cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rule-based simulation of multi-cellular biological systems-a review of modeling techniques

Emergent behaviors of multi-cellular biological systems (MCBS) result from the behaviors of each individual cells and their interactions with other cells and with the environment. Modeling MCBS requires incorporating these complex interactions among the individual cells and the environment. Modeling approaches for MCBS can be grouped into two categories: continuum models and cell-based models. Continuum models usually take the form of partial differential equations, and the model equations provide insight into the relationship among the components in the system. Cell-based models simulate each individual cell behavior and interactions among them enabling the observation of the emergent system behavior. This review focuses on the cell-based models of MCBS, and especially, the technical aspect of the rule-based simulation method for MCBS is reviewed. How to implement the cell behaviors and the interactions with other cells and with the environment into the computational domain is discussed. The cell behaviors reviewed in this paper are division, migration, apoptosis/necrosis, and differentiation. The environmental factors such as extracellular matrix, chemicals, microvasculature, and forces are also discussed. Application examples of these cell behaviors and interactions are presented.
Two-neutron quasiparticle states observed in $sup 236$U with the (d,p) reaction

Energy levels in thc nucleus /sup 236/U have been studied with the from 12 to 16 MeV. The reaction prcducts were analyzed with a split-pole magnetic spectrograph. The strongest transitions are those that lead to two-neutron quaniparticle states. Four rotational bands built upon the (7/2)/sup -/STA743! plus or minus (1/2)/sup +/STA631! and (7/2)/sup -/STA743! plus or minus (5/2)/ sup +/STA6 22! configurations were identified. The bandheads for the K/sup pi / = 1/sup -/, 4/sup -/, 3/sup -/ and 6/sup -/ bands are found to be at 970, 1054, 1192, and 1472 keV, respectively. The single-particle cross sections were extracted from the measured cross sections to the members in the rotational bands that involve the (1/2)/sup +/STA631! orbital. Disagreement with calculated single-particle cross sections was found similar to the corresponding disagreement for cross sections extracted from the data on population of this orbital by trasfer reactions on even-ven targets. Measured energy splittings in both /sup 236/U and /sup 234/U are ccmpared with calculated values. (auth)
Acute Community-Acquired Pneumonia due to Aspergillus in Presumably Immunocompetent Hosts: Clues for Recognition of a Rare but Fatal Disease

This article reports a case of acute community-acquired pneumonia due to Aspergillus fumigatus in a healthy patient and reviews 11 previously reported cases occurring in presumably immunocompetent hosts. The diagnosis was delayed for all patients; mortality was 100%. Clues that might suggest Aspergillus as a pathogen in community-acquired pneumonia include a chest radiograph revealing diffuse infiltrates or new cavitation; lack of bacterial or viral cause; a preceding influenza A infection; and respiratory secretion cultures positive for Aspergillus. When these clues are present, the physician should consider an early biopsy of lung tissue. Increased recognition and more timely diagnosis in future cases will improve the outcome of this rare but fatal infection.
Increased use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in patients admitted with gastrointestinal haemorrhage: a multicentre retrospective analysis.

Summary Background Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can adversely affect platelet function and impair haemostasis. Various bleeding complications have been reported in persons taking SSRIs including an increased risk of gastrointestinal haemorrhage (GIH). Aim To evaluate SSRI use in patients hospitalized with GIH compared with controls. Methods A retrospective, multicentre case–control study determined use of SSRIs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin, clopidogrel, coumadin and enoxaparin in patients admitted with GIH and age- and sex-matched controls. Exclusion criteria included liver disease, portal hypertension or bleeding diathesis. Results A total of 579 cases were matched with 1000 controls. SSRI use was 19.2% in cases and 13.6% in controls [OR (95% CI) = 1.5 (1.2–2.0); P = 0.003]. NSAIDs were used by 7.3% of cases and 3.8% of controls [OR = 2.0 (1.3–3.1); P = 0.003]. SSRI use was more strongly associated with lower [1.8 (1.2–2.8)] rather than upper [1.3 (0.83–1.9)] GIH. Significant interactions existed for SSRI use with NSAIDs and aspirin. Conclusions Patients admitted with GIH gastrointestinal bleeding were more likely to be taking SSRIs than controls. This association exists for lower as well as upper GIH. Physicians should be aware of this risk particularly in patients already using medications that increase GIH risk.
Design considerations for large diameter ball mills

Abstract Large mill ( D>5.0 m (16.5 ft)) performance has been successfully predicted from small scale batch experiment for grinding kinetics and an RTD correlation for transport using population balance models. The effect of ball size must be properly taken into account in the scale-up. A design method that combined the kinetic scale-up findings and the transport of material through the mill has been developed. A computer program involving kinetic and transport considerations has been tested and found to be satisfactory for mill design purposes.
Concordance of patients' and family members' ratings of neurobehavioral functioning after traumatic brain injury

Abstract Objective: To examine differences in family and patient evaluation of neurobehavioral functioning in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: Differences were examined by conducting 70 paired sample t tests on scale items and 6 paired sample t tests on scale scores from a neurobehavioral inventory. Setting: Medical center outpatient clinic. Participants: Three hundred one consecutive adult patients with TBI and 301 informants, primarily family members, completed the neurobehavioral inventory. Main Outcome Measure: Neurobehavioral Functioning Inventory (NFI) comprised of six scales with items describing symptoms and daily living problems. Results: Paired t test analyses of the six scales indicated that patients reported a significantly greater level of communication problems than did their matched family members. No differences were found for the other five scales. Paired t test analyses of the 70 scale items revealed significant differences in patient and family ratings for only 13 items. In all 13 instances, patients reported greater levels of dysfunction than were reported by their family members. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated a main effect of injury severity for only the Communication and Memory/Attention scales. Conclusions: Findings indicate general agreement between family members and patients regarding patients' everyday problems. Results do not support contentions that patients tend to underestimate difficulties. Agreement levels appear related to injury severity, item specificity, and item content. More research is needed to identify other variables relating to agreement levels, including age, injury severity, and amount of contact between patients and family members.
Prevention of nosocomial influenza.

OBJECTIVE To study compliance with preventive strategies at a university hospital during an outbreak of nosocomial influenza A during the winter of 1988, and the rates of vaccination of healthcare workers and of nosocomial influenza following changes in vaccine practices after the outbreak. DESIGN Retrospective review of employee health, hospital epidemiology, hospital computing; and clinical microbiology records. SETTING A university hospital. INTERVENTIONS Unvaccinated personnel with exposure within the previous 72 hours to an unisolated case of influenza were offered influenza vaccine and 14 days of amantadine hydrochloride prophylaxis. Personnel with exposure more than 72 hours before evaluation were offered vaccine. A mobile cart was introduced for vaccinating personnel after the 1988 outbreak. RESULTS An outbreak of influenza with 10 nosocomial cases occurred in 1988. Only 4% of exposed employees had been vaccinated previously and 23% of exposed, unvaccinated employees agreed to take vaccine, amantadine, or both. A mobile-cart vaccination program was instituted, and annual vaccination rates steadily increased from 26.3% in 1989 to 1990 to 38% in 1993 to 1994 (P < .0001). The relative frequency of documented cases of influenza in employees with symptoms of influenza decreased significantly during this period (P = .025), but nosocomial influenza rates among patients did not change significantly. CONCLUSION A mobile-cart influenza vaccination program was associated with a significant increase in compliance among healthcare workers, but a majority still remained unvaccinated. The rate of nosocomial influenza among patients was not reduced by the modest increase in the vaccination rate, but influenza rates remained acceptably low, perhaps due to respiratory isolation of patients and furlough of employees with influenza.
Photoluminescence determination of well depth of Ga 0.47 In 0.53 As/Al 0.48 In 0.52 As in an ultrathin single quantum well

The photoluminescence spectra were measured from 4 to 90 K for single-quantum-well structures of (Ga,In)As/(Al, In)As with well widths ${L}_{z}$=14.5 and 19.3 A\r{}. The optical transitions were observed from n=1 electrons in the conduction-band well to n=1 heavy holes (hh) and light holes (lh) in the valence-band well. Using the observed energy separation between hh and lh subbands, the well depth \ensuremath{\Delta}${E}_{v}$=120 meV for holes in the valence band and the corresponding well depth \ensuremath{\Delta}${E}_{c}$=740 meV for electrons in the conduction band were determined. This gives the relation of \ensuremath{\Delta}${E}_{c}$=0.85\ensuremath{\Delta}${E}_{g}$ which agrees with Dingle's rule for GaAs/(Al,Ga)As system.
Convergence of the Optimal Feedback Policies in a Numerical Method for a Class of Deterministic Optimal Control Problems

We consider a Markov chain based numerical approximation method for a class of deterministic nonlinear optimal control problems. It is known that methods of this type yield convergent approximations to the value function on the entire domain. These results do not easily extend to the optimal control, which need not be uniquely defined on the entire domain. There are, however, regions of strong regularity on which the optimal control is well defined and smooth. Typically, the union of these regions is open and dense in the domain. Using probabilistic methods, we prove that, on the regions of strong regularity, the Markov chain method yields a convergent sequence of approximations to the optimal feedback control. The result is illustrated with several examples.
Applying matching pursuit decomposition time-frequency processing to UGS footstep classification

The challenge of rapid footstep detection and classification in remote locations has long been an important area of study for defense technology and national security. Also, as the military seeks to create effective and disposable unattended ground sensors (UGS), computational complexity and power consumption have become essential considerations in the development of classification techniques. In response to these issues, a research project at the Flexible Display Center at Arizona State University (ASU) has experimented with footstep classification using the matching pursuit decomposition (MPD) time-frequency analysis method. The MPD provides a parsimonious signal representation by iteratively selecting matched signal components from a pre-determined dictionary. The resulting time-frequency representation of the decomposed signal provides distinctive features for different types of footsteps, including footsteps during walking or running activities. The MPD features were used in a Bayesian classification method to successfully distinguish between the different activities. The computational cost of the iterative MPD algorithm was reduced, without significant loss in performance, using a modified MPD with a dictionary consisting of signals matched to cadence temporal gait patterns obtained from real seismic measurements. The classification results were demonstrated with real data from footsteps under various conditions recorded using a low-cost seismic sensor.
Optimal Bids for Spot VMs in a Cloud for Deadline Constrained Jobs

Spot virtual-machine (VM) instances, such as Amazon EC2 Spot VMs, are a class of VMs that are purchased through a market mechanism of price-bids submitted by cloud users. Spot VMs can be obtained at substantially lower cost than other VM classes such as Reserved and On-demand instances, but they do not have guaranteed availability since it depends on the submitted price bids and the fluctuating spot VM price. Many applications with large computing requirements but no real-time availability constraints, such as scientific computing, financial modelling and large data analysis, can be carried out at a significantly lower cost using spot VMs. For such jobs, an important question that arises is what should the submitted price bids be so that the computation is completed within a fixed time interval while the cost is minimized. Towards this goal, we model a job as a fixed computation request with a deadline constraint and formulate the problem of designing a dynamic bidding policy that minimizes the average cost of job completion. We obtain analytical and closed-form results for the optimal strategy under a Markov spot price evolution, and then evaluate the performance of the algorithms on the actual spot price history of Amazon EC2 Spot VMs.
The rising prevalence of androgen deprivation among older American men since the advent of prostate-specific antigen testing: a population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of efforts in the early detection of prostate cancer using prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing in the USA, by estimating the regional prevalence of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) among older men in 1993–2000, and correlating the prevalence with early detection and aggressive treatment rates in 1987–91, as some authors predicted that ADT, a treatment traditionally reserved for advanced prostate cancer, would become less common over time as a result of such efforts. PATIENTS AND METHODS A sample of 5% of men who were Medicare beneficiaries was used in this prospective population-based cohort study. The main outcome measures were the overall prevalence of ADT (medical and surgical) in the cohort from 1993 to 2000, and correlations between rates of prostate procedures in the 306 USA hospital referral regions in 1987–91 and prevalence of ADT in those regions from 1993 to 2000. RESULTS The prevalence of ADT among these men in the USA increased steadily from 1.8% in 1993 to 2.9% in 2000 (P < 0.001). Regions with higher rates of prostate biopsy in 1987–91 had a higher prevalence of ADT in 1993, 1995 and 1997 (P < 0.05). Regions with higher rates of transurethral prostatectomy in 1987–91 had a higher prevalence of ADT in 1993–2000 (P < 0.01). Regions with higher rates of radical prostatectomy in 1987–91 had higher rates of ADT in 1993–99 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Widespread early detection and aggressive treatment for prostate cancer in the USA has been associated with more, not less, ADT among older men over time.
Apolipoproteins A-I, B, and C-III in young adult Cherokee with metabolic syndrome with or without type 2 diabetes

KEYWORDS: ApoA-I; ApoB; ApoC-III; Diabetes; Risk factors BACKGROUND: Because type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a coronary artery disease risk equivalent, it is important to identify difference in risk markers between cases with T2D and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) compared with those with MetS alone. We evaluated apolipoproteins as possible distinguishing markers in the Oklahoma Cherokee. OBJECTIVE: To assess apolipoproteins (apo) A-I, B, and C-III in young adult Cherokee who have the metabolic syndrome (MetS), as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), either with or without T2D. METHODS: A cross-sectional comparison of young adult Oklahoma Cherokee, ages 18 to 40 years, was conducted to assess differences in the apolipoproteins caused by the presence or absence of T2D among those with MetS, after we adjusted for age and gender. RESULTS: ApoA-I (P 5.0222) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C; P 5.0364) were lower, and apoB (P 5.0106) and the apoB to A-I ratio (P ,.0001) were greater in participants with the MetS and T2D than in those with MetS but without T2D. However, cholesterol, triglyceride, lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol, non-HDL-C, total apoC-III, non-HDL apoC-III and the bimodal lipoprotein distribution of apoC-III (apoC-III ratio) were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: ApoA-I and HDL-C are lower and apoB and the apoB:A-I ratio are greater in those with MetS and T2D than in those who have the MetS but without T2D, suggesting that the presence of diabetes adversely influences plasma apoA-I and apoB levels. However, apoC-III and non-HDL apoCIII are unchanged by the addition of diabetes suggesting that the increased levels associated with MetS may precede T2D. 2012 National Lipid Association. All rights reserved.
Presence of Human Herpesvirus 8 Is Specific to Kaposi's Sarcoma Lesion.

Background: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) has previously been shown to be associated with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) skin lesions in HIV-positive and negative patients. This study was designed to test, on a microscopic level, using the microdissection technique in frozen and formalin-fixed tissue, whether HHV8 DNA is specific to the KS lesion. Methods and Results: Thirty-seven evaluable KS lesions were microdissected and DNA extracted, and HHV8-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed. All of the KS lesions showed a PCR product; none of the microscopically adjacent normal tissue samples showed a PCR product. One of the PCR products was sequenced, confirming the presence of HHV8 DNA. Conclusions: HHV8 was shown to be specific to the KS lesion at the microscopic level.
Some ideas about growth and quality in technology

Abstract The assumptions behind the exponential theory for the rate of improvement of the “quality” of technologies are studied. It is shown that the conformity of a measure of quality to the exponential law reveals that the technology is “motivated” and only “ingenuity-limited.” It is shown that exponential growth suggests that quality is driven from within and resistant to the influences of such external factors as economics and politics. During the last century and a half, the exponential growth rate of a technology has increased with its inception date. This suggests means for analyzing the evolution of hybrid technologies.
Psychosocial Predictors of Death Prognosis

This study examines the interaction between physiological, psychological, and sociological variables as factors in the short term prognosis of death. The basic physiological processes of disease are inexorable, but psychosocial variables may influence short term prognosis. In this anterospective study, 12 male subjects with a 50% short term mortality risk due to chronic lung disease were evaluated and followed for 18 months. Neither initial basic physiologic status nor basic psychological measures were predictive. However measures of functional social abilities was predictive, as the presence of an intact positive network of social relations. In the short run, the importance of having something or someone to live for is demonstrated.
Cyclotomic torsion on Fermat Jacobians

We prove that the torsion part of the Mordell–Weil group of the Jacobian of a Fermat curve over a cyclotomic field is contained in the kernel of a certain isogeny. This provides a natural analogue of a similar result on Jacobians of Fermat quotient curves.
Depletion of interstellar sodium and calcium.

New measurements of the Ca II/Ca I ratios in interstellar clouds lead to the conclusion that not only Ca, but also Na, is underabundant in these regions. Recent calculations of element depletion by accretion of atoms onto dust grains probably cannot account for the observed abundance range. The extreme underabundance of Ca, and some part of the abundance range, probably reflect the composition of the grain cores.
An area-optimality study of floorplanning

A novel algorithm for rectangular floorplanning with guaranteed 100% area utilization is used to construct new sets of floorplanning benchmarks. By minimizing the maximum block aspect ratio subject to a zero-dead-space constraint, example zero-dead-space (ZDS) floorplans matching the area profiles of any existing floorplanning benchmark circuits can be constructed. A mathematical analysis shows that the aspect ratios of the ZDS benchmarks' blocks are uniformly bounded within [1, 3] in most cases. Block packings produced by the Parquet, B*-tree, TCG-S, and BloBB packages on these new benchmarks are compared to the optimal-area floorplans produced by the ZDS algorithm.
LH bioactivity increases more than immunoreactivity during puberty

We have measured bioactive LH in the plasma of 60 normal boys and 45 normal girls throughout puberty because the rise in immunoreactive LH has seemed too small to account for the profound changes in sexual maturation during adolescence. Bioactive LH was determined using an in vitro bioassay (rat interstitial cell-testosterone production); I-LH was measured by radioimmunoassay using the same LH standard, LER 907. Bioactive LH was measurable in all 270 plasma samples; I-LH in 218. In both boys and girls B-LH rose more than I-LH when compared to chronological age, bone age, and pubertal stage. In boys, B-LH increased 8.2-fold ( P P P P
Sonication-assisted extraction of chitin from North Atlantic shrimps (Pandalus borealis)

The influence of sonication during extraction of chitin from North Atlantic shrimp (NAS) shells (Pandalus borealis) on chitin yield, purity, and crystallinity was investigated. Shells were peeled, washed, lyophilized, ground, and suspended for 4 h in 0.25 M HCl (1: 40) at 40 degrees C followed by ultrasonication at 41 W/cm(2) for 0, 1, and 4 h, respectively. Demineralized shells were lyophilized, resuspended in 0.25 M NaOH (1: 40), and ultrasonicated at 41 W/cm(2) for 0, 1, and 4 h to remove proteins. The yield and mineral and protein contents were determined after each processing step. The purity of extracted chitin was determined from the total amount of glucosamine. The crystallinity index and size of crystals were calculated from wide-angle X-ray scattering measurements. Scanning electron microscope images were recorded to evaluate morphological changes in samples. The yield of chitin from NAS decreased from 16.5 to 11.4% for 0 and 1 h sonicated samples, respectively, which was attributed to increased concentrations of depolymerized materials in the wash water. Sonication did not enhance the removal of minerals. The application of ultrasound enhanced the removal of proteins from 39.8 to 10.6, 8.3, and 7.3% after 0, 1, and 4 h of sonication treatments. The crystallinity index of chitin decreased from 87.6 to 79.1 and 78.5% after 1 and 4 h of sonication, yielding chitosans with crystallinity indices of 76.7, 79.5, and 74.8% after deacetylation, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy scans indicated that the degree of acetylation of chitins was unaffected by sonication. Comparison of the extraction results of NAS with that from freshwater prawns indicated that more impurities were left in NAS chitin, suggesting that composition and structural arrangement of chitin in shells influence the efficiency of ultrasound-assisted extraction.
Twenty‐Nail Dystrophy of Childhood: A Sign of Localized Lichen Planus

A 9 1/2-year-old girl was seen with 20-nail dystrophy. Lichen planus was suspected and further examination revealed other lesions localized to the oral mucosa. The diagnosis was confirmed as lichen planus by biopsy of tissue from the oral lesions. Careful examination of all mucocutaneous surfaces is recommended before accepting the diagnosis of so-called isolated 20-nail dystrophy of childhood.
Pump Fluids for Higher Vacuums

IN the decade after Burch introduced petroleum oils1 as working fluids for the Langmuir condensation pump, the silicones, octyl alcohol esters and petroleum pump fluids converged to a low-pressure optimum at about 10−7 mm. mercury, which the succeeding 20 years has lowered, perhaps, to 5 × 10−8 in an untrapped three-stage glass pump when measured at an ambient temperature of 25° C.
“A Lot More Bad News for Conservatives, and a Little Bit of Bad News for Liberals? Moral Judgments and the Dark Triad Personality Traits: A Follow-up Study”

In a recent study appearing in Neuroethics, I reported observing 11 significant correlations between the “Dark Triad” personality traits – Machiavellianism, Narcissism, and Psychopathy – and “conservative” judgments on a 17-item Moral Intuition Survey. Surprisingly, I observed no significant correlations between the Dark Triad and “liberal” judgments. In order to determine whether these results were an artifact of the particular issues I selected, I ran a follow-up study testing the Dark Triad against conservative and liberal judgments on 15 additional moral issues. The new issues examined include illegal immigration, abortion, the teaching of “intelligent design” in public schools, the use of waterboarding and other “enhanced interrogation techniques” in the war on terrorism, laws defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and environmentalism. 1154 participants (680 male, 472 female; median age 29), recruited online through Amazon Mechanical Turk, completed three surveys: a 15-item Moral Intuition Survey (MIS), the 28-item Short Dark Triad personality inventory, and a five-item demographic survey. The results strongly reinforce my earlier findings. Twenty-two significant correlations were observed between “conservative” judgments and the Dark Triad (all of which were significant past a Bonferonni-corrected significance threshold of p = .0008), compared to seven significant correlations between Dark Triad and “liberal” judgments (only one of which was significant past p = .0008). This article concludes by developing a novel research proposal for determining whether the results of my two studies are “bad news” for conservatives or liberals.
Parting Lineation in Siltstone

Parting lineation is rare to common in medium to coarse siltstone at various localities of the Red Peak Formation (Early? Triassic) in Wyoming. Field studies indicate that the general orientation of paleocurrents can be determined reliably in siltstone beds through use of this structure. Both parting lineation and asymmetric ripple marks reflect the same current orientation (or direction) where the two structures occur in beds a few inches apart. The fabric of grain long axes in siltstone is anisotropic; the maximum preferred orientation is parallel with the surface expression of parting lineation in the same rocks. The fabrics of opaque grains (hematite, ilmenite) are essentially the same as the fabrics of non-opaque grains (quartz, feldspar) in the parting lineation and both are current controlled. We suggest that the parting lineation formed in the upper-flow regime, and, because of this, the magnetic field of the Early(?) Triassic did not affect small, unaltered, opaque grains. Rather, the fabrics of both the non-opaque and opaque grains are the reflection of the hydrodynamic conditions present during deposition.
Epidemiology of Barrett’s Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is the precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), a disease with increasing burden in the Western world, especially in white men. Risk factors for BE include obesity, tobacco smoking, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). EAC is the most common form of esophageal cancer in the United States. Risk factors include GERD, tobacco smoking, and obesity, whereas nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and statins may be protective. Factors predicting progression from nondysplastic BE to EAC include dysplastic changes on esophageal histology and length of the involved BE segment. Biomarkers have shown promise, but none are approved for clinical use.
Development and Evaluation of Methods for Structured Recording of Heart Murmur Findings Using SNOMED-CT® Post-Coordination

Objective: This study evaluated an existing SNOMED-CT model for structured recording of heart murmur findings and compared it to a concept-dependent attributes model using content from SNOMED-CT. Methods: The authors developed a model for recording heart murmur findings as an alternative to SNOMED-CT's use of Interprets and Has interpretation. A micro-nomenclature was then created to support each model using subset and extension mechanisms described for SNOMED-CT. Each micro-nomenclature included a partonomy of cardiac cycle timing values. A mechanism for handling ranges of values was also devised. One hundred clinical heart murmurs were recorded using purpose-built recording software based on both models. Results: Each micro-nomenclature was extended through the addition of the same list of concepts. SNOMED role grouping was required in both models. All 100 clinical murmurs were described using each model. The only major differences between the two models were the number of relationship rows required for storage and the hierarchical assignments of concepts within the micro-nomenclatures. Conclusion: The authors were able to capture 100 clinical heart murmurs with both models. Requirements for implementing the two models were virtually identical. In fact, data stored using these models could be easily inter- converted. There is no apparent penalty for implementing either approach. j J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2006;13:321-333. DOI 10.1197/jamia.M1973.
A Court-Created Context for Group Litigation: Libertarian Groups and Obscenity

Studies have shown that interest groups can and often do use litigation to advance their goals. However, the literature has not specifically examined how significant changes in the law affect this behavior. A longitudinal research design allows this question to be addressed, and obscenity provides an excellent case study. In Miller v. California (1973), the Burger Court reversed the Warren Court's liberalization of obscenity law. The reversal stimulated a shift in the litigation burden among the thirteen libertarian groups involved in this litigation: groups moved by material interests mobilized to become the preeminent litigators, filling the void created by the exit of the more politically motivated ACLU. However, the reaction of material groups was not uniform: commercial groups litigated narrow questions with narrow arguments, while professional organizations engaged a broader range of issues and made arguments closer to those previously tendered by the ACLU. These diverse responses were conditioned b...
Kriging Hydrochemical Data

As a part of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation Program (NURE) water samples were collected from existing wells in all the continental United States. These samples were analyzed for some 30 elements and ions. Data were assembled for each 2 degrees RMTS quadrangle. The objectives of the NURE program included identification of areas favorable for exploration and producing estimates of recoverable resources. Other authors have reported on the use of pattern recognition, cluster analysis, and discriminant analysis to identify favorable areas.
Screen Reader/2—programmed access to the GUI

In this paper I will describe the Screen Reader/2 personality, that is the ‘look and feel’ of Screen Reader/2. As I do that I hope to give the reader an introduction to the Profile Access Language (PAL), which is one of the most important components of Screen Reader/2. This PAL introduction will not be formal, in the sense of careful syntax and semantics; I want to get across the idea of PAL so that one might want to program in the Profile Access Language to access the Graphical User Interface (GUI) of OS/2 and of Windows applications running under OS/2.
A review of trace element concentrations in edible mushrooms

Abstract Wild growing mushrooms have been a popular delicacy in many countries. Some species, mainly from genera Agaricus , Macrolepiota , Lepista and Calocybe accumulate high levels of cadmium and mercury even in unpolluted and mildly polluted areas. The concentrations of both metals and also of lead increase considerably in the heavily polluted sites, such as in the vicinity of metal smelters. The usual concentrations of the three deleterious metals are presented in tables for 25 species consumed within Europe. A brief overview of 12 other metals in mushrooms is also given. Present knowledge of metal speciation in mushrooms is limited as is knowledge of their bioavailability in man. Thus, consumption of the accumulating species should be restricted. Semimetals selenium, arsenic and antimony do not occur in undesirable levels. The cultivated species, especially the common mushroom ( Agaricus bisporus ) and oyster mushroom ( Pleurotus ostreatus ) contain only low levels of the trace elements. Very scarce information is available on metal losses during preservation and culinary treatment of mushrooms.
Multiple Cartilaginous Exostoses in a Cat

A 2-year-old neutered male cat with idiopathic hemolytic anemia had cartilaginous exostoses on the ribs, sternum, vertebrae and scapulae. The range of lesions in the cat resembled that reported in the dog. Radiographic and histologic appearances of the cartilaginous exostoses were like those reported for other species. Theories of the pathogenesis of this disease are presented. Electron microscopic examination of two widely separated cartilage-capped exostoses showed 'C'-type viral particles resembling those of feline leukemia to be associated with the plasma membrane of chondroblastic elements.
Kinetics of Glucose Decomposition During Dilute-Acid Hydrolysis of Lignocellulosic Biomass

Recent research work in-house both at Auburn University and National Renewable Energy Laboratory has demonstrated that extremely low concentrations of acid (e.g., 0.05–0.2 wt% sulfuric acid) and high temperatures (e.g., 200–230°C) are reaction conditions that can be effectively applied for hydrolysis of the cellulosic component of biomass. These conditions are far from those of the conventional dilute-acid hydrolysis processes, and the kinetic data for glucose decomposition are not currently available. We investigated the kinetics of glucose decomposition covering pH values of 1.5–2.2 and temperatures of 180–230°C using glass ampoule reactors. The primary factors controlling glucose decomposition are the reaction medium, acid concentration, and temperature. Based on the experimental data, a kinetic model was developed and the best-fit kinetic parameters were determined. However, a consistent discrepancy in the rate of glucose disappearance was found between that of the model based on pure glucose data and that observed during the actual process of lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysis. This was taken as an indication that glucose recombines with acid-soluble lignin during the hydrolysis process, and this conclusion was incorporated accordingly into the overall model of glucose decomposition.
Overall energy reduction for hard real-time systems based on threshold work-demand analysis

In this paper, we study the problem of reducing the overall energy consumption for hard real-time systems scheduled by the earliest deadline first (EDF) scheme. To balance the static and dynamic energy consumption, the concept of critical speed was proposed. Moreover, when combined with the processor shutdown strategy, the critical speed was widely used as the lower bound for voltage scaling in literature. In this paper, we show that the critical speed strategy might not always be more energy efficient than the traditional DVS strategy and there is a tradeoff between these two strategies depending on the job workload to be finished within certain interval. To effectively address this issue, we propose a technique that combines these two strategies to achieve better energy saving performance. Our approach determines the energy efficient speed for real-time tasks based on the threshold work-demand in a feasible interval and will reduce the job speed below the critical speed when necessary. Our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed techniques significantly outperformed the previous research in overall energy saving performance.
A study of the impact of microwave radiation on an A/D converter

A 10-bit A/D converter with a maximum sampling rate of 60-mega-samples/sec (MSPS) (AD9051) has been radiated with microwaves at frequencies ranging from 15 to 20 GHz using a horn antenna with 20 dBi gain. The power level delivered to the antenna is varied from 10 to 19.4 dBm. ENOB/spl delta/ (modified effective number of bits) is defined and used to characterize the impact of microwave radiation on the operation of A/D converters. For the A/D converter used in this study, despite its least significant bit of 1.23 mV, the radiation had no discernable impact This result suggests that A/D converters may not be extremely sensitive to microwave radiations as originally thought.
Interleukin-1 receptor 1 knockout has no effect on amyloid deposition in Tg2576 mice and does not alter efficacy following Aβ immunotherapy

Background Microglial activation has been proposed to facilitate clearance of amyloid β protein (Aβ) from the brain following Aβ immunotherapy in amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgenic mice. Interleukin-1 receptor 1 knockout (IL-1 R1-/-) mice are reported to exhibit blunted inflammatory responses to injury. To further define the role of IL-1-mediated inflammatory responses and microglial activation in this paradigm, we examined the efficacy of passive Aβ immunotherapy in Tg2576 mice crossed into the IL-1 R1-/- background. In addition, we examined if loss of IL-1 R1-/- modifies Aβ deposition in the absence of additional manipulations.
GAIP, GIPC and Gαi3 are Concentrated in Endocytic Compartments of Proximal Tubule Cells: Putative Role in Regulating Megalin’s Function

ABSTRACT. Megalin is the most abundant endocytic receptor in the proximal tubule epithelium (PTE), where it is concentrated in clathrin-coated pits (CCPs) and vesicles in the brush border region. The heterotrimeric G protein alpha subunit, Gαi3, has also been localized to the brush border region of PTE. By immunofluorescence GIPC and GAIP, components of G protein-mediated signaling pathways, are also concentrated in the brush border region of PTE and are present in megalin-expressing cell lines. By cell fractionation, these signaling molecules cosediment with megalin in brush border and microvillar fractions. GAIP is found by immunoelectron microscopy in CCPs, and GIPC is found in CCPs and apical tubules of endocytic compartments in the renal brush border. In precipitation assays, GST-GIPC specifically binds megalin. The concentration of Gαi3, GIPC, and GAIP with megalin in endocytic compartments of the proximal tubule, where extensive endocytosis occurs, and the interaction between GIPC and the cytoplasmic tail of megalin suggest a model whereby G protein-mediated signaling may regulate megalin’s endocytic function and/or trafficking.
Impact of Laterality on Early and Late Survival After Pneumonectomy

Background This study evaluated the effect of laterality on survival in patients who underwent pneumonectomy for lung cancer. Methods We reviewed the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for patients who underwent pneumonectomy for lung cancer from 1988 through 2006. Predictors of survival were determined by univariate and multivariable analysis. Results A total of 9746 patients had pneumonectomies. Left pneumonectomies (56%) were more common than right; 67% of patients were men with mean age of 63 years (range, 12 to 92 years). Tumor pathology was squamous cell in 49% and adenocarcinoma in 34%. Stage distribution was stage I, 28%; stage II, 28%; stage IIIA, 19%; stage IIIB, 18%; and stage IV, 6%. Overall survival was 67% and 40%, respectively, at 1 and 3 years; with 63% and 39% for right vs 70% and 41% for left ( p p p p p p = 0.9). Conclusions A right pneumonectomy is associated with approximately twice the perioperative mortality as a left pneumonectomy. However, neoadjuvant radiotherapy does not appear to add incremental risk, and long-term survival is not affected by laterality.
Dirac-Bogoliubov-deGennes quasiparticles in a vortex lattice

In the mixed state of an extreme type-II $d$-wave superconductor and within a broad regime of weak magnetic fields $({H}_{c1}⪡H⪡{H}_{c2})$, the low-energy Bogoliubov-deGennes quasiparticles can be effectively described as Dirac fermions moving in the field of singular scalar and vector potentials. Although the effective linearized Hamiltonian operator does not formally depend on the structure of vortex cores, a singular nature of the perturbation requires choosing a self-adjoint extension of the Hamiltonian by imposing additional boundary conditions at vortex locations. Each vortex is described by a single parameter $\ensuremath{\theta}$ that effectively represents all effects arising from the physics beyond linearization. With the value of $\ensuremath{\theta}$ properly fixed, the resulting density of states of Dirac Hamiltonian exhibits full invariance under arbitrary singular gauge transformations applied at vortex positions. We identify the self-adjoint extensions of the solutions found earlier, within the framework of the linearized Hamiltonian diagonalized by expansion in the plane wave basis, and analyze the relation between fully self-consistent formulation of the problem and the linearized model. In particular, we construct the low-field scaling form of the nodal quasiparticle spectra, which incorporates the self-adjoint extension parameter $\ensuremath{\theta}$ explicitly and generalizes the conventional Simon-Lee scaling. In a companion paper, we also present a detailed numerical study of the lattice $d$-wave superconductor model and examine its low-energy, low-magnetic-field behavior with an eye on determining the proper self-adjoint extension(s) of the linearized continuum limit. In general, we find that the density of quasiparticle states always vanishes at the chemical potential, either linearly or by virtue of a finite gap. The low-energy continuum limit is thus faithfully represented by Dirac-like fermions, which are either truly massless, massless at the linearized level (mass $\ensuremath{\sim}H$), or massive (mass $\ensuremath{\sim}{H}^{1∕2}$), depending on the mutual commensuration of magnetic length and lattice spacing.
PPARα Deficiency in Inflammatory Cells Suppresses Tumor Growth

Inflammation in the tumor bed can either promote or inhibit tumor growth. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)α is a central transcriptional suppressor of inflammation, and may therefore modulate tumor growth. Here we show that PPARα deficiency in the host leads to overt inflammation that suppresses angiogenesis via excess production of the endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor thrombospondin-1 and prevents tumor growth. Bone marrow transplantation and granulocyte depletion show that PPARα expressing granulocytes are necessary for tumor growth. Neutralization of thrombospondin-1 restores tumor growth in PPARα-deficient mice. These findings suggest that the absence of PPARα activity renders inflammatory infiltrates tumor suppressive and, thus, may provide a target for inhibiting tumor growth by modulating stromal processes, such as angiogenesis.
Examining the sensitivity of MM5–CMAQ predictions to explicit microphysics schemes and horizontal grid resolutions, Part II—PM concentrations and wet deposition predictions

Abstract This part II paper first evaluates the simulated concentrations and wet deposition amounts of NH4+, NO3−, and SO42− using observations from several networks, then examines their sensitivities to four explicit microphysics schemes: Reisner 1 (R1), Reisner 2 (R2), Dudhia simple ice (SI), and Hsie warm rain (WR). For baseline simulation with R1, the concentrations of NH4+, NO3−, and SO42− are underpredicted in August. Concentrations of SO42− are underpredicted and those of NH4+ and NO3− are overpredicted in December. The wet deposition amounts of NH4+ and SO42− are overpredicted but those of NO3− are underpredicted in August. The wet deposition amounts of NO3− and NH4+ are overpredicted but those of SO42− are underpredicted in December. The simulated wet deposition amounts are sensitive to various schemes, which are most evident in December, with the best results for NH4+ and NO3− by WR and the best for SO42− by SI. A correlation exists between wet deposition amounts and precipitation in both months, with stronger magnitudes in August. Conversely, in December, as the correlation with precipitation decreases, that with aqueous-phase concentrations increases. These results are consistent with meteorological conditions since the summer convective precipitation events having larger intensities and therefore the meteorological forcing is expected to dominate August correlations. As these intensities decrease in December, the chemical forcing becomes more influential.
Cooperative effects in photon statistics of molecular dimers with spectral diffusion

The two-point fluorescence intensity correlation function g(2)t and the Mandel parameter Mt are calculated for a strongly pumped dimer of two-level molecules undergoing Gaussian-Markovian frequency fluctuations. The effects of detuning and saturation are examined. All fluctuation time scale regimes are explored using a continued fraction solution of the stochastic Liouville equation for the generating function. Bunching and antibunching are observed for slow and fast fluctuations, respectively. The short-time antibunching dip in g(2) and its variation with intermolecular coupling, the exciton annihilation rate, and laser detuning are studied.
Successful use of a feeding obturator for an infant with a cleft palate

The report of case presents the postnatal and early infancy period for a child born with a cleft of the soft palate. The infant was admitted to the hospital several times for failure to thrive as a result of feeding difficulties. The feeding problems resulted from both the cleft and a lack of consistent and concerted effort by the family to nourish the infant. When the child was 3 months old, a feeding obturator was constructed that resulted in improvement in the child's weight gain. The feeding problems of an infant with a cleft palate and the pressures that these problems present to the parents are discussed.
Synergistic killing of human small cell lung cancer cells by the Bcl-2-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor disruptor BIRD-2 and the BH3-mimetic ABT-263.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has an annual mortality approaching that of breast and prostate cancer. Although sensitive to initial chemotherapy, SCLC rapidly develops resistance, leading to less effective second-line therapies. SCLC cells often overexpress Bcl-2, which protects cells from apoptosis both by sequestering pro-apoptotic family members and by modulating inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R)-mediated calcium signaling. BH3-mimetic agents such as ABT-263 disrupt the former activity but have limited activity in SCLC patients. Here we report for the first time that Bcl-2-IP3 receptor disruptor-2 (BIRD-2), a decoy peptide that binds to the BH4 domain of Bcl-2 and prevents Bcl-2 interaction with IP3Rs, induces cell death in a wide range of SCLC lines, including ABT-263-resistant lines. BIRD-2-induced death of SCLC cells appears to be a form of caspase-independent apoptosis mediated by calpain activation. By targeting different regions of the Bcl-2 protein and different mechanisms of action, BIRD-2 and ABT-263 induce cell death synergistically. Based on these findings, we propose that targeting the Bcl-2–IP3R interaction be pursued as a novel therapeutic strategy for SCLC, either by developing BIRD-2 itself as a therapeutic agent or by developing small-molecule inhibitors that mimic BIRD-2.