cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Receiver-driven layered multicast

State of the art, real-time, rate-adaptive, multimedia applications adjust their transmission rate to match the available network capacity. Unfortunately, this source-based rate-adaptation performs poorly in a heterogeneous multicast environment because there is no single target rate --- the conflicting bandwidth requirements of all receivers cannot be simultaneously satisfied with one transmission rate. If the burden of rate-adaption is moved from the source to the receivers, heterogeneity is accommodated. One approach to receiver-driven adaptation is to combine a layered source coding algorithm with a layered transmission system. By selectively forwarding subsets of layers at constrained network links, each user receives the best quality signal that the network can deliver. We and others have proposed that selective-forwarding be carried out using multiple IP-Multicast groups where each receiver specifies its level of subscription by joining a subset of the groups. In this paper, we extend the multiple group framework with a rate-adaptation protocol called Receiver-driven Layered Multicast, or RLM. Under RLM, multicast receivers adapt to both the static heterogeneity of link bandwidths as well as dynamic variations in network capacity (i.e., congestion). We describe the RLM protocol and evaluate its performance with a preliminary simulation study that characterizes user-perceived quality by assessing loss rates over multiple time scales. For the configurations we simulated, RLM results in good throughput with transient short-term loss rates on the order of a few percent and long-term loss rates on the order of one percent. Finally, we discuss our implementation of a software-based Internet video codec and its integration with RLM.
Relating Nanostructures to Mechanical Properties in Ion-Implanted Materials

Ion implantation was used to form high densities (~10 19 /cm 3 ) of small oxide precipitates in Ni in order to investigate the strength mechanism produced by such highly refined structures. Nanometer-size precipitates of Al 2 O 3 and NiO are found to block dislocation motion in the Ni matrix, producing yield strengths up to 4.6 GPa, more than twice that of hardened bearing steel. Dispersion strengthening theory, developed for micrometer-size precipitates and spacings, was found to account quantitatively for the yield strengths produced by nanometer-size oxides as well. Nanoindentation plus finite-element modeling was used to quantify the mechanical properties of implanted metal layers, and was extended to examination of amorphous Si layers formed by self-ion implantation. The amorphous phase was found to have a yield strength of 4.45 ± 0.20 GPa, Young's modulus of 144 ± 7 GPa, and hardness of 10.3 ± 0.4 GPa. The modulus and hardness are reduced by 10% and 15%, respectively, from those of crystalline Si.
An asymptotic analysis of polymer desorption and skinning

During desorption of penetrant-saturated polymers, a glassy skin can form at the exposed surface. The associated dynamics are not purely Fickian due to viscoelastic relaxation effects in the polymer. A model is presented which captures these nonlocal effects. The motion of the glass-rubber interface and the accumulated desorbed flux are calculated. The model also describes trapping skinning, where an increase in the driving force reduces the amount of penetrant released.
Spurious radiation from microstrip interconnects

The level of spurious radiation from microstrip interconnects, which are modeled as either single or asymmetric parallel microstrip lines terminated by arbitrary complex load impedances, is investigated. The calculation of the spurious radiation requires a knowledge of the current distributions on the microstrip lines, and the first step is to compute these distributions efficiently. This is carried out by using the method of moments in conjunction with closed-form spatial domain Green's functions that circumvent the need for time-consuming evaluation of Sommerfeld integrals. Once the current distributions on the etches have been obtained, the level of spurious radiation, which is defined as the radiated power crossing the plane parallel to the plane of interconnects, is calculated. The dependence of the spurious radiation on the lengths of the lines and on the termination impedances of the etches is also studied. >
Risk bounds for kernel density estimators

We use results from probability on Banach spaces and Poissonization techniques to develop sharp finite sample and asymptotic moment bounds for the L p risk for kernel density estimators. Our results are shown to augment the previous work in this area. Bibliography: 19 titles.
Cross-Linked Cotton of High Moisture Regain

Two general methods for retaining the high moisture regain of cotton after resin- finishing to improve wash-wear properties have been studied. The first method was the use of hydrophilic cross-linking agents, and the second method was the use of hydrophilic additives with conventional resins.The hydrophilic cross-linking agents included methylolated derivatives of N,N'-di hydroxyethylenebisamides, dimethylaminoethyltriazone, trimethylammoniumethyltriazone iodide, and bis(2-carbamoylethyl)dimethylammonium iodide. Several mixtures of di methylolethyleneurea and one of these agents gave better combinations of high moisture regain and crease-recovery angles than either component alone. The best combination of these properties was obtained with methylolated dimethylaminoethyltriazone. It is believed that agents of this type are effective because of the formation of hydrophilic derivatives of cellulose.The hydrophilic additives included polyethylene glycols and simple quaternary ammonium salts. These were added...
Novel expression pattern of a new member of the MIP-1 family of cytokine-like genes.

Abstract Granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) specifically induces the growth of myeloid progenitors and their maturation into neutrophils and macrophages. We have identified a series of previously uncharacterized hematopoietic-specific mRNAs that are expressed in myelopoietic mouse bone marrow cultures stimulated by GM-CSF. One of these messages, C10, encodes a new member of the family of cytokine-like genes related to macrophage inflammatory protein-1 (MIP-1). Members of this family are all induced by one or more stimuli related to inflammation, wound repair, or immune response. In contrast, C10 mRNA showed little or no accumulation in response to such activating agents and was greatly reduced on activation of a T-cell line. On the other hand, C10 mRNA, unlike MIP-1, was acutely stimulated during the first day of bone marrow culture in GM-CSF, and it was also strongly elevated during the induction of neutrophilic differentiation of 32D cl3 cells by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. The implications of this unusual expression pattern are discussed.
Interaction of Spiroplasmas with Plant, Arthropod, and Animal Hosts

Relationships of spiroplasmas and their hosts are assuming increased importance as new isolates and new pathogenic interactions continue to be discovered. Recently, emphasis also has been placed upon serologic characterization and studies of the genomes of spiroplasmas recovered from a variety of hosts. Comprehensive serologic studies of currently available spiroplasmas have established the existence of at least five distinct serogroups [1, 2]. When the characteristics of the genomes of members of the proposed groups are considered, a reasonable classification scheme of spiroplasmas can be made [3]. As new spiroplasmas are isolated and characterized, this grouping scheme will require modification. However, current classifications do identify representative strains of the major serogroups that can serve as model organisms for study of spiroplasma-plantarthropod interactions. I will review briefly some of the limited infor
Organizational Impact of Regulation: The Case of Long-Term-Care Facilities:

This paper reports a research project on regulation and de-regulation in the Oregon nursing home industry. It investigates two contrasting public-policy views of the regulatory process, capture and majoritanan. The focus of this investigation is on the following issues: the relative benefits and costs of regulatory compliance; patients' rights; the intent of regulation; regulatory complications, duplications, contradictions, and inconsistencies; and whether compliance is measured in terms of activities or performance. Local and national representatives of three groups were surveyed: patient advocates, providers of nursing-home care, and state andfederal regulatory personnel. These groups' perceptions of the issues are identified; patterns of similarity and dissimilarity among the groups are examined; and inferences are drawn regarding the implications of these patterns for the competing public-policy views.
Bayesian models for Large-scale Hierarchical Classification

A challenging problem in hierarchical classification is to leverage the hierarchical relations among classes for improving classification performance. An even greater challenge is to do so in a manner that is computationally feasible for large scale problems. This paper proposes a set of Bayesian methods to model hierarchical dependencies among class labels using multivariate logistic regression. Specifically, the parent-child relationships are modeled by placing a hierarchical prior over the children nodes centered around the parameters of their parents; thereby encouraging classes nearby in the hierarchy to share similar model parameters. We present variational algorithms for tractable posterior inference in these models, and provide a parallel implementation that can comfortably handle large-scale problems with hundreds of thousands of dimensions and tens of thousands of classes. We run a comparative evaluation on multiple large-scale benchmark datasets that highlights the scalability of our approach and shows improved performance over the other state-of-the-art hierarchical methods.
Four kinds of authenticity? Regarding Nicaraguan pottery in Scandinavian museums, 2006–08

Since the late 1970s, ceramics producers in the Nicaraguan village of San Juan de Oriente have repeatedly transformed both the design of and the technology for making their products. Different types of Scandinavian museums exhibited the most recent form of San Juanense pottery in 2006–08, which provided me with an opportunity to reflect on the history and character of the pottery in light of my own involvement with its producers since the early 1980s. This article unpacks those reflections in terms of the discourse of authenticity that anthropologists have elaborated over the past three decades. [multiple forms of authenticity, ceramics production, artisan communities, San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua, role of anthropology, systems of value]
Configuration and engineering design of the ARIES-RS tokamak power plant

ARIES-RS is a conceptual design study which has examined the potential of an advanced tokamak-based power plant to compete with future energy sources and play a significant role in the future energy market. The design is a 1000 MWe, DT-burning fusion power plant based on the reversed-shear tokamak mode of plasma operation, and using moderately advanced engineering concepts such as lithium-cooled vanadium-alloy plasma-facing components. A steady-state reversed shear tokamak currently appears to offer the best combination of good economic performance and physics credibility for a tokamak-based power plant. The ARIES-RS engineering design process emphasized the attainment of the top-level mission requirements developed in the early part of the study in a collaborative effort between the ARIES Team and representatives from U.S. electric utilities and industry. Major efforts were devoted to develop a credible configuration that allows rapid removal of full sectors followed by disassembly in the hot cells during plant operation. This was adopted as the only practical means to meet availability goals. Use of an electrically insulating coating for the self-cooled blanket and divertor provides a wide design window and simplified design. Optimization of the shield, which is one of the larger cost items, significantly reduced the power core cost by using ferritic steel where the power density and radiation levels are low. An additional saving is made by radial segmentation of the blanket, such that large segments can be reused. The overall tokamak configuration is described here, together with each of the major fusion power core components: the first-wall, blanket and shield; divertor; heating, current drive and fueling systems; and magnet systems.
Spatially Resolved Measurement in Waveguides With Arbitrary Chromatic Dispersion

A high-resolution technique for dispersion measurement in waveguides with arbitrary chromatic dispersion is reported. The technique is based on localization of four-photon mixing achieved by abrupt increase in signal-probe interaction along the measured waveguide. Arbitrary increase in optical power is achieved by counter colliding power transfer between signal and counterpropagating pump wave. The new technique was used to demonstrate meter-scale dispersion retrieval from highly nonlinear fiber for the first time. The measurement sensitivity exceeds that of the existing methods by two orders of magnitude.
Low-power adaptive filter architectures via strength reduction

Low-power and high-speed algorithms and architectures for complex adaptive filters are presented in this paper. These architectures have been derived via the application of algebraic and algorithm transformations. The strength reduction transformation when applied at the algorithmic level results in a power reduction by 21% as compared to the traditional cross-coupled structure. A fine-grain pipelined architecture is then developed via the relaxed look-ahead transformation. The pipelined architecture allows high-speed operation with minimum overhead and when combined with power-supply reduction enables additional power-savings of 40-69%. Thus, an overall power-saving of 60-90% over the traditional cross-coupled architecture is achieved.
4 Person–Environment Fit in Organizations: An Assessment of Theoretical Progress

Person–environment (P–E) fit is a central concept in organizational behavior research. Historically, reviews of P–E fit research have summarized empirical studies but said little about whether P–E fit research has made theoretical progress. This chapter applies criteria for evaluating theory to review and assess the theoretical status and progress of P–E fit research. The review encompasses P–E fit theories that span nearly a century and cover research on job satisfaction, job stress, vocational choice, recruitment and selection, and organizational climate and culture. This review indicates that most theories in P–E fit research fall well short of criteria for developing strong theory, and theories presented in recent years are no stronger than those developed decades earlier. Reasons for theoretical stagnation in P–E fit research are identified, and ways to promote theoretical progress are discussed.
Optimal Control for Spacecraft Large Angle Maneuvers Using H infinity Linear Varying Parameter Control Techniques

This study investigates the possibility of designing and implementing a Linear Parameter Varying controller with H! performance criteria integrated into the synthesis of the controller for a spacecraft undergoing a large angle maneuver about its principal axes. Towards this end, Cayley-Rodrigues parameters were used to model nonlinear spacecraft dynamics and to ensure up to 180 " of rotation about the principal axis without singularities in the system. Several linear parameter varying (LPV) controllers with di!erent parameter ranges were designed and the closed-loop performances were compared with respect to the H! upper bound ! . The optimal ! value obtained is roughly .0026. Two resulting LPV controllers were then examined through a series of simulations in order to observe both power consumption and disturbance rejection capabilities for these controllers. The two controllers demonstrated fast response times and good disturbance rejection. It was also found that the controller with the smaller performance level ! did perform better. Both control systems seemed to show some positive signs of enhanced power consumption. There was chatter involved with certain aspects of the controller input profiles, but the simulations showed evidence that this was not caused by external disturbance, and can be eliminated by proper selection of weighting functions in the control design process.
Nothing can be coincidence: synaptic inhibition and plasticity in the cerebellar nuclei

Many cerebellar neurons fire spontaneously, generating 10–100 action potentials per second even without synaptic input. This high basal activity correlates with information-coding mechanisms that differ from those of cells that are quiescent until excited synaptically. For example, in the deep cerebellar nuclei, Hebbian patterns of coincident synaptic excitation and postsynaptic firing fail to induce long-term increases in the strength of excitatory inputs. Instead, excitatory synaptic currents are potentiated by combinations of inhibition and excitation that resemble the activity of Purkinje and mossy fiber afferents that is predicted to occur during cerebellar associative learning tasks. Such results indicate that circuits with intrinsically active neurons have rules for information transfer and storage that distinguish them from other brain regions.
Trastuzumab-Related Cardiotoxicity Following Anthracycline-Based Adjuvant Chemotherapy: How Worried Should We Be?

doses of the new selective aromatase inhibitor anastrozole (Arimidex) with megestrol acetate in postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer. Eur J Cancer 32A:404-412, 1996 7. Buzdar AU, Jones SE, Vogel CL, et al: A phase III trial comparing anastrozole (1 and 10 milligrams), a potent and selective aromatase inhibitor, with megestrol acetate in postmenopausal women with advanced breast carcinoma: Arimidex Study Group. Cancer 79:730-739, 1997 8. Ward HW: Anti-oestrogen therapy for breast cancer: A trial of tamoxifen at two dose levels. Br Med J 1:13-14, 1973 9. Takatsuka Y, Yayoi E, Inaji H, et al: A comparison of two doses of tamoxifen in patients with advanced breast cancer: 20 mg/day versus 40 mg/day [in Japanese]. Gan To Kagaku Ryoho 16:2093-2097, 1989 10. Tamoxifen for early breast cancer: An overview of the randomised trials—Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group. Lancet 351:14511467, 1998 11. Lonning PE: Pharmacology of new aromatase inhibitors. The Breast 5:202-208, 1996 12. Goodwin PJ, Ligibel JA, Stambolic V: Metformin in breast cancer: Time for action. J Clin Oncol 27:3271-3273, 2009 13. Ballard-Barbash R, Hunsberger S, Alciati MH, et al: Physical activity, weight control, and breast cancer risk and survival: Clinical trial rationale and design considerations. J Natl Cancer Inst 101:630-643, 2009
On the Continuity of Asymptotically Stable Compact Sets for Simulations of Hybrid Systems

We propose a hybrid model for simulations of hybrid systems and we establish conditions on its data so that the asymptotically stable sets observed in simulations are continuous. The most important components of the hybrid model for simulations are a discrete integration scheme for the computation of the flows and an approximated jump mapping for the computation of the jumps. Our main result is built on the facts that, on compact hybrid time domains, every simulation to a hybrid system is arbitrarily close (in the graphical sense) to some solution to the actual hybrid system, and that asymptotically stable compact sets of hybrid systems are semiglobally practically asymptotically stable compact sets for the hybrid model for simulations. We present these results and illustrate them in simulations of the bouncing ball system.
Metal—Metal Triple Bonds Possessing the Electron‐Rich σ2π4δ2δ*2 Electronic Configuration

The structural and reaction chemistry of dimetal complexes containing metal—metal triple bonds of the electron-rich type (σ2π4δ2δ*2 configuration) is reviewed. Metal cores possessing this unit are Mo2+2, Re4+2, Ru6+2, and Os6+2, of which only Re4+2 has yet been subject to a detailed study. Emphasis is placed upon the more recent developments in this field.
Mechanisms by Which Gulf of Guinea and Eastern North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies Can Influence African Rainfall

Abstract The sensitivity of precipitation over West Africa to sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) in the Gulf of Guinea and the eastern North Atlantic is studied using a GCM. Results from nine perpetual July simulations with various imposed SSTAs are presented and analyzed to reveal associations between the precipitation and SST fields via large-scale circulation and atmospheric moisture anomalies. Rainfall increases over the Guinean Coast and decreases over the Congo basin when warm SSTAs are present in the Gulf of Guinea. These precipitation perturbations are related to the forcing of a Kelvin and a Rossby wave. The former is associated with a weakening of the Walker circulation, while the latter strengthens the West African monsoon. Rainfall over West Africa is less sensitive to cold SSTAs than to warm anomalies. Three contributing factors are identified as follows: 1) latitude of the SST forcing, 2) background flow, and 3) nonlinearity of the Clausius–Clapeyron equation (no more than a 20% effec...
Election Strategy and Ethnic Politics in Singapore

According to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s electoral system is essentially representative and does not suffer from significant ethnic conflict. Opposition leaders, however, denounce legislative elections as unfair and claim that Singapore's ethnic minorities disagree politically with the Chinese-dominated People's Action Party (PAP). This essay aims to test both of these hypotheses empirically, using freely available electoral and public-opinion data. Logistic regression of the 1968-2006 parliamentary election results by constituency indicates that the PAP government did create Group Representation Constituencies in 1988 so as to eliminate districts that had voted disproportionately for the opposition in 1984. Analysis using Gary King's method of ecological inference suggests that ethic polarization between Chinese and Malays was moderately high in the 1976 election, peaked in 1988, and was minimal in 2006. Indians, meanwhile, appear to have voted with the Chinese in all three elections. A parallel cross-sectional, logistic regression of the 2002 Singapore subset of the World Values Survey, however, has Indian respondents being slightly less likely to admit to dissatisfaction with the government and indicates that being Malay does not make one more willing to express such dissatisfaction. These empirical results thus cast doubt on the extent to which Singapore's elections have been truly free, fair, and devoid of ethnic tension. The findings also suggest that young, middle-class, highly educated Chinese have replaced working-class Malays as the greatest challenge to continued PAP dominance.
Mitochondrial DNA Relationships Within the Sarus Crane Species Group (Gruiformes: Gruidae)

We report 1.3 kb of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence from the cytochrome-b, tRNAThr and tRNAPro genes for Sarus Grus antigone, Brolga Grus rubicunda, White-naped Grus vipio and Japanese Grus japonensis Cranes. Previous morphological, behavioural and molecular studies have shown that the former three taxa comprise a monophyletic species group but have been unable to resolve relationships among them. Phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA sequences demonstrates that the Brolga and Whitenaped Crane haplotypes are most closely related. Estimates of the time between successive speciation events, generation time and effective population sizes suggest that there is potential for the mtDNA gene tree to differ from the species tree due to lineage sorting. Genetic divergences among haplotypes suggest that dispersal of ancestral Brolgas to Australia probably occurred in the early Pleistocene.
Effect of Cytochrome C Therapy on Altitude Tolerance of Normal Rats

SummaryThis report presents data concerning the ability of rats treated with cytochrome C to withstand the anoxia of high altitude exposure. The survival rates of experimental animals given an intraperitoneal injection of 5 mg of cytochrome C in isotonic saline were compared with those of control animals treated with a similar amount of saline. Groups of control and experimental animals were exposed simultaneously for periods of one hour. Altitudes of 33,000 and 35,000 feet were employed. In both instances, the survival rate was higher in the control group. In is concluded, therefore, that the intraperitoneal injection of cytochrome C is not effective in protecting rats against the anoxia of high altitude exposure.
Characterization of Metamict and Glassy Lead Phosphates

Single crystals of Pb2P2O7 (beam stable under 200 kV TEM electrons to a fluence > 1027 e/m2 and an ionizing dose > 1014 Gy) were rendered metamict (amorphized) with ion-implantation (100 kV P+ ions with several fluences between 5 × 1017/m2 − 2 × 1020/m2). Pb2P2O7 and PbO•P2O5 glasses were also ion implanted at identical fluences. Radial distribution functions for metamict and glassy phosphates generated using energy filtered electron diffraction (EFED) data collected on 100 kV field emission STEM (VG HB-5) indicate significant alterations in the medium range order.
Utilizing RSS-ratio for implementing anonymous communications in VANETs (Digest Paper)

As vehicles meet each other occasionally in VANETs, users will naturally have the requirement of protecting their privacy during VANET communications. The privacy requirements bring unique challenges for the communication setup and maintenance as any information (such as IP address and MAC address) that may relate to the users' IDs should not be used. To resolve this problem, we propose to utilize the dynamic physical level information, RSS-Ratio, as the address. This short paper briefly presents why RSS-Ratio can be used as an address while not revealing users' IDs, and our proposed method of utilizing RSS-Ratio for anonymous connection setup and maintenance.
Agonist-induced redistribution of calponin in contractile vascular smooth muscle cells

Calponin is a thin filament-associated protein that has been implicated in playing an auxiliary regulatory role in smooth muscle contraction. We have used immunofluorescence and digital imaging microscopy to determine the cellular distribution of calponin in single cells freshly isolated from the ferret portal vein. In resting cells calponin is distributed throughout the cytosol, associated with filamentous structures, and is excluded from the nuclear area of the cell. The ratio of surface cortex-associated calponin to cytosol-associated calponin (R) was found to be 0.639 +/- 0.021. Upon depolarization of the cell with physiological saline solution containing 96 mM K+, the distribution of calponin did not change from that of a resting cell (R = 0.678 +/- 0.025, P = 0.369). Upon stimulation with an agonist (10 microM phenylephrine) that is known to activate protein kinase C (PKC) in these cells, the cellular distribution of calponin changed from primarily cytosolic to primarily surface cortex associated (R = 1.24 +/- 0.085, P < 0.001). This agonist-induced redistribution of calponin was partially inhibited by the PKC inhibitor calphostin, overlapped in time with PKC translocation, and preceded contraction of these cells. These results suggest that the physiological function of calponin may be to mediate agonist-activated contraction via a PKC-dependent pathway.
Chondromalacia patellae: an in vitro study

Objective. To develop MR criteria for grades of chondromalacia patellae and to assess the accuracy of these grades. Design. Fat-suppressed T2-weighted double-echo, fat-suppressed T2-weighted fast spin echo, fat-suppressed T1-weighted, and gradient echo sequences were performed at 1.5 T for the evaluation of chondromalacia. A total of 1000 MR, 200 histologic, and 200 surface locations were graded for chondromalacia and statistically compared. Results. Compared with gross inspection as well as with histology the most accurate sequences were fat-suppressed T2-weighted conventional spin echo and fat suppressed T2-weighted fast spin echo, although the T1-weighted and proton density images also correlated well. The most accurate MR criteria applied to the severe grades of chondromalacia, with less accurate results for lesser grades. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that fat-suppressed routine T2-weighted and fast spin echo T2-weighted sequences seem to be more accurate than proton density, T1-weighted, and gradient echo sequences in grading chondromalacia. Good histologic and macroscopic correlation was seen in more severe grades of chondromalacia, but problems remain for the early grades in all sequences studied.
Serosurvey of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus infection among hospital-based surgeons

BACKGROUND Because occupational blood contact places health-care workers at risk for infection with bloodborne pathogens, we wanted to estimate the prevalence of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among hospital-based surgeons and correlate the results with occupational and nonoccupational risk factors. STUDY DESIGN All surgeons in training or in practice in general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, or orthopedics at 21 hospitals in moderate to high AIDS incidence areas were eligible to participate in a voluntary, anonymous serosurvey. Serum samples were tested for HIV antibody, for HCV antibody, and for markers of HBV infection: hepatitis B surface antigen, total antibody to hepatitis B core antigen, and antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen. RESULTS Of 2,887 eligible surgeons, 770 (27 percent) participated in the study. One of 740 surgeons not reporting nonoccupational risk factors was HIV seropositive (0.14 percent, upper limit 95 percent confidence interval [CI] equals 0.64 percent). None of 20 participants reporting nonoccupational HIV risk factors and none of ten not responding to the question on nonoccupational risk factors were HIV positive. Of 129 (17 percent) participants with past or current HBV infection, three (0.4 percent) had chronic HBV infection; all were negative for hepatitis B e antigen. Risk factors for HBV infection included not receiving hepatitis B vaccine (odds ratio [OR] 14.7, 95 percent CI 8.3 to 26.0) and practicing surgery at least ten years (OR 2.2, 95 percent CI 1.3 to 3.8). Seven (0.9 percent) participants had anti-HCV. CONCLUSIONS Although not necessarily generalizable to all surgeons in moderate to high AIDS incidence areas, these results do not indicate a high rate of previously undetected HIV infection among surgeons who trained or practiced in these areas, or both. Hepatitis B virus posed the highest risk of infection with a bloodborne pathogen, followed by HCV and HIV.
Analysis of infection biomarkers within a Bayesian framework reveals their role in pneumococcal pneumonia diagnosis in HIV patients

Background HIV patients are more likely to contract bacterial pneumonia and more likely to die from the infection. Unfortunately, there are few tests to quickly diagnosis the etiology of these dangerous infections. Several biomarkers may be useful for diagnosing the most common pneumonia-causing organism, S. pneumoniae, but studies utilizing the standard statistical approach provide little concrete guidance for the HIV-infected population. Methodology and Findings Using a Bayesian approach, I analyze data from a cohort of 280 HIV patients with x-ray confirmed community acquired pneumonia. First, I use a variety of techniques to establish predictor significance and to identify their optimal cutoffs. Next, in lieu of cutoffs, I find the continuous and combined likelihood ratios for every value of each biomarker, and I compute the associated posttest probabilities. As expected, I find the three biomarkers with good clinical yield and a statistically significant association with S. pneumoniae are C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and lytA gene PCR (lytA). Based on Bayesian clinical yield, optimal cutoffs are largely equivocal. The optimal dichotomous cutoff for CRP is essentially any value between 10 mg/dL and 30 mg/dL (∆pposttest ≈ 0.49). The optimal cutoff for PCT is any value between 2 ng/mL and 40 ng/mL (∆pposttest ≈ 0.35). The optimal cutoff for lytA is any value less than 6 log10 copies/mL (∆pposttest ≈ 0.45). Further, I find that continuous likelihood ratios provide much more accurate posttest probabilities than dichotomous cutoffs. For example, starting with the empirical pretest probability, a lytA approaching 0 copies/mL lowers the probability of S. pneumoniae infection to less than 15%, while a result of 10 copies/mL raises the probability to greater than 65%. However, a lytA value just above or below the suggested cutoff of 8000 copies/mL or my new optimal cutoff of 30, 000 copies/mL leaves the posttest probability of infection essentially unchanged from the pretest probability. Conclusion CRP, PCT, and lytA all provide significant value in diagnosing the etiology of pneumonia in HIV patients. The optimal dichotomous cutoffs for lytA, CRP, and PCT need to be adjusted for pneumococcal diagnosis in this population. However, continuous and combined likelihood ratios avoid discarding valuable quantitative information, and a combined likelihood ratio can be easily computed without the need for prior logistic regression. Importantly, there is significant overlap between these biomarkers such that only one of the three biomarkers at a time should be used to update clinical probabilities. Thus, it is ill-advised to combine the likelihood ratios of different biomarkers to produce a posttest probability. Finally, I provide a simple web application to quantitatively calculate the posttest probability of S. pneumoniae infection in HIV patients with x-ray confirmed pneumonia: http://meyerapps.org/pneumococcal_etiology_hiv.
Misconceptions – A Column about Errors in Geoscience Textbooks Problematic Descriptions of Some Chemical Bonds

(1999). Misconceptions – A Column about Errors in Geoscience Textbooks Problematic Descriptions of Some Chemical Bonds. Journal of Geoscience Education: Vol. 47, No. 3, pp. 275-277.
Effect of patient motion in a clinical comparison of dual-cone-beam and fan-beam sequential transmission imaging for cardiac SPECT

The objectives of this study were to identify the motions which occurred clinically during the entire imaging sequence, model the motions under controlled conditions using a mathematical phantom, and compare the resulting impact with clinically observed motion. Furthermore, we also endeavored to identify the causes for the discrepancies between the two reconstruction strategies using a patient monitoring system. With institutional approval and written consent, 106 patients underwent dual-cone-beam transmission imaging followed by emission and fan-beam transmission imaging during the rest phase of their cardiac perfusion study. Thirty-six of these also were monitored for motion using a motion-tracking system with 5 near infra-red cameras tracking reflective markers on belts wrapped around the patients. Circumferential profiles were generated from emission short-axis slices for quantitative comparison of the 2 methods of transmission imaging. The mathematical cardiac torso phantom (MCAT) was also used to generate transmission and emission maps with respiratory motion included. Projections were generated after which the transmission map was shifted to simulate the mismatch observed in patient transmission maps. Four different patterns of motion were simulated. Processing was similar to the patient data. The phantom results confirmed our suspicion that a significant portion of the apparent differences in localization we observed in the LV lateral wall of the emission slices attenuation corrected with either the fan or dual-cone beam based attenuation maps are due to positional mismatch between the two transmission maps. This study highlights the presence of patient motion in sequential imaging and hence the potential utility of patient motion-tracking during dual-modality imaging such as SPECT/CT and PET/CT.
Multiprocessing in Embedded Systems

This Chapter covers multiprocessing in embedded systems. It explains the requirements of Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP) systems and compares the approach to SMP of Intel with that of ARM. It lists ARM MPcore processors and describes the components and functions of ARM MPcore processors in support of SMP. It shows how to configure the GIC to route interrupts and demonstrates GIC programming by examples. It shows how to start up ARM MPcores and points out the need for synchronization in a SMP environment. It shows how to use the classic test-and-set or equivalent instructions to implement atomic updates and critical regions and points out their shortcomings. Then it explains the new features of ARM MPcores in support of SMP. These include LDRES/STRES instructions and memory barriers. It shows how to use the new features of ARM MPcore processors to implement spinlocks, mutexes and semaphores for process synchronization in SMP. It defines conditional spinlocks, mutexes and semaphores and shows how to use them for deadlock prevention in SMP kernels. It also covers the additional features of the ARM MMU for SMP. It presents a general methodology for adapting uniprocessor OS kernel to SMP. Then it applies the principles to develop a complete SMP_EOS for embedded systems, and it demonstrates the capabilities of the SMP_EOS system by example programs.
Mineralogy and crystallization history of a highly differentiated REE-enriched hypabyssal rhyolite: Round Top laccolith, Trans-Pecos, Texas

The Round Top hypabyssal rhyolite laccolith is a highly evolved magmatic system, enriched in incompatible elements including REE [Rare Earth Element(s)], U, Be, and F. The Round Top intrusion is part of a series of Paleogene intrusions emplaced as the Sierra Blanca Complex. These intrusions are situated within long-lived, complex tectonic regimes that have been subjected to regional compression and subduction, punctuated by extensional bimodal volcanism. The enrichment in the rhyolite that comprises Round Top is the result of the prolonged removal of compatible elements from the source magma chamber through the emplacement of earlier magmatic events. With the emplacement of each sequential laccolith, the F-rich source magma became more enriched in incompatible elements, with increasing HREE [Heavy Rare Earth Elements(s)] concentrations. The emplacement of Round Top as a laccolith (versus that of an extrusive rhyolitic flow) facilitated the retention of the volatile-rich vapor phase within the magma, forming ubiquitous REE-bearing minerals, mainly yttrofluorite and yttrocerite. The high temperature mineral-vapor phase alteration of the feldspar groundmass was essential to the formation of REE minerals, where the pervasive open pore space was occupied by the late-crystallizing minerals. These late-forming REE-bearing minerals also occur as crystals associated with other accessory and trace phases, as inclusions within other phases, along grain boundaries, and along fractures and within voids. The rhyolite at Round Top and other laccolith intrusions in the Sierra Blanca Complex represent a new sub-type of magmatic rare earth element hosting system.
Human capital, knowledge and economic development: evidence from the British Industrial Revolution, 1750–1930

Endogenous growth models raise fundamental questions about the nature of human creativity, and the sorts of resources, skills, and knowledge inputs that shift the frontier of technology and production possibilities. Many argue that the experience of early British industrialization supports the thesis that economic advances depend on specialized scientific training, the acquisition of costly human capital, and the role of elites. This paper examines the contributions of different types of knowledge to industrialization, by assessing the backgrounds, education and inventive activity of major contributors to technological advances in Britain during the crucial period between 1750 and 1930. The results indicate that scientists, engineers or technicians were not well-represented among the cadre of important British inventors, and their contributions remained unspecialized until very late in the nineteenth century. The informal institution of apprenticeship and learning on the job provided effective means to enable productivity and innovation. For developing countries today, the implications are that costly investments in specialized human capital resources might be less important than incentives for creativity, flexibility, and the ability to make incremental adjustments that can transform existing technologies into inventions and innovations that are appropriate for prevailing domestic conditions.
Acute Pancreatitis: How Soon Should We Feed Patients?

Vaughn and colleagues report a systematic review of early versus delayed enteral nutrition. The editorialists discuss the results, why they should be interpreted with caution, and the evidence gaps...
Abstract B12: Polymorphisms in the Arntl2 promoter affect metastatic susceptibility in breast cancer

Metastasis accounts for the majority of cancer-related deaths. Although exact mechanisms are unknown, studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that germline polymorphisms could alter tumorigenesis and metastasis. Our lab developed a mouse genetics approach to investigate the effect of inherited single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on metastasis by crossing inbred mice of various backgrounds and subsequent mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) responsible for the phenotype. Using this approach, we crossed a highly metastatic (FVB) and low metastatic (MOLF) mouse strain and identified Arntl2 , a circadian rhythm transcription factor, as a gene with differential expression that predicted distant metastasis-free survival in breast cancer patients. shRNA-mediated reduction in Arntl2 expression suppressed lung metastases, establishing Arntl2 as a metastasis modifier. Initial analysis revealed no polymorphisms in coding regions that could account for the differential expression in FVB and MOLF. Therefore, we performed whole genome sequencing of MOLF to identify SNP differences between MOLF and FVB. Overlapping this analysis with DNAse hypersensitivity sites in mouse mammary tumor cell lines revealed 13 polymorphisms in the predicted promoter region of Arntl2 . FVB and MOLF promoters exhibited differential promoter activity in vitro, suggesting that these SNPs could explain the difference in Arntl2 expression between these two strains. In order to validate the causative role of the SNPs in vivo, metastatic cell lines were engineered using CRISPR technology to specifically replace the FVB with the MOLF promoter. Substitution of this promoter reduced Arntl2 transcript levels and subsequently decreased pulmonary metastases, as expected. Since Arntl2 is a transcription factor, current studies are focused on identifying Arntl2-regulated genes to investigate the pathways that are involved in modulating metastasis. This study will have important implications regarding the function of circadian rhythm in cancer progression and provide a potential molecular mechanism to explain the increased risk of breast cancers in nightshift workers. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge this would be the first example of genome editing to validate polymorphisms in transcriptional control elements associated with inherited susceptibility for metastasis. Citation Format: Ngoc-Han Ha, Kent W. Hunter. Polymorphisms in the Arntl2 promoter affect metastatic susceptibility in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; 2015 Nov 30-Dec 3; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(7 Suppl):Abstract nr B12.
Upper thermal tolerance in red and blue king crab: sublethal and lethal effects

Red and blue king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus and P. platypus) are both important fisheries species in Alaska. Despite the threat of climate change, the upper thermal tolerance of these species has been little studied. In this paper, we determine the lethal and sub-lethal thermal responses of year-0 juvenile red and blue king crab. Crab were exposed to a range of temperatures for 24 h to determine the lethal temperature at which mortality was 50% (LT50). Feeding rations were determined at sub-lethal temperatures for both species. Finally, crab were held for 45 days at sub-lethal temperatures and growth and long-term mortality rates were measured. The LT50s of red and blue king crab were 24.3 and 21.3 °C, respectively. Feeding ration peaked between 12 and 17 °C for red king crab and between 5 and 10 °C for blue king crab. The growth rate of red king crab decreased at temperatures above 12 °C, while blue king crab exhibited very low growth rates at temperatures 12 °C and above. Increased mortality in the 45-day experiment occurred for red king crab at 20 °C and blue king crab at 17 °C. This study suggests that, within their current distribution, the juveniles of both species could withstand warming of several degrees and not be thermally stressed; however, more research into the effect of increased temperature variability and other response variables, such as resting and active respiration, is needed. In addition, increased temperature could affect other life-history stages differently or have indirect effects, such as altered species interactions and food availability.
Maximizing Local Access to Therapeutic Deliveries in Glioblastoma. Part I: Targeted Cytotoxic Therapy

ABSTRACT Glioblastoma (GBM), a primary brain tumor, remains an unmet medi¬cal need. One of the major obstacles to GBM treatment is the adequate properties of drugs. Complex pathobiology of GBM, including local invasion and intratu¬moral heterogeneity, represent major challenges to generating effective therapies. We discuss here the design of targeted cytotoxic drugs with an increased access to tumors and pathophysiologically important tumor compartments. Our research and others’ have shown that interleukin 13 receptor alpha 2 (IL-13RA2), EphA2, and EphA3 receptors are overexpressed in most patients with GBM, but not in normal brain, and also in spontaneous canine high-grade gliomas like GBM, an excellent translational model of GBM. These receptors and also the EphB2 recep¬tor are overexpressed and are functional in several GBM compartments involved in tumor progression and/or resistance to therapies. We pursue the novel idea of targeting all four receptors with one targeted cytotoxic compound (QUAD-CTX). We are constructing a molecularly targeted anti-GBM drug that (i) may not require patient prescreening, (ii) will attack most tumor compartments known to be pathobiologically important, and (iii) performs these functions in one pharma¬ceutical entity, so it will be suitable for monotherapy. We thus wish to take advan¬tage of a unique opportunity to produce an off-the-shelf, highly specific, molecularly targeted drug candidate suitable to treat perhaps even all patients with GBM. We envision that this “molecular resection” will translate into clear-cut durable responses in patients suffering from this dreadful disease.