cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The safety of zoledronic acid

Zoledronic acid has been marketed for the past 5 years for the treatment of hypercalcemia of malignancy and malignant bone disease in patients with multiple myeloma or a broad range of solid tumors. The safety profile of zoledronic acid in this patient population is well established from the databases of several large, randomized, Phase III trials and postmarketing clinical experience. Zoledronic acid is well tolerated, with predictable side effects, primarily transient flu-like symptoms, which are manageable with standard treatment. Renal monitoring is recommended, with dose reductions for patients with renal dysfunction. Monitoring for electrolyte imbalance is also important as is calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Ocular complications are rare, and osteonecrosis of the jaw is uncommon and might be avoidable with appropriate dental care.
Evidence that tyrosine phosphorylation regulates N-cadherin turnover during retinal development

N-cadherin, a member of the cadherin family of calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecules, mediates adhesive and signaling interactions between cells during development. N-Cadherin undergoes dynamic spatiotemporal changes in expression which correlate with morphogenetic movements of cells during organogenesis and histogenesis. We have previously shown that N-cadherin expression during development is regulated by several mechanisms, including mRNA expression, cytokine modulation, and proteolytically mediated turnover, yielding the NCAD90 protein. The present study was directed at determining the extent to which N-cadherin in primary embryonic cells is the target of endogenous kinases and phosphatases, as well as the effects of modulation of these enzymes on NCAD90 expression. The results of phosphoamino acid analyses, peptide mapping, and measurements of N-cadherin and NCAD90 expression in embryonic tissues indicate that N-cadherin is indeed the target of endogenous kinase and phosphatase action, and that modulation of different classes of these enzymes can result in either stimulation or inhibition of NCAD90 production. These results provide a mechanistic explanation for observations that cadherin function is downregulated following expression of exogenously introduced viral tyrosine kinases and provide a function for the tyrosine phosphatases recently found in association with cadherins. The results indicate that N-cadherin expression during retinal development is possibly regulated in part by modulation of its phosphorylation state, the balance of which may determine whether N-cadherin remains stably expressed or is targeted for proteolytically mediated turnover to produce NCAD90. Dev. Genet. 20:224–234, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
On Foulkes' conjecture

Abstract Foulkes' (1950) Conjecture is that if a ≤ b then id ↑ S a wrS b S ab is a subrepresentation of id ↑ S b wrS a S ab . This paper gives three conjectures which would imply Foulkes' conjecture. All three conjectures are of the form of showing that a certain linear map between two combinatorial defined vector spaces is one-to-one. One of these conjectures is equivalent to a conjecture of Black and List [1]. The other two are new. Some partial results are provided.
Effect of Soy Flour, Soy Protein Concentrate and Sodium Alginate on the Textural Attributes of Minced Fish Patties

A mixture response statistical design was used to investigate the textural attributes of minced fish patties. Patties formulated with pollock were significantly firmer than those made from turbot and pollock blends or from turbot alone. Breakpoint values and firmness scores were negatively correlated with flavor and acceptability scores indicating that as patty firmness increased general acceptability declined. Higher acceptability for softer patties formulated with more turbot were attributable to the higher fat content. Increasing the soy protein levels and decreasing alginate content increased patty firmness regardless of fish composition. The patty formulation with maximum predicted acceptability was 78% turbot, 11% soy flour, and 11% soy protein concentrate.
CHARACTERS OF THE HEATHER VOLE, PHENACOMYS, AND THE RED TREE VOLE, ARBORIMUS

The differences between Phenacomys and Arborimus are evaluated. Elevation of the subgenus Arborimus to full generic rank is proposed. The heather vole and the red tree vole each are rare in museum collections and difficult to obtain in the field. Thus, information regarding these genera has been slow in accumulating. Merriam (1889) described the genus Phenac- omys, designating Phenacomys intermedius as the type species. Subsequently, Hall and Kelson (1959) listed nine subspecies from Canada and the north- western United States. True (1890) described Phenacomys longicaudus, the red tree vole, from Marshfield, Coos Co., Oregon. This species (including P. silvicola) is known to occur from the Columbia River in Oregon southward to Sonoma County, California. It is generally found at lower elevations in associ- ations of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesi), grand fir (Abies grandi-A. con- color complex), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla). Merriam (1901) described a terrestrial species, Phenacomys albipes, which is similar in several respects to P. longicaudus, and occurs in the same general region. Taylor (1915) erected a new subgenus, Arborimus, for the tree voles, and Howell (1926) reviewed the genus Phenacomys. Only Taylor and Howell have dicussed the relationships in detail. Much information has been obtained since then. My investigation of the natural history and systematic relationships of the red tree vole began in 1955, and, from 1965 on, was continued in association with Chris Maser and Donald Roberts. Additional microtine genera and species were examined in the field and laboratory, and breeding colonies of several microtine genera have been maintained in order to obtain comparative data. From these studies, it has become apparent that the heather vole and the red tree vole are well differentiated from each other. I first proposed the elevation of Arborimus to generic rank at the annual meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists in 1966. Subsequently I have reappraised and refined my proposal.
Detection of active and latent feline herpesvirus 1 infections using the polymerase chain reaction

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed to detect the thymidine kinase gene of feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1) and to study the active and latent carrier state in a group of naturally FHV-1 infected specific pathogen free (SPF) cats. The detection limit of PCR products on ethidium bromide stained gels was 390 fg or about 3 x 10(3) copies of the FHV-1 genome. The PCR was 25% more sensitive than conventional cell culture based virus isolation techniques in detecting FHV-1 in oral/ocular swabs and 100 times more sensitive in detecting virus in cell culture supernatants. Sites of FHV-1 latency in FHV-1 carriers as determined by PCR were mainly tissues of the head, especially the trigeminal ganglia, optic nerves, olfactory bulbs and corneas. Oral fauces, salivary glands, lacrimal glands, cerebellum and conjunctiva were less consistently positive. The cerebral cortex, thymus, trachea, lung, liver, spleen, kidney, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were consistently negative for FHV-1 genome. The distribution of FHV-1 DNA in the tissues of the head was similar whether or not corticosteroid-induced virus shedding was occurring at the time the tissues were collected. Infectious virus was never recovered from tissue homogenates regardless of the PCR status of the tissues.
Mood-altering drugs and alternative integrative medicine: what we don’t know, what we need to know, and how we can find out

The report by Scher and Anwar on the psychiatric medications taken by elective surgery patients in New Orleans is fascinating and compelling. Scher and Anwar found that 43% of their patients were taking psychotropically active medications. The medications included antidepressants, benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, lithium, and non-prescription alternative therapies. The percentage of these patients who would have reported this fact to their anesthesiologists is unknown. Thus, one of the unknown elements of a patient’s medical history may be medicines taken that have the potential to interact with anesthetics. In their survey, the authors also mention over-the-counter therapies such as melatonin. Recently, other surveys have suggested that at least 25%, and maybe as many as 50%, of patients use “alternative therapies” to treat themselves. Like the psychotropics, these agents have the potential to alter the action of drugs and therapies that anesthesiologists administer during or after operative procedures, or for chronic pain relief. How much do anesthesiologists, or any other group of physicians or scientists for that matter, know about the interactions between anesthetics and moodaltering drugs, or between anesthetics and herbal therapies? I venture to guess that, with some exceptions, the answer is we know very little. One reason is that the FDA exemption granted by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, which applies to the ingredients in herbal therapies, excludes the supplements from regulation. In other words, manufacturers of dietary supplements are free from the burden of proving that their products are safe in themselves or safe when interacting with other FDA-approved drugs. As a first step, I would like to see these “exempt” supplements tested on small animal models in trials that compare the interaction of alternative medicines or placebo with an anesthetic drug. If the interaction is virtually nonexistent or negligible, we can feel comfortable with our failure to ask a patient during a preoperative evaluation about his use of herbals. But if the interactions have important effects, we need to become proactive in identifying the number of patients who may suffer morbidity as a result. In passing the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, Congress removed the responsibility for the effects of
Design, synthesis, and characterization of bis-phosphatidylcholine, a mechanistic probe of phosphatidylcholine transfer protein catalytic activity.

Abstract The design, synthesis, and characterization of 1-(17,18-dithiatetratriacontandioyl)-bis(2-hexadecanoyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphocholine) is described. Bis-phosphatidylcholine is a dimeric phospholipid comprised of two glycerophosphocholine gruops linked together by a disulfide bond at the distal ends of the sn -1 fatty acyl chains. Electron microscopy and [ 14 C]glucose trapping studies indicate that hydrated dispersions of bis-phosphatidylcholine form closed, spherical structures which have diameters in the range of 125–500 nm. Sensitivity to phospholipase hydrolysis suggests that this bipolar lipid is organized in a membrane such that the two polar head groups of the molecular are oriented at the same surface of the membrane. Using conditions in which bovine liver phosphatidylcholine transfer protein transfers both unsaturated and saturated diacyl phosphatidylcholines between fluid phosphatidylcholine vesicles, no transfer of the bipolar phospholipid is observed. The lack of activity toward bis-phosphatidylcholine suggests that this molecule may be a useful tool for elucidating the role of membrane phosphatidylcholine in the catalytic mechanism of the phosphatidylcholine transfer protein
Beam-tilted dipole-EBG array antenna for future base station applications

A dipole-EBG array that utilizes the beam-tilting single element is presented. This enables down-tilted beam with a high directivity toward a mobile device. The proposed antenna design is fabricated and measured. The directivity of 11.2 dB is achieved at the angle of 25° at 3.5 GHz. This is higher than 9.8 dB of the directivity for the reference case that utilizes the broadside EBG-dipole single element. The array antennas exhibit a reasonable impedance matching across the operational frequency.
BASP1 in the lens

BASP1 was detected in the embryonic and adult chicken lens, using immunological methods and by peptide sequence analysis. The protein was predominantly expressed in fiber cells and only faintly detected in annular pad cells. Localization of the protein was along the plasma membrane of fiber cells often in discrete areas. The role of BASP1 in the lens requires further study.
Mining Social Media: Challenges and Opportunities

The opportunities presented by social networking have led to millions of users flocking to sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare. Even sites like Amazon have added the ability for users to interact with one another, though it seems tangential to the site's stated purpose. These social networking sites and social networking features generate massive amounts of data that can be used to draw conclusions about social behavior that could previously only be studied using relatively small sample sizes. This unlocks the ability to validate existing social theories, generate new models for how individuals and groups interact, and leverage the power of the crowd, among others.
Safeguarding production agriculture and natural ecosystems against biological terrorism. A U.S. Department of Agriculture emergency response framework.

Foreign pest introductions and outbreaks represent threats to agricultural productivity and ecosystems, and, thus, to the health and national security of the United States. It is advisable to identify relevant techniques and bring all appropriate strategies to bear on the problem of controlling accidentally and intentionally introduced pest outbreaks. Recent political shifts indicate that the U.S. may be at increased risk for biological terrorism. The existing emergency-response strategies of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) will evolve to expand activities in coordination with other emergency management agencies. APHIS will evolve its information superstructure to include extensive application of simulation models for forecasting, meteorological databases and analysis, systems analysis, geographic information systems, satellite image analysis, remote sensing, and the training of specialized cadres within the emergency-response framework capable of managing the necessary information processing and analysis. Finally, the threat of key pests ranked according to perceived risk will be assessed with mathematical models and "what-if" scenarios analyzed to determine impact and mitigation practices. An infrastructure will be maintained that periodically surveys ports and inland regions for the presence of exotic pest threats and will identify trend abnormalities. This survey and monitoring effort will include cooperation from industry groups, federal and state organizations, and academic institutions.
Response to therapy is independently associated with survival prolongation in chronic myelogenous leukemia in the blastic phase.

BACKGROUND Achievement of minimal tumor burden, such as complete response, has been accepted as a surrogate marker for improved survival in many solid and hematologic carcinomas. Several new agents have been approved recently for orphan disease indications or unmet medical needs, based on response analyses. This has not been the case for chronic myelogenous leukemia in the blastic phase (CML-BP), despite its poor prognosis, because response has not been proven to be a valuable endpoint for survival prolongation. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of response in CML-BP on survival prolongation. STUDY GROUP AND METHODS In total, 328 patients with CML-BP referred from 1989 to 1999 were studied; 311 patients received therapy for CML-BP, and 275 were evaluable for response. Blastic phase CML was defined by the presence of 30% or more blasts in the blood or bone marrow, or extramedullary disease. Treatment responses were reviewed and categorized as proposed in previous large studies. Four categoric response groups were defined further based on significant differences in outcome: cytogenetic response, hematologic response, bone marrow improvement, and failure. The association of treatment response with survival was evaluated by multivariate and landmark analyses. RESULTS The association of response with survival was analyzed among the 275 patients who had evaluable responses, and follow-up information was documented. Univariate analysis of pretreatment characteristics found performance status, hemoglobin levels, platelet counts, peripheral blasts, additional chromosomal abnormalities, and blastic phase morphology as showing significant associations with survival (P < 0.1). A multivariate analysis found platelet counts and blastic morphology as independent significant factors associated with survival (P < 0.05). A landmark analysis conducted at 8 weeks from start of therapy showed the beneficial effect of achieving response on survival prolongation (P < 0.001). A repeat multivariate at the 8-week landmark time in the 240 patients alive at that time, which included pretreatment characteristics and treatment response, confirmed the independent significant association of morphology (P = 0.003), platelet counts (P = 0.04), and response (P < 0.001) with survival. CONCLUSIONS Response to therapy is a significant independent factor associated with survival prolongation and maybe an acceptable therapeutic endpoint for approving new treatments in CML-BP. Cancer 2001;92:2501–7. © 2001 American Cancer Society.
The impact of IT on decision structure and firm performance: evidence from the textile and apparel industry

Clarifying the relationships between information technology (IT), organizational performance, and decision structure remains an important area of inquiry in IS research. Through an empirical analysis and complementary case examples, our study examines these associations among firms operating in the US-based apparel and textile industry from 1992 to 1997. Based on data gathered from 50 public firms located across the USA, the study finds that IT used to enhance internal communication supports a decentralized decision structure, which in turn is associated with higher financial performance. Hence, IT exhibits an indirect performance effect. However, use of IT to enhance communication is also found to have a direct performance effect in large organizations. This paper proposes that use of communication enhancing IT can support organizational learning processes by facilitating flexible exchange of skills and knowledge across functional areas. Case examples are used to illustrate how these learning effects can materialize.
Individuals' perceptions of employment accommodation decisions and solutions: lessons for social workers.

Disability rights advocates in social work have claimed that employment opportunities for people with disabilities are an important part of personal empowerment and social inclusion. Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act is aimed at ensuring meaningful employment opportunities are available. Hahn and Raske (2005) state that social work needs to develop a research paradigm that values the inclusion of people with disabilities. This article examines these efforts by incorporating the voices of individuals with disabilities who accessed services at the Job Accommodation Network. Understanding individuals’ perspectives could contribute to better accommodation outcomes for people with disabilities, employers, and advocacy professionals alike.
Neuropeptide Y secretion from bovine chromaffin cells inhibits cyclic amp accumulation

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is secreted from bovine chromaffin cells in response to nicotinic receptor stimulation and may exhibit autocrine, paracrine or endocrine effects. Stimulation of bovine chromaffin cells with nicotine followed by the addition of forskolin (FSK) to the media results in a decrease in cyclic AMP accumulation compared to that seen in the absence of nicotine. Pertussis toxin (PTX) treatment or the addition of BIBP 3226, a selective NPY Y1 receptor antagonist prevents the inhibitory effect of nicotine. Fractionation of media obtained from cells stimulated with nicotine reveals an NPY-like substance that inhibits FSK-stimulated cAMP accumulation. Thus, an NPY-like substance can be secreted from bovine chromaffin cells in quantities sufficient to inhibit FSK-stimulated cAMP accumulation. These results suggest that NPY can act in an autocrine fashion to regulate chromaffin cell function.
ELECTROMAGNETIC PROBES AT RHIC-II

We will summarize how future measurements of electromagnetic probes at the upgraded Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC-II), in connection with theoretical analysis, can advance our understanding of strongly interacting matter at high energy densities and temperatures. Electromagnetic probes have already played a very important role at SPS and RHIC to date. We will try to identify key physics objectives and observables that remain to be addressed. These include measuring the initial temperature and examining the transition properties via continuum radiation, studying the energy loss mechanism in the medium, the system size evolution via photon-photon correlations as well as medium modifications of vector mesons via low-mass dileptons. We will argue that detector upgrades, increased experimental precision, order of magnitude higher statistics than currently achievable, as well as a detailed scan of colliding species and energies are necessary to allow for sufficient discrimination power in theoretical interpretations.
Static excitation control for diesel-electric locomotives

Recent trends in industrial control equipment have been toward the use of static devices. The objective has been to secure greater reliability, lower maintenance costs, and more accurate control. Absolute reliability is a prime requisite for railroad locomotive control. Substitution of easily serviced packages of static equipment for rotating machines and dynamic regulators of all types is one advance toward this ultimate of absolute reliability.
Assessing the ACGME General Competencies: General Considerations and Assessment Methods

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's (ACGME's) general competency and outcome assessment initiative (i.e., the ACGME Outcome Project) is an effort to enhance residency education and accreditation effectiveness by increasing emphasis on educational outcomes. The Project is also a response to concerns about new graduates' ability to meet the demands of today's practice environment. The competencies emphasize learning in new domains (e.g., Practice-Based Learning and Improvement and Systems-Based Practice) and more traditional ones (e.g., Patient Care and Medical Knowledge). Outcome assessment will provide evidence of residency program educational effectiveness and information to guide improvement. This paper discusses the development and implementations of assessment methods appropriate to evaluate the performance of residents in each of the core competencies.
Flow past a wing-body junction - Experimental evaluation of turbulence models

Detailed three-component LDV measurements have been made in the flow of a turbulent boundary layer past an idealised wing-body junction. These measurements, which show great variety and three-dimensionality in the vortex-dominated turbulence structure of this flow, are here used to evaluate a number of turbulence models. Many of these models require or imply a relationship between the angles of the turbulence shear-stress and mean-velocity vectors. In the present flow these angles are not only different but do not follow any simple relationship. To predict the shear-stress transport equations is clearly needed. In particular, new models based on measurements are needed for the pressure-strain term. The ability of six turbulence models to predict the mean-velocity and/or turbulence kinematic energy is examined. Among the best are the Cebeci-Smith and algebraic-stress models. Other models, particularly the Johnson-King, are not well suited to this vortical flow.
Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy at high concentrations using gold bowtie nanoantennas

Abstract Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) measures the fluorescence fluctuations of fluorophores in solution, but is restricted to extremely low concentrations. Plasmonic gold bowtie nanoantennas enhance a single molecule’s fluorescence relative to a large background of unenhanced molecules, and here we show that bowties can extend FCS measurements to much higher concentrations. In this demonstration, the bowtie-FCS signal is dominated by molecules that transiently stick to the substrate near the bowtie gap, and photobleaching/photoblinking dynamics for two fluorophores are measured on the 10–100 ms time scale.
Discoloration of fresh pork as related to muscle and display conditions

Pale, soft, exudative (PSE), normal, and dark, firm, dry (DFD) pork was held 7 days at 4°C under light or dark then color was evaluated instrumentally and visually. Change in reflectance (R630-R580) was used to estimate color changes due to oxymyoglobin. PSE pork was lighter (higher L * ) than normal and DFD pork, but did not change over time. An increase in a * and R630-R580 occurred the first day for normal and DFD, but not for PSE samples. A subsequent increase in hue angle and decrease in R630-R580 (loss of redness) occurred in PSE and normal, but not in DFD samples. Changes in hue angle and R630-R580 were more rapid in PSE than in normal samples. Light exposure accelerated all changes except L * . Visual redness inversely correlated with L * value.
Integrated pathway analysis of rat urine metabolic profiles and kidney transcriptomic profiles to elucidate the systems toxicology of model nephrotoxicants.

In this study, approximately 40 endogenous metabolites were identified and quantified by 1H NMR in urine samples from male rats dosed with two proximal tubule toxicants, cisplatin and gentamicin. The excreted amount of a majority of those metabolites in urine was found to be dose-dependent and exhibited a strong correlation with histopathology scores of overall proximal tubule damage. MetaCore pathway analysis software (GeneGo Inc.) was employed to identify nephrotoxicant-associated biochemical changes via an integrated quantitative analysis of both urine metabolomic and kidney transcriptomic profiles. Correlation analysis was applied to establish quantitative linkages between pairs of individual metabolite and gene transcript profiles in both cisplatin and gentamicin studies. This analysis revealed that cisplatin and gentamicin treatments were strongly linked to declines in mRNA transcripts for several luminal membrane transporters that handle each of the respective elevated urinary metabolites, such as ...
Low Temperature Wafer Bonding by Copper Nanorod Array

A vast array of Cu nanorods with a diameter of 10-20 nm grown by an oblique angle deposition technique was utilized as an adhesive layer for bonding 200 mm Si wafers at low temperatures. The focus ion beam/scanning electron microscope images illustrate that the Cu nanorod array underwent coalescence readily upon a bonding temperature at 200°C. Upon 400°C, a dense Cu bonding layer with homogeneous structure was achieved. A fully dense bonding structure was also obtained upon a lower bonding temperature at 300°C followed by a postannealing at 400°C in a reducing ambient.
The role of urban and agricultural areas during avian migration: an assessment of within‐year temporal turnover

Aim Migrationisoftenidentifiedasthemostvulnerableperiodintheannualcycle for birds, and land-use change is likely to have altered how avian populations are regulated during migration events. However, the consequences of land-use change for avian diversity are typically assessed based on annual surveys of breeding communities with little consideration given to migration or other phases of the annual cycle. Location Forty-four North American ecoregions. Methods We use eBird avian occurrence data to estimate, at a monthly temporal resolution for the combined period 2004 to 2013, how species richness and temporal turnover in species composition is structured within years across a land-use gradient (intact vegetation, agricultural and urban). Results Species richness peaked on average during spring and autumn migrations. Intact vegetation had the highest and urban areas the lowest species richness on average. Despite differences in community size, the three land-use categories had similar patterns of within-year temporal turnover,suggesting analogous effects of geographic diffusion by migrating species. Agricultural and urban areas had comparatively dampened temporal turnover across the annual cycle, suggesting more homogeneous within-year species compositions. Relative to eastern ecoregions, differences in species richness and temporal turnover among land-use categories were substantially more pronounced in western ecoregions. Main conclusions Agricultural and urban areas have lower species richness and reduced within-year temporal turnover across the annual cycle relative to areas of intact vegetation, particularly in the west. Our findings suggest that avian diversity has been simplified across the annual cycle through the influence of human activities, with human-transformed landscapes maintaining a degree of relevance for migratory birds, especially in the east.
Exploiting iteration-level parallelism in dataflow programs

An approach to extracting iteration-level parallelism from dataflow programs is presented. The method exploits the single-assignment principle, which guarantees that any data value has exactly one producer. To minimize interprocessor communication, the code is modified so that, at run time, each producer executes on the processor that holds the corresponding data. Overhead resulting from possibly remote read accesses is alleviated by a software technique similar to caching. The performance of this process-oriented dataflow system (PODS) is demonstrated using the hydrodynamics simulation benchmark called SIMPLE, in which a 19-fold speedup on a 32-processor architecture has been achieved. >
A Parallel Approach to Optimum Actuator Selection With a Genetic Algorithm

Recent discoveries in smart technologies have created a variety of aerodynamic actuators which have great potential to enable entirely new approaches to aerospace vehicle flight control. For a revolutionary concept such as a seamless aircraft with no moving control surfaces, there is a large set of candidate locations for placing actuators, resulting in a substantially larger number of combinations to examine in order to find an optimum placement satisfying the mission requirements. The placement of actuators on a wing determines the control effectiveness of the airplane. One approach to placement maximizes the moments about the pitch, roll, and yaw axes, while minimizing the coupling. Genetic algorithms have been instrumental in achieving good solutions to discrete optimization problems, such as the actuator placement problem. As a proof of concept, a genetic algorithm has been developed to find the minimum number of actuators required to provide uncoupled pitch, roll, and yaw control for a simplified untapered, unswept wing model. To find the optimum replacement by searching all possible combinations would require 1,100 hours. Formulating the problem and modifying it to take advantage of the parallel processing capabilities of a multi-processor computer, reduces the optimization time to 22 hours.
COMPARISON OF TOPICAL INTERLEUKIN-1 VS TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-ALPHA BLOCKADE WITH CORTICOSTEROID THERAPY ON MURINE CORNEAL INFLAMMATION, NEOVASCULARIZATION, AND TRANSPLANT SURVIVAL (AN AMERICAN OPHTHALMOLOGICAL SOCIETY THESIS)

Purpose: Interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) play critical roles in mediating corneal inflammation. In this study, topical blockade of IL-1 and TNF-α, alone or in combination, was compared to conventional corticosteroid anti-inflammatory therapy in suppressing infiltration of the cornea by antigen-presenting Langerhans cells (LCs) and in promoting corneal transplant survival in a mouse model of keratoplasty. Methods: Study drugs included topical 2% IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), 1.5% soluble TNF-α receptor (sTNFR), and 1% prednisolone phosphate (Pred), all formulated in hyaluronic acid vehicle. Fifty eyes of BALB/c mice were used for LC studies where the numbers of LCs were determined 1 week after electrocautery to the corneal surface or transplantation of C57BL/6 corneas. Additionally, 65 BALB/c mice received corneal allografts and were randomized to receive one of the following for 8 weeks: (1) IL1Ra, (2) sTNFR, (3) Pred, (4) combined IL-1Ra and Pred, or (5) vehicle alone. Results: Mean suppression of LC infiltration after electrocautery or transplantation was 67% and 71%, respectively, for IL-1Ra, 40% and 62% for sTNFR, 70% and 72% for sTNFR+IL-1Ra, and 77% and 78% for Pred alone. Rejection rates were 15% for IL-1Ra (P = .01), 38% for sTNFR (P = .1), 17% for Pred (P = .02), and 7% for combined IL-1Ra+Pred (P = .002) as compared to 69% for the vehicle-treated group. IL-1Ra and Pred, but not sTNFR, significantly inhibited post-transplantation neovascularization. Conclusions: Topical IL-1Ra and prednisolone are comparable in their capacity to promote graft survival. sTNFR therapy, though effective, has much lower efficacy as compared to IL-1Ra or Pred. Combination IL-1Ra and steroid therapy offers only minimal added efficacy over either agent used alone.
Lab rearing environment perturbs social traits: a case study with Polistes wasps

Laboratory-based animal rearing is a common tool used to control environmental variation. However, important differences between lab and field environments may affect the biological relevance of results. Moreover, how lab rearing affects social dynamics in groups has received little attention. We investigated the effects of lab rearing on gene expression, physiology, behavior, and colony dynamics in a behavioral model system. The primitively eusocial paper wasp Polistes fuscatus has been studied in both lab and field and is an important system for understanding social evolution and caste (queen vs. worker) development. High nourishment has been implicated as a key factor in the development of prequeen (“gyne”) traits. Because the nutritional environment is altered in the lab, understanding the effects of lab rearing on caste-related traits is critical to properly interpreting experimental results. Lab-reared wasps have access to ad lib food, whereas field colonies are likely food-limited. Our results support the hypothesis that lab rearing (and associated excess nourishment) biased the development of wasp physiology and to some extent, behavior, toward being more gyne-like. Expression levels of 4 caste-related genes, however, were in the opposite direction, toward more worker-like. Lab rearing also affected colony traits: lab-reared colonies dramatically halted nest construction and began producing male eggs 1 week later than field-reared colonies. These results demonstrate the complex effects of lab-rearing on eco-physiological traits of social species, and we discuss some pros and cons of studying ecological model systems in both lab and field settings.
Agardite-(Y), Cu2+6Y(AsO4)3(OH)6·3H2O

Agardite-(Y), with a refined formula of Cu2+5.70(Y0.69Ca0.31)[(As0.83P0.17)O4]3(OH)6·3H2O [ideally Cu2+6Y(AsO4)3(OH)6·3H2O, hexa­copper(II) yttrium tris­(arsenate) hexa­hydroxide trihydrate], belongs to the mixite mineral group which is characterized by the general formula Cu2+6A(TO4)3(OH)6·3H2O, where nine-coordinated cations in the A-site include rare earth elements along with Al, Ca, Pb, or Bi, and the T-site contains P or As. This study presents the first structure determination of agardite-(Y). It is based on the single-crystal X-ray diffraction of a natural sample from Jote West mine, Pampa Larga Mining District, Copiapo, Chile. The general structural feature of agardite-(Y) is characterized by infinite chains of edge-sharing CuO5 square pyramids (site symmetry 1) extending down the c axis, connected in the ab plane by edge-sharing YO9 polyhedra (site symmetry -6..) and corner-sharing AsO4 tetra­hedra (site symmetry m..). Hy­droxyl groups occupy each corner of the CuO5-square pyramids not shared by a neighboring As or Y atom. Each YO9 polyhedron is surrounded by three tubular channels. The walls of the channels, parallel to the c axis, are six-membered hexa­gonal rings comprised of CuO5 and AsO4 polyhedra in a 2:1 ratio, and contain free mol­ecules of lattice water.
A Model of Market Segmentation with Risk

We characterize an optimal scheme for the sale of multiple items of a good by a monopolist in a market comprised of risk averse buyers. It is established that by randomizing prices in one channel while also offering a risk-free alternative in another a seller may obtain segmentation benefits. The optimal vehicle of such price randomization is a draw from a discrete two-points probability distribution function. We use the model to offer explanations for observed on-line sellers' behavior and discuss implementation issues in view of recent e-commerce environments.
Eikenella corrodens in human mouth flora

The incidence of Eikenella corrodens in the human mouth was studied in 229 individuals. Six (2.6%) had positive cultures. The incidence of positive cultures for the saliva group was 0.6% and for the tooth-scraping group it was 8.2%. When 11 isolates were tested against 33 antimicrobials by disc-agar diffusion, 82% were susceptible to penicillin, cephalothin, and cefoperazone. Susceptibility to the remaining second- and third-generation cephalosporins studied was 100%. We suggest that the use of a second- or third-generation cephalosporin only is appropriate empiric therapy for human bite injuries.
Kentucky's Family Resource Centers A Community-Based, School-Linked Services Model

Similar developments in education and social services offer an opportunity for these two systems to come together to better meet the needs of all children and families. both systems are seeking to be inclusive, to decategorize, and to address growing problems and decreasing resources with coordination and collaboration. these movements have joined forces in what is called the “school-linked service movement,” of which the family resource center idea is representative. this article explores this idea by identifying lessons learned in the development of family resource centers in kentucky and discussing policy issues that are essential for both education and social services to address to assure continued development of this movement.
First principles study of electronic structures of dopants in Mg 2 Si

We investigate the impact of various dopants (Na, Ag, Cd, Zn, Al, Ga, In, Tl, Ge, and Sn) on the electronic structure of Mg 2 Si by first principles calculations using a hybrid functional that does not need a band gap correction. We find that for Na and Ge in Mg 2 Si, the impurity-induced states do not affect the density of states at both edges of the valence band and the conduction band. Ag- and Sn affect slightly the density of states at the valence band edge, while Cd and Zn affect slightly the density of state at the conduction band edge. Al and In could modify significantly the density of states at the conduction band edge. Ga introduces states just at the bottom of the conduction band. Tl introduces states in the band gap. This study provides useful information on optimizing the thermoelectric efficiency of Mg 2 Si.
Activation imbalances in lumbar spine muscles in the presence of chronic low back pain

Paraspinal electromyographic (EMG) activity was recorded bilaterally from three lumbar levels during 30-s isometric trunk extensions [40 and 80% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)] in 20 health...
Lossless divide and conquer principle for massively parallel optimizations

A lossless divide-and-conquer strategy is discovered for solving a global optimization on massively parallel and distributed processors. The lossless principle which is analogous to the incoherent phenomenon in physics is expressed in terms of a vector velocity V derived from the least mean square kinetic energy E=|V|/sup 2//2. We illustrate the nonlinearity that the sum of the best traveling salesman problem (TSP) solutions in subregions is not necessarily globally the best because of the boundary resultant vectors: V=A+B have a cross interaction terms (A,B)/spl ne/0. In fact, a nearest neighbor connection at the boundary cities represents a longer overall distance than the next nearest neighbor connection between boundary cities. Then, a theorem of orthogonal division error for lossless divide-and-conquer is proved, and the orthogonal projection is constructed for solving TSP explicitly.
Analysis of robot drive train errors, their static effects, and their compensations

A mathematical model of the kinematic nonlinear drive-train errors, which reduce the absolute static positioning accuracy of robot arms, is presented. This kinematic inaccuracy renders robot manipulators less effective when programmed offline, though they might be programmed to successfully perform the same task by teach playback schemes. The kinematic drive-train inaccuracy model presented can be used to predict and compensate for these nonlinear effects online, without resorting to sensor-based programming techniques, which are often expensive and may be difficult to implement in an industrial environment. The drive-train error model presented is based on gear backlash, eccentricity, and drive-shaft compliance. That the effects of these nonlinearities severely impact the robot's repeatability and absolute positioning accuracy is mathematically proven. >
An adaptive resource partitioning algorithm for SMT processors

Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) increases processor throughput by allowing the parallel execution of several threads. However, fully sharing processor resources may cause resource monopolization by a single thread or other misallocations, resulting in overall performance degradation. Static resource partitioning techniques have been suggested, but are not as effective as dynamically controlling the resource usage of each thread since program behavior does change during its execution. In this paper, we propose an Adaptive Resource Partitioning Algorithm (ARPA) that dynamically assigns resources to threads according to thread behavior changes. ARPA analyzes the resource usage efficiency of each thread in a time period and assigns more resources to threads which can use them in a more efficient way. The purpose of ARPA is to improve the efficiency of resource utilization, thereby improving overall instruction throughput. Our simulation results on a set of 42 multiprogramming workloads show that ARPA outperforms the traditional fetch policy ICOUNT by 55.8% with regard to overall instruction throughput and achieves a 33.8% improvement over Static Partitioning. It also outperforms the current best dynamic resource allocation technique, Hill-climbing, by 5.7%. Considering fairness accorded to each thread, ARPA attains 43.6%, 18.5% and 9.2% improvements over ICOUNT, Static Partitioning and Hill-climbing, respectively, using a common fairness metric.
Lobetelson mclaughlinae n. gen., n. sp., a new genus and species of belotelsonid malacostracan from the Pennsylvanian of the Mazon Creek area

Lobetelson mclaughlinae n. gen., n. sp. from the well-known Mazon Creek fau- nas of the Pennsylvanian (Carboniferous) of northeastern Illinois, USA, shares features in common with Belotelson magister (Packard, 1886), such as eight pairs of uniramous reptant thoracopods and a generalized caridoid body plan. Th e similarities are such that specimens of both species originally were mixed in museum and private collections of the fauna. However, L. mclaughlinae n. gen., n. sp. is distinguished by its more gracile thoracopods, extremely long rostrum (at least equal in length to the carapace), and a wide tail fan formed by broad lobate uropodal rami. In contrast, B. magister is now understood to possess more robust thoracopods, with a relatively short rostrum, and very styliform uropodal rami.
Multi-omics analysis of inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, known together as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are severe autoimmune disorders now causing gut inflammation and ulceration, among other symptoms, in up to 1 in 250 people worldwide. Incidence and prevalence of IBD have been increasing dramatically over the past several decades, although the causes for this increase are still unknown. IBD has both a complex genotype and a complex phenotype, and although it has received substantial attention from the medical research community over recent years, much of the etiology remains unexplained. Genome-wide association studies have identified a rich genetic signature of disease risk in patients with IBD, consisting of at least 163 genetic loci. Many of these loci contain genes directly involved in microbial handling, indicating that the genetic architecture of the disease has been driven by host–microbe interactions. In addition, systematic shifts in gut microbiome structure (enterotype) and function have been observed in patients with IBD. Furthermore, both the host genotype and enterotype are associated with aspects of the disease phenotype, including location of the disease. This provides strong evidence of interactions between host genotype and enterotype; however, there is a lack of published multi-omics data from IBD patients, and a lack of bioinformatics tools for modeling such systems. In this article we discuss, from a computational biologist's point of view, the potential benefits of and the challenges involved in designing and analyzing such multi-omics studies of IBD.
Mixing patterns between age groups in social networks

We present a method for estimating transmission matrices that describe the mixing and the probability of infection between age groups. Transmission matrices can be used to estimate age-dependent forces of infection in age-structured, compartmental models for the study of infectious diseases. We analyze the social network generated by the synthetic population of Portland and extract mixing patterns. Our results show that the mixing within the population consists of two groups, children and adults. Children interact most frequently with other children close to their own age, while adults interact with a wider range of age groups and the durations of typical adult contacts are shorter than typical contacts between children. Furthermore, the transmission matrix shows that children are more likely to acquire infection than adults.
Disk-dispersal and planet-formation timescales

Well before the existence of exo-solar systems was confirmed, it was accepted knowledge that most—if not all—stars possess circumstellar material during the first one-to-several million years of their pre-main sequence lives, and thus that these systems commonly have the potential to form planets. Here, I summarize current understanding regarding the evolution of protoplanetary disks.
Vortex flow model for the blade-vortex interaction problem

Young, A. D. and Rao, K. N., "Some Low Speed Results on the Effects of Swirl and Velocity Distribution on an Axisymmetric Jet," Aerospace Quarterly, Vol. 29, 1978, p. 4. Morse, A. P., "Some Experiments on the Turbulent Swirling Jet with and without External Stream," Ph.D. Thesis, Imperial College, London, 1979. Samet, M. and Einav, S., "The Directional Pressure Probe," Review of Scientific Instruments, 1984, pp. 582-588.