cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response to docetaxel/carboplatin-based chemotherapy as first- and second-line therapy in patients with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of docetaxel/carboplatin (DC)-based chemotherapy as first- and second-line chemotherapy for patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively identified all patients with HRPC treated with DC-based chemotherapy at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Regimens either included estramustine (EDC) or not (DC). We identified patients who received EDC as first-line chemotherapy and patients who received DC as second-line or subsequent chemotherapy. Patients treated with EDC received 20–70 mg/m2 docetaxel every 1–4 weeks, estramustine 140 mg three times daily and carboplatin (area under the curve, AUC), (4–6) every 3–4 weeks. Patients treated with DC received docetaxel 50–70 mg/m2 and carboplatin AUC (4–6) every 3–4 weeks. RESULTS In all, the study included 54 patients; 24 received EDC and 30 DC (median age 62.8 and 66.9 years, respectively); their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level at the start of chemotherapy was 112.7 and 213.3 ng/mL, respectively. There were declines of ≥50% in PSA level in 88% and 20% in the two groups, respectively. The median overall survival was 17.7 and 14.9 months in the EDC and DC groups, respectively. The most common reversible grade 4 toxicity with either regimen was neutropenia (4% and 7% in EDC and DC, respectively). CONCLUSIONS DC-based chemotherapy is well tolerated and active in HRPC. Adding carboplatin to docetaxel provides an additional activity in 20% of patients as a second-line or subsequent chemotherapy.
Mid-life structural assessment of transit rail cars at WMATA

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) contracted with Booz Allen Hamilton to conduct a nondestructive structural assessment of the 2000 and 3000 series rapid transit rail cars. The main goals of the assessment were to identify any significant changes that have occurred to key elements of the car body structure since their date of manufacture and to confirm that no significant and obvious structural deterioration or damage exists. The methodology behind selecting a small representative sample of cars is discussed as an introduction to this work. The paper then discusses the process by which several critical areas were selected for nondestructive inspection. One of the biggest challenges in successfully completing this project was not interfering with WMATA's fleet operating requirements. The use of WMATA facilities had to be coordinated to create minimum interference with WMATA's daily maintenance activities. Also, the inspection work had to be planned in such a way as to minimize the amount of vehicle component disassembly in order to return the vehicle to revenue service as soon as possible. The inspections produced valuable results regarding the construction and condition of these cars. The structural welds of the car appear to have performed satisfactorily through the operational life of the cars to date without any significant deterioration. Some corrosion was noted in the door opening areas of the cars, particularly at the door thresholds. The findings of this report are used to target specific areas of the car during the upcoming mid-life rehabilitation project.
Asymmetric players and bargaining for profit shares in natural resource development

In this paper we study how natural resource development contracts depend on the level of bargaining power of Trans National Corporations (Agents) and host country governments (Principal). We concentrate on share contracts where a portion of the net firm income from resource development is transferred to the government, and show that (i) as the number of agents increase, the principal receives a greater share; (ii) if either player is able to threaten the other, the threatening player receives a greater share; and (iii) if the principal shares in production costs, he obtains a greater share. These results would generally be invariant if the principal was less risk averse than the agent.
Singular value decomposition for dynamic system design sensitivity analysis

A computer-based method for automatic generation and efficient numerical solution of mixed differential-algebraic equations for dynamic and design sensitivity analysis of dynamic systems is developed. The equations are written in terms of a maximal set of Cartesian coordinates to facilitate general formulation of kinematic and design constraints and forcing functions. Singular value decomposition of the system Jacobian matrix generates a set of composite generalized coordinates that are best suited to represent the system. The coordinates naturally partition into optimal independent and dependent sets, and integration of only the independent coordinates generates all of the system information. An adjoint variable method is used to compute design sensitivities of dynamic performance measures of the system. A general-purpose computer program incorporating these capabilities has been developed. A numerical example is presented to illustrate accuracy and properties of the method.
Overuse injury and the young athlete: the case of chronic wrist pain in gymnasts

Chronic wrist pain in young gymnasts is an example of an overuse injury that can affect the physis. Yet, it remains unclear the extent to which this injury results in altered growth of the wrist leading to positive ulnar variance and its sequelae. Although these findings are unique to young gymnasts, there are several other examples of similar overuse injuries involving the physis including those of the proximal humerus, proximal tibia, and distal femur. In addition to these clinical descriptions, basic science studies have also described the negative effects of high intensity loading on immature bone.
Origin of image streaks in field ion microscopy

Streaks and related distortions and asymmetries in FIM images have been shown to arise because of irregularities, protrusions, and crystallographic asperities on the tip surface. Using transmission electron microscopy and selected-area electron diffraction techniques, the crystallographic nature of FIM image streaks was shown to be due to preferential etching at lattice imperfections or prominent lattice planes which gave rise to microfacets and protrusions by rapid electropolishing. Streaks arising in FIM images from tips fractured in situ were also observed to result because of gross surface irregularities. Streaks and anomalous image features observed in the FIM were concluded to bear no intrinsic relationship to crystal lattice imperfections since they arise by image superposition; cancellation, interaction, and severe curvature of the electric lines of force; and multilateral magnification effects. Es wurde gezeigt, das Streifen und die damit zusammenhangenden Verzerrungen und Unsymmetrien in den FIM-Diagrammen von den Irregularitaten, Vorsprungen und kristallographischen Unebenheiten auf der Oberflache der Spitze herruhren. Mit Transmissions-elektronenmikroskopie und Elektronenbeugungstechnik ausgewahlter Flachen wurde gezeigt, das die kristallographische Natur der FIM-Streifenbilder durch die bevorzugte Atzung an Gitterstorungen oder vorspringenden Gitterebenen, die Anlas zu Mikrofacetten und Vorsprungen geben, durch schnelles Elektropolieren hervorrufen wird. Es wurde auch beobachtet, das Streifen in FIM-Bildern von Spitzen, die in situ gebrochen wurden, ein Ergebnis grober Oberflachenirregularitaten sind. Es wurde geschlossen, das Streifen und anomale Eigentumlichkeiten der Diagramme, die bei FIM beobachtet werden, keine innere Beziehung zu Kristallgitterstorungen besitzen, da sie von Bilduberlagerungen, Aufhebung, Wechselwirkung und starker Krummung der elektrischen Kraftlinien und vielseitigen Verstarkungseffekten herruhren.
Lack of assertiveness in patients with eating disorders

Background: Low self-assertion has been noted as an important feature among patients with eating disorders. Aim: To verify, in a female population, if assertiveness is related or has a predictive capacity for the development of eating disorders. Subjects and methods: An structured clinical interview, the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40) and the Rathus Assertiveness Scale (RAS) were administered to 62 patients that fulfilled the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for eating disorders and to 120 female students without eating problems. Results: Patients with eating disorders ranked significantly higher on the EAT-40 and its factors (p <0.001) and showed a lower level of assertiveness on the RAS (p <0.001). Assertiveness measured by RAS and its factors was inversely related to EAT-40 and its items (r= -0.21). The predictive capability of the lack of self-assertion in the development of an eating disorder reached 53%, when patients with eating disorders and subjects at risk were considered together and compared to students without such disorder. Conclusions: Lack of assertiveness is a significant trait in patients with eating disorders; it may worsen its outcome and even perpetuate symptoms. Low self-assertion may be considered a predictive factor in the development of an eating disorder and must be managed from a preventive or therapeutic point of view
Degradation of tropoelastin by proteases.

Abstract A simple assay is described which is capable of detecting single breaks in purified radioactively labeled tropoelastin after incubation with dilute solutions of proteases. Using this assay we show that tropoelastin is rapidly cleaved by a variety of proteases, including leukocyte and pancreatic clastase, at physiologic pH and ionic strength. The results suggest the possibility that degradation of tropoelastin or other related biosynthetic intermediates may play a role in the pathogenesis of emphysema.
Intercellular Signaling: A kinase for cell-fate determination?

GSK-3, a ubiquitous kinase regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation, controls cell-fate decisions in both Drosophila and Dictyostelium; genetic analysis of its interactions with other signaling pathways is now possible.
Library-vendor collaboration for re-engineering workflow: the Kent State experience

Kent State University Libraries and Media Services took advantage of a change in book vendors to re-engineer the acquisitions and cataloging workflow. The process that was ultimately designed is highly integrated and takes advantage of automated efficiencies from both Yankee Book Peddler and OCLC PromptCat. The library has also created a working environment for staff that simultaneously maximizes decision-making while minimizing routine and repetitive tasks. In addition, the library is realizing significant cost savings from the new workflow. A description of the new workflow is provided.
The bending-rotation Hamiltonian for the triatomic molecule and application to HCN and H2O

Abstract In this paper we have extended the work of Hougen, Bunker and Johns ( 1 ), in which the vibration-rotation Hamiltonian of a triatomic molecule was derived in a manner that allowed explicitly for the large amplitude of the bending vibration. In this technique the rotation-bending-stretching Hamiltonian is separated, in zeroth-order, into a rotation-bending part and a stretching part. This proves to be much closer to the physics of the motion than the customary separation into a rotation part and a bending-stretching part since interaction terms are much less important and fewer parameters are required. Our extension to the previous work has been to include overall molecular rotation and we have written a computer program to calculate the rotation-bending energy levels E ( v 2 , J ) using this model. The calculation involves, at most, five parameters (the two zero-point bond lengths, the equilibrium bond angle, the quadratic bending force constant, and the potential energy barrier opposing the straightening of the molecule). We have not explicitly included any vibration-rotation interaction constants since the most important of these are an implicit part of the model. We have fitted the rotation-bending energy levels of HCN and DCN in their bent A electronic state and in their ground electronic state, and the rotation-bending energy levels of H 2 O, D 2 O and HDO in their ground electronic state. The agreement between theory and experiment is very satisfactory in all cases, especially when it is considered how few parameters are used. We have also obtained some new experimental results for the A electronic state of HCN and DCN which is used to further test the theory.
Tissue tropism of the Musca domestica salivary gland hypertrophy virus.

Abstract The tissue tropism of Musca domestica salivary gland hypertrophy virus (MdSGHV) infecting adult house flies was examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and quantitative real-time PCR. TEM demonstrated that characteristic MdSGHV-induced nuclear and cellular hypertrophy was restricted to the salivary glands. Both nucleocapsids and enveloped virions were present in salivary gland cells. In contrast, thin sections of midguts, ovaries, abdominal fat body, crops, air sacs and brains showed the presence of enveloped virions in vacuoles of tracheal cells associated with these tissues. However, no sites of viral morphogenesis were detected in the tracheal cells. Quantitative analysis of MdSGHV DNA and transcript titers revealed that viral DNA was present in all hemolymph and tissue samples collected from MdSGHV-infected flies. Average numbers of MdSGHV genome copies per 50 ng of DNA varied significantly between examined tissues and ranged from 3.83 × 108 (±3.75 × 107) in salivary gland samples to 7.98 × 105 (±2.91 × 105) in hemolymph samples. High levels of viral genome copies were detected in midgut, fat body and brain samples. Viral transcripts were present in all examined samples, and transcript abundance was also at the highest level in salivary glands and at the lowest level in hemolymph. However, over the range of different tissues that were analyzed, there was no correlation between estimated quantities of genome copies and viral transcripts. The function of viral transcripts in host tissues that do not show sites of viral morphogenesis remains to be elucidated.
Achieving high-quality surgical treatment decisions: the perspective of older breast cancer patients

Breast cancer treatment decisions are complex for all women, but may be even more difficult for older women owing to age-related clinical and nonclinical factors. While many studies have evaluated surgical treatment outcomes for women with breast cancer, few have focused on these issues from the perspective of an older breast cancer patient. The research indicates that there is a need to improve the quality of decisions related to breast cancer treatment for women of all ages, so that decisions are both informed (i.e., based on an accurate understanding of the risks and benefits of treatments) and values-concordant (i.e., the treatment decision is consistent with the underlying values of the patient). Achieving high-quality surgical treatment decisions from the perspective of older patients may require innovative approaches for assisting patients with decision-making. Such approaches are likely to translate to more high-quality decisions and treatment plans that incorporate the individual characteristics ...
Design of an ROV to Compete in the 5th Annual MATE ROV Competition and Beyond

Since 2002, the Marine Advanced Technology Center (MATE) has sponsored a nation-wide remotely operated vehicle (ROV) competition. This year's competition consisted of two mission tasks based on ocean observing systems, to be completed in less than 30 minutes at a depth of 12.2 meters. Taking a different approach from previous years, the MIT ROV team designed our main ROV, MTHR, not only to compete in the MATE competition, but also to be used afterwards for both didactic and practical purposes. To this end, the team did not design MTHR specifically for the competition, but instead set out to design a robust ROV that was capable of competing in the MATE competition. The team set priorities on keeping MTHR easy to operate and the sub-systems modular so that they could be improved or expanded upon, allowing MTHR to act as a test bed for new technology in the future. On top of this, the team also placed size constraints, in order to keep it maneuverable and easy to transport, and monetary constraints, in order to keep it affordable. These design considerations led our team to build a small, battery-powered ROV that operates off a single strand of passively spooling fiber optic cable. MTHR is equipped with team-designed countrarotating propellers and a flexible control system. Though a spatially controlled, 5 degree-of-freedom manipulator was designed and built for the ROV, it was not ready to integrate in time for the competition so a simpler gripper was installed. In addition to MTHR, a second ROV, JR, was built to act as a flying-eye to aid in navigation during the competition. Working together, these two ROVs create a powerful system capable of completing complex tasks and providing a valuable research and teaching platform
Patterns of Morphometric Variation in the Channel and Headwater Catfishes

Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare external morphological variation between the headwater catfish Ictalurus lupus and the channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, and to determine if external characters could be used to improve our ability to identify these highly similar species, as most individuals cannot be identified in the field using available methods. Morphological differences were found between species but were obscured by geographic variation and allometric growth. Overall, headwater catfish tended to be broader, have shorter spines, and have a shorter anal fin base than channel catfish when measurements were adjusted for body size. Fish of both species were broader in New Mexico than their counterparts in Texas; headwater catfish from Mexico tended to be intermediate. A south-to-north cline of decreasing anal ray counts was observed for both species. Each species exhibited similar patterns of allometric growth, with snout and mouth widths and interorbital distances increasing, and len...
Coherent Smith-Purcell radiation as a pulse length diagnostic

Abstract Recently, Smith-Purcell radiation has been studied as a candidate for laser-type radiation production in the submillimeter regime. With appropriate choices of beam energy, impact parameter, and grating spacing, there is good coupling to strongly polarized, forward directed radiation [1,2]. Another regime of possible interest is to use Smith-Purcell radiation as a pulse length diagnostic for medium to high energy electron beams of extremely short pulse duration, on the order of tens of femtoseconds to 1000 fs. Strongly in favor of development of such a diagnostic is its relatively non-destructive nature. With the electron beam passing near, but not through, a metal grating, reaction of the beam distribution itself to the production of the radiation is reduced relative to the much stronger scattering induced by passage through a foil. By careful choice of parameters usable diagnostic radiation ought to be produced with acceptably small emittance growth for an on-line beam monitor, even for the extremely bright electron beams proposed for X-ray FELs, Compton backscatter X-ray sources, or laser/plasma accelerator schemes. In this paper coherent and incoherent Smith-Purcell radiation is examined for reasonable operating parameters of the SATURNUS system at UCLA, with comparisons with results reported from the Accelerator Test Facility (ATF) at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Measure of nonlinearity for stochastic systems

Knowledge of how nonlinear a stochastic system is important for many applications. For example, a full-blown nonlinear filter is needed in general if the system is highly nonlinear, but a quasi-linear filter (e.g., an extended Kalman filter) is sufficient if the system is only slightly nonlinear. We first briefly survey various measures of nonlinearity for different representations of problems. Unfortunately, the conclusion of our survey is that a good quantitative measure of nonlinearity for stochastic systems is still lacking and existing measures designed for other applications are not suitable here. In view of this, we propose a general measure of nonlinearity for stochastic systems based on the idea of quantifying its deviation from linearity. It can be interpreted as a measure of the mean-square distance between a point (i.e., the given nonlinear system) and a subspace (i.e., the set of all linear systems) in a functional space. Properties and computation of this measure are explored. A numerical example is given in which the measure is applied to a target tracking problem.
Analysis of blood hete levels by selected ion monitoring with ricinoleic acid as the internal standard

Abstract Selected ion monitoring of mass fragments of peaks from capillary gas chromatograms permits a sensitive and selective analysis of positional isomers of hydroxy-eicosanoids (as their methyl ester, trimethylsilyl ether derivatives). Because deuterated analogs of these HETEs are not readily available, stable isotope dilution cannot be easily performed. We have developed a method for the quantitation of HETEs using ricinoleci acid (12-hydroxy-oleic acid) as an internal standard. Ricinoleic acid is monitored at m/z 187, while 5-, 12- and 15-HETEs (those commonly found in biological systems) are not monitored at m/z 255, 295 and 225 respectively. The procedure has proven linear for levels from 0.03 to >3.0 nmol HETE per nmol standard. There is however significant “crossover” among the HETEs, requiring preliminary resolution of the various isomers by reverse phase HPLC in samples containing more than one HETE. Recovery of authentic standards added to various blood samples through the extraction, resolution and analyses averaged over 90%. Using this procedure, mean plasma concentrations were found to be less than 0.1 uM for all HETEs tested, while serum levels were approximately 0.3, 0.8 and 0.1 uM for 5-, 12- and 15-HETE respectively. Serum formed in the presence of 2mM arachidonic acid plus 25 uM A23187, to maximize HETE production, contained an average of 4, 22 and 1 uM 5-, 12- and 15-HETE respectively. Thus while normal human plasma contains sufficient quantities of the various HETEs to produce some of the biological effects attributed to these metabolites, there is potential for an even greater production when sufficient substrate is available.
An Analysis of Hospital Blood Bank Whole Blood Inventory Control Policies

A detailed model of a hospital blood bank whole blood inventory system is developed, shown to provide an accurate representation of actual blood bank operations, and analyzed by means of digital computer simulation. The control of hospital blood inventories is examined with primary emphasis on the specification of the most basic and most flexible policy—the desired beginning inventory level policy. The performance of the system is studied graphically in terms of a function which relates the two most important measures of effectiveness—blood shortage and blood outdating—to the inventory level. Less flexible decisions are studied in terms of the shift which they produce in this curve. Numerical results are obtained to indicate the specific effects of a reduction of variability in central blood bank shipments, a reduction of the average age or an extension of the dating period of blood entering the blood bank, the establishment of a minimum inventory level or reorder point, and the addition of a second daily blood order.
Myocardial recovery from the cardiac depressant effects of enflurane and halothane.

Abstract Recovery from the cardiac depressant effects of enflurane and halothane was examined in the dog heart-lung preparation (HLP) and in right ventricular muscle solated from guinea pig hearts. In the HLP, recovery was studied under two conditions: (1) After a two-hour exposure to anesthetic concentrations increasing from 0.36 to 1.2 MAC, and (2) after a one-hour exposure to a single concentration that raised the left atrial pressure (LAP) to 9 to 10 mmHg. Under either condition, +dP/dtmax was significantly less depressed with enflurane and returned to preanesthetic control levels, while recovery with halothane remained significantly below control. Following the longer exposure, recovery of the LAP and left ventricular function curves (LVFC) was significantly less with halothane; however, this difference was not observed after the shorter exposure period. In electrically paced, isometrically contracting right ventricular strips exposed for one hour to 2.25 vol% enflurane (a concentration that reduced contractility by 45%), force development returned within 60 minutes to values above preanesthetic control values. After an identical depression for one hour with halothane (0.80 vol%), force development recovered to values less than those observed following enflurane. These data indicate that the recovery from anesthetic-induced negative inotropic effects in isolated cardiac preparations is better with enflurane than halothane.
Accuracy of Examination at One Year Adjusted Age in Very Low Birth Weight(VLBW) Infants for Predicting the Presence or Absence of Cerebral Palsy (CP) After Age 3 • 1308

VLBW infants are at high risk for CP and are often followed in multidisciplinary high risk infant clinics. We studied the ability of neuromotor assessments, performed in such a clinic at one year of age(adjusted for prematurity), to predict the presence or absence of CP after three years of age, in a geographically based sample of VLBW infants. The study sample included 371 consecutive infants, with birth weight 500 to 1500 grams, born 7/1/88 to 6/30/93 to mothers residing in a six-county region in which our medical center is the only provider of tertiary care. These infants underwent neurological examination and developmental testing at one year adjusted age, at which time 21 infants were classified as having definite CP, 10, as having possible CP, and 340, as being free fromsigns of CP. Status after age three was assessed July-August, 1996, when the infants were three to eight years old. Records from our CP clinic were used to ascertain whether infants diagnosed with CP at one year continued to have signs of CP beyond age three. Telephone calls, followed by a mailed questionnaire to families not available by phone, were used to ascertain the status, at age 3 to 8 years, of infants who at one year of age had either possible CP no CP. Parents were asked whether, after one year of age, their child had been diagnosed with CP, had worn leg braces or splints, or had received treatment by a physical therapist or orthopedic surgeon. Sixteen of the 21 (76%) infants with CP at one year have been followed in our CP clinic; in all 16 the diagnosis of cerebral palsy has persisted beyond age three. Follow-up after age three(telephone or postal) was obtained for 7 (70%) infants with possible CP and 166 (49%) infants without signs of CP at age one. The diagnosis of CP had been made after age three in 2 infants (29% of the 7 contacted) who at one year of age were diagnosed with possible CP, and 4 infants (3% of the 166 contacted) who at one year of age were thought to be free from CP. We conclude that the accuracy of a mutidisciplinary evaluation at one year adjusted age, for predicting CP after age three, is high (positive predictive value = 100%; negative predictive value=97%). Equally important, our findings suggest that approximately one quarter of cases of CP in VLBW infants will be missed if follow-up does not extend beyond one year adjusted age.
Implementing the First Best in an Agency Relationship with Renegotiation: A Corrigendum

The insect antennal lobe is the first brain structure to process olfactory information. Like the vertebrate olfactory bulb the antennal lobe is substructured in olfactory glomeruli. In insects, glomeruli can be morphologically identified, and have characteristic olfactory response profiles. Local neurons interconnect glomeruli, and output (projection) neurons project to higher-order brain centres. The relationship between their elaborate morphology and their physiology is not understood. We recorded electrophysiologically from antennal lobe neurons, and iontophoretically injected a calcium-sensitive dye. We then measured their spatio-temporal calcium responses to a variety of odours. Finally, we confocally reconstructed the neurons, and identified the innervated glomeruli. An increase or decrease in spiking frequency corresponded to an intracellular calcium increase or decrease in the cell. While intracellular recordings generally lasted between 10 and 30 min, calcium imaging was stable for up to 2 h, allowing a more detailed physiological analysis. The responses indicate that heterogeneous local neurons get input in the glomerulus in which they branch most strongly. In many cases, the physiological response properties of the cells corresponded to the known response profile of the innervated glomerulus. In other words, the large variety of response profiles generally found when comparing antennal lobe neurons is reduced to a more predictable response profile when the innervated glomerulus is known.
Facilitating Students' Integration of Textiles and Clothing Subject Matter. Part Two: Substantiating the Applicability of Proposed Structures

In recent history the field of textiles and clothing has witnessed a shift from a home economics to a professional (industry) focus and an increased effort to integrate elements of varied textiles and clothing subject matter around a common perspective. Literature elucidating the importance of integration of textiles and clothing subject matter has been written for the scholar and does not clearly explicate integration of subject matter for the student or how integration can serve his/her purpose of professional development. In part one we described the dimensions and components of an overarching model and a taxonomy of value (i.e., benefits derived from textile products and related environments) for use in the classroom to help students conceptually integrate subject matter to assist their professional development. In part two we utilize the concept of schema to justify the use of structures in fostering cognitive integration of subject matter. We substantiate the applicability of these structures for in...
Asymptotic performance of MIMO wireless channels with limited feedback

We consider a single-user, point-to-point communication system with M transmit and N receive antennas with independent flat Rayleigh fading between antenna pairs. The mutual information of the multi-input/multi-output (MlMO) channel is maximized when the transmitted symbol vector is a Gaussian random vector with covariance matrix Q. The optimal Q depends on how much channel state information is available at the transmitter. Namely, in the absence of any channel state information, the optimal Q is full-rank and isotropic, whereas with perfect channel knowledge, the optimal Q has columns which are the eigenvectors of the channel, and has rank at most min {M, N}. We assume that the receiver can feed back B bits to the transmitter (per codeword). The feedback bits are used to choose the columns of Q from a random set of i.i.d. vectors. We compute the mutual information as a function of both B and the rank of Q. Our results are asymptotic in the number of antennas, and show how much feedback is needed to achieve a rate, which is close to the capacity with perfect channel knowledge at the transmitter.
Time and extent of ciliary response to particles in a non-filtering feeding mechanism.

Mechanisms of suspension feeding are usually described by the physics of inanimate filters. High-speed videorecordings in this study demonstrated that sea urchin larvae concentrate particles without filtration. They actively captured individual particles. At most times and places, the effective strokes of the swimming/feeding ciliary band were away from the circumoral field. Cilia of this band responded to particles by a reversal of beat that redirected the particle toward the circumoral field. A change of beat occurred along approximately 80 m of ciliary band during particle capture. Cilia responded 0.02 to 0.06 s after the particle was within reach of effective strokes and reversed beat, usually for about 0.1 to 0.2 s. The whole event (disruption of forward beat) generally lasted between 0.13 and 0.5 s. These observations imply reversed movement of a parcel of water much larger than the included captured particle, but parti- cles are nevertheless greatly concentrated because water is directed toward the circumoral field only when and where a particle is sensed. Thus most of the concentration of parti- cles occurs by a temporarily and locally redirected current, without filtration, and size and quality of particles captured depends on sensory capabilities, not the mechanics of fil- tration.
Macrornodeling Of Analog Circuits For Hierarchical Circuit Design

Hierarchy plays a significant role in the design of digital and analog circuits. At each level of the hierarchy it becomes essential to evaluate if a sub-block design is feasible and if so which design style is the best candidate for the particular problem. This paper proposes a general methodology for evaluating the feasibility and the performance of sub-blocks at all levels of the hierarchy. A modified simplicial approximation technique is used to generate the feasibility macromodel and a layered volume-slicing methodology with radial basis functions is used to generate the performance macromodel. However, due to lack of space, only details of the performance macromodeling techniques are included. Macromodels are developed and verified for analog blocks at three different levels of hierarchy (current mirror, opamp, and A/D converter).
FOXP3 Controls Regulatory T Cell Function through Cooperation with NFAT

Antigen stimulation of immune cells activates the transcription factor NFAT, a key regulator of T cell activation and anergy. NFAT forms cooperative complexes with the AP-1 family of transcription factors and regulates T cell activation-associated genes. Here we show that regulatory T cell (Treg) function is mediated by an analogous cooperative complex of NFAT with the forkhead transcription factor FOXP3, a lineage specification factor for Tregs. The crystal structure of an NFAT:FOXP2:DNA complex reveals an extensive protein-protein interaction interface between NFAT and FOXP2. Structure-guided mutations of FOXP3, predicted to progressively disrupt its interaction with NFAT, interfere in a graded manner with the ability of FOXP3 to repress expression of the cytokine IL2, upregulate expression of the Treg markers CTLA4 and CD25, and confer suppressor function in a murine model of autoimmune diabetes. Thus by switching transcriptional partners, NFAT converts the acute T cell activation program into the suppressor program of Tregs.
The absolute value of the geopotential.

It is suggested that it would be worthwhile to determine the absolute value of the geopotential on the geopotential surface which corresponds to mean sea level. This number would replace the earth’s semi-major axis as the parameter which fixes the earth’s size; but slight variations in the parameter might be employed to study the dynamics of the sea.
Molecular Characterization of Subject-Specific Oral Microflora during Initial Colonization of Enamel

The initial microbial colonization of tooth surfaces is a repeatable and selective process, with certain bacterial species predominating in the nascent biofilm. Characterization of the initial microflora is the first step in understanding interactions among community members that shape ensuing biofilm development. Using molecular methods and a retrievable enamel chip model, we characterized the microbial diversity of early dental biofilms in three subjects. A total of 531 16S rRNA gene sequences were analyzed, and 97 distinct phylotypes were identified. Microbial community composition was shown to be statistically different among subjects. In all subjects, however, 4-h and 8-h communities were dominated by Streptococcus spp. belonging to the Streptococcus oralis/Streptococcus mitis group. Other frequently observed genera (comprising at least 5% of clone sequences in at least one of the six clone libraries) were Actinomyces, Gemella, Granulicatella, Neisseria, Prevotella, Rothia, and Veillonella. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) confirmed that the proportion of Streptococcus sp. sequences in the clone libraries coincided with the proportion of streptococcus probe-positive organisms on the chip. FISH also revealed that, in the undisturbed plaque, not only Streptococcus spp. but also the rarer Prevotella spp. were usually seen in small multigeneric clusters of cells. This study shows that the initial dental plaque community of each subject is unique in terms of diversity and composition. Repetitive and distinctive community composition within subjects suggests that the spatiotemporal interactions and ecological shifts that accompany biofilm maturation also occur in a subject-dependent manner.
Chloramphenicol significantly affects the pharmacokinetics of oral methadone in Greyhound dogs

Abstract Objective To assess the effects of cytochrome P450 (CYP) inhibitors (ketoconazole, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim, fluoxetine, cimetidine and medetomidine) in various combinations on the pharmacokinetics of oral methadone in Greyhound dogs to determine the specific effects of the different inhibitors and if a clinically relevant interaction occurs. Study design Non-randomized, sequential design. Animals Six healthy Greyhound dogs (three male, three female). Methods Canine CYP inhibitors (ketoconazole, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim, fluoxetine, cimetidine and medetomidine) were administered in varying combinations prior to the administration of oral methadone. Plasma was obtained from each dog to enable the determination of methadone and CYP inhibitor drug concentrations using liquid chromatography with either mass spectrometry or ultraviolet detection. Results Significant increases in the area under the curve (AUC) and maximum plasma concentrations (C MAX ) of methadone occurred in all groups administered chloramphenicol. The AUC (6 hours ng mL −1 ) and C MAX (6 ng mL −1 ) of methadone significantly increased to 541 hours ng mL −1 and 47.8 ng mL −1 , respectively, when methadone was administered with chloramphenicol as a sole inhibitor. There were no significant effects of CYP inhibitors other than chloramphenicol on methadone pharmacokinetics, which suggests that chloramphenicol was primarily responsible for the pharmacokinetic interaction. Conclusions and clinical relevance This study demonstrated significant effects of chloramphenicol on the pharmacokinetics of oral methadone. Further studies should investigate the effects of chloramphenicol on methadone pharmacokinetics in multiple dog breeds and examine whether oral methadone would be an effective analgesic in dogs. In addition, the safety of chloramphenicol and its effects on the pharmacokinetics of parenteral methadone warrant assessment.
Biophysical mechanisms and essential topography of directionally selective subunits in rabbit's retina.

We commemorate the 40th anniversary of the classical study undertaken by Barlow–Levick with a new challenge: to show how direction selectivity in the dendritic plexus of starburst amacrine cells is being computed. In the rabbit retina, although the cellular locus of direction selectivity is known to occur predominantly in the dendrites of starburst amacrine cells, the biophysical mechanism by which this takes place and its essential topography are yet to be specified with precision. A cotransmission model, involving a conjoint release of excitation/inhibition (i.e., a bisynaptic relay of endogenous ACh and GABA) from the distal varicosities of individual starburst amacrines, will be non-diphasic when the vesicular release of Ach and the non-vesicular, carrier-mediated release of GABA by transporters in the anterograde direction are preferentially suppressed by a negative feedback mechanism involving autoreceptors. Such biophysical mechanisms, including the asymmetric distribution of chloride cotransporters, explain somatofugal motion bias in starburst amacrine cells leading to autonomous functioning "subunits" that underlie the formation of directional selectivity. However, the functional independence of starburst amacrine cell "subunits" is partly a question of their network organization. The topography of directionally selective "subunits" resides in the plexus of crisscrossing dendrites of juxtaposed starburst amacrines, consisting of (i) serial synapses of three or more starburst amacrines and a ON-OFF directionally selective ganglion cell; (ii) a synaptic couplet between two starburst amacrines; and (iii) a conventional synapse between a starburst amacrine and a ON-OFF directionally selective ganglion cell. Cholinergic and GABAergic monosynaptic interactions between starburst amacrine cells, including glutamatergic interactions with cone bipolar cells, are involved in the primary circuit underlying directional selectivity. Furthermore, the secondary circuit underlying directional selectivity, consists of starburst amacrine cells and cone bipolar cells arranged in a "push-pull" configuration, interacting synaptically onto ON-OFF directionally selective ganglion cells.
The appearance of bone resorbing activity in ligature induced gingivitis in dogs

The in vitro bone resorbing activity of extracts from healthy and inflamed dog gingiva were compared and the appearance of the resorbing factor between 1 and 6 weeks of gingivitis was measured. Seven adult dogs were used. The gingiva were initially rendered healthy by scaling and polishing. Plaque retentive ligatures were placed around the necks of teeth so that at the end of the experiment samples of healthy gingiva and gingiva with 1 and 6 week old ligature induced gingivitis could be harvested from each dog. The bone resorbing activity of extracts from these gingival samples was studied by measuring the release of 45Ca from prelabeled fetal rat long bones in organ culture. Six out of 7 extracts from healthy quadrants had no bone resorbing potential whereas 13 out of 14 extracts from ligatured quadrants stimulated significant amounts of bone resorption. The resorbing activity appeared during the first week after ligature placement and no significant increase in resorbing potential was noted between extracts obtained 1 and 6 weeks after ligature placement. It was concluded that the appearance of the bone resorbing factor(s) is related to the accumulation of plaque and/or the resultant inflammation and that it may be responsible for the alveolar bone loss seen in ligature induced periodontal disease in dogs.
Document Analysis of School District Policies on Advanced Programs, International Baccalaureate, and Dual Credit Programs in the United States

Bu calismanin amaci, Amerika Birlesik Devletleri genelinde uygulanan, lisede okurken universitedesaydirilabilecek dersleri alma (Advance Placement), Uluslararasi Diploma (International Baccalaureate)ve alinan dersi hem lise hem de sonrasinda universite transkriptinde gostererek Cift Kredilendirme(Dual Credit) programlari ile ilgili belgeleri incelemektir. Bu sayede farkli uygulamalar arasindaki, benzerlikleri ve farkliliklari ilgili belgelerden tespit etmek, ogrenci ve aileler icin bu belgelerin ne dereceokunabilir ve anlasilabilir olduklarini belirlemek hedeflenmistir. Dokuman analizi yontemi kullanilanbu calismada, Amerika Birlesik Devletleri genelinden rastgele secilen 42 okul bolgesinin sozu edilenprogramlarla ilgili kilavuzluk etme amaciyla hazirlanan basvuru, yerlestirme, bilgilendirme vb. amaclibelgeleri arastirmanin verilerini olusturmustur. Her bir yonetmeligin okunabilirlik puani FleschKincaid okunabilirlik testi ile olculmus, ve kolay okunabilirlik puan kilavuzuna gore degerlendirilmistir. Calisma elde edilen sonuclara dayali olarak uygulamaya yonelik onerilerde bulunulmustur.
Phantom: Prediction of Human Motion with Distributed Body Sensors

Tracking human motion with distributed body sensors has the potential to promote a large number of applications such as health care, medical monitoring, and sports medicine. In distributed sensory systems, the system architecture and data processing cannot perform the expected outcomes because of the limitations of data association. For the collaborative and complementary applications of motion tracking (Polhemus Liberty AC magnetic tracker), we propose a distributed sensory system with multi-channel interacting multiple model estimator (MC-IMME). To figure out interactive relationships among distributed sensors, we used a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) for clustering. With a collaborative grouping method based on GMM and expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm for distributed sensors, we can estimate the interactive relationship of multiple sensor channels and achieve the efficient target estimation to employ a tracking relationship within a cluster. Using multiple models with improved control of filter divergence, the proposed MC-IMME can achieve the efficient estimation of the measurement as well as the velocity from measured datasets with distributed sensory data. We have newly developed MC-IMME to improve overall performance with a Markov switch probability and a proper grouping method. The experiment results showed that the prediction overshoot error can be improved in the average 19.31 % with employing a tracking relationship.
Late-successional riparian forest structure results in heterogeneous periphyton distributions in low-order streams

Late-successional riparian forests often regulate autotrophic microhabitats in low-order streams through shading provided by canopies. However, few studies have linked forest structure with periphyton microhabitat in adjoining streams. Our hypotheses were that (1) the heterogeneous horizontal structure in old-growth forests creates more spatially variable below-canopy light environments compared with mature forests and (2) site-specific light availability over streams corre- lates with spatial distributions of periphyton microhabitat. We surveyed 15 low-order stream reaches in late-successional northern hardwood-hemlock forests in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, USA. We measured forest structure and the below-canopy light environment at all reaches and the periphyton chlorophyll a concentration on artificial substrates in eight reaches. While stand age was not statistically significant, multivariate models of horizontal forest structure (e.g., gap distribution) and topography showed strong relationships (R 2 > 0.70) with the below-canopy light environment across all late-successional forests. Furthermore, metrics of below-canopy light availability explained a small but statistically signifi- cant proportion of the variation in chlorophyll a concentration. This variation in chlorophyll a indicates that complex late- successional riparian forests, both mature and old-growth, create a mosaic of heterotrophic (shaded) and autotrophic (lighted) microhabitats along low-order streams. These results reveal important and previously unrecognized links between stream habitat heterogeneity and the horizontal heterogeneous late-successional forest structure.
Macrophages: much more than big eaters!

The Russian bacteriologist Metchnikov described the macrophage for the first time in the late 19th century.1 For his extraordinary contributions to the then burgeoning field of immunology, he was one of the recipients of the 1908 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology. The etymology of the word macrophage, built from the roots makros and phagein, lends insights into the earliest understanding of the function of these captivating cells, that is, the devouring of large structures. We now understand that these big eater macrophages engulf invading pathogens, as well as debris and dead and dying cells. However, beyond roles for these cells in phagocytosis, research has uncovered seminal functions for macrophages in diverse processes, such as development,2,3 metabolism,4 and reproduction.5 Once monocytes are recruited from the circulation into the target tissues, they are transformed into macrophages; these cells are both modulated by and modulate the fundamental phenotypes of the tissues into which they are …