cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isthmus-dependent atrial flutter with unusual activation pattern

Case Report An 86-year-old man with history of dual-chamber pacemaker placement for intermittent second-degree atrioventricular block was referred for electrophysiology study and ablation for recently diagnosed symptomatic atrial flutter. There was no history of ablation or cardiac surgery. The baseline electrocardiogram showed atrial flutter (Figure 1A). Intracardiac electrograms showed an atrial flutter with tachycardia cycle length (TCL) of 316 ms, distal to proximal coronary sinus (CS) activation, and high to low right atrial activation (Figure 1B). Overdrive pacing from the proximal CS resulted in manifest entrainment with a long postpacing interval (PPI) (170 ms 4 TCL; Figure 2C). Entertainment from the distal CS revealed a shorter PPI-TCL values of 130 ms (Figure 2D). Distal to proximal CS activation and a shorter PPI from the distal CS vs the proximal CS suggested an arrhythmia originating in the left atrium. However, pacing from the distal poles of the duodecapolar catheter on the lateral side of the cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) demonstrated concealed entrainment with PPI equal to TCL (duodecapolar 1, 2; Figure 3). We then performed voltage and activation mapping of the right atrium with NavX (St Jude Medical Systems, St Paul, MN). The voltage map demonstrated significant right atrial scar, including circumferential scar around the CS ostium. The activation mapping showed counterclockwise CTI-dependent flutter, with the map accounting for 304 ms of the 316 ms atrial cycle length (96%; see Online Movie). A single radiofrequency lesion at the CTI terminated the tachycardia. The transisthmus conduction time after ablation was 146 ms. Flutter could not be reinduced despite aggressive atrial stimulation.
Discussion on “Life and Work of Bhaskar Kumar Ghosh” by Pranab Kumar Sen

Abstract Kumar Ghosh was a visiting professor in the Department of Statistics at Virginia Tech during 1978–1980. Our comments focus on the very positive impact that he had on our department during this time.
Offset Slices for Layered Manufacturing

Layered Manufacturing (LM) techniques build a part by adding thin layers of material. In this process overhangs need to be supported by sacrificial supports, resulting in an increase in the build time, wastage of material and requiring costly post-processing. Metal based LM machines with the capability to deposit material along multiple directions resolve most of the above problems. These machines have the capability to deposit non-planar slices. In this paper we study such slices and present a task framework for their use with multi-directional LM machines. A solution methodology is presented for the 2 dimensional domain which can be extended to 3 dimensions.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Assessing and preventing foot problems in older patients who have diabetes mellitus

Abstract The first component of prevention is patient education. The patient and those who provide care for the older diabetic must be fully informed of their problems, but understand the management process and be willing to make the lifestyle changes necessary to prevent complications. Evaluating patients to determine those diabetics who are at risk for foot problems, complication, ulceration, or potential amputation is the second component of prevention. This process must include continuing surveillance and management. Recognizing symptoms and signs of various systems with primary evaluative procedures permits the early identification of complications and secondary prevention of chronic disease. Because Medicare now provides footwear and orthotic coverage for at-risk diabetics as an adjunct to management, early screening, assessment, and detection are essential. The provision of significant patient education can then be added to complement professional education. We have attempted to provide a process for proper referral for care and management that can be employed by all health care providers involved in the evaluation of the patient who has diabetes.
Molecular carbon implant technology for ultra-shallow junction formation and n-MOSFET strain application in a 40nm node logic device

We investigated molecular carbon (C 16 H 10 ) implant as a replacement for both a monomer carbon co-implant as well as a Ge pre-amorphization step for ultra-shallow junction (USJ) formation in a p-MOSFET SDE doping process in a 40nm logic device. Carbon is often used in the p-FET extension sequence because it reduces transient enhanced diffusion (TED) by trapping silicon interstitials. However, a Ge pre-amorphization implant (PAI) is still required because C is too light to self-amorphize under most conditions. The use of molecular carbon opens the possibility of eliminating the Ge PAI, which is known to leave residual end of range damage leading to junction leakage. As device scaling continues previously acceptable implant technologies for p-FET source/drain extensions (SDE) are struggling to meet advanced device requirements. We report device results showing that a single implant of C 16 H 10 can effectively replace a two step Ge + C implant sequence. We also studied the combination of C 16 H 10 , and B 18 H 22 at various energies, beam currents, and doses in terms of R s -X j under different advanced annealing schemes. We have also investigated the possibility of using a different molecular carbon (C 7 H 7 ) for n-MOSFET drive current enhancement through the formation of a Si:C stressor in the n-MOSFET source/drain (SD) region. Comparisons of XRD and Rs of the molecular carbon implanted samples from different process flow arrangements were made to identify the proper sequence of implants and anneals. Using a blanket wafer test, we demonstrated that molecular carbon implant produces a thick enough amorphous layer for high incorporation of carbon on the silicon lattice. The optimal location and distribution of high carbon concentration regions, which give the highest strain and least impact in SD Rs were determined. C 7 H 7 was implanted into the SD region of a 40nm logic n-MOSFET to verify the results from the blanket wafer test.
Mission constraints on solid-propellant motors for unmanned spacecraft.

Mission and planetary vehicles characteristics affecting design of solid propellant motors and thrust vector control systems in planetary orbiters and landers
mTOR and lysosome regulation

Lysosomes are key cellular organelles that play a crucial role in catabolism by degrading extracellular and intracellular material. It is, therefore, very intriguing that mTORC1 (mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1), a major promoter of anabolic processes, localizes in its active form to the surface of lysosomes. In recent years, many exciting observations have revealed a tightly regulated crosstalk between mTORC1 activity and lysosomal function. These findings highlight the complex regulatory network that modulates energy metabolism in cells.
Elementary properties of nested Hilbert spaces

Detailed derivations are given of the simplest properties of nested Hilbert spaces and of operators between them.
An approximate lower tolerance bound for the three-parameter Weibull applied to lumber property characterization

Abstract We investigate a large sample approach for obtaining tolerance bounds where the underlying population is a three-parameter Weibull distribution. Accurate tolerance bounds could play an important role in the development of lumber standards. Properties of the maximum likelihood based approach are compared with those of the standard nonparametric tolerance procedure. The asymptotic normal approximation to the tolerance bound was found to be inadequate for most of the cases considered.
Cyberphysical systems security applied to telesurgical robotics

Researchers in telesurgical robotics and security collaborated to develop the Secure ITP, a security enhancement to the Interoperable Telesurgery Protocol (ITP). The ITP defines the structure for communication between telesurgery robots and controllers and has been adopted and tested by fourteen research groups in telesurgical robotics. The Secure ITP uses open source software tools and follows guidelines in Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) documents published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to create asecurity enhancement prototype for demonstration purposes and tofacilitate the development of new security technologies which addressthe stringent requirements of telesurgery. Highlights The Secure ITP is a security framework for telesurgery. The framework leverages the existing Interoperable Telesurgery Protocol (ITP). The framework addresses Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) guidelines. Performance is adequate for teleoperation, but the framework does not address video.
On covering a product of sets with products of their subsets

Suppose that S"1,...,S"N are collections of subsets of X"1,...,X"N, respectively, such that n"i subsets belonging to S"i, and no fewer, cover X"i for all i. the main result of this paper is that to cover X"1 x...x X"N requires no fewer than @s^N"i"="1 (n"i-1) + 1 and no more than @P^N"i"="1n"i subsets of the form A"1 x...x A"N, where A"i@?S"1foralli. Moreo ver, these bounds cannot be improved. Identical bounds for the spanning number of a normal product of graphs are also obtained.
Applications of independent component analysis (ICA) in endmember extraction and abundance quantification for hyperspectral imagery

Independent component analysis (ICA) has shown success in many applications. This paper investigates a new application of the ICA in endmember extraction and abundance quantification for hyperspectral imagery. An endmember is generally referred to as an idealized pure signature for a class whose presence is considered to be rare. When it occurs, it may not appear in large population. In this case, the commonly used principal components analysis (PCA) may not be effective since endmembers usually contribute very little in statistics to data variance. In order to substantiate our findings, an ICA-based approach, called ICA-based abundance quantification algorithm (ICA-AQA) is developed. Three novelties result from our proposed ICA-AQA. First, unlike the commonly used least squares abundance-constrained linear spectral mixture analysis (ACLSMA) which is a 2nd order statistics-based method, the ICA-AQA is a high order statistics-based technique. Second, due to the use of statistical independence it is generally thought that the ICA cannot be implemented as a constrained method. The ICA-AQA shows otherwise. Third, in order for the ACLSMA to perform abundance quantification, it requires an algorithm to find image endmembers first then followed by an abundance-constrained algorithm for quantification. As opposed to such a two-stage process, the ICAAQA can accomplish endmember extraction and abundance quantification simultaneously in one-shot operation. Experimental results demonstrate that the ICA-AQA performs at least comparably to abundance-constrained methods.© (2006) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Japanese Service Industries and their Overseas Potential

Service industries in Japan are surveyed and their competitiveness internationally assessed. Even though service levels in Japan might be the highest anywhere, export potential is limited. The low level of automation and mechanisation has made personal attention still the most common mode of providing service. In many services dependence on imported technology and reliance on special regulatory conditions in Japan combine to make strengths country-specific and with low potential abroad. Japan's language and cultural differences from the rest of the world - including the view that ‘service should be free’ -make inter-personal skills very difficult to transfer overseas. The overseas expansion, where it occurs, is most likely to come through strategic alliances with, or acquisitions of, Western firms.
Polymer light-emitting devices: Light from insulated organic wires.

Design of polymer light-emitting devices usually requires a careful balance between conflicting properties: good charge transport and high-efficiency light emission. Devices fabricated from insulated polymer chains have both.
Design, synthesis, and evaluation of α-ketoheterocycles as class C β-lactamase inhibitors

A series of specific alpha-ketoheterocycles (benzoxazole, thiazole, imidazole, tetrazole, and thiazole-4-carboxylate) has been synthesized in order to assess their potential as beta-lactamase inhibitors. The syntheses were achieved either by construction of the heterocycle (benzoxazole) from an appropriate alpha-hydroxyimidate, followed by oxidation of the alcohol, or by direct reaction of methyl phenaceturate with a lithiated heterocycle. The properties of these compounds in aqueous solution are described and their inhibitory activity against beta-lactamases assessed. They did inhibit the class C beta-lactamase of Enterobacter cloacae P99 but not the TEM beta-lactamase. The most effective inhibitor of the former enzyme (K(i)=0.11 mM) was 5-(phenylacetylglycyl) tetrazole, probably because it is an anion at neutral pH. Interpretation of the results was aided by computational models of the tetrahedral adducts. Most of the compounds also inhibited alpha-chymotrypsin but not porcine pancreatic elastase.
Synthesis and biological activity of position 1 analogs of LH-RH.

(Formyl-sarcosine)1-LH-RH (I), (acetyl-sarcosine)1-LH-RH (II), (2-pyrrolidone-4-carboxylic acid)1-LH-RH (III), (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone-4-carboxylic acid)1-LH-RH (IV, hydroxyproline1-LH-RH (V) and (cyclopentane-carboxylic acid)1-LH-RH (VI) were synthesized by solid phase methods on a benzhydrylamine resin support. Peptides I-IV were assayed for LH- and FSH-releasing activity over a 4-h period after subcutaneous injection into immature male rats in order to detect any prolongation of activity. The peptides were found to have the following integrated LH-releasing activities compared with LH-RH: I, 64%; II, 72%; III, 19%; IV, 58%. None of the peptides were found to be longer acting than LH-RH. Peptides V and VI were far less active, 0.001% and 1.4%, respectively.
Immunomodulators and “On Demand” Therapy with Infliximab in Crohn's Disease: Clinical Experience with 400 Infusions

Immunomodulators and “On Demand” Therapy with Infliximab in Crohn's Disease: Clinical Experience with 400 Infusions
Voltage-dependent sodium channels in an invertebrate striated muscle

Striated skeletal muscles from the planktonic arrowworm Sagitta elegans (phylum Chaetognatha) were voltage-clamped. The muscles displayed classical voltage-dependent sodium channels that (i) showed peak transient currents when the membrane was depolarized 90 millivolts from rest, (ii) opened rapidly with peak currents flowing within 0.4 milliseconds at 4 degrees C, (iii) showed voltage-dependent inactivation with 50 percent inactivation at +25 millivolts from rest, and (iv) were blocked by 500 nanomolar tetrodotoxin.
The stability and composition of phengitic muscovite and associated phases from 5.5 to 11 GPa: Implications for deeply subducted sediments

Abstract The stability and composition of phengitic muscovite was investigated from 5.5–11 GPa, 700–1150°C in synthesis experiments performed in a multianvil apparatus. Starting materials consisted of natural minerals with a bulk composition similar to that of a K-deficient, intermediate dioctahedral-trioctahedral mica. Phengitic muscovite was found to be stable from 5.5–11 GPa at 900°C. Phengite melting occurs between 1075–1150°C at 7–8 GPa and 1000–1050°C at 10 GPa. At 10–11 GPa, 800°C octahedral cation deficient (OCD) muscovite and K-hollandite are observed rather than phengite. The average phengite content of muscovite is positively correlated with pressure ranging from 3.65 Si pfu at 5.5 GPa to 3.81 Si pfu at 11 GPa. The maximum phengite content of stable muscovite appears to be 3.80–3.85 Si pfu. Most phengite examined exhibits at least minor solid solution towards phlogopite, averaging 2.04 ± 0.06 (2σ) octahedral cations pfu. The hydrous phases phengite, lawsonite, topaz-OH, and Mg-pumpellyite occur between 6–8 GPa, 700–900°C. With increasing pressure lawsonite and Mg-pumpellyite dehydrate to form garnet between 8–9 GPa. With increasing temperature Mg-pumpellyite, lawsonite, and topaz-OH devolatilize to form garnet and kyanite between 900–1000°C at 7–8 GPa. Phengitic muscovite and topaz-OH would be stable in hydrous sediments in cool mature subduction zones to depths exceeding 360 km while lawsonite and Mg-pumpellyite would be stable to 240–300 km allowing the transport of H2O contained in these phases deep into the upper mantle. In warmer subduction zones the dehydration of Mg-pumpellyite, lawsonite, and topaz-OH; as well as the melting of phengite would result in fluid release at depths of 180–240 km. The presence of phengite at far greater depths than the zone of melt generation beneath arcs (100–150 km) requires a mechanism such as the partitioning of K, Be, B, Ba, and Rb into migrating fluids rather than the simple dehydration of phengite beneath arcs in order to provide for the transfer of these slab signature elements from phengite into arc magmas.
Commissioning of the IRMOS MEMS spectrometer

The Infrared Multi-Object Spectrometer employs a novel approach to slit definition by using a rapidly configured array of 848 x 600 MEMS mirrors. Developed by a collaboration between STScI, NASA/GSFC, and KPNO, IRMOS provides low to medium resolution spectroscopy of several tens of simultaneous targets in the Z, J, H, and K bands. IRMOS is presently undergoing commissioning to become a facility instrument at Kitt Peak National Observatory in 2006. We report on the success of this concept, the performance of the Texas Instruments DMD array of MEMS mirrors in this application, and our ongoing software development. Examples of observations using both a "Point and Click" approach to slit positioning and the synthesis of full aperture integral field spectroscopy using Hadamard slit mask patterns are presented.
Serotonin (5-HT) induces IPSPs in pyramidal layer cells of rat piriform cortex: evidence for the involvement of a 5-HT2-activated interneuron.

In a slice preparation of rat piriform cortex, both intracellular and extracellular techniques were used to examine the pharmacological and electrophysiological actions of serotonin (5-HT). Bath application of 5-HT resulted in either depolarization (57%), hyperpolarization (34%) or no change (9%) in membrane potential of cells in the pyramidal cell layer (layer II) of piriform cortex. Additionally, when KCl-containing electrodes were used, 5-HT induced an increase in depolarizing synaptic potentials in 41% of these cells. It was concluded that these potentials were reverse inhibitory post-synaptic potentials (IPSPs) because they were blocked by bicuculline and tetrodotoxin. The induction of IPSPs by 5-HT was blocked by the 5-HT2-selective antagonist ritanserin. By recording extracellularly in the presence of 5-HT, a group of 5-HT-activated, putative interneurons was found at the border of layers II and III of piriform cortex. 5-HT but not norepinephrine activation was blocked by ritanserin. The actions of 5-HT were mimicked by the 5-HT2 agonist α-methyl-5-HT; the 5-HT2 partial agonist, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methyl-amphetamine had a small agonist action of its own and blunted the effect of 5-HT. Activation of a larger group of putative interneurons by the more universal excitantN-methyl-d-aspartate showed that the 5-HT-activated interneurons represented 23% of the interneurons located on the border between layers II and III. We conclude that 5-HT induces IPSPs in layer II pyramidal cells by activating a subpopulation of interneurons at the border of layers II and III of piriform cortex.
Sex Disparities in Outcomes of Patients with Coronary Disease

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death for women. It is vital to note that since 1984, the annual number of cardiovascular deaths for women has exceeded that for men. In this review, we explore the most recent data on sex-differences in outcomes of patients with coronary artery disease including changes in awareness, diagnosis of coronary disease, gender disparities in treatment of acute coronary syndromes, and barriers to closing the gender gap in preventive care. In addition, the most recent guidelines for prevention of cardiovascular disease in women are discussed and issues related to the challenges related to enrollment of women in clinical trials are explored.
A Negative Cofactor Containing Dr1/p19 Modulates Transcription with TFIIA in a Promoter-specific Fashion

Abstract An activity that modulated the relative levels of transcription from the adenovirus major late promoter (MLP), and the immunoglobulin heavy chain μ promoter (μ) was purified as a 90-kDa factor. This factor is suggested to be a heterotetramer of two subunits: a 20-kDa polypeptide identical to the previously described Dr1/p19 and a novel 30-kDa polypeptide. The Dr1/p19 protein has been characterized as a repressor of transcription, and the 30-kDa protein is related to a recently identified yeast gene proposed to encode a repressor of transcription. The 90-kDa factor forms a complex with TATA-binding protein on DNA and at high concentrations of both factors protects over a 150-base pair region around the promoter from DNase I cleavage. The conformation of this complex as assayed by footprinting analysis is altered by the transcription factor TFIIA on the MLP but not on the μ promoter. Similarly, TFIIA reverses the repression of transcription by the 90-kDa factor on the MLP but not on the μ promoter. Thus, the interactions of TATA-binding protein, TFIIA, and the 90-kDa factor are promoter-specific.
Diet high in retinoic acid controls M1/M2 activation phenotypes in macrophages and protects from monocrotaline-induced pulmonary fibrosis

Abstract Monocrotaline (MCT) causes endothelial damage and monocyte/macrophage infiltration in the lungs, effects that further aggravate the destructive process via excessive release of potent inflammatory mediators. We used cDNA GEArray to analyze differential expression of inflammatory genes in alveolar macrophages, which may be attributed to MCT-induced disease. Most of the genes regulated in response to MCT were consistent with the M2 phenotype of alternatively activated macrophages, suggesting their role in pulmonary fibrosis. A diet high in retinoic acid (RA) prevented MCT-induced monocyte/macrophage infiltration and severe lung injury. At the transcriptional level, RA reprogrammed the inflammatory expression patterns induced in macrophages by MCT. The identified sets of RA-regulated genes associate alveolar macrophages with classical M1 activation phenotype. Collectively, our GEArray data provide new insights into regulatory role of RA nutritional status in the transcriptional modulation of inflammatory responses in alveolar macrophages, and improve our understanding of cytokine/chemokine imbalance in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis.
Discrimination in electron multipliers for atomic ions 1. Multiplier yields for 24 mass-analyzed ions

Abstract Electron multiplier yields have been measured for 24 atomic ions in an Atlas CH-4 mass spectrometer. The ions were generated by electron impact on appropriate parent compounds, and the yields were normalized to that for argon. The multiplier was of the Allen type with Cu-Be dynodes, and the total ion energy was 5.1 keV. The multiplier yields decreased with increasing mass for elements within a Periodic Group, and for different groups, the general trend of the yields was: IIIA
Blocking the path of lymphatic vessels.

Identification of an endogenous inhibitor of lymphatic vessel formation provides a glimpse at how lymphatic vessel growth is restrained ( pages 1023–1030 ). The findings might be exploited to lower transplant rejection rates.
Modeling the relationship between an emerging infectious disease epidemic and the body of scientific literature associated with it: The case of HIV/AIDS in the United States

This study undertook an exploratory analysis of the relationship between the body of scientific literature associated with HIV/AIDS and the trajectory of the epidemic, measured by the rate of new cases diagnosed annually in the United States for the period covering 1981 to 2009. The body of scientific literature examined in this investigation was constituted from scientific research that developed alongside the epidemic and was extracted from MEDLINE, a bibliographic database of the United States. National Library of Medicine. Content analysis methods were employed for qualitative data reduction, and regression analysis was used to assess whether variation in the trajectory of the epidemic co-occurred with variation in the publication of specific genres of content within the scientific literature relating to HIV/AIDS. The regression model confirmed a statistically significant association between the representative body of HIV/AIDS scientific literature and the epidemic trajectory, and identified three research categories, namely, ameliorative drug treatments, other clinical protocols, and health education, as being most significantly associated with the epidemic trajectory. Implicit in the findings of this study are areas of scientific research that are of functional and practical interest to clinicians, policy makers, the lay public, and contributors to the body of scientific literature.
Immunology: Cross-dressers turn on T cells

Memory T cells remember viruses from previous infections, providing immunity by facilitating the killing of infected cells. For this, they exploit cross-dressing, the transfer of antigens between antigen-presenting cells.
Resolution errors associated with gridded precipitation fields

Spatial-resolution errors are inherent in gridded precipitation (P ) fields – such as those produced by climate models and from satellite observations – and they can be sizeable when P is averaged spatially onto a coarse grid. They can also vary dramatically over space and time. In this paper, we illustrate the importance of evaluating resolution errors associated with gridded P fields by investigating the relationships between grid resolution and resolution error for monthly P within the Amazon Basin. Spatial-resolution errors within gridded-monthly and average-monthly P fields over the Amazon Basin are evaluated for grid resolutions ranging from 0.1° to 5.0°. A resolution error occurs when P is estimated for a location of interest within a grid-cell from the unbiased, grid-cell average P . Graphs of January, July and annual resolution errors versus resolution show that, at the higher resolutions (<3°), aggregation quickly increases resolution error. Resolution error then begins to level off as the grid becomes coarser. Within the Amazon Basin, the largest resolution errors occur during January (summer), but the largest percentage errors appear in July (winter). In January of 1980, e.g., resolution errors of 29, 52 and 65 mm – or 11, 19 and 24% of the grid-cell means – were estimated at resolutions of 1.0° ,3 .0 ° and 5.0° .I n July of 1980, however, the percentage errors at these three resolutions were considerably larger, that is, 15%, 27% and 33% of the grid-cell means. Copyright  2005 Royal Meteorological Society.
A new tool for survival analysis: evolutionary programming/evolutionary strategies (EP/ES) support vector regression hybrid using both censored / non-censored (event) data

While the role of survival analysis in medicine has continued to be increasingly essential in making treatment and other health care decisions, the common clinical methods used for performing these analyses, such as Cox Proportional Hazard models and Kaplan-Meier curves, have become antiquated. We have developed a new survival analysis technique of the Evolutionary Programming / Evolutionary Strategies Support Vector Regression Hybrid for censored and non-censored event data. This method provides the benefits of optimized statistical learning theory to be used as a replacement for or in addition to existing survival analysis protocols. The technique was tested on an artificially censored data from a well-known benchmark dataset as well as actual clinical data with encouraging results.
On the Dynamics of Hawaiian Cloud Bands. Part III: Local Aspects

Abstract This paper extends our earlier discussion of the flow past the island of Hawaii and the accompanying cloud band to smaller-scale effects occurring on the scale of the Hilo Bay region. The evolution of cloud bands forming upwind of the island on 1 August 1985 is studied using a high-resolution numerical model and available field observations. The current work provides further evidence in support of the view that the phenomenon of Hawaiian cloud bands is closely linked to the dynamics of strongly stratified flows past three-dimensional obstacles. In particular, results are presented that document the cloud interaction with a secondary, vertically propagating gravity wave and the formation of horizontally oriented vortices in the lower upwind flow—two characteristic features encountered in studies of idealized low Froude number flows. Quantification of the effects due to nocturnal thermal forcing is attempted, and it is shown that cooling along the volcano slope doubles the depth of the dynamically ...
Inequities in Japanese Urban Schools.

Interviews with Japanese public school educators allow a distinctive view of how the continuing economic decline in Japan has affected educational motivation and decisionmaking among students and parents. The nature of socioeconomic stratification within Japanese educational opportunity is seen as a continuing situation exacerbated by the costs of education in a context of chronic economic uncertainty. The research reported here attempts to understand how public school educators in urban Japan view the changing conditions and prospects of their students’ lives amidst sustained economic stagnation. 1 This research is part of an international project looking at critical issues facing the teaching profession in Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The overall goal of the three-country research is to understand how elementary and secondary public school teachers respond to the needs of marginalized youth attending schools in low-income, urban communities that are facing political, economic, and demographic crises. 2 In Japan the project seeks to understand the role of social and economic stratification in how schooling provides for the social mobility of marginalized groups. 3 As a non-Japanese
A form-function analysis of photon capture for seaweeds

The ecological significance of photoadaptation and photoacclimation is at best inferential. This is attributed to two factors: 1) The dimensions of light absorption by multicellular tissues are inadequately described by theory, which is confounded by the interaction of polychromatic light fields with different light harvesting pigment-protein systems, the package effect, heterogeneous absorption and multiple scatter. 2) The practice of extrapolating light utilization for growth from physiological scale measurements, i.e. photosynthesis-incident light curves. Needed are parameters designed to yield the relation of light absorption properties (a function of LHPPs and tissue anatomy) to light utilization efficiency. The parameters, absorption cross section normalized to carbon (aC) and photon growth yield (PGY), the growth analog of quantum yield, are demonstrated here.
The role of morphology, cytochemistry and immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of chronic myeloproliferative diseases.

Chronic myeloprolifeative diseases (CMPD) are clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders characterized by excessive proliferation and production of one or more of the myeloid cells and are subclassified according to the predominant cells, such as chronic myelogenous leukemia (CNL), chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL), polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET) and chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis (CIMF). This brief review focuses on the characteristic morphology of each clinical entity and the useful cytochemical (including leukocyte alkaline phosphatase, myeloperoxidase, butyrate esterase, chloroacetate esterase and cyanide-resistant, peroxidase) and immunohistochemical (including von Willebrand factor/CD61, keratin, tryptase, CD117, CD68 (PGM-1), c-Mpl and bFGF) stains for differential diagnosis.
Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome: a comprehensive update.

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is a clinico-radiological syndrome characterized by recurrent thunderclap headache, with or without neurologic symptoms, and reversible vasoconstriction of cerebral arteries. RCVS affects patients in various racial and ethnic groups and in all age groups, although most commonly in the fourth decade of life. Many conditions and exposures have been linked to RCVS, including vasoactive drugs and the peripartum period. Disturbance of the cerebral vascular tone is thought to contribute to the disease’s pathophysiology. RCVS generally follows a monophasic course. Associated strokes and cerebral hemorrhages are not uncommon. In this review we will attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of RCVS, with emphasis on the controversies in the field and the newest findings in the reported literature.
Very short arc orbit determination: the case of asteroid 2004 FU$_{162}$

We show the utility of the Systematic Ranging technique by analyzing the orbit determination of asteroid 2004 FU $_{162}$ , which passed approximately 6400 km from the surface of the Earth on March 31, 2004. The limited observations introduce strong nonlinearities that must be accounted for when estimating the actual encounter distance. To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html
Conformational Change of DNA in Specific Recognition Complexes between DNA and Protein

Specific recognition between protein and DNA is one of the most fundamental interactions in the cell. Many experiments suggest that in such recognition systems, a protein binds to DNA “non-specifically” first, then searches for the cognate DNA sequence by sliding, short hopping and/or inter-strand jumping. When it finds the target site, it may “passively” stop, or “interactively” binds to DNA, resulting in conformational changes of DNA and/or protein in forming the complex. Our study with two “specific recognition” systems shows that DNA in the specific complexes is bent and/or unwound, but no measurable DNA distortion is revealed in non-specific interaction.
Health status among black African-born women in Kansas City: a preliminary assessment

Health information and statistics for Black foreign-born women in the United States are under-reported or not available. Black foreign-born women typically are classified under the general category of African American, ignoring the heterogeneity that exists in the United States Black population. It is important to identify health issues and behaviors of African-born women to effectively address health disparities. Black African-born women (N = 29), 20 years or older completed a survey about general and women’s health, health history, acculturation, lifestyle, social and health challenges, beliefs about breast cancer. Data were analyzed using SPSS 14.0 software. Categorical variables were summarized with frequencies and percentages and continuous variables were summarized with means and standard variation. A Likert scale (strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree) was used to assess beliefs about breast cancer. Most (71.4 %) participants had a high school education or more, 70 % were employed, and 50 % had health insurance. Two-thirds received health care from primary care doctors, 20.7 % from health departments, and 39.3 % got annual checkups. Lack of jobs, healthcare cost, language barrier, discrimination, and child care were the top social issues faced by participants. High blood pressure, obesity, oral health, HIV/AIDS, and diabetes were indicated as the most common health problems. The percent of participants (60 %) that had not had a mammogram within the previous 2 years was more than the state average (24 %) for women 40 years and older reported by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The percent of participants (40 %) that had a mammogram within the previous 2 years was lower than the national average (73.2 %) for African American women. Study provides a snapshot of social concerns and health issues in an African population residing in Midwestern United States. Understanding the socio-cultural characteristics of this population is necessary to address health disparities.
Awareness of community-oriented policing and neighborhood perceptions in five small to midsize cities

Abstract Although past research in large urban areas showed that community-oriented policing (COP) had a positive effect on citizens' views of the police and their neighborhood, very little was known about its impact on citizen perceptions in smaller cities. In the present study, multiple-regression was used to analyze survey data from 524 respondents in five small cities or towns in North Carolina to examine the success of local police departments in disseminating information about their COP program. The association between resident awareness of COP and their ratings of police/community relations, self-protection strategies, fear of crime, and community integration was also assessed. Police agencies in each city implemented COP at least one year before the survey. Results indicated that 20–50 percent of residents were aware of community policing efforts in their neighborhoods, but most did not participate in these efforts. Awareness of COP was associated with greater self-protection efforts, lower fear of crime, and stronger feelings of community attachment, controlling for demographic, perceptions of neighborhood problems, and victimization. Awareness of COP also had a stronger association with the outcome variables compared to a more traditional policing strategy, perceived visibility. The implications of these findings for COP programs, especially for small to midsize cities, are discussed in the Conclusion.
Ground roll; a potential tool for constraining shallow shear-wave structure

The objective of this study is to demonstrate that a laterally varying shallow S‐wave structure, derived from the dispersion of the ground roll, can explain observed lateral variations in the direct S‐wave arrival. The data set consists of multichannel seismic refraction data from a USGS-GSC survey in the state of Maine and the province of Quebec. These data exhibit significant lateral changes in the moveout of the ground‐roll as well as the S‐wave first arrivals. A sequence of surface‐wave processing steps are used to obtain a final laterally varying S‐wave velocity model. These steps include visual examination of the data, stacking, waveform inversion of selected traces, phase velocity adjustment by crosscorrelation, and phase velocity inversion. These models are used to predict the S‐wave first arrivals by using two‐dimensional (2D) ray tracing techniques. Observed and calculated S‐wave arrivals match well over 30 km long data paths, where lateral variations in the S‐wave velocity in the upper 1–2 km a...
Multiple Tests with Discrete Distributions

Abstract We review special issues in multiplicity adjustment where the sampling distributions are discrete. These include (1) incorporating discreteness into the multiplicity adjustments, (2) incorporating correlations versus using Bonferroni or independence-based approximations, and (3) using discrete tails in two-sided tests. Incorporating discrete characteristics can greatly improve the power of the tests that maintain a given familywise error rate. Use of correlations also can improve the power, but it is shown that independence-based multiplicity adjustment is not necessarily a conservative procedure. Exact methods that incorporate discreteness and correlations are generally recommended.
A Myc–microRNA network promotes exit from quiescence by suppressing the interferon response and cell-cycle arrest genes

The transition of mammalian cells from quiescence to proliferation is accompanied by the differential expression of several microRNAs (miRNAs) and transcription factors. However, the interplay between transcription factors and miRNAs in modulating gene regulatory networks involved in human cell proliferation is largely unknown. Here we show that the miRNA miR-22 promotes proliferation in primary human cells, and through a combination of Argonaute-2 immunoprecipitation and reporter assays, we identified multiple novel targets of miR-22, including several cell-cycle arrest genes that mediate the effects of the tumor-suppressor p53. In addition, we found that miR-22 suppresses interferon gene expression by directly targeting high mobility group box-1 and interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-5, preventing activation of IRF3 and NF-κB, which are activators of interferon genes. The expression of interferon genes is elevated in quiescent cells and their expression is inhibitory for cell proliferation. In addition, we find that miR-22 is activated by the transcription factor Myc when quiescent cells enter proliferation and that miR-22 inhibits the Myc transcriptional repressor MXD4, mediating a feed-forward loop to elevate Myc expression levels. Our results implicate miR-22 in downregulating the anti-proliferative p53 and interferon pathways and reveal a new transcription factor-miRNA network that regulates the transition of primary human cells from quiescence to proliferation.
High-throughput virtual molecular docking with AutoDockCloud

Virtual molecular docking is a computational method used in computer-aided drug discovery that calculates the binding affinity of a small molecule drug candidate to a target protein. High-throughput virtual screenings calculate the binding affinities for a large number of molecules at once and ranks potential drug candidates to greatly reduces the time and cost of suggesting new potential pharmaceuticals. This high-throughput screening is a task parallel process and therefore well-suited for distributed computing. In this study, we use the open source Hadoop framework implementing the MapReduce paradigm for distributed computing on a cloud platform and the widely used molecular docking program, AutoDock. The initial implementation of AutoDockCloud showed a speed-up of 450 on Kandinsky, a cloud computer located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Further modifications show promise for a greater speed-up of large chemical library screenings and also incorporates and distributes the pre-docking procedures. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Metric Methods in Calculus of Variations.

1. In each problem of calculus of variations there are four fundamental data: (I) A point-space S or a domain of a point-space. (II) A function φ from which there is derived a functional in a class P of entities of S whose dimensions are ≧ 1. With each element C of & there is associated a number, say λ>φ,(C), by a process of integration of ϕ along C. The class P; is a topological space in which a metric may be introduced. (III) A sub-class G of G, the class of admissible entities. (IV) A sub-class P0* of ?*. A main problem is to find conditions under which P0* contains elements minimizing λ>ϕ(C) or stationary for λϕ(C) with respect to all elements of S*. The solution of this problem is the more general the fewer restrictions are imposed on S, ϕ and S*, and the more restrictions are imposed on S*. In fact, one of the main tendencies in calculus of variations has been to find solutions of this problem more and more general in the mentioned sense.1
Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens in the Food Supply

Abstract Antimicrobial resistance, including multidrug resistance (MDR), is an increasing problem globally. MDR bacteria are frequently detected in humans and animals from both more- and less-developed countries and pose a serious concern for human health. Infections caused by MDR microbes may increase morbidity and mortality and require use of expensive drugs and prolonged hospitalization. Humans may be exposed to MDR pathogens through exposure to environments at health-care facilities and farms, livestock and companion animals, human food, and exposure to other individuals carrying MDR microbes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies drug-resistant foodborne bacteria, including Campylobacter, Salmonella Typhi, nontyphoidal salmonellae, and Shigella, as serious threats. MDR bacteria have been detected in both meat and fresh produce. Salmonellae carrying genes coding for resistance to multiple antibiotics have caused numerous foodborne MDR outbreaks. While there is some level of resista...
Inhibition of HIV replication in vitro by clinical immunosuppressants and chemotherapeutic agents

Background: Recent studies have suggested that a functional cure for HIV-1 infection, purportedly resultant from allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, may be possible. Additionally, the first such patient was treated with whole-body irradiation, immunosuppressants, and the chemotherapeutic, cytarabine. However, the precise role of the coinciding medical interventions in diminishing detectable HIV reservoirs remains unstudied. Findings: In this article, we demonstrate that the immunosuppressants, mycophenolic acid and cyclosporine, and the chemotherapeutic, cytarabine, are potent antiretroviral agents at clinically relevant dosages. These drugs strongly inhibit HIV-1 replication in a GFP indicator T cell line and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Conclusions: Our study suggests that certain clinical immunosuppressants and chemotherapeutic agents may act combinatorially to inhibit HIV infection. Additionally, chemotherapy-mediated cytotoxicity may also affect the stability of viral reservoirs. Thus, further study is needed to examine potential therapeutic value of these interventions in patients.
Geochemical and age constraints on the formation of the Gorda Escarpment and Mendocino Ridge of the Mendocino transform fault in the NE Pacific

The Mendocino transform fault is an active, dextral strike-slip zone that separates the Gorda plate from the Pacifi c plate in the NE Pacifi c Ocean. The compositions of the igneous rocks exposed along the southern margin of the Mendocino transform fault include tholeiitic and alkaline basalts. Majorelement, trace-element, and radiometric data suggest that the rocks were generated through fractionation of different parental melts, derived by varying degrees of partial melting from different depths, at or near the intersection of the Mendocino transform fault with the Gorda Ridge. There is evidence for extensive cooling and fractionation reminiscent of the transform-fault effect of Langmuir and Bender (1984). Alkaline and highAl compositions also argue for melts from a deeper source than a normal mid-ocean-ridge environment. The preferred geochemical analogue for the Mendocino transform fault is a failed rift system where mid-ocean-ridge basalt (MORB) compositions likely represent basalts created at a waning spreading center before its abandonment. The MORB compositions were subsequently buried by younger enriched (E-MORB) and alkaline basalts derived from deeper melting and/or a more enriched source. We suggest that a period of rift failure, abandonment, and continued alkaline volcanism occurred on the southernmost Gorda Ridge, or on a series of short intratransform spreading-center segments during plate reorganization. Thus, the Mendocino transform fault provides a record of ridge migration, abandonment, and residual volcanism of the southern Gorda Ridge spreading system from 23 to 11 Ma.