cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New radiographic-based surrogate outcome measures for osteoarthritis of the knee.

Abstract Objective Minimum joint space width (mJSW) between the femoral condyle and tibial plateau is currently the principal radiographic outcome measure for knee osteoarthritis (OA). While mJSW measurement has been proven effective, there is a need for quantitative measures with greater sensitivity to OA so studies of disease modifying trials can be performed more quickly and with fewer subjects. Also, mJSW is a single outcome measure that does not reflect all disease changes. Here we present a study of new radiograph-based outcome measures to quantify OA progression. Design Our goal is made possible by a software algorithm that delineates both the edge of the tibial plateau and the femoral condyle on digitized knee radiographs. We also developed a new coordinate system based on anatomical landmarks to facilitate measurement of the outcome measures. We studied measurements of joint space width (JSW) and average JSW at fixed locations along the joint interface. The outcome measures were tested using duplicate acquisitions made from 16 OA and 18 normal knees. Reproducibility was quantified by the root–mean square standard deviation and the coefficient of variation. Results We found that the reproducibility for all outcome measures was better than or similar to that for mJSW. Despite a slightly higher reproducibility error for some new outcome measures compared to mJSW, they are potentially valuable since they reflect independent disease changes. Conclusion We have demonstrated new reproducible radiographic outcome measures to quantify OA progression with the potential to be an improvement over standard minimum joint space width. Copyright 2003 OsteoArthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
The role of selective digestive decontamination for reducing infection in patients undergoing liver transplantation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Selective digestive decontamination (SDD) refers to the use of antimicrobials to reduce the burden of aerobic gram-negative bacteria and/or yeast in the intestinal tract to prevent infections caused by these organisms. Liver transplant patients are highly vulnerable to bacterial infection particularly with gram-negative organisms within the first month after transplantation, and SDD has been proposed as a potential measure to prevent these infections. However, the benefit of this procedure remains controversial. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether SDD is beneficial in reducing infections overall and those caused by gram-negative bacteria in patients following liver transplantation. All studies that evaluated the efficacy of SDD in liver transplant patients were included. Randomized trials that included liver transplant patients given SDD versus either placebo or no treatment or minimal treatment (e.g., oral nystatin alone), and that provided adequate data to calculate a relative risk ratio, were included in the meta-analysis. Our review shows that most studies found SDD to be effective in reducing gram-negative infection. The nonrandomized and uncontrolled trials also showed benefit with SDD in reducing overall infection; however, the effect on overall infection was limited in the 4 randomized trials, in which the pooled relative risk was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.7-1.1), indicating no statistically significant reduction in infection with the use of SDD. The summary risk ratio for the association between SDD and gram-negative infection was 0.16 (95% CI, 0.07-0.37), indicating an 84% relative risk reduction in the incidence of infection caused by gram-negative bacteria in patients receiving SDD in randomized trials. In conclusion, the available literature supports a beneficial effect of SDD on gram-negative infection following liver transplantation; however, the risk of antimicrobial resistance must be considered. Larger multicenter randomized trials in this patient population to assess the effect of SDD in reducing infection and mortality, while assessing the risk of antimicrobial resistance, are needed. (Liver Transpl 2004;10:817–827.)
A reversible selection system for UMP synthase gene amplification and deamplification.

The bifunctional enzyme UMP synthase provides a unique reversible selection system whereby cells that have amplified the UMP synthase gene can be isolated from a wild-type population and cells that have deleted the extra genes can be selected from a population with amplified copies of the gene. UMP synthase catalyzes the conversion of orotic acid to orotidine 5′-monophosphate (OMP) and then OMP to UMP. In the amplification step, Chinese hamster lung cells are selected for resistance to pyrazofurin and 6-azauridine, two inhibitors of the orotidine 5′-decarboxylase activity that converts OMP to UMP. The resistant cells have increased levels of both activities of UMP synthase as a result of a stable amplification of the UMP synthase gene. The deamplification step depends on 5-fluorouracil (5FU), which is converted to its monophosphate form by the orotate phosphoribosyltransferase activity of UMP synthase. Thus cells with increases in this activity are more sensitive to 5FU cytotoxicity, permitting single-step selection of revertants that have lost their amplified UMP synthase genes. These 5FU-selected cells are similar to the parental cell line in their level of UMP synthase activity and number of UMP synthase gene copies. Reselection in increasing concentrations of pyrazofurin and 6-azauridine allows one to isolate cells that have reamplified the UMP synthase gene. The ability to cycle cells of a single lineage through states of amplification and deamplification will facilitate study of the gene amplification process and the factors that influence the composition and stability of amplified regions.
The effect of cocaine on the relative chronotropic potencies of sympathomimetics.

SummaryIt is concluded that the relative chronotropic potencies of NE, Epi and Iso are similar to the relative inotropic potencies reported previously. If neuronal uptake is functional the relative potencies are Iso > Epi ≥ NE. When neuronal uptake is excluded as a means of removing agonists from the vicinity of receptors (i.e., in the presence of cocaine) the potencies become Iso ≥ NE > Epi. This change in the order of relative potencies is due to the fact that in the presence of cocaine the ED50 values of NE and Epi are reduced while the ED50 of Iso remains the same. The order of potency of these three adrenergic agonists is not changed by endogenous norepinephrine depletion induced by reserpine. The sensitization of atria to NE and Epi by cocaine is, however, substantially greater after reserpine.
Erosive Burning Study of Stick Propellants.

Abstract : A theoretical model was solved numerically for simulating erosive-burning processes occurring inside the center perforation of an unslotted NOSOL-363 stick propellant. Results show that the erosive-burning phenomenon is caused by the enhanced heat feedback from the gas phase to solid phase resulting from the combined effect of increased turbulent mixing and reduction in flame stand-off distance from the burning surface. The real-time X-ray radiography system was demonstrated to be a powerful and reliable tool for nonintrusive measurements of instantaneous burning rates. A model was validated by experimental data in terms of time variation of internal diameter distributions. Thermal wave structures of NOSOL-363 stick propellants under erosive- and strand-burning conditions were measured by fine-wire thermocouples.
P394Investigation of the effect of troponin I phosphorylation on troponin C by molecular dynamics simulations

The Ca2+ switch of cardiac muscle is modulated by phosphorylation of Ser 22 and 23 in the cardiac specific N-terminus of Troponin I (TnI) by PKA in response to beta-adrenergic stimulation. It has proposed that the unphosphorylated N terminal peptide of TnI binds to the N terminal lobe of troponin C (TnC) and that the interaction enhances Ca2+ sensitivity. The interaction is abolished by PKA phosphorylation of Ser 22 and 23 reducing Ca2+-sensitivity and increasing the rate of Ca2+ dissociation. The full structure of cardiac troponin is not known since Takeda's 2003 X-ray structure of the core of cardiac troponin (Nature 424, 35) does not contain several important mobile peptides including the N-terminal 31 amino acids. Here we show the structural changes of troponin that occur upon phosphorylation using molecular dynamics. We have applied molecular dynamics simulations to an expanded model of the Takeda et al. structure (385 amino acids) that includes the first 31 residues of TnI that we have added in as a linear chain above the TnC N-terminal lobe according to the model of Howarth et al., (J Mol Biol 373, 709). All simulations have been performed for at least a quarter of a microsecond (with some simulations up to 750 ns) with the AMBER GPU MD package in an isobaric-isothermal, NPT, ensemble. In the Ca2+-bound unphosphorylated state there is a persistent interaction between Ser 22 and 23 of TnI and Ser 69 and Thr 71 in the Ca2+-binding loop of TnC and the Ca2+ appears strongly coordinated and immobile. The extreme N-terminal 1 to 16 amino acids of TnI are very mobile apart from the two Serines, Lys 20 is the only residue making a persistent interaction with TnC. In the absence of Ca2+ the N-terminal 30 amino acids of cTnI are fully mobile and not interacting with TnC. In addition there are long-range differences in TnI structure due to phosphorylation or removal of Ca2+, centered on the TnI helix II that is partly unwound. Phosphorylation leads to restructuring after 50 ns with the loss of the TnI Ser 22 and 23 contacts with TnC and a re-orientation of the TnC N-terminal lobe relative to the rest of troponin. Ca2+ becomes more exposed to solvent. Between 100 and 150 ns the Ca2+ dissociates and re-associates, suggesting weaker binding, which is being investigated in silico. The simulation is consistent with the hypothesis of a unique TnI Ser 22/23-TnC Ca2+-binding loop II interaction that is destabilized by phosphorylation, thus weakening the affinity of the regulatory Ca2+.
401 MIGRATION AND THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF PORCINE ADULT ADIPOSE-DERIVED MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS

Bone marrow is one current source of adult stem cells for therapeutic purposes; however, the magnitude and accessibility of subcutaneous adipose tissue in humans make it an attractive alternative. Numerous in vitro studies have been conducted to determine how these cells act in vitro, but it is imperative to determine the vast abilities of these cells in vivo. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vivo migration and bone healing ability after transplanting adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) in a swine model. Adipose-derived stem cells were isolated from subcutaneous adipose tissue of adult Yorkshire pigs and cultured in vitro. At 80 to 90% confluence/passage 3, the cells were trypsinized and labeled in suspension with carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFDA-SE). This project included 20 pigs weighing between 63.5 and 81.7 kg. Bilateral mandibular osteoectomies with 10-mm defects were performed on each pig. Of the 20 pigs, half received a treatment of 2.5 million CFDA-SE labeled stem cells administered directly into each defect (DI), and the remaining half received a treatment of approximately 5 million CFDA-SE labeled stem cells through an ear vein injection via catheter (EVI). The time points were 1 h and 2 and 4 wk, with 2 pigs per time with the DI and EVI treatments. Pigs were slaughtered at each time, and spleen, liver, lung, kidney, ear vein, blood, and mandible tissues were collected. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein with EDTA and processed via flow cytometry after collection. Tissues were fixed in 10% buffered formalin for histology. Fluorescent microscopy (CFDA-SE excitation/emission is 492/517 nm) has confirmed that transplanted ADSC do indeed migrate to a site of injury or trauma. Labeled cells were also present in blood collected from the 1-h time point group. Currently, we have not seen the presence of labeled ADSC in the other tissues (spleen, liver, lung, and kidney) after the 1-h time point. We did observe that ADSC administered by DI and EVI were able to significantly heal and regenerate bone defects within 4 wk post-surgery (P < 0.05, ANOVA with F-test), in contrast to bone defects in pigs that did not receive cell injections (control). Evidence of ADSC-related healing and bone regeneration was evident by gross visualization, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and micro computer tomography (microCT) analysis. The clinical implications of these results are significant for treating many diseases in which inflammation or defects exist, such as cardiac disease, neurological disease, or traumatic injuries to both soft and hard tissue. If the adult stem cells can be harvested from fat, encouraged to produce bone or cartilage, and then reinserted into defects, treatment protocols for trauma victims could be developed that would reduce the need for alternate harvesting techniques for bone. This work was support by a grant from the Illinois Regenerative Medicine Institute (IDPH # 63080017).
Cytokinin Regulates Type-A Arabidopsis Response Regulator Activity and Protein Stability via Two-Component Phosphorelay

The plant hormone cytokinin regulates many aspects of growth and development. Cytokinin signaling involves His kinase receptors that perceive cytokinin and transmit the signal via a multistep phosphorelay similar to bacterial two-component signaling systems. The final targets of this phosphorelay are a set of Arabidopsis thaliana Response Regulator (ARR) proteins containing a receiver domain with a conserved Asp phosphorylation site. One class of these, the type-A ARRs, are negative regulators of cytokinin signaling that are rapidly transcriptionally upregulated in response to cytokinin. In this study, we tested the role of phosphorylation in type-A ARR function. Our results indicate that phosphorylation of the receiver domain is required for type-A ARR function and suggest that negative regulation of cytokinin signaling by the type-A ARRs most likely involves phosphorylation-dependent interactions. Furthermore, we show that a subset of the type-A ARR proteins are stabilized in response to cytokinin in part via phosphorylation. These studies shed light on the mechanism by which type-A ARRs act to negatively regulate cytokinin signaling and reveal a novel mechanism by which cytokinin controls type-A ARR function.
Evaluation and characterization of available bandwidth probing techniques

The packet pair mechanism has been shown to be a reliable method to measure the bottleneck link capacity on a network path, but its use for measuring available bandwidth is more challenging. In this paper, we use modeling, measurements, and simulations to better characterize the interaction between probing packets and the competing network traffic. We first construct a simple model to understand how competing traffic changes the probing packet gap for a single-hop network. The gap model shows that the initial probing gap is a critical parameter when using packet pairs to estimate available bandwidth. Based on this insight, we present two available bandwidth measurement techniques, the initial gap increasing (IGI) method and the packet transmission rate (PTR) method. We use extensive Internet measurements to show that these techniques estimate available bandwidth faster than existing techniques such as Pathload, with comparable accuracy. Finally, using both Internet measurements and ns simulations, we explore how the measurement accuracy of active probing is affected by factors such as the probing packet size, the length of probing packet train, and the competing traffic on links other than the tight link.
Does Gender and Race Have an Impact on Earnings in the Library and Information Science Labor Market in the United States of America

Using data from the 2003 US National Survey of College Graduates, a longitudinal survey administered by the US Bureau of Census for the National Science Foundation, this study examines earnings in the library and information science labor market and assesses the impact of gender and race on the earnings attainment process. This cross-sectional dataset is used to determine if there are significant differences in income among library and information science professionals with respect to gender and race. The approach taken in this study is to build a theoretical model of earnings attainment for librarians and information scientists. This is followed by a discussion of the methodology used to analyze the data and test the model, and the results, discussion including recommendations for further research, and conclusions.
Joint spectrum allocation and scheduling for fair spectrum sharing in cognitive radio wireless networks

Cognitive radio and Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) enable wireless users to share a wide range of available spectrums. In this paper, we study joint spectrum allocation and scheduling problems in cognitive radio wireless networks with the objectives of achieving fair spectrum sharing. A novel Multi-Channel Contention Graph (MCCG) is proposed to characterize the impact of interference under the protocol model in such networks. Based on the MCCG, we present an optimal algorithm to compute maximum throughput solutions. As simply maximizing throughput may result in a severe bias on resource allocation, we take fairness into consideration by presenting optimal algorithms as well as fast heuristics to compute fair solutions based on a simplified max-min fairness model and the well-known proportional fairness model. Numerical results show that the performance given by our heuristic algorithms is very close to that of the optimal solution, and our proportional fair algorithms achieve a good tradeoff between throughput and fairness. In addition, we extend our research to the physical interference model, and propose effective heuristics for solving the corresponding problems.
Safety-Centric Design of Distributed Embedded Avionics

This paper describes a methodology for safety-centric development of distributed embedded avionics realized as sense-actuate-control (SAC) networks. The methodology has consists of two parts. First, formal methods are used in defining and deriving families of SAC node architectures. This methodology eliminates redundant verification and validation (V&V) efforts across members of the same family of architectures. Second, proof-directed run-time error-monitor generation methodology is presented. This methodology links design-time verification with run-time error checking. Robust error monitors can be derived and reused across the members of a family of architectures.
Ontology Data Query in Geospatial Semantic Web

Traditional geospatial databases are not sufficient for linking spatial data with non-spatial data over the Web and for flexible queries. In this chapter, we provided a brief overview of the SPARQL protocol for ontology query and its extension GeoSPARQL, which enables geospatial applications to search for spatial features in ontology knowledge bases. GeoSPARQL queries are more flexible than spatial database queries and WFS queries, but the flexibility comes with the cost of efficiency. The geospatial knowledge base does not provide spatial indexing. This deficiency may result in high computation cost for range queries, nearest neighborhood queries, and spatial joins. In this chapter, we explained three commonly used spatial-indexing data structures: R-tree, quad-tree, and kd-tree. To identify the performance bottleneck sources in GeoSPARQL implementation, we introduced a formal model for GeoSPARQL and described how a query can be decomposed into several basic components so that it can be processed more efficiently.
Hyperzincemia in anencephaly and spina bifida: A clue to the pathogenesis of neural tube defects?

Zinc is essential for normal embryogenesis and may have particular importance for closure of the human neural tube. Compared to 258 controls, we found increased zinc content in umbilical cord serum in eight of nine newborn anencephalics (p 2 M) in infants with neural tube defects (NTD). In NTD-mothers, total serum zinc was similar to controls, but there was a shift in the distribution of zinc from αM to albumin. Fetal hyperzincemia and elevated maternal albumin-bound zinc suggest that the NTD-fetus receives but does not use zinc normally.
Carotid body tumor: Atypical angiogram of a functional tumor: Report of a case and review of the literature

Abstract Carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare, usually benign, neoplasms of the extra-adrenal paraganglion system. They are almost always nonfunctional. The diagnosis is generally confirmed by an angiogram that shows a vascular tumor enlarging the space between the internal and external carotid arteries. A 55-year-old man with hypertension and episodes of flushing, palpitations, and dizziness was treated for a firm, nonmobile mass measuring 3 × 2 cm at the left carotid bifurcation. Plasma and urine catecholamines, and the vanilylmandelic acid/creatinine ratios were elevated. Carotid arteriograms showed a vascular mass displacing the vessels, but the space between the arteries was narrowed rather than enlarged, and an atherosclerotic plaque was present. At operation the CBT was removed by resection of the bifurcation and with a temporary shunt a saphenous vein graft was inserted between the common and internal carotid arteries. Pathologic examination revealed a typical paraganglionoma. Although most CBTs produce catecholamines, only 11 patients have been reported to have elevated plasma and urine levels, and most were symptomatic. Since these tumors slowly increase in size, early surgical removal is recommended, even in asymptomatic patients. (J VASC SURG 1987;5:462-8.)
Bacterial Diversity across Individual Lichens

Symbioses are unique habitats for bacteria. We surveyed the spatial diversity of bacterial communities across multiple individuals of closely related lichens using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and pyrosequencing. Centers of lichens house richer, more consistent assemblages than species-poor and compositionally disparate lichen edges, suggesting that ecological succession plays a role in structuring these communities.
A novel approach for random interleavers in IDMA system

Interleave Division Multiple Access (IDMA) is a multiuser scheme which enables user separation on the basis of interleavers. Interleaver design can allow the IDMA system to approach near Shannon limits of channel capacity. Interleaver combats against Intersymbol Interference (ISI), channel fading and all sorts of noises. In addition, interleavers provide security to the system users. Designing the random interleaver provides a solution for all impairments but they are generally considered computationally heavy. In this paper, an efficient approach has been developed for design of user specific random block interleavers. This design approach reduces the complexity for developing interleaving patterns and is computationally economical.
Efficiently mapping high-performance early vision algorithms onto multicore embedded platforms

The combination of low-cost imaging chips and high-performance, multicore, embedded processors heralds a new era in portable vision systems. Early vision algorithms have the potential for highly data-parallel, integer execution. However, an implementation must operate within the constraints of embedded systems including low clock rate, low-power operation with limited memory. This dissertation explores new approaches to adapt novel pixel-based vision algorithms for tomorrow's multicore embedded processors. It presents: (1) An adaptive, multimodal background modeling technique called Multimodal Mean that achieves high accuracy and frame rate performance with limited memory and a slow-clock, energy-efficient, integer processing core. (2) A new workload partitioning technique to optimize the execution of early vision algorithms on multi-core systems. (3) A novel data transfer technique called cat-tail DMA that provides globally-ordered, non-blocking data transfers on a multicore system. By using efficient data representations, Multimodal Mean provides comparable accuracy to the widely used Mixture of Gaussians (MoG) multimodal method. However, it achieves a 6.2x improvement in performance while using 18% less storage than MoG while executing on a representative embedded platform. When this algorithm is adapted to a multicore execution environment, the new workload partitioning technique demonstrates an improvement in execution times of 25% with a 125 ms system reaction time. It also reduced the overall number of data transfers by 50%. Finally, the cat-tail DMA technique reduces the data-transfer latency between execution cores and main memory by 32.8% over the baseline technique when executing Multimodal Mean. This technique concurrently performs data transfers with code execution on individual cores, while maintaining global ordering through low-overhead scheduling to prevent collisions.
Biodegradable chitosan and polylactic acid-based intraocular micro-implant for sustained release of methotrexate into vitreous: analysis of pharmacokinetics and toxicity in rabbit eyes

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of a chitosan (CS) and polylactic acid (PLA) based methotrexate (MTX) intravitreal micro-implant in an animal model using rabbit eyes. CS- and PLA-based micro-implants containing 400 μg of MTX were fabricated using lyophilization and dip-coating techniques. The micro-implants were surgically implanted in the vitreous of eight New Zealand rabbits employing minimally invasive technique. The PLA-coated CS-MTX micro-implant was inserted in the right eye and the placebo micro-implant in the left eye of each rabbit. Two rabbits were euthanized at each pre-determined time point post-implantation (days 5, 12, 19, and 33) for pharmacokinetics and histopathology evaluation. A therapeutic concentration of MTX (0.1–1.0 μM) in the vitreous was detected in the rabbit eyes studied for 33 days. The MTX release from the coated micro-implants followed a first order kinetics (R 2 ~ 0.88), implying that MTX release depends on the concentration of MTX in the micro-implant. Histopathological analysis of the enucleated eyes failed to show any signs of infection or tissue toxicity in any of the specimens. The PLA-coated CS-MTX micro-implants were able to deliver therapeutic release of MTX for a period of more than 1 month without detectable toxicity in a rabbit model. The micro-implants can be further investigated as a prospective alternative to current treatment protocols of repeated intravitreal MTX injections in intraocular disorders such as primary intraocular lymphoma, and selected cases of non-microbial intraocular inflammation.
A single-chip dual-band 22-to-29GHz/77-to-81GHz BiCMOS transceiver for automotive radars

Integration of multi-mode multi-band transceivers on a single chip will enable low-cost millimeter-wave systems for next-generation automotive radar sensors. The first dual-band millimeter-wave transceiver operating in the 22-29-GHz and 77-81-GHz short-range automotive radar bands is designed and implemented in 0.18-? m SiGe BiCMOS technology with fT/fmax of 200/180 GHz. The transceiver chip includes a dual-band low noise amplifier, a shared downconversion chain, dual-band pulse formers, power amplifiers, a dual-band frequency synthesizer and a high-speed highly-programmable baseband pulse generator. The transceiver achieves 35/31-dB receive gain, 4.5/8-dB double side-band noise figure, >60/30-dB cross-band isolation, -114/-100.4-dBc/Hz phase noise at 1-MHz offset, and 14.5/10.5-dBm transmit power in the 24/79-GHz bands. Radar functionality is also demonstrated using a loopback measurement. The 3.9 × 1.9-mm2 24/79-GHz transceiver chip consumes 0.51/0.615 W.
Simulations of two-stream instability in opposite polarity dusty plasmas

One dimensional Particle in Cell simulations of a dust- dust counter-streaming instability in a plasma containing dust grains of opposite charge polarity are presented. This dust-dust instability has potentially the lowest threshold drift for a dust wave instability in an unmagnetized dusty plasma. The linear and nonlinear development of the dusty plasma instability is investigated, including the effects of collisions with background neutrals, and a background electric field which acts as a driver to impart the drift velocities of the counter streaming charged dust particles. The saturation of the linear instability appears to be dust heating related to dust trapping. Potential double layer formation from dust-dust turbulence is observed in cases with a high neutral collision rate. A comparative study is done with varying collision rates and background electric fields to explore the nonlinear development as a function of collision rate and background electric field. These simulation results could help guide future laboratory and micro-gravity dusty plasma experiments on this instability. The results could also relate to similar counter-streaming instabilities in pair plasmas and negative ion plasmas
Structure and development of Nostoc strands in Leiosporoceros dussii (Anthocerotophyta): a novel symbiosis in land plants

The presence of Nostoc in longitudinally oriented schizogenous canals is a feature that separates Leiosporoceros from all other hornworts and represents a novel symbiotic arrangement in land plants. In surface view, Nostoc canals are visible as elongated, dichotomously branched blue-green strands. All other hornworts develop numerous discrete globose colonies through continuous production of mucilage clefts as avenues for multiple invasions within a single thallus. To elucidate the anatomy and development of the unusual Nostoc strands in Leiosporoceros, we examined sporeling development in culture and the structure of strands in field-collected plants using light and electron microscopy. Rosette-like sporelings have mucilage clefts scattered along swollen apices. All field specimens were strap-shaped, contained Nostoc, and lacked mucilage clefts. Nostoc strands are located in the center of the thallus and develop behind the apical cell by separation of the middle lamella between apical derivatives. Strands elongate and branch in synchrony with apical growth, and thus only a single invasion is required for strand production. Two distinct ultrastructural morphotypes in the collections suggest nonspecificity of Nostoc. We speculate that Nostoc enters the thallus in the sporeling stage through mucilage clefts, and once colonies are established, cleft production ceases.
Arbitrarily-Shaped Window Based Stereo Matching using the Go-Light Optimization Algorithm

In this paper, we present a stereo matching algorithm using arbitrarily-shaped windows and a local optimization method called Go-light. The disparity map comes from a five-pixel arbitrarily-shaped window matching and a regular window based matching. It is then optimized by the Go-light optimization method, in which an outlier disparity value is replaced by the average of its surrounding ones when certain constraints are met. Experiments show that the accuracy of our algorithm is comparable to some of the state-of-the-art stereo correspondence algorithms on the Middlebury stereo data.
Effects of Psychrometrics Conditions on the Drying of a Porous Soil

Coupled heat and water movement investigation in porous media is becoming increasingly relevant in sciences and engineering such as geophysics, where geothermal flux is a key issue, and in building technology where mathematical models are developed to provide better energy efficiency. In the top layers of the earth for instance, the great annual and diurnal air temperature and humidity amplitudes under the influence of radiation and rain result in significant fluctuation in soil temperature and volumetric water contents. Column evaporation experiments have been carried out with sandy silt soil in a constant-temperature-relative humidity chamber, and also by the window side exposed to varying psychrometric conditions. Atmospheric temperature and relative humidity data have been measured and logged with the help of a dataloger while soil temperatures and moisture contents have been measured and logged using a data acquisition system. Soil column has been mounted on a digital weighing balance and programmed ...
Automatic identification of specular detections in multistatic sonar systems

Multistatic systems have the potential to provide increased ASW performance. However, effective fusion and tracking of multistatic active sonar contacts is challenging, due to high levels of false alarm clutter present on all sonar nodes. Such false alarms often overload the sensor-to-fusion-center communications links and fusion/tracking processes, thereby producing too many false tracks. A system concept referred to as Specular-Cued Surveillance Web (SPECSweb) has the potential to solve this overloading problem. This is done through the exploitation of very strong specular echoes from targets operating within a geometrically diverse sensor field. The strong specular echoes are used as cues for track initiation and track holding through selective extraction of additional detections stored locally on the individual sonar nodes. This approach significantly reduces the data rate at the input to the fusion/tracking algorithm, and reduces node-to-fusion-center communication link throughput requirements. A SPECSweb information fusion and target tracking algorithm has been designed, which has shown to be effectively in providing this unloading. Previously, the identification of specular detections was made by simply setting a higher-than-normal SNR detection threshold at the tracker input. This paper presents an alternate approach for detecting specular echoes, which is based on the identification of amplitude changes in the detection levels corresponding to a target passing through the specular geometric condition. The approach is data-adaptive and more robust that the method used previously. The algorithm is described and factors important for parameter value selection are discussed. The proposed identification scheme is applied to multistatic data, showing its effectiveness.
Characterization of the Archaeal Thermophile Sulfolobus Turreted Icosahedral Virus Validates an Evolutionary Link among Double-Stranded DNA Viruses from All Domains of Life

Icosahedral nontailed double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses are present in all three domains of life, leading to speculation about a common viral ancestor that predates the divergence of Eukarya, Bacteria, and Archaea. This suggestion is supported by the shared general architecture of this group of viruses and the common fold of their major capsid protein. However, limited information on the diversity and replication of archaeal viruses, in general, has hampered further analysis. Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV), isolated from a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park, was the first icosahedral virus with an archaeal host to be described. Here we present a detailed characterization of the components forming this unusual virus. Using a proteomics-based approach, we identified nine viral and two host proteins from purified STIV particles. Interestingly, one of the viral proteins originates from a reading frame lacking a consensus start site. The major capsid protein (B345) was found to be glycosylated, implying a strong similarity to proteins from other dsDNA viruses. Sequence analysis and structural predication of virion-associated viral proteins suggest that they may have roles in DNA packaging, penton formation, and protein-protein interaction. The presence of an internal lipid layer containing acidic tetraether lipids has also been confirmed. The previously presented structural models in conjunction with the protein, lipid, and carbohydrate information reported here reveal that STIV is strikingly similar to viruses associated with the Bacteria and Eukarya domains of life, further strengthening the hypothesis for a common ancestor of this group of dsDNA viruses from all domains of life.
“That Deep Kind of Discipline of Spirit”: Freedom, Power, Family, Marriage, and Sexuality in the Story of John Humphrey Noyes and the Oneida Community

Abstract For John Humphrey Noyes and his followers the desire to retreat from the dominant social order represented less an urge to be free from the forces of social change than it did a wish to impose order on a world many saw as spinning out of control. Oneida is perhaps best seen as one of many competing regulatory regimes in the middle and late decades of the nineteenth-century United States that promised order in the midst of chaos. The paradox was that Oneida, in its retreat from mainstream society, and through Noyes's attempt to redefine the family, marriage, sexuality, and individual freedom, served ultimately as a vehicle for making the dominant social order appear less chaotic and more normal over time – as an example that reinforced rather than challenged the way that power was organized in society.
Integral Hellmann-Feynman computations on H3ABHn—H2ABHn+1 rearrangements

Extensively optimized Lewis orbital (Frost model) structures are reported for CH3N, CH3NH+, CH3CH, CH3CH, CH3BH2, CH2NH, and CH2NH (spiro and planar). Electronic energy differences between these isoelectronic species were estimated by the integral Hellmann-Feynman (iHF) formula, with the hope that satisfaction of the Hellmann-Feynman conditions would lead to accurate iHF values of energy changes. We observed a strongly nonlinear relation between the iHF error and the departure of the overlap of wave-functions of the structures from unity. MO computations in common orbital (not determinantal) basis sets for CH3NH+CH2NH (planar), CH3NCH2NH, and CH3CHCH2CH2 produced greatly improved iHF estimates of energy changes, reducing errors by as much as 80 times. Certain features of the static optimum structures and the transition densities suggested that the syn path for rearrangement of methyl carbene to ethylene is a general feature of rearrangements in these systems.
Genetic evidence for the persistence of the critically endangered Sierra Nevada red fox in California

California is home to both the native state- threatened Sierra Nevada red fox (Vulpes vulpes ne- cator), which historically inhabited high elevations of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains, and to multiple low-elevation red fox populations thought to be of exotic origin. During the past few decades the lowland populations have dramatically expanded their distribution, and possibly moved into the historic range of the native high-elevation fox. To determine whether the native red fox persists in its historic range in Cali- fornia, we compared mitochondrial cytochrome-b haplotypes of the only currently-known high-elevation population (n = 9 individuals) to samples from 3 modern lowland populations (n = 35) and historic (1911-1941) high-elevation (n = 22) and lowland (n = 7) populations. We found no significant popula- tion differentiation among the modern and historic high-elevation populations (average pairwise FST = 0.06), but these populations differed substantially from all modern and historic lowland populations (average pairwise FST = 0.52). Among lowland populations, the historic and modern Sacramento Valley populations were not significantly differentiated from one another (FST = -0.06), but differed significantly from recently founded populations in the San Francisco Bay region and in southern California (average pairwise FST = 0.42). Analysis of molecular variance indicated that 3 population groupings (mountain, Sacramento Valley, and other lowland regions) explained 45% of molecu- lar variance (FCT = 0.45) whereas only 4.5% of the variance was partitioned among populations within these groupings (FSC = 0.08). These findings provide strong evidence that the native Sierra Nevada red fox has persisted in northern California. However, all nine samples from this population had the same haplotype, suggesting that several historic haplotypes may have become lost. Unidentified barriers have apparently prevented gene flow from the Sacramento Valley population to other eastern or southern populations in California. Future studies involving nuclear markers are needed to assess the origin of the Sierra Nevada red fox and to quantify levels of nuclear gene flow.
Kicking the tires of software transactional memory: why the going gets tough

Transactional Memory (TM) promises to simplify concurrent programming, which has been notoriously difficult but crucial in realizing the performance benefit of multi-core processors. Software Transaction Memory (STM), in particular, represents a body of important TM technologies since it provides a mechanism to run transactional programs when hardware TM support is not available, or when hardware TM resources are exhausted. Nonetheless, most previous researches on STMs were constrained to executing trivial, small-scale workloads. The assumption was that the same techniques applied to small-scale workloads could readily be applied to real-life, large-scale workloads. However, by executing several nontrivial workloads such as particle dynamics simulation and game physics engine on a state of the art STM, we noticed that this assumption does not hold. Specifically, we identified four major performance bottlenecks that were unique to the case of executing large-scale workloads on an STM: false conflicts, over-instrumentation, privatization-safety cost, and poor amortization. We believe that these bottlenecks would be common for any STM targeting real-world applications. In this paper, we describe those identified bottlenecks in detail, and we propose novel solutions to alleviate the issues. We also thoroughly validate these approaches with experimental results on real machines.
Numerical examples from perturbation analysis of the mixmaster universe

Tensor perturbation in a closed anisotropic empty (mixmaster) universe is studied. Numerical solutions of the perturbation equations for the lowest inhomogeneous mode are given for some characteristic regimes of the background dynamics. The mixmaster universe is shown to be stable in this mode against gravitational perturbations. Growth of perturbations in the contraction of the universe shows the characteristic mixmaster-type oscillatory approach to singularity.
Simplifying the product maintenance process by building ease of maintenance into the design

A systematic methodology that seeks to enhance ease of maintenance of industrial equipment and machinery has been presented in this paper. The methodology relies heavily on methods time measurement (MTM) systems as well as makes extensive use of design for X principles to accomplish design modifications. It is well known that maintenance is often a necessary evil because it is responsible equipment downtime, but needs to be done anyway. The reason is that lack of regular maintenance often results in serious equipment failure. This can lead to a variety of consequences including quality problems, safety problems and most important of all lower productivity and increased product costs. The methodology presented in this paper deals with product design for maintenance. The one salient feature of this methodology is that it takes into account the labour-intensive nature of the maintenance operation in general and incorporates appropriate ergonomic factors to reflect this consideration. MTM principles are used in order to impart a degree of objectivity to the methodology in terms of time evaluation. The relationship between maintenance time and product design characteristics is also established. This paper can be distinctly divided into two sections. The first part introduces the reader to some important maintenance-related concepts. The second part of this paper presents the aforementioned methodology. A real-life case study using an actual consumer product is also used towards the end of this paper to help corroborate the practical value of the methodology.
Neutral Red Assay for Murine Norovirus Replication and Detection in a Mouse

Neutral red (NR) is a dye that must be actively imported into the cell, and, therefore, the dye has been used for decades to selectively stain living cells. In addition, NR can also be incorporated into virus particles, although the mechanism behind this is poorly understood. Once encapsulated into the virion, NR, a light sensitive dye, can be photoactivated to inactivate the virus. The proposed mechanism explaining this observation is that activation of NR allows the dye to cross-link viral genome to viral capsid and thus preventing viral uncoating and infection. To study the early events of murine norovirus (MNV)-host interaction, light-sensitive NR-containing MNV is used to distinguish between input virus (i.e., NR-containing virus) and replicated virus (i.e., NR-free virus). This protocol describes the incorporation of NR into MNV capsids and the use of these virions for detection of viral replication in a mouse and in tissue culture by standard plaque assay. The same technique is also used for study of poliovirus replication (1-3). Thus, there is the potential that this technique can be used for additional non-enveloped viruses. However, this has to be tested on a case-by-case basis as unpublished data on feline calicivirus suggests not all viruses may be able to stably incorporate NR into their capsid (J. Parker, personal communication).
Public Safety-Net Hospitals–The Denver Health Model

Safety-net hospitals provide a disproportionately large share of the medical care to uninsured and vulnerable patients. For those who use these hospital systems merely as institutions of last resort, there would be little reason to believe that they could indeed be receiving the safest, highest quality health care because safety-net hospitals are a role model of health care reform and the high quality delivery of care. However, there is increasing evidence, albeit not yet conclusive, that these critically important hospitals do indeed provide high quality, safe and low-cost health care. Although America’s health care systems have not achieved the desired level of quality and safety as exhorted by the Institute of Medicine’s seminal writings in the late 1990s, Denver Health, an integrated public safety-net institution, has developed a multifaceted structured approach to patient safety and quality, which has garnered much national recognition for Denver Health during the last decade. Herein is described this safety-net hospital’s structured model for achieving patient safety and quality. The Denver Health experience demonstrates that care quality and patient safety can be advanced within America’s health care institutions, even in safety-net hospitals which, remain challenged by lack of resources and by socially disadvantaged patients.