cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The culture of striped mullet (Mugil cephalus Linnaeus) in ponds receiving heated effluent from a power plant

Abstract During 1972 and 1973, striped mullet ( Mugil cephalus Linnaeus) were stocked into six ponds (located on the upper end of the Galveston Bay system, Texas, U.S.A.) receiving heated effluent. Fish were fed commercially prepared feeds. In 1972, mean daily weight and standard length gains in two ponds were 0.71 and 0.66 g and 0.65 and 0.59 mm. In 1973, mean daily weight and standard length gains in four ponds were 0.64, 0.36, 0.67, and 0.59 g and 1.03, 0.81, 0.71, and 0.67 mm. During the two year study, survival rates ranged from 50 to 85%; production, from 293 to 804 kg/ha. Food conversion fluctuated from 2.24 to 3.31; commercial feed costs, from $0.61 to $0.87 per kg of fish.
Effect of growth temperature on ether lipid biochemistry in Archaeoglobus fulgidus

The archaea are distinguished by their unique isoprenoid ether lipids, which typically consist of the sn-2,3-diphytanylglycerol diether or sn-2,3-dibiphytanyldiglycerol tetraether core modified with a variety of polar headgroups. However, many hyperthermophilic archaea also synthesize tetraether lipids with up to four pentacyclic rings per 40-carbon chain, presumably to improve membrane thermal stability at temperatures up to∼110 °C. This study aimed to correlate the ratio of tetraether to diether core lipid, as well as the presence of pentacyclic groups in tetraether lipids, with growth temperature for the hyperthermophilic archaeon, Archaeoglobus fulgidus. Analysis of the membrane core lipids of A. fulgidus using APCI–MS analysis revealed that the tetraether-to-diether lipid ratio increases from 0.3 ± 0.1 for cultures grown at 70°C to 0.9 ± 0.1 for cultures grown at 89°C. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) followed by APCI–MS analysis provided evidence for no more than one pentacycle in the hydrocarbon chains of tetraether lipid from cultures grown at 70°C and up to 2 pentacycles in the tetraether lipid from cultures grown at higher temperatures. Analysis of the polar lipid extract using TLC and negative-ion ESI–MS suggested the presence of diether and tetraether phospholipids with inositol, glycosyl, and ethanolamine headgroup chemistry.
Oil Revenue Assignments: Country Experiences and Issues

Based on country experiences, the paper assesses policy options to assign oil revenues to subnational governments (SNGs). The literature recommends that oil revenues be centralized. Given political economy considerations, this paper suggests that a possible alternative is to assign stable oil-tax bases to oil-producing SNGs, supplementing these with predictable transfers from the center. Although commonly used, oil revenue-sharing arrangements are the least preferable solution, as they complicate macroeconomic management and do not provide stable financing. Revenue sharing also does not diffuse separatist tendencies, since oil-producing SNGs would still be better off by keeping their oil revenues in full.
Mechanism-oriented assessment of isotretinoin in chronic or subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

• Eight of ten patients with chronic or subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus completed 16 weeks of oral isotretinoin therapy (80 mg/day). All eight patients noted an excellent clinical response without significant side effects. (Two patients did not return to initial two-week follow-up.) Peripheral blood B- and T-cell counts were unaffected by therapy. Therapy was associated with resolution of routine histopathologic abnormalities, conversion of abnormal lesional direct immunofluorescence microscopy to normal, normalization of the epidermis on electron microscopy, and reduction of all T cells near the dermoepidermal junction without change in ratio of T-helper/inducer cells to T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells. Isotretinoin is a clinically effective short-term therapy for chronic or possibly for subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus. The primary mechanism of action remains unestablished. (Arch Dermatol1986;122:170-176)
A discrete probability problem in card shuffling

AbstractThere are n cards serially numbered from 1 to n. The cards are shuffled and placed in a line one after the other on top of a table with faces up. The numbers on the faces are read from left to right. If there are consecutive numbers in increasing order of magnitude the corresponding cards are merged into one. After the merger, the cards are numbered serially from one to whatever the number of cards we now have. The cards are shuffled and placed in a line one after another on top of the table with faces up. The process continues until we have only one card left. In this paper, we develop a probabilistic recurrence relation approach to obtain the mean, variance, and distribution of the number of shuffles needed. A Markov chain formulation and its properties are discussed in the paper as well.
Diazepam-sodium salicylate solution: Dilution with intravenous fluids, in vitro haemolytic activity and protein binding

Abstract The compatibility and stability of diazepam 5 mg/ml in 30% sodium salicylate, following dilution with 5% dextrose and normal saline, was investigated. Test dilutions ranging from 1 : 1 to 1 : 100 did not result in immediate precipitation and remained clear for at least 1h and 3h after dilution with 5% dextrose, normal saline or human plasma respectively. However, microcrystal precipitation was noted in some solutions thereafter. No precipitation was observed when diazepam-sodium salicylate solution was injected at varying rates into the tubing of 5% dextrose and saline infusions moving at low rates. Diazepam-sodium salicylate solution induced a higher degree of haemolysis in vitro and was less bound to bovine serum albumin than a commercial diazepam injection. Sodium salicylate competitively inhibited the binding of diazepam to bovine serum albumin. Further studies are necessary for the clinical evaluation of this diazepam-sodium salicylate combination.
Abstract 4816: Development of an integrated analysis platform of circulating melanoma cells for PD-L1 expression as a predictive biomarker

Novel therapies that target the PD-1/PD-L1 axis have shown great potential to improve survival for patients with advanced melanoma. However, there are limited predictive biomarkers to identify patients who may respond to this class of agents. Previous studies suggest that a subset of responders to PD-1/PD-L1 targeting therapies have expression of PD-L1 in tumor biopsies. The development of these predictive biomarkers is complicated by intratumoral heterogeneity across primary and metastatic lesions for PD-L1 expression. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are one potential source of tumor samples for serial analysis. An integrated CTC capture and analysis technology known as the VERSA (Versatile Exclusion-based Rare Sample Analysis) platform permits evaluation of CTCs at the protein, DNA and mRNA level for biomarkers of both therapeutic response and resistance. Using this platform, we have developed a method to isolate circulating tumor cells from patients with advanced melanoma. Using a cocktail of capture monoclonal antibodies including targets of CD146, GD2 and NG2, we have recovered cells across multiple cell lines with high efficiency. Using single antibody capture of SK-Mel-28 cells, capture was 52%, 54%, and 45% with CD146, GD2 and NG2 targets respectively. However, when using a cocktail of capture antibodies containing CD146, GD2 and NG2, capture increased to 92%. Similar results were obtained with other melanoma cell lines including, 624 and M21 cell lines. Cells were also stained for PD-L1 as a potential predictive biomarker of response to PD-L1 and PD-1 targeting immunotherapies. We are now collecting patient samples with this capture platform to identify CTCs expressing PD-L1 as a potential predictive biomarker to PD-1/PD-L1 targeting therapies. Citation Format: Benjamin K. Gibbs, Lindsay N. Strotman, Stephanie M. Thiede, Jamie M. Sperger, Benjamin P. Casavant, Scott M. Berry, David J. Beebe, Joshua M. Lang. Development of an integrated analysis platform of circulating melanoma cells for PD-L1 expression as a predictive biomarker. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4816. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4816
Effects of growth phase and repair capacity on rejoining of ethyl methanesulfonate-induced DNA breaks in Escherichia coli

Abstract The effects of growth phase and DNA repair capacity on the production and rejoining of ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-induced single-strand breaks were studied in 4 strains of E. coli . DNAs from logarithmic and stationary phase cells of the DNA polymerase I deficient mutant, P 347 8 polA , a recombination deficient mutant, DZ 417 recA , and from the respective parental strains, W 3110 pol + and AB 253 rec + were examined by sedimentation in alkaline sucrose gradients. In both parental strains, stationary phase cells exhibited enhanced strand rejoining. In the mutants, alkylated DNA was repaired to some extent in both growth phases, but it contained a greater proportion of small DNA fragments compared to the parental strains. Some DNA breakdown occured in all four strains but this was most extensive in stationary phase cells of the repair-deficient mutants. These results indicate that the four strains can rejoin EMS-induced DNA strand breaks with varying efficiency depending on the physiological state and the genetic capacity for repair.
QUANTITATIVE COMPARISON OF BEHAVIORAL AND NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF INSECTS TO ODORANTS: Inferences about Central Nervous System Processes

A consistent pattern of relationships emerges from comparisons of insect electroantennograms, peripheral olfactory receptor neuron responses, and behavioral responses to quantified concentrations of odorants. One consistency is that all of the different response measurements can be described by stimulus-response curves of the same form. Another is that the responses have characteristic groupings when they are plotted against odorant concentration. The pattern of relationships is exemplified in the responses ofTrichoplusia ni (Hubner),Heliothis zea (Boddie), andPlodia interpunctella (Hubner) to several pheromone components and analogs. To quantify the relevant stimulus parameters for the response comparisons, the emission rates of the stimulus delivery system were calibrated for several 12 to 17-carbon pheromone components. The stimulus-response relationships determined forT. ni, H. zea, andP. interpunctella are combined with relationships reported for other insects in the literature, and applications are discussed for the interpretation of pheromone trapping and laboratory bioassays.
Increasing the sensitivity of parts classification system

Abstract This paper demonstrates the application of fuzzy set theory to increase the sensitivity of Group Technology (GT), the most popular parts classification system in use today. It is shown that subjective descriptors of part shape can be quantified with a reasonable degree of reliability and, in reduced form, provide that portion of the part code which describes the part geometry. The proposed procedure is not only objective, it is more sensitive than the existing method of assigning codes for part geometry. Moreover, it can lead to superior sequencing of parts when such sequencing is based on similarity of geometrical shapes.
Academic Industrial Cooperation: A View of the Future

The manner in which scientific research is conducted in the United States must change somewhat if we are to remain competitive in the future. The concept of universities devoted primarily to education and the pursuit of "pure" science while industries independently define and develop the applications is inconsistent with the increasingly competitive foreign technological challenges and the mounting budgetary problems of higher education. This was a basic conclusion of a recently released report on "Corporate and Campus Cooperation: An Action Agenda," prepared by the Business-Higher Education forum comprised of a number of educational and industrial leaders. The report suggested that closer academic-industrial cooperation could be mutually beneficial and that the industries themselves should assume an increased financial role in funding certain academic studies. In the United States, the NSF has tried in recent years to stimulate such cooperation by providing funding for a number of joint industrialacademic ventures under the Industry/ University Cooperative Research Program. I will describe here, in some detail, the results of one such successful program, jointly defined and executed by IBM and the Chemistry Department of the University of Utah which led to the development of new resist materials capable of providing improved, high resolution, optical lithography, in hopes that the result will serve to stimulate other such cooperative ventures in the future. In the electronics industry, resists are employed as radiation sensitive materials for the fabrication of the high resolution patterns present in electronic devices (integrated Circuits, logic and memory chips, etc.) The drive toward higher density circuitry in microelectronic devices has promoted interest in a variety of lithographic techniques designed to provide higher resolution then currently possible using conventional tools which accomplish the resist exposure utilizing radiation in the 350-450 nm region. In this regard it has recently been demonstrated that the resolution obtainable using a 1:1 optical projection printer can be significantly improved by the use of light or shorter wavelength (e.g., 310 nm) for the exposure. With regard to realizing the im-
Mortality Estimates of Juvenile Spring–Summer Chinook Salmon in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary, 1992–1998: Evidence for Delayed Mortality?

Abstract Recovery of Endangered Species Act—listed salmonids in the Columbia River basin has relied upon the efficacy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's juvenile salmon transportation program to move fish past Snake and Columbia River hydropower dams. The effectiveness of this program has been assessed by the indirect method of comparing smolt-to-adult returns. We present some of the first data and mortality estimates of barged and run-of-river (ROR) radio-tagged juvenile spring–summer Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha after release in the lower Columbia River, representing years of study. Our data suggest that smolt mortality (1) is very low for ROR and barged fish between Bonneville Dam and the estuary proper, a migratory distance of 180 river kilometers (rkm); (2) occurs in the lower estuary (rkm 0–46); (3) varies more across dates within a year than between years or between passage types (barged or ROR); (4) increases with time within a season and increasing numbers of avian predators, includi...
A Proton-Recoil Proportional-Counter Array for Neutron-Image Construction

The fuel-motion measurement capability of the fast-neutron hodoscope has been upgraded by the addition of a 360-detector proton-recoil proportional-counter array, which detects high-energy fission neutrons. The current sensitive amplifier/discriminator module for each detector fits into a 12.7- by 12.7- by 102-mm package and costs less than $100 per module. It has a 50-ns rise time, a noise level of 100 nA, and a deadtime per event of 200 ns. Provision has been provided for the independent adjustment of the input current versus discriminator voltage for each module. The new proportional-counters cost approximately $400 each. Each detector has been tested to have the same gain versus voltage response. A space-charge model relating count-rate changes to space-charge effects has also been developed. The new detector array has been operational for approximately two years and has become the main detector system in fuel-motion analysis. It has significantly improved the linearity, stability, count-rate capability, and setup ease of the hodoscope.
From Every Tribe and Nation? Blacks and the Christian Right*

Objectives. The Christian Right is predominantly made up of white evangelicals but in recent years, the movement has attempted to include African Americans in social policy initiatives. This article examines support for the Christian Right from African Americans. Methods. The article is based on an analysis of data from the 1996 and 2000 National Election Studies and data from the Religion and Politics Survey, 2000. Results. The study finds that social conservatism does not predict support for the Christian Right from blacks like it does for whites but that evangelical affiliation predicts support from both groups. Black women are more likely to support the organization than are black men. Conclusions. The insignificant effect of social conservatism on blacks' attitudes toward the Christian Right raises questions as to how the movement can best appeal to this minority group. At the very least, the Christian Right does not appear to have solidified support from African Americans on the basis of shared convictions related to abortion and gay rights. Support for the Christian Right from African Americans remains difficult to measure and largely unpredictable.
Lower Levels of Sodium Intake and Reduced Cardiovascular Risk

Background—Recent studies have raised the possibility of adverse effects of low sodium, particularly <2300 mg/d, on cardiovascular disease; however, these paradoxical findings might have resulted from suboptimal measurement of sodium and potential biases related to indication or reverse causation. Methods and Results—Phases 1 and 2 of the Trials of Hypertension Prevention (TOHP) collected multiple 24-hour urine specimens among prehypertensive individuals. During extended posttrial surveillance, 193 cardiovascular events or cardiovascular disease deaths occurred among 2275 participants not in a sodium reduction intervention with 10 (TOHP II) or 15 (TOHP I) years of posttrial follow-up. Median sodium excretion was 3630 mg/d, with 1.4% of the participants having intake <1500 mg/d and 10% <2300 mg/d, consistent with national levels. Compared with those with sodium excretion of 3600 to <4800 mg/d, risk for those with sodium <2300 mg/d was 32% lower after multivariable adjustment (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% confid...
Genetic polymorphisms as biomarkers of sensitivity to inhaled sulfur dioxide in subjects with asthma

Background Individuals with asthma are sensitive to inhaled sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ); decrements in pulmonary function occur after exposure to low concentrations even for a short duration of time. There is a great amount of interindividual variation in response to SO 2 . Objective It was our objective to determine whether one of the following polymorphism locations linked with asthma is associated with the bronchial hyper-responsiveness to SO 2 observed in some asthmatic patients: the β 2 -adrenergic receptor, interleukin-4 (IL-4) receptor α subunit, Clara cell secretory protein (CC16), TNF-α gene promoter, and first intron of the lymphotoxin α (LT-α) gene. Methods Subjects were volunteers with physician-diagnosed asthma requiring regular asthma medication. Spirometry was performed before and after a 10-minute exposure to 0.5 ppm SO 2 . Subjects were classified as SO 2 responders if forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 ) decreased ≥ 12%. DNA obtained from buccal cell samples was analyzed for genetic polymorphisms. Results Of the 62 subjects (21 male and 41 female), 13 had a 12% or greater decrement in FEV 1 after SO 2 exposure (range +19% to −49%). Response to SO 2 was associated with the wild-type allele of the TNF-α promoter polymorphism (12 of 12 SO 2 responders versus 28 of 46 nonresponders; P 2 sensitivity. Conclusions The wild-type allele of the TNF-α promoter polymorphism may be associated with mechanisms of asthmatic sensitivity to inhaled SO 2 .
Teaching through Tocqueville

with the writings of "ancient dead white men." The Founders, with their powdered wigs, ubiquitous images on coins to stamps, and their legendary names, are distant from the reality of everyday student life. One would not expect that adding "foreign born" to the biography of one of these ancients would make him useful for enlightening students. Alexis de Tocqueville seems to be an exception. When students realize that Tocqueville was not much older than themselves when he began his adventure in America, their interests are piqued. After they discover the first 160-year-old insight that seems to have relevance for today, Tocqueville becomes a vehicle for exploring both substantive issues and the methodology of modern social science. During the summer of 1996, C-SPAN brought together 30 educators in preparation for its Tocqueville tour. These were not, for the most part, Tocqueville scholars, but rather educators who found Tocqueville useful for imparting knowledge to their students. Many of the participants had to dig up copies of Democracy in America to refresh their memories
Induction of resistance to A-methopterin in Diplococcus pneumoniae by Deoxyribonucleic acid.

THE study of bacteria which have become resistant to the folic acid antagonists has been used as a practical approach to the mechanism of resistance in leukaemic cells. Development of resistance in S. faecalis 1 and L. citrovorum 2 to A-methopterin (4-amino 10N-methyl-pteroylglutamic acid) has been reported. In each case, resistance was developed stepwise as a consequence of exposure to increasing amounts of the antagonist. It has been suggested that a major factor in the acquisition of resistance by bacteria involves a reduction in the permeability of the bacterial cell to the folic acid analogues or a change which renders the susceptible enzyme less accessible to the antagonists3. The occurrence of such a change in leukaemic cells has not been demonstrated. This communication describes the acquisition of resistance by a susceptible strain of Diplococcus pneumoniae as a result of a short exposure to the deoxyribonucleic acid derived from a strain of pneumococcus resistant to A-methopterin.
Modification of cell proliferation with inhibitors

Abstract Recent developments on mechanisms that control cell multiplication, using molecular biology, are renewing interest in inhibitors and activators A great deal of information has been gained in the past through the use of chemicals that modify passage through the cell cycle. The kinds of inhibitors, their sites of action that disrupt functions essential for proliferation, their usefulness in synchronizing cultures and, importantly, their therapeutic value, have been the subject of many investigations.
Power-aware scheduling and dynamic voltage setting for tasks running on a hard real-time system

This paper addresses the problem of minimizing energy consumption of a computer system performing periodic hard real-time tasks with precedence constraints. In the proposed approach, dynamic power management and voltage scaling techniques are combined to reduce the energy consumption of the CPU and devices. The optimization problem is first formulated as an integer programming problem. Next, a three-phase solution framework, which integrates power management scheduling and task voltage assignment, is proposed. Experimental results show that the proposed approach outperforms existing methods by an average of 18% in terms of the system-wide energy savings.
Multiscale model for pulmonary oxygen uptake and its application to quantify hypoxemia in hepatopulmonary syndrome.

Abstract This paper presents a novel multiscale methodology for quantitative analysis of pulmonary gas exchange. The process of oxygen uptake in the lungs is a complex multiscale process, characterized by multiple time and length scales which are coupled nonlinearly through the processes of diffusion, convection and reaction, and the overall oxygen uptake is significantly influenced by the transport and reaction rate processes at the small-scales. Based on the separation of length scales, we characterize these disparate scales by three representative ones, namely micro (red blood cell), meso (capillary and alveolus) and macro (lung). We start with the fundamental convection–diffusion–reaction (CDR) equation that quantifies transport and reaction rates at each scale and apply spatial averaging techniques to reduce the dimensionality of these models. The resultant low-dimensional models embed each scale hierarchically within the other while retaining the important parameters of the small-scales in the averaged equations, and drastically reduce the computational efforts involved in solving them. We use our multiscale model for pulmonary gas exchange to quantify the oxygen uptake abnormalities in patients with hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS), a disease which is characterized by coupled abnormalities in multiple length scales. Based on our multiscale modeling, we suggest a strategy to stratify patients with HPS into two categories—those who are oxygen-responsive and those who are oxygen non-responsive with intractable hypoxemia.
New embolization coil containing a nitinol wire core: preliminary in vitro and in vivo experiences.

PURPOSE To improve the stability of the standard stainless steel embolization coil by adding a nitinol wire core. MATERIALS AND METHODS With use of one coil with a nitinol wire core and one without one, stability and resistance to elongation were measured in vitro. Thirty-one factory-made stainless-steel macrocoils equipped with preshaped nitinol wire cores were acutely deployed into branches of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) in five pigs (part I of the study). Fifteen homemade retrievable coils with thermal shape memory (TSM) nitinol wire cores were acutely deployed in the abdominal aortae or inferior venae cavae of four pigs (part II). Coils with a superelastic (SE) nitinol wire core ( n = 9), a TSM nitinel wire core ( n = 5), and without a core ( n = 5) were compared in carotid embolization (part III). RESULTS In vitro, the expansile strength of the reinforced coils was significantly greater and elongation was significantly less than the standard coils ( P P CONCLUSIONS Addition of a nitinol wire core increases the intravascular stability of the standard embolization coil by significantly enhancing expansile force and postplacement configuration. The wire core does not adversely affect the handling of the coil. The ability to reposition/retrieve the coil is a desirable feature.
Negative Country-of-Origin Effects: The Case of the New Russia

With the political and economic changes in Eastern Europe, there is an increasing need to market successfully products from these countries in the industrialized world. This paper explores the extent to which the risk attitudes, political convictions, and country-of-origin associations of individuals affect the buying decision of a product from a controversial source country. On a theoretical level, it is investigated where in the decision-making process political convictions and country-of-origin effects emerge most forcefully. Hypotheses are tested empirically against survey data on farmers' evaluations of tractors from several countries, including the Russian-made Belarus. The data analysis involves the specification of a recursive system encompassing the steps the buyer goes through from product evaluation to purchase. The effects of political convictions, risk attitudes, and the country-of-origin connection are evaluated at each stage in the process. Implications are derived for potential strategies on the part of Russian manufacturers.
Novel small molecule activators of the Trk family of receptor tyrosine kinases

The Tropomyosin-related kinase (Trk) receptors are a subset of the receptor tyrosine kinase family with an important functionality in the regulation of neurotrophic signaling in the peripheral and central nervous system. As the receptors are able to mediate neuronal survival by associating with their respective neurotrophin ligands, many studies have focused on the therapeutic potential of generating small-molecule mimetic compounds that elicit agonistic effects similar to those of the natural protein ligands. To this end, various structure-based studies have led to the generation of bivalent peptide-based agonists and antibodies that selectively initiate Trk receptor signaling; however, these compounds do not possess the ideal characteristics of a potential drug. Additionally, the reliance of structure-based data to generate the compound libraries, limits the potential identification of novel chemical structures with desirable activity. Therefore, subsequent investigations utilized a cell-based apoptotic screen to facilitate the analysis of large, diverse chemical libraries of small molecules and quickly identify compounds with Trk-dependent anti-apoptotic activity. Herein, we describe the Trk agonists that have been identified by this screening methodology and summarize their in vitro and in vivo neurotrophic activity as well as their efficacy in various neurological disease models, implicating their future utility as therapeutic compounds. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Emerging recognition and activation mechanisms of receptor tyrosine kinases.
Application of weapon framework ground vehicle technology

ABSTRACTIN THE DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING DOMAIN A FRAMEWORK IS DEFINED AS A SOFTWAREENVIRONMENT THAT SIMPLIFIES APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT.FRAMEWORKS ARE CATEGORIZED IN THREE DISTINCT CLASSES: INFRASTRUCTURE,INTEGRATION, AND ENTERPRISE. USING AN ENTERPRISE WIDE FRAMEWORK APPROACH,WEAPON SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE CAN BE SIMPLIFIED AND CAN LEADTO SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES SUCH AS EXTENSIBILITY AND INTEROPERABILITY. THEWEAPON SYSTEM TECHNICAL ARCHITECTURE WORKING GROUP HAS DEVELOPED SUCH AFRAMEWORK TO INFUSE INTEROPERABILITY AND EXTENSIBILITY AMONG ALL WEAPON SYSTEMS WITHIN THE ARMY. APPLICATION OF THE CONCEPTS OF GENERIC OPEN ARCHITECTURE WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK LEADS TO EXTENSIBILITY. THIS PAPERREPORTS ON THE INTIAL STAGE OF AN EFFORT TO DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK FORWEAPON SYSTEM. Keywords: Keywords: framework, weapon system, interoperability, extensibility, middleware. 1. INTRODUCTION The advent of electronic technology has caused modern weapon systems to become extremely complex. Adding to thiscomplexity are new requirements of interoperability and extensibility [5]. Interoperability is defined as the capability of aweapon system to jointly operate with other weapon systems in a coordinated manner. Extensibility is defined as the abilityof a system to accommodate upgrades in capabilities without major redesign. By developing a framework' for the weapondomain, the effects of complexity can be overcome. The resulting simplification will also arrest the associated increase incost to develop weapons systems. In the distributed information domain, a framework, composed of a set of middleware, iswidely used to simplify development and maintenance of software. For example in the communications area, use of RemoteProcedure Call is widespread. Similarly in the System management area, Openview and Netview are some of the productsused to simplify system operations.
Multi-modal synchronization and the automation of an observer's point of view

A concept of time-critical observation of computational models in introduced, supported by continuous interaction with automated memory and feedback in auditory display.
Properties of Axicon Systems for Collecting Foil-Excited Accelerator Beam Spectra

We describe properties of a particular kind of light-collecting system used for spectroscopy of light emitted by foil-excited accelerator beams. This system, built to test the possibility of obtaining narrow lines from such sources, has as its basic optical element an axicon, a conical reflector with its axis coincident with that of the accelerator beam. We consider the properties of an axicon followed by a lens and aperture and point out some criteria that are appropriate to the design of optical systems using such devices. Experimentally we find that scattering of the accelerator beam by the foil contributes significantly to spectral linewidths.
Gendered Fields: Women, Men, and Ethnography

Gendered Fields: Women, Men, and Ethnography. Diane Bell. Pat Caplan, and Wazir Jahan Karim, eds., London: Routledge, 1993. xvi + 260 pp., contributors, photos, notes, references, indexes.
Solving Energy-Latency Dilemma: Task Allocation for Parallel Applications in Heterogeneous Embedded Systems

Parallel applications with energy and low-latency constraints are emerging in various networked embedded systems like digital signal processing, vehicle tracking, and infrastructure monitoring. However, conventional energy-driven task allocation schemes for a cluster of embedded nodes only concentrate on energy-saving when making allocation decisions. Consequently, the length of the schedules could be very long, which is unfavorable or in some situations even not tolerated. In this paper, we address the issue of allocating a group of parallel tasks on a heterogeneous embedded system with an objective of energy-saving and short-latency. A novel task allocation strategy, or BEATA (Balanced Energy- Aware Task Allocation), is developed to find an optimal allocation that minimizes overall energy consumption while confining the length of schedule to an ideal range. Experimental results show that BEATA significantly improves the performance of embedded systems in terms of energy-saving and schedule length over an existing allocation scheme.
Surfactant biology and clinical application.

There is strong evidence that alterations in the pulmonary surfactant system play an important role in the pathophysiology of lung disease, including ARDS . Although it is still unclear whether mortality and morbidity of ARDS will be reduced, surfactant replacement therapy has been shown to improve oxygenation, improve lung compliance, and decrease the need for ventilatory support. The critical need for more standardized studies with one type of intratracheal surfactant and uniform measurements of surfactant proteins and phospholipids by BAL is evident. Further studies will also be needed to elucidate the optimal timing and dosage regimen for different disease processes. Some evidence supports the measurements of surfactant protein levels as markers for predicting the onset and outcome of ARDS and perhaps providing a window for early treatment of patients at risk to develop ARDS. Continued investigation into the role of surfactant in the immune regulation of the lung may also provide additional information to support the efficacy of surfactant replacement in lung disease.
Bayesian measurement of productivity and efficiency in the presence of undesirable outputs: crediting electric utilities for reducing air pollution

Abstract Many studies have measured productivity change and efficiency when an undesirable output is a by-product. We flexibly treat the bad as a technology shifter of an input distance function and model a system of nonlinear equations subject to endogeneity. Theory dictates that we impose monotonicity on all inputs, outputs, and the bad. Since a Bayesian full-information likelihood approach can easily be misspecified, we utilize the Kim (J. Econometrics 107 (2002) 175) limited-information likelihood (LIL) derived by minimizing the entropy distance subject to the moment conditions from the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator. This represents an extension of the Bayesian Method of Moments approach of Zellner and Chen (Macroeconom. Dyn. 5 (2001) 673), Zellner and Tobias (Int. Econom. Rev. 42 (2001) 121), and Zellner (in: Bayesian Analysis in Econometrics and Statistics: The Zellner View and Papers, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, 1997; J. Econometrics 83 (1998) 185) which uses entropy maximization but does not incorporate a specific likelihood. Using Bayes’ Theorem we combine traditional priors with the LIL, which has a mode at the standard multiple-equation GMM estimator, yielding a limited-information posterior distribution. We generalize the approach of Kim (J. Econometrics 107 (2002) 175) by incorporating an unknown covariance matrix in a Gibbs sampling framework and applying the methodology to nonlinear equations. This allows us to estimate shadow prices, technical efficiency, and productivity change for a panel of electric utilities, yielding results that differ substantially from those obtained using standard GMM.
The “fast” and the “slow” modes of mitochondrial DNA degradation

AbstractIn a living cell, oxidative stress resulting from an external or internal insult can result in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and degradation. Here, we show that in HeLa cells, mtDNA can withstand relatively high levels of extracellular oxidant H2O2 before it is damaged to a point of degradation, and that mtDNA levels in these cells quickly recover after removal of the stressor. In contrast, mtDNA degradation in mouse fibroblast cells is induced at eight-fold lower concentrations of H2O2, and restoration of the lost mtDNA proceeds much slower. Importantly, mtDNA levels in HeLa cells continue to decline even after withdrawal of the stressor thus marking the “slow” mode of mtDNA degradation. Conversely, in mouse fibroblasts maximal loss of mtDNA is achieved during treatment, and is already detectable at 5 min after exposure, indicating the “fast” mode. These differences may modulate susceptibility to oxidative stress of those organs, which consist of multiple cell types.
Physician Volume, Specialty, and Outcomes of Care for Patients With Heart Failure

Background— There is an urgent need to improve outcomes and reduce costs for patients with heart failure (HF). Physician volume is associated with better outcomes for patients undergoing procedures, but its association with outcomes for medically managed diseases, such as HF, is not well understood. Methods and Results— We used Medicare inpatient data in 2009 to examine all HF admissions to acute care hospitals in the United States. We divided physicians into quintiles according to their volume of patients with HF. We used patient-level regression to compare 30-day risk-adjusted mortality, readmissions, and costs across volume groups, controlling for patient, physician, and hospital characteristics. We examined physician volume within strata of hospital volume and physician specialty. Patients cared for by the high-volume physicians had lower mortality than those by the low-volume physicians (8.9% versus 9.7%; P <0.001); this relationship was strongest in low-volume hospitals. In contrast, patients cared for by high-volume physicians had higher readmission rates (25.8% versus 21.5%; P <0001); this relationship was similar across hospital volume groups. Finally, costs were higher for the high-volume physicians ($8982 versus $8731; P =0.002, a difference that was consistent across hospital volume groups). The relationship between physician volume and mortality was strongest for internists (9.2% versus 10.6%; P <0.001) and weakest for cardiologists (6.4% versus 6.7%; P =0.485). Conclusions— Physician volume is associated with lower mortality for HF, particularly in low-volume institutions and among noncardiologist physicians. Our findings suggest that clinician expertise may play an important role in HF care.
Infinite Series and Finite Sums

The laws of physics are exact expressions of an inexact universe. They are translations of concrete observations into the ideal language of mathematics. This kinship between the concrete and the ideal is the highest intellectual achievement of mankind and the driving force behind our ability to unravel the secrets of the universe. However, the laws, as they stand, are incapable of describing the objects of the universe, as they stand. Therefore, one has to approximate the objects of the universe in such a way that the laws can be applied to them. One method of approximation uses infinite series, which are best studied in the context of infinite sequences.
A Rod-Sparing Retinopathy in Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

Bardet-Biedl syndrome is a continuum of disorders characterized by systemic and ocular findings. Retinal abnormalities typically present as diffuse photoreceptor degeneration. Here, we report a novel case that suggests a rod-sparing variant of Bardet-Biedl syndrome.
Increased indices of free radical activity in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with tardive dyskinesia.

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a potentially irreversible movement disorder associated with long-term administration of neuroieptic medications. We have been studying the hypothesis that TD may be related to the production of cytotoxic free radicals in the brain (Lohr et al. 1988). Neuroleptics, by increasing eatecholamine turnover and metabolism, may be associated with increased production of free radicals, highly reactive chemical species with an unpaired electron that may cause damage to membranes and other cell constituents. We have previously shown that some cases of TD respond to o~-tocopherol (vitamin E), a free radical scavenging agent (Lohr et al. 1988). Pall et al. (1987) receatly reported that patients on neuroleptics had higher concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), conjugated dienes, and phenaw.hroline copper when compared with ccn~'ols. Although some of their neuroleptic-treated patients had acute extrapyramidal side effects o!~ neuroleptics, none was reported to have either
Differences in Dietary Intake as a Function of Sexual Activity and Hormonal Contraception

As a consequence of the need to downregulate some maternal immune responses so as to tolerate paternal genetic material following conception, the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle is associated with increased susceptibility to infection. Because meat was one of the primary sources of foodborne pathogens throughout our evolutionary history, Fessler (2001) predicted a decrease in meat intake during the luteal phase; the current research provides the first test of this prediction. Based on the assumption that any such behavioral changes would be hormonally mediated, we also investigated the effects of varying levels of exogenous hormones on meat consumption by examining dietary intake in women using hormonal contraceptives. Lastly, because, from a functional perspective, immunomodulation is unnecessary during anovulatory cycles and in women who are not currently sexually active, luteal phase compensatory behavioral prophylaxis was predicted to be absent in these contexts. Although we find that women who ar...
Copper-Catalyzed Diastereoselective Arylation of Tryptophan Derivatives: Total Synthesis of (+)-Naseseazines A and B

A copper-catalyzed arylation of tryptophan derivatives is reported. The reaction proceeds with high site- and diastereoselectivity to provide aryl pyrroloindoline products in one step from simple starting materials. The utility of this transformation is highlighted in the five-step syntheses of the natural products (+)-naseseazine A and B.
A computational investigation of monosubstituted boroxines(RH2B3O3): structure and formation

Boroxines have emerged as an important class of compounds with diverse applications in many fields. However, there are limited experimental and/or computational structural and thermal data available for these compounds or for their corresponding boronic acids. In this investigation, we report structural parameters for a variety of aliphatic monosubstituted boroxines (RH2B3O3) and their enthalpies of formation via the dehydration reactions from the boronic acids (R–B(OH)2), i.e., R–B(OH)2 + 2H–B(OH)2 → RH2B3O3 + 3H2O. Equilibrium geometries of all the boronic acids and monosubstituted boroxines involved in this article were obtained using second-order Moller–Plesset perturbation theory with the Dunning–Woon aug-cc-pVDZ and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets; heats of formation were calculated at the G3 level of theory. The specific substituents, R, include all the second- and third-period hydrides, as well as a selection of electron-donating/electron-withdrawing groups.
A visual database system for data and experiment management in model-based computer vision

We present the design of a visual database system for data and experiment management. Our system was designed as a general scientific database system, but motivated by and intended for use in model-based computer vision. We provide a unified data model, a highly graphical user interface, an advanced query facility, and an interactive laboratory notebook. We hope that the system, when completed, will aid in scientific experimentation and will promote data sharing in the computer vision research community. >
Human-centered design meets cognitive load theory: designing interfaces that help people think

Historically, the development of computer systems has been primarily a technology-driven phenomenon, with technologists believing that "users can adapt" to whatever they build. Human-centered design advocates that a more promising and enduring approach is to model users' natural behavior to begin with so that interfaces can be designed that are more intuitive, easier to learn, and freer of performance errors. In this paper, we illustrate different user-centered design principles and specific strategies, as well as their advantages and the manner in which they enhance users' performance. We also summarize recent research findings from our lab comparing the performance characteristics of different educational interfaces that were based on user-centered design principles. One theme throughout our discussion is human-centered design that minimizes users' cognitive load, which effectively frees up mental resources for performing better while also remaining more attuned to the world around them.
Autism, regression, and the broader autism phenotype.

The broader autism phenotype (BAP) is a subclinical set of personality and other features that is thought to index familiality and/or genetic liability to autism. Eighteen parents of autistic probands with a history of language regression and 70 parents of autistic probands without regression were assessed for features of the BAP and compared with published rates in parents of nonautistic subjects. Parents of probands with regressive and nonregressive autism demonstrated similar rates of the BAP (27.8% vs. 32.9%; P = 0.33). The rate of the BAP was significantly higher in both groups of autism parents than in parents of nonautistic subjects (P < or = 0.01). Thus, this measure of genetic liability is increased equally in families with both forms of autism when compared with controls. Environmental events are therefore unlikely to be the sole cause of regressive autism in our sample. Environmental events, however, may act in an additive or "second-hit" fashion in individuals with a genetic vulnerability to autism.