cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Importance of verifying queue model assumptions before planning with simulation software

Abstract This case study uses empirical data gathered at an Australian refinery to verify the assumptions for queue distributions before using special-purpose software to plan the off-road-truck hauling of titanium dioxide to a refinery (n = 773). Easy-to-use spreadsheet software is utilized to verify assumptions for queue models. Managers are able to make decisions based on economic implications of queue models to avoid making costly planning mistakes. Analysts can use nonparametric hypothesis-testing techniques to verify distribution assumptions for optimization without having to write hard-to-maintain and complex algebraic linear equations or nonlinear search routines.
Tat RNA silencing suppressor activity contributes to perturbation of lymphocyte miRNA by HIV-1

Background: MicroRNA (miRNA)-mediated RNA silencing is integral to virtually every cellular process including cell cycle progression and response to virus infection. The interplay between RNA silencing and HIV-1 is multifaceted, and accumulating evidence posits a strike-counterstrike interface that alters the cellular environment to favor virus replication. For instance, miRNA-mediated RNA silencing of HIV-1 translation is antagonized by HIV-1 Tat RNA silencing suppressor activity. The activity of HIV-1 accessory proteins Vpr/Vif delays cell cycle progression, which is a process prominently modulated by miRNA. The expression profile of cellular miRNA is altered by HIV-1 infection in both cultured cells and clinical samples. The open question stands of what, if any, is the contribution of Tat RNA silencing suppressor activity or Vpr/Vif activity to the perturbation of cellular miRNA by HIV-1. Results: Herein, we compared the perturbation of miRNA expression profiles of lymphocytes infected with HIV1 NL4-3 or derivative strains that are deficient in Tat RNA silencing suppressor activity (Tat K51A substitution) or ablated of the vpr/vif open reading frames. Microarrays recapitulated the perturbation of the cellular miRNA profile by HIV-1 infection. The miRNA expression trends overlapped ~50% with published microarray results on clinical samples from HIV-1 infected patients. Moreover, the number of miRNA perturbed by HIV-1 was largely similar despite ablation of Tat RSS activity and Vpr/Vif; however, the Tat RSS mutation lessened HIV-1 downregulation of twenty-two miRNAs. Conclusions: Our study identified miRNA expression changes attributable to Tat RSS activity in HIV-1 NL4-3 .T he results accomplish a necessary step in the process to understand the interface of HIV-1 with host RNA silencing activity. The overlap in miRNA expression trends observed between HIV-1 infected CEMx174 lymphocytes and primary cells supports the utility of cultured lymphocytes as a tractable model to investigate interplay between HIV-1 and host RNA silencing. The subset of miRNA determined to be perturbed by Tat RSS in HIV-1 infection provides a focal point to define the gene networks that shape the cellular environment for HIV-1 replication.
A Necessary and Sufficient Frequency Domain Criterion for the Passivity of SISO Sampled-Data Systems

We present a frequency domain solution to the sampled-data passivity problem. Our analysis is exact in the sense that we take into account the intersample behavior of the system. We use frequency response (FR) operators to first obtain necessary conditions on the sampling rate T and the relative degree of the open-loop transfer function G 11 for achieving a passive continuous-time closed-loop system. Then, assuming passivity of G 11 and closed-loop stability, we derive a necessary and sufficient condition for discrete-time controllers that render a passive closed-loop system. We apply the obtained results to the problem of stability of haptic systems.
Unit analysis in composite neural recordings

Threshold level, sinusoidal stimuli are used to elicit phase-locked activity from cutaneous mechanoreceptors selectively, for the purpose of evaluating single-unit activity in multiunit peripheral nerve recordings. Each receptor is characterized by its response to a range of mechanical stimuli and by the size and location of its receptive field. This information is used to determine the number and type of units present in multiunit recordings made with chronically implanted electrodes and to follow the presence of the units in the recordings over time. This approach can be used with any type of composite neural recording in which units can be selectively activated and classified. >
GPU Acceleration of Predictive Partitioned Vector Quantization for Ultraspectral Sounder Data Compression

For the large-volume ultraspectral sounder data, compression is desirable to save storage space and transmission time. To retrieve the geophysical paramters without losing precision the ultraspectral sounder data compression has to be lossless. Recently there is a boom on the use of graphic processor units (GPU) for speedup of scientific computations. By identifying the time dominant portions of the code that can be executed in parallel, significant speedup can be achieved by using GPU. Predictive partitioned vector quantization (PPVQ) has been proven to be an effective lossless compression scheme for ultraspectral sounder data. It consists of linear prediction, bit depth partitioning, vector quantization, and entropy coding. Two most time consuming stages of linear prediction and vector quantization are chosen for GPU-based implementation. By exploiting the data parallel characteristics of these two stages, a spatial division design shows a speedup of 72x in our four-GPU-based implementation of the PPVQ compression scheme.
Identifying different heart tissues from combined functional and viability MRI images

Assessment of myocardial viability in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) is important for therapeutic decision making. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) delayed-enhancement (DE) images provide accurate myocardial viability images. In addition, functional MRI provides important complementary information about the heart muscle status. From the combined viability and functional images, different tissue types of the heart could be identified using clustering techniques. However, seldom are these MRI images acquired at the same point in time to allow for automatic clustering. Composite strain-encoding (C-SENC) MRI is a modification of the standard SENC MRI, which enables acquiring both viability and functional images in the same cardiac phase. A multi-stage clustering technique was applied to the resulting C-SENC images of canine models with MI as well as to human volunteers and patients with MI. The results showed the applicability of the proposed technique for identifying different heart tissues: normal myocardium, infarction, and blood.
A Precision CMOS Amplifier Using Floating-Gate Transistors for Offset Cancellation

A long-term offset cancellation scheme that enables continuous-time amplifier operation is described. Offset cancellation is achieved by programming floating-gate transistors that form an integral part of the amplifier's architecture. The offset voltage of a single-stage folded cascode amplifier has been programmed to a minimum of plusmn25 muV in a 0.5 mum digital CMOS process. The long-term offset voltage drift has been calculated to be less than 0.5 muV over a period of 10 years at 55degC from a thermionic emission model for floating-gate charge loss. The offset voltage varies by a maximum of 130 muV over a temperature range of 170degC, thereby making this a viable approach to offset cancellation
Image database categorization using robust modeling of finite Generalized Dirichlet mixture

We propose a novel image database categorization approach using a possibilistic clustering algorithm. The proposed algorithm is based on a robust data modeling using the Generalized Dirichlet (GD) finite mixture and generates two types of membership degrees. The first one is a posterior probability that indicates the degree to which the point fits the estimated distribution. The second membership represents the degree of “typicality” and is used to indentify and discard noise points. The algorithm minimizes one objective function to optimize GD mixture parameters and possibilistic membership values. This optimization is done iteratively by dynamically updating the density mixture parameters and the membership values in each iteration. The performance of the proposed algorithm is illustrated by using it to categorize a collection of 500 color images. The results are compared with those obtained by the Fuzzy C-means algorithm.
Epidemiological Comparison of True Methicillin-Resistant and Methicillin-Susceptible Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcal Bacteremia at Hospital Admission

We performed 2 case-control studies among 108 patients with true coagulase-negative staphylococcal (CoNS) bacteremia diagnosed within 48 h of hospital admission. Seventy-nine patients (73%) with methicillin-resistant (MR) CoNS bacteremia and 29 patients (27%) with methicillin-susceptible (MS) CoNS bacteremia were compared with 79 randomly selected control patients without CoNS bacteremia. The presence of a central venous catheter was an independent risk factor for both MR- and MS-CoNS bacteremia (P<.001). Patients with MR-CoNS bacteremia were more frequently admitted from health care facilities (P=.02), more likely to have had previous MR Staphylococcus aureus infection or colonization (P=.02), and more likely to have received antibiotics in the previous 30 days (P=.02). The probability that bacteremia was caused by an MR strain, rather than an MS strain, was 62% among patients admitted from the community and 84% among patients admitted from health care facilities. This study identified epidemiological characteristics that can be used to distinguish between MR- and MS-CoNS bacteremia and found high rates of methicillin resistance among CoNS isolates recovered from patients admitted from the community, as well as from health care facilities.
Engine air-fuel ratio and torque control using secondary throttles

A control scheme is designed to limit air-fuel ratio excursions and track driver-demanded torque for a 4-cylinder engine during rapid changes in throttle position. The new control scheme is based on joint management of air and fuel flow into the cylinders using secondary throttles placed before the intake ports of the cylinders, in combination with standard fuel injectors. >
Interest in Smoking Cessation Among Injection Drug Users

We describe the degree of nicotine addiction and readiness to quit smoking among people with a history of injection drug use, comparing those in a methadone maintenance treatment program (MMTP) with active illicit drug injectors in a needle exchange program (NEP). Interview data were collected from 452 persons in Providence, RI, from July 1997 to March 1998. Ninety-one percent (91%) of the population currently smoked cigarettes. Smokers were more likely to be female and from an NEP. Higher nicotine dependence by the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence was found in Caucasians, those with a Methadone dose greater than 80 mg per day, those with less than high school education, and those with active alcohol abuse. Those more likely to be contemplating smoking cessation in the next six months were those from MMTP, older than 35, and without alcohol abuse. Although smoking cessation counseling should be offered to all smokers, interventions directed towards older individuals enrolled in MMTP may target the group most interested in smoking cessation.
Racial and Educational Homogamy: 1980 to 2000

Two recent trends in marriage imply different consequences for the degree of heterogeneity in American society: Increasing racial intermarriage indicates higher levels of social integration, while continued educational homogamy potentially enlarges socioeconomic inequality. This article analyzes census 5 percent Public Use Micro Samples data from 1980 to 2000 and examines the two trends simultaneously. Results suggest that racial homogamy has gradually declined but remains as the strongest pattern. Educational homogamy shows a diverse pattern of change, with an overall flat or slightly declining trend, and the best educated and the least educated are both more homogamous than those who have intermediate levels of education. Those who intermarry by race tend to have higher levels of education, and there is a modest positive relationship between racial and educational heterogamy.
Ca2+ binding, ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport, and total tissue Ca2+ in embryonic and adult avian dystrophic pectoralis

Avian muscular dystrophy is an autosomal recessive genetic disease characterized by early hypertrophy and loss of function of the pectoralis major. The disease is progressive, ultimately resulting in atrophy and heavy lipid deposition. Previous investigators have noted a decrease in the ability of the dystrophic sarcoplasmic reticulum to concentrate Ca2+. More recently, other investigators have shown an abnormal calcium uptake in avian dystrophic sarcoplasmic reticulum. They indicated, using freeze-fracture techniques, that a 90 A particle of the vesicle membrane exhibited a decreased population and suggested that they might be the ATPase involved in calcium transport. Our studies confirm the earlier observations of a decreased rate of Ca2+ uptake and Ca2+ binding capacity of dystrophic fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles which are isolated from both embryonic and adult pectoralis. These observations correlate in turn with a 75% drop in the Ca: ATP transport efficiency of the dystrophic sarcoplasmic reticulum determined by measuring the rate of32Pi liberation from γ-ATP32 during active calcium transport by the isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum SR. In addition, we have found a quantitative deficiency in a 65,000 dalton component of the dystrophic fragmented SR at the time of myoblast fusion by measuring35S-Methionine incorporation into the SR, coupled to high resolution polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and radioautography. Analysis of total tissue calcium by atomic absorption spectroscopy revealed a decrease in the total calcium content of dystrophic muscle.
The Sacrality of Things: An Inquiry into Divine Materiality in the Christian Middle Ages.

Students of comparative religion, cognitive scientists, art historians, and historians sometimes use paradigms from non-western religions to raise questions about the role of material objects in Christianity. Recently, such discussion has focused on images and controversies about them. This article argues that the most important material manifestation of the holy in the western European Middle Ages was the Eucharist and suggests both that understanding it is enhanced by the use of comparative material and that considering it as a case study of divine materiality leads to a more sophisticated formulation of comparative paradigms.
Safety and Efficacy of Simeprevir/Sofosbuvir in Hepatitis C–Infected Patients With Compensated and Decompensated Cirrhosis

Risks and benefits of simeprevir plus sofosbuvir (SIM+SOF) in patients with advanced cirrhosis are unknown. We assessed the safety and sustained virological responses (SVR) of SIM+SOF with and without ribavirin (RBV) in patients with Child-Pugh (CP)-B/C versus CP-A cirrhosis and compared to matched untreated controls. This study was of a multicenter cohort of adults with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 and cirrhosis treated with SIM+SOF with/without RBV for 12 weeks. Controls were matched on treatment center, age, CP class, and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. Of 160 patients treated with SIM+SOF with/without RBV, 35% had CP-B/C and 64% had CP-A, with median baseline MELD 9 (interquartile range, 8-11). Sustained virological response at week 12 (SVR12) was achieved by 73% of CP-B/C versus 91% of CP-A (P < 0.01). CP-B/C versus CP-A had more early treatment discontinuations (11% vs. 1%), adverse events (AEs) requiring hospitalization (22% vs. 2%), infections requiring antibiotics (20% vs. 1%), and hepatic decompensating events (20% vs. 3%; all P < 0.01). There were 2 deaths: 1 CP-B/C (liver related) and 1 CP-A (not liver related). In multivariate analysis, CP-B/C independently predicted lack of SVR12 (odds ratio, 0.27; 95% confidence interval: 0.08-0.92). In comparing SIM+SOF-treated patients versus matched untreated controls, AEs requiring hospitalization (9% vs. 13%; P = 0.55), infections (8% vs. 6%; P = 0.47), and events of decompensation (9% vs. 10%; P = 0.78) occurred at similar frequency. Conclusions: SIM+SOF with/without RBV has lower efficacy and higher rates of AEs in patients with CP-B/C cirrhosis, compared to CP-A. Frequency of adverse safety outcomes were similar to matched untreated controls, suggesting that safety events reflect the natural history of cirrhosis and are not related to treatment. (Hepatology 2015;62:715–725)
How do helix–helix interactions help determine the folds of membrane proteins? Perspectives from the study of homo-oligomeric helical bundles

The final, structure-determining step in the folding of membrane proteins involves the coalescence of preformed transmembrane helices to form the native tertiary structure. Here, we review recent studies on small peptide and protein systems that are providing quantitative data on the interactions that drive this process. Gel electrophoresis, analytical ultracentrifugation, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) are useful methods for examining the assembly of homo-oligomeric transmembrane helical proteins. These methods have been used to study the assembly of the M2 proton channel from influenza A virus, glycophorin, phospholamban, and several designed membrane proteins—all of which have a single transmembrane helix that is sufficient for association into a transmembrane helical bundle. These systems are being studied to determine the relative thermodynamic contributions of van der Waals interactions, conformational entropy, and polar interactions in the stabilization of membrane proteins. Although the database of thermodynamic information is not yet large, a few generalities are beginning to emerge concerning the energetic differences between membrane and water-soluble proteins: the packing of apolar side chains in the interior of helical membrane proteins plays a smaller, but nevertheless significant, role in stabilizing their structure. Polar, hydrogen-bonded interactions occur less frequently, but, nevertheless, they often provide a strong driving force for folding helix–helix pairs in membrane proteins. These studies are laying the groundwork for the design of sequence motifs that dictate the association of membrane helices.
The application of far-field approximation to accelerate the fast multipole method

The fast multipole method (FMM) is an efficient method in the iterative solution of the matrix equation that is associated with the integral equation of wave scattering. The key idea of the FMM is to divide the interactions between groups of scatterers into near-field interactions and non-near-field interactions, and perform the non-near-field interactions efficiently with the aid of the multipole expansion of the fields. The far-field approximation is introduced in FMM to calculate the wave interactions between groups that are separated by a very large distance. The advantage of this approach is that it automatically switches back to the original FMM for small problems. Under the far-field approximation, the translation operator is much simpler than that used in the FMM. Numerical results show speed up of the modified FMM over the original FMM for problems as small as several thousands.
Elucidating KChIP effects on Kv4.3 inactivation and recovery kinetics with a minimal KChIP2 isoform

Kv channel interacting proteins (KChIPs) are Ca2+-binding proteins with four EF-hands. KChIPs modulate Kv4 channel gating by slowing inactivation kinetics and accelerating recovery kinetics. Thus, KChIPs are believed to be important regulators of Kv4 channels underlying transient outward K+ currents in many excitable cell types. We have cloned a structurally minimal KChIP2 isoform (KChIP2d) from ferret heart. KChIP2d corresponds to the final 70 C-terminal amino acids of other KChIPs and has only one EF-hand. We demonstrate that KChIP2d is a functional KChIP that both accelerates recovery and slows inactivation kinetics of Kv4.3, indicating that the minimal C-terminus can maintain KChIP regulatory properties. We utilize KChIP2d to further demonstrate that: (i) the EF-hand modulates effects on Kv4.3 inactivation but not recovery; (ii) Ca2+-dependent effects on Kv4.3 inactivation are mediated through a mechanism reflected in the slow time constant of inactivation; and (iii) a short stretch of amino acids exclusive of the EF-hand partially mediates Ca2+-independent effects on recovery. Our results demonstrate that distinct regions of a KChIP molecule are involved in modulating inactivation and recovery. The potential ability of KChIP EF-hands to sense intracellular Ca2+ levels and transduce these changes to alterations in Kv4 channel inactivation kinetics may serve as a mechanism allowing intracellular Ca2+ transients to modulate repolarization. KChIP2d is a valuable tool for elucidating structural domains of KChIPs involved in Kv4 channel regulation.
Roderick M. Chisholm, A Realistic Theory of Categories

Presentation de l'ouvrage de R. M. Chisholm intitule «A realistic theory of categories» (1996) qui, proposant une typologie de l'etre ditinguant le contignent du necessaire, puis les etats des individus et des non-etats, a la force d'une approche originale mais la faiblesse d'une demonstration trop rapide. Examinant les principes de la table des categories ultimes de la realite etablie par Chisholm, l'A. se propose de verifier ses deux premieres affirmations selon lesquelles : 1) chaque categorie a un exemple, 2) necessairement, chaque entite est dans chacune des sous-categories de l'eentia. L'A. evalue la premiere a travers la disitnction attributs/substance necessaire, d'une part, et la seconde a travers le statut ontologique des propositions et objets fictifs, d'autre part
Analysis, Measurement, and Control of Motor-Generated 120-Cycle Noise

This paper presents an attempt to solve the difficult problem of controlling 120-cycle noise by design. A case study of an automatic washer is presented. The subject is treated in the categories of the exciting source, the energy transmission paths, and the excited members. Prime emphasis is placed on the exciting source, which in this case is the main drive motor. The paper attempts to answer te following questions: how tismotorproduces 120-cycle energy; how it can be measured; and how it can be controlled. Several methods of determination of 120-cycle pulsating torque are discussed with examples of typical measurements and the correlation between methods. The difficulties of correlating predictions of noise and actual noise measurements are discussed, with techniques of statistical correlation offered. The paper concludes with a method of quality control which enables comparison of product performance to the engineering standard.
Pharmacologic Characteristics of Indinavir, Didanosine, and Stavudine in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Children Receiving Combination Therapy

The use of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors in children has lagged behind that in adults because of the lack of suitable pediatric formulations and information on safe and effective dosing regimens. This study was designed to obtain pharmacokinetic information on indinavir, administered to HIV-infected children also receiving therapy with two nucleoside agents, and to explore relationships between pharmacokinetic parameters and anti-HIV effect. Indinavir was initiated at a dose of 500 mg/m2 every 8 h. Plasma indinavir concentrations were measured every 4 weeks; the dose or dosing interval was adjusted to maintain trough concentrations of ≥0.1 mg/liter. All children were evaluated clinically at baseline and every 4 weeks. Plasma HIV RNA was quantitated at baseline and at weeks 4, 12, and 24. Eighteen children participated in this study. The average daily dose of indinavir was 2,043 mg/m2; nine children received indinavir at 6-h intervals. Pharmacokinetic characteristics of indinavir (mean ± standard deviation) were the following: oral clearance, 1.4 ± 0.5 liters/h/kg; half-life, 1.1 ± 0.43 h; and trough concentration, 0.29 ± 0.32 mg/liter. In nine children that completed 24 weeks of therapy, the baseline-to-week-24 change in HIV RNA level was related to indinavir trough concentration and didanosine area under the curve. This study illustrates the ability to obtain pharmacokinetic information from children during routine clinic visits and to use this information to provide a safeguard against underdosing. The incorporation of pharmacologic knowledge with virologic, immunologic, and behavioral considerations should result in improved clinical outcomes for children infected with HIV.
Interferon Regulatory Factor-2 Is a Transcriptional Activator in Muscle Where It Regulates Expression of Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1

Previously, we have suggested that vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and its integrin receptor α4β1 mediate cell–cell interactions important for skeletal myogenesis. Expression of the receptors subsequently subsides in muscle after birth. Here, we examine the mechanism regulating VCAM-1 gene expression in muscle. An enhancer located between the TATA box and the transcriptional start site is responsible for VCAM-1 gene expression in muscle—this element is inactive in endothelial cells where VCAM-1 expression is dependent on nuclear factor κB sites and inflammatory cytokines. We identify interferon regulatory factor-2 (IRF-2), a member of the interferon regulatory factor family, as the enhancer-binding transcription factor and show that expression of IRF-2 parallels that of VCAM-1 during mouse skeletal myogenesis. IRF-2 is not dependent upon cytokines for expression or activity, and it has been shown to act as a repressor in other nonmuscle cell types. We show that the basic repressor motif located near the COOH-terminal of IRF-2 is not active in muscle cells, but instead an acidic region in the center of the molecule functions as a transactivating domain. Although IRF-2 and VCAM-1 expression diminishes on adult muscle fiber, they are retained on myogenic stem cells (satellite cells). These satellite cells proliferate and fuse to regenerate muscle fiber after injury or disease. We present evidence that VCAM-1 on satellite cells mediates their interaction with α4β1(+) leukocytes that invade the muscle after injury or disease. We propose that VCAM-1 on endothelium generally recruits leukocytes to muscle after injury, whereas subsequent interaction with VCAM-1 on regenerating muscle cells focuses the invading leukocytes specifically to the sites of regeneration.
Therapeutic Hypothermia in Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury

Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is considered to improve survival with favorable neurological outcome in the case of global cerebral ischemia after cardiac arrest and perinatal asphyxia. The efficacy of hypothermia in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), however, is not well studied. Induction of TH typically requires a multimodal approach, including the use of both pharmacological agents and physical techniques. To date, clinical outcomes for patients with either AIS or TBI who received TH have yielded conflicting results; thus, no adequate therapeutic consensus has been reached. Nevertheless, it seems that by determining optimal TH parameters and also appropriate applications, cooling therapy still has the potential to become a valuable neuroprotective intervention. Among the various methods for hypothermia induction, intravascular cooling (IVC) may have the most promise in the awake patient in terms of clinical outcomes. Currently, the IVC method has the capability of more rapid target temperature attainment and more precise control of temperature. However, this technique requires expertise in endovascular surgery that can preclude its application in the field and/or in most emergency settings. It is very likely that combining neuroprotective strategies will yield better outcomes than utilizing a single approach.
Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia: Recent Advances

Abstract Context.—There have been 2 putative prostatic cancer precursors, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (adenosis), but PIN remains as a well-known precancerous condition. Objective.—To describe recent advances in knowledge of PIN and to better define the diagnostic criteria and differential diagnosis of PIN. Data Sources.—Review of the pertinent literature and our experience. Conclusions.—The presence of ductal/acinar epithelial changes including nuclear enlargement, prominent nucleoli, chromatin alterations, and luminal complexity is an easy way to identify the disorder. Four main patterns of high-grade PIN (HGPIN) have been described: tufting, micropapillary, cribriform, and flat. In addition, variants of HGPIN have also been described. Both HGPIN and prostatic carcinoma share an increased incidence and severity with advancing age and with high rates of occurrence in the peripheral zone of the prostate. Furthermore, HGPIN and prostate cancer share geneti...
Root-Finding with Eigen-Solving

We survey and extend the recent progress in polynomial root-finding via eigen-solving for highly structured generalized companion matrices. We cover the selection of eigen-solvers and matrices and show the benefits of exploiting matrix structure. No good estimates for the rate of global convergence of the eigen-solvers are known, but according to ample empirical evidence it is sufficient to use a constant number of iteration steps per eigenvalue. If so, the resulting root-finders are optimal up to a constant factor because they use linear arithmetic time per step and perform with a constant (double) precision. Some by-products of our study are of independent interest. The algorithms can be extended to solving secular equations
Role of obinutuzumab in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Purpose The pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, safety and efficacy, and place in therapy of obinutuzumab in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are reviewed. Summary Obinutuzumab, a fully humanized monoclonal antibody that targets the CD20 receptor on mature B cells, was recently approved for use in combination with chlorambucil in patients with previously untreated CLL. In a Phase III clinical trial including 671 patients with CLL and significant comorbidities, patients who received obinutuzumab–chlorambucil combination therapy had longer median progression-free survival than those who received rituximab plus chlorambucil (26.7 months versus 15.2 months, p < 0.001) or chlorambucil alone (11.1 months, p < 0.001). Overall survival was also improved with the use of obinutuzumab–chlorambucil versus chlorambucil alone (hazard ratio for death, 0.41, p = 0.002) and similar to survival with the use of rituximab plus chlorambucil. The main type of adverse effect reported in association with obinutuzumab use is infusion-related reactions (IRRs), which occurred in 66% of patients in the Phase III trial, with 20% of reactions categorized as grade 3 or 4; IRR risk can be reduced with appropriate dosing, premedication, patient monitoring, and immediate treatment of IRRs. Ongoing clinical trials are evaluating the effects of obinutuzumab in patients with newly diagnosed and relapsed or treatment-refractory CLL. Conclusion In patients who are elderly or who have multiple comorbidities, the use of obinutuzumab, a CD20 monoclonal antibody, in combination with chlorambucil is an efficacious regimen for treatment-naive patients with symptomatic CLL.
Natural Medicine Wilderness Experience Outcomes for Combat Veterans

Wilderness Experience Programs (WEPs) have been shown to enhance psychological well-being for numerous populations. However, among veteran populations, these studies have historically evaluated pro...
Imaging Evaluation of Mediastinal Masses in Infants and Children

■ The most common chest masses are located within the mediastinum in infants and children. Approximately 80% of mediastinal masses consist of malignant lymphoma, benign thymic enlargement, teratomas, foregut cysts, and neurogenic tumors in the pediatric population (moderate evidence).
Quasidilaton: Theory and cosmology

General Relativity (GR), with or without matter fields, admits a natural extension to a scale invariant theory that requires a dilaton. Here we show that the recently formulated massive GR, minimally coupled to matter, possesses a new global symmetry related to scaling of the reference coordinates with respect to the physical ones. The field enforcing this symmetry, dubbed here quasidilaton, coincides with an ordinary dilaton if only pure gravity is considered, but differs from it when the matter Lagrangian is present. We study (1) theoretical consistency of massive GR with the quasidilaton; (2) consistency with observations for spherically symmetric sources on (nearly) flat backgrounds; (3) cosmological implications of this theory. We find that (I) the theory with the quasidilaton is as consistent as massive GR; (II) the Vainshtein mechanism is generically retained, owing to the fact that in the decoupling limit there is an enhanced symmetry, which turns the quasidilaton into a second Galileon, consistently coupled to a tensor field; (III) unlike in massive GR, there exist flat FRW solutions. In particular, we find self-accelerated solutions and discuss their quadratic perturbations. These solutions are testable by virtue of the different effective Newton's constants that govern the Hubble expansion and structure growth.
Search Concentration, Bias, and Parochialism: A Comparative Study of Google, Baidu, and Jike's Search Results From China

Do search engines drive Web traffic to well-established sites leading to a high degree of search results concentration? Do search engines favor their own content while demoting others? How parochial or cosmopolitan are search engines in directing traffic to sites beyond users' national borders? This study explores these issues by empirically comparing search results of Baidu, Google, and Jike from mainland China obtained in August 2011 and August 2012. It finds that search engines in China, particularly Baidu, tend to drive traffic to well-established sites. Baidu's results also raise serious doubts over its impartiality. Rather than making users' search experiences more cosmopolitan, tuned to the larger world around them, search engines rarely direct Chinese users to content beyond national borders.
Reversible Ionic Liquid Stabilized Carbamic Acids: A Pathway Toward Enhanced CO2 Capture

Capturing CO2 from flue gas streams under near ambient conditions—e.g. coal-fired power plants—has traditionally involved the use of aqueous alkanol amine solutions. Aqueous solvent-based processes are energy intensive, as solvent regeneration can be costly. With growing concern over climate change, alternative CO2 capture technologies that are energy and cost efficient are required. We have established that nonaqueous silylamines can be used to efficiently and reversibly capture and release CO2 via the formation of reversible ionic liquids. We now report their unique, enhanced CO2 uptake at room temperature under 1 atm of CO2, as silylamines exhibit CO2 capture capacities greater than that expected from the conventional stoichiometry of a 2:1 amine to CO2 mole ratio. Experimental evidence is presented supporting the formation of a carbamic acid species in equilibrium with an ionic liquid network of ammonium–carbamate ion pairs to give a 3:2 amine to CO2 mole ratio. This is the first report of the stabili...
Resistance of Wild Peanut Plants to the Mite Tetranychus tumidellus

Wild peanut plants, Arachis spp., were evaluated for resistance to infestations of a mite, Tetranychus tumidellus Pritchard and Baker, in the greenhouse. Five of 54 plants representing 3 plant species, P.I. 262841 Arachis sp., P.I. 263396 A. villosulicarpa Hoehne, and A. repens Handro, remained almost free of mites during the investigation (5 months).
Detecting the Regions of Interest with Edge and Depth Information

Traditional saliency map based regions of interest(ROI) detection shows some difference from the human vision perception,and more than one ROI detection results may appear in the same object during ROI transfer process.In this paper,two kinds of features which are edge and depth information are introduced during feature extraction to access more fitable results to human vision perception,and the dilating process is used for the binary saliency map to connect parts in one object together.Experimental results show a 82.5% tally ratio of the modified ROI detection to human vision perception,which exceeds Itti's 67.5% greatly.
Smile for the camera: telemedicine comes to your local dentist's office.

Dentistry has faced the same access issues that have spurred telemedicine development in other fields. However, until recently dentistry has lagged behind in adopting telemedicine. The findings of the Association of Telemedicine Service Provider's (ATSP; www.atsp.org) 1998 Report on US Telemedicine Activity, done collaboratively with Telemedicine Today Magazine, are instructive. Of over 40,000 teleconsults among 139 U.S. programs performed in 1997, only 200 were dental teleconsults--all done by one program. Although that figure represents a significant increase over the 4 dental teleconsults reported in 1996, teledentistry has a long way to go. The first steps are now being taken. At the schools of dentistry at the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Bristol in Bristol, England, two different approaches to teledentistry are being actively explored. Telemedicine Today spoke with lead researchers at each school to discuss these programs.
A Call to Action: Building a Translational Inclusion Team Science in Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Obesity Management for Children with Disabilities

The growing evidence-base of childhood obesity prevention and treatment programs do not adequately consider how to adapt these programs for children with disabilities. We propose a Call to Action for health researchers who conduct studies focused on the general population (i.e., without a disability) to work closely with disability researchers to adapt their programs (e.g., obesity management, increased physical activity, caregiver training in diet and nutrition) to be relevant to both groups. We refer to this approach as inclusion/team science. The hope for this Call to Action is that there will be greater synergy between researchers who have high levels of expertise in a specialty area of health (but little or no knowledge of how to adapt their program for children with disabilities) to work more closely with researchers who have a high level of expertise in adapting evidence-based health promotion recommendations and strategies for children with disabilities. Together, these two areas of expertise will lead to inclusive physical activity and nutrition programs for all children.
A position-specific 3′UTR sequence that accelerates mRNA decay

ABSTRACTThe 3′ untranslated regions (3′UTRs) of mammalian mRNAs direct an extensive range of alternative post-transcriptional outcomes, including regulation of mRNA decay and translation, contributing significantly to overall gene regulation. However, our knowledge of the underlying sequences and mechanisms is incomplete. We identified a novel 3′UTR sequence motif in mammals that targets mRNAs for transcript degradation. The motif is found in hundreds of mRNAs and is enriched in transcripts encoding regulatory proteins, such as transcription and signaling factors. Degradation of mRNAs containing the motif is mediated by the CCR4-NOT deadenylation complex. We identified hnRNPs A1 and A2/B1 as trans factors that directly bind to the motif, indicating a novel role for these proteins in deadenylation. Interestingly, a genome-wide analysis of the impact of this new regulatory pathway showed that the most active motifs are located within the 5′ and 3′-terminal portions of 3′UTRs, whereas elements in the center ...
Central Venous Stenosis and Occlusion

Central venous stenosis or occlusion is a common phenomenon that plagues patients on hemodialysis. The incidence of symptomatic central venous stenosis is estimated to be up to 20 % of hemodialysis patients. This chapter discusses central venous stenosis and the management of this disease.
Modeling power diode by combining the behavioral and the physical model

This paper presents an approach of implementing the dynamic multi-resolution power diode model in the virtual test bed (VTB), a platform for complex system simulation and prototyping. The new model is a combination of the behavioral model and the physical model. The behavioral model is based upon the widely used Shockley equation; its advantages are simplicity and fast simulation speed, however it is incapable of representing the forward and reverse recovery phenomena during the state switch, which is required in many applications. The physical model is based upon the lumped charge theory; it has higher fidelity than the behavioral model as well as the ability of representing the forward and reverse recovery. The physical model's drawback is its complex mathematical representation that also requires a sub-micro-second time step, which makes the simulation extremely slow. The combined model inherits the advantages of both models; the validation example shows the simulation speed can be doubled while the accuracy loss is less than three percent
Microstructural characterization of pulsed laser–deposited hydroxyapatite thin films on Ti-6Al-4V

Hydroxyapatite (HA), Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, the main mineral component of natural bone (∼ 70%), shows the most desirable bone response among the bioactive materials. In the present study, HA coatings of approximately 2–3 µm thickness were deposited on Ti–6Al–4V substrate by KrF excimer laser (λ=248 nm, pulse repetition rate = 10Hz, pulse duration = 20 ns, Laser fluence = 3 J cm−2) ablation of HA targets. The deposition process was carried at room temperature under different chamber pressures (10−1–10−4 Torr of oxygen). The morphology and structure of the deposited layers were studied by scanning electron microscopy and X–ray diffraction analysis. Mechanical and adhesive properties of the coatings were evaluated through the Nanoindentation and scratch test, respectively. The XRD analysis revealed that as-deposited HA film is amorphous. However, for biomedical applications HA coatings should be crystalline, because amorphous HA films easily dissolve in body fluids. The initially amorphous pulsed laser deposited thin films were annealed at 300 °C for 4 h in ambient air in order to restore the crystalline structure. This study reveals that the pulsed-laser deposition followed by post deposition annealing is a promising technique to produce ideal crystalline adherent HA thin films.Hydroxyapatite (HA), Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, the main mineral component of natural bone (∼ 70%), shows the most desirable bone response among the bioactive materials. In the present study, HA coatings of approximately 2–3 µm thickness were deposited on Ti–6Al–4V substrate by KrF excimer laser (λ=248 nm, pulse repetition rate = 10Hz, pulse duration = 20 ns, Laser fluence = 3 J cm−2) ablation of HA targets. The deposition process was carried at room temperature under different chamber pressures (10−1–10−4 Torr of oxygen). The morphology and structure of the deposited layers were studied by scanning electron microscopy and X–ray diffraction analysis. Mechanical and adhesive properties of the coatings were evaluated through the Nanoindentation and scratch test, respectively. The XRD analysis revealed that as-deposited HA film is amorphous. However, for biomedical applications HA coatings should be crystalline, because amorphous HA films easily dissolve in body fluids. The initially amorphous pulsed laser deposited t...
Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany)

In Germany, six species of fish are cultured for food. These are: (1) rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri),(2) brown trout (Salmo trutta),(3) carp (Cyprinus carpio), (4) European eel (Anguilla anguilla), (5) tench (Tinca tinca), and (6) common or northern pike (Esox lucius).
DEVELOPMENT AND EVOLUTION: A REPORT.

Development and Evolution is the published version of a symposium sponsored by the British Society for Developmental Biology that was held at the University of Sussex in the spring of 1982. The fact that this was the second major symposium on this topic to be held within a 12-month time span is symptomatic of a re-awakening of interest in this subject. This re-awakening has been accompanied by a partial metamorphosis. The old questions, notably those of the relationships between ontogeny and phylogeny, are being asked again in new ways, and newer questions such as those conceming the relationship of genotypes to complex morphological phenotypes have been added. I believe, however, that a major reason why this subject has aroused so much excitement recently is that it has become the focus of two related counter-revolutions. One of these is against neo-Darwinian orthodoxy in evolutionary theory, while the other opposes the neo-Weissmanian view of the organism as an expression of the genome. One virtue of Development and Evolution is that it includes some of the more uncompromising proclamations of the counter-revolutionaries. Statements such as "If taxa are real, it follows that there is only one real or natural hierarchy, one correct or true classification" (Patterson) or ". . . the historical sequence of forms emerging during evolution is logically secondary to an understanding of the generative principles defining the potential set of these forms and their transformations" (Goodwin and Trainor) might have been dismissed as lunacy a decade or two ago, and perhaps still are by most biologists. However, the views exemplified by these quotations have at least gained sufficent adherence to have become the center of a lively debate, or more accurately a lively set of related debates. A second and major virtue of Development and Evolution is that it is a true forum for debate rather than simply a platform for the counter-revolutionaries; real debate was insured by the fact that some of the leading proponents of the still-dominant orthodoxies were invited along with the dissidents. Perhaps the only major defect of the symposium,
Dynamic Model for the Stocks and Release Flows of Engineered Nanomaterials

Most existing life-cycle release models for engineered nanomaterials (ENM) are static, ignoring the dynamics of stock and flows of ENMs. Our model, nanoRelease, estimates the annual releases of ENMs from manufacturing, use, and disposal of a product explicitly taking stock and flow dynamics into account. Given the variabilities in key parameters (e.g., service life of products and annual release rate during use) nanoRelease is designed as a stochastic model. We apply nanoRelease to three ENMs (TiO2, SiO2 and FeOx) used in paints and coatings through seven product applications, including construction and building, household and furniture, and automotive for the period from 2000 to 2020 using production volume and market projection information. We also consider model uncertainties using Monte Carlo simulation. Compared with 2016, the total annual releases of ENMs in 2020 will increase by 34–40%, and the stock will increase by 28–34%. The fraction of the end-of-life release among total release flows will inc...