cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding Original Antigenic Sin in Influenza with a Dynamical System

Original antigenic sin is the phenomenon in which prior exposure to an antigen leads to a subsequent suboptimal immune response to a related antigen. Immune memory normally allows for an improved and rapid response to antigens previously seen and is the mechanism by which vaccination works. I here develop a dynamical system model of the mechanism of original antigenic sin in influenza, clarifying and explaining the detailed spin-glass treatment of original antigenic sin. The dynamical system describes the viral load, the quantities of healthy and infected epithelial cells, the concentrations of naive and memory antibodies, and the affinities of naive and memory antibodies. I give explicit correspondences between the microscopic variables of the spin-glass model and those of the present dynamical system model. The dynamical system model reproduces the phenomenon of original antigenic sin and describes how a competition between different types of B cells compromises the overall effect of immune response. I illustrate the competition between the naive and the memory antibodies as a function of the antigenic distance between the initial and subsequent antigens. The suboptimal immune response caused by original antigenic sin is observed when the host is exposed to an antigen which has intermediate antigenic distance to a second antigen previously recognized by the host's immune system.
Emergency Medical Transport Systems: Use of ECG Telemetry

This article describes a rapid response, widely deployed emergency medical transport system utilizing trained nonprofessional personnel supervised and evaluated by physicians through a patient communications system incorporating ECG telemetry. This has been developed within the framework of existing resources at relatively low cost. Analysis of the course and of the telemetered ECG of 1,000 patients indicates that clinical deterioration, death, as welL as life threatening arrhythmias occur in a significant number of patients en route to the hospital. These occurrences are not confined to patients with acute myocardial infarction. Such a system is feasible and justified to reduce prehospital morbidity and mortality in patients with acute illness or injury through arrhythmia control and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Caffeine and Endurance Performance

The belief among athletes that caffeine is an ergogenic aid is common, and several governing bodies of sport have barred use of the drug during competition. At the cellular level, caffeine has been implicated to affect the translocation of calcium in muscle, promote an increase in cellular levels of cyclic AMP and cause a blockade of adenosine receptors in the central nervous system. The general systemic effect of caffeine is to cause central nervous system arousal, mobilisation of free fatty acids and other metabolites, and possibly enhance the contractile status of muscle.
Maintaining domestic production through exports: the case of Japan’s metal forming machinery sector

Most advanced market economies have met difficulties retaining a manufacturing base. Domestic production remains important, however, given the downstream economic impacts of the manufacturing sector, including the advantages of export-base industries. In order to keep producing domestically, firms must persistently innovate and increasingly look to new markets. To explore the issue at greater length, this paper examines the case of Japan’s metal forming machinery industry, a key capital goods sector in terms of its criticality to overall durable goods manufacturing and its recent export success. This paper examines recent performance as an example of a successful industry that retains significant domestic production while simultaneously maintaining high export levels.
The multiple forms of alkaline phosphatase in the small intestine of the young mouse

Summary 1. The duodenum of the 20-day-old mouse contains alkaline phosphatase (orthophosphoric monoester phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.1) activity that hydrolyzes phenylphosphate at a much faster rate than β-glycerophosphate. By gradient elution from DEAE-cellulose, this phosphatase has now been resolved into 2 forms, one of which has a moderately high preference for phenylphosphate, the other a very great preference. 2. Extracts of the distal part of the duodenum and of the jejunum yield only a little of the phenylphosphate-preferring activity, which proves separable from other forms of the enzyme. 3. Electrophoresis in starch gel reveals the presence in intestinal extracts of 4 phosphatase bands differing slightly in mobility. With extracts of proximal duodenum, 2/3 of the activity that can be eluted from the gel is contained in the strongly staining A band, which has a high preference for phenylphosphate. Extracts of distal duodenum and jejunum have faint A bands. 4. Jejunal preparations from which all phenylphosphate-preferring activity is excluded by rechromatography are resolved into B, C, and D bands in starch gel. Each of these bands cleaves β-glycerophosphate faster than phenylphosphate. The B and C bands differ strikingly in catalytic properties from the B and C bands of proximal duodenum, although they are of identical mobility. 5. The phenylphosphate-preferring phosphatases of the juvenile duodenum seem to be formed by conversion of a precursor molecule, of different catalytic properties, that is present in earlier stages of development.
DNA ploidy, grade, and stage in prognosis of uterine cervical cancer

Abstract A retrospective study of 56 cases of uterine cervical squamous carcinoma evaluated DNA content, histological grade, and clinical stage as indicators of prognosis. Minimum survivor follow-up was 24 months. Following standard radiation therapy, there were 40 cures and 16 treatment failures. DNA content was measured by flow cytometry of pretreatment biopsies removed from paraffin. There were 18 diploid cases and 38 aneuploid (67.9%). Aneuploid cases included 6 with very high G2-M peaks ($15% of the cell sample). DNA ploidy correlation with prognosis was not statistically significant. However, both grading by a multiple parameter method ( P P
Attentional shifts to smoking cues in smokers.

Aims Many theories of addiction assume that responses to drug cues maintain drug use and precipitate relapse. There is evidence that measures derived from experimental cognitive psychology yield important information about cue reactivity. We used a pictorial version of the visual probe task to evaluate: (i) whether minimally deprived smokers attend differentially to smoking cues (attentional bias); (ii) whether this bias is related to self-reported craving and dependence; and (iii) whether it predicted outcome in a subsequent cessation attempt. Design Participants took part in a structured smoking cessation program. Each participant completed the visual probe task roughly 2 weeks before quitting while non-deprived. Setting A research smoking cessation clinic. Participants 141 heavy smokers seeking treatment for smoking cessation. Measurements The computerized attentional bias measure and self-reported urge were taken in a laboratory session. Participants also monitored their smoking and craving on electronic diaries both when smoking ad libitum and for up to 6 weeks post-cessation. Findings Participants were faster and more accurate in responding to a visual probe that replaced a smoking picture than to a neutral picture, indicating that they showed attentional bias towards the smoking cues. Attentional bias on the first half of the task correlated with pre-task craving, indicating that the bias may tap motivational processes, but it did not predict outcome in smoking cessation. Conclusions The visual probe task can add useful information about attentional responses to drug cues. Further work is required to uncover the theoretical significance and utility of this measure.
Systemic regulation of mammalian ageing and longevity by brain sirtuins.

Sirtuins have been implicated in the ageing process in a variety of organisms, but their role in mammalian ageing remains somewhat controversial. Here the authors discuss sirtuin proteins in the brain, providing an overview of their physiological functions as well as their implication in mammalian ageing.
High-speed 2-D convolution with a custom computing machine

Custom computing machines, a class of computational platforms consisting of reconfigurable functional units with reconfigurable interconnection networks, provide a middle-ground between special-purpose hardware, which provide high execution speed, and general-purpose computers, which offer flexibility. The Splash-2 system, one such custom computing machine, is an experimental platform for complex computations requiring the high speed of special-purpose hardware. The reconfigurability and modularity of Splash-2, along with automated synthesis tools, allow for rapid, staged development of applications. This paper demonstrates the applicability of Splash-2 to the image-processing area and gives an introduction to the programming environment used in developing applications. An example image-processing application based upon two-dimensional convolution is described and the operating procedures of custom computing machines are presented. Also presented are the details of directly implementing two-dimensional convolution in a straight-forward, systolic fashion in reconfigurable hardware.
Regulation of GLUT4 and Insulin-Dependent Glucose Flux

GLUT4 has long been known to be an insulin responsive glucose transporter. Regulation of GLUT4 has been a major focus of research on the cause and prevention of type 2 diabetes. Understanding how insulin signaling alters the intracellular trafficking of GLUT4 as well as understanding the fate of glucose transported into the cell by GLUT4 will be critically important for seeking solutions to the current rise in diabetes and metabolic disease.
The association between SAT prompt characteristics, response features, and essay scores

Abstract This study investigated the relationship of prompt characteristics and response features with essay scores on the SAT Reasoning Test. A sample of essays was coded on a variety of features regarding their length and content. Analyses included descriptive statistics and computation of effect sizes, correlations between essay features and scores, and hierarchical linear modeling to explore variation across prompts. The results indicate that essay length is related to scores, but the correlation is not nearly as high as previous critics have claimed. After controlling for SAT Critical Reading and Writing multiple-choice scores, the essay features with the largest positive effect sizes included using a five-paragraph theme (FPT) and using academic evidence. The features with the largest negative effect sizes included using no evidence or support, and ending the essay mid-sentence. The relationship of essay length and performance varied significantly across prompts, and this variation was explained by the average SAT Critical Reading performance of examinees for the prompt.
Neuromuscular choristoma: characteristic magnetic resonance imaging findings and association with post-biopsy fibromatosis

Objective To describe imaging characteristics of neuromuscular choristomas (NMC) and to differentiate them from fibrolipomatous hamartomas (FLH).
Hydrogenated amorphous silicon-nitrogen alloys, a-Si, N:H : a candidate alloy for the wide band gap photo-active material in tandem photovoltaic (PV) devices

Abstract a-Si,N:H alloys were prepared by remote plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition (PECVD), and evaluated for applications as wide band gap, photo-active materials for PV devices. These alloys have been deposited using SiH 4 as the silicon-atom source gas, and either N 2 or NH 3 as the nitrogen-atom source gas to yield films with E 04 band gaps up to ∼2.2 eV. We have characterized the microstructure, and have studied selected optical and electrical, and transport properties, comparing films prepared from N 2 and NH 3 N-atom source gases.
The HLA-A0207 Peptide Binding Repertoire is Limited to a Subset of the A0201 Repertoire

Quantitative A*0207 peptide binding assays have been developed utilizing HLA transfected cells and affinity purified molecules. By using a panel of single substitution analog peptides, it was demonstrated that A*0207 binds peptides with main anchor specificity at position 2 and the C-terminus similar to A*0201. Previous data indicating that A*0207 (but not A*0201) also requires the presence of D or P in position 3 of its peptide ligands was confirmed by the analysis of additional single substituted analogs. Finally, by analyzing the A*0201 and A*0207 binding capacities of panels of unrelated synthetic peptides, it was found that 8/15 (53.3%) A*0201 binders with D or P in position 3 bound A*0207, while only 5/72 (6.9%) A*0201 binders without D or P in position 3 also bound A*0207. Together, these data indicate that although A*0207 may be included amongst A2 supertype alleles, its peptide binding repertoire is largely limited to a subset of that bound by A*0201.
Structure of a high Karlovitz n -C 7 H 16 premixed turbulent flame

Results from a series of direct numerical simulations (DNS) of a high Karlovitz, slightly lean (ϕ=0.9ϕ=0.9), n-C_7H^(16)/air premixed turbulent flame are presented. The flame is statistically flat and is subjected to an inflow of homogeneous isotropic turbulence. A 35-species and 217-reaction mechanism (Bisetti et al., 2012) [17] is used to represent the chemistry. Two simulations have been performed: one with unity Lewis number to asses the effects of turbulence on the flame structure in the absence of differential diffusion, and the other with non-unity Lewis numbers to analyze how turbulence affects differential diffusion. The Karlovitz numbers are 280 and 220 respectively. The first simulation reveals that the flame is strongly affected by turbulence as enhanced mixing largely thickens the preheat zone. However, the turbulent flame structure (i.e. the correlation between species and temperature) is similar to that of a one-dimensional flat flame, suggesting that turbulence has limited effect on the flame in temperature space, in the absence of differential diffusion. In the second simulation, the flame structure is affected by turbulence, as differential diffusion effects are weakened. It is suggested that this result is attributed to the fact that turbulence drives the effective species Lewis numbers towards unity through an increase in effective species and thermal diffusivities. Finally, the reaction zones of both the unity and the non-unity Lewis number turbulent flames remain thin, and are locally broken (only to some extent for the unity Lewis number flame, and more strongly for non-unity).
Game theoretic analysis of privacy-aware Advanced Metering Infrastructure

Demand response systems seek to flatten the demand for electricity by providing real-time pricing to consumers to motivate avoidance of power-intensive tasks when rates are high. Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) has been developed to facilitate this process, allowing for billing that applies fine-grained prices to fine-grained consumption data. But AMI also presents a unique privacy risk to consumers - fine-grained consumption data reveals a great deal about the behaviour, beliefs, and preferences of consumers. Such information is of interest to third parties, further exacerbating the privacy risk. This suggests a need for AMI to be developed from a privacy-aware perspective. Adopting a game-theoretic model, we consider utilities that offer both privacy-aware and non-privacy-aware AMI. A non-cooperative game is developed in which a representative consumer strategizes against the utility. The regulatory measures required for the desired privacy-facilitating Nash equilibrium of the game are discussed, and recommendations for policymakers are presented. In particular, it is found that a combination of regulation and consumer awareness must overcome the financial benefit arising from the sale of consumption information to third parties.
Temperature Measurement in the Phase I PACU

Perioperative hypothermia remains a common occurrence in the Phase I PACU. Identification of and appropriate intervention for this complication is of prime importance in the prevention of adverse outcomes. This article provides an overview of perioperative hypothermia and offers a summary of the most common methods used to measure body temperature.
A brief reinvestigation of gas phase ethane radiolysis

Abstract The 60Co γ-radiolysis of gaseous ethane was studied at 50 torr pressure, both pure and with 10% added oxygen. Radiolysis yields (G) in the pure and O2-scavenged system are as follows: H2, 7.24/3.12; CH4, 0.53/0.24; C3H8, 0.49/0.14; n-C4H10, 2.13/0.27; C2H4, 0.12/1.52; C2H2, 0.05/0.29. Small yields (G ≦ 0.03) were also found for i-C4H10, C3H6, i-C5H12, n-C5H12, l-C4H8 trans-2-C4H8, cis-2-C4H8, C6H14 and C5H10. A simple mechanism involving fragmentation of excited C2H∗6 into C2H5 + H, 2CH3, C2H4 + H2 or C2H2 + 2H2 followed by radical-radical and radical-substrate reactions accounts for scavengable yields of major products as well as much of the nonscavengable product distribution. Several ion-molecule reactions, investigated previously in other laboratories, are required to complete the description of the radiolysis dynamics.
Immigration to Spain : Implications for a unified European Union immigration policy

A unified immigration policy is one of the prerequisites for establishing the free movement of people within the European Union (EU). This paper considers the difficulties in establishing a joint policy on the free movement of people within the EU by focusing upon changing immigration policies in Spain. By comparing Spain a country of only recent small-scale immigration to Germany a country with a longer history of non-European immigration obstacles to developing and effectively implementing coordinated immigration policies among EU members can be elucidated. The administrative control of entry estimates of legal and illegal immigrants in the country and the status of bilateral relations with Morocco are examined in order to highlight the political difficulties encountered in a unified immigration policy both within Spanish society and for the EU. Spain is both a threshold to the EU and a destination. Border control may be the easiest part of implementing a joint immigration policy in the EU. It is more difficult to control settlement. In addition high rates of unemployment may result among the native host country populations as immigrants more readily accept low-skilled low-paying jobs.
Airflow Analysis in a Near Field Optical Disc System

Flow fields in a near field recording system were analyzed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Numerical conditions were reviewed in detail. A robust head design against dust contamination was suggested by a parametric study.
Redox-Activating Dip-Pen Nanolithography (RA-DPN)

Dip pen nanolithography (DPN) involves the direct transfer of an ink from a coated atomic force microscope (AFM) tip to a substrate of interest and uses as many as 55 000 pens to form arbitrary patterns of alkanethiols, oligonucleotides, proteins, and viruses. Two limitations of DPN are the difficulty in transporting high molecular weight inks and the need to optimize individually the transport rates and tip inking methods of each molecule. As an alternative strategy that circumvents these two challenges, a method termed redox activating DPN (RA-DPN) is reported. In this strategy, an electrochemically active, quinone functionalized surface is toggled from the reduced hydroquinone form to the oxidized benzoquinone form by the delivery of an oxidant by DPN. While the benzoquinone form is susceptible to nucleophilic attack in Michael-type additions, hydroquinone is not and acts as a passivating agent. Because both forms of the quinone are kinetically stable, the patterned surface can be immersed in a solutio...
The effect of exposure of the H-storage system (LiNH2 + MgH2) to water-saturated air

Abstract The H-storage system, (LiNH 2 + MgH 2 ), has been exposed to water-saturated air and its subsequent rates of H 2 desorption and absorption have been determined. Not only are there no adverse effects of the exposures, but also there is a small positive effect on the rates and final wt% H.
Dramatization: An Effective Device for Teaching Personal Traits and Business Skills, Part IV

Abstract “Dramatization is second in importance in learning effectiveness only to learning by actual experience.”
Cryomilled nanostructured materials: Processing and properties

Abstract Nanostructured (i.e., 1–200 nm grain size) and ultrafine-grained (i.e., 200–500 nm grain size) metals are of interest, not only as a result of their unusual combinations of physical and mechanical properties, but also because they can be readily synthesized using well-developed synthesis techniques. Cryomilling, i.e., mechanical alloying in liquid nitrogen, is representative of a class of synthesis techniques that attain the nanostructured state via severe plastic deformation. In this overview, published data related to cryomilled materials are reviewed and discussed with particular emphasis on cryomilling mechanisms; microstructure and thermal stability of cryomilled powders; primary consolidation and secondary processing methods; microstructural evolution during consolidation; and mechanical response of consolidated materials. The deformation behavior and the underlying mechanisms that govern cryomilled materials are discussed and compared with those of nanostructured materials processed via other methods, in an effort to shed light into the fundamental behavior of ultrafine-grained and nanostructured materials.
Development of Composite Materials for Pefc bipolar Plates

Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) are attractive alternatives to traditional energy sources for both stationary and transportation applications, provided they can be manufactured at a reasonable cost. The most costly and problematic components of fuel cell stacks may be bipolar plates. Besides meeting cost constraints, bipolar plates must possess a host of other properties including low gas permeability, corrosion resistance, low weight, high strength, and manufacturability. While the authors have developed a baseline composite material that meets these requirements, further optimization and development have resulted in significant improvements in properties and processability.
Deformation of fused silica: nanoindentation and densification

As compared to multicomponent optical glasses, when fused silica optical glass (pure SiO2) is ground or polished, it exhibits unique features, such as low surface microroughness and subsurface damage, low grinding-induced residual stresses, and low removal rates. On the other hand, fused silica glass is known to densify permanently when subjected to sufficiently large compressive stresses. Such densification, manifested as a permanent increase in the index of refraction, is facilitated by shear stresses. We discuss a simple constitutive model describing the densification of fused silica, under large applied model to interpret nanoidentification tests of fused silica over loads in the range 1 - 100 mN (about 0.1 - 10 gf) via finite element simulations of indentation of an axisymmetric half- space by a conical indenter with a spherical tip. Such geometry resembles the action of polishing and microgrinding abrasives used in optics manufacturing. The fused silica nanoindentation data are compared to other optical glasses such as BK7 and LHG8.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
HLA-DM: an in vivo facilitator of MHC class II peptide loading.

Abstract Initiation of cell-mediated immune responses requires processing of intracellular pathogens into peptide fragments and presentation of these fragments to effector T cells. In the past few years, considerable progress has been made in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying antigen processing and presentation. In particular, recent work has led to an understanding of the function of HLA-DM (DM), a key player in antigen presentation, whose importance was first appreciated only 1 year ago.
Intratumoral inflammation is associated with more aggressive prostate cancer

Purpose Inflammation may play a role in the development and progression of many cancers, including prostate cancer. We sought to test whether histological inflammation within prostate cancer was associated with more aggressive disease.
Case report and theoretical description of accelerated resolution therapy (ART) for military-related post-traumatic stress disorder.

ABSTRACT Objectives: This article describes a new, brief exposure-based psychotherapy known as Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) that is currently being evaluated as a treatment for combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods: We describe a case report of an Army veteran with combat-related PTSD who was treated with 2 sessions of ART and experienced significant clinical improvement. We then discuss the theoretical basis and major components of the ART protocol, including use of lateral left–right eye movements, and differentiate ART with evidence-based psychotherapies currently endorsed by the Department of Defense and Veterans Administration. Results: The number of military personnel who have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and are afflicted with PTSD is likely in the hundreds of thousands. The ART protocol, which is delivered in 2 to 5 sessions and without homework, uses the psychotherapeutic practices of imaginal exposure and imagery rescripting (IR) facilitated through ...
Operando X‐ray Absorption Spectroscopy Studies of Sintering for Supported Copper Catalysts during Liquid‐phase Reaction

The front cover artwork for Issue 09/2014 is provided by a collaboration of groups at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Argonne National Laboratory, and Purdue University, as part of the Institute of Atom-Efficient Chemical Transformations (IACT). The image shows the sintering of copper nanoparticles during liquid-phase hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol, as measured continuously at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory (pictured in the background). See the Communication itself at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201402356.
Factors in the Etiology of Restraint Erosions in Parabiotic Rats

Rats joined in surgical parabiosis for 25 to 30 days were tested by restraining one member of the pair on a movable cart while allowing the second member to remain free to move about. These rats were compared with other rats joined in pseudoparabiosis for 25 to 30 days so that the behavioral aspects of parabiosis were reproduced but blood sharing did not occur. Pseudo parabiotic rats were also tested on the movable cart at the end of the recovery and adaptation period. Gastric erosions formed in the unrestrained members of both the parabiotic and pseudoparabiotic pairs with an incidence and severity that did not differ statistically. The experimental results fail to support the hypothesis that humoral factor(s) are critical in restraint ulcer pathogenesis in the rat.
What Drives the Returns on Venture Capital Funds

1. Xiaoqing Eleanor Xu 1. is a professor of finance at Stillman School of Business, Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. (xuxe{at}shu.edu) 1. To order reprints of this article, please contact Dewey Palmieri at dpalmieri{at}iijournals.com or 212-224-3675 . Venture capital (
Supramolecular tetrad featuring covalently linked bis(porphyrin)-phthalocyanine coordinated to fullerene: construction and photochemical studies.

A multimodular donor-acceptor tetrad featuring a bis(zinc porphyrin)-(zinc phthalocyanine) ((ZnP-ZnP)-ZnPc) triad and bis-pyridine-functionalized fullerene was assembled by a "two-point" binding strategy, and investigated as a charge-separating photosynthetic antenna-reaction center mimic. The spectral and computational studies suggested that the mode of binding of the bis-pyridine-functionalized fullerene involves either one of the zinc porphyrin and zinc phthalocyanine (Pc) entities of the triad or both zinc porphyrin entities leaving ZnPc unbound. The binding constant evaluated by constructing a Benesi-Hildebrand plot by using the optical data was found to be 1.17×10(5) M(-1), whereas a plot of "mole-ratio" method revealed a 1:1 stoichiometry for the supramolecular tetrad. The mode of binding was further supported by differential pulse voltammetry studies, in which redox modulation of both zinc porphyrin and zinc phthalocyanine entities was observed. The geometry of the tetrad was deduced by B3LYP/6-31G* optimization, whereas the energy levels for different photochemical events was established by using data from the optical absorption and emission, and electrochemical studies. Excitation of the zinc porphyrin entity of the triad and tetrad revealed ultrafast singlet-singlet energy transfer to the appended zinc phthalocyanine. The estimated rate of energy transfer (k(ENT)) in the case of the triad was found to be 7.5×10(11) s(-1) in toluene and 6.3×10(11) s(-1) in o-dichlorobenzene, respectively. As was predicted from the energy levels, photoinduced electron transfer from the energy-transfer product, that is, singlet-excited zinc phthalocyanine to fullerene was verified from the femtosecond-transient spectral studies, both in o-dichlorobenzene and toluene. Transient bands corresponding to ZnPc(⋅+) in the 850 nm range and C60(⋅-) in the 1020 nm range were clearly observed. The rate of charge separation, k(CS), and rate of charge recombination, k(CR), for the (ZnP-ZnP)-ZnPc(⋅+):Py2C60(⋅-) radical ion pair (from the time profile of 849 nm peak) were found to be 2.20×10(11) and 6.10×10(8) s(-1) in toluene, and 6.82×10(11) and 1.20×10(9) s(-1) in o-dichlorobenzene, respectively. These results revealed efficient energy transfer followed by charge separation in the newly assembled supramolecular tetrad.
Measurement Complexity of Rayleigh Fading Channels

Rayleigh fading is a widely used channel model in wireless communications. The mean channel power is of practical importance in channel access, power control, handoff, modeling, and coverage analysis of wireless systems. A fundamental problem naturally arises: How many measurements are sufficient to estimate these parameters with the prescribed margin of error and confidence level? We first study the noise-free case in which only the second moment of the Rayleigh random variable is subject to measurement and estimation. It is demonstrated that the measurement sample size is roughly inversely proportional to the square of the margin of relative error and is linear with respect to the logarithm of the inverse of the gap between the confidence level and one. A closed-form formula is also obtained for the interval estimate of the second moment that is shown to be asymptotically tight. These sample complexity results are extended to the noisy case for interval estimation of the path loss and noise power. Our study shows that a typical margin of relative error can be achieved with near certainty and modest sample size.
The Problem of Expression of Multidisulfide Bonded Recombinant Proteins in E. coli

Recombinant proteins currently play an important role in the pharmaceutical industry. Very frequently, proteins of therapeutic value contain complex disulfide bond patterns that are necessary for folding, stability, and/or function. Although the folding of proteins with multiple disulfide bonds in E. coli poses considerable challenges, a number of approaches developed in recent years can now be deployed for the production of such proteins at significant yields. Here, we present a summary of disulfide bond formation in E. coli and the main strategies aimed toward optimization of multidisulfided recombinant protein expression by secretion into the periplasmic space, expression in the cytoplasm of strains engineered to favor the formation of disulfide bonds in that compartment, and finally cell-free synthesis.
Slepian-Wolf coding for nonuniform sources using turbo codes

The recently proposed turbo-binning scheme is shown to be both efficient and optimal for uniform source Slepian-Wolf coding problem (Z. Tu et al., 2003). This paper studies the case when sources are i.i.d. but nonuniformly distributed. It is firstly shown that any algebraic binning scheme based on linear codes is optimal for nonuniform sources only asymptotically. Next two modifications are proposed to improve the performance of the turbo-binning scheme for nonuniform sources. The first is to carefully design the constituent encoder structures to maximally match the turbo code to the nonuniform source distribution, and the second is to use variable-length syndrome sequences to index the bins. Simulations show that the combination of both strategies can lead to an improvement of as much as 0.22 bit/symbol in overall compression rate for highly nonuniform sources.
Optimistic and Pessimistic Bias in European Americans and Asian Americans: A Preliminary Look at Distinguishing Between Predictions for Physical and Psychological Health Outcomes

The present research examined optimistic and pessimistic bias in the prediction of positive and negative physical and psychological health outcomes between European American and Asian American college students. Results of between-group and within-group analyses indicated both similarities and differences in predictions for health outcomes. Sex differences were also found. Taken together, these findings point to a need to consider both culture and sex differences in the prediction of health.
Integration of Solar Energy into Absorption Refrigerators and Industrial Processes

Absorption refrigeration is gaining increasing attention in industrial facilities to use process heat for partially or completely driving a cooling cycle. This paper introduces a systematic approach to the design of absorption refrigeration systems for industrial processes. Three sources of energy are considered to drive absorption refrigerators: excess process heat, solar energy, and fossil fuels. To handle the dynamic nature of solar energy, hot water tanks are used for energy storage and dispatch. Thermal pinch analysis is performed to determine the amount of available excess heat and the required refrigeration duty. Next, a multiperiod optimization formulation is developed for the entire system. The procedure determines the optimal mix of energy forms (solar versus fossil) and the dynamic operation of the system. Three case studies are solved to demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the devised procedure.
Selective relationship between prefrontal N-acetylaspartate measures and negative symptoms in schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: Certain cognitive, behavioral, and emotional deficits (so-called negative symptoms) in patients with schizophrenia have often been attributed to prefrontal cortical pathology, but direct evidence for a relationship between prefrontal neuronal pathology and negative symptoms has been lacking. The authors hypothesized that an in vivo measure of prefrontal neuronal pathology (N-acetylaspartate [NAA] levels) in patients with schizophrenia would predict negative symptoms. METHOD: Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (1H-MRSI) and rating scales for negative and positive symptoms were used to study 36 patients with schizophrenia. Magnetic resonance spectra were analyzed as metabolite ratios, and parametric correlations were performed. RESULTS: A regionally selective negative correlation was found between prefrontal NAA-creatine ratio and negative symptom ratings in this group of patients with schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: Lower prefrontal NAA—and by inference greater neuronal pathology—predic...
Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance

Continuing his groundbreaking analysis of economic structures, Douglass North develops an analytical framework for explaining the ways in which institutions and institutional change affect the performance of economies, both at a given time and over time. Institutions exist, he argues, due to the uncertainties involved in human interaction; they are the constraints devised to structure that interaction. Yet, institutions vary widely in their consequences for economic performance; some economies develop institutions that produce growth and development, while others develop institutions that produce stagnation. North first explores the nature of institutions and explains the role of transaction and production costs in their development. The second part of the book deals with institutional change. Institutions create the incentive structure in an economy, and organisations will be created to take advantage of the opportunities provided within a given institutional framework. North argues that the kinds of skills and knowledge fostered by the structure of an economy will shape the direction of change and gradually alter the institutional framework. He then explains how institutional development may lead to a path-dependent pattern of development. In the final part of the book, North explains the implications of this analysis for economic theory and economic history. He indicates how institutional analysis must be incorporated into neo-classical theory and explores the potential for the construction of a dynamic theory of long-term economic change. Douglass C. North is Director of the Center of Political Economy and Professor of Economics and History at Washington University in St. Louis. He is a past president of the Economic History Association and Western Economics Association and a Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has written over sixty articles for a variety of journals and is the author of The Rise of the Western World: A New Economic History (CUP, 1973, with R.P. Thomas) and Structure and Change in Economic History (Norton, 1981). Professor North is included in Great Economists Since Keynes edited by M. Blaug (CUP, 1988 paperback ed.)
The Myc 3′ Wnt-Responsive Element Suppresses Colonic Tumorigenesis

Mutations in components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway are commonly found in colorectal cancers, and these mutations cause aberrant expression of genes controlled by Wnt-responsive DNA elements (WREs). While the c-Myc proto-oncogene (Myc) is required for intestinal phenotypes associated with pathogenic Wnt/β-catenin signaling in vivo, the WREs that control Myc expression in this setting have yet to be fully described. Previously, we demonstrated that the Myc 3′ WRE was required for intestinal homeostasis and intestinal repair in response to damage. Here, we tested the role of the Myc 3′ WRE in intestinal tumorigenesis using two independent mouse models. In comparison to ApcMin/+ mice, ApcMin/+ Myc 3′ WRE−/− mice contained 25% fewer tumors in the small intestine. Deletion of the Myc 3′ WRE−/− in the ApcMin/+ background resulted in 4-fold more colonic tumors. In a model of colitis-associated colorectal cancer, the Myc 3′ WRE suppressed colonic tumorigenesis, most notably within the cecum. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation and transcript analysis of purified colonic crypts, we found that the Myc 3′ WRE is required for the transcriptional regulation of Myc expression in vivo. These results emphasize the critical role of the Myc 3′ WRE in maintaining homeostatic Myc expression.
Storm enhanced density: magnetic conjugacy effects

Abstract. In the early phases of a geomagnetic storm, the low and mid-latitude ionosphere are greatly perturbed. Large SAPS electric fields map earthward from the perturbed ring current overlapping and eroding the outer plasmasphere and mid-latitude ionosphere, drawing out extended plumes of storm enhanced density (SED). We use combined satellite and ground-based observations to investigate the degree of magnetic conjugacy associated with specific features of the stormtime ionospheric perturbation. We find that many ionospheric disturbance features exhibit degrees of magnetic conjugacy and simultaneity which implicate the workings of electric fields. TEC enhancements on inner-magnetospheric field lines at the base of the SED plumes exhibit localized and longitude-dependent features which are not strictly magnetic conjugate. The SED plumes streaming away from these source regions closely follow magnetic conjugate paths. SED plumes can be used as a tracer of the location and strength of disturbance electric fields. The SED streams of cold plasma from lower latitudes enter the polar caps near noon, forming conjugate tongues of ionization over the polar regions. SED plumes exhibit close magnetic conjugacy, confirming that SED is a convection electric field dominated effect. Several conclusions are reached: 1) The SED plume occurs in magnetically-conjugate regions in both hemispheres. 2) The position of the sharp poleward edge of the SED plume is closely conjugate. 3) The SAPS electric field is observed in magnetically conjugate regions (SAPS channel). 4) The strong TEC enhancement at the base of the SED plume in the north American sector is more extensive than in its magnetic conjugate region. 5) The entry of the SED plume into the polar cap near noon, forming the polar tongue of ionization (TOI), is seen in both hemispheres in magnetically-conjugate regions.
Adrenergic-Receptor Mechanisms in Mammalian Choroid Plexus

Recent anatomical studies7,12 (reviewed more fully by Edvinsson et al. 7a in Chapter 41) suggest that the choroid plexus of several mammalian species receives noradrenergic innervation from the sympathetic nervous system. Adrenergic nerve fibers enter the choroid plexus along blood vessels and run between the vascular and epithelial cell layers. Sympathetic denervation leads to a loss of histochemically demonstrable catecholamine fluorescence in the choroid and to a marked drop in norepinephrine content.
Dissolution Methodology: Apparatus and Conditions*

Official dissolution methods should always be tried first. If these do not work, however, an alternative method should be accepted. In choosing a method, the physiological relevance should be the prime consideration. Some commonly used dissolution apparatus and physiologically relevant dissolution media for immediate-release tablets and gelatin capsules will be discussed.
Therapeutic Techniques: Neonatal ECMO

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. List the patient selection criteria for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). 2. Describe common complications of ECMO. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a method of heart-lung bypass that has been used widely to treat respiratory failure in neonates since 1982. Although invasive, ECMO results in a 94% survival rate for infants who have meconium aspiration syndrome and have failed to improve despite optimal ventilatory support (Fig. 1 ). Multiple conditions have been treated with ECMO, including respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, congenital diaphragmatic hernia (Fig. 2 ), persistent pulmonary hypertension, and pneumonia. Cumulatively, the overall survival of infants who receive ECMO is 80%. ECMO requires the placement of cannulas in the major blood vessels of the neck (Fig. 3 ). Support may either be venovenous (VV), with blood removed from and returned to the venous circulation via the jugular vein, or venoarterial (VA), with blood removed from the venous circulation and returned to the arterial circulation via the jugular vein and carotid artery, respectively. Blood removed from the patient undergoes gas exchange through the membrane lung and then is warmed before returning to the patient. Clotting of the circuit is prevented by heparinization. ECMO provides cardiopulmonary support while allowing the underlying pulmonary or cardiac dysfunction to resolve without the risk of further injury from barotrauma or hyperoxia. Although the conditions that may contribute to the initiation of ECMO are multiple, patient selection criteria are specific and have been standardized among ECMO centers. 1. Gestational age of at least 34 weeks. ECMO has been limited to this group because of the need for systemic …
Murine autoimmune hearing loss mediated by CD4 + T cells specific for inner ear peptides

Autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss (ASNHL) is characterized typically by bilateral, rapidly progressive hearing loss that responds therapeutically to corticosteroid treatment. Despite its name, data implicating autoimmunity in the etiopathogenesis of ASNHL have been limited, and targeted self-antigens have not been identified. In the current study we show that the inner ear-specific proteins cochlin and beta-tectorin are capable of targeting experimental autoimmune hearing loss (EAHL) in mice. Five weeks after immunization of SWXJ mice with either Coch 131-150 or beta-tectorin 71-90, auditory brainstem responses (ABR) showed significant hearing loss at all frequencies tested. Flow cytometry analysis showed that each peptide selectively activated CD4(+) T cells with a proinflammatory Th1-like phenotype. T cell mediation of EAHL was determined by showing significantly increased ABR thresholds 6 weeks after adoptive transfer of peptide-activated CD4(+) T cells into naive SWXJ recipients. Immunocytochemical analysis showed that leukocytic infiltration of inner ear tissues coincided with onset of hearing loss. Our study provides a contemporary mouse model for clarifying our understanding of ASNHL and facilitating the development of novel effective treatments for this clinical entity. Moreover, our data provide experimental confirmation that ASNHL may be a T cell-mediated organ-specific autoimmune disorder of the inner ear.
Medical geneticists' duty to warn at‐risk relatives for genetic disease

A patient who refuses to notify their relatives of potential at-risk status brings a genetics provider to face conflicting ethical principles and ill-defined legal precedent. Genetics professionals' views on the disclosure of patient information to at-risk relatives have remained largely unexamined. Prior analyses have been limited to identifying factors contributing to genetics providers' self-predicted responses in hypothetical scenarios. Our group was the first to examine the clinical experience of genetic counselors with this issue [Dugan et al., 2003]. We report here results from our follow-up survey of medical geneticists who are members of either the American Society of Human Genetics and/or American College of Medical Genetics in an effort to identify their experiences in warning at-risk relatives and the factors driving their decision-making processes. Over two-thirds of medical geneticists surveyed (69%, 143/206) believe they do bear responsibility to warn their patients' relatives when found to be at-risk for genetic disease. One-quarter (25%, 31/123) of medical geneticists who faced the dilemma of a patient refusing to notify their at-risk relatives seriously considered disclosure to those at-risk relatives without patient consent. Only four respondents proceeded to warn at-risk relatives of their status. Whereas genetic counselors cited emotional issues as playing a primary role in their decision not to warn, medical geneticists identified patient confidentiality, eventual case resolution by other means, and legal liability as the major factors leading to non-disclosure in 76% of actual scenarios. Responsibilities of medical geneticists, genetic counselors, and non-genetics healthcare professionals facing this issue will need to be more clearly defined to provide optimal medical care within the bounds of acceptable practice.