cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Mathematical Simulation of Oxygen Release, Diffusion, and Consumption in the Capillaries and Tissue of the Human Brain

The purpose of this paper is to describe an attempt to obtain a better understanding of the oxygen supply to the cells of the brain by examining all phases of the release, diffusion, and consumption processes in a mathematical model. Since the original investigations of August Krogh in 1919, the mechanisms by which molecular oxygen is transported from red blood cells while they are carried in blood flowing longitudinally through capillaries, into plasma, thence radially out to and through the capillary wall into the surrounding tissues for tissue cell respiration, have been a topic of major interest. During maximal good health, and during several states of special physiology and disease states or pathologic conditions, what specific factors, or summation of factors, limit in the mathematical sense of the term the rates of oxygen supply to individual tissue cells located in individual geometric positions in the living organs? As examples, what are the effects of inhaling air containing low concentrations of oxygen, such as at high altitudes, on the individual nerve cells surrounding and all along the lengths of brain capillaries? What are the specific effects of forcibly reducing the linear rates of flow of blood through capillaries on nerve cells along the lengths of, and at various positions between, capillaries? What are the specific effects on nerve cells so located produced by the inhalation of air containing excessively high concentrations of oxygen, or of pure oxygen, perhaps under pressure such as during hyperbaric conditions?
Adaptive beamforming and particle filtering

This paper addresses the problem of localizing a speech source in a reverberant environment. Simulations and real-time experiments are conducted and several methods are examined including the traditional steered-response-power (SRP) and the delay-and-sum beamformer (DSB). An algorithm that uses a particle filter in conjunction with an adaptive beamformer is developed, analyzed, and tested in a reverberant environment. The use of the particle filter provided improved results, relative to traditional DSB localization methods, in offline simulations and real-time experiments.
Introduction: molecular diagnostics in hematology.

Advances in molecular biology of the last 30 tears have transformed the field of hematology. Molecular analysis has clarified the pathogenesis of a host of hematologic disorders, including hemoglobinopathies, coagulation disorders, hypercoaguable states, and hematologic malignancies. This volume is aimed at bringing these compelling advances in molecular biology research to the bedside. Through progress in the molecular understanding of hematology, great strides have been made in our ability to diagnose and treat patients with hematologic disease. These advances in turn have given rise to more questions that will guide future studies of the biology of hematopoietic abnormalities and continue the exciting interaction of basic science and clinical medicine.
Pedestrian Detection Fusing HOG Based on LE and Haar-Like Feature

In order to change the low detecting speed and excess redundant information of the gradient histogram (HOG), this paper proposes the pedestrian detection fusing HOG based on Laplacian Eigenmaps (LE) dimensionality reduction and Haar-Like feature. By constructing a pedestrian detection sample set mixed with HOG and Haar-Like feature set, and using LE to reduce the HOG feature, then fuse Haar-Like feature extraction with HOG-LE feature. Finally, we use Adaboost cascade strong classifier to test INRIA Person sample library, the test results are obviously better than the single feature extraction method in terms of detection rate, and the text also compares the method with some other pedestrian detection methods. The pedestrian detection fusing HOG based on LE reduced dimension and Haar-Like features proposed in this paper improves detection rate effectively in real scenarios.
Information and Innovation: A Natural Combination for Health Sciences Libraries

As partners with innovators, librarians can offer resources and services for research, evidence, training, dissemination venues, and collaborative physical spaces with state-of-the-art equipment, including 3D printers, models, scanners, and video monitors. This book can be used by educators, instructional designers, and information technology professionals in academic health sciences and hospital settings, as well as by their library colleagues.
Trends in Care and Treatment for Persons Aged ≥13 Years with HIV Infection 17 U.S. Jurisdictions, 2012-2015

Background Care and viral suppression national goals for HIV infection are not being met for many at-risk groups. Assessment of the trends in national outcomes for linkage to care, receipt of care, and viral suppression among these groups is necessary to reduce transmission. Methods Data reported to the National HIV Surveillance System by December 2016 were used to identify cases of HIV infection among persons aged 13 years and older in one of 17 identified jurisdictions with complete laboratory reporting. We estimated national trends in HIV-related linkage to care, receipt of care and viral suppression using estimated annual percent change from 2012-2015 for various characteristics of interest, overall and stratified by sex and race/ethnicity. Results Overall, trends in linkage to and receipt of care and viral suppression increased from 2012-2015. Generally, linkage to and receipt of care increased among young black and Hispanic/Latino males, those with infection attributed to male-to-male sexual contact, and those not in stage 3 [AIDS] at HIV diagnosis. All sub-groups showed improvement in viral suppression. Within years, there remains a substantial disparity in receipt of care and viral suppression among racial/ethnic groups. Conclusion While trends are encouraging, scientifically proven prevention programs targeted to high-risk populations are the foundation for stopping transmission of HIV infection. Frequent testing to support early diagnosis and prompt linkage to medical care, particularly among young men who have male to male sexual contact, black and Hispanic/Latino populations, are key to reducing transmission at all stages of disease.
Initiation of rituximab therapy for new onset neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder during pregnancy.

Abstract Background Aquaporin-4 IgG (AQ4-IgG)-neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an autoimmune inflammatory CNS disease that is predominantly characterized by severe relapses of optic neuritis and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM). Women are disproportionately affected by AQ4-NMOSD, usually with disease onset occurring between the ages of 35–45. This has significant implications during pregnancy, as disease activity in NMOSD does not remit during gestation. The optimal treatment of NMOSD during pregnancy has not been established. Methods Case report. Results A 35-year old woman, 10 weeks pregnant, presented with bilateral optic neuritis and intractable hiccups. Workup revealed seropositive aquaporin-4 IgG. She was treated with pulse intravenous methylprednisolone and plasma exchange. Because of high risk for future relapse, Rituximab 1000 mg was given at weeks 15 and 17 of pregnancy. She had no further relapses during pregnancy. She delivered her daughter at 39 weeks without complication. Conclusion This case demonstrated a favorable outcome in administering rituximab for NMOSD with disease onset during pregnancy. This description of therapy for disease onset during pregnancy is novel, and adds to the few existing case reports of administering rituximab during pregnancy.
“Spectral realities”: Little Dorrit, stereoscopy, and non-mimetic realism

Little Dorrit opens with an urban scene brimming with eyes but devoid of people, as Charles Dickens presents the novel’s pervasive staring trope: Everything in Marseilles, and about Marseilles, had...
Environmental market design for large-scale marine conservation

It is commonly agreed that marine conservation should expand considerably around the world. However, most countries have not yet implemented large-scale no-take Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). When a country closes a large fraction of its waters to fishing, it stands to lose a considerable level of fishery revenue. Although biodiversity and spillover fishing benefits may far exceed these losses, benefits from large-scale MPAs typically accrue to other countries or to the high seas. Here, to overcome this dilemma, we simulate and test an international fisheries management scheme with transferable fishing rights that incentivizes, rather than hinders, large-scale marine conservation. By combining a bioeconomic model of cross-country trading of fishing rights with vessel-level tracking data before and after a large-scale conservation action is implemented, we show that transferable fishing rights and a biomass-based allocation rule are pivotal to incentivize conservation under this market-based setting. Our work focuses on the Vessel Day Scheme (VDS)—an environmental market that is employed by the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (a group of nine Pacific Island nations) to manage their tuna fisheries—and areas in which large-scale conservation interventions have taken place. Overall, these results provide a template for how to incentivize countries to engage in large-scale marine conservation within a market-based setting. An international arrangement of transferable fishing rights and biomass-based allocation can incentivize establishing Marine Protected Areas while promoting the economy.
Stiffness analysis of cable-driven parallel mechanisms with cables having large sustainable strains:

A cable-driven parallel mechanism is driven by a group of cables. Cable-driven parallel mechanisms can use various cables (e.g. steel cables, nylon cables, isoprene rubber cables, and extension spr...
Modelling FtsZ nucleation, hydrolysis and treadmilling activity with Monte Carlo methods

Bacterial cell division is tightly coupled to the dynamic behavior of FtsZ, a tubulin homolog. Recent experimental work in vitro and in vivo has attributed FtsZ9s assembly dynamics to treadmilling, where subunits add to the bottom and dissociate from the top of protofilaments. However, the molecular mechanisms producing treadmilling have yet to be characterized and quantified. We have developed a Monte Carlo model for FtsZ assembly that explains treadmilling and assembly nucleation by the same mechanisms. A key element of the model is a conformational change from R (relaxed), which is highly favored for monomers, to T (tense), which is favored for subunits in a protofilament. This model was created in MATLAB. Kinetic parameters were converted to probabilities of execution during single, small time steps, and these were used to stochastically determine FtsZ dynamics. Our model is able to accurately describe the results of several in vitro and in vivo studies for a variety of FtsZ flavors. With standard conditions, the model FtsZ polymerized and produced protofilaments that treadmilled at 28 nm/s, hydrolyzed GTP at 2.8 to 4.2 GTP min^-1 FtsZ^-1, and had an average length of 25 to 54 subunits, all similar to experimental results. Adding a bottom capper resulted in shorter protofilaments and higher GTPase, similar to the effect of the known the bottom capper protein MciZ. The model could match nucleation kinetics of several flavors of FtsZ using the same parameters as treadmilling and varying only the R to T transition of monomers.
PHRYCTORIA: A Messaging System for Transprecision OpenCAPI-attached FPGA Accelerators.

Messaging frameworks are prevalent in distributed software systems as they simplify the exchange of data between applications running on different platforms. Messages are serialized and deserialized to transform user data structures into binary data for sending across the network. In a similar spirit, modern heterogenous computing platorms typically containing FPGAs can also profit from such messaging frameworks. Efficient compact serialization of data types is needed to take full advantage of the high throughput communication links. Transprecision extensions of FPGA replace native data types with novel low-precision data types. Transprecision extensions are shown to result in less-compact serializations. In this paper, we present a messaging framework for transprecision hardware accelerators which supports messages expressed in Protobuf and automatically generates serialization and deserialization functions. Our messageing framework leverages the varint encoding of Protocol buffers for efficient serialization and deserialization of transprecision data types. Evaluation results show that it can increase the effective throughput of OpenCAPI by up to 7.4× for various transprecision data-types.
Competing Persuaders in Zero-Sum Games

We study a Bayesian Persuasion game with multiple senders employing conditionally independent experiments. Senders have zero-sum preferences over what information is revealed. We characterize when a set of states cannot be pooled in any equilibrium, and in particular, when the state is (fully) revealed in every equilibrium. The state must be fully revealed in every equilibrium if and only if sender utility functions are sufficiently nonlinear. In the binary-state case, the state is fully revealed in every equilibrium if and only if some sender has nontrivial preferences. Our takeaway is that `most' zero-sum sender preferences result in full revelation.
Controller Mode and Reference Governor for Constraint and Failure Management in Vehicle Platoon Systems

Platooning has a potential to improve traffic efficiency and fuel economy by allowing vehicles to travel with shorter inter-vehicle distances. However, shorter distances require stricter safety management, including degradation and failure mode effects management. This paper proposes a controller mode and reference governor (CMRG) scheme for constraint and failure management in vehicle platoon systems. The CMRG is an add-on supervisor for multi-mode controlled systems that monitors and adjusts the control modes and reference inputs to enforce constraints. Through simulations we show that with CMRG, safety constraints can be enforced and sensor and/or actuator degradations/failures can be managed in vehicle platoon systems.
Stowaways at Bohemia's Shores: Undocumented Emigration and People-Smuggling Networks in Interwar East Central Europe

This article investigates interwar people-smuggling networks, based in Germany and Czechoslovakia, that transported undocumented emigrants across borders from east-central Europe to northern Europe, where the travelers planned to sail to the United States. Many of the people involved in such networks in the Saxon-Bohemian borderlands had themselves been immigrants from Galicia. They had left a homeland decimated by the First World War and subsequent violence and entered societies with limited avenues to earn a living. The “othering” of these Galician immigrants became a self-fulfilling prophecy, as those on the margins of society then sought illegal ways to supplement their income. This article concludes that the poor economic conditions and threat of ongoing violence that spurred migrant clients to seek undocumented passage had driven their smugglers, who also faced social marginalization, to emigration and the business of migrant smuggling.
SONICATION IMPROVES MICROBIOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS OF PERIPROSTHETIC ELBOW INFECTION.

Background Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a relatively frequent and oftentimes devastating complication after total elbow arthroplasty (TEA). Its microbiologic diagnosis is usually based on periprosthetic tissue culture (hereafter referred to as tissue culture), but the sensitivity of tissue culture is variable. Although implant sonication culture has been shown to be superior to tissue culture for the diagnosis of hip and knee PJI, only a single small study (of fewer than 10 infected implants) has assessed sonication for PJI diagnosis after elbow arthroplasty. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 112 sonicate fluid cultures from patients who underwent revision of a TEA at a single institution between 2007 and 2019, comparing results to those of tissue cultures. We excluded patients who had fewer than 2 tissues submitted for culture. Using the Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines to define PJI, there were 49 infected and 63 non-infected cases. Median ages in the PJI and non-infected groups were 66 and 61 years, respectively. In the non-infected group, 65% were female vs. 63% in the PJI group. We reviewed clinical characteristics and calculated the sensitivity and specificity of tissue compared with sonicate fluid culture. In addition, we compared the sensitivity of tissue culture to the combination of tissue and sonicate fluid culture. Results The most common pathogens were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus sp (49%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (12%). Sensitivity of tissue culture was 63%, and sensitivity of sonicate fluid culture was 76% (P = .109). Specificity of tissue culture was 94% and specificity of sonicate fluid culture was 100%. Sensitivity of sonicate fluid culture in combination with tissue culture was 84% (P = .002 compared to tissue culture alone). Conclusion In this study, we found that the combination of sonicate fluid and tissue culture had a greater sensitivity than tissue culture alone for microbiologic diagnosis of PJI after TEA.
Can diallyl trisulfide, a dietary garlic-derived compound, activate ferroptosis to overcome therapy resistance in prostate cancer?

Background:Therapy resistance is the underlying reason for poor outcome in prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Diallyl trisulfide (DATS) is an organosulfur compound present in garlic. DATS has been sho...
An Automatic Deep Learning-Based Workflow for Glioblastoma Survival Prediction Using Preoperative Multimodal MR Images: A Feasibility Study.

Abstract Purpose Most radiomic studies use the features extracted from the manually drawn tumor contours for classification or survival prediction. However, large interobserver segmentation variations lead to inconsistent features and hence introduce more challenges in constructing robust prediction models. Here, we proposed an automatic workflow for glioblastoma (GBM) survival prediction based on multimodal magnetic resonance (MR) images. Methods and Materials Two hundred eighty-five patients with glioma (210 GBM, 75 low-grade glioma) were included. One hundred sixty-three of the patients with GBM had overall survival data. Every patient had 4 preoperative MR images and manually drawn tumor contours. A 3-dimensional convolutional neural network, VGG-Seg, was trained and validated using 122 patients with glioma for automatic GBM segmentation. The trained VGG-Seg was applied to the remaining 163 patients with GBM to generate their autosegmented tumor contours. The handcrafted and deep learning (DL)–based radiomic features were extracted from the autosegmented contours using explicitly designed algorithms and a pretrained convolutional neural network, respectively. One hundred sixty-three patients with GBM were randomly split into training (n = 122) and testing (n = 41) sets for survival analysis. Cox regression models were trained to construct the handcrafted and DL-based signatures. The prognostic powers of the 2 signatures were evaluated and compared. Results The VGG-Seg achieved a mean Dice coefficient of 0.86 across 163 patients with GBM for GBM segmentation. The handcrafted signature achieved a C-index of 0.64 (95% confidence interval, 0.55-0.73), whereas the DL-based signature achieved a C-index of 0.67 (95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.77). Unlike the handcrafted signature, the DL-based signature successfully stratified testing patients into 2 prognostically distinct groups. Conclusions The VGG-Seg generated accurate GBM contours from 4 MR images. The DL-based signature achieved a numerically higher C-index than the handcrafted signature and significant patient stratification. The proposed automatic workflow demonstrated the potential of improving patient stratification and survival prediction in patients with GBM.
Impacto del FinTech en la Regulación Financiera (Impact of FinTech in Financial Regulation)

Resumen en espanol: Nuestro objetivo es discutir como el fenomeno FinTech esta generando un cambio en la forma en la que se concibe la regulacion financiera tradicional. La disrupcion derivada de la adopcion del FinTech no se centra solo en la estructura y funcionamiento del sistema financiero como lo conocemos en este momento, sino que tambien impone nuevos desafios a reguladores y supervisores financieros. Argumentamos por que la estrategia de regulacion basada en el riesgo es la herramienta mas eficiente para garantizar que la intervencion de agencias regulatorias y de supervision logre el equilibrio entre los objetivos regulatorios de promocion de la innovacion y competencia en el mercado FinTech y el mantenimiento de la estabilidad financiera. English Abstract: We discuss how FinTech triggers a significant change in the way traditional financial regulation is conceived. The disruption associated with the adoption of FinTech is focused on the structure and functioning of the financial system as we know it. However, it also imposes new challenges on financial regulators and supervisors. We argue that risk-based regulation is the most efficient strategy to ensure that the intervention of regulatory and supervisory agencies strikes a balance between regulatory goals of promoting innovation and competition in the FinTech market, and maintaining financial stability.
Anatomic Considerations of Perinasal Musculature for Improved Dental Show During Smile in Facial Synkinesis.

Introduction: There is an anatomic explanation for upper lip and midfacial tethering resulting in lack of motion in facial synkinesis. Objective: To measure the effect of perinasal chemodenervation...
An archaeal histone-like protein regulates gene expression in response to salt stress

Histones, ubiquitous in eukaryotes as DNA-packing proteins, find their evolutionary origins in archaea. Unlike the characterized histone proteins of a number of methanogenic and themophilic archaea, previous research indicated that HpyA, the sole histone encoded in the model halophile Halobacterium salinarum, is not involved in DNA packaging. Instead, it was found to have widespread but subtle effects on gene expression and to maintain wild type cell morphology; however, its precise function remains unclear. Here we use quantitative phenotyping, genetics, and functional genomic to investigate HpyA function. These experiments revealed that HpyA is important for growth and rod-shaped morphology in reduced salinity. HpyA preferentially binds DNA at discrete genomic sites under low salt to regulate expression of ion uptake, particularly iron. HpyA also globally but indirectly activates other ion uptake and nucleotide biosynthesis pathways in a salt-dependent manner. Taken together, these results demonstrate an alternative function for an archaeal histone-like protein as a transcriptional regulator, with its function tuned to the physiological stressors of the hypersaline environment.
Review of Scott S. Elliott, Reconfiguring Mark’s Jesus: Narrative Criticism after Poststructuralism. Bible in the Modern World, 41. Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2011.

This is a book review of Scott S. Elliott, Reconfiguring Mark’s Jesus: Narrative Criticism after Poststructuralism. Bible in the Modern World, 41. Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2011.
Connecting the “Forgotten”: Transportation Engineering, Poverty, and Social Justice in Sun Valley, Colorado

This chapter explores the role that transportation engineering, economic planning, and community engagement play in the development of a lightrail system station in Sun Valley, Colorado, one of the poorest neighborhoods in the state. It describes how such a case can be used to teach principles of social justice, sustainable community development and sustainable engineering in the undergraduate engineering classroom. Students in the course “Sustainable Engineering Design” at the Colorado School of Mines were asked to study the Sun Valley community, meet with members of the community, and study the lightrail project not only as a sustainability project but as one with significant social justice dimensions. This chapter examines the challenges and rewards of integrating engineering and the social sciences in this kind of real-world context, emphasizing the importance of integrating Cech’s critiques of depoliticization and meritocracy in engineering culture.
The Time-Series Behavior and Pricing of Idiosyncratic Volatility: Evidence from 1926 to 1962

Recent research on idiosyncratic volatility has documented three main empirical findings. First, Campbell, Lettau, Malkiel, and Xu (2001) show that idiosyncratic volatility exhibits an upward trend between 1962 and 1997. Second, Goyal and Santa-Clara (2003) find that aggregate measures of idiosyncratic volatility predict one-month-ahead excess market returns from 1962 to 1999. Third, Ang, Hodrick, Xing, and Zhang (2006) report a negative and significant relation between idiosyncratic volatility and cross-sectional stock returns from 1963 to 2000. We re-examine these three findings using a 37-year holdout sample of daily returns from 1926 to 1962. We find robust empirical evidence of (1) a statistically significant downward trend in idiosyncratic volatility, (2) an insignificant relation between average idiosyncratic volatility and one-month-ahead excess market returns, and (3) a highly significant inverse relation between idiosyncratic volatility and cross-sectional stock returns. These results shed new light on the time-series behavior and pricing of idiosyncratic volatility.
The Function of the Pastoral Letters Within the Pauline Canon of the New Testament: A Canonical Approach

One of the principal interests of the canonical approach to biblical interpretation is the canonical process that resulted in a discrete literary product, the Christian Bible. Whether the particular interest in this literary history is hermeneutical1 or theological,2 whether its taxonomy is understood in terms of forming a community’s identity or transmitting a textual (and fixed) word about God, the methodological presumption in every case is that certain writings were picked up and preserved by their faithful readers/auditors and ultimately canonized by the early catholic church because as bits and pieces of an entire canonical collection each was found useful in forming a Christian theological understanding of life and faith.3
Effect of cow and poultry manures as basal fertilizers on marketable fruit yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus l)

An experiment was conducted to study the influence of cow and poultry manures on the marketable yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L) on sandy regosol. The treatments included basal applications of inorganic fertilizer (control) and combined use (10t/ha) of cow plus poultry manures (CM: PM) at ratios of 5:0, 4:1, 3:2, 2:3, 1:4 and 0:5. Significantly higher Tropical Agricultural Research and Extension 16(1): 2013: page 31-33
Curved-ray Traveltime Inversion of Shallow Vertical Seismic Profiles

Summary Vertical seismic profiles (VSPs) are used in shallow geophysics both as an aid to the processing and interpretation of reflection sections and as a fast and easy way to measure subsurface properties. We develop a VSP traveltime inversion method that accounts for the bending of seismic rays at interfaces. The method relies on ray shooting through a 1-D layered medium to forward model first-arrival traveltimes, and on an analytical approximation of the Jacobian matrix to linearize the inverse problem. A direct comparison of this method with a linear, straight-ray inversion algorithm shows that the curved-ray inversion is much more accurate when large velocity variations occur at shallow depths. The curved-ray method is demonstrated on a VSP collected at the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site.
Patching compliance with full-time vs. part-time occlusion therapy.

Background and purpose Amblyopia is commonly treated with part-time occlusion (PTO) therapy. We have made two anecdotal observations regarding this therapy. First, children undergoing full-time occlusion seem to have better success and compliance rates. Secondly, a subset of children exists that fail PTO but can improve with more aggressive therapy. Methods A retrospective review where treatment, visual outcome, and compliance scores were recorded. Compliance was graded on percent adherence reported by family. Patients scored “1” (for no compliance), “2” (for 1–25% of prescribed treatment performed), “3” (for 26–50%), “4” (for 51–75%), or “5” (for 76–100%). Results Seventy-six children were enrolled in the study: forty-five were treated with part-time occlusion, twenty-two were treated with full time occlusion (FTO), and nine had a history of failed PTO and were subsequently treated with FTO. Visual outcomes for FTO versus PTO were not statistically significant (P = 0.82). However, compliance rates in FTO were significantly better (P = 0.02). Of the nine patients that failed PTO, four improved an average of three lines with full-time occlusion, and five had no change with more aggressive patching. Conclusions This study confirms previous reports of similar visual outcomes between PTO and FTO. However, compliance rates for FTO seem to be higher and some children who have failed PTO may improve with FTO.
A source-Sink laboratory model of the ocean circulation

Abstract A two gyre circulation and inertial western boundary currents have been observed in a sloping bottom laboratory model of a barotropic ocean circulation. Water of viscosity v is contained in a rotating (angular velocity ω), square basin of side L (30 cm) with a flat top and a bottom slope (tan θ) such that the depth (H) varies from 12 to 15 cm. The flow is driven by a distributed source and sink at the upper surface, a plate drilled with 342 holes. The hole distribution and size is arranged so that the average imposed vertical velocity, w = w 0 sin (2πy′/30), models the Ekman divergence from a two gyre zonal wind stress. Fluid flow is observed with the thymol blue technique over the ranges of Rossby numbers (w 0/2ωL tan θ) from 1.44 × 10−3 to 1.41 × 10−2 and Ekman numbers (v/2ωH 2) from 2.13 × 10−5 to 2.10 × 10−3. At the largest Rossby numbers the flow pattern changes markedly, but the non-uniformity of the imposed vertical velocity also penetrates deep into the fluid in this regime.
Perceived legitimacy of parental authority and tobacco and alcohol use during early adolescence

Purpose: To assess the likelihood that young adolescents perceive that parents have legitimate authority regarding cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption; to test whether perceived parental authority predicts adolescents’ use of tobacco and alcohol, and to test the association between parenting style and the legitimacy of parental authority regarding tobacco and alcohol. Methods: Survey data were obtained in 1997 from 1220 sixth and eighth grade adolescents enrolled in a central North Carolina school district. The sample comprised 72.3% of 1687 eligible students and 92.3% of 1321 students with parental consent; 83.8% of the sample was European-American and 16.2% African-American. Students completed self-report questionnaires administered in classrooms. Logistic regression models were used to test the study hypotheses. Results: Adolescents were significantly more likely to legitimize parental authority regarding tobacco and alcohol than parental authority regarding conventional or contemporary issues. Failure to legitimize parental authority was associated with significantly greater odds of current smoking (OR 4.06; p < .000) or drinking (OR 3.81; p < .000) among all respondents, and significantly greater odds of intending to smoke (OR 3.38; p < .000) or drink (OR 3.38; p < .000) among abstinent respondents. Adolescents’ perceptions of parental authority regarding tobacco and alcohol varied significantly by parenting style. Conclusions: The results discredit the myth that adolescents uniformly disregard parental values and rules regarding tobacco and alcohol. The results also showed that general parenting style covaried strongly with adolescents’ perceptions of parental authority regarding substance use. Additional research is warranted to test for causal relations between general parenting style, adolescents’ perceptions of parental authority regarding substance use, and adolescents’ risk of substance use. © Society for Adolescent Medicine, 2002
Information Theoretic Metrics to Characterize Observations in Variational Data Assimilation

Abstract Data assimilation obtains improved estimates of the state of a physical system by combining imperfect model results with sparse and noisy observations of reality. Not all observations used in data assimilation are equally valuable. The ability to characterize the usefulness of different observation locations is important for analyzing the effectiveness of the assimilation system, for data pruning, and for the design of future sensor systems. This paper proposes a new approach to characterizes the usefulness of different observation in four dimensional variational (4D-Var) data assimilation. Metrics from information theory are used to quantify the contribution of observations to decreasing uncertainty with which the system state is known. We derive ensemble based, computationally feasible procedures to estimate the information content of various observations.
Do the recent American Thyroid Association (ATA) Guidelines accurately guide the timing of prophylactic thyroidectomy in MEN2A

Background In 2009, the American Thyroid Association (ATA) published consensus guidelines for timing of prophylactic thyroidectomy (PrThy) for treatment of hereditary medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). The aim of this study was to assess whether the clinical guidelines outlined in the ATA recommendations added to the specific mutation risk level could predict the presence of MTC on final pathology. Methods A retrospective study was performed of patients undergoing PrThy. We evaluated mutation-based risk levels in combination with 2009 ATA guidelines for resection. Results Overall, 54 patients underwent PrThy between 1972 and 2009. The median age at PrThy was 11.5 years (range, 2–68). Only 4 patients (8%) underwent PrThy prior to age 5 years. Most patients with MTC (16/22, 73%) had a level C mutation, and the youngest age of MTC in a level C mutation carrier was 5 years. The youngest age of MTC in level A or B carriers was 15 years. The single factor that predicted an overall decreased risk of MTC at the time of PrThy was meeting all ATA mutation-based postponement guidelines for surgical intervention ( P = .04). Conclusion ATA guidelines that includes risk assessment of RET mutation are important in predicting the presence of MTC in patients who are candidates for prophylactic thyroidectomy and in determining the timing of operative resection.
Liquid-phase hydrogenation on new AlPO4−SiO2 supported rhodium catalysts

The liquid-phase catalytic hydrogenation of various organic compounds was carried out using new rhodium catalysts supported on AlPO4−SiO2 (20∶80 wt. %) system, in methanol as solvent, under low hydrogen pressure (0.55 MPa) and at 293 K. Neither alkene isomerization nor hydrogenolysis products were detected in any of the cases.
Sulfur Chemistry and Its Role in Corrosion and Deposits

Sulfur in fuel oil and coal, and its resultant oxidation to SO3 during combustion, is a recognized factor in corrosion and deposits. As a step toward controlling the formation of SO3 , and eventually controlling the conditions and rate of corrosion, a program has been undertaken under ASME support to establish, among other things, the mechanism by which sulfur compounds are oxidized to SO2 and to SO3 in flames. The present paper reviews some of the basic thermodynamics and reaction kinetics pertaining to the oxidation of H2 S and SO2 , and to the SO2 –SO3 equilibrium. Included in the review are discussions of the stability of H2 S, the slow oxidation of sulfur vapor and of H2 S, the induction period (preignition) reactions leading to the fast, explosive oxidation of H2 S, and effects of additives on the explosion reaction. The heterogeneous (catalyzed) oxidation of SO2 is discussed in terms of the effects of specific catalysts on the SO2 –SO3 equilibrium.
Comparison of the weedy vegetation in old-fields and crop fields on the same site reveals that fallowing crop fields does not result in seedbank buildup of agricultural weeds

Abstract Vegetation in 1 year old, 4 year old, 8 year old, and 8 year old fertilized fields were compared with weeds, in no-till and conventional till winter-rye summer-grain sorghum crop fields planted on the same site following the natural successional series. Crop stands were fertilized and treated with herbicide but at a minimum rate. Sorenson's indices of similarity were used to make the comparisons. Old field vegetation was quite different from the weedy growth in crop fields, quantitative similarity indices only 1–18%. The six major dominant species in old fields were not found at all in the crop fields, while the major crop weeds were found only sparingly in old-fields, with the exception of johnson grass ( Sorghum halapense ). The no-till plot and the 8 year old fertilized field were the most similar (18%). It is concluded that species that become noxious agricultural weeds are those that adapt to fertilization and develop resistance to herbicides, and in general do not thrive in natural ecosystems. Accordingly, fallowing crop fields does not result in a seedbank buildup of species that will become weeds when crops are again planted on the land. If this finding proves to be general than a crop-fallow rotation practice will reduce weed problems and sustain soil quality over the long term.
Science to Practice: Highly shifted proton MR imaging--a shift toward better cell tracking?

A “hot spot” MR imaging cell tracking technique has been developed that allows direct detection of dysprosium- or thulium-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-a,a’,a’’,a’’’-tetramethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTMA)–labeled protons inside cells. These highly shifted protons may allow specific detection of multiple cell types because it does not rely on acquiring the proton signal from bulk water.
Protein Transduction: A Novel Approach to Induce In Vitro Pancreatic Differentiation:

It is widely believed that human embryonic stem (huES) cells may represent a valid alternative to donor pancreata as a source of islets for transplantation. Much is known about the transcription factors whose sequential activation results in the generation of islets during pancreatic development. This knowledge has been used to articulate the theoretical possibility that such process might be recapitulated in vitro from stem cells. However, our understanding of the extracellular signals that prompt the developing pancreas to follow this sequence of molecular events is very limited. Also, the simplicity of in vitro systems makes it difficult, if not impossible, to mimic the complex signaling pattern observed in living embryos. Protein transduction (PT) technology may provide researchers with a new powerful tool to sequentially induce stem cell differentiation, entirely bypassing the need for unraveling the signaling pattern that drives the process in vivo. Here we discuss this novel application of the flourishing PT technology, which may revolutionize the way we direct stem cells along any specific lineage.
The function of herpes simplex virus genes: a primer for genetic engineering of novel vectors

Herpes simplex virus vectors are being developed for delivery and expression of human genes to the central nervous system, selective destruction of cancer cells, and as carriers for genes encoding antigens that induce protective immunity against infectious agents. Vectors constructed to meet these objectives must differ from wild-type virus with respect to host range, reactivation from latency, and expression of viral genes. The vectors currently being developed are (i) helper free amplicons, (ii) replication defective viruses, and (iii) genetically engineered replication competent viruses with restricted host range. Whereas the former two types of vectors require stable, continuous cell lines expressing viral genes for their replication, the replication competent viruses will replicate on approved primary human cell strains.
Randomised trial of laparoscopic Burch colposuspension versus tension-free vaginal tape: long-term follow up

Objective To compare the long-term efficacy of laparoscopic Burch colposuspension with tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) for the treatment of urodynamic stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Design Long-term follow up from a prospective randomised trial. Setting Academic tertiary referral centre. Sample Seventy-two women with urodynamic SUI from two institutions. Methods Subjects were randomised to either laparoscopic Burch or TVT from August 1999 to August 2002. Follow-up evaluations occurred 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 4–8 years after surgery. Main outcome measures Subjects completed the Incontinence Severity Index, Urogenital Distress Inventory 6 (UDI-6), Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7), and Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scales. Results Median follow-up duration was 65 months (range 12–88 months) with 92% completing at least one follow-up visit. Seventy-four percent of subjects had long-term (4–8 years) follow up. Fifty-eight percent of subjects receiving laparoscopic Burch compared with 48% of TVT subjects reported any urinary incontinence 4–8 years after surgery (Relative Risk (RR):1.19; 95% CI: 0.71–2.0) with no significant difference between groups. Bothersome SUI symptoms were seen in 11 and 8%, respectively, 4–8 years after surgery (P= 0.26). There was significant improvement in the postoperative UDI-6 and IIQ-7 scores in both groups at 1–2 years that were maintained throughout follow up with no significant differences between the groups. Conclusions TVT has similar long-term efficacy to laparoscopic Burch for the treatment of SUI. A substantial proportion of subjects have some degree of urinary incontinence 4–8 years after surgery; however, the majority of incontinence is not bothersome.
Symmetric top behavior in the perturbed 2B2 state of NO2

Abstract The observed symmetric top properties of fluorescence from the perturbed visible 2 B 2 state of NO 2 are attributed to average behavior of high vibrationally excited perturbing ground-state levels. Such attribution precludes assignment of an equilibrium configuration to the perturbed 2 B 2 state, except as a weighted average, and explains the considerable variation in effective rotational constants from band to band. Examination is made of why such quasi-symmetric behavior does not appear in, for example, NH 2 .
Overexpression of a lethal methylase, M.TneDI, in E. coli BL21(DE3)

A pET-based vector pDH21 expressing the methylase, M.TneDI (recognizing CGCG) from Thermotoga was constructed, and transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3). Despite E. coli BL21(DE3) being McrBC positive, 30 transformants were isolated, which were suspected to be McrBC− mutants. The overexpression of M.TneDI was verified by SDS-PAGE analysis. Compared to the previously constructed pJC340 vector, a pACYC184 derivative expressing M.TneDI from a tet promotor, the newly constructed pDH21 vector improved the expression of the methylase about fourfold, allowing complete protection of DNA substrates. This study not only demonstrates a practical approach to overexpressing potential lethal proteins in E. coli but also delivers a production strain of M.TneDI that may be useful in various in vitro methylation applications.
Test of Theoretical Solid Earth and Ocean Gravity Tides

SUMMARY Data from three superconducting gravimeters at four different locations are analysed for agreement with theoretical computations of gravity tides and of the influence of ocean tides on gravity. The absolute value of the measured tide is determined by an independent absolute calibration of the gravimeters. The method differs from previous tests of tide theories in that it compares the entire predicted time series rather than specific harmonic constituents. In this way it is possible to test the solid earth and ocean tide effects independently. We find that the ratios of observed to predicted solid earth tides at different locations are the same within an uncertainty of about kO.2 per cent. However, the magnitude of the tides deduced by the absolute calibration of the gravimeters is 0.6 per cent larger than the theoretical solid earth tide. We point out that an accurate determination of the solid earth tide in this way provides a direct comparison between the gravitational constant, G, at laboratory scales and at the distance to the moon.
Identification and molecular characterization of a Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutant that shows a light intensity dependent progressive chlorophyll deficiency.

The green micro-alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is an elegant model organism to study all aspects of oxygenic photosynthesis. Chlorophyll (Chl) and heme are major tetrapyrroles that play an essential role in energy metabolism in photosynthetic organisms. These tetrapyrroles are synthesized via a common branched pathway that involves mainly nuclear encoded enzymes. One of the enzymes in the pathway is Mg chelatase (MgChel) which inserts Mg 2+ into protoporphyrin IX (PPIX, proto) to form Magnesium-protoporphyrin IX (MgPPIX, Mgproto), the first biosynthetic intermediate in the Chl branch. The GUN4 (genomes uncoupled 4) protein is not essential for the MgChel activity but has been shown to significantly stimulate its activity. We have isolated a light sensitive mutant, 6F14 , by random DNA insertional mutagenesis. 6F14 cannot tolerate light intensities higher than 90-100 μmol photons m -2 s -1 . It shows a light intensity dependent progressive photo-bleaching. 6F14 is incapable of photo-autotrophic growth under light intensity higher than 100 μmol photons m -2 s -1 . PCR based analyses show that in 6F14 the insertion of the plasmid outside the GUN4 locus has resulted in a genetic rearrangement of the GUN4 gene and possible deletions in the genomic region flanking the GUN4 gene. Our gun4 mutant has a Chl content very similar to that in the wild type in the dark and is very sensitive to fluctuations in the light intensity in the environment unlike the earlier identified Chlamydomonas gun4 mutant. Complementation with a functional copy of the GUN4 gene restored light tolerance, Chl biosynthesis and photo-autotrophic growth under high light intensities in 6F14 . 6F14 is the second gun4 mutant to be identified in C. reinhardtii . Additionally, we show that our two gun4 complements over-express the GUN4 protein and show a higher Chl content per cell compared to that in the wild type strain.