cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NMDA- and endothelin-1-induced increases in blood-brain barrier permeability quantitated with Lucifer yellow

At 48 h following intrastriatal injection of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA; 100 nmol/microliter) or endothelin-1 (ET-1; 143 pmol/microliter), significant increases in brain penetration of the highly polar, fluorescent tracer Lucifer yellow were observed. The competitive NMDA receptor antagonist selfotel (CGS-19755; 30 nmol/microliter, i.c.) significantly reduced the NMDA-induced increases in blood-brain barrier permeability, but not those induced by ET-1. These results suggest that NMDA receptors can mediate increases in blood-brain barrier permeability but do not primarily mediate increases in blood-brain barrier permeability caused by ET-1. This is the first study to our knowledge investigating the relationship between excitotoxicity and disruption of the blood-brain barrier, a major pathophysiological event in stroke and traumatic brain injury.
The effects of different reinforcement contingencies in the development of social cooperation.

Abstract In a series of five experiments, several reinforcement contingencies were evaluated as to their relative effectiveness in establishing and maintaining a behavioral pattern of social cooperation. Children, ranging from 5 to 10 years of age, were divided into six three-member groups. The data indicate that the highest group response rate is produced when positive reinforcement is provided to each of the group members, contingent upon the cooperative act, provided there is some form of individual feedback for appropriate individual responses. This particular reinforcement contingency, besides producing the highest group response rate, also resulted in the emergence of separate behavior patterns or roles for the members comprising each of the groups.
Design of pores in alumina

Abstract Various procedures are suggested for obtaining alumina foils containing parallel cylindrical pores of uniform diameter over the size range of 1.5–20 nm. Pores larger than 6 nm are obtained by anodizing aluminum foils in solutions of sulfuric acid at low temperatures and subsequently etching them in a phosphoric acid solution. Smaller pores are obtained by anodizing 30–60-nm-thick aluminum films at low temperatures in a dilute sulfuric acid bath or in a bath containing a mixture of sulfuric and tartaric acids.
Identification and characterization of a pregnane steroid recognition site that is functionally coupled to an expressed GABAA receptor.

Based on the pharmacological and biochemical evidence to date, especially that derived from the recombinantly expressed receptor studies, the suggestion that a novel GBRC-linked steroid recognition site exists becomes a cogent argument. The high affinity of the steroid site for certain naturally occurring metabolites of progesterone and glucocorticoids favors a physiologic role for these steroids in the regulation of brain excitability. Clearly, investigations of such a regulatory role is warranted. If present, it provides an important example of endocrine control of a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS. Moreover, as we gain a greater understanding of the molecular organization of the GBRC, the putative steroid site provides a novel target for the rational design of therapeutic agents for the treatment of anxiety, epilepsy, and insomnia.
Identification of membrane progestin receptors in human breast cancer cell lines and biopsies and their potential involvement in breast cancer.

Novel membrane progestin receptors (mPRs) coupled to G proteins recently identified in several species, including humans, are potential intermediaries in rapid, nongenomic progestin actions observed in a wide variety of tissues. Here we demonstrate mPR mRNA and protein expression and specific membrane-associated progestin binding in MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 human breast cancer cells. Interestingly, human mPRα mRNA expression was higher in breast tumor biopsies than in normal tissue from the same breast. Recent studies indicate intracellular signaling pathways initiated by the mPRs are broadly similar to those induced during breast cancer growth and development. Taken together these results suggest a potential involvement of mPRs during the development or progression of breast cancer.
Linking mitochondrial bioenergetics to insulin resistance via redox biology

Chronic overnutrition and physical inactivity are major risk factors for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Recent research indicates that overnutrition generates an increase in hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) emission from mitochondria, serving as a release valve to relieve the reducing pressure created by fuel overload, as well as a primary signal that ultimately decreases insulin sensitivity. H 2 O 2 is a major input to cellular redox circuits that link to cysteine residues throughout the entire proteome to regulate cell function. Here we review the principles of mitochondrial bioenergetics and redox systems biology and offer new insight into how H 2 O 2 emission may be linked via redox biology to the etiology of insulin resistance.
Predictions from Uncertain Categorizations.

Eleven experiments investigated how categorization influences feature prediction. Subjects were provided with sets of categorized exemplars, which they used to make predictions about properties of new exemplars. Because the categories were provided for subjects, this method allowed a test of categorization and prediction processes, bypassing initial concept formation and memory. The experiments tested a Bayesian rule of prediction according to which (1) predictions of an object's features are based on information from multiple categories, and (2) features are treated as independent of one another. With one exception, the studies found evidence against both of these claims. Subjects did not generally alter their predictions as a function of information outside the most likely "target" category. In addition, feature relations had reliable effects on these predictions. We discuss the implications of these results for understanding how categories are used in drawing inferences.
ISOLATION OF NUCLEOLI.

The studies which have been presented have provided support for the concept that the nucleolus is an important center of ribonucleic acid metabolism in the cell. They suggest that the activity of the nucleolus may be independent of the overall ribonucleic acid synthesis generally believed to occur on the double strands of chromosomal DNA. Apparently, the nucleolus does not function simply as a storehouse for ribonucleic acids synthesized on the chromatin, since a block of most of the RNA synthesis in the nucleus does not affect the rate of synthesis in the nucleolus. The role of the nucleolus in synthesis of RNA for cytoplasmic particles has been commented on previously, particularly in connection with the interesting studies on enucleolation by Perry et al. [30–32]. It appears that there are two parts to the biosynthesis of ribosomes, one of which occurs in the nucleolus as has been pointed out by these authors. The second is that in which the chromatin plays an important part in either directing the release of ribosomal particles or in the completion of these particles so that they may be released into the cytoplasm. Thioacetamide has proved to be an interesting tool for separating the synthetic activities of the nucleolus from those of the remainder of the nucleus. Further studies on the composition of the nucleoli may provide evidence for the individuality of the types of RNA formed by the nucleolus and the chromatin, and perhaps may answer some questions regarding the differences between the synthetic activities in neoplastic cells and other cells.
A comparison between group systematic desensitization and cue-controlled relaxation in the treatment of test anxiety *

Thirty-one subjects were assigned to one of three experimental conditions: cuecontrolled relaxation, systematic desensitization, or no-treatment control. Self-report anxiety and academic performance data were collected before and after the treatment program. Both cue-controlled and systematic desensitization procedures produced significant reductions in reported anxiety on the two dependent variables directly related to test anxiety. No significant difference was found between experimental conditions on the measure of academic performance. In addition, no significant difference was observed between the cue-controlled and systematic desensitization procedures on any of the dependent variables.
Broad Functionalization of Deep‐Cavity Cavitands by Directed ortho Metalation

The endo- and exo-rim positions of deep-cavity cavitand 1 were functionalized by directed ortho metalation (DoM) procedures. A range of electrophilic quenchers led to hosts with ester, phenol and thioether functionality. In each case, a combination of host pre-organization and reaction control resulted in far fewer products than the theoretical sixty-nine. In addition to the nature of the lithiate, functionalization patterns were also dependent on the electrophile, with a general trend that the non-carbon electrophiles examined gave higher degrees of substitution. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)
Modified Discrete Fourier Transforms for fast convolution and adaptive filtering

Recently the previously reported Modified Fermat Number Transform (MFNT) based on Right Circular Convolution (RCC) was extended to form a Quadratic MFNT (QMFNT) by introducing Left-angle Circular Convolution (LCC) and interpreting the combined result as a quadratic representation of the resulting convolution output. This paper introduces a new Modified Discrete Fourier Transform (MDFT) that relies on a similar combination of RCC and LCC. The MDFT enables overlap-add FFT block processing to be implemented without zero padding, resulting in reduced computational complexity and potentially reduced power requirements in nanoscale VLSI implementations.
Modulation of Intramolecular Diffusion in Intrinsically Disordered Protein α-Synuclein under Aggregating Conditions

It is generally accepted that aggregation takes place from partially unstructured states of initially globular proteins or unstructured states of intrinsically disordered peptides or proteins. However, we know very little about the elementary steps of protein aggregation.The intramolecular diffusion due to formation of contact between two points in a polypeptide chain may be the earliest step of the folding and also aggregation. It is not yet known how intramolecular diffusion of a polypeptide chain is affected under aggregating conditions. In particular it is unknown whether the rate of intramolecular diffusion under physiological conditions is decreased/increased or completely vanished under aggregating conditions. We have addressed this issue by studying the intramolecular contacts formation in an intrinsically disordered protein, α-synuclein under both physiological and aggregating conditions. At low temperatures, the rate of intramolecular diffusion is quite high, comparable to unstructured model peptides. However this rate decreases with increasing temperature, suggesting that the protein reconfigures more slowly under aggregating conditions.
Energy Requirements of Dairy Cows

Summary Recent results obtained at the Beltsville experiment farm are in close agreement with the extensive investigations of Haecker in regard to the quantities of total digestible nutrients required to keep milking cows at uniform body weight. When the results obtained by Eckles in the same field are calculated in terms of total digestible nutrients, they also are found to be in close agreement with the two sets of results above mentioned. The results obtained by Eckles do not agree with Armsby's feeding standard in regard to the net energy requirements of milking cows. Our own results are decidedly more nearly in agreement with Eckles on this question than with Armsby. A study of the Armsby standard shows that it is not based on any experiments carried out under conditions approaching those which obtain in practice, but on a train of physiological reasoning which rests on an experiment of Kellner in which the complete energy balance was obtained in one milking cow for a period of two weeks. Although two other cows were considered, both were somewhat less economical, and were not used in the calculations. The agreement between Eckles's results and ours is closer in terms of total digestible nutrients than in terms of net energy. It is proper, therefore, to make a critical examination into the physiological considerations underlying the determination of net energy values and into the experimental basis for the net energy figures which exist at present in the literature.
GSTM1 and GSTT1 Polymorphisms, Cigarette Smoking, and Risk of Colon Cancer: A Population-based Case-control Study in North Carolina (United States)

Cigarette smoke is a risk factor for colon cancer, but the importance of dose and interaction with genetic susceptibility remain poorly understood. We used data from a population-based case control study, to examine the association between cigarette smoking and colon cancer in African Americans and whites, and colon cancer and polymorphisms in GSTM1 and GSTT1. A total of 554 cases of primary colon cancer and 874 controls were included in this analysis. We found no association between cigarette smoking (ever versus never) and colon cancer in African Americans (odds ratio (OR)=0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.65–1.33). In contrast, there was an increased risk of cigarette smoking in whites (OR=1.43, CI=1.05–1.94). There was a small increased risk of colon cancer for individuals with GSTM1 null (African Americans, OR=1.43, CI, 0.98–2.09; whites, OR=1.19, CI, 0.90–1.58) and a decreased risk of colon cancer for individuals with GSTT1 null (African Americans, OR=0.59, CI: 0.40–0.86; whites, OR=0.72, CI: 0.53–1.00). There were weak interactions between GSTT1 null and cigarette smoking in whites, and GSTM1 null genotype and cigarette smoking in African Americans. GSTT1 and GSTM1 polymorphisms may be weakly related to colon cancer risk and there may be racial differences in gene-smoking interactions.
Neural network tracking and extension of positive tracking periods

Feature detectors have been considered for the role of supplying additional information to a neural network tracker. The feature detector focuses on areas of the image with significant information. Basically, if a picture says a thousand words, the feature detectors are looking for the key phrases (keypoints). These keypoints are rotationally invariant and may be matched across frames. Application of these advanced feature detectors to the neural network tracking system at JPL has promising potential. As part of an ongoing program, an advanced feature detector was tested for augmentation of a neural network based tracker. The advance feature detector extended tracking periods in test sequences including aircraft tracking, rover tracking, and simulated Martian landing. Future directions of research are also discussed.
Comparison of immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and direct fluorescent antibody test for the detection of bovine coronavirus

Bovine coronavirus (BCV) is 1 of the major causes of calf diarrhea and has also been implicated in respiratory infections of young calves and winter dysentery of adult cattle. Currently, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), direct fluorescent antibody (DFA), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques are considered standard methods for the diagnosis of BCV infection. However, these techniques are not useful if fresh tissues and intestinal contents are not available for examination. The detection of viral antigens in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues using immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a suitable alternative. In the present study, 166 tissue specimens were tested by IHC for the presence of BCV. These tissues were from animals whose feces were positive for rotavirus and/or coronavirus by TEM. Some of these samples were also tested by DFA. Thus, TEM, DFA, and IHC were compared for the detection of BCV. There was 56% agreement among the 3 methods (overall kappa = 0.368). When IHC was compared with TEM, 78% agreement was observed (kappa = 0.475). Similarly, IHC and DFA had 64% agreement (kappa = 0.277). These kappa values indicate a moderate degree of agreement between IHC and TEM; agreement between IHC and DFA was fair. The results of this study indicate that IHC may be a suitable adjunct for the detection of BCV because of its simplicity, ease of use, and relatively close correlation with TEM results.
Leaf form and photosynthetic physiology of Dryopteris species distributed along light gradients in eastern North America

Summary 1. Despite the ubiquity of ferns and at least tacit recognition by botanists that their physiology is unique among land plants, most studies on fern physiology have focused on only a few, locally distributed, usually distantly related species. No previous study has attempted to examine physiological adaptations in a group of widespread taxa that are closely related and whose relationships are well understood. Here we report leaf form and physiological measures for such a group, the 11 eastern North American species of Dryopteris (Dryopteridaceae), and examine differences in these parameters for evidence of adaptation to light availability. 2. Economic theory predicts that species from sunnier habitats should have narrower, more steeply inclined leaves, lower specific leaf area, higher stomatal density, higher rates of maximum photosynthesis, respiration and stomatal conductance, and require more light to saturate photosynthesis. Species should show adaptive crossover in net carbon uptake per unit leaf mass, with a relative advantage by sun-associated species at high photon flux densities (PFDs) and by shade-associated species at low PFDs. 3. Field studies allow us to begin characterizing the range of native light environments occupied by members of this group, and to examine interspecific variation in several aspects of leaf form and photosynthetic light response for evidence of adaption to light availability. We also present a novel means for incorporating phylogeny in tests of correlated evolution in a reticulate lineage. 4. Synthesis. Observed trends in physiology and morphology generally agree with qualitative predictions but are often not statistically significant. We found no support for adaptive crossover in mass-based carbon uptake, and thus for light availability being the most important variable driving morphological and physiological adaptation in these ferns. We propose that hydraulic factors related to water balance may have played a larger role in determining their morphological and physiological variation. Allopolyploid hybrids did not show transgression in any physiological parameter that may have allowed them to coexist regionally with their parents. The results of our phylogenetically structured analyses highlight the importance of incorporating phylogeny into comparative studies, particularly when hybrid or polyploid taxa are present.
An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline: The Diagnosis of Intensive Care Unit–acquired Weakness in Adults

Rationale: Profound muscle weakness during and after critical illness is termed intensive care unit–acquired weakness (ICUAW).Objectives: To develop diagnostic recommendations for ICUAW.Methods: A multidisciplinary expert committee generated diagnostic questions. A systematic review was performed, and recommendations were developed using the Grading, Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.Measurement and Main Results: Severe sepsis, difficult ventilator liberation, and prolonged mechanical ventilation are associated with ICUAW. Physical rehabilitation improves outcomes in heterogeneous populations of ICU patients. Because it may not be feasible to provide universal physical rehabilitation, an alternative approach is to identify patients most likely to benefit. Patients with ICUAW may be such a group. Our review identified only one case series of patients with ICUAW who received physical therapy. When compared with a case series of patients with ICUAW who did not receive ...
Taxonomy of current medical devices for POCT applications and the potential acceptance of Bluetooth technology for secure interoperable applications

This paper presents a taxonomy for medical devices that includes the review of over 260 companies. The taxonomy classifies medical device products with respect to their output interface. Each medical device in the study is portable, designed for the point of care environment, non-implantable, and includes at least one output interface. The main motivation for this study is the possible resolution of current trends in medical device interfaces designed for point of care testing (POCT) scenarios. This paper also presents the Bluetooth Health Device Profile (HDP) as a possible option for current/new designs for POCT networks that use a smart phone as the main computational and communication engine. Vulnerabilities and countermeasures for current Bluetooth technology are described. The paper concludes by proposing a transitional solution involving the utilization of an interface box that supports the current legacy medical devices.
Effects of volume and frequency scaling in AlN contour mode NEMS resonators on oscillator phase noise

This paper presents, for the first time, the analytical modeling and the experimental verification of the effects of volume and frequency scaling in AlN contour mode NEMS resonators (CMRs) on oscillator phase noise and associated limit of detection (LOD) when the device is used for sensing mass-induced frequency shifts. Both the analytical model and the experiments show that the LOD is improved by scaling the thickness of the AlN plate and by increasing the operating frequency of the device (i.e. implementing a high frequency resonant nano-plate). LOD values in the order of 10s of zg/μm2 are experimentally extracted.
Real-time Feature Tracking on an Embedded Vision Sensor for Small Vision-guided Unmanned Vehicles

Small unmanned vehicles (UVs) are seeing more widespread use In military, scientific, and civil sectors in recent years. Because of the limitations inherent in small UVs, including power consumption and payload, the selection of light weight and low power sensors and processors becomes critical. Low power CMOS cameras and real-time vision processing algorithms can provide fast and reliable information to the UVs. These vision algorithms often require computational power that limits their use in traditional general purpose processors using conventional software. The latest developments in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) provide an alternative for hardware and software co-design of complicated real-time vision algorithms. Many vision algorithms utilize image features as the main source of information. By tracking features from one frame to another, it becomes possible to perform many different high-level vision tasks. This paper describes a feature tracking algorithm and an FPGA hardware implementation that operates in real-time.
An experimental evaluation of I/O optimizations on different applications

Many large-scale applications have significant I/O requirements as well as computational and memory requirements. Unfortunately, the limited number of I/O nodes provided in a typical configuration of the modern message-passing distributed-memory architectures such as the Intel Paragon and the IBM SP-2 limits the I/O performance of these applications severely. In this paper, we examine some software optimization techniques and evaluate their effects in five different I/O-intensive codes from both small and large application domains. Our goals in this study are twofold. First, we want to understand the behavior of large-scale data-intensive applications and the impact of I/O subsystems on their performance and vice versa. Second, and more importantly, we strive to determine the solutions for improving the applications' performance by a mix of software techniques. Our results reveal that different applications can benefit from different optimizations. For example, we found that some applications benefit from file layout optimizations, whereas others take advantage of collective I/O. A combination of architectural and software solutions is normally needed to obtain good I/O performance. For example, we show that with a limited number of I/O resources, it is possible to obtain good performance by using appropriate software optimizations. We also show that beyond a certain level, imbalance in the architecture results in performance degradation even when using optimized software, thereby indicating the necessity of an increase in I/O resources.
The effects of edible coatings on chicken egg quality under refrigerated storage

Seventy-three billion chicken eggs are produced annually in the United States. However, less than 0.1% of these eggs are exported. Increasing the shelf-life of eggs may increase export sales. The goal of this research was to determine whether food-grade coatings on eggs may extend shelf-life under refrigerated storage. Four food-grade coatings were selected: paraffin wax, mineral oil, soy protein isolate, and whey protein isolate (WPI). These coatings were applied to fresh chicken eggs. The eggs were stored for 12 wk in refrigerated storage at 7 degrees C. Two replicates of the 12-wk study were conducted. Egg properties measured included Haugh units, albumen pH, yolk pH, albumen CO(2) content, vitelline membrane strength, water loss, shell strength, and shell color. Egg functionality measurements included foam volume, angel food cake volume, and emulsion stability. Statistical analysis was performed using the SAS PROC GLIMMIX method (P < 0.05). Results found that coated eggs maintained higher Haugh units beyond 6 wk compared with the uncoated eggs. Also, coated eggs maintained a higher CO(2) content and lower albumen pH than the uncoated eggs over the storage period. Vitelline membrane strength slightly decreased over time in uncoated eggs, but did not change in coated eggs. Overall, oil-, wax-, and WPI-coated eggs maintained higher vitelline membrane strength (14%) than the uncoated eggs. Coating of chicken eggs with a food-grade film (oil, wax, WPI) will extend shelf-life beyond 6 wk.
A Sulfhydryl Reagent Modulates Systemic Signaling for Wound-Induced and Systemin-Induced Proteinase Inhibitor Synthesis

The sulfhydryl group reagent p-chloromecuribenzene sulfonic acid (PCMBS), an established inhibitor of active apoplastic phloem loading of sucrose in several plant species, is shown to be a powerful inhibitor of wound-induced and systemin-induced activation of proteinase inhibitor synthesis and accumulation in leaves of tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum cv Castlemart). PCMBS, supplied to young tomato plants through their cut stems, blocks accumulation of proteinase inhibitors in leaves in response to wounding. The application of systemin directly to fresh wounds enhances systemic accumulation of proteinase inhibitors to levels higher than wounding alone. Placed on fresh wounds, PCMBS severely inhibits systemic induction of proteinase inhibitors, in both the presence and absence of exogenous systemin. PCMBS inhibition can be reversed by cysteine, dithiothreitol, and glutathione. Radiolabeled systemin placed on fresh wounds is readily transported from the wounded leaves to upper leaves. However, in the presence of PCMBS, radiolabeled systemin is not transported away from wound sites. Induction of proteinase inhibitor I synthesis by oligouronides (degree of polymerization [almost equal to] 20), linolenic acid, or methyl jasmonate was not inhibited by PCMBS. The cumulative data support a possible role for sulfhydryl groups in mediating the translocation of systemin from wound sites to distal receptor sites in tomato plants and further support a role for systemin as a systemic wound signal.
Fiber-optic sensors for continuous clinical monitoring

Optical sensors are prepared by attaching an indicating layer to the distal tip of an optical fiber. Light is sent down the optical fiber and is modulated by the indicating layer. The degree of modulation of the returned light is a direct measure of the amount of a particular chemical species in contact with the fiber tip. A variety of sensor designs can be employed along with a diverse array of supporting instrumentation. An overview of the various optical transduction mechanisms, instrumentation, and problems associated with optical sensors for continuous clinical monitoring is presented. >
Effects of Logging on Winter Habitat of Juvenile Salmonids in Alaskan Streams

Abstract Effects of logging on preferred winter habitats of juvenile salmonids in southeastern Alaskan streams were assessed by comparing the area of preferred winter habitat in 54 reaches of 18 streams. Three types of streams were sampled at each of six locations: a stream in a mature, undisturbed forest; a stream in a clear-cut area but logged on at least one bank; and a stream in a clear-cut area with strips of forest (buffer strips) along the stream bank. To identify preferred winter habitats, we classified stream areas in 12 of 18 streams into discrete habitat types and compared the density of salmonids within these habitat types with average density of the entire reach. Most wintering coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma), and steelhead (Salmo gairdneri) occupied deep pools with cover (i.e., upturned tree roots, accumulations of logs, and cobble substrate). Riffles, glides, and pools without cover were not used. Seventy-three percent of all pools were formed by large or...
High-throughput, kingdom-wide prediction and annotation of bacterial non-coding RNAs.

Background: Diverse bacterial genomes encode numerous small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) that regulate myriad biological processes. While bioinformatic algorithms have proven effective in identifying sRNA-encoding loci, the lack of tools and infrastructure with which to execute these computationally demanding algorithms has limited their utilization. Genomewide predictions of sRNA-encoding genes have been conducted in less than 3% of all sequenced bacterial strains, leading to critical gaps in current annotations. The relative paucity of genome-wide sRNA prediction represents a critical gap in current annotations of bacterial genomes and has limited examination of larger issues in sRNA biology, such as sRNA evolution. Methodology/Principal Findings: We have developed and deployed SIPHT, a high throughput computational tool that utilizes workflow management and distributed computing to effectively conduct kingdom-wide predictions and annotations of intergenic sRNA-encoding genes. Candidate sRNA-encoding loci are identified based on the presence of putative Rho-independent terminators downstream of conserved intergenic sequences, and each locus is annotated for several features, including conservation in other species, association with one of several transcription factor binding sites and homology to any of over 300 previously identified sRNAs and cis-regulatory RNA elements. Using SIPHT, we conducted searches for putative sRNA-encoding genes in all 932 bacterial replicons in the NCBI database. These searches yielded nearly 60% of previously confirmed sRNAs, hundreds of previously annotated cis-encoded regulatory RNA elements such as riboswitches, and over 45,000 novel candidate intergenic loci. Conclusions/Significance: Candidate loci were identified across all branches of the bacterial evolutionary tree, suggesting a central and ubiquitous role for RNA-mediated regulation among bacterial species. Annotation of candidate loci by SIPHT provides clues into the potential biological function of thousands of previously confirmed and candidate regulatory RNAs and affords new insights into the evolution of bacterial riboregulation.
Information bounds and quickest change detection in decentralized decision systems

The quickest change detection problem is studied in decentralized decision systems, where a set of sensors receive independent observations and send summary messages to the fusion center, which makes a final decision. In the system where the sensors do not have access to their past observations, the previously conjectured asymptotic optimality of a procedure with a monotone likelihood ratio quantizer (MLRQ) is proved. In the case of additive Gaussian sensor noise, if the signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) at some sensors are sufficiently high, this procedure can perform as well as the optimal centralized procedure that has access to all the sensor observations. Even if all SNRs are low, its detection delay will be at most pi/2-1ap 57% larger than that of the optimal centralized procedure. Next, in the system where the sensors have full access to their past observations, the first asymptotically optimal procedure in the literature is developed. Surprisingly, the procedure has the same asymptotic performance as the optimal centralized procedure, although it may perform poorly in some practical situations because of slow asymptotic convergence. Finally, it is shown that neither past message information nor the feedback from the fusion center improves the asymptotic performance in the simplest model
A Case of Kleptomania and Compulsive Sexual Behavior Treated With Naltrexone

Objective of this paper was to examine a possible treatment option for two disorders currently lacking agreed upon pharmacotherapeutic interventions. We report a patient fulfilling DSM-IV criteria for kleptomania with comorbid compulsive sexual behavior who failed to respond to fluoxetine, behavioral therapy, and psychotherapy, and who was therefore treated with naltrexone to reduce urges to steal and sexual urges. Treatment with high-dose naltrexone (150 mg/day) led to remission of both the patient's urges to steal and sexual urges. Discontinuation and rechallenge with the medication provides further support that improvement was due to naltrexone. Naltrexone in high doses show promise for the treatment of both kleptomania and compulsive sexual behavior.
Contemplating a role for titanium in organisms

Titanium is the ninth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and some organisms sequester it avidly, though no essential biological role has yet been recognized. This Minireview addresses how the properties of titanium, especially in an oxic aqueous environment, might make a biological role difficult to recognize. It further considers how new -omic technologies might overcome the limitations of the past and help to reveal a specific role for this metal. While studies with well established model organisms have their rightful place, organisms that are known avid binders or sequesterers of titanium should be promising places to investigate a biological role.
Evolution of cellular morpho-phenotypes in cancer metastasis

Intratumoral heterogeneity greatly complicates the study of molecular mechanisms driving cancer progression and our ability to predict patient outcomes. Here we have developed an automated high-throughput cell-imaging platform (htCIP) that allows us to extract high-content information about individual cells, including cell morphology, molecular content and local cell density at single-cell resolution. We further develop a comprehensive visually-aided morpho-phenotyping recognition (VAMPIRE) tool to analyze irregular cellular and nuclear shapes in both 2D and 3D microenvironments. VAMPIRE analysis of ~39,000 cells from 13 previously sequenced patient-derived pancreatic cancer samples indicate that metastasized cells present significantly lower heterogeneity than primary tumor cells. We found the same morphological signature for metastasis for a cohort of 10 breast cancer cell lines. We further decipher the relative contributions to heterogeneity from cell cycle, cell-cell contact, cell stochasticity and heritable morphological variations.
Analysis of Rigid Frames by Electronic Computation

Computer program was written to analyze symmetrical variable section gabled single span pinned-base steel rigid frames, with fixed loading patterns and limited number of geometrical configurations.
Acute Lung Injury

Acute lung injury pattern is a term originally coined by Katzenstein1 to encompass the entities of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) and bronchiolitis obliterans-organizing pneumonia (BOOP). The term was meant to emphasize the relatively acute clinical onset of both entities, as well as the histologic temporal uniformity resultant from a single pulmonary insult occurring at a single moment in time. Both entities tend to show active fibroblastic proliferation rather than the dense collagen seen in more chronic processes. The term is also useful in the setting of small biopsies when precise classification may not be possible due to sampling issues. The term acute lung injury pattern as Katzenstein defined it refers to the pathologic findings, and should not be confused with the clinical definition of acute lung injury discussed below, although most patients with DAD fulfill the clinical definition as well.2
Estimation of the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in South Korea, revisited

Two-phase designs in epidemiological studies of autism prevalence introduce methodological complications that can severely limit the precision of resulting estimates. If the assumptions used to derive the prevalence estimate are invalid or if the uncertainty surrounding these assumptions is not properly accounted for in the statistical inference procedure, then the point estimate may be inaccurate and the confidence interval may not be a true reflection of the precision of the estimate. We examine these potential pitfalls in the context of a recent high-profile finding by Kim et al. (2011, Prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in a total population sample. American Journal of Psychiatry 168: 904-912), who estimated that autism spectrum disorder affects 2.64% of children in a South Korean community. We reconstructed the study's methodology and used Monte Carlo simulations to analyze whether their point estimate and 95% confidence interval (1.91%, 3.37%) were reasonable, given what was known about their screening instrument and sample. We find the original point estimate to be highly assumption-dependent, and after accounting for sources of uncertainty unaccounted for in the original article, we demonstrate that a more reasonable confidence interval would be approximately twice as large as originally reported. We argue that future studies should give serious consideration to the additional sources of uncertainty introduced by a two-phase design, which may easily outstrip any expected gains in efficiency.
Capital's abstractions

While they were looking for a smoking gun in that room, I was going to fire off a bazooka in here. (Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street)While ‘they' are the Securities an...
Analysis of factors affecting system performance in the ASpIRE challenge

This paper presents an analysis of factors affecting system performance in the ASpIRE (Automatic Speech recognition In Reverberant Environments) challenge. In particular, overall word error rate (WER) of the solver systems is analyzed as a function of room, distance between talker and microphone, and microphone type. We also analyze speech activity detection performance of the solver systems and investigate its relationship to WER. The primary goal of the paper is to provide insight into the factors affecting system performance in the ASpIRE evaluation set across many systems given annotations and metadata that are not available to the solvers. This analysis will inform the design of future challenges and provide insight into the efficacy of current solutions addressing noisy reverberant speech in mismatched conditions.
Differential Amounts of Material Taken up by Four Biotypes of Corn Leaf Aphids from Resistant and Susceptible Sorghums

Measurement was made of the differential amounts of the plant material taken by individuals of four biotypes of the corn leaf aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch), from resistant Piper Sudan 428–1 and susceptible White Martin sorghums. All the biotypes gained significantly more weight on susceptible plants than on resistant plants, and also had reduced fecundity on resistant plants. Weight lost on resistant plants was significantly less than the loss when the aphids were kept without access to food. Biotype KS-2 differed from others in its ability to take significantly more material from the resistant plants, on which it also had a greater fecundity than any of the others. The aphids, after being kept overnight without food, took some material from resistant plants in their first three hours of feeding, but lost weight later. In contrast, the fecundity of the biotypes and the amount of plant material taken were not positively related on susceptible plants, where biotypes taking in the most material reproduced the least.
Thermoelectric and structural properties of Bi1-xTe1+x thin films on CdTe(111)

Thin films of the hexagonal phase of Bi1-x Te1+x have been grown on CdTe(111) substrates using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Analysis of X-ray diffraction patterns (θ-2θ scans and rocking curves) of the films shows that their crystallinity depends upon the compositional deviation from stoichiometric BiTe. Measurements of the temperature-dependent thermoelectric power (TEP) of the films reveals that compositional changes cause the TEP to vary from electron dominant (n-type) to hole dominant (p-type), implying their possible application as a thermoelectric cooler or power generator. Measurements of the temperature-dependent resistivity of the films were conducted, and the analysis shows semimetallic behavior. These results demonstrate that Bi1-x Te1+x is an appropriate model system to study the dependencies of thermoelectric and structural properties on binary composition.
How prompt was regulatory corrective action during the financial crisis

Abstract This paper empirically investigates the incidence of regulatory forbearance during the financial crisis. Using an option pricing technique in concert with valuation data gathered from failed bank sales, I find that failed banks consistently underreported the level of impairment in loan portfolios during the financial crisis period of 2008–2010, helping these market value insolvent banks to report adequate capital for regulatory purposes. Impairment-adjusted capital ratios provide evidence of regulatory forbearance for up to 18 months prior to seizure. Analyses of bank coverage ratios reveal that coverage ratios are negatively and significantly related to impairment levels and are significantly lower for banks with critically low levels of capital.
Intravascular distribution of Na injected intravenously in man.

Abstract Following the intravenous injection of a few cubic centimeters of a solution of Na 24 Cl, the sodium is completely mixed in the major arteries to limbs and head in man in less than a minute. Gross variations occur in the time for venous concentrations to attain those in the arterial blood. The superficial veins of the feet and legs lag markedly behind those of the upper limbs unless the individual is vigorously active. Sluggish circulation accompanied by the flow of unlabeled sodium from the extravascular fluid and/or blood pooled in stagnant veins markedly delays mixing. This may be associated either with a motionless state, multiple local thromboses, or vasoconstriction. When rates of transcapillary exchange of electrolytes are to be studied, many early arterial determinations are desirable, since one can be certain of complete mixing before the first minute only in these vessels, and the more rapid of the various rates of exchange are so fast that they may be missed by analyses of later data. We suggest that three rather than two rates of exchange of Na 24 per minute may more nearly describe the processes occurring normally. Such rates in a motionless stuporous man were 55 per cent, 9 per cent, and 2 per cent, and in a powerfully moving person were 150 per cent, 10 per cent and 0.2 per cent.
Middle of Line (MoL) Cleaning Challenges in Sub-20nm Node Device Manufacturing

In advanced technology nodes (sub 20nm), the gate & active contact architecture has become very complex. This architecture not only introduced new materials but also integrated additional patterning mask layers. This necessitated a separate Middle of Line (MoL) zone whereas conventionally contact integration used to be a Front End of Line (FEoL) process. This paper discusses wet cleaning challenges in MoL that were unforeseen with conventional contact architecture. Typical chemistries such as Sulfuric Peroxide Mixture (SPM), dilute Hydrofloric Acid (dHF), Aqua Regia, Standard Clean 1 (SC1), etc. that were used for contact cleaning or in salicidization process are found to be too aggressive due to smaller process window, shrinking Critical Dimensions (CD), and other challenges arising from overall tighter tolerances. As a result of device scaling, most of the MoL mask patterning is done with immersion lithography and double patterning techniques such as Litho-Etch Litho-Etch (LELE) are also needed. Immersion lithography is very sensitive to pre-litho backside and frontside particles which make pre-litho cleaning in MoL very critical as well. Also due to lack of high aspect ratio features in MoL (mostly contact holes), physical particle removal techniques such as droplet spray and MegaSonic can be very effectively used to achieve higher Particle Removal Efficiency (PRE). This paper summarizes such different scenarios & related challenges.
A Framework for Determining the Return on Investment of Simulation-Based Training in Health Care

This article describes a framework that has been developed to monetize the real value of simulation-based training in health care. A significant consideration has been given to the incorporation of the intangible and qualitative benefits, not only the tangible and quantitative benefits of simulation-based training in health care. The framework builds from three works: the value measurement methodology (VMM) used by several departments of the US Government, a methodology documented in several books by Dr Jack Phillips to monetize various training approaches, and a traditional return on investment methodology put forth by Frost and Sullivan, and Immersion Medical. All 3 source materials were adapted to create an integrated methodology that can be readily implemented. This article presents details on each of these methods and how they can be integrated and presents a framework that integrates the previous methods. In addition to that, it describes the concept and the application of the developed framework. As a test of the applicability of the framework, a real case study has been used to demonstrate the application of the framework. This case study provides real data related to the correlation between the pediatric patient cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) survival rates and a simulation-based mock codes at the University of Michigan tertiary care academic medical center. It is important to point out that the proposed framework offers the capability to consider a wide range of benefits and values, but on the other hand, there are several limitations that has been discussed and need to be taken in consideration.