temperature of the distribution of relaxation times which are directly responsible for the glass transition in glycerol.
Deglacial eolian regimes in New England

Ventifact-bearing cover sands, wind-driven lacustrine spits, and fluted bedrock outcrops in New England indicate that a strong anticyclonic circulation under moist periglacial conditions accompanied early recession of the Laurentide ice sheet. Dunes from this interval are conspicuously absent. An abrupt shift to warmer and drier conditions during the Bolling/Allerod period (12.7–11 ka) was apparently associated with rapid accretion of transverse dunes built by northeast winds along the shore of New England9s largest ice-recessional lake. By the time of lake drainage, however, the anticyclonic circulation had been replaced by a northwesterly wind regime, resulting in erosion of the older deposits, the development of parabolic dunes, and gradual stabilization associated with revegetation. Reactivation of the dunes was associated with a return to colder and windier conditions during the Younger Dryas (11–10 ka) and with anthropogenic changes during the historic period, but not during Holocene time.
The challenge of providing continuity in the care of a disabled child: Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome.

The health of a disabled child can be adversely affected if parents and health care providers are not informed regarding the need for ongoing care and consultation. This case illustrates the ways in which failure to obtain appropriate consultation and breakdown in communication between parents, health care providers, and community agencies negatively impacted the health of a young child with Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS). Although the disorder was detected in the child, information regarding treatment was not communicated to those caring for the child, resulting in serious and potentially life-threatening consequences. In this case study, we review the pathophysiology of SLOS, the positive impact of making use of expert consultation, and the complexities of navigating multiple systems when advocating for a child with a serious developmental disorder. The role of nursing in facilitating collaboration among families, members of the health care team, and advocacy agencies, particularly in children with c...
Stochastic Segment Model Adaptation for Offline Handwriting Recognition

In this paper, we present techniques for unsupervised adaptation of stochastic segment models to improve accuracy on large vocabulary offline handwriting recognition (OHR) tasks. We build upon our previous work on stochastic segment modeling for Arabic OHR. In our previous work, stochastic character segments for each n-best hypothesis were generated by a hidden Markov model (HMM) recognizer, and then a segmental model was used as an additional knowledge source for re-ranking the n-best list. Here, we describe a novel framework for unsupervised adaptation. It integrates both HMM and segment model adaptation to achieve significant gains over un-adapted recognition. Experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed method on a large corpus of handwritten Arabic documents.
Developments in power engineering

Although a decade is a short time in the technology of high-power equipment, it is clear that, against a background of energy shortage and rising fuel prices, the development of power technology will play a critical role in the efforts to maintain national economic standards
The effects of isoproterenol Mistometer, with recommended use.

Abstract Isoproterenol as an effective bronchodilator drug has achieved widespread clinical use. In recent years there have been reports of deleterious side effects of this drug with regard to changes in arterial blood gases, cardiovascular effects, and possible unexpected mortality. However, prior reports have not considered the effects of this drug when the dosage and mode of administration are the same as in the clinical situation. This study indicates that the administration of isoproterenol in a standard commercially available device by the method advised for clinical use does result in effective bronchodilation with a mean maximal increase in FEV 1 of 43 per cent and of FVC of 32 per cent as compared to baseline values. Electrocardiographic changes and arrhythmias were not observed. Nor did clinically significant changes in heart rate or blood pressure occur. No statistically significant changes were observed in pH, arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO 2 ), or arterial oxygen tension (PaO 2 ) during the study. However, analysis of the data with regard to each individual subject did demonstrate a decrease in PaO 2 of possible clinical significance in one of the 10 subjects. This study would suggest that the effects of isoproterenol Mistometer with recommended use provide bronchodilator action without significant subjective or objective negative side effects in the patient with acute asthma.
Pseudo-almost-periodic solutions to some semilinear differential equations

We study the existence and uniqueness of pseudo-almost-periodic solutions to semilinear differential equations of the form (*)u^'(t)+Au(t)=f(t,u(t)), where -A is the infinitesimal generator of an analytic semigroup acting on a (complex) Banach space X, and f:[email protected]?X is a jointly continuous function. Under some additional assumptions on A and f, the existence and uniqueness of a pseudo-almost-periodic (classical) solution to (*) is obtained by using both fractional powers of operators and the Banach's fixed-point principle.
An assessment of quantitative research in speech

(1969). An assessment of quantitative research in speech. Quarterly Journal of Speech: Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 61-68.
Advanced security and privacy in connected vehicles

Designing secure vehicles is becoming increasingly important as a result of recent advances in potential cyber-attacks against vehicles. This security needs to be considered over the course of the product lifecycle and includes a consideration of requirements definitions, design, development, testing, and maintenance. Even though many technologies and guidelines have been proposed to address end-to-end security design problems for the IT (information technology) industry, there are often significant differences between securing IT equipment (such as servers and PCs) and securing vehicles. Thus, purely IT-based approaches often have limited applicability in the domain of vehicle security because human safety is a primary design consideration in the development of vehicles, while relatively less attention has been paid to IT security. In addition, the lifecycle of a vehicle is often much longer than the lifecycle of many PCs and related IT equipment. Security design tends to be performed in "silos" and is not well coordinated among all of the stakeholders who are involved in the development of a vehicle. We have devised a specialized approach for designing secure in-vehicle infotainment systems, including the electronic control system and software. Our approach is based on secure engineering, an established methodology used in the IT industry to cover the entire software lifecycle.
Role of glycosylation in the cell surface expression and secretion of immunoglobulin molecules by BCL1 cells.

Abstract In the presence of tunicamycin, BCL 1 cells synthesize relatively normal amounts of IgM with unglycosylated μ-chains but the non-glycosylated IgM cannot be expressed on the cell surface. The secretion of IgM in both LPS-stimulated BCL 1 cells and in a BCL 1 × X63 hybridoma cell line is also drastically inhibited although secretion of unglycosylated IgG by the same cells is inhibited to a much lesser extent. These studies suggest that in spite of possible differences in the biosynthetic pathways for membrane and secreted μ-chains, the exteriorization process may involve a common pathway which involves glycosylation.
Gonadotropin Secretion following Intraventricular Norepinephrine Infusion into Neonatally Androgenized Female Rats

To determine whether norepinephrine (NE) will stimulate gonadotropin secretion in androgenized female rats, we administered NE (0.3 µM in 2 µl saline; pH 6.0–6.5) into the third ventricle of females w
Leber's congenital amaurosis associated with high hyperopia in four sisters

The authors describe a family with five daughters, of whom four are affected with Leber's congenital amaurosis and high hyperopia ranging between +5.5 and + 9 diopters. In addition, the second daughter is a little short for her age, and shows a slight dyscrania with prominent frontal and occipital bones, hypoplasia of the nasal bone, and deep and narrow orbits leading to marked enophthalmos. The symptoms are typical of Leber's amaurosis. All children have nystagmus, night blindness, weak or absent pupillary reflexes. Visual fields are constricted or not measurable. The electroretinogram is extinguished, and hyperopia of the axial type was confirmed by ultrasound. Fundus findings are variable with small, pale and somewhat protruding papillae (pseudo-papillitis), narrow retinal vessels, diffuse fundus pigmentation of pepper-and-salt type and unusual yellow coloration of the macular region (diffuse atrophy).The inheritance of Leber's congenital amaurosis is autosomal recessive. The combined occurrence of ama...
Discriminating among probability weighting functions using adaptive design optimization

Probability weighting functions relate objective probabilities and their subjective weights, and play a central role in modeling choices under risk within cumulative prospect theory. While several different parametric forms have been proposed, their qualitative similarities make it challenging to discriminate among them empirically. In this paper, we use both simulation and choice experiments to investigate the extent to which different parametric forms of the probability weighting function can be discriminated using adaptive design optimization, a computer-based methodology that identifies and exploits model differences for the purpose of model discrimination. The simulation experiments show that the correct (data-generating) form can be conclusively discriminated from its competitors. The results of an empirical experiment reveal heterogeneity between participants in terms of the functional form, with two models (Prelec-2, Linear-in-Log-Odds) emerging as the most common best-fitting models. The findings shed light on assumptions underlying these models.
Reciprocal skin grafts in systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).

Full-thickness skin grafts were exchanged between involved forearm skin and uninvolved abdominal skin in patients with systemic sclerosis. Eight of 10 grafts healed well. The course of the grafts was evaluated clinically, and after seven to nine months the grafts and adjacent skin were examined histologically. When clinically normal skin is placed in a sclerodermatous bed, it becomes sclerodermatous. If sclerodermatous skin is placed in a normal bed, it remains sclerodermatous. These data suggest that skin involvement in systemic sclerosis is generalized or irreversible, in contrast to reported findings in morphea, where the disorder was found to be localized and reversible.
AGU and Wiley‐Blackwell to partner on publication of journals and books

AGU has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Wiley-Blackwell to partner in journal and book publishing. The agreement, effective 1 January 2013, is a significant step forward in transforming AGU publishing consistent with our strategic plan goal of scientific leadership and collaboration. Wiley-Blackwell is the international scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Family-owned and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the company is strong in every major academic and professional field and partners with many of the world's leading societies. Wiley-Blackwell, a leader in developing models for open access and providing developing nations with access to science, publishes nearly 1500 peer-reviewed journals and more than 1500 new books annually. The company publishes approximately 700 society titles.
Mutation of structural determinants lining the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor channel differentially affects phencyclidine block and spermine potentiation and block.

Abstract Spermine and other endogenous polyamines potentiate, block and permeate the N -methyl- d -aspartate receptor channel. To identify structural determinants of the N -methyl- d -aspartate channel that mediate spermine's actions, we generated mutant receptors with asparagine (N) to glutamine (Q) or arginine (R) substitutions in the selectivity filter of the channel. We demonstrate that mutation of the three critical asparagines in this domain differentially affects block by phencyclidine and both potentiation and block by spermine. N-to-Q and N-to-R mutations in the N site of the NR1 subunit (N598 in NR1 011 , N619 in NR1 100 ) and N-to-Q mutations in the N and N+1 sites (N595 and N596 in NR2A, respectively) of the NR2 subunit (Q/NN, R/NN, N/QN, N/NQ, Q/QN and Q/NQ receptors) reduced affinity for phencyclidine. The Q/NN receptor showed markedly reduced potentiation by spermine, with little or no change in spermine block. The R/NN receptor showed markedly reduced spermine potentiation and affinity for spermine at its block site. The N/QN, N/NQ and Q/QN mutant receptors showed somewhat enhanced spermine block, while the Q/NQ double mutant exhibited significantly more enhanced spermine block. Thus, the asparagine residues critical to Ca 2+ permeability and Mg 2+ block of N -methyl- d -aspartate channels are also critical to block by spermine and phencyclidine. To examine the interaction of spermine and phencyclidine within the channel, we performed competition studies. Spermine appeared to compete with phencyclidine for binding to the receptor; however, blocks by phencyclidine and by spermine were not additive. The findings suggest that spermine can bind to a site in the external vestibule of the channel to impede phencyclidine binding, but allow Na + influx.
The involvement of cAMP in lymphocyte capping

Abstract We have observed that agents that are known to elevate intracellular levels of cAMP such as N 6 ,O 2 -dibutyryl adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphoric acid (dbcAMP) and theophylline cause a remarkable stimulatory effect on the lymphocyte receptor mobility phenomenon. Increased intracellular concentration of cAMP enhances not only antibody-induced but also Con A-induced lymphocyte capping events in T-lymphoma cells. In addition, we have noted that N 2 ,O 2 -dibutyryl guanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphoric acid (dbcGMP) does not stimulate but actually slightly inhibits the receptor movement. Furthermore, we have determined cAMP levels to increase greater than twofold during ligand-induced capping using a radioimmunoassay. Therefore, our data strongly suggest that cyclic adenylic monophosphoric acid (and not cGMP) is specifically involved in the redistribution of lymphocyte membrane proteins induced by both antibody and Con A.
Cues to Decreasing Resistance to Extinction in Successive Acquisitions and Extinctions

Four groups of rats were used in a successive acquisition and extinction situation to determine which conditions, if any, produce a decrease in resistance to extinction across successive acquisitions and extinctions. Two groups experienced long N-R transitions (time from extinction to the subsequent acquisition) with all remaining transitions being short. The short transitions were: R-R (time between acquisition trials), R-N (time from the end of an acquisition until the subsequent extinction), and N-N (time between extinction trials). Two groups experienced long R-N and short N-R, N-N, and R-R transitions. Rats in one long N-R transition and one long R-N transition group had acquisitions and extinctions delineated by distinctive cues (blinking lights during acquisition or extinction trials). The other two groups had no such cues. The disparity in N-N versus N-R transition times combined with additional visual cues during extinction produced decreasing resistance to extinction across successive extinctions.
Detection and location of point perturbations over a two-dimensional area using two spatially weighted distributed fiber optic sensors

The ability to detect, localize and characterize disturbances in real time is of considerable importance for structures, particularly in light of the increasing use of high performance composite materials with unconventional and often catastrophic failure modes. In this paper, we present the results of a follow on investigation to previous work that demonstrated that use of two spatially weighted distributed fiber optic sensors to detect, localize and characterize impacts along an extended linear region. The results presented here represent an extension of that technique from one to two dimensions. Two long co-located sensors with differing and varying sensitivities to perturbations along their lengths were configured in different 2D patterns with their sensitivity distributions optimized via a genetic algorithm. The ability of these sensor patterns to detect and localize point disturbances on a plate were determined experimentally and compared. Finally, particular applications in which this technique might be beneficially utilized are identified and discussed.
URINARY MORBIDITY AND INCONTINENCE FOLLOWING TRANSURETHRAL RESECTION OF THE PROSTATE AFTER BRACHYTHERAPY

ABSTRACTPurpose:: We analyzed the risk of urinary morbidity and incontinence in patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) following prostate brachytherapy.Materials and Methods:: A total of 2,050 patients underwent transperineal radioactive seed implantation of the prostate with or without external beam radiation therapy for the diagnosis of prostate cancer between June 1990 and February 2004. Of the 2,050 patients 38 (2%) underwent minimal (channel) TURP due to urinary symptoms or retention. Urinary morbidity was recorded prior to implantation and at followup intervals using the International Prostate Symptom Score and quality of life assessment scores. All patients underwent post-implantation computerized tomography based dosimetry at 1 month. The dose to 90% of prostate volume, prostate volume covered by 15% of the prescription dose and dose to 30% or 5 cm2 of urethral volume were recorded. Of the 38 patients 11 (29%) underwent 103Pd implantation alone and 12 (32%) received a p...
The Pain Bond

Pain is explored as a significant issue in the lives of persons experiencing chronic and debilitating illnesses as well as their care-givers and family members. Although medicine has evolved to provide pharmacological and effective procedures to reduce or manage pain, there remains a special interpersonal bond between sufferer and comforter. Emotional and interpersonal dimensions of the pain bond are discussed in the context of stressors associated with living with chronic pain.
Interacting Supply Chain Distortions: The Pricing of Internal Transfers and External Procurement

This paper examines the impact of distortions wrought by transfer pricing when a firm is engaged in both internal production and external procurement of inputs. In particular, we demonstrate that a firm can actually glean benefits from often‐discussed transfer‐pricing problems in dealing with an external supplier. Though transfer prices above marginal cost introduce inter‐division coordination problems, they also introduce a lower willingness to pay to outside suppliers. Knowing that costly internal transfers will eat into demand, the supplier is more willing to set lower prices. Such supplier discounts can make decentralization worthwhile for the firm. This benefit of decentralization is shown to be robust to variations in both downstream and upstream competition.
Pheromones and the water source preferences of adult coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch Walbaum

It has been proposed that population-specific pheromones released by juvenile salmonids guide the adults on their homing migration (Nordeng, 1977). To evaluate this hypothesis, adult coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, were tested in a two-choice apparatus with a variety of water sources. Coho salmon preferred home water without coho odours over an unfamiliar water source (city water). Adults preferred water conditioned by juveniles of their own population over plain city water, but did not prefer water conditioned by juveniles of their own population over that of another.
H5.1. Spiritualität, spirituelle Praxis und Bewusstseinskultur

Einleitung Spiritualitat und spirituelle Praxis sind in der letzten Zeit als Themen fur die Wissenschaft interessant geworden. Anlass hierzu sind therapeutische Erfolge von achtsamkeitsbasierten Therapiemassnahmen. Es ist daher nutzlich, sich uber die allgemeineren Hintergrunde Gedanken zu machen. Methodik Uberblick uber konzeptuelle und empirische Arbeiten. Ergebnisse Mittlerweile gibt es eine rege Diskussion in der gesundheitspsychologischen und religionspsychologischen Literatur. Definitionen von Spiritualitat variieren sehr und decken das Feld ab von einer strikt an theistisch-westliche Gottesbilder angelehnten religionsnahen Definition bis zu relativ weiten weltanschauungsneutralen Definitionsversuchen. Vorlaufig konnen wir Spiritualitat fassen als Bezogensein uber die unmittelbaren Belange des Ichs hinaus auf eine transzendente Wirklichkeit, die sich in der Erfahrung, in der Aktion und in der Motivation zeigt. Spirituelle Praxis kann gefasst werden als regelmassige Kultur des Bewusstseins. Es zeigt sich namlich, dass unsere Art der Prasenz im Bewusstsein unmittelbaren Einfluss auf korperliche Prozesse nimmt und daher sowohl praventiv als auch therapeutisch von Belang ist. Auf diese Art und Weise lasst sich auch die vermeintliche Kluft zwischen Wissenschaft und Religion, die auf die historische Situation der Aufklarung zuruckgeht, zwanglos und undogmatisch uberbrucken: Der gemeinsame Nenner zwischen Wissenschaft und Spiritualitat ist Erfahrung, die in jedem Falle befreiend wirkt.
Role of glucuronide formation in the selective toxicity of 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) for the sea lamprey: comparative aspects of TFM uptake and conjugation in sea lamprey and rainbow trout.

Abstract This report is concerned with the comparative aspects of disposition and conjugation of 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM), a selective sea lamprey larvicide in sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) and rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). When exposed to identical water concentrations of TFM, sea lamprey ammocoetes exhibited a higher rate of accumulation and an increased steady-state level of TFM compared to trout. Regardless of the life stage of sea lamprey or size of trout studied, sea lamprey revealed a higher concentration of free TFM in blood and tissues. The higher concentration of TFM in lamprey blood was demonstrated at a variety of water concentrations of TFM. In vitro glucuronyl transferase assays demonstrated that the sea lamprey had a lower rate of formation of TFM glucuronide when compared to trout. In vivo, sea lamprey exhibited a much higher ratio of free to conjugated TFM than trout. Pretreatment of sea lamprey and trout with salicylamide, an inhibitor of glucuronyl transferase, shifted the LC50 for trout from 9.7 mg/liter to 3.6 mg/liter and did not alter the LC50 for sea lamprey.
Improving pedigree-based linkage analysis by estimating coancestry among families.

Abstract We present a method for improving the power of linkage analysis by detecting chromosomesegments shared identical by descent (IBD) by individuals not known to be related. ExistingMarkov chain Monte Carlo methods sample descent patterns on pedigrees conditional on observedmarker data. These patterns can be stored as IBD graphs, which express shared ancestry only,rather than specific family relationships. A model for IBD between unrelated individuals allowsthe estimation of coancestry between individuals in different pedigrees. IBD graphs on separatepedigrees can then be combined using these estimates. We report results from analyses of threesets of simulated marker data on two different pedigrees. We show that when families share a genefor a trait due to shared ancestry on the order of tens of generations, our method can detect alinkage signal when independent analyses of the families do not. Keywords linkage; pedigrees; gene coancestry; IBD 1 Introduction Identity by descent (IBD) is the sharing of DNA copied through successive meioses fromone chromosome in a recent common ancestor. IBD is always relative. In a pedigree, it isdefined relative to the founders of the pedigree. In a population, it must be defined relativeto some time point or ancestral population. In this paper, we follow Browning and Browning(2010) in defining IBD on the order of tens of generations. At this time-scale, the lengths ofshared inherited IBD segments are on the order of several million base-pairs, and thus anorder of magnitude longer than the extent of linkage disequilibrium, which is itself areflection of more remote coancestry. Whether in pedigrees or in populations, gene mappingapproaches are based on the dependence in descent of DNA at nearby locations in thegenome. Hence the coancestry of segments of DNA drives all gene mapping methods.In this paper we extend gene mapping models on defined pedigrees to incorporatecoancestry on an intermediate scale. If families are selected for a rare trait or from a smallpopulation, they are likely to share ancestors in this time span. Capturing these relationshipsin a pedigree is impractical, both due to the unknowability or unreliability of ancestralpedigrees with multiple generations of missing genetic data and to the computationaldifficulty in analyzing them. On smaller 3- or 4-generation pedigrees, with few individualsunobserved, genetic marker data validate the pedigree structures (see Sun et al., 2002, forexample) However, linkage analyses using such pedigrees lack resolution, due to the limitednumber of meioses (Boehnke, 1994). Thus, we propose the use of a population-level modelof coancestry to supplement analysis of data on smaller pedigrees.We begin by sampling descent patterns on several pedigrees, conditional on genetic markerdata, as in a Monte Carlo linkage analysis (Thompson, 2007). These pedigree-based descent
CADAC: Multi-use Architecture for Constructive Aerospace Simulations

In today’s network-centric world, aerospace vehicles interact with many objects. They navigate by overhead satellites, synchronize their flight paths with other vehicles, swarm over hostile territory and attack multiple targets. Studying these engagements with high-fidelity constructive simulations has become an important task of modeling and simulation (M&S). The simulation framework Computer Aided Design of Aerospace Concepts (CADAC) has its roots in FORTRAN code that dates back to the 1960s and was used by industry and the U.S. Air Force to simulate aerospace vehicles in all flight environments. To adapt CADAC to the new environment, a complete rewrite was carried out in C++, taking advantage of object-oriented programming techniques. The architecture of CADAC++ is based on the hierarchical structure of inherited classes. The vehicles (aircraft, missiles, satellites or ground targets), inherit the six-degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) equations of motion from the classes ‘Flat6’ or ‘Round6’, conveying either t...
Outcomes and risk factors for heart transplantation in children with end-stage cardiomyopathy†.

OBJECTIVES Heart transplantation (HT) is the treatment of choice in children with end-stage cardiomyopathy. Several clinical, morphological, demographic, donor and recipient transplant factors have been demonstrated to affect survival in those patients following listing for HT and following HT. We aim to report our single institution results of HT in children with cardiomyopathy, and explore variables affecting survival and the need for heart retransplantation (RHT). METHODS Between 1988 and 2013, 125 children with cardiomyopathy underwent HT. Competing risks analysis modelled events after HT (RHT, death without RHT). Multivariable regression analysis examined risk factors affecting outcomes and parametric models were used to compare survival between diverse groups of patients. RESULTS There were 62 males (50%). Cardiomyopathy types were dilated (n = 104, 83%), restrictive (n = 10, 8%), chemotherapy-induced (n = 7, 6%), and other (n = 4, 3%). Median age at listing was 6.9 years and median age at HT was 7.0 years with median waiting list duration of 29 days. Thirty-four patients were infants 10% {hazard ratio [HR]: 4.1 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.7-9.9], P = 0.002}, age group >10 years [HR: 3.2 (95% CI: 1.4-8.1), P = 0.009] and pre-HT mechanical circulatory support [HR: 2.9 (95% CI: 1.1-7.7), P = 0.033]. Additionally, earlier era <2000 was a significant risk factor for early phase mortality [HR: 8.7 (95% CI: 1.8-42.5), P = 0.017] but not for constant or late phase mortality [HR: 0.8 (95% CI 0.3-1.8), P = 0.6]. Following RHT, 6/11 (55%) expired yielding overall parametric survival estimates of 92, 77 and 57% at 1, 5 and 15 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Despite remarkable improvement in operative mortality and 1-year survival of children undergoing HT for cardiomyopathy in the current era, that advantage is reduced at the later follow-up, especially in teenagers indicating ongoing compliance and chronic management challenges. In children requiring pre-HT mechanical support, mid-term attrition is higher despite low operative mortality.
Flow in packed tubes with a small tube to particle diameter ratio

La simulation porte sur un ecoulement monophasique dans un petit tube garni de particules spheriques de taille quasi uniforme. On distingue dans ce milieu poreux simule des unites structurales pentaedriques pres des parois et tetraedriques au centre du tube
Identification of Interphase Functions for the NIMA Kinase Involving Microtubules and the ESCRT Pathway

The Never in Mitosis A (NIMA) kinase (the founding member of the Nek family of kinases) has been considered a mitotic specific kinase with nuclear restricted roles in the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans. By extending to A. nidulans the results of a synthetic lethal screen performed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using the NIMA ortholog KIN3, we identified a conserved genetic interaction between nimA and genes encoding proteins of the Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport (ESCRT) pathway. Absence of ESCRT pathway functions in combination with partial NIMA function causes enhanced cell growth defects, including an inability to maintain a single polarized dominant cell tip. These genetic insights suggest NIMA potentially has interphase functions in addition to its established mitotic functions at nuclei. We therefore generated endogenously GFP-tagged NIMA (NIMA-GFP) which was fully functional to follow its interphase locations using live cell spinning disc 4D confocal microscopy. During interphase some NIMA-GFP locates to the tips of rapidly growing cells and, when expressed ectopically, also locates to the tips of cytoplasmic microtubules, suggestive of non-nuclear interphase functions. In support of this, perturbation of NIMA function either by ectopic overexpression or through partial inactivation results in marked cell tip growth defects with excess NIMA-GFP promoting multiple growing cell tips. Ectopic NIMA-GFP was found to locate to the plus ends of microtubules in an EB1 dependent manner, while impairing NIMA function altered the dynamic localization of EB1 and the cytoplasmic microtubule network. Together, our genetic and cell biological analyses reveal novel non-nuclear interphase functions for NIMA involving microtubules and the ESCRT pathway for normal polarized fungal cell tip growth. These insights extend the roles of NIMA both spatially and temporally and indicate that this conserved protein kinase could help integrate cell cycle progression with polarized cell growth.
Divalent cations stabilize GroEL under conditions of oxidative stress.

Abstract The divalent cations Mg 2+ , Mn 2+ , Zn 2+ , Ca 2+ , and Ni 2+ were found to protect against proteolysis a form of GroEL (ox-GroEL) prepared by exposing GroEL for 16 h to 6 mM hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). K + and other monovalent cations did not have any effect. Divalent cations also induced a conformational change of ox-GroEL that led to the decrease of its large exposed hydrophobic surfaces (exposed with H 2 O 2 ). Ox-GroEL incubated with a divalent cation behaved like N-GroEL in that it could transiently interact with H 2 O 2 -inactivated rhodanese (ox-rhodanese), whereas ox-GroEL alone could strongly interact with ox-rhodanese. Although, ox-GroEL incubated with a divalent cation could not recover the ATPase activity (66%) lost with H 2 O 2 , it could facilitate the reactivation of ox-rhodanese (>86% of active rhodanese recovered), without requiring ATP or the co-chaperonin, GroES. This is the first report to demonstrate a role for the divalent cations on the structure and function of ox-GroEL.
Marriage and Family Therapists' Comfort Working with Lesbian and Gay Male Clients: The Influence of Religious Practices and Support for Lesbian and Gay Male Human Rights

The purpose of this study was to explore potential influences on marriage and family therapists' comfort level when working with lesbian and gay male clients, including sex, age, race, sexual orientation, political orientation, religious practices of the therapist, as well as the level of support for lesbian and gay male human rights. Participants in this study were 199 experienced therapists. Results indicated that higher levels of religious practices were related to lower levels of support for lesbian and gay male human rights and to lower levels of comfort working with lesbian and gay male clients. When support for lesbian and gay male human rights was considered, the level of religious practices was no longer predictive of comfort working with lesbian and gay male clients.
Electro-oxidation kinetics of adsorbed CO on platinum electrocatalysts

Abstract We describe the voltammetric measurement of the full oxidation of adsorbed CO on unsupported platinum electrocatalysts, with concomitant cyclic voltammetry of the hydrogen adsorption and desorption. The hydrogen region of platinum is used to parse the platinum surface into sites associated with weakly bound (WB) hydrogen and strongly bound (SB) hydrogen. By monitoring changes in the hydrogen region while following the two observed CO oxidation peaks, we are able to identify the WB sites as being the most active sites for COads electro-oxidation. The full oxidation peak is fitted to a model based on a modified Butler–Volmer equation that includes the two families of sites. Excellent agreement with experimental results is obtained, and the resulting fits yield the kinetic parameters for the two families of sites. When combined with coulometry, these kinetic analyses also show the importance of linear- and bridged-COads species in the electro-oxidation process. Limitations of the model and the role of COads dynamics amongst the various surface sites are discussed.
Solving dynamic-input interpretation problems using the hypothesize-test-revise paradigm

The authors introduce a dynamic-input problem solver and contrast it with the traditional static approach. A domain-independent hypothesis revision strategy for solving dynamic-input interpretation problems is presented, and its reasoning techniques are compared with R. Reiter's (1980) default logic. A novel problem solver architecture based on a truth maintenance system is described. Advantages of this approach include a domain-independent strategy for generation and revising hypotheses in a dynamic environment, and a clear separation between the referential level and the inferencing level in a default reasoning system. >
Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run and Body Mass Index Among an Ethnically Diverse Sample of 10–15-Year-Olds

Abstract This study examined the cardiovascular fitness (CVF, Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run [PACER], number of laps completed) and the prevalence of at risk of overweight (AR) and overweight (OW) among 10–15-year-olds (48% girls) from the following ethnic backgrounds: African American (n= 2,604), Asian-Pacific Islander (n = 3,888), Hispanic (n = 11,680); and White non-Hispanic (n = 16,352). Hierarchal multiple linear regression analysis, controlling for height and weight, with White non-Hispanics serving as the comparison group, revealed a limited number of significant differences among PACER performances, with no values exceeding ±4.43 laps. Odds ratios (OR) for being classified as AR or OW were significantly greater (p < .01) in African American (OR = 1.25, 1.65) and Hispanic (OR = 2.33, 2.28) boys and girls, respectively, and Asian boys (OR = 1.43). The results of this cross-sectional analysis indicated negligible differences in CVF among ethnic groups, while AR and OW were consisten...
Genetic Alteration of Capsule Type but Not PspA Type Affects Accessibility of Surface-Bound Complement and Surface Antigens of Streptococcus pneumoniae

The Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular polysaccharides and pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) are major determinants of virulence that are antigenically variable and capable of eliciting protective immune responses. By genetically switching the pspA genes of the capsule type 2 strain D39 and the capsule type 3 strain WU2, we showed that the different abilities of antibody to PspA to protect against these strains was not related to the PspA type expressed. Similarly, the level of specific antibody binding to PspA, other surface antigens, and surface-localized C3b did not depend on the PspA type but instead was correlated with the capsule type. The type 3 strain WU2 and an isogenic derivative of D39 that expresses the type 3 capsule bound nearly identical amounts of antibody to PspA and other surface antigens, and these amounts were less than one-half the amount observed with the type 2 parent strain D39. Expression of the type 3 capsule in D39 also reduced the amount of C3b deposited and its accessibility to antibody, resulting in a level intermediate between the levels observed with WU2 and D39. Despite these effects, the capsule type was not the determining factor in anti-PspA-mediated protection, as both D39 and its derivative expressing the type 3 capsule were more resistant to protection than WU2. The specific combination of PspA and capsule type also did not determine the level of protection. The capsule structure is thus a major determinant in accessibility of surface antigens to antibody, but certain strains appear to express other factors that can influence antibody-mediated protection.
Factors Influencing the Educational Success of Minority Pre-Service Educators.

A mixed methods study surveying minority pre-service educators to examine the factors deemed to be important in their educational success was conducted. Forty-three scholarship studies in a College of Education provided quantitative and qualitative data on their perceptions of factors that contributed to their journey to success in college and/or graduate school. Quantitative group results indicated that a strong sense of perseverance and determination, a belief in one's abilities, influence of family members, scholarships/fellowships, spirituality, and hope ranked highest among a number of factors rated. Qualitative data offered insight and detail about the significance of these factors upon educational success for these minority students.
Injuries about the shoulder in skiing and snowboarding

There has been a decrease in the overall injury rate, particularly the rate of lower-extremity injuries, for alpine skiing, with a resultant increase in the ratio of upper-extremity to lower-extremity injuries. The upper extremity is injured nearly twice as often during snowboarding than alpine skiing, with approximately half of all snowboarding injuries involving the upper extremity. Shoulder injuries are likely under-reported, as many patients seek evaluation for minor shoulder injuries with their local physicians, and not at the ski medical clinic, where most epidemiology studies obtain their data. Shoulder injuries account for 4 to 11% of all alpine skiing injuries and 22 to 41% of upper-extremity injuries. During snowboarding, shoulder injuries account for 8 to 16% of all injuries and 20 to 34% of upper-extremity injuries. Falls are the most common mechanism of shoulder injury, in addition to pole planting during skiing and aerial manoeuvres during snowboarding. Common shoulder injuries during skiing and snowboarding are rotator cuff strains, glenohumeral dislocations, acromioclavicular separations and clavicle fractures. It is still unclear, when comparing snowboarding and skiing injury data, which sport has the higher incidence of shoulder injuries. Stratifying shoulder injuries by type allows better delineation as to which sport has an increased incidence of certain injury patterns. The differing mechanisms of injury combined with distinct equipment for each sport plays a role in the type and frequency of shoulder injuries seen in these two subgroups. With the increased ratio of upper- to lower-extremity injuries during alpine skiing and the boom in popularity of snowboarding, shoulder injuries are seen with increasing frequency by those who care for alpine sport injuries. According to recent epidemiological data, only clavicle and humerus fractures have shown increased rates of incidence among alpine skiers. Over the past 30 years, there has been a general decrease in both upper- and lower-extremity injuries which can be attributed to improved designs of protective equipment, increased awareness of injury patterns and emphasis on prevention. In the future, physicians and therapists who treat this population must be comfortable and confident in their treatment algorithms to help keep skiers and snowboarders conditioned and ready for the slopes and develop strategies for the prevention of upper-extremity injuries associated with these activities.
Glycoside hydrolase family 9 processive endoglucanase from Clostridium phytofermentans: Heterologous expression, characterization, and synergy with family 48 cellobiohydrolase

The glycoside hydrolase family 9 cellulase (Cel9) from Clostridium phytofermentans has a multi-modular structure and is essential for cellulose hydrolysis. In order to facilitate production and purification of Cel9, recombinant Cel9 was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli. Cel9 exhibited maximum activity at pH 6.5 and 65 C on carboxymethyl cellulose in a 10-min reaction period. The hydrolysis products on regenerated amorphous cellulose (RAC) were cellotetraose (a major product), cellotriose, cellobiose and glucose, and 71–80% of the reducing sugars produced by Cel9 were in soluble form, suggesting that Cel9 was a processive endoglucanase. The highest synergy between C. phytofermentans Cel9 and C. phytofermentans cellobiohydrolase Cel48 on Avicel was about 1.8 at a ratio of about 1:5. Cel9 alone was sufficient to solublize filter paper while Cel48 was not; however, it enhanced the solublization process along with Cel9 synergistically. This study provided useful information for understanding of the cellulose hydrolysis mechanism of this cellulolytic bacterium with potential industrial importance.