cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of toxicity of acute overdoses with citalopram and escitalopram.

Abstract Background: Seizures and QTc prolongation are associated with citalopram poisoning; however, overdose experience with escitalopram is more limited. Objectives: The goals of this study were to compare citalopram's vs. escitalopram's clinical effects in overdose, including the incidence of seizures. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted for single-substance acute overdoses with citalopram and escitalopram, managed in hospitals, that were reported to six U.S. poison centers from 2002–2005. Results: There were 374 citalopram and 421 escitalopram overdose cases. Gender and ages were similar between the two, with 68–70% females and a median age of 20 years for citalopram and 18 years for escitalopram. Median dose by history was 310 mg for citalopram and 130 mg for escitalopram. More serious outcomes were associated with citalopram overdoses ( p p p = 0.001) were more common with citalopram. QTc prolongation occurred in 14 citalopram cases and 7 escitalopram cases ( p = 0.109). There was an association between increasing dose and severity of outcome for citalopram ( p p = 0.011). In children
Residential energy demand: additional empirical evidence by minority household type

Abstract In a number of recent studies household level data for specific urban areas or national household level micro-data have been used to estimate price and income elasticities of energy demand. None of this literature, however, provides us with elasticity estimates by minority/majority household type. The main focus of this paper is to measure the responsiveness of the quantity of electricity and total energy demanded for Black, Hispanis, and Majority households to price and income. Price and income elasticities are compared among these groups over the short and long term. A variable elasticity demand model is estimated. The elasticities are allowed to vary with respect to non-price and income variables. The price elasticities of demand vary with heating and cooling degree days and the income elasticities with the number of household members. Mean estimates were calculated over the respective samples. Findings indicate that demand for electricity is relatively price inelastic irrespective of household group. However, Blacks are more sensitive to variations in the short run to price than Hispanic and Majority households. In the long run, Blacks are also more sensitive to price changes but the magnitude of the response to price changes in the long run relative to the short run is larger for Hispanics and Majority households respectively than for Blacks.
CHiMPS: A C-level compilation flow for hybrid CPU-FPGA architectures

This paper describes CHiMPS, a C-based accelerator compiler for hybrid CPU-FPGA computing platforms. CHiMPSpsilas goal is to facilitate FPGA programming for high-performance computing developers. It inputs generic ANSIC code and automatically generates VHDL blocks for an FPGA. The accelerator architecture is customized with multiple caches that are tuned to the application. Speedups of 2.8x to 36.9x (geometric mean 6.7x) are achieved on a variety of HPC benchmarks with minimal source code changes.
Acute optic nerve sheath fenestration in humans using the free electron laser (FEL): a case report

Our previous studies using rabbits and monkeys showed that the Amide II wavelength (6.45 micrometers ) produced by the FEL could efficiently produce an optic nerve sheath fenestration with minimal damage. In order to determine if the technology safely could be applied to human surgery, we used 2 blind human eyes during enucleation to compare the results of producing fenestrations with the FEL or a scissors. FDA and Vanderbilt IRB approvals, and individual patient consents were obtained. The FEL energy was transmitted to a human operating room. After disinsertion of the medial rectus muscle, an optic nerve sheath fenestration (2 mm diameter) was made with either the FEL (6.45 micrometers , 325 micrometers spot size, 30 Hz, 3 mJ) through a hollow waveguide surgical probe or with a scissors. The enucleation was then completed. The optic nerve was dissected from the globe and fixed. Specimens were examined histologically. Dural incisions were effective with both methods. FEL energy at 6.45 micrometers can be transmitted to an operating room and delivered to human ocular tissue through a hollow waveguide surgical probe. This FEL wavelength can produce an optic nerve sheath fenestration without acute direct damage to the nerve in this case report.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Supercell studies of the Fermi surface changes in the electron-doped superconductor LaFeAsO 1-x F x

We study the changes in the Fermi surface with electron doping in the ${\text{LaFeAsO}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{F}}_{x}$ superconductors with density-functional supercell calculations using the linearized augmented plane-wave method. The supercell calculations with explicit F substitution are compared with those obtained from the virtual-crystal approximation (VCA) and from a simple rigid-band shift. We find significant differences between the supercell results and those obtained from the rigid-band shift with electron doping, although quite remarkably the supercell results are in good agreement with the VCA where the nuclear charges of the O atoms are slightly increased to mimic the addition of the extra electrons. With electron doping, the two cylindrical hole pockets along $\ensuremath{\Gamma}\text{\ensuremath{-}}Z$ shrink in size, and the third hole pocket around $Z$ disappears for an electron-doping concentration in excess of about 7%--8%, while the two elliptical electron cylinders along $M\text{\ensuremath{-}}A$ expand in size. The spin-orbit coupling does not affect the Fermi surface much except a somewhat reduction in the size of the third hole pocket in the undoped case. We find that with the addition of the electrons the antiferromagnetic state becomes energetically less stable as compared to the nonmagnetic state, indicating that the electron doping may provide an extra degree of stability to the formation of the superconducting ground state.
A NEW TYPE OF PUSHDOWN AUTOMATA ON INFINITE TREES

In this paper we consider pushdown automata on infinite trees with empty stack as the accepting condition (ω-EPDTA). We provide the following regarding ω-EPDTA: (a) its relationship to other Pushdown automata on infinite trees, (b) a Kleene-Closure theorem and (c) a single exponential time algorithm for checking emptiness. We demonstrate the usefulness of ω-EPDTA through two example applications: defining the temporal uniform inevitability property and specifying a context-free process with unbounded state space, both of which cannot be defined and/or specified by the classical finite state automata on infinite trees. We also discuss the relevance of the results presented here to model-checking.
Turnover of rat liver plasma membrane phospholipids comparison with microsomal membranes.

Abstract The turnover rates of various phospholipids in the plasma membranes of normal rat liver, determined by a single-isotope administration method and double-labeling technique, have been compared with those of microsomal membranes. Individual phospholipid classes of plasma membranes had similar half-lives to those of microsomal membranes, except that the sphingomyelin of the plasma membranes turned over more slowly than that of microsomal membranes. Our data demonstrate that within a given membrane fraction, the various phospholipid classes are degraded at different rates.
Inhibition of gingivitis by topical application of ebselen and rosmarinic acid

Gingivitis and periodontitis are a group of acute and chronic disorders of the supporting structures of the teeth. The pathogenesis of the periodontal diseases is uncertain, however, the etiology is clearly bacterial, being related to chronic exposure of the host to bacterial plaque accumulation on the teeth. It is generally considered that gingivitis is an early stage periodontal disease that may or may not progress to periodontitis. The treatment and prevention of the periodontal diseases has been a clinical problem for many years. Epidemiologic studies performed in humans have suggested that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ingestion reduces the clinical manifestations of periodontal disease compared to matched controls [1, 2]. The postulated mechanism is the inhibition of prostaglandin production induced by the bacterial inflammation. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of topical application of the anti-inflammatory drugs ebselen and rosmarinic acid on the progression of plaque induced gingivitis in the Rhesus monkey model. Non-parametric indices were used to determine the degree of gingival inflammation and plaque accumulation. At the doses and frequency of application used, rosmarinic acid and ebselen appear to markedly reduce the progression of gingivitis in the Rhesus monkey. A marked antibacterial effect was also noted in the reduction of plaque accumulation. Methods
Test Standards—Some Implications for the Measurement Curriculum

This paper demonstrates how an analysis of the Test Standards can be used to define the body of knowledge needed by teachers for the effective use of tests in classroom instruction. This knowledge domain is essential for describing a sound measurement curriculum for preservice teachers and for outlining specifications for teacher certification testing-. Procedures are described for identifying standards relevant to teachers' classroom role functions and for describing the behavior inherent in those standards.
Mentoring From the Top: CEO Perspectives

The problem and the solution. Chief executive officers (CEOs) provide a unique perspective on mentoring relationships and their experiences as both proteges and mentors. Because of limited access to organizational executives, few studies have explored CEO development, and no identified studies have explored the experiences of CEOs in mentoring relationships. This exploratory study provides insight into the perceptions of CEOs and their experiences with mentoring relationships. Study findings are used to inform the development of a research agenda.
CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY AT NIF

Many optics companies are involved in the construction of the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Get a preview of progress on the facility and what to expect in the future.
Low-energy collision-induced dissociation fragmentation analysis of cysteinyl-modified peptides.

The development of methods to chemically modify and isolate cysteinyl-residue-containing peptides (Cys-peptides) for LC−MS/MS analysis has generated considerable interest in the field of proteomics. Methods using isotope-coded affinity tags (ICAT) and (+)-biotinyl-iodoacetamidyl-3,6-dioxaoctanediamine (iodoacetyl-PEO-biotin) employ similar Cys-modifying reagents that contain a thiolate-specific biotin group to modify and isolate Cys-containing peptides in conjunction with immobilized avidin. For these strategies to be effective on a proteome-wide level, the presence of the ICAT or acetyl-PEO-biotin tag should not interfere with the efficiency of induced dissociation in MS/MS experiments or with the identification of the modified Cys-peptides by automated database searching algorithms. We have compared the collision-induced dissociation (CID) fragmentation patterns of peptides labeled with iodoacetyl-PEO-biotin and the ICAT reagent to those of the unmodified peptides. CID of Cys-peptides modified with eith...
Effect of hypertriglyceridemia on the hemoglobin-oxygen dissociation curve

Abstract We have investigated the effect of hyper-triglyceridemia on the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve and the rate of release of oxygen by erythrocytes. Hypertriglyceridemia was induced acutely in rabbits by an intravenous infusion of a soybean emulsion. The P 50 value of blood showed a small leftward shift (30.4 ± 0.3 mm Hg in control and 28.8 ± 0.5 mm Hg after infusion) following the lipid infusion. The rate of release of oxygen by erythrocytes was unchanged by the lipid infusion. These experimental findings indicate that the acute intravenous administration of a lipid emulsion produces a minimal change in the hemoglobin-oxygen reaction.
Some Observations on Ruler-Cult, Especially in Rome

Within recent years the subject of Ruler-Worship has attracted a great deal of attention from scholars, and much has been written upon it from various aspects, notably by those who are specialists in ancient religion. If I appear then to be trespassing I can only plead in excuse that the subject is of great, indeed of absorbing, interest for anyone who is a student of ancient civilization, and especially of the Roman Empire. What I offer here are some fruits of my reading in the ancient authors and the modern interpreters of their thought: all that can be done, of course, in short compass is to stress some results already ascertained, and to offer some observations of my own in the hope they may prove useful. But my debt to other scholars is obviously large: let me here mention with gratitude Adcock, Altheim, Bolkestein, Edson, Ferguson, Gow, Immisch, Pfister, Pippidi, K. Scott, Tarn and O. Weinreich, but above all A. D. Nock and Miss L. R. Taylor, who after Beurlier have contributed so much to advance our knowledge of ruler-cult. Sometimes I have ventured to prefer my own opinion, but I can echo the amiable Vitruvius in declaring— “neque alienis indicibus mutatis interposito nomine meo id profero corpus neque ullius cogitata vituperans institui ex eo me adprobare, sed omnibus scriptoribus infinitas ago gratias.”
Development and Use of the Task-Specific Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale

This article presents the rationale for the development of a skill- oriented career self-efficacy scale. It is believed that self-perceptions of these career self-efficacies at a skill-specific level can enable us to better study and understand the role of career self-efficacy beliefs in the career assessment and career development process. The procedures followed in the development of the instrument are described, along with a number of studies that have investigated various psychometric attributes of the instrument. Limitations, suggestions for improvements, and potential applications are also discussed.
Randomized Experiments in Education: Assessing the Objections to Doing Them

This article analyzes a variety of reasons that are offered within the community of educational researchers to explain why so few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been undertaken. The article suggests strategies for dealing with most of these objections. However, some of these objections are serious enough, and the remedies sufficiently incomplete, that it is difficult to call RCTs the ‘gold standard’ of causal inference in the educational sector.
Differences in the Ratio of Bioactive to Immunoreactive Serum Luteinizing Hormone during Vasomotor Flushes and Hormonal Therapy in Postmenopausal Women

With the recognition of differences between serum bioactive (bio) and immunoreactive (i) LH concentrations in various clinical situations, we measured changes in the bio:i LH ratio in postmenopausal (PM) women in response to iv GnRH, during the vasomotor flush, and in response to both estrogen and progestin treatment. Bio LH was measured using the mouse interstitial cell assay and LER 907 as standard, with conversion to milliinternational units per ml (Second International Reference Preparation of human menopausal gonadotropin). In 22 PM women, aged 42–56 yr, serum bio LH [455 ± 73 (±SE) mIU/ml] and the bio:i LH ratio (8.3 ± 0.7) were significantly higher than in premenopausal women (25.5 ± 5 mIU/ml and 1.5 ± 0.2, respectively; P < 0.002). In response to 150 µg iv GnRH, there was a greater rise in levels of iLH and bioLH in PM women than in premenopausal women, but there were no changes in the bio:i LH ratio after GnRH. During nine flushing episodes in three women, documented by digital temperature and iL...
Load balancing policy for vertical handover between 3G/WiMAX

B3G or 4G systems present different Radio Access Technologies (RAT). These networks are interconnected to improve spectral efficiency, extend service ranges and provide seamless mobility for multi-RAT mobile users. The seamless mobility refers to the network capability of providing continuous services when a mobile user is crossing different RATs. Heterogeneous networks will be seamlessly integrated in one “common” access network, enabling users' mobility with continuous services. This paper analyzes the performance of a new solution of radio resource management for vertical handover UMTS /WiMAX. Our solution is based on load balancing strategy The proposed policy is based on a decision criterion related to call service quality in order to calculate a load factor. The performance analysis, compared to existing approaches for such VHO vision, show that our proposed solution presents lower packet loss rate, lower handover latency and a reduced call blocking probability.
An Illocutionary Logical Explanation of the Surprise Execution

This paper further develops the system of illocutionary logic presented in ‘Propositional logic of supposition and assertion’ (Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic 1997, 38, 325-349) to accommodate an ‘I believe that’ operator and resolve Moore's Paradox. This resolution is accomplished by providing both a truth-conditional and a commitment-based semantics. An important feature of the logical system is that the correctness of some arguments depends on who it is that makes the argument. The paper then shows that the logical system can be expanded to resolve the surprise execution paradox puzzle. The prisoner's argument showing that he can't be executed by surprise is correct but his beliefs are incoherent. The judge's beliefs (and our beliefs) about this situation are not incoherent.
A hybrid model for erythrocyte membrane : A single unit of protein network coupled with lipid bilayer

To investigate the nanomechanics of the erythrocyte membrane we developed a hybrid model that couples the actin-spectrin network to the lipid bilayer. This model features a Fourier space Brownian dynamics model of the bilayer, a Brownian dynamics model of the actin protofilament, and a modified wormlike-chain model of the spectrin (including a cable-dynamics model to predict the oscillation in tension). This model enables us to predict the nanomechanics of single or multiple units of the protein network, the lipid bilayer, and the effect of their interactions. The present work is focused on the attitude of the actin protofilament at the equilibrium states coupled with the elevations of the lipid bilayer through their primary linkage at the suspension complex in deformations. Two different actin-spectrin junctions are considered at the junctional complex. With a point-attachment junction, large pitch angles and bifurcation of yaw angles are predicted. Thermal fluctuations at bifurcation may lead to mode-switching, which may affect the network and the physiological performance of the membrane. In contrast, with a wrap-around junction, pitch angles remain small, and the occurrence of bifurcation is greatly reduced. These simulations suggest the importance of three-dimensional molecular junctions and the lipid bilayer/protein network coupling on cell membrane mechanics.
Triple-phase computed tomography and intraoperative flow measurements improve the management of portosystemic shunts during liver transplantation

Ligation of portosystemic shunts in patients with cirrhosis undergoing liver transplantation has been recommended to avoid insufficient portal vein (PV) flow. Shunts are not always recognized pretransplantation because intraoperative PV flow assessment is not routinely attempted. As a result of a posttransplantation PV thrombosis in a recipient with a large portosystemic shunt and a PV flow <1 L/minute, we employed triple-phase computed tomography with vascular reconstruction and intraoperative graft flow measurement to determine the need for inflow modification in our next 16 patients with large portosystemic shunts. Subsequently, 6 patients with large portosystemic shunts and PV flows <or=1 L/minute underwent inflow modification at the time of transplantation to improve venous graft inflow. One patient with PV thrombosis had PV replacement without shunt ligation. Two patients with large splenorenal shunts and extensive PV thrombosis had left renoportal bypass. In 7 patients with large portosystemic shunts and PV flow greater than 1 L/minute, inflow modification was not attempted, to avoid excessive venous inflow that could jeopardize hepatic artery flow via the hepatic artery buffer response. In conclusion, sustained good graft function and inflow were achieved in all 16 patients.
Biochemical mechanism of organic nitrate action.

Abstract Increasing evidence suggests that organic nitrate action derives from their metabolic conversion to nitric oxide (NO) in the vascular smooth muscle cell. The primary catalytic activity of this process appears to reside at the cellular plasma membrane. There is no concrete evidence to indicate that NO formation is preceded by the production of inorganic nitrite ion or that the NO produced needs to form S-nitrosothiols before it can activate guanylate cyclase to produce cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP). Although sulfhydryl donors can partially reverse nitroglycerin-induced tolerance in patients, this phenomenon (by itself) is not sufficient to implicate intracellular sulfhydryl depletion as an operating mechanism of clinical nitrate tolerance. This is because sulfhydryl donors can react with nitroglycerin extracellularly to form S-nitrosothiols, and nonsulfhydryl compounds, such as enalapril and hydralazine, can prevent the development of in vivo nitrate tolerance. In addition to the cellular biochemical reactions, organic nitrates also produce systemic biochemical effects through altering neurohormonal status. These systemic effects may contribute significantly to the development of nitrate tolerance in therapeutic situations.
Direct Adaptive Control of Systems with Actuator Failures: State of the Art and Continuing Challenges

In this paper, the problem of controlling systems with failures and faults is introduced, and an overview of recent work on direct adaptive control for compensation of uncertain actuator failures is presented. Actuator failures may be characterized by some unknown system inputs being stuck at some unknown (fixed or varying) values at unknown time instants, that cannot be influenced by the control signals. The key task of adaptive compensation is to design the control signals in such a manner that the remaining actuators can automatically and seamlessly take over for the failed ones, and achieve desired stability and asymptotic tracking. A certain degree of redundancy is necessary to accomplish failure compensation. The objective of adaptive control design is to effectively use the available actuation redundancy to handle failures without the knowledge of the failure patterns, parameters, and time of occurrence. This is a challenging problem because failures introduce large uncertainties in the dynamic structure of the system, in addition to parametric uncertainties and unknown disturbances. The paper addresses some theoretical issues in adaptive actuator failure compensation: actuator failure modeling, redundant actuation requirements, plant-model matching, error system dynamics, adaptation laws, and stability, tracking, and performance analysis. Adaptive control designs can be shown to effectively handle uncertain actuator failures without explicit failure detection. Some open technical challenges and research problems in this important research area are discussed.
Doubly charged ion mass spectra of terpenes

On etudie les spectres de masse de 10 monoterpenes, du pinane cis et d'une serie de mono- et sesquiterpenes oxygenes
Surface-induced dissociation of multiply protonated peptides

We report here surface-induced dissociation spectra of three multiply charged peptides: doubly protonated angiotensin I, doubly protonated renin substrate, and triply protonated melittin. For comparison, the collision-activated dissociation spectra of renin substrate and melittin are also presented. The spectra show that surface-induced dissociation provides structural information on multiply charged peptides at the picomole per microliter sample concentrations compatible with electrospray ionization. For multiply protonated angiotensin I, renin substrate, and melittin, surface collisions (l00-165 eV) favor a limited number of fragmentation pathways, which are the same as those favored in collision-activated dissociation experiments.
Creep of SiC/Ti-1100 composite in a vacuum environment

Abstract This study examines the longitudinal creep behavior of a unidirectionally reinforced SiC fiber/Ti-1100 composite at 540°C in a vacuum. Primary creep behavior is predicted by the McLean creep model for elastic fibers in a creeping matrix provided the initial damage in the composite is taken into account and no damage accumulates during creep. At higher stresses, where the composite accumulates damage and eventually fails, both the strain and time to rupture can be predicted using the Bundle model, a modification of the McLean/Curtin creep model. In predicting rupture, the strength distribution of the weakest fibers in the composite is the controlling factor.
The Initiation and Evolution of Multiple Modes of Convection within a Meso-Alpha-Scale Region

Abstract On 30 March 2006, a convective episode occurred featuring isolated supercells, a mesoscale convective system (MCS) with parallel stratiform (PS) precipitation, and an MCS with leading stratiform (LS) precipitation. These three distinct convective modes occurred simultaneously across the same region in eastern Kansas. To better understand the mechanisms that govern such events, this study examined the 30 March 2006 episode through a combination of an observation-based case study and numerical simulations. The convective mode was found to be very sensitive to both the environmental thermodynamic and wind shear profiles, with variations in either leading to different convective modes within the numerical simulations. Strong vertical shear and moderate instability led to the development of supercells in western Oklahoma. Strong shear oriented parallel to a surface dryline, coupled with dry air in the middle and upper levels, led to the development of the PS linear MCS in central Kansas. Meanwhile, mo...
New vistas for P-aminobenzoate participation in the biosynthesis of dihydro folate: A tentative model of the tetrahydro folate multienzyme complex

Abstract Figures 6a and 6b and Table 2 show the united pattern of possible pathways of THFA biosynthesis with the substrates and the enzymes involved. With substrate selection ten different individual enzyme activities can be distinguished, but A2′ is identical with A2, and their apparent molecular weight is 28,000 daltons ±7%, and similarly c1–4 are the same enzymes with an apparent molecular weight of 40,000 daltons ±5% (Toth-Martinez et al., 1974a). The identity of these enzymes has preliminary been shown, and construction of the THFA-MEC model was partly based on these findings. So, no distinction can be made among functioning MEC-es. The different pathways, mentioned in the introductory part of this paper, can be a product of the separated study of the individual enzymic steps of DHFA (THFA) biosynthesis. By all means it is an important approach to understand the dynamics of the integrated process what we tentatively suggest in this paper for further elucidation.
Physical activity is associated with improved aerobic exercise capacity over time in adults with congenital heart disease

Background Impaired exercise capacity is common in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD). This impairment is progressive and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We studied the influence of the frequency of at least moderately strenuous physical activity (PhysAct) on changes in exercise capacity of ACHD patients over time.
Spinning fluids: A group theoretical approach

The aim of this article is to introduce a Lagrangian formulation of relativistic non-Abelian spinning fluids in group theory language. The corresponding Mathisson-Papapetrou equation for spinning fluids in terms of the reduction limit of the de Sitter group has been proposed. The equation we find correctly boils down to the one for nonspinning fluids. Two alternative approaches based on a group theoretical formulation of particle dynamics are also explored.
CstF-64 supports pluripotency and regulates cell cycle progression in embryonic stem cells through histone 3′ end processing

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) exhibit a unique cell cycle with a shortened G1 phase that supports their pluripotency, while apparently buffering them against pro-differentiation stimuli. In ESCs, expression of replication-dependent histones is a main component of this abbreviated G1 phase, although the details of this mechanism are not well understood. Similarly, the role of 3' end processing in regulation of ESC pluripotency and cell cycle is poorly understood. To better understand these processes, we examined mouse ESCs that lack the 3' end-processing factor CstF-64. These ESCs display slower growth, loss of pluripotency and a lengthened G1 phase, correlating with increased polyadenylation of histone mRNAs. Interestingly, these ESCs also express the τCstF-64 paralog of CstF-64. However, τCstF-64 only partially compensates for lost CstF-64 function, despite being recruited to the histone mRNA 3' end-processing complex. Reduction of τCstF-64 in CstF-64-deficient ESCs results in even greater levels of histone mRNA polyadenylation, suggesting that both CstF-64 and τCstF-64 function to inhibit polyadenylation of histone mRNAs. These results suggest that CstF-64 plays a key role in modulating the cell cycle in ESCs while simultaneously controlling histone mRNA 3' end processing.
Whole genome mapping of the first reported case of KPC-2–positive Klebsiella pneumoniae ST258 in Nebraska

Abstract Three ertapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae carrying bla KPC-2 were isolated from a single patient in Nebraska over a span of 5 months. A comparative analysis of the genetic relatedness of these isolates was investigated using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multilocus sequence typing, and whole genome mapping.
High-power photodiodes

Recent progress in high current photodiodes now makes it possible to linearly detect over 250 mA at frequencies into X Band. This paper will discuss the recent improvements that have lead to this dramatic improvement.
No Association of Plasma Levels of Adiponectin and c-peptide with Risk of Aggressive Prostate Cancer in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort

Background: Obesity is associated with a higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer and alters circulating levels of insulin and adiponectin, two hormones that influence biologic processes implicated in carcinogenesis. Results of some studies showed associations of circulating levels of adiponectin, insulin, and c-peptide (a marker of insulin secretion) with aggressive prostate cancer, but the size of these studies was limited. Methods: A nested case–control study of 272 aggressive prostate cancer cases [Gleason score ≥7 (4+3) or T3-T4] and 272 age- and race-matched controls from the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort was conducted to determine the associations of prediagnostic plasma levels of c-peptide and adiponectin with risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Results: Neither circulating adiponectin nor c-peptide was associated with risk of aggressive prostate cancer. In analyses of the highest-risk aggressive prostate cancer (Gleason score ≥8 or T3-T4), the highest quartile of c-peptide, compared with the lowest, was associated with an OR of 1.41 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.72–2.78]. Conclusions: Our findings provide no support for the hypothesis that adiponectin is associated with risk of aggressive prostate cancer but a possible association of high levels of c-peptide with particularly high-risk prostate cancer cannot be ruled out. Impact: These results indicate that changes in circulating levels of adiponectin and c-peptide do not play an important role in risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(5); 890–2. ©2014 AACR .
Partitioning evapotranspiration fluxes from a Colorado grassland using stable isotopes: Seasonal variations and ecosystem implications of elevated atmospheric CO2

The stable isotopic composition of soil water is controlled by precipitation inputs, antecedent conditions, and evaporative losses. Because transpiration does not fractionate soil water isotopes, the relative proportions of evaporation and transpiration can be estimated using a simple isotopic mass balance approach. At our site in the shortgrass steppe in semi-arid northeastern Colorado, δ18O values of soil water were almost always more enriched than those of precipitation inputs, owing to evaporative losses. The proportion of water lost by evaporation (E/ET) during the growing season ranged from nil to about 40% (to >90% in the dormant season), and was related to the timing of precipitation inputs. The sum of transpiration plus evaporation losses estimated by isotopic mass balance were similar to actual evapotranspiration measured from a nearby Bowen ratio system. We also investigated the evapotranspiration response of this mixed C3/C4 grassland to doubled atmospheric [CO2] using Open-Top Chambers (OTC). Elevated atmospheric [CO2] led to increased soil-water conservation via reduced stomatal conductance, despite greater biomass growth. We used a non-invasive method to measure the δ18O of soil CO2 as a proxy for soil water, after establishing a strong relationship between δ18O of soil CO2 from non-chambered control (NC) plots and δ18O of soil–water from an adjacent area of native grassland. Soil–CO2 δ18O values showed significant treatment effects, particularly during a dry summer: values in ambient chambers (AC) were more enriched than in NC and elevated chamber (EC) plots. During the dry growing season of 2000, transpiration from the EC treatment was higher than from AC and lower than from NC treatments, but during 2001, transpiration was similar on all three treatments. Slightly higher evaporation rates from AC than either EC or NC treatments in 2000 may have resulted from increased convection across the soil surface from the OTC blowers, combined with lower biomass and litter cover on the AC treatment. Transpiration-use efficiency, or the amount of above-ground biomass produced per mm water transpired, was always greatest on EC and lowest on NC treatments.
Cortical networks grown on microelectrode arrays as a biosensor for botulinum toxin.

: Botulinum toxin (BoNT) is a potent neurotoxin produced by toxigenic strains of Clostridium botulinum. Botulinum toxin poses a major threat since it could be employed in a deliberate attack on the U.S. food supply. Furthermore, BoNT may be liberated in any insufficiently processed food containing a reduced oxygen atmosphere. Hence, rapid and reliable detection of BoNT in foods is necessary to reduce risks posed through food contamination. We present a BoNT biosensor employing living neural cultures grown in vitro on microelectrode arrays (MEAs). An MEA is a culture dish with a grid of electrodes embedded in its surface, enabling extracellular recording of action potentials of neural cultures grown over the array. Pharmaceutical grade BoNT A was applied to the media bath of mature cortical networks cultured on MEAs. Both spontaneous and evoked activities were monitored over 1 wk to quantify changes in the neural population produced by BoNT A. Introduction of BoNT A resulted in an increased duration and number of spikes in spontaneous and evoked bursts relative to control cultures. Increases were significant within 48 h of BoNT A dosage (P < 0.05). Application of BoNT A also induced unique oscillatory behavior within each burst that is reminiscent of early developmental activity patterns rather than the mature cultures used here. Three or more activity peaks were observed in 50% of the BoNT dosed cultures. Control cultures exhibited only a single activity peak. Thus activity of these cortical networks measured with MEAs could provide a valuable substrate for BoNT detection.
The Stability of the Pinch

The stability of a cylindrical plasma with an axial magnetic field and confined between conducting walls is investigated by solving, for small oscillations about equilibrium, the linearized Boltzmann and Maxwell equations. A criterion for marginal stability is derived; this differs slightly from the one derived by Rosenbluth from an analysis of the particle orbits. However, Rosenbluth's principal results on the possibility of stabilizing the pinch under suitable external conditions are confirmed. In the appendix a dispersion relation appropriate for plane hydromagnetic waves in an infinite medium is obtained; this relation discloses under the simplest conditions certain types of instabilities which may occur in plasma physics.
On Doubly Selective Channel Estimation Using Superimposed Training and Discrete Prolate Spheroidal Sequences

Channel estimation and data detection for frequency-selective time-varying channels are considered using superimposed training. We employ a discrete prolate spheroidal basis expansion model (DPS-BEM) to describe the time-varying channel. A periodic (nonrandom) training sequence is arithmetically added (superimposed) at low power to the information sequence at the transmitter before modulation and transmission; therefore, there is no loss in data transmission rate compared to time-multiplexed (TM) training. We first estimate the channel using DPS-BEM and only the first-order statistics of the observations. In this estimator the unknown information sequence acts as interference resulting in a poor signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio (SNIR) for channel estimation. We then apply a data-dependent superimposed training sequence, to either totally or partially cancel out the effects of the unknown information sequence at the receiver on channel estimation. In total cancellation, at certain frequencies, the information-bearing components are nulled. To compensate for this information loss, we investigate a partially-data-dependent (PDD) superimposed training scheme where a tradeoff is made between interference cancellation and frequency integrity. Design of certain parameters for PDD superimposed training is also investigated. Finally, a deterministic maximum likelihood (DML) approach is used iteratively to enhance channel estimation and data detection. Computer simulation examples show that the proposed approaches are competitive with the conventional TM training without incurring data-rate loss.
A Human Homolog Can Functionally Replace the Yeast Vesicle-associated SNARE Vti1p in Two Vesicle Transport Pathways

Abstract Membrane traffic in eukaryotic cells requires the interaction of a vesicle-associated soluble NSF attachment protein receptor (v-SNARE) on transport vesicles with a SNARE on the target membrane (t-SNARE). Recently, we identified the yeast protein Vti1p as a v-SNARE that is involved in two transport reactions. Vti1p interacts with the prevacuolar t-SNARE Pep12p in Golgi to prevacuolar transport and with the cis-Golgi t-SNARE Sed5p in traffic to the cis-Golgi. Here we describe a human Vti1p homolog, hVti1. Whereas vti1Δcells are inviable, expression of hVti1 allows vti1Δcells to grow at nearly the wild-type growth rate. When expressed in yeast hVti1 can replace Vti1p in both Golgi to prevacuolar transport and in traffic to the cis-Golgi. Sequence comparisons with aSchizosaccharomyces pombe and two different mouse Vti1 homologs led to the identification of a very conserved predicted α-helix. Amino acid exchanges in vti1 mutant alleles defective either in one or both trafficking steps cluster in this domain, suggesting that this structure is probably the binding site for effector proteins.
Offline symbolic analysis for multi-processor execution replay

Ability to replay a program's execution on a multi-processor system can significantly help parallel programming. To replay a shared-memory multi-threaded program, existing solutions record its program input (I/O, DMA, etc.) and the shared-memory dependencies between threads. Prior processor based record-and-replay solutions are efficient, but they require non-trivial modifications to the coherency protocol and the memory sub-system for recording the shared-memory dependencies. In this paper, we propose a processor-based record-and-replay solution that does not require detecting and logging shared-memory dependencies to enable multi-processor execution replay. We show that a load-based checkpointing scheme, which was originally proposed for just recording program input, is also sufficient for replaying every thread in a multi-threaded program. Shared-memory dependencies between threads are reconstructed offline, during replay, using an algorithm based on an SMT solver. In addition to saving log space, the proposed solution significantly reduces the complexity of hardware support required for enabling replay.
Perfusion And Diffusion Measurements In Vivo With Insensitivity To Motion Artifact

The objective of this work is to demonstrate a technique that offers sensitivity to perfusion and diffusion while being resistant to bulk tissue motion artifacts that complicate such measurements. The impact of bulk motion artifact is addressed via computer simulation of phase errors propagated to perfusion and diffusion estimates when conventional phase encoded MRI acquisition is employed. Results of localized measurement bulk motion induced phase instability are shown to be substantial even for cardiac gated human brain imaging. Remedy of motion artifact is achieved via orthogonal sliceselection and spatial frequency encoding in conjunction with phase insensitive signal averaging. Examples of perfusion and diffusion values measured in the human brain by this method are presented.
MicroRNA analysis in human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cervical neoplasia and cancer

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ~22 nt single-stranded, non-coding RNAs that generally negatively regulate their target mRNAs at a posttranscriptional level. Differential expression of miRNAs has been observed in many human cancers. Methods: To study their potential role in the pathogenesis of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16-associated cervical neoplasia and cancer, we analyzed miRNA expression in cervical tissue from the normal cervix, moderate/ severe dysplasia, and invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Results: Using RNA from six cervical cancers, three dysplasias, and four normal samples and the TaqMan® MicroRNA Arrays, we found that 18 miRNAs were overexpressed and 2 underexpressed in cervical cancer compared to normal cervical tissue. We further demonstrated via individual TaqMan® MicroRNA Assays that 8 miRNAs (miRs- 16, 21, 106b, 135b, 141, 223, 301b, and 449a) were significantly overexpressed and 2 miRNAs (miRs-218 and 433) were significantly underexpressed in cervical cancer compared to normal cervical tissue. MiR-21, miR-135b, miR- 223, and miR-301b were overexpressed in cervical cancer compared to both cervical dysplasia and normal tissue. MiR-218 was similarly underexpressed in cervical cancer compared to dysplasia and normal tissue. Conclusions: Our results suggest that ten miRNAs can delineate cervical cancer from normal cervical tissue, and five miRNAs may have potential as markers for progression from dysplasia to invasive cervical disease.
Dynamics of second-harmonic generation in fused silica

The temporal dynamics of the induced second-order nonlinearity in fused silica samples held at elevated temperature as an external electric field is switched on and off are monitored with second-harmonic generation experiments. Rise times vary from 138 to 5 s as the temperature is varied from 207 to 267 °C and are consistent with an Arrhenius dependence with an activation energy of 1.3 eV. A similar result is found for the short-circuit fall time with an activation energy of 1.1 eV. In addition, weak oscillatory deviations from simple exponential dependences are observed. A model based on simple ionic charge transport in combination with bond reorientation is introduced.
Total ancestry measure

Motivation: Many classifications of protein function such as Gene Ontology (GO) are organized in directed acyclic graph (DAG) structures. In these classifications, the proteins are terminal leaf nodes; the categories ‘above’ them are functional annotations at various levels of specialization and the computation of a numerical measure of relatedness between two arbitrary proteins is an important proteomics problem. Moreover, analogous problems are important in other contexts in large-scale information organization—e.g. the Wikipedia online encyclopedia and the Yahoo and DMOZ web page classification schemes. Results: Here we develop a simple probabilistic approach for computing this relatedness quantity, which we call the total ancestry method. Our measure is based on counting the number of leaf nodes that share exactly the same set of ‘higher up’ category nodes in comparison to the total number of classified pairs (i.e. the chance for the same total ancestry). We show such a measure is associated with a power-law distribution, allowing for the quick assessment of the statistical significance of shared functional annotations. We formally compare it with other quantitative functional similarity measures (such as, shortest path within a DAG, lowest common ancestor shared and Azuaje's information-theoretic similarity) and provide concrete metrics to assess differences. Finally, we provide a practical implementation for our total ancestry measure for GO and the MIPS functional catalog and give two applications of it in specific functional genomics contexts. Availability: The implementations and results are available through our supplementary website at: http://gersteinlab.org/proj/funcsim Contact: mark.gerstein@yale.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A 5 My Chronology of Carbonate Platform Margin Aggradation, Southwestern Little Bahama Bank, Bahamas

ABSTRACT Results of integrated age dating are reported from two core borings (60 m and 61 m) on the southwestern margin of Little Bahama Bank (LBB). On the outer margin (core GB-1), seven chronostratigraphic units, some unconformity bounded, are correlated with of the inner margin (core GB-2), about 11 km away to the north. The southern margin of LBB shows a general shallowing-upward succession that records three distinct intervals of differing sediment accumulation. This outer-margin core progresses from a relatively deep-water (~ 30 m) margin (at ~ 5-6 Ma) to shallower reef-associated sands (about ~ 5 Ma) and reefal conditions (~ 5-3? Ma), followed by peloidal sands (~ 3-2? Ma) and subaerial exposure (around ~ 2-1 Ma), and finally intermittent, Quaternary nonskeletal sedimentation (~ 1 Ma to Holocene). The facies indicate a change from a windward, open-type margin (> 30 m water depth) to a windward, protected-type margin (reef/island). This change in the platform margin may have been in response to reef accretion along the margin. The long-lived reefal or near-reef facies in the outer-margin core suggests that this margin has been predominantly aggradational since at least the earliest Pliocene in contrast to the rapidly prograding margins on other Bahamian platforms during the same time period. However, the general facies succession, from transgressive/ highstand (early Pliocene) to lowstand (mid-Pliocene/early Pleistocene) to intermittent highstand (mid/late Pleistocene), is consistent with dated successions from other platforms. The three sediment accumulation intervals and their respective facies, likely representing third-order-scale sea-level fluctuations, are also consistent with changes in both the proposed eustatic curve and the oxygen-isotope curve.