cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of human homologue of 4-1BB and its ligand

Abstract The human homologue of 4-1BB (H4-1BB) cDNA was isolated from PMA plus ionomycin-treated human peripheral T-cell cDNA libraries. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence showed that the protein is composed of 255 amino acids with 2 potential N-linked glycosylation sites. The molecular weight of its protein backbone is calculated to be 27 kDa. The H4-1BB contains features such as signal sequence and transmembrane domain, indicating that it is a receptor protein. This protein showed 60% identity of amino acid sequence to mouse 4-1BB. In the cytoplasmic domain there are 5 regions of amino acid sequences conserved from mouse to human, indicating that these residues might be important in the 4-1BB function. H4-1BB mRNA was detected in unstimulated peripheral blood T cells and was inducible in T-cell lines such as Jurkat and CEM. H4-1BB-AP, a fusion protein between the H4-1BB extracellular domain and alkaline phosphatase, was used to identify the ligand for the H4-1BB. Although the H4-1BB ligand was detected in both T and B cells of human peripheral blood, the ligand was preferentially expressed in primary B cells and B-cell lines. Daudi, a B-cell lymphoma, was one of the B-cell lines that carried a higher number of ligands. Scatchard analysis showed that the Kd = 1.4 × 109 M and the number of ligands in Daudi cell was 4.2 × 103.
Coronin-1 is a neurotrophin endosomal effector that is required for developmental competition for survival

Retrograde communication from axonal targets to neuronal cell bodies is critical for both the development and function of the nervous system. Much progress has been made in recent years linking long-distance, retrograde signaling to a signaling endosome, yet the mechanisms governing the trafficking and signaling of these endosomes remain mostly uncharacterized. Here we report that in mouse sympathetic neurons, the target-derived nerve growth factor (NGF)-tropomyosin-related kinase type 1 (TrkA, also called Ntrk1) signaling endosome, on arrival at the cell body, induces the expression and recruitment of a new effector protein known as Coronin-1 (also called Coro1a). In the absence of Coronin-1, the NGF-TrkA signaling endosome fuses to lysosomes sixfold to tenfold faster than when Coronin-1 is intact. We also define a new Coronin-1-dependent trafficking event in which signaling endosomes recycle and re-internalize on arrival at the cell body. Beyond influencing endosomal trafficking, Coronin-1 is also required for several NGF-TrkA-dependent signaling events, including calcium release, calcineurin activation and phosphorylation of cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB). These results establish Coronin-1 as an essential component of a feedback loop that mediates NGF-TrkA endosome stability, recycling and signaling as a critical mechanism governing developmental competition for survival.
Treatment Options and Surveillance Strategies After Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy of the liver and the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Recurrence rates after curative intent treatment for HCC are high; 5-year disease-free survival ranges from only 19 to 81 %. There is no direct evidence to guide the optimal frequency and method of surveillance for recurrent HCC after curative intent treatment. In contrast, there is strong evidence supporting both primary screening for HCC in patients with chronic liver disease. After resection, HCC tends to recur locally, whereas the pattern after transplantation is more at extrahepatic sites. In theory, if an HCC recurrence is discovered early, more therapeutic options are available for treatment of the recurrent HCC. As such, close surveillance after curative intent therapy may have the potential to prolong survival. We herein review the available literature derived from primary surveillance of patients with cirrhosis, as well as data on postoperative surveillance of HCC patients. In aggregate, although data remain scarce, close surveillance with α-fetoprotein and cross-sectional imaging every 3-4 months for 3 years after curative intent therapy, followed by surveillance every 6-12 months thereafter, seems the most prudent approach to follow-up of patients with HCC in the postsurgical setting.
Economic evaluation of alternative breeding programs for commercial artificial insemination firms.

Abstract A method was developed for economic evaluation of alternative breeding programs for an AI firm operating in a large dairy cattle population with a competitive semen market. The model allowed for the evaluation of changes in both present value of returns from sale of semen and risk on returns. The model was applied to improvements in conventional progeny testing schemes. Sensitivity of the results to several economic parameters was investigated. Adoption of an improved breeding plan led to large increases in present value of returns and its variance. Reducing the number of bull sires used increased present values of returns by up to 20%. Additional use of embryo transfer on bull dams increased returns by over 40%. Results were not highly dependent on discount rate and semen price level. For small to moderate improvements, form of the functional relationship between semen price and estimated breeding values of bulls and simultaneous adoption of the improved plan by competing firms had small effects on increases in present values of returns. Reducing size of the market decreased economic values of adoption of an improved breeding plan significantly.
A formal context specific trust model (FTM) for multimedia and ubiquitous computing environment

In order to ensure secure sharing of resources in an ad-hoc network of handheld devices in a multimedia and ubiquitous computing environment, mutual collaboration is essential. However, the limitations, such as poor storage and computational capability of these multimedia and ubiquitous devices stand as the bottleneck for effective sharing of resources. As a result of this drawback, the adversaries are obtaining access to the new doors for security breaches. Mutual Trust is the weapon used to combat security violations by restricting malicious devices from participating in any interaction in such an open and dynamic environment. In this paper, we present a context-specific and reputation-based trust model along with a brief survey and a comparative study of the existing trust models found in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, our model is the first formal trust model for multimedia and ubiquitous computing, which incorporates multi-hop recommendation capability and flexible behavioral model to handle interactions among devices. The other major contribution of this universal trust model is a simple protocol for circumventing malicious recommendations and handling them for achieving accuracy. This paper also illustrates the implementation and evaluation detailed of our proposed omnipresent formal trust model.
Addressees distinguish shared from private information when interpreting questions during interactive conversation

Two experiments examined the role of common ground in the production and on-line interpretation of wh-questions such as What’s above the cow with shoes? Experiment 1 examined unscripted conversation, and found that speakers consistently use wh-questions to inquire about information known only to the addressee. Addressees were sensitive to this tendency, and quickly directed attention toward private entities when interpreting these questions. A second experiment replicated the interpretation findings in a more constrained setting. These results add to previous evidence that the common ground influences initial language processes, and suggests that the strength and polarity of common ground effects may depend on contributions of sentence type as well as the interactivity of the situation.
Synthesis of N-amino- and N-nitramino-nitroimidazoles

Synthesis of a new nitro-substituted 1-amino and 1-nitraminoimidazoles is described. A novel solid state nitration has been developed.
Linearly scalable crowdsourced media broadcasting in the mobile cloud

In the mobile cloud (e.g. vehicular cloud), users collaborate and share images amongst different screen sizes. Similar images do not share overlapping blocks, thus deduplication is difficult if not near impossible even when two images are slightly similar. In this paper, we present a method to achieve linearly scalable storage and dissemination for photos shared within the cloud.
IRW: an incremental representation for image-based walkthroughs

We present a new representation for image-based interactive walk-throughs. The target applications reconstruct a scene from novel viewpoints using samples from a spatial image dataset collected from a plane at eye-level. These datasets consist of pose augmented 2D images and often have a very large number of samples. Our representation exploits spatial coherence and rearranges the input samples as epipolar images. The base unit corresponds to a column of the original image that can be individually addressed and accessed. The overall representation, IRW, supports incremental updates, efficient encoding, scalable performance, and selective inclusion used by different reconstruction algorithms. We demonstrate the performance of our representation on a synthetic as well as a real-world environment.
Potential sites of action of TNPA : A dopamine-2 receptor agonist

The purpose of this study was to correlate potential mechanisms with site(s) of action for TNPA-induced ocular hypotension. In response to R(-)-2, 10, 11-trihydroxy-N-propyl-noraporphine hydrobromide (TNPA, 75 microg), a D2 dopamine receptor agonist, the intraocular pressure decreased by 4.5 and 8 mm Hg at 1 and 2 hr, respectively, as measured by pneumatonometry. The levels of norepinephrine in aqueous humor, as determined by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, were reduced by 38% and 79% at 1 and 2 hr, respectively, following topical application of TNPA (75 microg). Following pretreatment with raclopride (750 microg), a D2 receptor antagonist, and a subsequent challenge with TNPA (75 microg), the depression of intraocular pressure and levels of norepinephrine induced by TNPA (75 microg, 2 hr) were antagonized. In order to examine sites of action, immunohistochemistry of D2 dopamine receptors was performed in the ciliary body of normal and sympathetically denervated rabbits utilizing a goat polyclonal D2 receptor IgG and anti-goat IgG-FITC. Results from immunolocalization experiments demonstrated that D2 receptors are present on postganglionic sympathetic nerves in the ciliary body of normal rabbits but minimally detectable in that of sympathectomized rabbits. It is concluded that immunohistochemical identification of D2 receptors in the ciliary body associated with the suppression of aqueous norepinephrine levels by topical application of the D2 receptor agonist, TNPA, provide strong evidence of prejunctional (neuronal) site of action of TNPA. Antagonism of TNPA-induced ocular hypotension by raclopride coupled with the immunohistochemical and norepinephrine data suggest that D2 dopamine receptors are located on postganglionic sympathetic neurons in the ciliary body.
Acrosin activity in spermatozoa from sterile t6/tw32 and fertile control mice.

Spermatozoa from sterile t6/tw32 and control fertile + / +, T/tw32, T/t6 mice were compared for their abilities to hydrolyse protein matrices and for their levels of acrosin activity. The data show that the immature and mature gametes from both the experimental and control males hydrolyse protein matrices. The quantitative acrosin assays show, however, that the mature gametes from the intercomplement males have significantly less total acrosin activity than any of the control groups of gametes. These findings suggest that this reduced acrosin activity is an additional phenotypic expression of the intercomplement genotype which results in male sterility.
Use of postmortem human subjects to describe injury responses and tolerances.

Traumatic injuries from blunt, penetrating, and blast events expose the human body to unintentional and intentional external mechanical loads. To mitigate trauma and develop safety-engineered devices for clinical and bioengineering applications, it is critical to delineate the structural load-bearing anatomy and biomechanics of the various components of the human body. This article presents advances made in the understanding of the injury responses and tolerances through experiments conducted using intact or segmented tissues from postmortem human subjects (PMHS), and a considerable majority of data for the presentation has been extracted from studies conducted at the Institutions of the authors. The role of the PMHS model for studying traumatic injuries to the head and face, vertebral column (cervical, thoracic and lumbar spines), thorax, abdomen, pelvis, and lower extremities is discussed. Different impact loading scenarios, likely responsible for the initial trauma causation, are considered in the analysis and determination of the human response to injury. Clinical advances made using the PMHS model are discussed. This includes vertebral stabilization system evaluations secondary to traumatic injuries to the spinal column. The critical importance of using data from the PMHS model in developing validated computational models for advancing crashworthiness research, occupant safety in motor vehicle crashes, medical devices, and safety-engineering applications is highlighted. Clin. Anat., 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Language: en
Update on epinephrine (adrenaline) for pediatric emergencies.

Purpose of review Epinephrine (adrenaline) is a medication widely used in the pediatric emergency department. This article reviews the most recent evidence and recommendations behind the many applications of epinephrine as they apply to the care of children in emergency departments. Recent findings Recent publications address epinephrine's role in the treatment of anaphylaxis, croup, asthma, bronchiolitis and as an adjunct to local anesthesia. Additionally, authors discuss epinephrine autoinjectors and the various routes of epinephrine administration. Summary Epinephrine is the recommended first-line treatment for anaphylaxis and moderate-to-severe croup. Its role in asthma and bronchiolitis is less clear. Traditional beta2-agonists are seen as first-line therapies for moderate bronchiolitis and asthma exacerbations. Epinephrine may have a role for subsets of patients with both of these illnesses. The preferred route for parenteral treatment is intramuscular. Epinephrine is well tolerated as an adjunct to local anesthesia when used in digital blocks in digits with normal perfusion. Although autoinjectors allow faster access to epinephrine for anaphylaxis, there are many issues surrounding their use and indications.
Illustrating the machinery of life: Viruses

Data from electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography, and biophysical analysis are used to create illustrations of viruses in their cellular context. This report describes the scientific data and artistic methods used to create three illustrations: a depiction of the poliovirus lifecycle, budding of influenza virus from a cell surface, and a mature HIV particle in blood serum.
Stories or statistics? Farmers' attitudes toward messages in an agricultural safety campaign.

Farming is the second most hazardous occupation in the U.S. The high mortality rate is due in large part to farm equipment hazards, particularly tractor overturns. Injuries and deaths associated with tractor overturns could be prevented with the use of a rollover protective structure (ROPS). In spite of the known dangers associated with overturn incidents, farmers are reluctant to retrofit ROPS on older tractors. Few agricultural safety campaigns target the issue of ROPS retrofits, and none have been evaluated systematically. This article reports a study that examines a set of messages that were central to the Community Partners for Healthy Farming project. This study indicates that narrative-based messages and messages incorporating fear appeals are more favorably evaluated by farmers than messages that simply inform farmers or messages that rely on statistics.
The utility and safety of temporary pacing wires in postoperative patients with congenital heart disease.

Pacing wires are helpful in the differentiation and treatment of supraventricular, ventricular, and sinus tachycardia. The purpose of this study was to determine (1) whether pacing wires are useful in the diagnosis and treatment of early postoperative arrhythmias, (2) whether any factors exist to predict patients who benefit from their placement, and (3) the complications associated with their placement, use, or removal.
Improved Aerodynamic Analysis for Hybrid Wing Body Conceptual Design Optimization

This paper provides an overview of ongoing efforts to develop, evaluate, and validate different tools for improved aerodynamic modeling and systems analysis of Hybrid Wing Body (HWB) aircraft configurations. Results are being presented for the evaluation of different aerodynamic tools including panel methods, enhanced panel methods with viscous drag prediction, and computational fluid dynamics. Emphasis is placed on proper prediction of aerodynamic loads for structural sizing as well as viscous drag prediction to develop drag polars for HWB conceptual design optimization. Data from transonic wind tunnel tests at the Arnold Engineering Development Center s 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel was used as a reference data set in order to evaluate the accuracy of the aerodynamic tools. Triangularized surface data and Vehicle Sketch Pad (VSP) models of an X-48B 2% scale wind tunnel model were used to generate input and model files for the different analysis tools. In support of ongoing HWB scaling studies within the NASA Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) program, an improved finite element based structural analysis and weight estimation tool for HWB center bodies is currently under development. Aerodynamic results from these analyses are used to provide additional aerodynamic validation data.
A Parallel Multi-agent Spatial Simulation Environment for Cluster Systems

For more than the last 20 decades, multi-agent simulations have been highlighted to model mega-scale social or biological agents and to simulate their emergent collective behavior that may be difficult only with mathematical and macroscopic approaches. A successful key for simulating mega-scale agents is to speed up the execution with parallelization. Although many parallelization attempts have been made to multi-agent simulations, most work has been done on shared-memory programming environments such as OpenMP, CUDA, and Global Array, or still has left several programming problems specific to distributed-memory systems, such as machine unawareness, ghost space management, and cross-processor agent management (including migration, propagation, and termination). To address these parallelization challenges, we have been developing MASS, a new parallel-computing library for multi-agent and spatial simulation over a cluster of computing nodes. MASS composes a user application of distributed arrays and multi-agents, each representing an individual simulation place or an active entity. All computation is enclosed in each array element or agent, all communication is scheduled as periodic data exchanges among those entities, using machine-independent identifiers, and agents migrate to a remote array element for rendezvousing with each other. This paper presents the programming model, implementation, and evaluation of the MASS library.
Isolation of Tobacco Leaf Cells Capable of Supporting Virus Multiplication

BECAUSE of its waxy cuticle, plant leaf tissue admits few substances applied to the leaf surface. Biochemical studies on the effects of exogenous additives on cell metabolism may require such substances to enter the cells with a minimum delay between application and absorption. Work in this laboratory on the multiplication of tobacco mosaic virus in tobacco leaf tissue has prompted the development of a technique for the preparation of quantities of isolated tobacco leaf cells. These cells support virus multiplication and overcome the barrier to penetration of low molecular weight substances, presented either by the intact leaf or the detached leaf or leaf piece.
Nonlinear-absorbing fiber array for large-dynamic-range optical limiting application against intense short laser pulses

A complete quantitative description of a nonlinear fiber array for optical limiting application against laser pulses in the picosecond–nanosecond regime is presented. We discuss the dynamics of the molecular photonic processes accompanying the propagation of a laser pulse through the fiber core made of materials that possess reverse saturable absorption, two-photon absorption (TPA), and excited-state absorption (ESA), and we detail the optical limiting effectiveness and limitations of these nonlinear absorption processes individually and in concert. In particular, we demonstrate the importance of excited-state population recycling in extending the dynamic range of the limiting action. Experimental results obtained from a particular fiber core material that possesses TPA and ESA show good agreement with theoretical expectations and demonstrate the optical limiting capability of such a nonlinear fiber array.
Cardiovascular nuclear medicine

Exciting developments in radiopharmaceuticals and instrumentation have established the field of cardiovascular nuclear medicine as an extremely useful clinical tool. Depending on the patient's problem, one may elect to perform myocardial perfusion images with 201 Tl, infarct avid images with 99m Tc, or wall motion and other functional studies with multiple gated acquisition techniques. Often, a combination of these studies is useful in elucidating a particular problem.
Dlx-2 homeobox gene controls neuronal differentiation in primary cultures of developing basal ganglia

Homeodomain-containing genes of the Dlx family are expressed in the developing basal ganglia. To investigate the role of Dlx genes during development, we studied their cellular localization in primary cultures of embryonic basal telencephalon, and examined the changes in cellular phenotypes resulting from blockade of Dlx-2 expression. Cells containing Dlx-1, Dlx-2, and Dlx-5 mRNAs are immature cells of the neuronal lineage expressing the microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) MAP1B and MAP2, but not glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Treatment of these cells with antisense oligonucleotides targeted to Dlx-2 caused a specific decrease of Dlx-2 mRNA and protein. This decrease in the Dlx-2 gene product was associated with a decrease in the expression of MAP2, a protein localized in neuronal dendrites, along with a smaller decrease in the 200-kDa neurofilament subunit (NF-H). Proteins expressed preferentially in axons were unchanged. This reduction in MAP2 expression was associated with a decrease in dendrite outgrowth and an increased level of cell proliferation. None of these changes were elicited by antisense oligonucleotides targeted to Dlx-1. We suggest that the Dlx-2 gene product regulates two interrelated aspects of neuronal differentiation: the exit from the mitotic cycle and the capability to grow MAP2-positive dendrites. As such, this gene product may be important for the establishment of neuronal polarity, setting the stage for afferent synaptic connectivity.
Guidelines for Safety and Quality Assurance When Preparing Infant Feedings

In an era of sophisticated technology in health care, safe feeding of infants may be presumed as a relatively mundane function of infant care. Periodically, events remind us of the importance of fundamental, standardized clinical practices that may be taken for granted within the complex institution that a hospital represents. As the importance of nutrition support for our most fragile hospitalized patients is increasingly appreciated, attention to details will undoubtedly enhance the efforts to improve clinical outcomes. Regardless of an institution's current level of quality performance in this area, this article will provide useful guidance for developing and refining standards of procedure related to the training of individuals who prepare infant feedings.
Do Colorectal Cancer Patients Understand That Their Family Is at Risk

The aim of this study was to assess whether patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are aware of the risk to family members and to test an educational intervention. CRC patients were surveyed regarding their cancer, family history, understanding of familial risk of CRC, and knowledge of existing screening guidelines for their relatives. An educational intervention was mailed to them and 6 months later they were resurveyed. Of 253 CRC patients who agreed to participate, only 120 (47.4%) knew that their first-degree relatives were at increased risk for CRC. African-American (AA) race, educational background, income, and previous family history of CRC were significant predictive factors on univariate analysis, but only AA race remained significant on multivariate analysis. Two hundred two patients received the educational intervention and were resurveyed. The understanding of family risk did not improve with this intervention. Most CRC patients do not know about their family members’ risk. Better educational tools are needed.
Scalable Distributed Execution Environment for Large Data Visualization

To use heterogeneous and geographically distributed resources as a platform for parallel visualization is an intriguing topic of research. This is because of the immense potential impact of the work, and also because of its use of a full range of challenging technologies. In this work, we designed an execution environment for visualization of massive scientific datasets, using network functional units (NFU) for processing power, logistical networking for storage management and visualization cookbook library (vcblib) for visualization operations. This environment is based solely on computers distributed across the Internet that are owned and operated by independent institutions, while being openly shared for free. Those Internet computers are inherently of heterogeneous hardware configuration and running a variety of operating systems. Using 100 such processors, we have been able to obtain the same level of performance offered by a 64-node cluster of 2.2 GHz P4 processors, while processing a 75GBs subset of a cutting-edge simulation dataset. Due to its inherently shared nature, this execution environment for data-intensive visualization could provide a viable means of collaboration among geographically separated users.
Platelet Function Testing in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease Is the Who and the When Any Clearer Than the What and the What Then

Antiplatelet therapy is one of the central pillars of treatment for patients with coronary artery disease. Aspirin and clopidogrel, the most widely used ADP-receptor antagonist, have each been shown to incrementally reduced the risk of recurrent adverse cardiovascular events by approximately 20%. 1,2 These agents inhibit distinct but interrelated signaling pathways that mediate and potentiate platelet aggregation at sites of vascular injury. Exposure to subintimal collagen, von Willebrand factor and strong agonists such as thrombin stimulate platelets to generate thromboxane A 2 (TXA 2 ) through cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1)-mediated metabolism of arachidonic acid and to release of ADP stored in dense granules. TXA 2 and ADP not only promote sustained activation of the platelet in which they are formed, but both are also released and amplify the thrombotic stimulus by activating adjacent quiescent platelets via binding to specific membrane receptors. Aspirin and clopidogrel synergistically suppress platelet activation and thrombosis by irreversibly binding to and inhibiting the COX-1 enzyme and the P2Y12 ADP receptor, respectively. (SELECT FULL TEXT TO CONTINUE)
Associations of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders With Presenting Problems and Outcomes in Older Adults' Emergency Department Visits.

Objectives The increasing prevalence of mental health and/or substance use disorders in older adults is a significant public health issue affecting their health, health care use, and health care outcomes. These disorders are especially prevalent in emergency department (ED) visits. This study examined the effect of mental health and substance use disorders on older adults’ ED presenting problems and outcomes. Methods Data were from the publicly available 2012 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample data set (unweighted n = 5,344,743 visits by the 65+ years age group). We used binary logistic regression analysis to test relationships between mental health and substance use disorders and suicide attempts, falls, and other injuries and multinomial logistic regression analysis to test relationships between the disorders and ED outcomes of death, hospital admission, transfer to institutional care, home health care, leaving against medical advice (AMA), or other or unknown destinations, as opposed to routine care. Results Of ED visits by older adults, 5.1% involved anxiety disorders, 7.1% involved mood disorders, 10.45% involved delirium/dementia, 1.4% involved alcohol use disorders, and 0.6% involved drug use disorders; 0.2% were suicide-related, 12.0% involved falls, and 10.2% involved other injuries. Mental health and substance use disorders had large-to-medium effects on suicide attempts. Both dementia and delirium and alcohol use disorders had a small effect on falls. Drug use disorders had a small effect on other injuries. Anxiety disorder had a small effect on the risk of death in the ED or in the hospital, relative to routine care. Suicide attempts and drug use disorders had a medium effect on hospital admission. Suicide attempts had a large effect, delirium and dementia and other mental disorders had medium effects, and mood disorder had a small effect on the risk of transfer to another facility. Delirium and dementia, suicide attempts, and drug use disorders had small effects on the risk of discharge with home health care. Alcohol use disorders and drug use disorders had a small effect on the risk of leaving AMA. Finally, suicide attempts had a medium effect on the risk of other outcomes and unknown destinations. Conclusions Late-life mental health and substance use disorders are significant risk factors for both intentional self-harm and unintentional injuries that bring older adults to the ED and contribute to ED dispositions and outcomes that involve more intensive and longer-term health care services. The findings underscore the importance of detection and treatment of these disorders among older adults before they end up in the ED.
Children of Divorce

Abstract The purpose of this paper was to examine the developmental effects of parental divorce on children in four age groups (i.e., infancy/ toddlerhood, childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood). Research has demonstrated both positive and negative outcomes for these children. A recent model of adjustment (Portes, Haas, & Brown, 1991) suggests four factors that correlate highly with adjustment to divorce, including child coping skills, pre- and post-divorce family functioning and stability, external social support systems, and post-divorce conditions. Further review of the literature yielded family dynamics (i.e., family conflict) versus family structure (i.e., divorced versus intact) as a more powerful predictor of children's adjustment. In addition, internal social support (i.e., a supportive family environment) has been found to reinforce positive coping strategies. Based on these findings, a pre- and post-divorce adjustment model for children was constructed. This model illustrates that the cond...
Prices and quantities: Unsustainable consumption and the global economy

Abstract The ecological unsustainability of current consumption patterns is now well documented. One aspect of this problem which has not been sufficiently addressed is the growth of “excess consumption” driven by falling goods prices. The index of department store prices have fallen substantially since the early 1990s, in large part because global capital mobility and excess global labor supply has allowed firms to depress wages and avoid paying environmental costs. Consumers have responded by purchasing increasing numbers of these artificially cheap goods. The example of apparel is discussed in some detail, and data from other goods categories are presented. These trends suggest that achieving sustainable consumption in the US is not only a technical issue but will also involve fundamental changes in the global political economy to eliminate the artificially low prices of imported goods.
GPU Accelerated Microarray Data Analysis Using Random Matrix Theory

Recent advances in high-throughput genomic technology, such as micro arrays, usually produce vast amounts of gene expression data under many experimental conditions. Analyzing such data is often difficult due to the colossal data size and the intensive computing involved. In addition, many existing analysis tools often require the inference of experienced analysts and subjective judgments. In this paper, we developed a parallel approach based on Random Matrix Theory (RMT) to generate transcription networks using Graphical Processing Units (GPUs). Recently, GPUs have been redesigned into a more unified architecture, which has allowed them to be used more readily in general purpose computing. This architectural advancement has resulted in GPUs becoming easily programmable parallel processors with performance that is vastly superior to CPUs. Our GPU-based approach makes automated micro array data analysis faster, more accurate and noise resistant without engaging remote high performance computing facilities, such as a cluster or supercomputer. The implementation moves some computationally intensive tasks, such as the calculations of Pearson correlation coefficients, tridiagonal reduction, back transformation of eigenvectors, and orthogonal rotation, to the GPU. Experimental results on real micro array datasets show that our GPU implementation runs faster than a CPU version using highly optimized LAPACK routines. The runtime speedup gets higher as the number of genes and sample points in a micro array dataset increases.
Ionic impurities in crosslinked polyethylene cable insulation

Ion chromatography and wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy methods for the quantification of ionic contaminants in XLPE cable insulation are reviewed. Cationic contaminants include sodium, potassium, calcium, aluminum, iron and silicon. Anionic impurities include chloride, sulfate, and nitrate. Concentrations of these impurities vary widely, even within the same insulation. One source is discrete particles such as metal fragments or silica. In the presence of water and electrical stress, these particles can initiate water trees, and soluble components become dispersed throughout the tree. Other contamination consists of ions, which are also present at high concentrations in the semiconducting shield materials. In general, the concentration of impurities is highest within the first millimeter of insulation adjacent to the insulation shield. After field or laboratory aging in the presence of water, the thickness of this contaminated region increases. When water trees form the ions become concentrated in the tree. The presence of ionic contaminants is shown to influence the formation, growth, and electrical breakdown of water trees. It is also demonstrated that the presence of ionic contaminants of the type found in the water trees can promote rapid thermal oxidation in a thin surface layer of polymer adjacent to the tree. >
CT Emphysema Predicts Thoracic Aortic Calcification in Smokers with and Without COPD

ABSTRACTCOPD patients are at increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality independent of smoking habits. Recent studies suggest CT emphysema is an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk as evidenced by its association with arterial stiffness and impaired endothelial function. We examined the relationship between demographics, lung function, CT emphysema and airway wall thickness and thoracic aortic calcification, another marker of cardiovascular risk, in the National Lung Screening Trial. We hypothesized that CT emphysema would be independently associated with thoracic aortic calcification. Two hundred forty current and former smokers were enrolled. After CT examination, we recorded subjects’ demographics and they performed spirometry. Subjects were classified into COPD and non-COPD subgroups. CT emphysema was quantified as a percentage of lung volume and measurements of the right upper lobe airway were performed using standard methods and expressed as wall area (%). Total calcification...
Improved error reporting for software that uses black-box components

An error occurs when software cannot complete a requested action as a result of some problem with its input, configuration, or environment. A high-quality error report allows a user to understand and correct the problem. Unfortunately, the quality of error reports has been decreasing as software becomes more complex and layered. End-users take the cryptic error messages given to them by programsand struggle to fix their problems using search engines and support websites. Developers cannot improve their error messages when they receive an ambiguous or otherwise insufficient error indicator from a black-box software component.We introduce Clarify, a system that improves error reporting by classifying application behavior. Clarify uses minimally invasive monitoring to generate a behavior profile, which is a summary of the program's execution history. A machine learning classifier uses the behavior profile to classify the application's behavior, thereby enabling a more precise error report than the output of the application itself.We evaluate a prototype Clarify system on ambiguous error messages generated by large, modern applications like gcc, La-TeX, and the Linux kernel. For a performance cost of less than 1% on user applications and 4.7% on the Linux kernel, the proto type correctly disambiguates at least 85% of application behaviors that result in ambiguous error reports. This accuracy does not degrade significantly with more behaviors: a Clarify classifier for 81 La-TeX error messages is at most 2.5% less accurate than a classifier for 27 LaTeX error messages. Finally, we show that without any human effort to build a classifier, Clarify can provide nearest-neighbor software support, where users who experience a problem are told about 5 other users who might have had the same problem. On average 2.3 of the 5 users that Clarify identifies have experienced the same problem.
Significance of Sarcopenia in the Elderly

At the present time, there is only limited understanding of the public health significance of sarcopenia. The well-recognized functional consequences of sarcopenia include gait and balance problems and increased risk for fall. Ultimately, these impairments can lead to the loss of physical functional independence. However, sarcopenia may also contribute to an increased risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes and osteoporosis. Future studies of the pathophysiologic significance of sarcopenia need to consider the contribution(s) of muscle properties (e.g., muscle fiber composition, muscle blood flow, fatigue characteristics, innervation) to alterations in physical performance, metabolism and physiology, and skeletal health. More comprehensive studies on the sequelae of sarcopenia are critical to an accurate assessment of the public health burden that sarcopenia poses to the elderly population.
Causes of Mortality by Autopsy Findings of Combat Casualties and Civilian Patients Admitted to a Burn Unit

Background Approximately 5% of combat-related injuries include burns. Previous studies have shown similar mortality rates between military and civilian burn casualties; but causes of death were not detailed. Study Design We retrospectively reviewed autopsy reports of patients with burns treated at the US Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center from 2004 to 2007. Results Of 1,255 admissions, 100 (8%) died, with autopsies performed on 74 (36 burned during military operations). Causes of death included infection (61%); disorders of the pulmonary (55%), cardiac (36%), renal (27%), gastrointestinal (27%), and central nervous (11%) systems; and multiorgan dysfunction (15%). Patients burned as a result of military operations were younger men with more associated inhalation injuries, greater severity of injury, and longer time from injury to admission and to death. They died more frequently of infection (notably fungus, Pseudomonas , and Klebsiella ) and gastrointestinal complications; and those not burned in military operations had greater numbers of cardiac and renal causes of death. Conclusion Casualties of military operations are clinically different and die from different causes than patients not burned during military operations. The differences are likely reflective of a younger population, with greater severity of illness and longer times from injury to admission. Therapeutic interventions should focus on prevention of infection and gastrointestinal catastrophes in military burn casualties, which are similar to younger burn patients in the US, and minimizing cardiac complications in civilian burn casualties, who are typically older patients and possibly reflective of patients with more comorbidities.
Beyond Reactive Oxygen Species Aldehydes as Arbitrators of Alarm and Adaptation

See related articles, pages 1118–1127 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated either during oxidative metabolism or in defense against pathogens. Their production is increased further by tissue injury or disease. Extensive evidence accumulated during the last 30 years provides compelling evidence that ROS-induced damage is a significant cause of cardiovascular injury and dysfunction. A variety of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants have evolved to protect against the constant onslaught of ROS, and these defenses respond deftly to changes in ROS generation or to the generation of secondary oxidation products. In this issue of Circulation Research , Endo et al1 report that increased mitochondrial accumulation of aldehydes derived from lipid oxidation protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. These findings put a new twist on our view of the oxidant–antioxidant balance in the heart and underscore the importance of hormesis in which mild exposure to a stressor elicits an adaptive response that increases resistance to subsequent stress. Understanding how endogenous defense mechanisms are enhanced by stress response signaling could lead to the development of new strategies for combating oxidative stress. Most biological ROS are highly reactive and, therefore, short-lived. The ones with the greatest reactivity, such as the hydroxyl and alkoxyl radicals, have the shortest life span. As a result, the damage they induce is likely to be restricted to their site of origin and, therefore, of limited significance. Hence, it has long been suspected that ROS generate secondary products that spread injury and amplify damage. Which molecules can amplify and propagate ROS-initiated injury? Although many possibilities exist, one likely class of molecules may be aldehydes generated by the oxidation of unsaturated lipids. With the exception of antioxidants such as vitamin E or glutathione, unsaturated lipids are the most likely targets of ROS. When oxidized, these lipids generate a plethora of bioactive …
RF system for the NSLS coherent infrared radiation source

The existing NSLS X-ray Lithography Source (XLS Phase I) is being considered for a coherent synchrotron radiation source. The existing 211 MHz warm cavity will be replaced with a 5-cell 2856 MHz superconducting RF cavity, driven by a series of 2 kW klystrons. The RF system will provide a total V/sub RF/ of 1.5 MV to produce /spl sigma//sub L/=0.3 mm electron bunches at an energy of 150 MeV. Superconducting technology significantly reduces the required space and power needed to achieve the higher voltage. It is the purpose of this paper to describe the superconducting RF system and cavity, power requirements, and cavity design parameters such as input coupling, quality factor, and higher order modes.
Canonical Face Depth Map: A Robust 3D Representation for Face Verification

The canonical face depth map (CFDM) is a standardized representation for storing and manipulating 3D data from human faces. Our algorithm automates the process of transforming a 3D face scan into its canonical representation, eliminating the need for hand-labeled anchor points. The presented algorithm is designed to be a robust, fully automatic preprocessor for any 3D face recognition algorithm. The experimental results presented here demonstrate that our CFDM is robust to noise and occlusion, and we show that using such a canonical representation can improve the efficiency efface recognition algorithms and reduce memory requirements. Producing the CFDM takes, on average, 0.85 seconds for 320 times 240 pixel scans, and 3.8 seconds for 640 times 480 pixel scans (using a dual AMD Opteron 275, 2.2 GHz, with 2 MB Cache, and 1 GIG RAM). The CFDM enables both 2D and 3D image processing methods - such as convolution and PCA - to be readily used for feature localization and face recognition.
Monopolistic Competition with Endogenous Specialization

In the familiar spatial model of monopolistic competition on the circle, a product is identified by a single locational characteristic representing its brand or variety. The ability of a variety to compete with other varieties a given distance away (its "specialization" as quantified by transportation losses or how rapidly the "melting iceberg" melts) is exogenously given in the standard model. Here, specialization is a choice variable selected by the firm. A monopolistically competitive general equilibrium is derived, where the degree of specialization is endogenously determined along with other variables. Implications are noted. The central contribution is to show that the effect of endogenizing specialization is to make the Hotelling-Lancaster-Chamberlin model of monopolistic competition isomorphic to the analytically much more tractable Dixit-Stiglitz-Ethier formulation, without sacrificing the appealing concept of product "distance".
A fast approximation algorithm for tree-sparse recovery

Sparse signals whose nonzeros obey a tree-like structure occur in a range of applications such as image modeling, genetic data analysis, and compressive sensing. An important problem encountered in recovering signals is that of optimal treeprojection, i.e., finding the closest tree-sparse signal for a given query signal. However, this problem can be computationally very demanding: for optimally projecting a length-n signal onto a tree with sparsity k, the best existing algorithms incur a high runtime of O(nk). This can often be impractical. We suggest an alternative approach to tree-sparse recovery. Our approach is based on a specific approximation algorithm for tree-projection and provably has a near-linear runtime of O(n log(kr)) and a memory cost of O(n), where r is the dynamic range of the signal. We leverage this approach in a fast recovery algorithm for tree-sparse compressive sensing that scales extremely well to high-dimensional datasets. Experimental results on several test cases demonstrate the validity of our approach.
Evidence for hydrogen abstraction mediated by discrete nitrogen and oxygen triplets in 4-trifluoromethyl-2-isovalerylpyridine

Abstract Irradiation of 1b leads to abstraction of hydrogen by nitrogen and formation of 2b , as well as abstraction of hydrogen by oxygen and formation of 3b and 4b . Stern-Volmer quenching data and triplet sensitization experiments provide evidence that these reactions are mediated by two discrete nπ* triplet states: a carbonyl oxygen triplet, E T ∼70 kcal/mol, τ ∼13 ns, and a nitrogen triplet lying at somewhat higher energy, τ ∼31 ns.