cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
mTORC1 and p53: Clash of the gods?

A balance must be struck between cell growth and stress responses to ensure that cells proliferate without accumulating damaged DNA. This balance means that optimal cell proliferation requires the integration of pro-growth and stress-response pathways. mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) is a pleiotropic kinase found in complex 1 (mTORC1).The mTORC1 pathway governs a response to mitogenic signals with high energy levels to promote protein synthesis and cell growth. In contrast, the p53DNA damage response pathway is the arbiter of cell proliferation, restraining mTORC1 under conditions of genotoxic stress. Recent studies suggest a complicated integration of these pathways to ensure successful cell growth and proliferation without compromising genome maintenance. Deciphering this integration could be key to understanding the potential clinical usefulness of mTORC1 inhibitors like rapamycin. Here we discuss how these p53-mTORC1 interactions might play a role in the suppression of cancer and perhaps the development of cellular senescence and organismal aging.
Antibióticos em tonsilectomias : terapêutico ou profilático? Necessário ou abusivo?

Adenotonsillectomy is one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the pediatric and young adult populations. The postoperative morbidity of this surgical procedure is often significant, including odynophagia, dysphagia, fever, halitosis, loss of weight and reduced oral intake. After tonsillectomy, with or without adenoidectomy, the colonization of the open tonsillar fossae by the bacterial population of the oral cavity would cause an exacerbation of the local inflammatory response worsening postoperative pain. The hypothesis that a reduction of the bacterial population of an open surgical wound could minimize the local inflammation, stimulate the healing process and hasten recovery triggered a considerable number of studies addressing the relation between the use of perioperative antibiotics and postoperative morbidity of adenotonsillectomy. In spite of the fact that those studies claim to perform an assessment of the surgical prophylactic use of antibiotics, their outline is not in compliance with the worldwide-accepted principles of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis. By performing a critical review of the literature, the authors discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using antibiotics in tonsillectomies or adenotonsillectomies, as well as the most appropriate definition for its utilization.
The Effects of Wall Cooling on Aero-Optical Aberrations Caused by Subsonic Turbulent Boundary Layers

Results of recent experimental measurements of the effect of partial wall cooling on aero-optical aberrations in subsonic, compressible turbulent boundary layers are presented for a range of subsonic Mach numbers and partial wall cooling locations. Optical measurements with high spatial- and temporal-resolution are obtained with a Malley Probe for a range of wall temperatures and for different cooling section lengths and locations. Detailed statistical analysis of temporal spectra and average values of aero-optical distortions are presented as a function of wall temperature to evaluate the effect of modified wall temperature on optical wavefront fluctuations and boundary layer turbulent structures. It was concluded that the near-aperture wall cooling is more efficient way to reduce aerooptical distortions, compared to the far-upstream wall cooling. In addition, modifications to the theoretical model which predicts levels of aero-optic aberrations for partial wall cooling are presented and discussed.
A Needle-and-Thread Approach to Bilayer Transport: Permeation of a Molecular Umbrella−Oligonucleotide Conjugate across a Phospholipid Membrane

A di-walled molecular umbrella, composed of two choloyl groups, one spermidine moiety, and a 5-thiol(2-nitrobenzoyl) "handle", was covalently attached to a 16-mer oligonucleotide (S-dT16) through a disulfide bond. Incubation of this conjugate (1) with vesicles made from 1-palmitoyl-2-oleyol-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylglycerol (95/5, mol/mol) (200 nm diameter, extrusion) that contained entrapped glutathione (GSH) at 37 degrees C resulted in the liberation of the oligonucleotide and the umbrella-bound 5-mercapto(2-nitrobenzoyl) moiety (USH) via thiolate-disulfide interchange. The appearance of USH, together with the absence of leakage of entrapped GSH and a vesicular capture of the oligonucleotide that matches the extent of USH formation, provides compelling evidence for delivery of S-dT16 into the aqueous compartment of these vesicles. In a sense, the molecular umbrella functions like a "needle" in providing a pathway for the oligonucleotide (the "thread") to cross the membrane.
Classical hadrodynamics: application to soft nucleon-nucleon collisions

Abstract We present results for soft nucleon-nucleon collisions at P lab = 14.6, 30, 60, 100 and 200 GeV/ c calculated on the basis of classical hadrodynamics for extended nucleons. This theory, which corresponds to nucleons of finite size interacting with massive neutral scalar and vector meson fields, is the classical analogue of the quantum hadrodynamics of Serot and Walecka but without the assumptions of the mean-field approximation and of point nucleons. The theory is manifestly Lorentz-covariant and automatically includes space-time nonlocality and retardation, nonequilibrium phenomena, interactions among all nucleons and particle production when used for applications such as relativistic heavy-ion collisions. We briefly review the history of classical meson-field theory and present our classical relativistic equations of motion, which are solved to yield such physically observable quantities as scattering angle, transverse momentum, radiated energy and rapidity. We find that the theory provides a physically reasonable description of gross features associated with the soft reactions that dominate nucleon-nucleon collisions. The equations of motion are practical to solve numerically for relativistic heavy-ion collisions.
Effective Slip Coefficients for Coupled Conduction-Radiation Problems

Combined conduction and radiation transfer equations solutions for absorbing-emitting gas, obtaining slip coefficient for diffusion solution correct boundary condition
Descending serotonergic, peptidergic and cholinergic pathways from the raphe nuclei: A multiple transmitter complex

The localization of serotonergic, various peptidergic and possibly cholinergic neurons in the medullary raphe nuclei that project to the lumbosacral spinal cord have been studied using a retrograde transport method combined with immunocytochemical and histochemical techniques. Spinally projecting neurons stained for serotonin-like, substance P-like, enkephalin-like and thyrotropin-releasing hormone-like immunoreactivity and for the histochemical marker acetylcholinesterase were all observed in each of the raphe nuclei of the medulla, as well as in the adjacent ventrolateral reticular formation. The similar distributions of the descending serotonergic and peptidergic neurons in the raphe nuclei as well as quantitative data on their relative numbers suggest that a large fraction of raphe-spinal neurons contain serotonin co-existing with one or more peptides in the same cell.
Religious Behavior, Sleep Quantity, Sleep Quality, and Sleep Disorders in American Adults

Khalsa and others have reported benefits of spiritual practices in the management of poor sleep quality. 1,2 But little is known about the relationship of religious practice and sleep quality in the US general population 3 . To test the hypothesis that those who frequently attend religious services have better sleep quality than others, data from 3,025 adults, older than 40 years old, in a 2005–2006 national survey 4 were examined to relate short sleep duration of less than 7 hours, poor sleep, and diagnosed sleep disorder to frequency of attendance at religious services (FARS) (more than or equal to versus less than weekly). Due to interactions with age, logistic regression was performed within age groups (40–59, 60–89 and older) adjusting for age (years) and gender, 5 or age, gender, race (black, nonblack), ethnicity (Hispanic, non-Hispanic), education (less than high school, more than or equal to high school), and self-reported health status (fair/poor, good/very good/excellent). 6 Adjusted odds ratios (OR) comparing more than or equal to a weekly basis FARS with less than weekly basis FARS, did not differ significantly at the pG0.01 level from 1.0 for short sleep, poor sleep, or sleep disorder. Only for short sleep in persons aged 40–59 years old did an inverse association in the second model approach that level of significance (OR0 0.75, 95% CI 0.59–0.94, p00.018). Further analyses revealed an interaction with gender in that group such that in women, the OR00.58, 95% CI 0.41–0.81, p00.004, but in men OR00.97 (0.66–1.44, p00.88). In conclusion, FARS was inconsistently and generally not significantly associated with three measures of sleep. Further research on other dimensions of religiousness may clarify the role of varied spiritual practices in behavioral health service delivery.
Short latency somatosensory and spinal evoked potentials: Power spectra and comparison between high pass analog and digital filter

Abstract Medium nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) and intraoperative spinal evoked potentials were analyzed using different analog and zero phase shift digital high pass filter and by power spectrum. Additionally, high pass analog and digital filtering was performed on various sine, triangular and rectangular waves manufactured by a wave form generator. Recordings were also transformed to the 1st and 2nd time derivatives. The great abundance of spectral energy for scalp recorded median nerve SSEPs was below 125 c/sec but lower energy fast frequency components consistently extended to 500 c/sec. Power spectrum of the Erb's point compound nerve action potential revealed a wide band of spectral energy commencing at about 50–100 c/sec, peaking at about 250–270 c/sec and extending to nearly 1000 c/sec. This suggests that synchronous axonal activity generates predominantly faster frequencies above 100 c/sec. High pass analog filter confers phase non-linearity which results in various distortions including latency shift and a morphological change which may be visually similar to the 1st or 2nd time derivatives. High pass zero phase shift digital filter removes selected low frequencies without accompanying phase distortion. This accentuates fast peaks seen at open bandpass as well as transition points between baseline and component ascent or descent. Zero phase shift digital filter may also generate peaks that are not visualized at open pass but which reflect the sum of frequencies which were not removed by filtering. These peaks do not necessarily correspond to discrete singular neuroanatomical structures. Although peaks observed in high pass analog and digital filter appear similar and comparable, their underlying activity may be of different origin. This is because high pass analog filter projects a considerable amount of overlap from earlier onto later waves. For clinical correlation it is important that restricted bandpass analog or digitally filtered recordings be compared with open pass data. Only those peaks visualized in both open and restricted bandpass can be considered authentic. Examples of spinal and scalp SSEPs indicate that selective filtering may, under certain circumstances, distinguish axonal or lemniscal from synaptic generators.
Creative thought: Structure, components, and educational implications

Fostering creativity has been a primary goal of many programs for gifted students. To design appropriate educational programs for developing creative thinking skills, however, requires an understanding of the nature of creative thought. In this article, the author reviews recent studies on the cognitive mechanisms underlying creative thought and proposes a general model. This model holds that creative thought involves interactions among a number of distinct cognitive components. Some of the implications of this model for the design of effective educational programs are discussed.
Competitive Balance and Attendance: The Case of Major League Baseball

Both the popular press and industry insiders have claimed that the growing gap between the “rich” and “poor” teams in major league baseball has led to a greater disparity on the field of play and t...
Chemotherapy in recurrent noncystic low-grade astrocytomas of the cerebrum in children.

Six children with grade II astrocytomas were treated with combination chemotherapy consisting of 1,3 bis(2-chloroethyl) 1-nitrosourea (BCNU), Vincristine (VCR), intrathecal Methotrexate (i.t. MTX), and Dexamethasone. Of the children, 3 showed a partial remission, and 1 other showed clinical improvement. Our data suggest that chemotherapy is effective in low-grade astrocytomas, and there is now a need for larger trials in low-grade astrocytomas to document the role of chemotherapy accurately in these tumors. It is suggested that trials of chemotherapy as adjuvant to surgery and radiotherapy should be initiated.
Kainic acid responses and toxicity show pronounced Ca2+ dependence.

Abstract Responses of pyramidal neurons to ionophoretic kainate, quisqualate and N-methyl aspartate were studied in a submerged rat piriform cortex slice as a function of Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations. The results suggest that (a) the channel activated by kainate is unusually influenced by Ca2+, (b) excitotoxicity is Ca2+-dependent and a function of Ca2+ concentration, and (c) the excitotoxic actions of various amino acid agonists are correlated with the Ca2+ dependence of their responses.
Influence of wall permeability on turbulent boundary-layer properties

Experimental boundary-layer studies of a series of low pressure drop, permeable surfaces have been conducted to characterize their surface interaction with a turbulent boundary layer. The models were flat and tested at nominally zero pressure gradient in low speed air. The surfaces were thin metal sheets with discrete perforations. Direct drag balance measurements of skin friction indicate that the general effect of surface permeability is to increase drag above that of a smooth plate reference level. Heuristic arguments are presented to show that this type of behavior is to be expected. Other boundary-layer data are also presented including mean velocity profiles and conditionally sampled streamwise velocity fluctuations (hot wire) for selected models.
Changes in the Binding Capacity of Hepatic Membranes for Epidermal Growth Factor during Multistage Hepatocarcinogenesis in Rats

Abstract To study changes in hepatic capacity for binding epidermal growth factor (EGF) during 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF)-induced, multistage hepatocarcinogenesis, a 5 cycle protocol of discontinuous 2-AAF administration was used to produce hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. The hallmark of the 5 cycle protocol is that rats fed 1 to 3 cycles of 2-AAF are at low risk for cancer, while rats fed 2-AAF for 4 or 5 cycles are at high risk for cancer. EGF binding by liver membranes was found to be lowered to 20–25% of control throughout the 5 cycle regimen. When the persistence of lowered EGF binding was tested by returning rats fed 2-AAF for 1 to 3 cycles to diet without 2-AAF for 3 weeks, binding was found to recover to 80 to 90% of values for control rats. In contrast, for rats fed 2-AAF for 4 or 5 cycles, EGF binding capacity remained low, 30 to 40% of control, following placement of rats on diet without 2-AAF for 3 weeks. Immunochemical analysis indicated a close correspondence between changes in EGF receptor levels and changes in the above EGF binding levels. These studies show that during the 2-AAF protocol, the 2-AAF-mediated loss in hepatic EGF binding capacity and EGF receptor protein undergo a transition from a reversible loss to a persistent loss in binding capacity, and EGF receptor protein, as rats underwent a change from low to high risk for developing hepatocarcinomas. The persistent decrease in hepatic EGF binding level may be associated with the progression stage of hepatocarcinogenesis.
Systematics and mimicry of the genus Neocorynura: an example of two species from Central America (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

A case of probable mimicry in two species of bees in the genus Neocorynura (Neocorynura rufa MICHENER, 1954 and N. panamensis ENGEL, 1997) is described; di- agnostic characters and a key to separate the species of Central American bees with black-red (aposematic) pattern of coloration are also provided. The phylogeny of selected species groups and the evolution of different mimicries in the genus are discussed.
The effect of platelet-rich plasma and bone marrow on murine posterolateral lumbar spine arthrodesis with bone morphogenetic protein.

Background: Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) has had limited success in stimulating osteogenesis at the site of posterolateral lumbar spine arthrodesis when used at the currently approved human dose for anterior lumbar interbody arthrodesis. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of co-administration of fresh harvested autologous bone marrow aspirate and platelet-rich plasma on rhBMP-2-mediated in vivo murine posterolateral lumbar spine arthrodesis. Methods: Forty adult male mice underwent posterolateral intertransverse process arthrodesis from L4 to L6. In three experimental groups, a collagen sponge was placed on each side, overlaying the decorticated transverse processes. Each collagen sponge was presoaked for fifteen minutes with 31 μg of rhBMP-2 in a 100- μ L solution containing either saline solution (n = 10), platelet-rich plasma (n = 10), or donor bone-marrow cells (n = 10). Control mice underwent decortication alone (n = 10). The lumbar spine was harvested four weeks after surgery, and spinal fusion was evaluated on the basis of radiographs, computed tomography, and histological analysis. Results: Control mice showed no evidence of spinal fusion. The rate of fusion was radiographically and histologically similar in all three experimental groups. The area, volume, and density of the fusion mass were significantly greater (p < 0.05) for the group treated with rhBMP-2 and bone marrow as compared with the group treated with rhBMP-2 alone. The group treated with rhBMP-2 and platelet-rich plasma had intermediate fusion area and density. Histologically, the spines treated with rhBMP-2 alone consistently showed the presence of cortical bone between the two transverse processes but fewer trabeculae within the fusion mass; bone marrow co-augmentation resulted in more trabeculae within the fusion mass and a thicker cortical perimeter. Conclusions: The present study quantitatively confirmed a synergistic effect of bone marrow cells when added to rhBMP-2 in an in vivo mouse posterolateral lumbar spine fusion model. The volume, area, and density of the fusion mass were significantly increased by augmentation with bone marrow cells. Clinical Relevance: Increasing the success of rhBMP-2 augmented posterolateral lumbar spine fusion needs to be further explored in the context of its synergistic mechanisms with other locally available osteoprogenitor cells and growth factors. Additional studies involving higher animals and clinical trials involving humans will be required before this synergistic activity is used clinically.
Solving For The General Linear Transformation Relating 3-D Objects From The Minimum Moments

This paper describes an extension of previous moment based techniques for the solution of the general linear transformation that describes the relationship between two 3D objects given either a 3D density map or a sufficient number of projections of the object. It is shown that values of the second and third order 3D moments are sufficient to solve this problem. The solution technique exploits the tensor nature of the moment set to enable solution of the object transformation matrix by direct (non-iterative) means. An implementation is also described that uses a fast moment method to generate the required data from object descriptions. Experimental results are shown.
Validation of a novel CHX-A'' derivative suitable for peptide conjugation: small animal PET/CT imaging using yttrium-86-CHX-A''-octreotide.

A versatile bifunctional chelating reagent based on a preorganized cyclohexyl derivative of DTPA (CHX-A‘ ‘) has been developed for the convenient N-terminal labeling of peptides with metal ion radionuclides of Bi(III), In(III), Lu(III), or Y(III). This was achieved via the synthesis of a mono-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl penta-tert-butyl ester derivative of CHX-A‘ ‘ (trans-cyclohexyldiethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid) featuring a glutaric acid spacer. Commercially obtained octreotide was modified at its N-terminus by this reagent in the solution phase, and its subsequent radiolabeling with 111In (T1/2 = 2.8 d) and 86Y (T1/2 = 14.7 h) demonstrated. Small animal PET/CT imaging results of 86Y-CHX-A‘ ‘-octreotide in a somatostatin receptor-positive tumor-bearing rat model are presented for the validation of the novel agent.
Will History Rhyme

History tells us that global capital markets can contract as well as expand?and a long-term view of finance suggests investors should prepare for periodic segmentation as well as integration of markets in the 21st century. Anti-capitalist ideologies have historically been the vectors of attack on the cross-border flow of capital, when the fundamental cause may really be domestic hostility toward foreign ownership and control, and the roots of the conflict between domestic interests and foreign investors may be inherent in global equilibrium models. In a frictionless capital market, foreigners will always own a higher proportion of a small economy9s assets. By the same token, domestic investors in small economies will always seek to export most of their capital. This equilibrium is at odds with a stable condition of national ownership and control of assets.
Closed‐Chamber Effects on Leaf Temperature, Canopy Photosynthesis, and Evapotranspiration

The portable, closed-chamber technique permits simultaneous measurement of crop canopy photosynthesis (carbon dioxide exchange rate, CER) and evapotranspiration rate (ET) under field conditions and is a valuable tool for evaluating new management practices to increase water-use efficiency. Because plants react quickly to environmental changes, and the technique may affect the plant environment during the brief (1 min) measurement period, further exploration of the technique was required. The objective was to measure the effect of a portable closed chamber (8.15-m³ volume, covering 2.67 m² of soil surface area) on leaf and air temperatures and to determine any subsequent effects on calculated CO₂ and water vapor exchange rates. Measurements of CER and ET were made on field plots of irrigated and non-irrigated maize (Zeu mays L.) shortly after anthesis. Leaf and air temperatures were measured at 2-s intervals inside and outside the chamber for 1 min prior, 1 min during, and 1 min after chamber closure. Leaf and air temperatures in the closed chamber increased 2 to 4 °C in 1 minute. Changes in canopy CER and ET were not strongly correlated with mean leaf temperatures. The calculated CER and ET rates underestimated the rates extrapolated to time 0 by approximately 10%, partially attributed to the increase in leaf temperature. Therefore, chamber measurements should be made rapidly to minimize possible effects of temperature increases and other plant environment changes. While there are limitations, the chamber technique provides a practical method for measurements of field canopies.
Equivalent circuit for aperture antennas

The commonly used equivalent circuit based on a constant voltage generator does not correctly characterise scattering by an aperture antenna, nor does its dual, the constant current generator. This long-standing dilemma has been resolved by combining voltage and current sources to form a constant-power source. The power generated by this source is equated to the available power in a plane wave incident on the aperture. The voltage and current of the two sources and their respective internal impedances are then completely determined from a knowledge of the aperture area A0, the impedance ZA, the aperture efficiency ?0 and the relative power pattern p(?, ?) of the antenna.
A Packet Scheduling Algorithm for Optimizing Downlink Throughput in Wireless LANs with the One-Sender-Multiple-Receiver Technique

In this paper, we study the packet scheduling problem in wireless LANs with the One-Sender-Multiple-Receiver (OSMR) transmission technique. OSMR allows the Access Point (AP) to send distinct packets to multiple nodes simultaneously, and has great potential in improving the network downlink throughput. We note that the AP needs a packet scheduling algorithm to make the decision of when a packet should be sent and whether it should sent together with other packets using OSMR. In this paper, we focus on the problem of maximizing downlink throughout when packet fragmentation is not allowed. Since the processor of the AP is not powerful and cannot execute complicated algorithms in real time, we propose a simple algorithm and prove that it has a performance ratio of 1/1+√2. We evaluated our algorithm with packet traces collected from 802.11a networks, and the results show that our algorithm improves the network throughput significantly.
Muscle Flap Closure of a Frontocutaneous Fistula in a Horse

A frontal sinus fistula was corrected surgically using a temporalis muscle flap and split thickness skin graft in a horse. The operative approach for temporalis muscle transposition is described. Application of the temporalis muscle flap allowed restoration of a functional covering and excellent final appearance.
Canonically parameterized families of inverse kinematic functions for redundant manipulators

The workspace of a redundant manipulator can be partitioned into a finite number of invertible subsets such that the inverse image of each subset has trivial fiber bundle topology, with the manifolds of manipulator self-motion as the fibers. As a consequence we show that a canonical representation of the self-motion manifolds is possible over these well-defined subsets. The canonical representation parameterizes a family of inverse functions over the work space subsets. This parameterization can be used to approximate a continuous inverse kinematic function over each workspace subset. Setting appropriate valves of the parameters yields particular inverse functions which provide access to all solution branches and to the full range of the redundant degrees of freedom in order to satisfy any side constraints which may be imposed during operation. >
Inhibition of Langerhans Cell Maturation by Human Papillomavirus Type 16: A Novel Role for the Annexin A2 Heterotetramer in Immune Suppression

High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are sexually transmitted viruses causally associated with several cancers. During its natural life cycle, HPV16, the most common high-risk genotype, infects the epithelial basal cells in a process facilitated through a recently identified receptor, the annexin A2 heterotetramer (A2t). During infection, HPV16 also interacts with Langerhans cells (LC), the APC of the epithelium, inducing immune suppression, which is mediated by the HPV16 L2 minor capsid protein. Despite the importance of these virus-immune cell interactions, the specific mechanisms of HPV16 entry into LC and HPV16-induced immune suppression remain undefined. An N-terminal peptide of HPV16 L2 (aa 108-126) has been shown to specifically interact with A2t. In this study, we show that incubation of human LC with this peptide blocks binding of HPV16. Inhibiting this interaction with an A2t ligand or by small interfering RNA downregulation of A2t significantly decreases HPV16 internalization into LC in an L2-dependent manner. A2t is associated with suppression of LC maturation as demonstrated through attenuated secretion of Th1-associated cytokines and decreased surface expression of MHC class II on LC exposed to A2t. Conversely, small molecule inhibition of A2t prevents HPV16-induced suppression of LC immune function as indicated by significantly increased secretion of inflammatory cytokines and surface expression of CD86 in HPV16 treated LC pre-exposed to A2t inhibitors. These results demonstrate that HPV16 suppresses LC maturation through an interaction with A2t, revealing a novel role for this protein.
State estimation for aggressive flight in GPS-denied environments using onboard sensing

In this paper we present a state estimation method based on an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a planar laser range finder suitable for use in real-time on a fixed-wing micro air vehicle (MAV). The algorithm is capable of maintaing accurate state estimates during aggressive flight in unstructured 3D environments without the use of an external positioning system. Our localization algorithm is based on an extension of the Gaussian Particle Filter. We partition the state according to measurement independence relationships and then calculate a pseudo-linear update which allows us to use 20x fewer particles than a naive implementation to achieve similar accuracy in the state estimate. We also propose a multi-step forward fitting method to identify the noise parameters of the IMU and compare results with and without accurate position measurements. Our process and measurement models integrate naturally with an exponential coordinates representation of the attitude uncertainty. We demonstrate our algorithms experimentally on a fixed-wing vehicle flying in a challenging indoor environment.
Personalizing behavioral interventions: the case of late-life depression.

This article reviews the potential utility of behavioral interventions in personalized depression treatment. The paper begins with a definition of personalized treatment, moves to current thinking regarding the various causes of depression, and proposes how those causes can be used to inform the selection of behavioral interventions. Two examples from the late-life depression field will illustrate how a team of researchers at Cornell University (NY, USA) and University of California, San Francisco (CA, USA) created a research partnership to select and study behavioral interventions for older adults with risk factors associated with poor response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications. The paper ends with a discussion of how the process used by the Cornell University–University of California, San Francisco team can be applied to the selection and development of behavioral interventions for other psychiatric disorders.
Aetiology and treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in adults: an historical perspective

Community-acquired pneumonia is common. Most disease is mild but mortality among hospitalized patients is 5-20%. The most common aetiological pathogens are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and the 'atypical' organisms, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila and Chlamydia pneumoniae. Less common pathogens account for 10-30% of cases and the aetiology cannot be determined in one-third to one-half of cases. Classification by aetiology and initiation of specific antimicrobial therapy are difficult and treatment is often initiated empirically. Ampicillin (or amoxycillin) or erythromycin are inexpensive and effective for most patients, but their use in combination, the addition of a beta-lactamase inhibitor (e.g. amoxycillin/clavulanate) or the substitution of an expanded spectrum cephalosporin (e.g. cefuroxime) should be considered for patients with more serious illnesses or pathogens likely to be drug-resistant. Fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin would be acceptable if adequacy for treating pneumococcal infections were likely. New macrolides, such as azithromycin and clarithromycin, and new fluoroquinolones, such as temafloxacin and sparfloxacin, have theoretical advantages over previously available drugs, but superior efficacy has not yet been demonstrated satisfactorily. Pneumococcal resistance in various parts of the world is modifying traditional treatment. Currently, there is no drug of choice for the empirical treatment of community-acquired pneumonia.
Harvest: an open platform for developing web-based biomedical data discovery and reporting applications

Biomedical researchers share a common challenge of making complex data understandable and accessible as they seek inherent relationships between attributes in disparate data types. Data discovery in this context is limited by a lack of query systems that efficiently show relationships between individual variables, but without the need to navigate underlying data models. We have addressed this need by developing Harvest, an open-source framework of modular components, and using it for the rapid development and deployment of custom data discovery software applications. Harvest incorporates visualizations of highly dimensional data in a web-based interface that promotes rapid exploration and export of any type of biomedical information, without exposing researchers to underlying data models. We evaluated Harvest with two cases: clinical data from pediatric cardiology and demonstration data from the OpenMRS project. Harvest's architecture and public open-source code offer a set of rapid application development tools to build data discovery applications for domain-specific biomedical data repositories. All resources, including the OpenMRS demonstration, can be found at http://harvest.research.chop.edu
Agent-based simulation of enterprise communication network

In this paper, we consider an agent-based simulation of dynamic enterprise organization and communication networks. Along with recent progress and popularization of Information Technology, social sciences have been experiencing great advances in survey methodology. It has become possible for researchers to utilize huge social data with computers. However, there have been only conceptual studies in business school and few quantitative studies about enterprise organizations. In a survey of an enterprise, we evaluated strategic organization changes with graph/network analysis of the communication network constructed from email transaction data. Moreover, there is strong business needs to know how activities change according to an organization transformation. Utilizing the agent-based approach, we have constructed a dynamic model and simulation of communication over an organization structure. The result of the simulation indicates the power distribution for link degrees which is also observed in the real world as universal characteristics of the scale-free network.
Inequality, Collective Action, and Democratization

Epic redistributive struggles between the rich and poor lie at the heart of prominent theories of economic development and the emergence of democracy (e.g., Boix 2003 ; Acemoglu and Robinson 2006 ). The poor pursue democracy to secure credible redistribution away from wealthy elites; elites, fearing redistribution, but also the costs of revolution, decide whether to repress these efforts or to surrender to them. These theories, and the historical examples of working classes exacting redistributive or political concessions from elites, have been interpreted as suggesting that inequality and redistributive struggles should be central features of development and democratization. Where inequality is high, democracy should be unlikely to emerge, or to emerge and be unstable. Because elites in unequal societies are unwilling to adopt institutions that encourage growth and investment (such as institutions that protect non-elites from predation by elites), incomes should be lower as well.
Ambient Noise Levels in the Continental United States

We present a new approach to characterize the background seismic noise across the continental United States. Using this approach, power spectral den- sity (PSD) is estimated at broadband seismic stations for frequencies ranging from 0.01 to 16 Hz. We selected a large number of 1-hr waveform segments during a 3-yr period, from 2001 to 2003, from continuous data collected by the U.S. National Seismograph Network and the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS). For each segment of continuous data, the PSD is estimated and smoothed in full- octave averages at 1/8 octave intervals. Powers for each 1/8 period interval were then accumulated in 1-dB power bins. A statistical analysis of power bins yields probability density functions (PDFs) as a function of noise power for each of the octave bands at each station and component. There is no need to account for earth- quakes since they map into a background probability level. A comparison of day and night PDFs and an examination of artifacts related to station operation and episodic cultural noise allow us to estimate both the overall station quality and the level of earth noise at each site. Percentage points of the PDFs have been derived to form the basis for noise maps of the contiguous United States at body-wave frequencies. The results of our noise analysis are useful for characterizing the performance of existing broadband stations and for detecting operational problems and should be relevant to the future siting of ANSS backbone stations. The noise maps at body- wave frequencies should be useful for estimating the magnitude threshold for the ANSS backbone and regional networks or conversely for optimizing the distribution of regional network stations.
Variance in Academia It is not all R1’s out there and even those are not what you think

There is a growing concern regarding our academic community that academia has become a less than optimal option for new graduates. As our discipline is strongest when there is an appropriate balance between academia and industry, maintaining a strong academic workforce remains critical. However, apprehension exists on the mind of students regarding the viability of academic careers. Of specific concern is a very high expectation for tenure. Although such expectations may be accurate for some high performing institutions, a more accurate depiction is needed regarding the variance of academic positions. This panel will allow for an open discussion between those interested in academic careers and a multitude of differing academic experiences. Although tenure will be a major component discussed, interactions will also include best practices and tips for academic success.
Computer-aided 3-dimensional modeling of human ear

A complete 3D virtual model of the major structures of the ear responsible for the transfer of sound was constructed using computer-aided design (CAD) software. The model was created from the digital images of histological sections of a human temporal bone. These images were enhanced, resized, and aligned with respect to four fiducial marks using photo management software. Each structure of the ear including the external ear canal, middle ear, and cochlea was extracted from the sections and arranged to produce a complete 3D model within the SolidWorks environment. The individual structures can then be combined to produce a complete model of the entire human ear. The model will be used for analysis and further advanced modeling techniques.
Inter-domain Multi-Hop Negotiation for the Internet

Inter-domain connectivity in the Internet is currently established on policy-based shortest-path routing. Business relationships of the Internet entities are translated into routing decisions through policies. Although these policies are built on simple mechanisms provided by BGP, they give rise to very complex market structure. Extensive research efforts have been made to understand common practices of inter-domain policies. In early stages, hierarchical models were thought to be adequate to explain negotiation between the entities over improving routing and expressing routing preferences in general. Then, it has been realized that there are significant number of local policy exceptions and random decision making over hierarchical structure. In this work, we examine how effective these local policy exceptions are in providing better quality paths. Our analysis on traces captured from the Internet quantitatively shows that currently adopted local policies could not be as effective as multi-hop negotiations for the purpose of attaining better paths in terms of multiple path quality metrics.
Temperature dependence of canine brain tissue diffusion coefficient measured in vivo with magnetic resonance echo-planar imaging.

The intensity of conventional spin-echo diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images is approximately linearly dependent on temperature over a restricted range using conventional diffusion-weighted spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, conventional diffusion-weighted MRI is too motion sensitive for in vivo thermometry. The present work evaluated rapid diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging (EPI), which is less sensitive to motion, for application to non-invasive thermometry in acrylamide gel materials and in vivo in canine brain tissue for applications in therapeutic hyperthermia. The rapidly switched, strong gradients needed for EPI were achieved using a 'local' z-axis gradient coil. Gel materials were heated with a small (10 cm diameter) spiral surface microwave (MW) applicator at 433 MHz, while in vivo heating was accomplished with whole body RF hyperthermia using an annular phased array (130 MHz). The MW or RF fields associated with heating and imaging (64 MHz) were decoupled using...
Transcriptional responses of three model diatoms to nitrate limitation of growth

Diatoms are among the most diverse groups of phytoplankton in the ocean. Despite their widely recognized influence on ocean ecosystems and global biogeochemistry, little is known about the impact of this diversity on large-scale processes. Here, we examined the ramifications of between-species diversity by documenting the transcriptional response of three diatoms - Thalassiosira pseudonana, Fragilariopsis cylindrus, and Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries - to the onset of nitrate limitation of growth, a common limiting nutrient in the ocean. The three species shared 5,583 clusters of orthologous genes based on OrthoMCL clustering of publically available diatom genomes. These clusters represent 30-54% of the predicted genes in each diatom genome. Less than 5% of genes within these core clusters displayed the same transcriptional responses across species when growth was limited by nitrate availability. Orthologs, such as those involved in nitrogen uptake and assimilation, as well as carbon metabolism, were differently expressed across the three species. The two pennate diatoms, F. cylindrus and P. multiseries, shared 3,839 clusters without orthologs in the genome of the centric diatom T. pseudonana. A majority of these pennate-clustered genes, as well as the non-orthologous genes in each species, had minimal annotation information, but were often significantly differentially expressed under nitrate limitation, indicating their potential importance in the response to nitrogen availability. Despite these variations in the specific transcriptional response of each diatom, overall transcriptional patterns suggested that all three diatoms displayed a common physiological response to nitrate limitation that consisted of a general reduction in carbon fixation and carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism and an increase in nitrogen recycling. Characterization of these finely tuned responses will help to better predict which types of diatoms will bloom under which sets of environmenta
Performance and power effectiveness in embedded processors - customizable partitioned caches

This paper explores an application-specific customization technique for the data cache, one of the foremost area/power consuming and performance determining microarchitectural features of modern embedded processors. The automated methodology for. customizing the processor microarchitecture that we propose results in increased performance, reduced power consumption and improved determinism of critical system parts while the fixed design ensures processor standardization. The resulting improvements help to enlarge the significant role of embedded processors in modern hardware-software codesign techniques by leading to increased processor utilization and reduced hardware cost. A novel methodology for static analysis and a microarchitecturally field-reprogrammable implementation of a customizable cache controller that implements a partitioned cache structure is proposed. Partitioning the load/store instructions eliminates cache interference; hence, precise knowledge about the hit/miss behavior of the references within each partition becomes available, resulting in significant reduction in tag reads and comparisons. Moreover, eliminating cache interference naturally leads to a significant reduction in the miss rate. The paper presents an algorithm for defining cache partitions, hardware support for customizable cache partitions, and a set of experimental results. The experimental results indicate significant improvements in both power consumption and miss rate.
SPECIES DIVERGENCE IN SEXUALLY SELECTED TRAITS: INCREASE IN SONG ELABORATION IS RELATED TO DECREASE IN PLUMAGE ORNAMENTATION IN FINCHES

Elaborate plumage and complex songs of male birds are two of the best-known examples of sexually selected traits, yet the interaction between these traits is poorly understood. Theory suggests that among a suite of potential displays, animals will emphasize traits that are most conspicuous, least costly, or best signal condition and reduce display of other traits. Here we examined the relationship between song and plumage elaborations in cardueline finches, songbirds that are highly variable in plumage displays and songs, but that share a similar mating system. We statistically controlled for body mass, habitat characteristics, and phylogenetic relationships and found that across species song complexity was strongly negatively related to elaboration of plumage ornamentation. When plumage coloration was partitioned into carotenoid-based and melanin-based components, song complexity was negatively related to elaboration of male carotenoid-based coloration but unrelated to elaboration of melanin-based coloration. These observations support the idea that, for condition-dependent traits, animal species trade off trait expression in response to changes in the costs or the information content of these traits. We discuss several alternative explanations for the observed pattern.
The Reconfigurable Omnidirectional Articulated Mobile Robot (ROAMeR)

Articulated Wheeled Robot (AWR) locomotion systems consist of a chassis connected to sets of wheels through articulated linkages. Such articulated “legwheel systems” facilitate reconfigurability that has significant applications in many arenas, but also engender constraints that make the design, analysis and control difficult. In this paper we study this class of systems in the context of design, analysis and control of a novel planar reconfigurable omnidirectional wheeled mobile robot. This AWR distinguishes itself from existing wheeled mobile robots by having the capability to change the location of its wheels relative to the chassis.We first extend a twist-based modeling approach to systematically construct the symbolic kinematic model for a general class of AWR before specializing it to our planar AWR example. We then develop a kinematic redundancy resolution scheme to coordinate the motion of the articulated legs and wheels. Two generations of physical prototypes were developed, refined and tested using simulation/virtual prototyping and realtime/ hardware in the loop methodologies. Representative results from both sets of approaches are presented to illustrate combined locomotion and reconfiguration.