cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A note on conjugate Π-variation and a weak limit theorem for the number of renewals

Abstract A weak limit theorem for the number of renewals N(t) when 1 − F(x) is regularly varying with index −1 is given utilizing an alternatemethod of constructing conjugates for functions in the well-known subclass Π of slowly varying functions. An error in the literature concerning the centering term when F(x) has a finite mean is corrected.
Anion permeability of frog skeletal muscle.

Unidirectional chloride effluxes from small bundles of muscle fibers were measured under equilibrium conditions. It was found that chloride effluxes are described by the constant field theory with a chloride permeability constant, Pcl, which is independent of the chloride concentration and the membrane potential. The value of Pcl at neutral pH was found to be 5 x 10-6 cm/sec. Chloride movements were markedly depressed at low pH and increased at high pH. It is concluded that chloride fluxes are independent of each other over a wide pH range. The effect of nitrate on the chloride effluxes was measured. It was found that both external and internal nitrate alone reduced the chloride efflux with the external nitrate appearing more effective than internal nitrate due to the nonequilibrium nature of the experimental conditions. Under equilibrium conditions the reduction of the chloride efflux by nitrate was greater than the external nitrate effect, both of which were dependent on the relative proportion of nitrate in the bathing solution. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the inhibition of the chloride movements by nitrate is essentially symmetrical with regard to the inside and outside surfaces of the muscle membranes. The relative action of nitrate on the chloride efflux was independent of the external pH despite marked changes in the absolute values of the fluxes measured.
Corona: a communication service for scalable, reliable group collaboration systems

We consider the problem of providing communication protocol support for large-scale group collaboration systems for use in environments such as the Internet which are subject to packet loss, wide variations in end-to-end delays, and transient partitions. We identify a set of requirements that are critical for the design of such group collaboration systems. These include dynamic awareness notifications, reliable data delivery, and scalability to large numbers of users. We present a communication service, Corona, that attempts to meet these requirements. Corona supports two commttnication paradigms: the publish-subscn”be paradigm and the peer group paradigm. We present the interfaces provided by Corona to applications which are based on these paradigms. We describe the semantics of each interface method call and show how they can help meet the above requirements.
An Objective Methodology for Configuring and Down-Selecting an NWP Ensemble for Low-Level Wind Prediction

AbstractEnsembles of numerical weather prediction (NWP) model predictions are used for a variety of forecasting applications. Such ensembles quantify the uncertainty of the prediction because the spread in the ensemble predictions is correlated to forecast uncertainty. For atmospheric transport and dispersion and wind energy applications in particular, the NWP ensemble spread should accurately represent uncertainty in the low-level mean wind. To adequately sample the probability density function (PDF) of the forecast atmospheric state, it is necessary to account for several sources of uncertainty. Limited computational resources constrain the size of ensembles, so choices must be made about which members to include. No known objective methodology exists to guide users in choosing which combinations of physics parameterizations to include in an NWP ensemble, however. This study presents such a methodology.The authors build an NWP ensemble using the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting Model (...
Differences in the heat-shock response between thermotolerant and thermosusceptible cultivars of hexaploid wheat.

Heat-shock protein (HSP) gene expression in two wheat lines cv ‘Mustang’ (heat-tolerant) and cv ‘Sturdy’ (heat-susceptible) were analyzed to determine if wheat genotypes differing in heat tolerance also differ in in-vitro HSP synthesis (translatable HSP mRNAs) and steady-state levels of HSP mRNA. Several sets of mRNA were isolated from seedling leaf tissues which had been heat-stressed at 37 °C for various time intervals. These mRNAs were hybridized with HSP cDNA or genomic DNA probes (HSP17, 26, 70, 98, and ubiquitin). Protein profiles were compared using in-vitro translation and 2-D gels. The Northern slot-blot data from the heat-stress treatment provide evidence that the heat-tolerant cv ‘Mustang’ synthesized low molecular weight (LMW) HSP mRNA earlier during exposure to heat shock and at a higher level than did the heat-susceptible cv ‘Sturdy’. This was especially true for the chloroplast-localized HSP. The protein profiles shown by 2-D gel analysis revealed that there were not only quantitative differences of individual HSPs between the two wheat lines, but also some unique HSPs which were only found in the ‘Mustang’ HSP profiles. The high level of RFLP between the two wheat lines was revealed by Southern blot hybridization utilizing a HSP17 probe. These data provide a molecular basis for further genetic analysis of the role of HSP genes in thermal tolerance in wheat.
Temperature-dependent inactivation of nucleic acid binding and aggregation of the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor

Abstract The interaction of the 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 receptor with immobilized calf thymus DNA has been compared with its sedimentation properties on hypotonic sucrose gradients. Forty to sixty percent of total hormone:receptor complexes formed at 4 °C were retained by DNA-cellulose and could be eluted by 0.18 to 0.2 m KCl. In contrast, heating preparations to 25 °C rapidly and irreversibly converted receptor to a form which bound hormone and DEAE-cellulose normally, but was unable to associate with DNA. Similarly, the ability of receptor to aggregate to a 6 S species was labile at 25 °C. Stabilization of receptor in the DNA binding aggregating form was accomplished using Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Mn 2+ , or Na 2 MoO 4 while several protease and phosphatase inhibitors were ineffective. An examination of DNA binding properties of aggregating and nonaggregating receptor forms revealed that only receptor competent to enter into aggregates could bind DNA suggesting that a functional nucleic acid binding site, and, hence, a nucleic acid interaction is necessary for aggregate formation. Consistent with this view, an RNA:receptor interaction appears to be involved in formation of the 6 S complex since removal of RNA by ribonuclease treatment or purification of receptor reduced aggregation, an effect that could be reversed by addition of purified RNA.
Effect of Four Anticaking Agents on the Bulk Characteristics of Ground Sugar

Fine silicon oxide, sodium aluminum silcate, tricalcium phosphate and calcium stearate powders were admixed with dry ground sugar at four concentration levels between 0.1 to 2%. Appreciable increase in loose bulk density and decrease in compressibility were noticeable at 0.1% concentration in all four agents. The effect reached an apparent peak or a flat maximum at an agent concentration of about 0.5–1%. With the exception of silicon oxide treated powders, increase in density was accompanied by a corresponding decrease in compressibility. Bulk parameters (i.e., density and compressibility) were more sensitive indices to changes occurring in powders as compared to parameters determined in compacted specimens (i.e., yield in shear, internal friction and relaxation pattern). Results are explained in terms of possible bed arrays and their scatter by differences in particle size and shape distributions. Support for these explanations is presented in scanning electron micrographs of sugar treated and untreated particles.
INCIDENCE OF AFLATOXIGENIC ISOLATES OF ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS/PARASITICUS OBTAINED FROM GEORGIA CORN PROCESSING PLANTS

Two corn processing facilities within Georgia were evaluated in order to determine the incidence of Aspergillus flavus or A. parasiticus within the plant and in corn harvested and processed in 1984 and 1985. Conidia of A. flavus/parasiticus were found in all corn samples evaluated as well as in settled dust samples taken within these processing facilities. Isolates were obtained by using the differential/selective medium Aspergillus flavus/parasiticus agar. Upon subsequent culture only 55% of the selected isolates were confirmed as belonging to A. flavus/parasiticus group. Some of these isolates were randomly chosen and their ability to produce aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, or G2 evaluated. Thirty-two percent of the A. flavus/parasiticus isolates cultured for aflatoxin production were found to be aflatoxigenic.
Efficient calculation of complete differential seismograms for laterally homogeneous earth models

SUMMARY Differential seismograms, the sensitivity of the seismogram to perturbations of parameters of the earth model, are essential for waveform modelling with iterative non-linear optimization techniques. The growing number of broad-band highdynamic-range fixed and portable stations provide a rich data set of regional distance events with accurate locations and source mechanisms that are ideal for modelling lithospheric structure. An efficient technique for calculating differential seismograms for complete synthetic seismograms in laterally homogeneous earth models will significantly decrease the computational burden of seismic-waveform inverse modelling. The technique we present here is equivalent to computing three synthetic seismograms in multilayered models, contrasted with N + 1 seismograms for a typical brute-force approach, which reduces the work to 3/(N + 1) or about a 90 per cent saving for 30 layers. The lateral-homogeneity requirement will yield path-averaged structures which may form the basis for later tomographic studies to resolve lateral variations.
CMOS Comparators for High-Speed and Low-Power Applications

In this paper, we present two designs for CMOS comparators: one which is targeted for high-speed applications and another for low-power applications. Additionally, we present hierarchical pipelined comparators which can be optimized for delay, area, or power consumption by using either design in different stages. Simulation results for our fastest hierarchical 64-bit comparator with a 1.2 V 100 nm process demonstrate a worst-case delay of 440 ps. To enable a fair comparison with previously reported approaches, we also simulated our designs with a 5.0 V AMIS 0.5 mum process as well. For this experiment, the fastest design has a latency of 1.33 ns, which represents a 37% speed improvement over the best previously reported approach to date (which was implemented in a 0.5 mum process).
Tension control for musculospastic pain

Abstract This report describes the author's experience in applying a basic understanding of muscle psychophysiology to the treatment of pain caused by muscle spasm. Training patients in muscle relaxation has proved particularly helpful in treating the temporomandibular joint syndrome. A consideration of atypical facial pain, migraine, and other pain conditions helps to illuminate the relationship between pain, muscular spasm, and depression. The muscle relaxation/tension control technique described is particularly useful for patients who complain of pain and disability despite negative x-ray and other findings.
WALTA school-network cosmic ray detectors

The Washington Area Large-scale Time coincidence Array (WALTA) is placing particle detector arrays in secondary schools in the Seattle area to build up a large-scale ultra-high energy cosmic ray detector network, one of several such projects around the world. Scintillation counters salvaged from the CASA experiment in cooperation with the CROP group at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln are refurbished by teachers and students, tested, calibrated, and installed in four-fold arrays at high school sites. To identify time coincidences, a GPS time synchronization system is employed. Data are acquired using a custom low-cost DAQ card. Here we will describe the logistics and status of WALTA and show samples of data taken with a prototype array at the University of Washington.
Multilayer Transparent Conducting Oxide Thin Film Produced by Linear Combinatorial Synthesis

Multilayer transparent conducting oxide (TCO) structures consisting of alternating layers of tin oxide (SnO2) and cadmium oxide (CdO) pairs was studied. A low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition with a linear combinatorial approach was used to fabricate the libraries. Three libraries were studied with the pair thickness range covered from 500 nm to 4 nm. For pairs thicker than 150 nm, the material properties of the multilayer simply show a combination of CdO and SnO2 characteristics. When pair thinner than 70 nm, the interface effect started emerging. As pairs became thinner than 20 nm, the new compound phase was formed.
Semiclassical estimates of electromagnetic Casimir self-energies of spherical and cylindrical metallic shells

The leading semiclassical estimates of the electromagnetic Casimir stresses on a spherical and a cylindrical metallic shell are within 1% of the field theoretical values. The electromagnetic Casimir energy for both geometries is given by two decoupled massless scalars that satisfy conformally covariant boundary conditions. Surface contributions vanish for smooth metallic boundaries, and the finite electromagnetic Casimir energy in leading semiclassical approximation is due to quadratic fluctuations about periodic rays in the interior of the cavity only. Semiclassically, the nonvanishing Casimir energy of a metallic cylindrical shell is almost entirely due to Fresnel diffraction.
Quantum waveguide structures and devices

Nanometer structures in semiconductor heterojunction systems have been studied for several years and have conclusively shown evidence for quantum interference phenomena and granular effects due to the finite number of electrons and impurities. Various proposals have been made for novel devices based on such effects, which would serve as the basis for terabit memories and ultra-dense processing elements. A discussion is given of the application of a generalized mode-matching scheme as a computational tool for investigating arbitrary quantum waveguide structures and discontinuities. Results are presented for the nonlinear conductance properties of multiple bend structures, lateral resonant tunnel structures, and nonequilibrium transport through quantum dot structures. Comparison is made to various experimental realizations of these structures where complications due to undesired inhomogeneities, such as boundary roughness and impurities, play a significant role. >
Autoreactive Memory CD4+ T Lymphocytes that mediate Chronic Uveitis Reside in the Bone Marrow through STAT3-dependent Mechanisms

Organ-specific autoimmune diseases are usually characterized by repeated cycles of remission and recurrent inflammation. However, where the autoreactive memory T cells reside in between episodes of recurrent inflammation is largely unknown. In this study, we have established a mouse model of chronic uveitis characterized by progressive photoreceptor cell loss, retinal degeneration, focal retinitis, retinal vasculitis, multifocal choroiditis, and choroidal neovascularization, providing for the first time to our knowledge a useful model for studying long-term pathological consequences of chronic inflammation of the neuroretina. We show that several months after inception of acute uveitis, autoreactive memory T cells specific to retinal autoantigen, interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP), relocated to bone marrow (BM). The IRBP-specific memory T cells (IL-7Rα(High)Ly6C(High)CD4(+)) resided in BM in resting state but upon restimulation converted to IL-17/IFN-γ-expressing effectors (IL-7Rα(Low)Ly6C(Low)CD4(+)) that mediated uveitis. We further show that T cells from STAT3-deficient (CD4-STAT3KO) mice are defective in α4β1 and osteopontin expression, defects that correlated with inability of IRBP-specific memory CD4-STAT3KO T cells to traffic into BM. We adoptively transferred uveitis to naive mice using BM cells from wild-type mice with chronic uveitis but not BM cells from CD4-STAT3KO, providing direct evidence that memory T cells that mediate uveitis reside in BM and that STAT3-dependent mechanism may be required for migration into and retention of memory T cells in BM. Identifying BM as a survival niche for T cells that cause uveitis suggests that BM stromal cells that provide survival signals to autoreactive memory T cells and STAT3-dependent mechanisms that mediate their relocation into BM are attractive therapeutic targets that can be exploited to selectively deplete memory T cells that drive chronic inflammation.
Gradient and Hamiltonian Dynamics Applied to Learning in Neural Networks

The process of machine learning can be considered in two stages: model selection and parameter estimation. In this paper a technique is presented for constructing dynamical systems with desired qualitative properties. The approach is based on the fact that an n-dimensional nonlinear dynamical system can be decomposed into one gradient and (n - 1) Hamiltonian systems. Thus, the model selection stage consists of choosing the gradient and Hamiltonian portions appropriately so that a certain behavior is obtainable. To estimate the parameters, a stably convergent learning rule is presented. This algorithm has been proven to converge to the desired system trajectory for all initial conditions and system inputs. This technique can be used to design neural network models which are guaranteed to solve the trajectory learning problem.
IDEOLOGIES OF THE CHRISTIAN-SECULAR CONTINUUM: Reflections on the Oak Creek tragedy

The American media's framing of the Oak Creek event in conventional terms left many uneasy silences around issues of race, power and nationalist sentiment. In an atmosphere heavily dominated by a P...
Primary Health Care Assessment and Intervention in the Dental Office

I n the past 10 years, there has been intense scientific and general health interest in the role of oral infections, and the resultant inflammation, on tissues and organs at distant sites. In particular, oral infection/ inflammation has been studied as a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and diabetes mellitus. As a result of this research, a number of issues have arisen regarding possible changes to the delivery of dental care, the scope of dental practice, and the need for enhanced training in internal medicine in predoctoral dental curricula. This discussion has at its core the relationship of medicine and dentistry, two distinct but closely related professions. The ultimate goal of such a discussion must be on improving health care outcomes for patients in the dental office; one step in this direction is the expansion of primary health care activities in the dental office. Certain primary care screenings and interventions performed by oral health care providers (OHPs) can be viewed as extensions of activities that dentists are already engaged in to ensure the optimal oral and general health of their patients. As the relationship between oral and systemic diseases becomes more clearly delineated, and as the population ages and becomes more medically complex, the dental profession should consider incorporating primary health care screenings and interventions, which have less to do with dental practice but are critical to improving overall health outcomes. The potential impact of incorporating such interventions is underscored by data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics, which indicated that ;60% of adults in the United States see a dentist at least once a year.1 Therefore, primary health care screenings performed by the dentist may have a significant public health impact. In this commentary, we review the different opportunities for primary health care screenings and interventions by OHPs. IDENTIFICATION OF HYPERTENSION (HTN)
Isolated kidney phantom for development of biothermal vascular models with application to high intensity focused ultrasound therapy.

A methodology using magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is presented for identifying thermally significant blood vessels in isolated kidneys, specifically for use in biothermal model development with application to high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). A combination of a proven preservation technique, newly developed MR-compatible experimental procedures and the refinement of MR pulse sequence parameters was used to determine vascular characteristics using high-resolution three-dimensional time-of-flight MRA image of flow through isolated kidneys. Results presented are twofold. First, improved vessel visibility was attained through decreasing the magnetic resonance imaging bandwidth from 150 to 30 Hz ∕ pixel while simultaneously increasing the echo time, repetition time, and flip angle; vascular center line extraction showed an 18% improvement in the number of vessel segments detected and a 23% increase in length of the terminal segments over a base line technique without improvements. Second, the overall system was shown to be practical to determine vascular flow effects during HIFU heating; testing results from heating the kidney with HIFU are presented, showing a decrease of average kidney temperature with an increase of flow rate through the kidney with localized cooling demonstrated surrounding known vessel locations.
Assessing the use of multiseason QuickBird imagery for mapping invasive species in a Lake Erie coastal marsh.

QuickBird multispectral satellite images taken in September 2002 (peak biomass) and April 2003 (pre-growing season) were used to map emergent wetland vegetation communities, particularly invasive Phragmites australis and Typha spp., within a diked wetland at the western end of Lake Erie. An unsupervised classification was performed on a nine-layer image stack consisting of all four spectral bands from both dates plus a September Normalized Difference Vegetation Index image. The resulting eight cover classes distinguished three monodominant genera (Phragmites australis, Typha spp., Nelumbo lutea), three multigenera plant communities (wet meadow, other non persistent emergents, woody vegetation), and two unvegetated cover types (water, bare soil). Field validation at 196 data points yielded an overall classification accuracy of 62%, with producer’s accuracy for the eight individual classes ranging from 41 to 91% and user’s accuracy from 17 to 90%. Three-fourths of areas designated as Phragmites were correctly mapped, but 14% were found to be cattail (Typha) during field validation. Lotus (Nelumbo lutea) beds were accurately mapped on multiseason imagery (producer’s accuracy = 91%); these beds had not yet emerged above water in April, but were fully developed in September. Other types of non persistent vegetation were confused with managed areas in which vegetation had been cut and burned to control invasive Phragmites. Multiseason QuickBird imagery is promising for distinguishing certain wetland plant species, but should be used with caution in highly managed areas where vegetation changes may reflect human alterations rather than phenological change.
An efficient multi-tier tablet server storage architecture

Distributed, structured data stores such as Big Table, HBase, and Cassandra use a cluster of machines, each running a database-like software system called the Tablet Server Storage Layer or TSSL. A TSSL's performance on each node directly impacts the performance of the entire cluster. In this paper we introduce an efficient, scalable, multi-tier storage architecture for tablet servers. Our system can use any layered mix of storage devices such as Flash SSDs and magnetic disks. Our experiments show that by using a mix of technologies, performance for certain workloads can be improved beyond configurations using strictly two-tier approaches with one type of storage technology. We utilized, adapted, and integrated cache-oblivious algorithms and data structures, as well as Bloom filters, to improve scalability significantly. We also support versatile, efficient transactional semantics. We analyzed and evaluated our system against the storage layers of Cassandra and Hadoop HBase. We used wide range of workloads and configurations from read- to write-optimized, as well as different input sizes. We found that our system is 3--10× faster than existing systems; that using proper data structures, algorithms, and techniques is critical for scalability, especially on modern Flash SSDs; and that one can fully support versatile transactions without sacrificing performance.
Population dynamics and the ecological stability of obligate pollination mutualisms

Mutualistic interactions almost always produce both costs and benefits for each of the interacting species. It is the difference between gross benefits and costs that determines the net benefit and the per-capita effect on each of the interacting populations. For example, the net benefit of obligate pollinators, such as yucca and senita moths, to plants is determined by the difference between the number of ovules fertilized from moth pollination and the number of ovules eaten by the pollinator's larvae. It is clear that if pollinator populations are large, then, because many eggs are laid, costs to plants are large, whereas, if pollinator populations are small, gross benefits are low due to lack of pollination. Even though the size and dynamics of the pollinator population are likely to be crucial, their importance has been neglected in the investigation of mechanisms, such as selective fruit abortion, that can limit costs and increase net benefits. Here, we suggest that both the population size and dynamics of pollinators are important in determining the net benefits to plants, and that fruit abortion can significantly affect these. We develop a model of mutualism between populations of plants and their pollinating seed-predators to explore the ecological consequences of fruit abortion on pollinator population dynamics and the net effect on plants. We demonstrate that the benefit to a plant population is unimodal as a function of pollinator abundance, relative to the abundance of flowers. Both selective abortion of fruit with eggs and random abortion of fruit, without reference to whether they have eggs or not, can limit pollinator population size. This can increase the net benefits to the plant population by limiting the number of eggs laid, if the pollination rate remains high. However, fruit abortion can possibly destabilize the pollinator population, with negative consequences for the plant population.
Demographic differences in incidence for pituitary adenoma.

Incidence estimates for pituitary adenomas vary widely, suggesting the effects of numerous risk factors or varying levels of tumor surveillance. We studied the epidemiology of pituitary adenomas using 2004–2007 data collected by 17 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Programs in the United States (N = 8,276). We observed that incidence rates generally increased with age and were higher in females in early life and higher in males in later life. Males are diagnosed with larger tumors on average than females. Diagnosis may be delayed for males, giving tumors a chance to grow larger before clinical detection. We also observed that American Blacks have higher incidence rates for pituitary adenomas compared with other ethnic groups. There are several potential explanations for this finding with some evidence that at least part of the effect may be due to differential diagnosis between races.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.: Innovation At A Cost?

With 39 ships fewer than five separate brands sailing in and out of dozens of ports worldwide, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Ltd. is one of the world's premier cruise providers. They have been growing this fleet with new additions, such as Oasis of Seas and Allure of Seas. By launching these new ships in the middle of the current recession, how will it differentiate in the market? Going forward, what should be their growth strategies amid the gloomy economic forecasts?
The Garden City, Kansas, Storm during VORTEX 95. Part I: Overview of the Storm’s Life Cycle and Mesocyclogenesis

Abstract Analysis of a supercell storm that produced an F1 tornado near Garden City, Kansas, is presented. This event provided one of the first opportunities to synthesize data collected by a new airborne radar platform called ELDORA (Electra Doppler radar) developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The early stages of development of the midlevel mesocyclone and the entire evolution of the low-level mesocyclone are captured over a 70-min period. The low-level mesocyclone began as an incipient shallow circulation along a synoptic-scale trough. The circulation intensified and grew in depth via vortex stretching under the influence of a strong updraft. As this rotation built up from the boundary layer, it initially remained separate and distinct from the midlevel mesocyclone. Subsequently, the two mesocyclones merge to produce a single column of rotation 4–5 km in diameter. An occlusion downdraft develops within the mesocyclone circulation during the last passes by the storm signaling the beg...
Numerical Investigation of Impact Condition Effects on Concrete Penetration

A numerical investigation was conducted to explore the effects of relative penetrator position and impact timing on perforation residual velocity for multiple cylindrical penetrators into a concrete target. Mechanical characterization data from compression testing were available for the concrete of interest, and this data was fit to the Holmquist–Johnson–Cook constitutive model for concrete to derive a set of material parameters for use in such high-strain-rate calculations. Simulation was conducted using the CTH Eulerian shock physics code. This work explores the results predicted by CTH computations using the Holmquist–Johnson–Cook concrete model, which uses a coupled equation of state and strength model. The study examined the effect that spacing between penetrators has on penetrator residual velocity. Separation distance between multiple penetrator impact locations was incrementally increased over a range of penetrator diameters. Also explored is the effect of two different impact timings, which bound the problem: simultaneous impact and successive impact. This paper reports the results of simulations for varying separation distances and impact timing.
De Novo Emergence of Odor Category Representations in the Human Brain

Categorization allows organisms to efficiently extract relevant information from a diverse environment. Because of the multidimensional nature of odor space, this ability is particularly important for the olfactory system. However, categorization relies on experience, and the processes by which the human brain forms categorical representations about new odor percepts are currently unclear. Here we used olfactory psychophysics and multivariate fMRI techniques, in the context of a paired-associates learning task, to examine the emergence of novel odor category representations in the human brain. We found that learning between novel odors and visual category information induces a perceptual reorganization of those odors, in parallel with the emergence of odor category-specific ensemble patterns in perirhinal, orbitofrontal, piriform, and insular cortices. Critically, the learning-induced pattern effects in orbitofrontal and perirhinal cortex predicted the magnitude of categorical learning and perceptual plasticity. The formation of de novo category-specific representations in olfactory and limbic brain regions suggests that such ensemble patterns subserve the development of perceptual classes of information, and imply that these patterns are instrumental to the brain9s capacity for odor categorization. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT How the human brain assigns novel odors to perceptual classes and categories is poorly understood. We combined an olfactory-visual paired-associates task with multivariate pattern-based fMRI approaches to investigate the de novo formation of odor category representations within the human brain. The identification of emergent odor category codes within the perirhinal, piriform, orbitofrontal, and insular cortices suggests that these regions can integrate multimodal sensory input to shape category-specific olfactory representations for novel odors, and may ultimately play an important role in assembling each individual9s semantic knowledge base of the olfactory world.
The evolving MR appearance of structures in the internal auditory canal after removal of an acoustic neuroma.

PURPOSE To identify patterns of enhancement in the internal auditory canal (IAC) on MR studies after removal of an acoustic neuroma, including changes in those patterns with time; to evaluate signal and enhancement of the labyrinth; to differentiate normal postoperative findings from those suggesting residual tumor; and to describe MR hallmarks of surgical approaches. METHODS We reviewed the postoperative MR studies obtained in 36 patients who had had surgery for acoustic neuroma (101 images total). Four patterns of IAC enhancement were evaluated, as was labyrinthine signal intensity before and after contrast administration, changes in findings over time, and anatomic alterations caused by surgery. RESULTS All patients had enhancement of the IAC on the first postoperative study. In 30 patients, IAC enhancement remained the same or decreased over time. Seventeen patients had hyperintense cochlear signal and 15 had cochlear enhancement that decreased with time. Effects of retrosigmoid craniotomy, a translabyrinthine surgical approach, and middle fossa craniotomy were recognizable. CONCLUSION Linear enhancement in the IAC is probably normal after surgery. Nodular and masslike enhancement and any progressive enhancement may require close follow-up to monitor growth of residual tumor. Labyrinthine hyperintensity may reflect blood metabolites. An MR protocol is suggested for following up patients in the years after surgery.
Research on a two-stage optimization algorithm for multi-objective reactive power optimization of distribution network

This paper proposes a two-stage optimization algorithm for multi-objective reactive power optimization of distribution network. In the first stage, an approximate Pareto solution set is obtained using traditional multi-objective optimization algorithm. Then the preferred area for searching is calculated with the preference information of Decision Maker (DM) and the approximate Pareto solutions. In the second stage, an improved dominance relation is proposed to guide the particles of multi-objective particle swarm optimization(MOPSO) to focus on a deep searching in preferred area, with a high calculation efficiency. The case in IEEE 33-node system verifies that compared with the traditional multi-objective reactive power optimization, the method proposed in this paper has a large improvement in generation distance(GD), spacing(SP), error ration(ER) and reduce the optimization time.
Crohn's disease of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Ten patients with Crohn’s disease of the upper gastrointestinal tract were studied. All patients had either gastric or duodenal involvement, or both, and all had typical Crohn’s disease elsewhere. In one patient, an esophageal lesion of Crohn’s type was present. Upper abdominal pain and nausea and vomiting were the predominant clinical symptoms; signs of gastric outlet obstruction signalled the onset of gastroduodenal involvement. In four patients not previously known to have Crohn’s disease, gastric outlet obstruction was the initial sign of the disease, but all four proved to have concurrent disease of the ileum or colon. The histologic changes in the upper gastrointestinal lesions were similar to those in the ileum and included transmural chronic inflammation, granulomas, and marked submucosal fibrosis. Other disease processes known to produce similar changes were carefully excluded.
Nonlinear intersubband electrooptical modulation in a quantum well with screening effect

The nonlinear intersubband optical transitions in a quantum well with an applied electric field are studied with the effects of screening taken into account. Recently, we calculated the linear and nonlinear intersubband optical absorptions in a quantum well with and without an applied electric field.1-3 Interesting Stark effects on the intersubband transitions in the conduction band of an Al- GaAs-GaAs quantum well have been predicted1 and confirmed by experiments.4 The saturation optical intensity in a quantum well has also been reported to be 2 MW/cm2,5 which agrees with our theoretical calculations using the methods in Refs. 2 and 3.
Study on the Integration and Optimization of Sports Leisure Tourism Resources of Small and Medium-sized Towns in China:A Case Study of Zhangfang Town in Fangshan District

Sports leisure industry has become an integral part of social harmony and national economic development.Small and medium-sized towns have unique advantages of natural resources and human geographic environment,the integration and optimization of which surely result in the coupling effect between its sports leisure resources and local green industries and ecological economies.As a result,economic and social development and industrial upgrading will be achieved by taking this opportunity.Adopting the research methods of literature review,field research,case analysis,induction and so on,this paper preliminarily proposes the overall framework of integration and optimization of sports leisure tourism resources in small and medium-sized towns by putting forward the connotation and content of integration and optimization of resources and the different perspectives and policy foundation of integration and optimization,as well as product optimization and innovative design.Taking the integration and optimization of sports leisure tourism resources in Zhangfang Town as an example,the present study points out the elements,basis,necessity and problems in the integration and optimization process of sports leisure tourism resources in small and medium-sized towns,puts forward innovatively the integration proposal and policy of sports leisure tourism resources in small and medium-sized towns,and provides some guidelines for the integration and optimization of sports leisure tourism resources in small and medium-sized towns from the perspective of government and management departments of tourism resources,so as to provide reference and guidance for the developement of sports leisure tourism resources in small and medium-sized towns in China.
Expression and Significance of Gli1 in Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma

Objective To observe the expression of Gli1 in renal clear cell carcinoma(RCCC) and normal renal tissues,and to investigate the correlation between the abnormal expression of Gli1 and RCCC.Methods Expression of Gli1 was detected by immunohistochemistry in RCCC and normal kidney.Results Gli1 was not expressed in normal kidney.Up-regulation of Gli1 was observed significantly in RCCC.The increased Gli1 level was disassociated with age,gender,and tumorous size of RCCC.Conclusions Up-regulation of Gli1 in Hedgehog signaling pathway might be involved in RCCC,and it might have an important role in development and progression process of RCCC.
Clinical evaluation of simvastatin in the treatment of hyperlipidemia

Fifty nine cases with hyperlipidemia were divided randomly into two groups. In group I, each patient took simvastatin 10-40mg/day (mean 17.9mg/day). In group 2, each patient took gemfibrozil 1200mg/day. After treatment with simvastatin, in comparing with baseline values, serum level of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) triglyceride (TG), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), and TC/HDL-C (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) reduced by 34.6% (P < 0.001), 45.4% (P < 0.001), 22.1% (P < 0.01), 21.1% (P < 0.001), and 39.4% (P < 0.001) respectively, and HDL-C, apolipoprotein A-I(Apo A-I) and Apo A-I/Apo B elevated by 14.2%, 21.9% and 64.5% respectively. For lowering TC, LDL-C, Apo B and elevating Apo A-I/Apo B, Simvastatin was better than gemfibrozil (P < 0.01-0.001). However, for lowering TG, gemfibrozil was better than simvastatin (P < 0.001). As for increasing HDL-C and Apo A-I, no significant differences were found between the two groups. No significant side effects were found in all patients but one who developed hypersensitive eruption after gemfibrozil taken, and he was excluded from the trial.
Litter Chemistry, Community Shift, and Non-additive Effects Drive Litter Decomposition Changes Following Invasion by a Generalist Pathogen

Forest pathogens have strong potential to shape ecosystem function by altering litterfall, microclimate, and changing community structure. We quantified changes in litter decomposition from a set of distinct diseases caused by Phytophthora ramorum, an exotic generalist pathogen. Phytophthora ramorum causes leaf blight and increased litterfall %N, but no mortality on California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica), a common overstory tree that accumulates high levels of infection. Lethal twig and bole cankers on tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) lead to the disease sudden oak death which creates canopy openings and alters litterfall in mixed-species forests dominated by redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) which is minimally susceptible. Species identity had the greatest effect on mass loss and N dynamics with the most rapid rates in bay laurel, slowest in redwood, and intermediate in tanoak. Decomposing litter from infected sources had increased N accumulation, and although these changes were of lower magnitude relative to species identity, the region-scale invasion of P. ramorum suggests that this effect could occur over an extensive area. Canopy mortality was a significant and slowing influence on litter N dynamics in all species and also dampened non-additive effects within mixed litter bags. Redwood—the lowest quality litter—demonstrated non-additive interactions with consistently lower C:N when decomposed in mixed litter bags, but this effect did not alter the entire mixture. Mortality and subsequent changes in community composition have the greatest magnitude effects on litter decomposition for sudden oak death, but our study implies that different and sometimes cryptic mechanisms will drive decomposition changes for other forest diseases.
Improving acute kidney injury diagnostics using predictive analytics.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a multifactorial syndrome affecting an alarming proportion of hospitalized patients. Although early recognition may expedite management, the ability to identify patients at-risk and those suffering real-time injury is inconsistent. The review will summarize the recent reports describing advancements in the area of AKI epidemiology, specifically focusing on risk scoring and predictive analytics. RECENT FINDINGS In the critical care population, the primary underlying factors limiting prediction models include an inability to properly account for patient heterogeneity and underperforming metrics used to assess kidney function. Severity of illness scores demonstrate limited AKI predictive performance. Recent evidence suggests traditional methods for detecting AKI may be leveraged and ultimately replaced by newer, more sophisticated analytical tools capable of prediction and identification: risk stratification, novel AKI biomarkers, and clinical information systems. Additionally, the utility of novel biomarkers may be optimized through targeting using patient context, and may provide more granular information about the injury phenotype. Finally, manipulation of the electronic health record allows for real-time recognition of injury. SUMMARY Integrating a high-functioning clinical information system with risk stratification methodology and novel biomarker yields a predictive analytic model for AKI diagnostics.
International Law for Deep-Sea Mineral Resources

In this paper I describe the development and current status of international law governing the exploration for, and exploitation of, deep-sea mineral resources. Specifically, I review the:-Important mineral resources found in the deep-sea;-Development of international law over them;-Current regulatory regime; and-Status of exploration and exploitation.
The Metronome of Symbiosis: Interactions Between Microbes and the Host Circadian Clock.

The entrainment of circadian rhythms, physiological cycles with a period of about 24 h, is regulated by a variety of mechanisms, including nonvisual photoreception. While circadian rhythms have been shown to be integral to many processes in multicellular organisms, including immune regulation, the effect of circadian rhythms on symbiosis, or host-microbe interactions, has only recently begun to be studied. This review summarizes recent work in the interactions of both pathogenic and mutualistic associations with host and symbiont circadian rhythms, focusing specifically on three mutualistic systems in which this phenomenon has been best studied. One important theme taken from these studies is the fact that mutualisms are profoundly affected by the circadian rhythms of the host, but that the microbial symbionts in these associations can, in turn, manipulate host rhythms. The interplay between circadian rhythms and symbiosis is a promising new field with effects that should be kept in mind when designing future studies across biology.
Increased Intracranial Pressure: Diagnosis, Monitoring and Treatment

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of increased intracranial pressure. It discusses the reasons to monitor intracranial pressure and describes methods available for the treatment of intracranial hypertension. The initial phase of head injury is often accompanied by significant increases in brain bulk. This pathophysiologic process is almost always caused by brain-blood volume increases rather than cerebral edema. This is seen most frequently in children and young adults; however, it can also be seen in patients of all age groups from whatever the cause of head injury. This phenomenon should not be considered cerebral edema. The fact that water increases are not important early in the course of head injury is clinically apparent when computerized axial tomographic scanning is performed in such patients. Edema is very rarely seen during the first phase of brain injury. While it is true that increases in tissue water content occur in head injury, this is usually a late phenomenon and is of limited significance early in the patient's course. The chapter also discusses the utilization of high-dose barbiturate therapy in the treatment of patients with severe brain injury and uncontrollable intracranial pressure.
Diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease progression: Role of DPP4

The protein dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) is a target in diabetes management and reduction of associated cardiovascular risk. Inhibition of the enzymatic function and genetic deletion of DPP4 is associated with tremendous benefits to the heart, vasculature, adipose tissue, and the kidney in rodent models of obesity, diabetes and hypertension, and associated complications. The recently concluded, "Saxagliptin Assessment of Vascular Outcomes Recorded in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 53" trial revealed a reduction in proteinuria in chronic kidney disease patients (stages 1-3). These results have spurred immense interest in the nonenzymatic and enzymatic role of DPP4 in the kidney. DPP4 is expressed predominantly in the glomeruli and S1-S3 segments of the nephron and to a lesser extent in other segments. DPP4 is known to facilitate absorption of cleaved dipeptides and regulate the function of the sodium/hydrogen exchanger-3 in the proximal tubules. DPP4, also known as CD26, has an important role in costimulation of lymphocytes via caveolin-1 on antigen-presenting cells in peripheral blood. Herein, we present our perspectives for the ongoing interest in the role of DPP4 in the kidney.