cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
OLD ISSUES, NEW DIRECTIONS, AND ONGOING DEBATES: AN INTRODUCTION TO ETHNIC-RACIAL IDENTITY ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

The papers in the current issue challenge these assumptions by offering commentary and guidelines for ethnic-racial identity across the lifespan and life course. They go beyond giving attention to ...
Study of sampling methods in sentiment analysis of imbalanced data.

This work investigates the application of sampling methods for sentiment analysis on two different highly imbalanced datasets. One dataset contains online user reviews from the cooking platform Epicurious and the other contains comments given to the Planned Parenthood organization. In both these datasets, the classes of interest are rare. Word n-grams were used as features from these datasets. A feature selection technique based on information gain is first applied to reduce the number of features to a manageable space. A number of different sampling methods were then applied to mitigate the class imbalance problem which are then analyzed.
Discovery and biological evaluation of phthalazines as novel non-kinase TGFβ pathway inhibitors.

Abstract TGFβ is crucial for the homeostasis of epithelial and neural tissues, wound repair, and regulating immune responses. Its dysregulation is associated with a vast number of diseases, of which modifying the tumor microenvironment is one of vital clinical interest. Despite various attempts, there is still no FDA-approved therapy to inhibit the TGFβ pathway. Major mainstream approaches involve impairment of the TGFβ pathway via inhibition of the TGFβRI kinase. With the purpose to identify non-receptor kinase-based inhibitors to impair TGFβ signaling, an in-house chemical library was enriched, through a computational study, to eliminate TGFβRI kinase activity. Selected compounds were screened against a cell line engineered with a firefly luciferase gene under TGFβ-Smad-dependent transcriptional control. Results indicated moderate potency for a molecule with phthalazine core against TGFβ-Smad signaling. A series of phthalazine compounds were synthesized and evaluated for potency. The most promising compound (10p) exhibited an IC50 of 0.11 ± 0.02 μM and was confirmed to be non-cytotoxic up to 12 μM, with a selectivity index of approximately 112-fold. Simultaneously, 10p was confirmed to reduce the Smad phosphorylation using Western blot without exhibiting inhibition on the TGFβRI enzyme. This study identified a novel small-molecule scaffold that targets the TGFβ pathway via a non-receptor-kinase mechanism.
Physician empathy according to physicians: A multi-specialty qualitative analysis.

Abstract Objectives To explore how physicians in neurology, family medicine, internal medicine, and emergency medicine characterize clinical empathy. Methods Physicians (N = 94) were asked to describe up to 10 examples of empathic physician behavior. Data were analyzed using template analysis. Results Physicians’ descriptions of clinical empathy patterned into three themes: Clinical Performance and Professionalism, Interpersonal Communication, and Clinician Orientation. Clinical Performance and Professionalism subthemes included physician competency and accessibility; intersection with institutional resources; and spending/making/taking time with patients. Interpersonal Communication subthemes involved information sharing; verbal and nonverbal approaches; interpersonal sensitivity; physician self-disclosure; and attention to emotion. Clinician Orientation encompassed general physician demeanor and internal thoughts and feelings that might be unobservable by patients. Physicians varied widely in the themes they mentioned in their definition of empathy. Conclusion Physicians hold diverse notions of clinical empathy. These extend beyond traditional affective and cognitive empathy definitions to include structural elements like team-based care and accessibility after hours. Communication behaviors were perceived as important for demonstrating empathy. Some physician descriptions of empathy may not be perceptible to patients. Practice Implications Training physicians to engage in behaviors that both they and patients perceive as empathic may lead to higher patient and physician satisfaction.
Band structure and effective properties of one-dimensional thermoacoustic Bloch waves

We investigate the dispersion characteristics and the effective properties of acoustic waves propagating in a one-dimensional duct equipped with periodic thermoacoustic coupling elements. Each coupling element consists of a classical thermoacoustic regenerator subject to a static spatial temperature gradient. When acoustic waves pass through the regenerator, thermal-to-acoustic energy conversion takes place and can either amplify or attenuate the wave, depending on the direction of propagation of the wave. The presence of the spatial gradient naturally induces a loss of reciprocity. This paper provides a comprehensive theoretical model as well as an in-depth numerical analysis of the band structure and of the propagation properties of this thermoacoustically coupled, tunable, one-dimensional metamaterial. Among the most significant findings, it is shown that the acoustic metamaterial is capable of supporting nonreciprocal thermoacoustic Bloch waves that are associated with a particular form of unidirectional energy transport. The nonreciprocal nature of the waveguide in the long wavelength limit is well understood by seeing the waveguide as an acoustic Willis material. The homogenized material properties following the Willis approach help both the analysis and the interpretation of the waveguide dynamic behavior in selected frequency ranges. Remarkably, the thermoacoustic coupling also allows achieving a zero refractive index that ultimately leads to phase-invariant propagating sound waves. This zero-index property is shown to have very interesting implications to attain acoustic cloaking.
Crop Species Diversity Changes in the United States: 1978-2012

Anecdotal accounts regarding reduced US cropping system diversity have raised concerns about negative impacts of increasingly homogeneous cropping systems. However, formal analyses to document such changes are lacking. Using US Agriculture Census data, which are collected every five years, we quantified crop species diversity from 1978 to 2012, for the contiguous US on a county level basis. We used Shannon diversity indices expressed as effective number of crop species (ENCS) to quantify crop diversity. We then evaluated changes in county-level crop diversity both nationally and for each of the eight Farm Resource Regions developed by the National Agriculture Statistics Service. During the 34 years we considered in our analyses, both national and regional ENCS changed. Nationally, crop diversity was lower in 2012 than in 1978. However, our analyses also revealed interesting trends between and within different Resource Regions. Overall, the Heartland Resource Region had the lowest crop diversity whereas the Fruitful Rim and Northern Crescent had the highest. In contrast to the other Resource Regions, the Mississippi Portal had significantly higher crop diversity in 2012 than in 1978. Also, within regions there were differences between counties in crop diversity. Spatial autocorrelation revealed clustering of low and high ENCS and this trend became stronger over time. These results show that, nationally counties have been clustering into areas of either low diversity or high diversity. Moreover, a significant trend of more counties shifting to lower rather than to higher crop diversity was detected. The clustering and shifting demonstrates a trend toward crop diversity loss and attendant homogenization of agricultural production systems, which could have far-reaching consequences for provision of ecosystem system services associated with agricultural systems as well as food system sustainability.
Otopalatodigital syndrome type 2 in a male infant: A case report with a novel sequence variation

We report a male infant with typical clinical, pathological and radiological features of otopalatodigital syndrome type 2 (OPD 2) with a novel sequence variation in the FLNA gene. His clinical manifestations include typical craniofacial features, cleft palate, hearing impairment, omphalocele, bowing of the long bones, absent fibulae and digital abnormalities consistent with OPD 2. Two hemizygous sequence variations in the FLNA gene were identified. The variation c.5290G>A/p.Ala1764Thr has been previously reported in a patient with periventricular nodular heterotopia, but subsequently it has been reported as a polymorphism. The other variation c.613T>C/p.Cys205Arg detected in the proband has not been previously reported and our analysis indicates that this is a novel disease-causing mutation for OPD2.
Lucid Dream Induction

With these words, anthropologist Castaneda describes a technique for developing the art of dreaming. By focusing attention on the objects of one’s dreams, according to the Yaqui shaman Don Juan, one can learn to “awaken” within the dream, thereby transcending the limited world of the senses. Similar accounts of attaining “waking” consciousness within the dream state and exerting willful control over dream events are sprinkled throughout ancient philosophical and religious treatises (Chang, 1977; de Becker, 1968; Evans-Wentz, 1967). These writings describe a state of expanded dream awareness remarkably similar to what we now call “lucid dreaming.”
Influence of Thymine Starvation on the Integrity of Episomal and Chromosomal Deoxyribonucleic Acids in Escherichia coli CR34 (λ ind

The effect of thymine deprivation on the integrity of phage λ, sex factor, and chromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in Escherichia coli CR34 (λ ind−) was examined by sedimenting cell lysates through alkaline sucrose gradients. Both sex factor and chromosomal DNAs showed evidence of being degraded during the starvation period. In contrast, no loss of closed circular λ DNA was observed.
PET point spread function modeling and image deblurring using a PET/MRI joint entropy prior

The quantitative accuracy of PET is degraded by partial volume effects caused by the limited spatial resolution capabilities of PET scanners. In this paper, we describe an image de-blurring technique that uses the spatially varying point spread function of the scanner measured in the image space. To stabilize the deconvolution problem, we introduce the joint entropy between the PET image and a high resolution MR image as an information theoretic penalty function. We present a computationally efficient framework for minimizing the resultant cost function. By means of simulations on the Brain-Web phantom, we show that our method leads to faster convergence and a lower mean squared error. We then applied our method to a phantom and a human dataset and demonstrated that, compared to standalone deblurring, which tends to amplify noise, the joint entropy prior leads to a smooth PET image with sharp boundaries consistent with MRI.
The High-Performance Computing and Communications program, the national information infrastructure and health care.

The High-Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) program is a multiagency federal effort to advance the state of computing and communications and to provide the technologic platform on which the National Information Infrastructure (NII) can be built. The HPCC program supports the development of high-speed computers, high-speed telecommunications, related software and algorithms, education and training, and information infrastructure technology and applications. The vision of the NII is to extend access to high-performance computing and communications to virtually every U.S. citizen so that the technology can be used to improve the civil infrastructure, lifelong learning, energy management, health care, etc. Development of the NII will require resolution of complex economic and social issues, including information privacy. Health-related applications supported under the HPCC program and NII initiatives include connection of health care institutions to the Internet; enhanced access to gene sequence data; the “Visible Human” Project; and test-bed projects in telemedicine, electronic patient records, shared informatics tool development, and image systems.
Computer‐aided detection of metastatic brain tumors using automated three‐dimensional template matching

Materials and Methods: Spherical tumor appearance models were created to match the expected geometry of brain metastases while accounting for partial volume effects and offsets due to the cut of MRI sampling planes. A 3D normalized cross-correlation coefficient was calculated between the brain volume and spherical templates of varying radii using a fast frequency domain algorithm to identify likely positions of brain metastases. Results: Algorithm parameters were optimized on training datasets, and then data were collected on 22 patient datasets containing 79 total brain metastases producing a sensitivity of 89.9% with a false positive rate of 0.22 per image slice when restricted to the brain mass. Conclusion: Study results demonstrate that the 3D template matching-based method can be an effective, fast, and accurate approach that could serve as a useful tool for assisting radiologists in providing earlier and more definitive diagnoses of metastases within the brain.
Incorporating a Comparative Perspective into Undergraduate American Constitutional Law Courses

This paper notes a rise in the inclusion of comparative law in American law school curricula and suggests that political science instructors can benefit from incorporating a comparative perspective into the constitutional law courses that are offered to undergraduates. Based on the author’s recent experience teaching undergraduate constitutional law, an approach for doing so is outlined along with its objectives and potential benefits. The paper hopes to add to work by previous APSA Teaching and Learning Conference participants who have identified effective and engaging methods for teaching constitutional law.
Technical Advantages Of Fluid Power

Review of attitude control systems, from electric thrust-vector control on the mercury-redstone to the application of fluid power to saturn booster
Dense multiple view stereo with general camera placement using tensor voting

We present a computational framework for the inference of dense descriptions from multiple view stereo with general camera placement. Thus far research on dense multiple view stereo has evolved along three axes: computation of scene approximations in the form of visual hulls; merging of depth maps derived from simple configurations, such as binocular or trinocular; and multiple view stereo with restricted camera placement. These approaches are either suboptimal, since they do not maximize the use of available information, or cannot be applied to general camera configurations. Our approach does not involve binocular processing other than the detection of tentative pixel correspondences. We require calibration information for all cameras and that there exist camera pairs which enable automatic pixel matching. The inference of scene surfaces is based on the premise that correct pixel correspondences, reconstructed in 3-D, form salient, coherent surfaces, while wrong correspondences form less coherent structures. The tensor voting framework is suitable for this task since it can process the very large datasets we generate with reasonable computational complexity. We show results on real images that present numerous challenges.
Control of ion energy and angular distributions using voltage waveform

Summary form only given. A number of plasma-aided microelectronics manufacturing processes sensitively depend on the ion characteristics at the substrate, in particular the ion energy (IEDF) and angular (IADF) distribution functions. The outcome of these processes can be much more precisely controlled if one has direct control over the IEDFs and IADFs. Past studies have explored the influence of rf bias voltage amplitude and frequency, inductive power deposition and gas pressure on the ion characteristics at the substrate. The factor that influences the ion dynamics most is however the time dependent sheath voltage and, as demonstrated in this paper, sheath voltage can be accurately controlled using the rf bias voltage waveform. In this paper, we computationally examine the influence of the rf bias voltage waveform on the IEDFs and IADFs at the substrate in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactor. This study has been conducted using a coupled set of the Hybrid Plasma Equipment Model (HPEM) and a circuit model, and the Plasma Chemistry Monte Carlo Simulation (PCMCS). The HPEM is a 2-dimensional hybrid simulation of the plasma dynamics. The circuit model uses HPEM results in conjunction with the Riley's sheath model to estimate de bias, sheath voltages and electrode currents. Once steady-state plasma and circuit quantities have been computed, a Monte Carlo simulation (PCMCS) is used to determine the IEDFs and IADFs at the substrate.
The Design and Implementation of a High-Speed Incremental Portable Prolog Compiler

The design and implementation of a relatively portable Prolog compiler achieving 12K LIPS on the standard benchmark is described. The compiler is incremental and uses decompilation to implement retract, clause, and listing, as well as support the needs of its four-port debugger. The system supports modules, garbage collection, database pointers, and a full range of built-ins.
On classifying the singularity in the deformation shape of the liquid-drop model

The deformation shape of the liquid-drop model of nuclear fission can be excellently represented by the Legendre-polynomial expansion method. Unfortunately, in the past, it has appeared necessary to include a large number of higher-order terms in order to describe the more deformed shapes encountered in the later stages of fission. In this paper, we classify the degenerate singularity that occurs in the Businaro-Gallone-Swiatecki representation of the Legendre-polynomial expansion of the deformation shape for the slightly distorted ground state. In our analysis, we found the singularity to be double-degenerate and strongly 3-determinate. As a result, we have classified it as a hyperbolic-umbilic elementary catastrophe. In order to make the potential function of the singularity a universal unfolding, we introduced two new control parameters for the liquid-drop model.
Distribution of m1-m4 muscarinic receptor proteins in the rat striatum: light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry using subtype- specific antibodies

Muscarinic ACh receptors mediate complex and clinically important effects in the striatum. To better understand the roles of the different muscarinic receptor subtypes (m1-m4), we have determined the cellular and subcellular distribution of the m1-m4 receptor proteins in the rat neostriatum using subtype-specific antibodies and avidin-biotin-peroxidase immunocytochemistry for light and electron microscopy. m1 receptor protein is expressed in 78% of neurons and is enriched in spiny dendrites and at postsynaptic densities. A small number of m1-immunoreactive axon terminals were observed, all forming asymmetrical synapses. About 2.5% of striatal neurons express m2 receptor protein with reaction product evident, by light microscopy in scattered large oval neurons with enfolded nuclei and long aspiny dendrites. By electron microscopy, m2 immunocytochemistry labeled somata, aspiny dendrites, and many axon terminals. Most axon terminals containing m2 make symmetrical synapses with somata, and dendritic shafts and spines. In addition, many m2-immunoreactive axon terminals formed asymmetrical synapses with spines or dendrites. m3 receptor protein was not evident in somata by light microscopy but was present in a distinct population of small-caliber spiny dendrites as well as in axon terminals forming asymmetrical synapses with spines. m4 receptor protein was heterogeneously distributed in the neostriatum and localized to 44% of striatal cells. m4-positive neurons had the ultrastructural features of medium spiny neurons with reaction product particularly concentrated in spines, often at postsynaptic densities. Axon terminals containing m4 form asymmetrical synapses, primarily with spines. These findings indicate that the muscarinic receptor proteins occur in distinct populations of striatal neurons; that the receptor proteins concentrate postsynaptically at synapses, including many considered to be noncholinergic; that m2 is the predominant muscarinic autoreceptor in the striatum; and that each receptor subtype may be a presynaptic heteroceptor in the striatum modulating extrinsic striatal afferents.
Multiple symbol double differential space-time coded OFDM

Recently space-time coding (STC) has received increasing attention because of its ability to combat fading effects. Among existing schemes, double differential space-time coding is of special interest because its decoding process does not require channel state information. Furthermore, it is applicable to continuous fast time varying channels. Our article focuses on the improvement of double differential space-time coding by considering multiple symbol decoding. We develop a trellis-based decoding algorithm for multiple symbol double differential space-time coding, derive the branch metric, and validate the improvement via simulations. However, the performance of this scheme degrades considerably in frequency selective channels. Another focus of this article is to construct a suitable model in which OFDM can be concatenated with multiple symbol double differential space-time coding.
Effects of vitamin D3 stimulation of thioredoxin-interacting protein in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) promotes oxidative stress by inactivating thioredoxin (TXN). This protein is involved in diverse disease processes, including insulin resistance, atherosclerosis and carcinogenesis. The aim of the present study was to measure the expression and function of TXNIP in in vitro models of liver disease, as well as in primary human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue specimens. In addition, we wanted to determine the effects of vitamin D3-induced TXNIP stimulation in HCC-derived cell lines. Methods TXNIP expression was measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blots. TXNIP expression was stimulated by vitamin D exposure and by transfection. Cell proliferation, apoptosis and reactive oxygen species were determined by standard assays. Results TXNIP expression levels were low in HCC cell lines, and vitamin D3 stimulated TXNIP expression in vitro. In HCC cells transfected with a TXNIP expression vector or treated with exogenous vitamin D3, there was a reduction in cell proliferation and an increase in apoptosis. Cells expressing TXNIP were markedly susceptible to oxidative injury induced by cobalt chloride or bacterial lipopolysaccharide. TXNIP expression was reduced or absent in a majority of primary human HCC specimens relative to matching, non-cancerous liver tissue. Conclusion TXNIP expression is low or absent in human HCC specimens and HCC-derived cell lines. Vitamin D3 stimulates TXNIP expression, resulting in diminished proliferation and enhanced apoptosis. Liver cells expressing TXNIP are primed for oxidative injury. These findings suggest that stimulation of TXNIP expression, by factors such as vitamin D3, may attenuate carcinogenesis in patients with chronic liver disease.
Metabolism of tributyltin oxide by crabs, oysters and fish

Abstract Bis(tributyltin) oxide (TBTO) is widely used as an antifouling agent in various antifouling paints. Thus, some marinas have TBTO concentrations as high as 2 μg/liter.1 These concentrations can be toxic to zooplankton.2 The objectives of the present study were to determine the ability of a number of marine animals, including crabs, oysters and fish, to metabolize TBTO. Earlier work showed that extracts of rat liver were able to metabolize TBTO to a variety of metabolites, e.g. β-hydroxybutyldibutylin.3 The role of the cytochrome P-450 dependent mixed-function oxygenase system in oxidizing TBTO in marine animals was also of interest. Both in vivo (uptake of 14C-TBTO from food or water) and in vitro studies demonstrated that all the animals were able to metabolize TBTO. The oysters metabolized TBTO at a much slower rate than the other animals. The mixed-function oxygenase system from hepatic tissues of the various animals was able to metabolize TBTO by forming a number of hydroxylated metabolites.
“Authenticity in Loma and of ‘Loma’”

I mean to tell the story, or chronicle, of my relation to “Loma,” wondering whether the phenomenon or the problem of “authenticity” comes up or, perhaps by another name, has come up in thinking about “Loma” or during one of my stays there or in the various drafts of my study of “Loma.” As the label of my effort suggests, I expect a difference — always provided that “authenticity” figures at all in the recollections I shall try to convey — between my “authenticity” while in Loma (or in my relations with certain Lomans even when not there) and the authenticity of “Loma,” that is, of reporting, in its various phases, on me-and-Loma.
Point and Circle Configurations; A New Theorem.

Several of the n3 self-dual point and line configurations-n points, n lines, 3 points on a line, 3 lines through a point-are well known, e.g., the 93 figure that illustrates the theorem of Pappus, and the 103 figure that illustrates the theorem of Desargues. (The "self-dual" comes from the fact that "point" and "line" can be interchanged in the above description without changing the meaning.) More general point and line configurations, ones that are not self-dual, occur as illustrations of many other projective geometry theorems. Some of these, such as the following, appear to be very complicated, but they give an idea of the type of investigation that interested geometers in the late nineteenth century.
Abstract 1771: Extrachromosomal microDNAs in normal vertebrate tissues.

MicroDNAs are small ( Citation Format: Laura Dillon, Pankaj Kumar, Yoshiyuki Shibata, Anindya Dutta. Extrachromosomal microDNAs in normal vertebrate tissues. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1771. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1771
Young stutterers' nonspeech behaviors during stuttering.

The purpose of this study was to assess the nonspeech behaviors associated with young stutterers’ stuttering and normally fluent children’s comparable fluent utterances. Subjects were 28 boys and 2...
Parametric circles and spheres

Formulations for parametric circles and spheres in terms of rational Gaussian (RaG) curves and surfaces are introduced. With the proposed formulations, a full circle is generated by interpolating a closed RaG curve to the vertices of an equilateral triangle, and a full sphere is generated by interpolating a closed RaG surface to the vertices of an octahedron with equilateral triangular faces. Generation of circles and spheres in this manner is very intuitive and easy to remember as the weights are all 1 and the nodes are all unique and uniformly spaced.
G protein-coupled receptor kinases in cardiovascular disease: why "where" matters.

Cardiac function is mainly controlled by β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs), members of the G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) family. GPCR signaling and expression are tightly controlled by G protein–coupled receptor kinases (GRKs), which induce GPCR internalization and signal termination through phosphorylation. Reduced β-AR density and activity associated with elevated cardiac GRK expression and activity have been described in various cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, alterations in extracardiac GRKs have been observed in blood vessels, adrenal glands, kidneys, and fat cells. The broad tissue distribution of GPCRs and GRKs suggests that a keen appreciation of integrative physiology may drive future therapeutic development. In this review, we provide a brief summary of GRK isoforms, subcellular localization, and interacting partners that impinge directly or indirectly on the cardiovascular system. We also discuss GRK/GPCR interactions and their implications in cardiovascular pathophysiology.
Functional and molecular expression of PACAP/VIP receptors in the rat retina

Receptor binding sites for pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), positively coupled to adenylate cyclase, have been previously described in the retina of different mammalian species. In the present study, we determined the mRNA expression of PACAP/VIP receptor variants in the rat retina and investigated their coupling to phospholipase C in addition to adenylate cyclase. The two forms of PACAP, PACAP27 and PACAP38, induced a dose-dependent (1-100 nM) increase of cAMP and [3H]inositol monophosphate levels, whereas VIP stimulated, with lower potency and efficacy, cAMP formation only. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis in the rat retina detected both type-I (PACAP-R and PACAP-HOP splice variants) and type-II (VIP-I and -2) receptor-mRNAs. These data indicate that PACAP and VIP may interact with multiple receptor subtypes and activate one (VIP) or two (PACAP) signal transduction mechanisms in the rat retina.
ATP Utilization by Yeast Replication Factor C: III. THE ATP-BINDING DOMAINS OF Rfc2, Rfc3, AND Rfc4 ARE ESSENTIAL FOR DNA RECOGNITION AND CLAMP LOADING *

The conserved lysine in the Walker A motif of the ATP-binding domain encoded by the yeast RFC1, RFC2, RFC3, and RFC4 genes was mutated to glutamic acid. Complexes of replication factor C with a N-terminal truncation (Delta2-273) of the Rfc1 subunit (RFC) containing a single mutant subunit were overproduced in Escherichia coli for biochemical analysis. All of the mutant RFC complexes were capable of interacting with PCNA. Complexes containing a rfc1-K359E mutation were similar to wild type in replication activity and ATPase activity; however, the mutant complex showed increased susceptibility to proteolysis. In contrast, complexes containing either a rfc2-K71E mutation or a rfc3-K59E mutation were severely impaired in ATPase and clamp loading activity. In addition to their defects in ATP hydrolysis, these complexes were defective for DNA binding. A mutant complex containing the rfc4-K55E mutation performed as well as a wild type complex in clamp loading, but only at very high ATP concentrations. Mutant RFC complexes containing rfc2-K71R or rfc3-K59R, carrying a conservative lysine --> arginine mutation, had much milder clamp loading defects that could be partially (rfc2-K71R) or completely (rfc3-K59R) suppressed at high ATP concentrations.
Low jitter audio range PLL with ultra low power dissipation

This paper presents the design of an ultra low power Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) intended for applications in the extended audio range. The PLL is well suited for battery operated systems, where small size and low power operation are crucially important. The presented implementation is based on a current controlled relaxation oscillator, which creates a sawtooth output with a frequency range of approximately 300 kHz. The frequency is controlled by a current that can vary from 2 to 74 nA. Using a reference frequency of ¼ of the typical watch crystal frequency, the user can select any integer multiple of 8.192 kHz up to the maximum of 122.88 kHz. The PLL circuit operates from a single 3 V supply and, depending on the actual output frequency, dissipates between 0.9 -1.4 ¼W of power.
A Model Based Framework for Table Processing in Degraded Document Images

This paper describes a model based framework for detection and extraction of the contents of table cells from degraded handwritten document images that contain tables. Given the very poor quality of the target documents, the table cell detection problem is formulated conceptually as a two-step process. The first step is to identify the location of the table and extract the content of table cells given a model of the structure of the table present in the image. The second step is to identify the model of the table present in a document image from a list of given table models. A model-based representation for tables is introduced and is used for matching table candidates with the given model to identify and extract the contents of table cells. The approach for detecting potential table candidates is based on the detection of horizontal and vertical table line candidates. The table representation is a matrix of horizontal and vertical table line crossings, and the matching algorithm is formulated as a minimization problem where the optimal table candidate is obtained using the minimal distance between the candidate and model table matrices which is then used for extraction of the table cell contents. A similar approach is used to solve the model selection problem where the best fitting location in the document page for each of the candidate models is identified using the distance minimization approach along with a confidence score and the model with the highest confidence score is selected as the correct model. The approach was tested on document page images containing tables from the challenge set of the DARPA MADCAT handwritten document image data. Results indicate that the method is effective for both model selection as well as table cell content extraction.
Conjugate duality for convex programs: A geometric development

Abstract This expository note develops Rockafellar's (1968, 1970) conjugate-duality theory for convex programs using Gould's (1972) geometric formulation of the dual program. This approach makes the duality theory transparent geometrically and motivates the use of conjugate functions.
A clinical and epidemiological review of non-toxigenic Clostridium difficile

Clostridium difficile is a significant nosocomial threat to human health and is the most commonly identified cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. The development of C. difficile colitis requires production of toxins A and/or B, but some strains do not express these proteins. These non-toxigenic C. difficile (NTCD) have garnered attention for their capacity to colonize humans and potentially reduce the risk for symptomatic colitis caused by toxigenic strains. Isolates of NTCD have been obtained from the environment as well as from animal and human sources. Studies in a hamster CDI model have demonstrated a protective effect of NTCD against toxigenic infection. The extent to which this protective effect of NTCD occurs in humans remains to be defined. Evidence for a therapeutic or preventive role for NTCD is limited but clinical prophylaxis studies are ongoing. NTCD potentially represents an exciting new tool in preventing CDI and its recurrences.
A framework for near real-time event characterization within the internet

The Internet occasionally experiences large disruptions arising from both natural and manmade disturbances. It is of significant interest to develop methods to characterize these events. The characterization comes in the form of detecting disturbances early in their evolution, providing a classification of disturbances, and locating disturbances within the topology of the Internet. This paper presents a new framework for realizing near real-time global scale disruptive Internet event detection, classification, and localization. The proposed framework uses Hidden Markov Models for event detection and classification, and tensor decomposition and graph theoretical analysis for logical localization. The framework consists of three major components: 1) data ingest and processing/cleaning, 2) near real-time alert generation, and 3) a human-in-the-loop analysis portal. This paper discusses components 1 and 2 in detail. Components 1 and 2's usefulness, as well as an overview of component 3, is demonstrated through the use of case studies. This framework outlines a principled, automated approach to characterizing network disruptions at Internet scale.
Stretch-induced stress fiber remodeling and the activations of JNK and ERK depend on mechanical strain rate, but not FAK.

Background Cells within tissues are subjected to mechanical forces caused by extracellular matrix deformation. Cells sense and dynamically respond to stretching of the matrix by reorienting their actin stress fibers and by activating intracellular signaling proteins, including focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and the mitogen-activated proteins kinases (MAPKs). Theoretical analyses predict that stress fibers can relax perturbations in tension depending on the rate of matrix strain. Thus, we hypothesized stress fiber organization and MAPK activities are altered to an extent dependent on stretch frequency. Principal Findings Bovine aortic endothelial cells and human osteosarcoma cells expressing GFP-actin were cultured on elastic membranes and subjected to various patterns of stretch. Cyclic stretching resulted in strain rate-dependent increases in stress fiber alignment, cell retraction, and the phosphorylation of the MAPKs JNK, ERK and p38. Transient step changes in strain rate caused proportional transient changes in the levels of JNK and ERK phosphorylations without affecting stress fiber organization. Disrupting stress fiber contractile function with cytochalasin D or Y27632 decreased the levels of JNK and ERK phosphorylation. Previous studies indicate that FAK is required for stretch-induced cell alignment and MAPK activations. However, cyclic uniaxial stretching induced stress fiber alignment and the phosphorylation of JNK, ERK and p38 to comparable levels in FAK-null and FAK-expressing mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Conclusions These results indicate that cyclic stretch-induced stress fiber alignment, cell retraction, and MAPK activations occur as a consequence of perturbations in fiber strain. These findings thus shed new light into the roles of stress fiber relaxation and reorganization in maintenance of tensional homeostasis in a dynamic mechanical environment.
Nonperiodic Sampling of Bandlimited Functions on Unions of Rectangular Lattices

It is shown that a function $f\in L^p[-R,R], 1\le p<\infty,$ is completely determined by the samples of $\hat f$ on sets $\Lambda=\cup_{i=1}^m\{n/2r_i\}_{n\in{\bf Z}}$ where $R=\sum r_i,$ and $r_i/r_j$ is irrational if $i\ne j,$ and of $\hat f^{(j)}(0) \mbox{ for } j=1,\ldots,m-1.$ If $f\in C^{m-2-k}[-R,R],$ then the samples of $\hat f$ on $\Lambda$ and only the first k derivatives of $\hat f$ at 0 are required to determine f completely. Higher dimensional analogues of these results, which apply to functions $f\in L^p[-R,R]^d$ and $C^{m-2-k}[-R,R]^d,$ are proven. The sampling results are sharp in the sense that if any condition is omitted, there exist nonzero $f\in L^p[-R,R]^d$ and $C^{m-2-k}[-R,R]^d$ satisfying the rest. It is shown that the one-dimensional sampling sets correspond to Bessel sequences of complex exponentials that are not Riesz bases for $L^2[-R,R].$ A signal processing application in which such sampling sets arise naturally is described in detail.
Incidence and Doubtful Significance of Nonstandard Orientations in Reproduction of the Key from the Aphasia Screening Test

Summary.-Nonstandard key orientations (reversed, vertical, diagonal, indeterminant) were studied for 138 normal control subjects and in 1,235 patients obtained from three sources. Keys in nonstandard orientations were slightly but not significantly more frequent in the patient groups. The vast majority of nonstandard keys were reversed. Comparisons with persons having normal key orientations on biodata, neuropsychological, intellectual, and personalirp variables gave negative results. Retesting a portion of the sample showed that the tendency to reproduce the key in irregular orientations was consistent over time in only about half the cases. In contrast to occasional reports in the literature, it appears that nonstandard orientations in the drawing of the key in the Aphasia Screening Test are infrequent, somewhat inconsistent in appearance, and likely of linle or no demonstrable clinical significance. Psychologists have often identified reversals in the orientations of drawings and letters as suggestive of impairment in brain functions or brain damage (Hicaen, 1981; Luria, 1970; Orton, 1966). The rationale for this is not well formulated, however, and data supporting a relationship between brain-related difficulties and reversals are sparse. One portion of Reitan's revision of the Halstead-Wepman Aphasia Screening Test (Wheeler & Reitan, 1962) requires the copying of the general shape of a skeleton key. This task permits a test of a general hypothesis relating brain damage to changes in the orientation of the key, and in fact this hypothesis has already been advanced (Golden, Osmon, Moses, & Berg, 1981). While the vast majority of patients copy this key in its correct orientation, occasionally a patient will reverse the key so that the end grasped by the hand is on the left side of the &awing instead of the right side. Rarely, other orientations (vertical, diagonal) are observed and a key may be so poorly drawn that its orientation cannot be discerned. To date, a formal study of the incidence and significance of these deviations has not been reported. The present paper reports such a study.
Principles of glomerular organization in the human olfactory bulb--implications for odor processing.

Olfactory sensory neurons (OSN) in mice express only 1 of a possible 1,100 odor receptors (OR) and axons from OSNs expressing the same odor receptor converge into ∼2 of the 1,800 glomeruli in each olfactory bulb (OB) in mice; this yields a convergence ratio that approximates 2∶1, 2 glomeruli/OR. Because humans express only 350 intact ORs, we examined human OBs to determine if the glomerular convergence ratio of 2∶1 established in mice was applicable to humans. Unexpectedly, the average number of human OB glomeruli is >5,500 yielding a convergence ratio of ∼16∶1. The data suggest that the initial coding of odor information in the human OB may differ from the models developed for rodents and that recruitment of additional glomeruli for subpopulations of ORs may contribute to more robust odor representation.
Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Indenoisoquinoline Topoisomerase I Inhibitors Featuring Polyamine Side Chains on the Lactam Nitrogen

The indenoisoquinolines are a class of noncamptothecin topoisomerase I inhibitors that display significant cytotoxicity in human cancer cell cultures. They offer a number of potential advantages over the camptothecins, including greater chemical stability, formation of more persistent cleavage complexes, and induction of a unique pattern of DNA cleavage sites. Molecular modeling has suggested that substituents on the indenoisoquinoline lactam nitrogen would protrude out of the DNA duplex in the ternary cleavage complex through the major groove. This indicates that relatively large substituents in that location would be tolerated without compromising biological activity. As a strategy for increasing the potencies and potential therapeutic usefulness of the indenoisoquinolines, a series of compounds was synthesized containing polyamine side chains on the lactam nitrogen. The rationale for the synthesis of these compounds was that the positively charged ammonium cations would increase DNA affinity through el...
Change-Link: a digital forensic tool for visualizing changes to directory trees

We present Change-Link, a customizable data exploration tool which empowers the user to see visual representations of directories that have changed over time within a computer operating system that supports the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). Change-Link displays change information in a split-screen interface comprising an overview of directory change for the entire dataset and a detail view of change for individual directories. Input to Change-Link is an evidence hard drive containing an active file system and previous versions of the directory structure that were archived by the VSS. This approach to browsing change within a directory structure helps a digital forensic examiner understand how a particular computer was used to support criminal activity. Because data that have changed are often the most important, identifying directories that have changed over time directs attention towards data of higher importance. By examining the most important data, digital forensic examiners are better able to keep pace with the data explosion that is making current digital forensic examinations unmanageable. Our contributions include the development of a segmented box and whisker glyph for representing change over time for individual directories, an approach for aggregating VSS data for digital forensic examinations, and a data visualization tool for exploring digital forensic data.
Significance of Left Ventricular Power Waveform on Changes in Stroke Work During Pulsatile Left Ventricular Bypass

Abstract The object of this paper is to introduce the “peakedness” of the left ventricular power waveform as an index of the effectiveness of the pulsatile ventricular bypass (LVBP). The “peakedness” is determined by the position of the peak and the rate of ascent and decline of the instantaneous left ventricular power waveform. In eight open-chested dogs with coronary artery ligation, it has been found that the “peakedness” of the LV power waveform during assistance is important in determining the efficacy of LVBP. When the LV power waveform, the instantaneous product of LV pressure and aortic flow, has a broad width about the peak with an early rise to peak (low value of “peakedness” factor), the chance of improvement in stroke work after bypass is greater than when the waveform is sharply peaked with a delayed rise (high value of “peakedness”). Improvement in stroke work (SW) occurred when the percentage bypass flow was between 45 and 60%. Among the pumping runs with improved SW and CO, there was no consistent relationship between the percentage changes in SW and CO and the percentage bypass flow. The data suggest that “peakedness” may be of importance, because it evaluated the effect of left ventricular bypass on the performance of the native ventricle during postischemic periods.
Quantum noise and the threshold of hearing.

It is argued that the sensitivity of the ear reaches a limit imposed by the uncertainty principle. This is possible only if the receptor cell holds the detector elements in a special nonequilibrium state which has the same noise characteristics as a ground (T = 0 K) state. To accomplish this 'active cooling' the molecular dynamics of the system must maintain quantum mechanical coherence over the time scale of the measurement.
Feedback Theory-Some Properties of Signal Flow Graphs

The equations characterizing a systems problem may be expressed as a network of directed branches. (The block diagram of a servomechanism is a familiar example.) A study of the topological properties of such graphs leads to techniques which have proven useful, both for the discussion of the general theory of feedback and for the solution of practical analysis problems.
Pneumatosis coli in Crohn's disease.

Two cases of extensive pneumatosis of the colon associated with Crohn's disease are reported. This unusual complication most likely resulted from intramural dissection of bowel gas due to altered mucosal integrity and increased intraluminal pressure. The clinical and radiographic features of pneumatosis coli have been reviewed with emphasis on differentiation of the underlying gastrointestinal diseases. The similarity of histopathologic findings of Crohn's disease and pneumatosis intestinalis is also mentioned.
METRIC EVALUATION IN THE SPACE OF EXPONENTIAL AND GAUSSIAN FUNCTIONS.

Abstract A computational procedure is presented for the numerical evaluation of integrals having both gaussian and exponential functional dependence in the integrand: On the basis of the parameter values, α, β and k , three ranges are distinguished and in each one, an appropriate evaluation method is suggested.