cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Methods for detecting functional classifications in neuroimaging data.

Data-driven statistical methods are useful for examining the spatial organization of human brain function. Cluster analysis is one approach that aims to identify spatial classifications of temporal brain activity profiles. Numerous clustering algorithms are available, and no one method is optimal for all areas of application because an algorithm's performance depends on specific characteristics of the data. K-means and fuzzy clustering are popular for neuroimaging analyses, and select hierarchical procedures also appear in the literature. It is unclear which clustering methods perform best for neuroimaging data. We conduct a simulation study, based on PET neuroimaging data, to evaluate the performances of several clustering algorithms, including a new procedure that builds on the kth nearest neighbor method. We also examine three stopping rules that assist in determining the optimal number of clusters. Five hierarchical clustering algorithms perform best in our study, some of which are new to neuroimaging analyses, with Ward's and the beta-flexible methods exhibiting the strongest performances. Furthermore, Ward's and the beta-flexible methods yield the best performances for noisy data, and the popular K-means and fuzzy clustering procedures also perform reasonably well. The stopping rules also exhibit good performances for the top five clustering algorithms, and the pseudo-T2 and pseudo-F stopping rules are superior for noisy data. Based on our simulations for both noisy and unscaled PET neuroimaging data, we recommend the combined use of the pseudo-F or pseudo-T2 stopping rule along with either Ward's or the beta-flexible clustering algorithm. Hum Brain Mapp 23:109–119, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Children's Advocacy Project of Philadelphia's Cap4Kids Survey: An Innovative Tool for Pediatrician—Community-Based Organization Collaboration

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the online advocacy resource tool, the Children's Advocacy Project of Philadelphia (Cap4Kids), is effective in helping pediatrics residents and pediatricians learn more about community-based organizations (CBOs). This study used an online survey of Cap4Kids Listserv members and analyzed the responses by subgroups. Three hundred twenty-seven Listserv members responded to this survey. Of these respondents, 41 were pediatricians and 62 were pediatrics residents. Results from this study demonstrated that 60% of pediatrics residents and 85% of pediatricians who were introduced to the Cap4Kids resource reported that they became more or much more knowledgeable about the community-based resources that serve families in need in their communities. Additionally, 61.6% of pediatrics residents and 100% of pediatricians rated the Cap4Kids resource as an excellent or above average teaching tool for learning about CBOs in their community. The Cap4Kids resource is an effective tool for introducing pediatricians and pediatrics residents to CBOs in their community.
Effects of high-frequency noise on prenatal development and maternal plasma and uterine catecholamine concentrations in the CD-1 mouse.

Pregnant CD-1 mice were exposed to a high level (112 db) temporally cycled narrow band (18 to 20 kHz) noise from noon to midnight during either the preimplantation (Days 1 to 6) or postimplantation (Days 6 to 15) gestational stage. A reproductive and teratogenic study was conducted concurrently with determination of plasma norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EPI) and uterine NE content. Catecholamines were measured at three invariant times on Days 1 and 6 of the group exposed preimplantation, on Days 6, 10, and 15 of the group exposed postimplantation, and on Days 1, 6, 10, and 15 of the control group. On Day 18 of gestation, females were killed, their reproductive statuses were determined, and the concepti were weighed and examined for external, visceral, and skeletal alterations. Significantly decreased fetal weights were noted in groups exposed both pre- and postimplantation, and significantly decreased maternal weight gain was also noted in the latter group. Significant early entire litter resorption and an excess of malformed fetuses were noted in the group exposed postimplantation. Uterine NE content was nearly identical in control and exposed groups on Days 1 and 6, but exposed group values were suggestively (0.05 < p < 0.1) higher on Day 10 and higher (p < 0.05) on Day 15. In the group exposed on Days 1 through 6, plasma NE and EPI concentrations were similar to control values on Day 1 but were elevated (p < 0.05) on Day 6. Plasma NE was elevated on Day 15, and plasma EPI was elevated on Day 6 in the group exposed on Days 6 to 15. In addition, a significant (p < 0.05) overall NE elevation occurred in the group exposed on Days 6 to 15, and a suggestive (0.05 < p < 0.1) NE elevation occurred in the group exposed on Days 1 to 6. Suggestive overall (0.05 < p < 0.1) EPI elevations occurred in both exposed groups.
Molecular-dynamics simulations of viscosity and diffusion in a 2d dusty plasma

Summary form only given. Simulations are reported to model transport processes in two-dimensional layers of dust suspended in a plasma. These simulations are motivated by recent experiments, where the viscosity and diffusion coefficients of charged microspheres in a plasma were measured by tracking the motion of individual particles. Molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out for charged particles interacting through a screened-Coulomb interaction. The particles moved in a two-dimensional plane, mimicking the microspheres in the experiment which are levitated in a horizontal plane above the electrode of an RF glow discharge plasma. The kinetic temperature of the particles was controlled using a software thermostat. The particle equation of motion was integrated using periodic boundary conditions. In the temperature range that was investigated, the particles were strongly-coupled but not in a crystalline lattice. They flowed easily, but interacted mainly with nearest neighbors, like molecules in a liquid. In this liquid phase, the viscosity coefficient was found to have a minimum, unlike most simple liquids. This minimum is attributed to the contributions of potential energy and kinetic motion, which vary with temperature. Also reported are values of the diffusion coefficient as a function of temperature. It is found that a valid diffusion coefficient exists in this 2D liquid only at low temperatures near the freezing transition and at high temperatures where it is a non-ideal gas. At intermediate temperatures particle motion is super-diffusive as shown by the mean-squared displacement (MSD) method
A general and computationally fast formulation for radiative transfer with scattering

A general formulation of monocromatic radiative transfer with scattering has been developed for plane-parallel geometry. The inhomogeneous and nonisothermal medium absorbs, emits, and anisotropically scatters radiation. Surfaces can emit and scatter radiation in any specified manner. The solution procedure uses the fact that phase incoherent scattering is linear in radiative sources. Certain basic scattering functions are then defined and calculated by an adding computer code using matrix algebra. These scattering functions are weighted by the temperature field and summed (superimposed) to obtain the solution for any specific problem. Numerical results for exiting intensities and one-sided heat fluxes from general media bound by one arbitrary surface are presented. These parametric studies demonstrate the effects of scattering particles and surfaces on radiative transfer from inhomogeneous and nonisothermal media. Application of the formulation to radiative equilibrium is also discussed. The conclusion is that all problems in plane-parallel radiative transfer with scattering can be solved by a common and computationally fast algorithm based on this formulation.
Therapeutic response to pentoxifylline and its active metabolites in dogs with dermatomyositis

The purpose of this study was to determine a therapeutic dose for Trental® (pentoxifylline) when used to treat dogs with dermatomyositis. Eleven dogs diagnosed with dermatomyositis based on history, physical examination and biopsy were treated with pentoxifylline (46.5 ± 8 mg kg−1 divided twice daily) with food. Biweekly for 3 months, urinalyses, complete blood counts, serum chemistries and therapeutic drug monitoring (peak collected at 3 h and trough before the next dose) were collected. Dermatological lesions were assessed during each visit and given a score (0 = nonexistent, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate and 3 = severe). Serum concentrations of pentoxifylline (pentoxy) and metabolites 1 (M1) and 5 (M5) were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Descriptive statistics were generated for the drug concentrations. Although all animals responded to therapy, the time to initial response (skin lesions changed to a lower score compared with the initial visit) varied between all of the dogs. The range was 4 to 10 weeks, with a median of 6 weeks of therapy. Laboratory tests did not differ between the first and last sampling times (month 3). Pentoxifylline and M1 and M5 concentrations (ng mL−1) for the 11 dogs varied between dog and across time for each dog. In general, concentrations for all three compounds were detectable only with peak (3 h) samples. Concentrations for M5 were highest for all dogs at each sampling time, and appeared to be the most consistent and characterized by the least variability. Concentrations were not detectable in one dog for pentoxy or M1 at any time, but were detectable for M5. Data for this dog were not included. Based on the response to therapy in this study, a dose 25 mg kg−1 of pentoxifylline administered every 12 h appears to be an effective beginning dose. Because of variability in disposition, including metabolite formation, monitoring of pentoxifylline may not offer a therapeutic advantage. Funding: Collie Club of America Foundation.
Biomechanics of human thoracic ribs

Considerable advances have been made to determine the failure biomechanical properties of the human thoracic spinal column and its components. Except for a few fundamental studies, there is a paucity of such data for the costovertebral elements. The present study was designed to determine the biomechanics of the human thoracic spine ribs from a large population. Seventh and eighth ribs bilaterally were tested from 30 human cadavers using the principles of three-point bending techniques to failure. Biomechanical test parameters included the cross-sectional area (core, marrow, and total), moment of inertia, failure load, deflection, and the Young's elastic modulus. The strength-related results indicated no specific bias with respect to anatomical level and hemisphere (right or left), although the geometry-related variables demonstrated statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between the seventh and the eighth ribs. This study offers basic biomechanical information on the ultimate failure and geometric characteristics of the human thoracic spine ribs.
Comparative usefulness of deamidated gliadin antibodies in the diagnosis of celiac disease.

Background & Aims: Serologic tests are used frequently in celiac disease diagnosis. Gliadin antibodies generally lack the accuracy required for proper diagnosis. We evaluated the value of deamidated gliadin antibody measurements in the diagnosis and follow-up evaluation of celiac disease and compared their potential usefulness with that of gliadin and tissue-transglutaminase antibodies. Methods: We tested deamidated gliadin, gliadin, and tissue-transglutaminase–immunoglobulin (Ig)A and -IgG in 216 biopsy-selected subjects including 92 biopsy-proven untreated celiac patients (46% with total villous atrophy and 54% with partial villous atrophy) and 124 biopsy-proven nonceliac controls. Fifty-nine celiac patients also were tested after treatment with a gluten-free diet. Antibodies were measured by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Deamidated gliadin–IgA+G was detected using a conjugate reactive to both isotypes, which gives a positive if either isotype is present. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of deamidated gliadin–IgA (74%, 95%, and 86%), deamidated gliadin–IgG (65%, 98%, and 84%), and deamidated gliadin–IgA+G (75%, 94%, and 86%) were superior to gliadin-IgA (63%, 90%, and 79%) (P
The implementation of the AAPM task group 21 protocol by the radiological physics center and its implications

The Radiation Therapy Committee of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine appointed Task Group 21 to write a new protocol for the calibration of high‐energy photon and electron therapy beams. This protocol updates the physical parameters used in the calculations and is intended to account for differences in ionization chamber design and some differences between phantom materials that were not considered in previous protocols. This paper discusses how the Radiological Physics Center (RPC) intends to implement the new protocol, the changes required in the RPC calibration techniques, and the magnitude of the change in the RPC calculations of absorbed dose resulting from the implementation of the new protocol. Although the change in the RPC absorbed‐dose calculations will be only 0%–2% over the range of photon and electron energies of interest, some institutions using specific dosimetry systems may find their absorbed‐dose calculations changing by 4% or more.
Estrogen increases affinity of oxytocin receptors in the medial preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus.

Abstract Analysis of binding data from saturation experiments using a radiolabeled oxytocin antagonist ([125I]OTA) demonstrated an increase in binding affinity after treatment with 5 μg estradiol benzoate (EB) for 3 days in membrane fractions from the medial preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus (MPOA-AH) of ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Analysis of data from competition experiments revealed high- and low-affinity [125I]OTA binding sites in the MPOA-AH, the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH), and hippocampus of OVX controls. Three days of EB treatment reduced low-affinity binding sites in the MPOA-AH and MBH, but not in the hippocampus. Treatment of membrane fractions from the MPOA-AH of oil-treated OVX rats in vitro with 100 nM OT or with estrogen or progesterone conjugated to bovine serum albumin (E-BSA and P-BSA) also reduced low-affinity [125I]OTA binding sites but BSA alone did not.
Bacteriophage P1-mediated generalized transduction in Escherichia coli: fate of transduced DNA in rec+ and recA- recipients.

Abstract P1 transducing particles labeled with 32 P and 5-bromouracil were used to transduce [ 3 H]thymidine-labeled Escherichia coli . Cesium chloride gradient analysis of DNA extracted from the cultures showed that about 7–15% of the 32 P counts were associated with the recipient DNA in native and alkali-denatured samples from both Rec + and RecA − bacteria. At most, 9–15% of the associated 32 P label could be released as DNA fragments larger than 2 × 10 5 daltons but only when Rec + recipient DNA and not when RecA − DNA was sheared or sonicated. The released 32 P-labeled DNA equilibrated primarily in the heavy regions of CsCl gradients when samples were extracted during the first hour after transduction indicating that P1 transducing DNA can be integrated into bacterial DNA as double-stranded fragments. The size of the inserted DNA was estimated to be at least 5 × 10 6 daltons but substantially less than 6 × 10 7 daltons, the size of P1 transducing DNA. Such recombinant structures were not formed or were formed at reduced frequency in RecA − bacteria.
Intrathalamic Mechanisms of Visual Attention

The classical model of visual processing emphasizes the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) as the major intermediary between the retina and visual cortex. Yet, anatomical findings inspired Francis Crick to suggest an alternative model in which the thalamic reticular nucleus, which envelops the LGN, acts as the “guardian” of visual cortex by modulating LGN activity. Recent work by McAlonan and colleagues supports Crick's hypothesis, thereby enhancing our understanding of the early stages of visual processing.
Three-Dimensional Reconstruction Of Ultrasound Images

We have established a three-dimensional (3-D) imaging facility for reconstruction of serial two-dimensional (2-D) ultrasound images. In the facility, contiguous 2-D images are captured directly at the clinical site from the real-time video signals of a Labsonics serial ultrasound imager. The images are digitized and stored on an IBM PC. They are then transferred over an Ethernet communication network to the Image Processing Laboratory. Finally, the serial images are reformatted and the 3-D images are reconstructed on a Pixar image computer. The reconstruction method involves grey level remapping, slice interpolation, tissue classification, surface enhancement, illumination, projection, and display. We have demonstrated that 3-D ultra-sound images can be created which bring out features difficult to discern in 2-D ultrasound images.
Interface kinetics during pulsed laser ablation

This work investigates evaporation kinetics — the relation between the surface temperature and pressure during excimer laser ablation. Nickel targets are ablated by excimer laser pulses in a laser fluence range between 1 and 6 J/cm2, with the upper limit exceeding the threshold of phase explosion (5 J/cm2). The surface pressure is determined with a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) piezoelectric transducer. When phase explosion occurs, the surface temperature is known to be near the thermodynamic critical temperature, therefore, by measuring the surface pressure, the surface temperature-pressure relation is determined at the threshold fluence of phase explosion. The surface temperature and the threshold fluence of phase explosion are also estimated from the measured velocity of the vapor plume and gas dynamics calculations. It is shown that, during excimer laser ablation, the temperature and pressure relation deviates significantly from the equilibrium kinetic relation.
Functional role of CCCTC binding factor in insulin-stimulated cell proliferation.

Objectives CCCTC binding factor (CTCF) is a nuclear protein containing an 11-zinc-finger DNA-binding domain. CTCF plays important roles in the regulation of epigenetics and gene transcription. As a multifunctional protein, CTCF is also involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and of apoptosis. However, mechanisms underlining the regulatory function of CTCF in mediating growth factor- and cytokine-stimulated cell fate are largely unknown. Materials and methods The effect of CTCF on insulin-induced ML-1 cell proliferation was investigated by studying insulin-stimulated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) and Akt signalling pathways, and the alterations of CTCF activity in these cells. Results The present study demonstrates that insulin-induced human haematopoietic myeloblastic ML-1 cell proliferation requires increased CTCF expression. Inhibition of Erk and Akt pathways with specific blockers or by dominantly negative expression of Erk and Akt mutants markedly suppressed expression of CTCF and resulted in retardation of cell proliferation. Furthermore, insulin-induced ML-1 cell proliferation was significantly enhanced by overexpression of cDNA encoding full-length CTCF. In contrast, ML-1 cell proliferation was inhibited by knocking down CTCF mRNA using specific small interference RNA. Conclusions Our results indicate that CTCF is indeed a protein with multifunctional activity that plays a significant role in modulating signalling pathways to mediate insulin-induced ML-1 cell proliferation.
Predictors of first mental health service utilization among homeless and runaway adolescents.

Purpose: To describe and explain variations in first mental health service utilization before and after running away from home for homeless adolescents. Methods: Survey interviews were conducted with homeless and runaway youth in several Mid- western locations. The effects of family of origin factors and street experiences on the likelihood of seeing a mental health professional for the first time before running away and after running away for the first time were examined. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression methods are used to analyze these data. Interactions are tested across race and gender sub-groups. Results: Caretaker education, caretaker rejection, and family transitions increase the probability that an adolescent first sees a mental health professional before running away from home. Post-run intervention is more likely for females, younger runaways, shelter users, youths with social support networks, and youths abused by their caretakers. A gender gap in first service use exists for Whites but not for minority youth. Minority youth who experienced family abuse were less likely than abused Whites to report ever seeing a mental health professional. Conclusions: Analyses indicate homeless youth's utilization patterns are differentiated by family of origin factors, street experiences, timing of first utilization, and by race and gender interactions. Our findings suggest that youths whose first contact with mental health service use follows running away for the first time may experience higher levels of mental distress compared with other homeless runaways. The significant differences in first service use across race and gender subgroups should be further explored. The racial-ethnic gap in first mental health intervention for abused youths indicates this sub-group is not receiving services that are available to other homeless youths. Our findings suggest that homelessness does not homogenize racial/ethnic differences in first mental health service utilization. © 2005 Society for Adolescent Medicine. All rights reserved.
Shortening increases spontaneous contractility in myometrium from pregnant women at term

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether shortening alters spontaneous contractility in myometrial strips that are obtained from pregnant women. Study design Isometric contractions were measured in myometrial strips that were obtained at cesarean delivery from 14 pregnant women at term. After 2 hours of stretching, the strip lengths were decreased by 4%, 6%, or 8%. Spontaneous contractility was measured for 120 minutes with or without prostaglandin synthase inhibitor indomethacin (10 −5 mol/L), and the cumulative concentration response to oxytocin was determined. Results Contractility was increased by 29% and 34% in strips that shortened by 4% and 6%, respectively. Preincubation with indomethacin increased contractility by 15% in stretched strips and decreased contractility by 30% and 19% in 4% and 6% strips, respectively. Contraction frequency was increased by 26% and 53% for the strips that were shortened to 6% and 8%, respectively. These increases were prevented by indomethacin. The oxytocin responses were similar at all lengths. Conclusion Shortening of myometrial strips from pregnant women at term increases spontaneous contractility by a mechanism that apparently involves prostaglandins.
Disabilities Awareness and the Pre-service Teacher: A blueprint of a mentoring intervention

A method of mentoring pre-service teachers in a US setting aimed at enhancing their understanding of and sensitivity towards disabled learners is described and discussed. The study assumes that pre-service teachers need the opportunity to process and overcome their fears and assumptions about difference. The contemporary value of inclusiveness in education was made explicit through a teaching intervention that engaged pre-service students in learning about severely disabled persons and their issues. Student awareness of the disability literature was expanded through an encounter with a congenital amputee, a disabilities specialist who communicated how she wants teachers to relate to her. The data for this study were based on these reflective teaching methods, including class discussion, essay writing, and a survey, and on interviews conducted with the guest speaker.
Extramedullary hematopoiesis associated with myeloproliferative neoplasm manifesting as pleural effusion: case report and review of literature

Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) is a pathologic process associated with either a neoplastic myeloproliferation or a reactive hematological disorder. EMH most commonly occurs in the spleen and liver. Pleural EMH is rare and usually asymptomatic. We describe a 72-year-old man who presented with massive splenomegaly and a left pleural effusion. Pleural biopsy demonstrated EMH with an increase in CD34+ immature myeloid cells. The fluorescence in situ hybridization study performed on the myeloid cells in the pleural lesion confirmed clonal EMH with trisomy 8. The bone marrow biopsy revealed marked granulocytic and megakaryocytic hyperplasia associated with diffuse myelofibrosis. The cytogenetic study of the bone marrow showed trisomy 8. No BCR-ABL1 fusion, JAK2V617F or MPLW5I5K/L mutations were detected. Histological examination of the enlarged spleen showed extensive EMH associated with fibrosis. The final diagnosis of myeloproliferative neoplasm, favoring primary myelofibrosis, was given. A literature review of EMH in association with MPN is discussed.
Differential effects of temperature on the growth of Euglena gracilis.

Abstract Low incubation temperatures favor protoplasmic growth in Euglena whereas high incubation temperatures favor cell division. Maximal growth rate occurs at 25 °–30 °C and maximal accumulation of cellular material occurs at 13.3 °–17 °C. The dry weight of Euglena at 25 °–28.5 °C is less than half of what it is at 13.3–17 °C.
Criterion for instability of steady-state unsaturated flows

The stability of steady-state solutions to the unsaturated flow equation is examined. Conditions under which infinitesimal disturbances are amplified are determined by linear stability analysis. Uniform suction head profiles are shown to be linearly stable to three-dimensional disturbances. The stability of nonuniform suction head profiles to planar (gc 1 − χ 2) disturbances is examined. When the steady-state suction head solution (Ψ) increases with depth, χ3, (dΨ/dχ3 > 0), a condition for the amplification of infinitesimal planar disturbances is identified as $$\frac{{d^2 K(\Psi )}}{{d\Psi ^2 }} > \frac{{\left( {\frac{{dK(\Psi )}}{{d\Psi }}} \right)^2 }}{{K(\Psi )}},$$ , where K(Ψ) is the hydraulic conductivity versus suction head characteristic of the porous medium. The same condition applies when dΨ/dχ3 < -1. Therefore when the rate of change of the slope of the K - Ψ characteristic curves is larger than the squared slope divided by K, even small disturbances can be amplified exponentially. The smallest wavelength of unstable planar perturbations is shown to be inversely related to the coarseness of the soil. Conditions under which the instability criterion is met are delineated for some commonly employed K - Ψ curves.
X-ray digital industrial radiography (DIR) for local liquid velocity (VLL) measurement in trickle bed reactors (TBRs): Validation of the technique

Local liquid velocity measurements in Trickle Bed Reactors (TBRs) are one of the essential components in its hydrodynamic studies. These measurements are used to effectively determine a reactor's operating condition. This study was conducted to validate a newly developed technique that combines Digital Industrial Radiography (DIR) with Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) to measure the Local Liquid Velocity (VLL) inside TBRs. Three millimeter-sized Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) beads were used as packing material. Three validation procedures were designed to test the newly developed technique. All procedures and statistical approaches provided strong evidence that the technique can be used to measure the VLL within TBRs.
Homotopical uniqueness of classifying spaces

If G is a connected compact Lie group, then for almost all prime numbers p the mod p cohomology ring of the classifying space BG is a finitely generated polynomial algebra. In 1961, N. Steenrod [24] asked in general for a determination of all spaces X such that H∗(X,Fp) is a finitely generated polynomial algebra (i.e., such that X has a polynomial cohomology ring); at that time, the only examples known were spaces of the form X = BG. There has been a lot of subsequent progress on this problem. On one hand, the topological constructions of Sullivan [25, p. 4.28], as exploited by Clark-Ewing [8] and Wilkerson [27], have led to the discovery of exotic spaces X with polynomial cohomology rings. On the other hand, the algebraic arguments of Wilkerson [26] and Adams-Wilkerson [1] have shown in some generality that if X is any space with a polynomial cohomology ring then H∗(X,Fp) must be one of the polynomial algebras listed in [8]. However, there is still a gap here between topology and algebra; in this paper we act to narrow the gap and in some cases to close it. Suppose that p is an odd prime. Let K be the category of unstable algebras [18] over the mod p Steenrod algebra Ap and Kpoly the full subcategory of K consisting of objects which as rings are finitely generated polynomial algebras. If X is a p-complete space with H(X,Fp) ∈ Kpoly we extend the ideas of [1] by associating to X a finite p-adic linear group WX generated by pseudoreflections (see 1.1); given any such finite group W such that p does not divide the order of W, we then show (1.2) that there is up to homotopy exactly one p-complete space X with H∗(X,Fp) ∈ Kpoly and WX = W. In a variety of particular situations (1.3, 1.4) this gives a bijective correspondence between finite group data and homotopy types of p-complete spaces with polynomial cohomology rings.
Roles of leukotrienes in bovine corpus luteum regression: an in vivo microdialysis study.

AbstractA microdialysis system (MDS) was surgically implanted into the corpora lutea (CL) of 12 normally cycling Holstein heifers. Heifers were either allowed to undergo spontaneous luteolysis (Spontaneous, n = 6) or received an intramuscular injection of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) on Day 12 of the estrous cycle (Induced, n = 6). The MDS was implanted on Day 11 in the Induced heifers and on Day 17 in Spontaneous heifers. CL were perfused with Ringer's solution at a flow rate of 3 ml/hr beginning immediately after surgery. Dialysate samples were collected hourly for 3-4 days. Samples were assayed for progesterone (P4), oxytocin (OT), PGF, and leukotrienes B (LTB) and C (LTC). Dialysate OT was undetected in all but one Spontaneous and one Induced heifer. Lipoxygenase products of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism (LTB and LTC) in the dialysate were found to be closely associated with luteal regression. In Spontaneous heifers, the mean interval from the first hormone peak to the onset of P, decline was similar ...
Molecular Biology of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-Positive Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma

Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) provides an excellent example of how molecular insights into tumor pathogenesis are influencing and improving tumor classification. ALCL was described initially as a subtype of T-cell/null-cell lymphoma characterized by unusual tumor cell morphology and the expression of CD30. However, it was soon recognized that a subset of ALCLs contained chromosomal translocations involving anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), a novel receptor tyrosine kinase gene. These rearrangements create chimeric genes encoding self-associating, constitutively active ALK fusion proteins that activate a number of downstream effectors, including phospholipase C-gamma, phosphoinositol 3'-kinase, RAS, and signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins, all of which seem potentially important in cellular transformation. Not all tumors classified as ALCLs have ALK rearrangements and, conversely, ALK rearrangements occur in lymphomas of widely varying morphology. Hence, only molecular markers can reliably identify ALK+ ALCL. The importance of doing so is reflected by clinical studies suggesting that ALK+ ALCLs have a significantly better prognosis than other aggressive peripheral T-cell or B-cell lymphomas, including ALK- ALCLs. The unique molecular pathogenesis of ALK+ ALCL is likely to lead to novel therapeutic approaches directed at specific inhibition of ALK or downstream effectors.
From Cradle to Junkyard: Assessing the Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Benefits of Electric Vehicles

U.S. programs subsidize electric vehicles (EVs) in part to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We model a suite of life cycle GHG emissions considerations to estimate the GHG abatement potential from switching from an internal combustion engine vehicle (ICE) to an EV in the continental U.S. The GHG intensity of EVs hinges on the electricity and ambient temperature when charged and operated. Both have high spatial and temporal heterogeneity, yet are typically modeled inadequately or overlooked entirely. We calculate marginal emissions, including renewables, for electricity by region and test forecasted grid composition to estimate future performance. Location and timing of charging are important GHG determinants, but temperature effects on EV performance can be equally important. On average, EVs slightly reduce GHGs relative to ICEs, but there are many regions where EVs provide a decisive benefit and others where EVs are significantly worse. The forecasted grid shifts from coal towards renewables, improving EV performance; the GHG benefit per EV in western states is roughly $425 today and $2400 in 2040.
Does the Benefit Justify the Risk

The past two decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Since the introduction of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, approximately 90 000 additional men have been diagnosed annually and large numbers of these men have received treatments, such as radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy, or androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Before the widespread use of PSA screening, an American man had an 8.7% lifetime risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer and a 2.5% risk of dying from this disease ( 1 ). By 2005, the lifetime risk of being diagnosed had increased to 17%, whereas the lifetime risk of dying from prostate cancer remained virtually unchanged ( 2 ). PSA screening has dramatically changed the type of patient presenting with newly diagnosed disease. Men now rarely present with symptoms. Between 1996 and 2004, most men (91%) were diagnosed with local or regional disease ( 2 ). The rational for treating these men is no longer to relieve symptoms but rather to prevent prostate cancer progression. Unfortunately, data from randomized trials are sparse concerning the effi cacy of this approach.
Nitrogen nutrition and pathway of ammonia assimilation in brown Rhodospirillum species

Nine strains of brown rhodospirilla, i.e. Rhodospirillum photometricum, R. molischianum and R. fulvum were examined with respect to nitrogen nutrition and the pathway of ammonia assimilation. R. photometricum strains were nutritionally more versatile than strains of the other two species; glutamate, aspartate, and several other amino acids supported good growth of R. photometricum but were poorly utilized by R. molischianum and R. fulvum. Glutamine and N2 supported excellent growth of strains of all species. The glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase pathway served as the major means of ammonia assimilation in brown rhodospirilla; no evidence for glutamate dehydrogenase was obtained from any species. NADPH was required as coenzyme for glutamate synthase activity in R. photometricum strain while only NADH served in this connection in R. molischianum and R. fulvum.
Simulating the climatic effects on vegetation: approaches, issues and challenges

Vegetation modelling has been viewed as a major approach for examining the dynamics of vegetation under climatic change. However, the characterization of uncertainty of model results is still a key issue. In order to improve future model-based research, it is important to synthesize the current approaches and the issues that arise in vegetation modelling and to propose potential strategies for improving model-based research. This study fi rst reviews the progress of vegetation models from static-equilibrium to transient-dynamic and to current coupled multi-objective vegetation models. Then, the four main sources leading to the uncertainty of model results are described, including (1) factors related to vegetation models (their structure, assumption and parameterization), (2) the data used to run a model, (3) the approaches used to validate model results, and (4) the spatiotemporal scaling issues involved in vegetation modelling. Finally, four strategies are proposed for improving future model-based research. These include improvements in the model structure and parameterization, enhancement of the quality of analytical data, improvement of the analytical approaches, and continued development of coupled dynamic vegetation models. Using a literature synthesis, this study provides researchers with a general guidance on applying vegetation models for simulating the effects of climatic variations on terrestrial vegetation.
Practical suffix tree construction

Large string datasets are common in a number of emerging text and biological database applications. Common queries over such datasets include both exact and approximate string matches. These queries can be evaluated very efficiently by using a suffix tree index on the string dataset. Although suffix trees can be constructed quickly in memory for small input datasets, constructing persistent trees for large datasets has been challenging. In this paper, we explore suffix tree construction algorithms over a wide spectrum of data sources and sizes. First, we show that on modern processors, a cache-efficient algorithm with O(n2) complexity outperforms the popular O(n) Ukkonen algorithm, even for in-memory construction. For larger datasets, the disk I/O requirement quickly becomes the bottleneck in each algorithm's performance. To address this problem, we present a buffer management strategy for the O(n2) algorithm, creating a new disk-based construction algorithm that scales to sizes much larger than have been previously described in the literature. Our approach far outperforms the best known disk-based construction algorithms.
The Influence of Cohesive Zone Modeling on the Stress Field and Energy Release Rates in a Cracked Elastic Body

that varies with distance, r, from the crack tip as r 1 2 . In this paper, a traction free plane stress wedge with a discrete cohesive zone along the intended crack-path is studied. Of interest is the in uence of the cohesive zone on the crack tip stress eld. Further, the in uence of the cohesive zone on the strain energy release rate is also investigated. Two example problems are studied; a double cantilever beam and an in nitely wide plate with a through-the-thickness crack. The objective of this paper is to examine the conditions under which a cohesive zone model can be used to represent an intended crack-path without unduly altering the original problem being investigated.
Lightweight Chip Multi-Threading (LCMT): Maximizing Fine-Grained Parallelism On-Chip

Irregular and dynamic applications, such as graph problems and agent-based simulations, often require fine-grained parallelism to achieve good performance. However, current multicore processors only provide architectural support for coarse-grained parallelism, making it necessary to use software-based multithreading environments to effectively implement fine-grained parallelism. Although these software-based environments have demonstrated superior performance over heavyweight, OS-level threads, they are still limited by the significant overhead involved in thread management and synchronization. In order to address this, we propose a Lightweight Chip Multi-Threaded (LCMT) architecture that further exploits thread-level parallelism (TLP) by incorporating direct architectural support for an “unlimited” number of dynamically created lightweight threads with very low thread management and synchronization overhead. The LCMT architecture can be implemented atop a mainstream architecture with minimum extra hardware to leverage existing legacy software environments. We compare the LCMT architecture with a Niagara-like baseline architecture. Our results show up to 1.8X better scalability, 1.91X better performance, and more importantly, 1.74X better performance per watt, using the LCMT architecture for irregular and dynamic benchmarks, when compared to the baseline architecture. The LCMT architecture delivers similar performance to the baseline architecture for regular benchmarks.
Meta-analysis of probiotics for the prevention of antibiotic associated diarrhea and the treatment of Clostridium difficile disease

Meta-Analysis of Probiotics for the Prevention of Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea and the Treatment of Clostridium difficile Disease
Finiteness properties of automorphism groups of right-angled Artin groups

We study the algebraic structure of the outer automorphism group of a general right-angled Artin group. We show that this group is virtually torsion-free and has finite virtual cohomological dimension. This generalizes results proved earlier by the authors and Crisp for 2-dimensional right-angled Artin groups.
Quality signaling through warranty & brand reputation

When product quality is unobservable to consumers, a manufacturer can convey quality information using signals such as warranty and brand reputation. The purpose of this paper is to study the interaction between warranty, brand reputation, and product quality, and to examine alternative quality-signaling strategies. We model a monopolist who conveys unobservable product quality through signals of warranty and brand reputation. Heterogeneous consumers perceive the signals, form quality beliefs, and make purchase decisions. Consumers also update brand reputation perceptions after product consumptions. Under this framework, we study the monopolist's optimal decisions of price, warranty, and quality in a one-period model.
The ecology of city policymaking

This work presents a new method of analyzing urban public policy. The author has created a theoretical "life-cycle" of the policy-making process in American cities, which is used to explain several crucial aspects of urban policy formulation. These aspects include how issues emerge and are placed on the agenda of local government, and how the age of cities affects the process and content of policy-making. Robert Waste's ecology model highlights the limitations and weaknesses of the processes through which urban problems such as crime, inadequate state schools, pollution, poverty and toxic waste disposal are addressed. The study aims to bridge two areas of study by providing both theoretical and case-study links between the fields of public policy and urban politics.
Ring expanded rapamycin derivatives

Abstract Two ring expanded rapamycin derivatives were synthesized from secorapamycin acid via sequential conjugate addition and high dilution macrolactone (lactam) formation.
Modeling adaptive node capture attacks in multi-hop wireless networks

We investigate the problem of modeling node capture attacks in heterogeneous wireless ad hoc and mesh networks. Classical adversarial models such as the Dolev-Yao model are known to be unsuitable for describing node capture attacks. By defining the amortized initialization overhead cost as well as the cost of capturing a node, we show that finding the node capture attack yielding the minimum cost can be formulated as an integer-programming minimization problem. Hence, there is no polynomial solution to find the minimum cost node capture attack. We show that depending on the adversary's knowledge of the constraint matrix in the integer-programming problem, different greedy heuristics can be developed for node capture attacks. We also show under what conditions privacy-preserving key establishment protocols can help to prevent minimum cost node capture attacks. Individual node storage randomization is investigated as a technique to mitigate the effect of attacks which are not prevented by the use of privacy-preserving protocols. It is shown that probabilistic heuristic attacks can be performed effectively even under storage randomization.
UF/sup 3/-a 4-D DSP hypercube with a robust programming environment

The UF/sup 3/ is a 4-D hypercube multiprocessor system which is integrated with an innovative programming environment. The architecture of UF/sup 3/ contains fully programmable nodes which allow use of the system to address problems with arbitrary entities. The self-scheduling programming environment of UF/sup 3/ uses its bottom-up approach to balance the workload among the processors. The architecture provides the digital signal processor (DSP) community with a high-bandwidth general-purpose accelerator array having a high degree of computational accuracy and a robust programming environment. The principal application of the UF/sup 3/ is serving the numerically intensive computational needs of the DSP community. >
Inotropic therapy for heart failure: an evidence-based approach.

Abstract Background Agents that increase cardiac contractility (positive inotropes) have beneficial hemodynamic effects in patients with acute and chronic heart failure but have frequently led to increased mortality when given on a long-term basis. Despite this fact, inotropes remain commonly used in the management of heart failure. Methods We reviewed the available data on short- and long-term inotrope use in heart failure, emphasizing high-quality evidence on the basis of randomized trials that were powered to address clinical end points. Results Available data suggest that long-term inotropic therapy has a negative impact on survival in patients with heart failure, regardless of the agent used. The data that inotropic therapy improves quality of life are mixed. High-quality randomized evidence is lacking for the use of inotropes for other heart failure indications, such as for acute decompensations or as a "bridge to transplant." Conclusions On the basis of the available evidence, the routine use of inotropes as heart failure therapy is not indicated in either the acute or chronic setting. Potentially appropriate uses of inotropes include as temporary treatment of diuretic-refractory acute heart failure decompensations or as a bridge to definitive treatment such as revascularization or cardiac transplantation. Inotropes also may be appropriate as a palliative measure in patients with truly end-stage heart failure. A model of heart failure pathophysiologic features that combines an understanding of both hemodynamic and neurohormonal factors will be required to best develop and evaluate novel treatments for advanced heart failure. (Am Heart J 2001;142:393-401.)
Thomas Southcliffe Ashton 1889–1968: A Memoir

To those senior citizens and somewhat younger members of our guild who attended the 1949 annual meeting of the Association at Rutgers University, the death of Professor Ashton last September may revive memories of his lively participation in the program of that meeting. Others may have met him during his spring semester as visiting professor at Johns Hopkins in 1952, with side trips to some eastern campuses followed by a summer school stint at Columbia. Meanwhile the publisher's royalty statements indicate that tens of thousands of students in this continent and elsewhere yearly continue to buy his classic little volume The Industrial Revolution, 1760–1830 (1948).