cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Restenosis of Endovascular Stents From Stent Compression

Abstract Objectives. We sought to determine the basis for restenosis within superficial femoral arteries (SFAs) and hemodialysis conduits treated with balloon-expandable stents. Background. Use of stents within coronary and peripheral vessels continues to increase exponentially. The mechanism of restenosis within stents placed at various vascular sites is not well understood. In particular, the implications of deploying a balloon-expandable stent in a compressible site are not well understood. Methods. After the serendipitous detection of stent deformation during intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) examination of a restenosed dialysis fistula, we evaluated a consecutive series of patients with stents placed in compressible vascular sites, including the SFA (six patients) and hemodialysis fistulae (five patients). Clinical, angiographic and IVUS examinations were performed to evaluate mechanisms of restenosis. Results. Stent compression was identified as the principal cause of restenosis in all dialysis conduits and SFAs. Stent deformity was not reliably identified by angiography; however, IVUS identified compression of two forms: eccentric deformation, implicating two-point compressive force, and complete circumferential encroachment of stent struts around the catheter, suggesting multidirectional compressive force. Despite redilation, secondary restenosis resulting from recurrent compression recurred in most sites. Conclusions. Restenosis within balloon-expandable endovascular stents may occur as a result of stent compression, a phenomenon readily detected by IVUS, but often not by angiography. These findings have significant implications for the use of balloon-expandable stents within vascular sites subject to extrinsic compression, such as hemodialysis conduits, the adductor canal segment of the SFA and carotid arteries. (J Am Coll Cardiol 1997;29:328–38)
Preparation of ocular specimens for histopathologic examination.

Abstract Methods to prepare ocular tissues for histologic examination by routine light microscopy, electron microscopy, cytopathology, immunofluorescence, and immunoenzymic procedures are described. The ophthalmic surgeon must consult the surgical pathologist preoperatively when sending specimens to the laboratory that will require more than routine histological preparations.
Magnetic lineations in the southern part of the Central Indian Basin

A lineated sequence of distinctive residual magnetic anomalies has been observed in the southern part of the Central Indian Basin. These anomalies, which strike N45°W, have been identified as anomalies 7 through 15 and were formed by a ridge spreading at a half-rate of 2.5 cm/yr. They terminate abruptly against a N45°E–trending fracture zone between 82° and 85°E. At 27°S, 84°E, the fracture zone appears to change direction abruptly to N10°E. The mean depth drops 250 m across the fracture zone. The lineations are offset right laterally to the south, and the anomalies to the east, north of 27°S, are tentatively identified as 18 through 22, trending N100°E. This change in lineation pattern can be explained only by a reorientation of the direction of the Southeast Indian Ridge from east-west to northwest-southeast between the times of anomalies 18 and 15 (∼43 to 39 m.y. B.P.). This was the same time that India collided with Eurasia; the time correlation may be evidence of a relationship between the formation of the Himalayas and an abrupt change in the direction of relative motion of the Indian and Antarctic plates at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary. Anomaly 20 abuts the Ninetyeast Ridge opposite site 253, which has a middle Eocene basal sediment age. Thus the ridge has the same age as or is slightly younger than the Indian plate to which it is attached. The magnetic data also indicate that the Southeast Indian Ridge between the Ninetyeast Ridge and 85°E jumped 11 degrees to the south between 63 and 53 m.y. B.P. This is approximately the time that Australia started to separate from Antarctica.
Retrograde endocannabinoid signaling at striatal synapses requires a regulated postsynaptic release step.

Endocannabinoids (eCBs) mediate short- and long-term depression of synaptic strength by retrograde transsynaptic signaling. Previous studies have suggested that an eCB mobilization or release step in the postsynaptic neuron is involved in this retrograde signaling. However, it is not known whether this release process occurs automatically upon eCB synthesis or whether it is regulated by other synaptic factors. To address this issue, we loaded postsynaptic striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) with the eCBs anandamide (AEA) or 2-arachidonoylglycerol and determined the conditions necessary for presynaptic inhibition. We found that presynaptic depression of glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) and GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) induced by postsynaptic eCB loading required a certain level of afferent activation that varied between the different synaptic types. Synaptic depression at excitatory synapses was temperature-dependent and blocked by the eCB membrane transport blockers, VDM11 and UCM707, but did not require activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors, l-calcium channels, nitric oxide, voltage-activated Na+ channels, or intracellular calcium. Application of the CB1R antagonist, AM251, after depression was established, reversed the decrease in EPSC, but not in IPSC, amplitude. Direct activation of the CB1 receptor by WIN 55,212-2 initiated synaptic depression that was independent of afferent stimulation. These findings indicate that retrograde eCB signaling requires a postsynaptic release step involving a transporter or carrier that is activated by afferent stimulation/synaptic activation.
Language specificity in speech perception: perception of Mandarin tones by native and nonnative listeners.

The results reported in this paper indicate that native speakers of Mandarin Chinese rate the perceptual similarities among the lexical tones of Mandarin differently than do native speakers of American English. Mandarin listeners were sensitive to tone contour while English listeners attended to pitch levels. Chinese listeners also rated tones that are neutralized by phonological tone sandhi rules in Mandarin as more similar to each other than did English speakers – indicating a role of phonology in determining perceptual salience. In two further experiments, we found that some of these differences were eliminated when the listening task focused listeners’ attention on the auditory properties of the stimuli, but, interestingly, a degree of language specificity remained even in the most purely psychophysical listening tasks with speech stimuli.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average: Issues of Downward Bias and Increased Volatility

Does the method of divisor adjustment used for stocksplits in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) cause a downward bias in the average’s level and does this method of adjustment cause increased volatility in the average? To investigate these issues, two averages are created using DJIA stocks. One average is adjusted for stock splits through adjustment in the divisor. This method is identical to the DJIA method of adjustment.The other average makes adjustment for stock splits by adjusting the stock value in the numerator. Relative to these two methods of adjustment for stock splits, there sults of the study demonstrate that there is no downward bias of the DJIA. Additionally, it is found that the method of divisor adjustment for stock splits does not increase the volatility of the average. When compared to the Standard and Poor’s Industrial Index, the DJIA does show downward bias.
Does stricture dilation add to the yield of brush cytology in the evaluation of malignant biliary obstruction (MBO)

Does stricture dilation add to the yield of brush cytology in the evaluation of malignant biliary obstruction (MBO)?
Evolutionary Mechanisms in Pollination Biology: Origins and functions of floral systems are being elucidated by genetical and ecological studies

In the article "Evolutionary mechanisms in pollination biology" by H. G. Baker [ Science 139, 877 (8 March 1963)] the fifth line up in the next-to-last paragraph (column 3, page 880) should have read: (. . . visited by large carpenter bees of the Xylocopidae ). In the published version Xylocopidae read Megachilidae.
Advanced Kidney Failure and Hyperuricemia

Metabolic end products accumulate in kidney failure, including uric acid (UA), a terminal product of purine catabolism. Hyperuricemia (HUA) can cause gout and has been increasingly linked with cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality, outcomes that are highly prevalent in patients with kidney disease. Serum UA levels rise as glomerular filtration declines, whereas the frequency of gouty attacks declines and the incidence of CV death rises precipitously. Herein, we review the kinetics of UA metabolism in CKD and dialysis and discuss the possible mechanisms of gout mitigation in kidney failure and the potential contribution of hyperuricemic milieu to CV outcomes in patients with kidney disease.
Conformal Mapping of Nonsmooth Domains via the Kerzman–Stein Integral Equation

Abstract The connection between the Riemann map and the Szego kernel is classical. But the fact that there is an efficient numerical procedure, based on the Kerzman–Stein integral equation, for computing the Szego kernel of a smoothly bounded domain in the plane is more recent. In this paper it is shown how to extend the results of Kerzman and Stein to certain nonsmooth domains. This provides a new method for numerically computing the Szego kernel, and hence the Riemann map, of these domains.
HVEM signalling at mucosal barriers provides host defence against pathogenic bacteria

The TNF receptor HVEM is shown to control the innate immune response to pathogenic bacteria by regulating mucosal epithelial cells in the intestine and lung. The tumour-necrosis-factor receptor HVEM is shown to control the innate immune response to pathogenic bacteria by mucosal epithelial cells in the intestine and lungs. Engagement of HVEM activates Stat3 and leads to production of antimicrobial peptides, chemokines and inflammatory cytokines. Mice deficient in HVEM (herpes virus entry mediator, also called TNFSFR 14) are highly susceptible to intestinal infection with Citrobacter rodentium, a model for the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli infection, and to airway infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae. The authors suggest that HVEM may be a master orchestrator of intestinal and lung epithelial immune responses to bacteria, and that therapeutic targeting of HVEM with agonists could stimulate host defences. The herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM), a member of the tumour-necrosis factor receptor family, has diverse functions, augmenting or inhibiting the immune response1. HVEM was recently reported as a colitis risk locus in patients2, and in a mouse model of colitis we demonstrated an anti-inflammatory role for HVEM3, but its mechanism of action in the mucosal immune system was unknown. Here we report an important role for epithelial HVEM in innate mucosal defence against pathogenic bacteria. HVEM enhances immune responses by NF-κB-inducing kinase-dependent Stat3 activation, which promotes the epithelial expression of genes important for immunity. During intestinal Citrobacter rodentium infection4,5,6, a mouse model for enteropathogenic Escherichia coli infection, Hvem−/− mice showed decreased Stat3 activation, impaired responses in the colon, higher bacterial burdens and increased mortality. We identified the immunoglobulin superfamily molecule CD160 (refs 7 and 8), expressed predominantly by innate-like intraepithelial lymphocytes, as the ligand engaging epithelial HVEM for host protection. Likewise, in pulmonary Streptococcus pneumoniae infection9, HVEM is also required for host defence. Our results pinpoint HVEM as an important orchestrator of mucosal immunity, integrating signals from innate lymphocytes to induce optimal epithelial Stat3 activation, which indicates that targeting HVEM with agonists could improve host defence.
Micro/nanotribology of ultra-thin hard amorphous carbon coatings using atomic force/friction force microscopy

Microscale scratch and wear resistance tests using an atomic force microscope have been conducted on ultra-thin hard amorphous carbon coatings, often called diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings, deposited using filtered cathodic arc (FCA), direct ion beam (IB), electron cyclotron resonance plasma chemical vapour deposition (ECR-CVD) and sputter (SP) deposition processes. Coating thicknesses of 20, 10, 5 nm and, for the first time, 3.5 nm coatings, have been investigated. The objectives of the study were to identify the thinnest coating that exhibits good wear-resistance, to identify deposition processes that produced superior coatings for wear-resistance and to understand failure mechanisms of such ultra-thin coatings during wear. It was found that, in general, the thicker coatings exhibited better scratch/wear performance than thinner coatings due to their better load-carrying capacity as compared to the thinner coatings. At 20 nm, ECR-CVD and FCA coatings showed the best wear resistance. At 10 nm, ECR-CVD was the best, while IB coating showed the best wear resistance at 5 nm. Five nanometer coatings showed reasonable wear resistance, while 3.5 nm coatings showed extremely low load-carrying capacity, poor wear resistance and evidence of early coating delamination. Although IB and ECR-CVD 3.5 nm coatings showed some amount of wear resistance at low loads, it appears that the 3.5 nm coatings studied are infeasible for wear-resistant applications as of now.
Loading-rate dependence of individual ligand-receptor bond-rupture forces studied by atomic force microscopy

It is known that bond strength is a dynamic property that is dependent upon the force loading rate applied during the rupturing of a bond. For biotin−avidin and biotin−streptavidin systems, dynamic force spectra, which are plots of bond strength vs loge(loading rate), have been acquired in a recent biomembrane force probe (BFP) study1 at force loading rates in the range 0.05−60 000 pN/s. In the present study, the dynamic force spectrum of the biotin−streptavidin bond strength in solution was extended from loading rates of ∼104 to ∼107 pN/s with the atomic force microscope (AFM). A Poisson statistical analysis method was applied to extract the magnitude of individual bond-rupture forces and nonspecific interactions from the AFM force−distance curve measurements. The bond strengths were found to scale linearly with the logarithm of the loading rate. The nonspecific interactions also exhibited a linear dependence on the logarithm of loading rate, although not increasing as rapidly as the specific interaction...
Where's Waldo: Matching people in images of crowds

Given a community-contributed set of photos of a crowded public event, this paper addresses the problem of finding all images of each person in the scene. This problem is very challenging due to large changes in camera viewpoints, severe occlusions, low resolution and photos from tens or hundreds of different photographers. Despite these challenges, the problem is made tractable by exploiting a variety of visual and contextual cues–appearance, time-stamps, camera pose and co-occurrence of people. This paper demonstrates an approach that integrates these cues to enable high quality person matching in community photo collections downloaded from Flickr.com.
Adaptive responses to fescue toxicosis under thermoneutral and heat stress conditions

This study determined the potential for short-term adaptation to fescue toxicosis and heat stress in rats. Male CD outbred rats (n=24) were implanted with temperature transmitters (Respironics, Bend, OR) to measure core temperature (Tc) and general activity. All rats were initially fed diets with ground, uninfected tall fescue seed (E−) and exposed to 21 °C (thermoneutral, TN) to establish baseline values. In Period 1, all groups were maintained at TN for 7 days, with one group fed a diet containing ground, endophyte-infected tall fescue seed (E+, approximately 165 μg ergovaline/kg BW/d) and two groups fed E− diet. Ergovaline is thought to be the primary toxin responsible for many symptoms associated with fescue toxicosis. Period 1 was followed by 7 days at 31 °C (heat stress, HS, Period 2) on the same diets. All animals were fed E− diet during the second 7 day of HS (Period 3). In the final 7 day (Period 4), E+ diet was returned to the original group and fed to one of the previously E− groups, with the third group remaining on E− diet. A 40% decrease in FI occurred with E+ treatment at TN (P<0.05), with a comparable BW reduction (P<0.05) after 4 day. Both responses worsened during HS. Treatment with E+ in Period 4 indicated that FI and BW had not adapted to fescue toxicosis. A reduction in daily Tc occurred with E+ treatment at TN (P<0.05) followed by hyperthermia during the initial stage of HS (P<0.05). Although feed intake and growth rate showed no change over time, there was a reduction in fescue toxicosis-induced hyperthermia in the heat with repeat treatment. Conditioning animals to fescue toxicosis and heat stress prior to exposure may be beneficial in reducing impacts on thermal status of the animal.
Assessing a prostate cancer brachytherapy technique using early patient-reported symptoms: a potential early indicator for technology assessment?

Abstract Brachytherapy for early prostate cancer can cause long-term urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunction. Modifying technique may mitigate complications, but definitive outcome assessment requires long-term follow-up. Although radiation dose plausibly mediates all treatment-related toxicity, short-term symptoms may indicate long-term outcomes. We sought an early indication of whether a modified brachytherapy technique successfully decreased toxicity in the anticipated direction by assessing changes in symptoms and symptom distress 3 months after treatment. In a prospective study of clinically localized prostate cancer using a validated, patient-reported questionnaire, we assessed 85 men, whose primary treatment was brachytherapy alone, prior to treatment and 3 months after the procedure. Twenty-two men received standard ultrasound-guided brachytherapy (SB), and 63 men received magnetic resonance imaging–guided brachytherapy (MB), a technique intended to decrease urinary toxicity by reducing urethral irradiation. Patient age and other sociodemographic variables were similar in the 2 groups. The MB group experienced a greater increase in urinary obstruction/irritation symptoms ( P = 0.02) and sexual function distress, but not sexual dysfunction ( P = 0.22), whereas the SB group reported a smaller increase in bowel symptoms ( P = 0.04) and bowel distress ( P = 0.02). We found reduced short-term urinary obstruction/irritation and increased bowel problems after MB consistent with the hypothesized effects of the modified technique, although no obvious mechanism explains the decreased sexual function distress in MB patients. Whether these short-term changes predict long-term outcome differences will require much longer follow-up. However, these results suggest that measuring early symptoms may indicate whether an altered brachytherapy treatment technique has intended favorable consequences, potentially accelerating technology assessment.
Rovibrational Spectroscopy of C35Cl4

Abstract High-resolution rotationally resolved infrared spectra of the spherical-top rotor C 35 Cl 4 (in samples of natural isotopic composition) were obtained both in static cells by FTIR spectroscopy (ν 4 , ν 1 + ν 4 ) and in a supersonically cooled expansion with tunable diode lasers (ν 3 ). For the ν 3 fundamental at 799 cm −1 , quantum assignments were made for individual transitions from P (20) to R (24), and the partially resolved Q branch was matched with synthesized spectra. The bands ν 4 (316 cm −1 ) and ν 1 + ν 4 (774 cm −1 ) exhibit much reduced manifold splitting, and scalar fits were made to the R (24)- R (70) and P (38)- R (56) frequencies, respectively. The ν 3 /(ν 1 + ν 4 ) Fermi dyad yields Coriolis constants ζ 3 = 0.621 and ζ′ 4 = −0.145 that satisfy the harmonic sum rule, but are perturbed by the Fermi resonance and are inconsistent with intramolecular force fields previously reported based on isotope shifts in matrix spectra. The true bending-mode Coriolis constant ζ 4 = −0.414, obtained from analysis of the isolated and unperturbed ν 4 band, agrees well with the isotope shifts. CCl 4 and other tetrahedral XY 4 molecules are shown to vibrate according to a simple vector-displacement normal-mode model for which ζ 3 ≈ 4/[3( m x / m y ) + 4].
Selective glycopeptide profiling by acetone enrichment and LC/MS.

Abstract LC/MS is commonly used for site-specific glycosylation analysis of glycoproteins in cells and tissues. A limitation of this technique is the difficulty in acquiring reliable mass spectra for glycopeptides, mainly due to their high heterogeneity and poor hydrophobicity. Here, we establish a versatile method for efficient glycopeptide enrichment to acquire reliable mass spectra. Several lines of evidence using model glycoproteins suggest that our method is based on the different solubility between non-glycosylated and glycosylated peptides in acetone. We also provide data showing that the acetone-precipitated glycopeptide enrichment was successful in acquiring a more comprehensive MS/MS data set for the various glycoforms of each glycopeptide in crude human serum. We propose that this method is a powerful tool for the acquisition of reliable mass spectra from trace amounts of glycopeptides and an alternative to lectin affinity enrichment. Biological significance In this study, we established a versatile method for glycopeptide enrichment to acquire reliable mass spectra because of the limitation of conventional enrichment methods, such as lectin affinity chromatography. Our enrichment method is capable of isolating glycopeptides from complex peptide mixtures such as crude serum.
Canonical homeomorphisms of posets

Associated to each partially ordered set there is a topological space called the geometric realization. This paper presents several canonical homeomorphisms between geometric realizations of posets. Results on realizations of open intervals in direct product posets and posets of closed intervals are then applied to the theory of Cohen-Macaulay posets. A method of modifying a poset without changing its realization is used to construct examples in the fixed point theory of posets.
PRESSURE BROADENING AND PRESSURE SHIFT COEFFICIENTS IN THE 2ν02 AND ν1 BANDS OF 16O13C18O

Abstract In this study we report the first measurements of the pressure broadening and the pressure-induced line shift coefficients due to air and nitrogen for 93 individual rovibrational lines, P(46) to R(46) and P(50) to R(45), respectively, belonging to the 2ν02 and ν1 bands of 16O13C18O. The results were obtained by analyzing ten long path, high-resolution laboratory absorption spectra using a multispectrum nonlinear least-squares technique. Broadening due to nitrogen was about 4% larger than by air. Similar to broadening coefficients, the pressure-shift coefficients were found to be transition dependent, but different for the P- and R-branch lines with the same rotational quantum number, J. Except for a few R-branch lines, the measured shift coefficients were negative. The shift coefficients varied from +4×10-3 cm-1 atm-1 at 296 K to −5.6×10-3 cm-1 atm-1 at 296 K. Comparisons of the broadening and shift coefficients between the two bands, between the P and R branches, and between the two broadening gases are reported. No significant difference between shift coefficients of the two bands or the two broadening gases was observed. The results obtained were compared with those reported in the literature for the more abundant 12C16O2 species.
The effects of theophylline and nifedipine on corticotropin‐stimulated cortisol secretion

The adrenal cortisol response to corticotropin appears to involve both calcium and cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) as intracellular mediators. In 10 healthy male volunteers, the short-term administration of theophylline, which affects both intracellular calcium and cAMP, lowered basal cortisol levels but augmented the in vivo cortisol response to short-term corticotropin stimulation. Short-term administration of nifedipine, a calcium channel antagonist, had no effect on basal or peak cortisol levels but reduced the incremental cortisol response to corticotropin. The effects of both theophylline and nifedipine, although statistically significant, were modest and of questionable clinical significance but should be considered in the interpretation of the clinical corticotropin stimulation test. They may also provide some insight into the post-receptor actions of corticotropin. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1990) 47, 435–438; doi:10.1038/clpt.1990.54
Promising alternative clinical uses of prostaglandin F2α analogs: Beyond the eyelashes

Prostaglandin F2α analogs, commonly prescribed for glaucoma treatment, have been shown to induce side effects such as cutaneous hypertrichosis and hyperpigmentation. Therefore, these medications have theoretic applications in the treatment of alopecia and disorders of hypopigmentation. We reviewed the literature to find original studies assessing the use of prostaglandin F2α analogs in these settings. Studies and reports were analyzed in regards to androgenic alopecia, alopecia areata, chemotherapy-induced alopecia, vitiligo, and hypopigmented scarring. Based on the results of these studies, and consideration of pathophysiologic mechanism, the most promising applications for prostaglandin F2α analogs include androgenic alopecia, chemotherapy-induced alopecia, and alopecia areata concurrently treated with corticosteroids.
Linguistic pragmatics and language intervention strategies.

The recent research focus on pragmatics leads to the consideration of issues of language use that have fundamental practical implications for language assessment and intervention. Specifically, the pragmatic orientation suggests changes in the contentof language assessments, by evaluating various communicative functions the child expresses, and modifications in the processof language assessment, by encouraging both the initiating and responding dimensions of the child's communicative behavior. Furthermore, the pragmatic focus suggests changes in the process of intervention. The primary goal of intervention becomes facilitation of generalized communicative functions for which syntactic structures and semantic content are only the tools. And the pragmatic framework suggests guidelines for what constitute appropriate reinforcers that sustain rather than interrupt communicative interactions.
Input Impedance of a Two-Wire Open-Line and Cylindrical-Center Driven Antenna

Using the potential theory, a method of analysis of the input impedance of a transmission line terminated by a cylindrical antenna is described. The results of application of this method to a particular configuration of line and antenna are presented.
Optimization of Honeycomb Contact-Aided Compliant Cellular Mechanism for Strain Energy Absorption

This paper presents the optimization of hexagonal honeycomb structures with internal contact mechanisms for energy absorption applications. While extensive work has been reported in the literature on traditional honeycombs of varying geometries under dynamic and static loading, contact-aided compliant cellular mechanisms under quasi-static crushing or impact have not been previously considered. This paper addresses this void through the optimization of a hexagonal honeycomb unit cell containing a contact mechanism. An optimization problem is formulated that maximizes the strain energy per area of a contact-aided compliant cellular mechanism. Two- and three-variable optimization problems are considered, using variables that define the cell geometry and the initial contact gap. It is found that with the addition of a contact mechanism, more strain energy can be absorbed when compared to the same cell without a contact mechanism.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
An integrative genomics approach identifies activation of thioredoxin/thioredoxin reductase-1-mediated oxidative stress defense pathway and inhibition of angiogenesis in obese nondiabetic human subjects

Context: Obesity is a complex disease that involves both genetic and environmental perturbations to gene networks in adipose tissue and is proposed as a trigger for metabolic sequelae. Objective: We hypothesized that expression of adipose tissue transcripts in gene networks for adaptive response would correlate with the percent fat mass (PFAT) in healthy nondiabetic subjects to maintain metabolic equilibrium and would overlap with genes modulated in response to elevated fatty acid. Design, Settings, and Patients: Genome-wide transcript profiles were determined in sc adipose tissue of 136 nondiabetics and in palmitate-induced cells. Genotype information and gene expression data in nondiabetic subjects were integrated to characterize the function of 41 obesity-associated polymorphisms. Results: Genes involved in inflammation-immune response, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and cell-extracellular matrix interactions were significantly correlated with PFAT. The NRF2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2)...
General Principles of Classification and Nomenclature in Folk Biology

Since about 1954, modern field research has been carried out by a number of ethnographers and biologists in an effort to understand more fully the nature of folk biological classification. Much of this work has been devoted to studies dealing with the naming and classification of plants and animals in non-Western societies. It has now become apparent that several important and far reaching generalizations can be formulated which promise to throw considerable light on prescientific man's understanding of his biological universe.
Marriage, modernity, and the ‘friendship of nations’: interethnic intimacy in post-war Central Asia in comparative perspective

Abstract This article examines the place of interethnic intimacy in post-Stalinist discourse and policy on nationality and modernity in Central Asia. Soviet theorists deemed marriages between Central Asian Muslims and Europeans to be an important force for ‘modernizing’ Central Asia and bringing this historically ‘backward’ region into the Soviet mainstream. Because mixed marriage was thought to promote gender equality, the discourse of intermarriage was closely linked to Soviet policies of female emancipation. Rising rates of mixed marriage were also considered evidence of progress in the consolidation of a unified ‘Soviet people’, whose imminent appearance became an article of faith in the Khrushchev and Brezhnev years. However, the twin goals of intermarriage—modernization and ethnic assimilation—were undermined by the increasing institutionalization and primordialization of ethnic identities in the post-war Soviet Union.
Sets characterized by missing sums and differences

A more sums than differences (MSTD) set is a finite subset S of the integers such that |S+S|>|S−S|. We show that the probability that a uniform random subset of {0,1,…,n} is an MSTD set approaches some limit ρ>4.28×10−4. This improves the previous result of Martin and OʼBryant that there is a lower limit of at least 2×10−7. Monte Carlo experiments suggest that ρ≈4.5×10−4. We present a deterministic algorithm that can compute ρ up to arbitrary precision. We also describe the structure of a random MSTD set S⊆{0,1,…,n}. We formalize the intuition that fringe elements are most significant, while middle elements are nearly unrestricted. For instance, the probability that any “middle” element is in S approaches 1/2 as n→∞, confirming a conjecture of Miller, Orosz, and Scheinerman. In general, our results work for any specification on the number of missing sums and the number of missing differences of S, with MSTD sets being a special case.
CMOS LC oscillator using variable mean frequency

This paper presents a fully integrated CMOS LC oscillator with digital tuning. The frequency tuning is by averaging over two oscillation frequencies. The average frequency is determined by the digital input pattern, which switches a small unit of capacitance on and off the main capacitor. Measurements in a 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS test-chip shows that 5 bits of additional resolution can be achieved. With the inductor dominating the quality factor, Q, the phase noise remains almost the same, not affected by this averaging activity.
The influence of gas discharge in nano-gap RF conductivity

Nano-gaps are widely found in miniaturized RF devices and circuits. Large electric fields may result in such gaps even with small voltages. These strong fields can cause gas discharge which may lead to performance degradation or even failure. Understanding this phenomenon is of critical importance in order to evaluate failure modes and determine safe operating regimes. In this paper, the important parameters of nano-scale discharge are studied and its effect on RF conductivity is rated. It is shown that the electrical conductivity may increase by > 60x by about 11% increase in the applied voltage on a 500 nm gap.
Differences in size spectra of electrified storms over land and ocean

Numerous studies demonstrate the marked difference in intensity of land and ocean convection, the most pronounced being the higher frequency of intense convection and lightning over land. This study contributes to the ongoing debate of the physical reasons for this difference, through the use of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Feature (PF) database. We demonstrate that tropical oceanic PFs with lightning tend to be over 10 times larger and more mature than those over land. This relationship is most pronounced in archetypal land and ocean regimes (Congo and Central Pacific) and is also manifested throughout the entire (35°S to 35°N) TRMM domain, to varying extents. This relationship holds true when we select for PFs with 40 dBZ echo tops over at least 5.5 km in height, which continues to be an effective proxy for convective intensity and probability of lightning.
DRUG-INDUCED PLEURAL DISEASE

Drug-induced pleural disease in the form of pleural fibrosis or pleural effusions is a common but frequently overlooked toxic or allergic manifestation of usage of a particular class of drugs. A detailed history of drug intake will often unveil the cause for the pleural pathology. Discontinuation of the drug with or without the addition of steroid therapy may be helpful.
Aadaptive imaging with Multi-Phase Apodization with Cross-correlation: Phantom and in vivo results

Dual Apodization with Cross-correlation (DAX) is a novel beamforming technique that utilizes a pair of complementary receive amplitude apodizations for ultrasound image contrast enhancement. The effectiveness of DAX in vivo is often reduced because of the strong reverberation clutter signals caused by near-field structures. In this work, we propose a modified version of DAX, known as Multi-Phase Apodization with Cross-correlation (MPAX), which utilizes multiple pairs of complementary phase apodizations for robust suppression of reverberation clutter. Our experimental sponge phantom results and initial clinical results from a healthy volunteer show that MPAX achieves CNR values higher than or comparable to DAX with much more uniform reverberation clutter suppression throughout the field-of-view. Hence, MPAX results in a large improvement in image quality and shows great potential for more accurate diagnosis in clinics.
Feature-centric evaluation for efficient cascaded object detection

We describe a cascaded method for object detection. This approach uses a novel organization of the first cascade stage called "feature-centric" evaluation which re-uses feature evaluations across multiple candidate windows. We minimize the cost of this evaluation through several simplifications: (1) localized lighting normalization, (2) representation of the classifier as an additive model and (3) discrete-valued features. Such a method also incorporates a unique feature representation. The early stages in the cascade use simple fast feature evaluations and the later stages use more complex discriminative features. In particular, we propose features based on sparse coding and ordinal relationships among filter responses. This combination of cascaded feature-centric evaluation with features of increasing complexity achieves both computational efficiency and accuracy. We describe object detection experiments on ten objects including faces and automobiles. These results include 97% recognition at equal error rate on the UIUC image database for car detection.
Patterns of Racial and Educational Assortative Mating in Brazil

Exchange of racial for educational status has been documented for black/white marriages in the United States. Exchange may be an idiosyncratic feature of U.S. society, resulting from unusually strong racial boundaries historically developed there. We examine status exchange across racial lines in Brazil. In contrast to the United States, Brazil features greater fluidity of racial boundaries and a middle tier of “brown” individuals. If exchange is contingent on strong racial boundaries, it should be weak or non-existent in Brazilian society. Contrary to this expectation, we find strong evidence of status exchange. However, this pattern results from a generalized penalty for darkness, which induces a negative association between higher education and marrying darker spouses (“market exchange”) rather than from a direct trading of resources by partners (“dyadic exchange”). The substantive and methodological distinction between market and dyadic exchange helps clarify and integrate prior findings in the status exchange literature.
Colon cancer survival prediction using ensemble data mining on SEER data

We analyze the colon cancer data available from the SEER program with the aim of developing accurate survival prediction models for colon cancer. Carefully designed preprocessing steps resulted in removal of several attributes and applying several supervised classification methods. We also adopt synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE) to balance the survival and non-survival classes we have. In our experiments, ensemble voting of the three of the top performing classifiers was found to result in the best prediction performance in terms of prediction accuracy and area under the ROC curve. We evaluated multiple classification schemes to estimate the risk of mortality after 1 year, 2 years and 5 years of diagnosis, on a subset of 65 attributes after the data clean up process, 13 attribute carefully selected using attribute selection techniques, and SMOTE balanced set of the same 13 attributes, while trying to retain the predictive power of the original set of attributes. Moreover, we demonstrate the importance of balancing the classes of the data set to yield better results.
A Comparative Analysis of Three Classes of Bacterial Non-specific Acid Phosphatases and Archaeal Phosphoesterases: Evolutionary Perspective

Introduction: Bacterial nonspecific acid phosphohydrolases (NSAPs) or phosphatases are group of enzymes secreted as soluble periplasmic proteins or retained as membrane bound lipoproteins that are usually able to dephosphorylate a broad array of structurally unrelated organic phosphoesters (nucleotides, sugar phosphates, phytic acid etc.) to acquire inorganic phosphate (Pi) and organic byproducts. They exhibit optimal catalytic activity at acidic to neutral pH values. On the basis of amino acid sequence relatedness, phosphatase are grouped into different molecular families namely Class A, Class B and Class C acid phosphatase respectively. Results and discussion: In this article out of thirty three sequences, twenty six belonging to each of the three classes of bacterial acid phosphatase and seven belonging to archaeal phosphoesterases were analyzed using various tools of bioinformatics. Phylogenetic analysis, dot plot comparisons and motif analysis were done to identify a number of similarities and differences between three classes of bacterial acid phosphatases and archaeal phosphoesterases. In this research we have attempted to decipher evolutionary relationship between three classes of bacterial acid phosphatase and archaeal phosphoesterases using bioinformatics approach.
Herpes simplex virus infections of the central nervous system: encephalitis and meningitis, including Mollaret's

Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is a life-threatening consequence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection of the central nervous system (CNS). Although HSE is rare, mortality rates reach 70% in the absence of therapy and only a minority of individuals return to normal function. Antiviral therapy is most effective when started early, necessitating prompt diagnosis. The International Herpes Management Forum (IHMF) has issued guidelines to aid the diagnosis and treatment of HSE. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the diagnostic method of choice for HSE, but negative results need to be interpreted in the context of the patient's clinical presentation and the timing of the CSF sampling. CSF virus culture is of little value in all but patients under the age of 6 months. CSF (intrathecal) antibody measurements are not recommended for acute diagnostic purposes. However, demonstration of an intrathecal HSV antibody response may be helpful in retrospective diagnosis or in cases in which CSF is sampled only late after onset of infection and PCR is negative. Serum HSV antibody measurements are not of utility in the diagnosis of HSV encephalitis in adults. In children and young adults, HSV serology may help define whether HSE is part of a primary or a reactivated HSV infection, although the clinical features, therapy, and prognosis of these two forms of HSV encephalitis are similar. The IHMF recommends that all patients with HSE receive intravenous aciclovir 10 mg/kg every 8 h for 14-21 days. Owing to the life-threatening nature of the disease, if there is a delay in diagnostic test results therapy should not be withheld until they become available. After completion of therapy, PCR of the CSF can confirm the elimination of replicating virus, aiding further management of the patient. Clinical trials of other antiviral agents (i.e. adjunctive oral valaciclovir after intravenous aciclovir) for the treatment of HSE are underway. Herpes infection of the CNS, especially with HSV-2, can also cause both monophasic and recurrent aseptic meningitis, as well as myelitis or radiculitis. Limited evidence suggests that aciclovir may be effective in its treatment. Recurrent aseptic meningitis is predominantly caused by HSV-2 infection, and is characterized by self-limited episodes of fever, meningismus and severe headache. Many cases are indistinguishable from cases previously classified as "Mollaret's meningitis", a term that should now be reserved for idiopathic cases of recurrent aseptic meningitis.
Inclusion complexes oriented in thermotropic liquid crystalline solvents studied with Carbon-13 NMR

The inclusion complex of cryptophane-A and chloroform dissolved in two nonchiral liquid-crystalline environments was investigated via 13C NMR. Stable solutions of oriented complexes were prepared u...
On the Numerical Solution of Three-Dimensional Condensed Layer Films

Re Air Reynolds number D Ratio of air density and water density μ Ratio of water viscosity and air viscosity σ Non-dimensional surface tension of the air/water interface M Film inertia parameter: measures relative influence of viscosity ratio (μ) and density ratio (D) λ Boundary layer skin friction parameter h Non-dimensional scaled thickness of the undisturbed film hR Non-dimensional scaled roughness height δ Local non-dimensional scaled film thickness κ Curvature of the water film interface f, F Film interface shapes fR, FR Roughness shapes Σ Surface tension parameter of the re-scaled problem ∆ Re-scaled film thickness HR Roughness height parameter (hR/h) of the re-scaled problem DX , DZ Roughness streamwise/spanwise length parameters of the re-scaled problem Superscripts ∗ Dimensional variable
Evaluating Production Risk in Rice Production of Guangdong Province

Guangdong is one of the provinces with the most of population in China,but the rice production is very small compared with its needs. At the same time,natural calamities happen so frequently that Guangdong suffers extremely economy loss,especially the agricultural economy. Based on this,the production risk evaluation had significance for rice production,insurances and food safety. In the study,the linear sliding average method and non-parametric model of information diffusion were used to evaluate the risk of the rice production. The evaluation results that,( i) the production risk of late rice was much bigger than that of early rice;( ii) the rice production risk increased from Noncoastal area of pearl river deltas to inland of East,North and West of Guangdong and coastal areas;( iii) the probability of yield reduction over 10 % was very small.
Conodonts from the Prout Dolomite of north-central Ohio and Givetian (upper Middle Devonian) correlation problems

The Prout Dolomite of north-central Ohio lies disconformably above the lowest Givetian (upper Middle Devonian) Plum Brook Shale and below the lowest Famennian (upper Upper Devonian) Ohio Shale. A sample from its base yielded over 4,000 diverse conodont specimens. Included is Polygnathus ansatus Ziegler and Klapper, 1976, the index species for the Middle varcus Subzone, which is not reported from strata of this age in Ontario and Indiana, a fact that long caused their miscorrelation with the Lower varcus Subzone. Also present is P. rhenanus Klapper, Philip, and Jackson, 1970, considered to be also indicative of the Middle varcus Subzone in North America, and P. ovatinodosus Ziegler and Klapper, 1976. Lowest occurrences of the latter are in the middle part of this subzone; its presence indicates correlation with the lower Tully Limestone of New York, the basal unit of the Taghanic Series. The Prout and equivalent strata in the region therefore represent a long unrecognized continuous time-rock unit created by Johnson9s (1970) Taghanic onlap. The collection includes a new species of Ancyrolepis, A. huntleyi; a new species of Polygnathus is left in open nomenclature, as are nine specimens assigned to Tortodus but of otherwise uncertain taxonomic status. Givetian conodont correlation between North America and the Global Stratotype Section and Point established by the Subcommission on Devonian Stratigraphy (SDS) in Morocco is extremely problematical because of relatively erratic distribution (probably owing to limited ecologic adaptability) of P. ansatus and P. hemiansatus Bultynck, considered herein to be an early morphotype of P. ansatus. The base of the Givetian Stage has been defined by the SDS as coinciding with the lowest occurrence of P. hemiansatus. The only possible evidence for the SDS9s hemiansatus Zone in North America involves reported occurrence of that morphotype in the uppermost Arkona Shale of Ontario, a position above the top of the Plum Brook Shale, which has been considered to be of Givetian age for decades. Also it appears that the interval between the Eifelian (lower Middle Devonian) kockelianus Zone and the hemiansatus Zone at the SDS9s global-stratotype section in Morocco is of questionable age and probably too thin to represent continuous sedimentation. Adoption of a widely recognized faunal break at the base of strata deposited during the If T-R cycle of North America and Europe as the base of the Givetian could provide a sound alternative.
The Mozart Sonata and Spatial-Temporal Reasoning

The positive effect of music on spatial-temporal reasoning has been demonstrated in college students using coherence analysis of electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings at the Center for Neurobiology of Learning and Memory and Department of Physics, University of California, Irvine CA.