cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of correlate summation to data clustering in the estrogen- and salt-sensitive female mRen2.Lewis rat

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) can identify key variables among complex data sets, but requires special statistical packages. Alternatively, Discrete and Aggregate Correlate Summation (DCΣ/ACΣ) identifies the most covariant variables relative to mean clustering for grouped and individual data, respectively. We compared these analyses regarding the influence of estrogen and salt on the hypertensive phenotype of the female mRen2.Lewis strain. DCΣx compares changes in correlation between two groups for each variable versus all of the others, relative to mean shift. ACΣx determines which variable has the highest total correlation to the other variables, relative to its mean reduced (normalized) standard deviation (nSD). To compare correlate summation to PCA, the absolute weights of the first principal component (EVEC1x were multiplied by the nSD as in ACΣx. Nine variables including proteinuria, serum ACE, plasma Ang II, renin, heart weight to body weight ratio and systolic blood pressure were analyzed with respect to normal and high salt diets, as well as to estrogen intact and depleted conditions. DCΣx results for both arms of the study were significantly correlated with EVEC1x (r=0.72, p
Treatment of Eczema: Corticosteroids and Beyond

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that requires a manifold approach to therapy. The goal of therapy is to restore the function of the epidermal barrier and to reduce skin inflammation. This can be achieved with skin moisturization and topical anti-inflammatory agents, such as topical corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors. Furthermore, proactive therapy with twice weekly use of both topical corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors in previously affected areas has been found to reduce the time to the next eczematous flare. Adjunctive treatment options include wet wrap therapy, anti-histamines, and vitamin D supplementation. Bacterial colonization, in particular Staphylococcus aureus, can contribute to eczematous flares and overt infection. Use of systemic antibiotics in infected lesions is warranted; however, empiric antibiotics use in uninfected lesions is controversial. Local antiseptic measures (i.e., bleach baths) and topical antimicrobial therapies can be considered in patients with high bacterial colonization. Difficult-to-treat AD is a complex clinical problem that may require re-evaluation of the initial diagnosis of AD, especially if the onset of disease occurs in adulthood. It may also necessitate evaluation for contact, food, and inhaled allergens that may exacerbate the underlying AD. There are a host of systemic therapies that have been successful in patients with difficult-to-treat AD, however, these agents are limited by their side effect profiles. Lastly, with further insight into the pathophysiology of AD, new biological agents have been investigated with promising results.
Examining alternatives: the Energy Services Delivery Project in Sri Lanka

Decentralized, renewable energy production is becoming a more acceptable and widely-used form of electricity generation. The World Bank and Global Environment Facility (GEF) are leaders in creating and expanding markets for renewable energy technologies such as solar-home systems and village-level, micro-hydro schemes. In 1997, The World Bank signed an agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka to initiate an Energy Services Delivery (ESD) Project. Stakeholders participating in the ESD Project hold different views of the project based on their location within the project hierarchy. Using an interpretivist methodological approach, I elucidate shared and divergent meaning between two stakeholder groups: private-sector banking officials and end-users. Stakeholder understandings of the project organized themselves around three emergent themes: risk, responsibility and sustainability. Understanding how stakeholders conceptualize these three concepts provides valuable insight into how long-term, cooperative energy policy and delivery services might be designed.
Temperature sensitivity of community respiration rates in streams is associated with watershed geomorphic features

Aquatic ecosystems play an important role in the global carbon (C) cycle and represent substantial source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. However, little attention has been paid to quantifying how aquatic community respiration (CR), a major source of CO2, will respond to warming temperatures expected under climate change, and whether landscape features affect temperature modulation of CR. We quantified how temperature sensitivity of CR varied among streams in southwestern Alaska, a region with one of the fastest warming trends globally. We incubated sediments from streams spanning a geomorphic gradient and estimated the degree to which CR responded to increased water temperature as described by Arrhenius kinetics. As expected, CR increased with temperature across all streams, and the average temperature sensitivity was similar to theoretical predictions for heterotrophic metabolism. However, temperature sensitivity was significantly higher in streams with higher quantity but lower quality organic C substrates, conditions that were strongly associated with watershed geomorphic characteristics. These results suggest that basic geomorphic features of landscapes will control the rates at which C is lost or sequestered from watersheds under new climate regimes.
ALK in NHL: To B (cell) or not to B (cell)? Characterization of the entity “ALK+ DLBCL”

Expression of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusions in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) has been considered by many investigators to occur only in T or null cell CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphomas (CD30+ ALCLs).[1][1]-[3][2] Although a significant percentage of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas express
Cement Minerals at Elevated Temperature: Thermodynamic and Structural Characteristics

Large quantities of cementitious materials may be used in the construction of a potential nuclear waste repository. Temperatures in the emplacement drifts may reach over 200 C owing to decay heat from radioactive waste for various ``extended-dry`` repository scenarios. Despite its potential significance, the mineralogic response of cement to elevated temperature is not well known. The chemistry of fluid introduced to the repository from cementitious materials can also have a significant impact on repository performance. The masses of water associated with the use of cementitious materials such as shotcrete, which includes both structural and pore water, can be sizable. Pore water may be driven out by heating, and structural water may be released through phase dehydration. An experimental and modeling program has been designed to elucidate the structural and thermodynamic response of cement minerals to elevated temperature. The components of the program include: (a) synthesis of hydrated Ca-silicates; (b) structural analysis of cement phases during heating and dehydration/rehydration; (c) mechanistic and thermodynamic descriptions of the hydration/dehydration behavior of hydrated Ca-silicates as a function of temperature, pressure and relative humidity; (d) study of naturally occurring hydrated Ca-silicates; and (e) measurements of thermodynamic data for hydrated Ca-silicates.
PBSalign: Sequence-independent local alignment of protein binding sites

Accurate alignment of protein-protein binding sites can aid in protein docking studies and constructing templates for predicting structure of protein complexes, along with in-depth understanding of evolutionary and functional relationships. However, over the past three decades, structural alignment algorithms have focused predominantly on global alignments with little effort on the alignment of local interfaces. In this paper, we introduce the PBSalign (Protein-protein Binding Site alignment) method, which integrates techniques in graph theory, 3D localized shape analysis, geometric scoring, and utilization of physiochemical and geometrical properties. Computational results demonstrate that PBSalign is capable of identifying similar homologous and analogous binding sites accurately and performing alignments with better geometric match measures than existing protein-protein interface comparison tools. The proportion of better alignment quality generated by PBSalign is 46%, 56%, and 70% more than Align as judged by the average match index (MI), similarity index (SI), and structural alignment score (SAS), respectively. PBSalign provides the life science community a fast and accurate solution to binding-site alignment while striking the balance between topological details and computational complexity.
Floodplain ecosystem response to climate variability and land-cover and land-use change in Lower Missouri River basin

This contribution aims at characterizing the extreme responses of Lower Missouri River basin ecosystems to land use modification and climate change over a 30-year temporal extent, using long term Landsat data archives spanning from 1975 to 2010. The inter-annual coefficient of variation (CoV) of normalized difference vegetation index was used as a measure of vegetation dynamics to address ecological consequences associated with climate change and the impact of land-cover/land-use change. The slope of a linear regression of inter-annual CoV over the entire time span was used as a sustainability indicator to assess the trend of vegetation dynamics from 1975 to 2010. Deduced vegetation dynamics were then associated with precipitation patterns, land surface temperature, and the impact of levees on alluvial hydrologic partitioning and river channelization reflecting the links between society and natural systems. The results show, a higher inter-annual accumulated vegetation index, and lower inter-annual CoV distributed over the uplands remaining virtually stable over the time frame investigated; relatively low vegetation index with larger CoV was observed over lowlands, indicating that climate change was not the only factor affecting ecosystem alterations in the Missouri River floodplain. We cautiously conclude that river channelization, suburbanization and agricultural activities were the possible potential driving forces behind vegetation cover alteration and habitat fragmentation on the Lower Missouri River floodplain.
Resonant motion of a spherical pendulum

Abstract The weakly nonlinear, resonant response of a damped, spherical pendulum (length l , damping ratio δ, natural frequency ω 0 ) to the planar displacement e l cos ω t (e ⪡ 1) of its point of suspension is examined in a four-dimensional phase space in which the coordinates are slowly varying amplitudes of a sinusoidal motion. The loci of equilibrium points and the corresponding bifurcation points in this space are determined. The control parameters are α= 2δ/e 2 3 and v= 2(ω 2 - ω 2 0 / e 2 3 ω 2 . If α v within which no stable equilibrium points exist. As v decreases through the upper bound (a Hopf-bifurcation point) of this interval the motion in the phase space becomes periodic and then, following a period-doubling cascade, chaotic. There may be alternating sub-intervals of chaotic and periodic motion. The chaotic trajectories in the phase space appear to lie on fractal attractors.
In vitro reversibility of cadmium-induced inhibition of phagocytosis.

Cadmium chloride, administered chronically in the drinking water of CBA/H mice, produced a delayed clearance of particles and soluble material bearing Fc fragments ( D. W. Knutson, D. L. Vredevoe, K. R. Aoki, and L. Levy, 1980 , Immunology , 40 , 17–26; D. L. Vredevoe, L. Levy, D. Knutson, G. Cook, and P. Cohen, 1985 , Environ. Res. , 37 , 373–382). The inhibition was reversed upon removal of the cadmium from the water, even though a tissue load of cadmium persisted. An in vitro system was developed to analyze the mechanism of the inhibition. Binding and ingestion of sheep red blood cells (E) treated with IgG (for measurement of Fc receptor activity) or IgM and complement (C) (for measurement of complement receptor activity) were studied in resident and elicited murine peritoneal macrophages in vitro . Elicited macrophages provided the most definitive test system. With this system, there was significant inhibition of ingestion of E-IgG and E-IgMC. Binding of both types of erythrocytes was not inhibited, except at the highest concentration (10 −4 M) of CdCl 2 at which binding of only E-IgMC was affected. These effects were reversible upon removal of cadmium. Migration of Fc and C receptors on the macrophage surface was not significantly affected by cadmium. In general, cadmium did not alter the expression or the binding of Fc or C receptors on macrophages. The mechanism for delayed clearance appears to be due to inhibited internalization of the particles. This is consistent with the interpretation that cadmium is a membrane active agent.
Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Older Adults

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common disorder with significant morbidity and mortality, particularly for older adults. Risk factors include comorbid conditions commonly found in older patients as well as immunocompromising conditions such as steroid use or administration of anti-TNF agents. While Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the most common cause of CAP in older patients, the microbiology of pneumonia differs somewhat from that of young adults with increased incidence of Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative bacilli (especially for patients who are residents of nursing homes). The classic features of infections such as fever may not be present in older patients. Antimicrobial therapy is similar to that of younger patients and based on recent guidelines; however, there is an increased need to adjust doses based on the pharmacokinetics of the older population. Prevention includes administration of preventive vaccines and control of comorbid conditions.
Pain and inflammation in women with early-stage breast cancer prior to induction of chemotherapy.

Context:Pain is a commonly experienced and distressing symptom in women with breast cancer (BCA), and recent evidence suggests that immune activation may be associated with pain and other co-occurr...
The RFX family interacts at the collagen (COL1A2) start site and represses transcription.

The transcription start site of the collagen α2(1) gene (COL1A2) has a sequence-specific binding site for a DNA methylation-responsive binding protein called regulatory factor for X-box 1 (RFX1) (Sengupta, P. K., Erhlich, M., and Smith, B. D. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 36649–36655). In this report, we demonstrate that RFX1 forms homodimers as well as heterodimers with RFX2 spanning the collagen transcription start site. Methylation at +7 on the coding strand increases RFX1 complex formation in gel shift assays. Methylation on the template strand, however, does not increase RFX1 complex formation. DNA from human fibroblasts contains minimal methylation on the coding strand (
Discrete-Time Equivalent of Continuous-Time Filtering Processes

The continuous-time Kalman filtering problem over a finite time interval can be made equivalent to a discrete-time filtering problem. The matrices in the latter are related to the submatrices of the transition matrix of a Hamiltonian system that corresponds to the continuous-time filtering problem.
Transient evaporative laser-cutting with boundary element method

Abstract A computational model for the simulation of a transient laser-cutting process has been developed using a time-dependent boundary element method (BEM). An unsteady heat transfer model is considered that deals with the material-cutting process using a continuous Gaussian laser beam. The geometric nonlinearity due to the melting region is handled by an iterative scheme. Convergence analyses are performed with various meshes and time steps for the groove shapes and temperature distributions. Studies with the time-dependent BEM show excellent agreement with the results of steady-state BEM in terms of groove shapes and temperature distributions. Material removal process renders some parts of melting surface at the present time be affected more by the distant past than the recent past.
Predictors of incident chronic widespread pain among veterans following the first Gulf War.

Objective: We sought to determine the predictors of incident chronic widespread pain (CWP), specifically, the effect of preexisting symptoms, stress, and psychosocial factors in the subsequent development of CWP among veterans from the first Gulf War (GW). Methods: We conducted a structured telephone survey (baseline) of military personnel originally from Iowa who were either eligible for or deployed to Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, approximately 5 years postconflict. We conducted a follow-up, clinical, in-person study of those who met a priori-defined outcomes of symptoms of cognitive dysfunction, depression, or CWP, and also a sample of those who did not meet any of the outcomes of interest. Results: A total of 370 of 602 evaluated GW veterans were free of CWP 5 years postconflict. At follow-up, 69 (19%) of these had developed CWP. A positive family history of medically unexplained persistent symptoms [odds ratio (OR) = 4.8 (2.3, 13.2)] was strongly associated with CWP. At baseline, individuals who reported preexisting symptoms of bronchitis [OR =4.9 (1.9, 12.3)] and cognitive dysfunction [OR = 2.1 (1.1, 4.2)] were more likely to develop CWP. Alcohol use [OR = 0.2 (0.1, 0.7)] was protective against CWP. Rather than combat-related exposure per se, the perception of stress at the time of the GW [OR = 1.6 (1.1, 2.3)] correlated with CWP. Discussion: Among the GW veterans evaluated longitudinally in this study, family history, predeployment symptoms, and the level of perceived stress during the GW were associated with subsequent development of CWP.
Degenerate four-wave mixing from anisotropic artificial Kerr media

Four-wave mixing from composite artificial Kerr media consisting of ellipsoidal microparticles suspended in a host liquid is discussed. Calculations of nonlinear grating formation and decay times are given in a dynamic model that includes the effect of random collisions on the particulates. Phase-conjugate efficiencies for a model configuration are given as well as operating limits imposed by particulate scattering from the composite.
DSM-5 and Personality Disorders: Where Did Axis II Go?

The past decade has seen a period of extensive research into the etiology, pathophysiology, assessment, and treatment of personality disorders. Concomitantly, a group of experts in the field were brought together to form the Personality and Personality Disorder Work Group for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), charged with the responsibility of updating the diagnostic approach to personality disorders. This article is a review of some of the history of the American Psychiatry Association's approach to the recognition and diagnosis of personality disorders over the past half century, the process of developing the recommendations for a DSM-5 personality disorder diagnosis and the elimination of the multiaxial system, and how DSM-5 has left us with essentially no changes of relevance to the practice of forensic psychiatry in the process for diagnosing personality disorders or in the specific diagnoses of personality disorder.
Malignant struma ovarii: a case report and analysis of cases reported in the literature with focus on survival and I131 therapy.

Abstract Background Malignant struma ovarii is a rare type of germ cell tumor that is most often diagnosed postoperatively. The natural history and optimal treatment regimen for the disease are essentially unknown due to the small numbers of published cases. Case A 32-year-old woman presented with pelvic pain and an ovarian mass that was ultimately treated by total abdominal hysterectomy/bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Postoperatively, she was diagnosed with a malignant struma ovarii. The patient was subsequently treated with thyroidectomy and I 131 ablation and is currently disease free. A Medline literature search was performed and clinical data from 23 additional cases were compiled. Conclusion In this review of 24 cases, 16 patients were followed conservatively postoperatively while 8 received varied additional therapy (4 with I 131 ). There were 8 recurrences and all occurred in the conservatively managed patients. I 131 for recurrent disease provided an initial complete response in 7 women. Treatment with thyroidectomy and I 131 should be considered in the first line of management for malignant struma ovarii.
Naloxone in the treatment of the young heroin abuser.

Over the past 31/2 years we have used naloxone, a nonaddicting narcotic antagonist, as an adjunct in the treatment of 176 young heroin abusers in a highly structured day program. The current status of these 176 is as follows: 39% apparently are drug free (excluding alcohol and marihuana); 21% are in treatment programs; 21% are in prison, deceased, or lost to follow-up; and 1% are using illegal drugs. Naloxone was well tolerated by the abusers and was considered a valuable aid in the therapy of this difficult age group. The importance of the structure of the program itself in the treatment of the abuser is stressed.
National Image Building and Chinese Foreign Policy

This paper studies national image building as part of Chinese foreign policy, a subject hitherto neglected by scholars of China. First, it traces the various images the PRC government has tried to project of China, revealing both changes and continuities from the Maoist period to the present time. It then compares China's projected national images with others' perceptions of China, explaining the convergence and divergence of images and perceptions. Finally, this article explores whether the projected national images affect Chinese foreign policy behaviour, and if so, how? It draws on both neo-liberal institutionalism and constructivism in international relations theory to provide an answer.
TEMPLAR: a wavelet-based framework for pattern learning and analysis

Recovering a pattern or image from a collection of noisy and misaligned observations is a challenging problem that arises in image processing and pattern recognition. This paper presents an automatic, wavelet-based approach to this problem. Despite the success of wavelet decompositions in other areas of statistical signal and image processing, most wavelet-based image models are inadequate for modeling patterns in images, due to the presence of unknown transformations (e.g., translation, rotation, location of lighting source) inherent in pattern observations. Our framework takes advantage of the efficient image representations afforded by wavelets while accounting for unknown translations and rotations. In order to learn the parameters of our model from training data, we introduce Template Learning from Atomic Representations (TEMPLAR): a novel template learning algorithm. The problem solved by TEMPLAR is the recovery of a pattern template from a collection of noisy, randomly translated, and rotated observations of the pattern. TEMPLAR employs minimum description length (MDL) complexity regularization to learn a template with a sparse representation in the wavelet domain. We discuss several applications, including template learning, pattern classification, and image registration.
Flash photolysis studies of proteins and indole derivatives in solution.

— Transients obtained upon flash photolysis of a number of proteins in aqueous solution appear to derive from electron ejection from tryptophyl residue side chains. These decay by a second order process. Oxygen is an effective quencher for the protein transients but is less so for the flash-induced signals obtained from simple indole derivatives. Experiments using other quenchers indicate that the signals are not due to an indole triplet state, but that the triplet state may be a precursor of the flash-induced metastabie species. Compounds which bind to the active site of chymotrypsin were found to exert only non-specific effects on the flash-induced signals.
Intraocular pressure in patients with human immunodeficiency virus and treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy

Abstract Purpose To compare the intraocular pressure (IOP) of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to a control group and to determine whether HAART reverses the previously reported reduction in IOP associated with HIV infection. Design Retrospective case control study. Methods Review of patients with HIV infection on HAART compared with a matched control group. Results Among 64 patients and 56 control subjects, no significant difference in IOP was found ( P = .520), nor was correlation noted between IOP and either CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts, or viral load. Conclusion When HIV infection is treated with HAART, IOP is not significantly different from that of control subjects.
An experimental study of oscillatory pipe flow at transitional Reynolds numbers

Fully developed oil flow in a smooth circular pipe at a mean Reynolds number of about 2100 was subjected to a nominally sinusoidal flow modulation at frequencies ranging from 0·05−1·75 Hz. It was observed that flow oscillation increased the critical Reynolds number and, under certain conditions, even brought about laminarization of the flow, which would be intermittently turbulent at the mean Reynolds number under quasi-steady (infinitely small oscillation frequency) conditions. The occurrence and extent of laminarization was, however, found to depend on factors such as the intermittency of turbulent puffs in the mean quasi-steady flow, frequency of oscillation, etc. Two series of experiments were performed. In one series, the oscillatory flow was almost completely laminarized. In the other series, the oscillatory flow was fully turbulent. In both the cases, instantaneous velocities in the flow were measured using laser-Doppler anemometry (LDA). The instantaneous velocity was decomposed into time-mean, periodic and random components employing ensemble-averaging techniques. The experiments indicated that the laminarized oscillatory flow behaves very similarly to laminar oscillatory flow at either end of the Strouhal-number range studied. The oscillatory turbulent flow was found to depend on both the Strouhal number and the ratio of the oscillation frequency (f) to some characteristic frequency (ft) of turbulence in the flow. The design of the present experimental facility made it possible to study the flow at f/ft ≈ 1 (‘high’ oscillation frequency), a condition that could not be attained in most previous investigations. Another unique feature of the present experiment was that the viscous sublayer and Stokes layer were both large enough (several millimetres in thickness) to allow detailed measurements to be made in these regions. It was found, that at this high frequency of oscillation, the Reynolds stresses generally remained frozen at an average state during the entire oscillation cycle. The turbulent structure showed significant departures from equilibrium at all times during the oscillation cycle. As a result, there was a net change in the time-mean velocity profile near the wall and a net increase in the time-mean wall shear stress and power loss due to friction. The observation that unsteadiness can indeed affect the mean flow behaviour in a significant way is new and contradicts the view presently held by many researchers (based on their studies at relatively low oscillation frequencies, i.e. f/ft [Lt ] 1). The data also indicated that the direct interaction between oscillation and the turbulent structure was essentially confined to the Stokes layer. The study suggests that (again contrary to the existing belief) quasi-steady turbulence models may not be adequate to describe unsteady flows when the time scale of unsteadiness is comparable to that of dominant turbulent eddies.
Variation in Candida albicans EFG1 Expression Enables Host-Dependent Changes in Colonizing Fungal Populations

ABSTRACT To understand differences in host-Candida albicans interactions that occur during colonization of healthy or compromised hosts, production of phenotypic variants and colonization of healthy or immunodeficient mice by C. albicans were studied. We showed that activity of the transcription factor Efg1p exhibited cell-to-cell variability and identified Efg1p as a major regulator of colonization. In C. albicans populations colonizing the murine gastrointestinal tract, average expression of EFG1 differed depending on the immune status of the host. We propose that cellular heterogeneity in Efg1p activity allows the C. albicans colonizing population to differ depending on the immune status of the host, because selective pressure from a healthy host alters the composition of the population. These data are the first demonstration that differences in host immune status are associated with differences in gene expression in colonizing C. albicans cells. Altered gene expression in organisms colonizing immunocompromised hosts may begin the transition of C. albicans from a commensal to a pathogen. IMPORTANCE In healthy people, the fungus Candida albicans colonizes the gastrointestinal tract and other sites without producing obvious pathology. In an immunocompromised patient, the organism can cause serious disease. The demonstration that the expression and activity of the C. albicans transcription factor Efg1p differs during colonization of healthy or immunocompromised mice shows that the organism adjusts its physiology when colonizing different hosts. Further, the effects of a healthy host on a heterogeneous C. albicans population containing cells with different levels of Efg1p activity show that selective pressure in the host can change the makeup of the population, allowing the population to respond to host immune status. The ability to sense host status may be key to the ability of C. albicans to colonize as a harmless commensal in some hosts but become a deadly pathogen in others.
Phase shifts in frustrated total internal reflection and optical tunneling by an embedded low-index thin film

Simple and explicit expressions for the phase shifts that p- and s-polarized light experience in frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) and optical tunneling by an embedded low-index thin film are obtained. The differential phase shifts in reflection and transmission Δr,Δt are found to be identical, and the associated ellipsometric parameters ψr,ψt are governed by a simple relation, independent of film thickness. When the Fresnel interface reflection phase shifts for the p and s polarizations or their average are quarter-wave, the corresponding overall reflection phase shifts introduced by the embedded layer are also quarter-wave for all values of film thickness. In the limit of zero film thickness (i.e., for an ultrathin embedded layer), the reflection phase shifts are also quarter-wave independent of polarization (p or s) or angle of incidence (except at grazing incidence). Finally, variable-angle FTIR ellipsometry is shown to be a sensitive technique for measuring the thickness of thin uniform air gaps between transparent bulk media.
Bleomycin-induced DNA damage and repair in human cells permeabilized with lysophosphatidylcholine

We have examined bleomycin-induced DNA damage and repair in confluent human fibroblasts that were reversibly permeabilized to small molecules (e.g., deoxynucleotide triphosphates and trypan blue) by a short exposure to 80 micrograms/ml lysophosphatidylcholine. We found that this treatment dramatically increases the dose effectiveness of bleomycin in inducing DNA strand breaks and DNA repair synthesis in these cells. For example, when intact cells (not treated with lysophosphatidylcholine) were incubated with 100 micrograms/ml bleomycin, only about 5% of the cell population was observed to have undergone measurable DNA repair synthesis (by autoradiography). On the other hand, when these cells were reversibly permeabilized with lysophosphatidylcholine before treatment, we observed significant repair synthesis in greater than 80% of the cells using a bleomycin dose of only 5 micrograms/ml. Furthermore, sufficient levels of single- and double-strand breaks were introduced into nucleosome linker DNA of permeabilized cells to yield a nucleosomal repeat pattern in alkaline and neutral agarose gels. However, no change in the amount of DNA less than 23 kilobases was observed on these gels when intact cells were incubated with bleomycin.
The effects of need to maintain face on interpersonal bargaining.

Abstract A 2×3 factorial experiment was employed to study the conditions under which a bargainer will “cut off his nose to save his face.” Face saving was operationalized as choosing to retaliate at costs to self rather than to maximize “own” outcomes following public humiliation. The need to maintain face was induced by telling subjects they would be observed by an “audience” (peers) while participating in a modification of Deutsch and Krauss's two-person bargaining game. A programmed stooge systematically exploited them during the first ten trials of the experiment. Next they received audience “feedback” informing them that they (a) looked foolish and weak, or (b) looked good—even though exploited—because they “played fair.” (Control subjects received no feedback.) In the second ten trials subjects could choose (a) graduated retaliation, at increasing “costs,” or (b) to disregard their previous exploitation and substantially increase their outcomes. Another manipulation involved telling subjects that the other either knew or didn't know their costs for retaliation. The results were clear. Humiliated subjects were more likely to retaliate, with greater severity, than those who—though similarly exploited—received favorable feedback. Importantly, retaliation occurred although it required sacrificing available outcomes. When subjects knew that the other participant knew their costs, retaliation was suppressed.
A conservative spectral method for the Boltzmann equation with anisotropic scattering and the grazing collisions limit

Abstract We present the formulation of a conservative spectral method for the Boltzmann collision operator with anisotropic scattering cross-sections. The method is an extension of the conservative spectral method of Gamba and Tharkabhushanam [17,18] , which uses the weak form of the collision operator to represent the collisional term as a weighted convolution in Fourier space. The method is tested by computing the collision operator with a suitably cut-off angular cross section and comparing the results with the solution of the Landau equation. We analytically study the convergence rate of the Fourier transformed Boltzmann collision operator in the grazing collisions limit to the Fourier transformed Landau collision operator under the assumption of some regularity and decay conditions of the solution to the Boltzmann equation. Our results show that the angular singularity which corresponds to the Rutherford scattering cross section is the critical singularity for which a grazing collision limit exists for the Boltzmann operator. Additionally, we numerically study the differences between homogeneous solutions of the Boltzmann equation with the Rutherford scattering cross section and an artificial cross section, which give convergence to solutions of the Landau equation at different asymptotic rates. We numerically show the rate of the approximation as well as the consequences for the rate of entropy decay for homogeneous solutions of the Boltzmann equation and Landau equation.
`Faces of the Fallen' and the dematerialization of US war memorials

The advent of internet technology has enabled the process of memorialization of those killed in US military conflicts to keep pace with the casualties themselves and, as such, has marked a shift in...
Evaluating Fund Performance in a Dynamic Market

Previous studies show that interest rates, dividend yields, and other commonly available variables are useful market indicators, but until now, measures of fund performance have not used the information. This article modifies classical performance measures to take account of well-known market indicators. The conditional performance evaluation approach avoids some of the biases that plague traditional measures. Applied to a sample of mutual funds, the conditional measures make the funds' performance look better.
Popular epidemiology and toxic waste contamination : lay and professional ways of knowing

Building on a detailed study of the Woburn, Massachusetts, childhood leukemia cluster, this paper examines lay and professional ways of knowing about environmental health risks. Of particular interest are differences between lay and professional groups' definitions of data quality, methods of analysis, traditionally accepted levels of measurement and statistical significance, and relations between scientific method and public policy. This paper conceptualizes the hazard-detection and solution-seeking activities of Love Canal, Woburn, and other communities as popular epidemiology: the process by which lay persons gather data and direct and marshal the knowledge and resources of experts in order to understand the epidemiology of disease, treat existing and prevent future disease, and remove the responsible environmental contaminants. Based on different needs, goals, and methods, laypeople and professionals have conflicting perspectives on how to investigate and interpret environmental health data.
VR-Assisted Physical Rehabilitation: Adapting to the Needs of Therapists and Patients

Virtual Reality technologies are slated to transform the practice of physical rehabilitation and the potential benefits have only started to be explored. We present in this paper a direct motion demonstration approach for allowing therapists to intuitively create and edit customized exercises and therapy programs that are responsive to the needs of their patients. We propose adaptive exercise models, motion processing algorithms, and delivery techniques designed to achieve exercises that effectively respond to physical limitations and recovery rates of individual patients. Remote networked solutions are also presented for allowing therapists and patients to intuitively share their motions during real-time collaborative therapy sessions. Our solutions have been implemented as a low-cost portable system based on a Kinect sensor, and as a high-end virtual reality system providing full-scale immersion. We analyze and discuss our methods and systems in light of feedback received from therapists.
Expression of nucleic acid-sensing Toll-like receptors predicts HPV16 clearance associated with an E6-directed cell-mediated response

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), important in rapid clearance of incident human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, may also be important in shaping the adaptive response to persistent infections. We examined here the association between TLR expression and clearance of HPV16 infections following periods of persistence, using longitudinal TLR measurements and a time-to-clearance analysis, as well as the interaction between TLRs and adaptive, cell-mediated responses involved in clearance. TLR2, TLR3, TLR7, TLR8 and TLR9 mRNA expression were measured in cervical cytobrush samples by quantitative PCR. Responses to the HPV16 E6 and E7 oncoproteins were measured by an interferon-γ immunospot assay. Bivariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the effect of TLRs on HPV16 clearance. Higher expression of TLR3 or TLR7 at an HPV16-positive visit was a significant (p ≤ 0.05) predictor of clearance by the following visit, in both unadjusted and adjusted (for smoking and oral contraceptive use) models. In women with, but not those without, a positive response to E6, higher expression of TLR3 (hazard ratio: 1.2 [95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.39], p = 0.012), TLR7 (1.39 [1.14-1.7], p = 0.001), TLR8 (1.37 [1.11-1.69], p = 0.003), or TLR9 (1.53 [1.13-2.08], p = 0.006) was significantly associated with clearance, revealing an important link between innate and adaptive immunity in the control of HPV infections following periods of persistence.
The Impact of Insurance Status on the Outcomes after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Investigation into the association of insurance status with the outcomes of patients undergoing neurosurgical intervention has been limited: this is the first nationwide study to analyze the impact of primary payer on the outcomes of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage who underwent endovascular coiling or microsurgical clipping. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2001–2010) was utilized to identify patients; those with both an ICD-9 diagnosis codes for subarachnoid hemorrhage and a procedure code for aneurysm repair (either via an endovascular or surgical approach) were included. Hierarchical multivariate regression analyses were utilized to evaluate the impact of primary payer on in-hospital mortality, hospital discharge disposition, and length of hospital stay with hospital as the random effects variable. Models were adjusted for patient age, sex, race, comorbidities, socioeconomic status, hospital region, location (urban versus rural), and teaching status, procedural volume, year of admission, and the proportion of patients who underwent ventriculostomy. Subsequent models were also adjusted for time to aneurysm repair and time to ventriculostomy; subgroup analyses evaluated for those who underwent endovascular and surgical procedures separately. 15,557 hospitalizations were included. In the initial model, the adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality were higher for Medicare (OR 1.23, p<0.001), Medicaid (OR 1.23, p<0.001), and uninsured patients (OR 1.49, p<0.001) compared to those with private insurance. After also adjusting for timing of intervention, Medicaid and uninsured patients had a reduced odds of non-routine discharge (OR 0.75, p<0.001 and OR 0.42, p<0.001) despite longer hospital stays (by 8.35 days, p<0.001 and 2.45 days, p = 0.005). Variations in outcomes by primary payer–including in-hospital post-procedural mortality–were more pronounced for patients of all insurance types who underwent microsurgical clipping. The observed differences by primary payer are likely multifactorial, attributable to varied socioeconomic factors and the complexities of the American healthcare delivery system.
Ovarian steroid effects on light-induced retinal photoreceptor damage.

Abstract Light-induced degeneration in intact and ovariectomized (OVEX) albino rats was compared to that in OVEX rats receiving graded dosages of estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (2·5 mg/day). Retinal damage was not as severe in OVEX rats as in intact or sham-operated animals. Treatment with 0·05 μg EB reversed the protection afforded by OVEX, while treatment with 100 μg EB significantly reduced the damage, even more than by OVEX alone. Progesterone was ineffective in modifying photoreceptor damage. Results are discussed in relation to whether the estrogen effect on the retina influences specific steroid receptor sites or an enzyme system in the photoreceptor cells.
A New Cryptographic Scheme for Securing Dynamic Conferences in Data Networks

Dynamic conferencing refers to a scenario wherein any subset of users in a universe of users form a conference for sharing confidential information among themselves. The key distribution (KD) problem in dynamic conferencing is to compute a shared secret key for such a dynamically formed conference. In literature, the KD schemes for dynamic conferencing either are computationally unscalable or require communication among users, which is undesirable. The extended symmetric polynomial based dynamic conferencing scheme (ESPDCS) is one such KD scheme which has a high computational complexity that is universe size dependent. In this paper we present an enhancement to the ESPDCS scheme to develop a KD scheme called universe-independent SPDCS (UI-SPDCS) such that its complexity is independent of the universe size. However, the UI-SPDCS scheme does not scale with the conference size. We propose a relatively scalable KD scheme termed as DH-SPDCS that uses the UI-SPDCS scheme and the tree-based group Diffie-Hellman (TGDH) key exchange protocol. The proposed DH-SPDCS scheme provides a configurable trade-off between computation and communication complexity of the scheme.
Transconductance/drain current based sensitivity analysis for analog CMOS integrated circuits

Recent studies have shown that transistor variability and ageing phenomena are responsible for variation of transconductance (gm) and drain current (ID) in MOSFETs. It is therefore important to perform sensitivity analysis at the earliest design stage in order to minimize effects of ageing. It is however not trivial to perform sensitivity analysis analytically because the 1-V characteristics of modern transistors can not modeled without using complicated expressions. In this paper, We propose a technique that utilizes the transconductance-to-drain current ratio (gm/ID) of a transistor to captures the sensitivity of a circuit. This technique is applicable to transistors biased in all regions of operations. To explore the effectiveness of the proposed technique in practical circuit design, the sensitivity of a common source amplifier is analyzed. The proposed technique has an accuracy of ± 15 % between 4 <; gm/ID<; 28.
Investigation of plasma flow redirection by an externally applied magnetic field

Magnetic field - plasma interactions play an important role in plasma opening switches, the closure of magnetically insulated transmission lines, as well as many other laboratory and astrophysical systems.
Exploring pathways from gene co-expression to network dynamics.

One of major challenges in post genomic research is to understand how physiological and pathological phenotypes arise from the networks or connectivity of expressed genes. In addressing this issue, we have developed two computational algorithms, CoExMiner and PathwayPro, to explore static features of gene coexpression and dynamic behaviors of gene networks. CoExMiner is based on B-spline approximation followed by coefficient of determination (CoD) estimation for modeling gene coexpression patterns. The algorithm allows exploration of transcriptional responses that involve coordinated expression of genes encoding proteins that work in concert in the cell. PathwayPro is based on a finite-state Markov chain model for mimicking dynamic behaviors of a transcriptional network. The algorithm allows quantitative assessment of a wide range of network responses, including susceptibility to disease, potential usefulness of a given drug, and consequences of such external stimuli as pharmacological interventions or caloric restriction. We demonstrated the applications of CoExMiner and PathwayPro by examining gene expression profiles of ligands and receptors in cancerous and non-cancerous cells and network dynamics of the leukemia-associated BCR-ABL pathway. The examinations disclosed both linear and nonlinear relationships of ligand-receptor interactions associated with cancer development, identified disease and drug targets of leukemia, and provided new insights into biology of the diseases. The analysis using these newly developed algorithms show the great usefulness of computational systems biology approaches for biological and medical research.
Historical Use of Cover Slips for Staining Bacterial Specimens: Early American bacteriologists persisted in using a cumbersome method, reluctant to break ranks with their European counterparts

There is probably no more universal technique in microbiology than the simple Gram stain. Early American textbooks and manuals describing bacteriological methods that were published between 1880 and 1915 consistently specified that bacteria be stained on cover slips. Many of these books provide great detail on how to prepare cover slips for staining purposes, including the use of special forceps to make the process less cumbersome. However, none explained why stains should be applied to specimens on cover slips rather than on microscope slides. Instead, the procedures described staining then heat fixing specimens on cover slips before placing each cover slip, bacteria side down, on a slide containing a drop of water and reading it with a high-power immersion lens.