cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Point-source inversion techniques

Abstract A variety of approaches for obtaining source parameters from waveform data using moment-tensor or dislocation point source models have been investigated and applied to long-period body and surface waves from several earthquakes. Generalized inversion techniques have been applied to data for long-period teleseismic body waves to obtain the orientation, time function and depth of the 1978 Thessaloniki, Greece, event, of the 1971 San Fernando event, and of several events associated with the 1963 induced seismicity sequence at Kariba, Africa. The generalized inversion technique and a systematic grid testing technique have also been used to place meaningful constraints on mechanisms determined from very sparse data sets; a single station with high-quality three-component waveform data is often sufficient to discriminate faulting type (e.g., strike-slip, etc.). Sparse data sets for several recent California earthquakes, for a small regional event associated with the Koyna, India, reservoir, and for several events at the Kariba reservoir have been investigated in this way. Although linearized inversion techniques using the moment-tensor model are often robust, even for sparse data sets, there are instances where the simplifying assumption of a single point source is inadequate to model the data successfully. Numerical experiments utilizing synthetic data and actual data for the 1971 San Fernando earthquake graphically demonstrate that severe problems may be encountered if source finiteness effects are ignored. These techniques are generally applicable to on-line processing of high-quality digital data, but source complexity and inadequacy of the assumed Green's functions are major problems which are yet to be fully addressed.
The Effect of Lipid Emulsions on Reticuloendothelial System Function in the Injured Animal

Use of intravenous lipid emulsions in trauma and sepsis still remains controversial. In order to examine the impact lipid emulsions have on host defense against bacterial infection during total parenteral nutrition (TPN), 56 male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent jugular cannulation and were randomly divided into three groups, each receiving one of three TPN regimens. All regimens delivered approximately 250 kcal/kg X body weight/day, of which 12.5 g were as amino acids. Group 1 received 100% of the nonprotein calories as glucose (AA + G). Group 2 was given 50% of the nonprotein calories as a longchain triglyceride emulsion (100% LCT). Group 3 received 50% of nonprotein calories as a mixed lipid system, composed of medium- and long-chain triglycerides (75% MCT/25% LCT). After 24 hr on intravenous nutrition, all animals received bilateral septic femur fractures and were continued on TPN for 3 days. On the last day, the level of bacteremia and the in vivo response to an intravenous challenge of 59Fe-labeled Escherichia coli were examined. Three days following the septic injury, animals given MCT as part of their lipid calories were not bacteremic, whereas the other groups had greater than 10(2) cfu/ml of blood. Animals receiving TPN with MCT sequestered a greater percentage of exogenously administered bacteria in the liver and sequestered less in the lung compared to animals given 100% LCT (p less than 0.05). From these data, we conclude that parenteral nutrition formulas where LCT has been partially replaced with MCT may better support host bactericidal capacity than similar regimens comprised of LCT as the sole lipid source.
A Full Color System for Quantitative Assessment of Histochemical and Immunohistochemical Staining Patterns

Quantitative measures of staining distributions are important to compare the presence and patterns of cells or macromolecules. Typically, achromatic thresholding systems are used to compare staining distributions. Achromatic video signals, however, lack sufficient resolution to identify and compare chromatic changes. The purpose of this study is to describe a full color system for analysis of chromatic staining distributions. The hardware system includes a Leitz Diaplan microscope, video camera, GVP videoboard and Amiga 3000 computer. Software was developed in "C" to partition the video signal into hue (H), saturation (S) and value (V). Also, percentage of stained area was determined. Kodak color filters were used to assess the accuracy and precision of the system. Craniofacial tissues were stained with varying concentrations of toluidine blue and primary anti-BrdU antibodies. HSV and the percentage of stained areas were determined and displayed low coefficients of error. HSV values also performed as expected for standard filters as well as cellular staining concentrations. This system is easily implemented and should be useful for comparing chromatic changes with any color resulting from histochemical or immunohistochemical procedures.
Simultaneous measurement of steady-state and pulsatile optical density changes*

A highly stable, easily built and operated circuit was designed to linearise the output of a particular photocell operating at the isobestic point of blood. In addition, the system was testedin vitro by simultaneously recording the total optical-density (o.d.) changes, and pulsatile o.d. changes observed when blood was perfused through a rigid tube and tubing capable of volume changes. The results showed different pulsatile o.d. changes, both in waveform and temporal sequence, for the rigid and distensible tubes.
The effect of bacteria and fungi on chemical weathering and chemical denudation fluxes in pine growth experiments

Vascular plants and associated microbial communities affect the nutrient resources of terrestrial ecosystems by impacting chemical weathering that transfers elements from primary minerals to other ecosystem pools, and chemical denudation that transports weathered elements out of the system in solution. We performed a year-long replicated flow-through column growth experiment to isolate the effects of vascular plants, ectomycorrhiza-forming fungi and associated bacteria on chemical weathering and chemical denudation. The study focused on Ca2+, K+ and Mg2+, for which the sole sources were biotite and anorthite mixed into silica sand. Concentrations of the cations were measured in input and output solutions, and three times during the year in plant biomass and on exchangeable cation sites of the growth medium. Weathering and denudation fluxes were estimated by mass balance, and mineral surface changes, biofilm and microbial attachments to surfaces were investigated with scanning electron microscopy. Both bacteria and fungi increased weathering fluxes compared to abiotic controls. Without a host plant denudation rates were as large as weathering rates i.e. the weathering to denudation ratio was about one. Based on whole year fluxes, ectomycorrhizal seedlings produced the greatest weathering to denudation ratios (1.5). Non-ectomycorrhizal seedlings also showed a high ratio of 1.3. Both ectomycorrhizal hyphal networks and root hairs of non-ectomycorrhizal trees, embedded in biofilm (microorganisms surrounded by extracellular polymers), transferred nutrients to the host while drainage losses were minimized. These results suggest that biofilms localize both weathering and plant nutrient uptake, isolating the root-hypha-mineral interface from bulk soil solution.
Photons and neurons.

Methods to control neural activity by light have been introduced to the field of neuroscience. During the last decade, several techniques have been established, including optogenetics, thermogenetics, and infrared neural stimulation. The techniques allow investigators to turn-on or turn-off neural activity. This review is an attempt to show the importance of the techniques for the auditory field and provide insight in the similarities, overlap, and differences of the techniques. Discussing the mechanism of each of the techniques will shed light on the abilities and challenges for each of the techniques. The field has been grown tremendously and a review cannot be complete. However, efforts are made to summarize the important points and to refer the reader to excellent papers and reviews to specific topics. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled .
Enabling Soft Lithography Using an Atomic Force Microscope

Atomic force microscope (AFM) based anodization nanolithography generates nanoscale oxide patterns on a silicon substrate in a serial fashion. The design of a custom AFM system allows for the controlled deposition of oxide patterns in the 100 nm regime. Anisotropic etching of the substrates results in raised micro- and nanostructures. The resulting master patterns are shown to be useful for the molding of stamps for soft lithographic patterning at the nanoscale. The simplicity of this method enables prototypical investigation of new materials and processes for soft lithographic research.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Insulin-like growth factor 1-mediated hyperthermia involves anterior hypothalamic insulin receptors.

The objective is to investigate the role of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in the regulation of core body temperature. Sequencing cDNA libraries from individual warm-sensitive neurons from the preoptic area (POA) of the hypothalamus, a region involved in the central control of thermoregulation, identified neurons that express both IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) and insulin receptor transcripts. The effects of administration of IGF-1 into the POA was measured by radiotelemetry monitoring of core temperature, brown adipose tissue (BAT) temperature, metabolic assessment, and imaging of BAT by positron emission tomography of 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose uptake combined with computed tomography. IGF-1 injection into the POA caused dose-dependent hyperthermia that could be blocked by pretreatment with the IGF-1R tyrosine kinase inhibitor, PQ401. The IGF-1-evoked hyperthermia involved activation of brown adipose tissue and was accompanied by a switch from glycolysis to fatty acid oxidation as a source of energy as shown by lowered respiratory exchange ratio. Transgenic mice that lack neuronal insulin receptor expression in the brain (NIRKO mice) were unable to mount the full hyperthermic response to IGF-1, suggesting that the IGF-1 mediated hyperthermia is partly dependent on expression of functional neuronal insulin receptors. These data indicate a novel thermoregulatory role for both IGF-1R and neuronal insulin receptors in IGF-1 activation of BAT and hyperthermia. These central effects of IGF-1 signaling may play a role in regulation of metabolic rate, aging, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
NUCLEAR SPINS, HYPERFINE STRUCTURES, AND NUCLEAR MOMENTS OF SCANDIUM-46 AND YTTRIUM-91

The atomic-beam magnetic-resonance method has been used to study some atomic and nuclear properties of 84-day ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{46}$ and 58-day ${\mathrm{Y}}^{91}$. The results are
BOD, COD and TOC studies of petroleum base cutting fluids

The biological oxidation criteria of 21 oil-in-water metal working lubricants have been examined using classical Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analyses. The O2 required by unacclimated sewage microorganisms ranged from 14 000 to 297 000 mg O2 l−1 lubricant. Based on the initial COD and/or TOC, the extent of biological oxidation ranged from 1.6 to 35.0% over the five day test period.
Probing molecular interactions in bone biomaterials: Through molecular dynamics and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Abstract Polymer-hydroxyapatite (HAP) composites are widely investigated for their potential use as bone replacement materials. The molecular interactions at mineral polymer interface are known to have significant role of mechanical response of the composite system. Modeling interactions between such dissimilar molecules using molecular dynamics (MD) is an area of current interest. Molecular dynamics studies require potential function or force field parameters. Some force fields are described in literature that represents the structure of hydroxyapatite reasonably well. Yet, the applicability of these force fields for studying the interaction between dissimilar materials (such as mineral and polymer) is limited, as there is no accurate representation of polymer in these force fields. We have obtained the parameters of consistent valence force field (CVFF) for monoclinic hydroxyapatite. Validation of parameters was done by comparing the computationally obtained unit cell parameters, vibrational spectra and atomic distances with XRD and FTIR experiments. Using the obtained parameters of HAP, and available parameters of polymer (polyacrylic acid), interaction study was performed with MD simulations. The MD simulations showed that several hydrogen bonds may form between HAP and polyacrylic acid depending upon the exposed surface of HAP. Also there are some favourable planes of HAP where polyacrylic acid is most likely to attach. We have also simulated the mineralization of HAP using a “synthetic biomineralization”. These modeling studies are supported by photoacoustic spectroscopy experiments on both porous and non porous composite samples for potential joint replacement and bone tissue engineering applications.
LIMITS TO CATALYSIS BY RIBONUCLEASE A

Bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A (RNase A) catalyzes the cleavage of the P-O(5') bond in RNA. Although this enzyme has been the object of much landmark work in bioorganic chemistry, the nature of its rate-limiting transition state and its catalytic rate enhancement had been unknown. Here, the value of k(cat)/K(m) for the cleavage of UpA by wild-type RNase A was found to be inversely related to the concentration of added glycerol. In contrast, the values of k(cat)/K(m) for the cleavage of UpA by a sluggish mutant of RNase A and the cleavage of the poor substrate UpOC(6)H(4)-p-NO(2) by wild-type RNase A were found to be independent of glycerol concentration. Yet, UpA cleavage by the wild-type and mutant enzymes was found to have the same dependence on sucrose concentration, indicating that catalysis of UpA cleavage by RNase A is limited by desolvation. The rate of UpA cleavage by RNase A is maximal at pH 6.0, where k(cat) = 1.4 × 10(3) s(-1) and k(cat)/K(m) = 2.3 × 10(6) M(-1)s(-1) at 25°C. At pH 6.0 and 25°C, the uncatalyzed rate of [5,6-(3)H]Up[3,5,8-(3)H]A cleavage was found to be k(uncat) = 5 × 10(-9) s(-1) (t(1/2) = 4 years). Thus, RNase A enhances the rate of UpA cleavage by 3 × 10(11)-fold by binding to the transition state for P-O(5') bond cleavage with a dissociation constant of <2 × 10(-15) M.
An Elementary Introduction to Maximum Likelihood Estimation for Multinomial Models: Birch's Theorem and the Delta Method

Abstract A fairly complete introduction to the large sample theory of parametric multinomial models, suitable for a second-year graduate course in categorical data analysis, can be based on Birch's theorem (1964) and the delta method (Bishop, Fienberg, and Holland 1975). I present an elementary derivation of a version of Birch's theorem using the implicit function theorem from advanced calculus, which allows the presentation to be relatively self-contained. The use of the delta method in deriving asymptotic distributions is illustrated by Rao's (1973) result on the distribution of standardized residuals, which complements the presentation in Bishop, Fienberg, and Holland. The asymptotic theory is illustrated by two examples.
Projective geometry with Clifford algebra

Projective geometry is formulated in the language of geometric algebra, a unified mathematical language based on Clifford algebra. This closes the gap between algebraic and synthetic approaches to projective geometry and facilitates connections with the rest of mathematics.
Identification of Sporadic- E from Low-Frequency Sweep Polarization Records

MEASUREMENTS of the group height and sense of rotation of the polarization ellipse by Brunnschweiler1 in the swept frequency-range of 100–1,000 kc./s. have frequently displayed an interference pattern similar to those shown by the records of Fig. 1. This is an ordinary h′–f record to which has been added a sense of rotation indicator; corresponding to a dark trace, the echo polarization is a north into east rotation (N→E) while the light trace refers to the echo having a north into west rotation (N→W). Further details on the recorder design have been given by Carlson2.
Insights Into the Pathogenesis of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriasis and its related arthritis are chronic inflammatory disorders affecting predominantly the skin and synovium. Although their etiology remains to be established, multiple factors seem to play important roles in their pathogenesis. These environmental (eg, infectious agents and trauma), genetic, and immunologic factors are reviewed in this article.
Cytopathogenic propagation of poliomyelitis virus in normal and leukemic guinea pig spleen cell cultures.

1. Poliomyelitis virus of all three types, when inoculated into primary guinea pig spleen cell cultures, produced no cytopathogenic effects. 2. Beginning with the fourth, fifth or eighth serial cell passage all three poliomyelitis viruses induced specific cytopathogenic effects comparable to those seen in human or monkey cell tissue cultures. 3. Guinea pig spleen cells harvested from remote tissue culture passages were antigenically different from those harvested from primary tissue cultures.
Unanswered Questions about Public Service in the Public Research University

Public service in the public research university is more important than ever before, but there is a need to discuss even the most basic questions about the subject. For example, what is meant by se...
Minimizing the supply sensitivity of CMOS ring oscillator by jointly biasing the supply and control voltage

A method to minimize the supply sensitivity of a CMOS ring oscillator is proposed through joint biasing of the supply and the control voltage. The technique can supplement a number of common supply rejection techniques. The proposed CMOS ring oscillator is designed and implemented with a charge-pump based phase-locked loop in 65-nm technology to demonstrate the robustness against the supply fluctuation. Taking advantage of the negative static supply sensitivity of the ring oscillator with proper combination of the bias voltages, the rms jitter of the 4-GHz output clock is reduced from 10.66-ps to 5.04-ps while subject to switching noise with magnitude of 2.5% of the supply voltage at 150-MHz. Furthermore, more than 4.5times of reduction in the power consumption is achieved.
Rapid One-Step Carrier Detection Assay of Mucolipidosis IV Mutations in the Ashkenazi Jewish Population

Two mutations in the MCOLN1 mucolipidosis IV (ML IV) gene represent ∼95% of the mutations in Ash-kenazi-Jewish patients with ML IV. The mutations, a splice site mutation (IVS3-2A>G) and an ∼6.4-kb deletion (511del6434), account for 72% and 23% of ML IV alleles in this population, respectively. An automated high-throughput assay was developed using the 5′-nuclease (TaqMan) method for the simultaneous detection of both mutations in a single reaction. Three fluorescent probes specifically detected wild-type, IVS3-2A>G, and 511del6434 alleles in each reaction real-time. Data collected were automatically analyzed, and genotype results were uploaded into a laboratory information management system. The assay was validated using genomic controls, demonstrating high robustness and accuracy. Carrier screening of 10,527 samples revealed 77 heterozygote carriers of IVS3-2A>G, 25 heterozygote carriers of 511del6434, and two compound heterozygote of both mutant alleles. The frequency of mutated alleles was 0.73% for IVS3-2A>G and 0.24% for 511del6434. The combined carrier frequency was 1:103 with predicted disease incidence of 1:42,436 individuals in this population, slightly lower than previously described frequencies. This automated high-throughput assay is labor saving, because two mutations can be detected in a single reaction. The method has potential for use in other assays requiring simultaneous detection of two mutations.
Life history studies of the predaceous mite Phytoseius hawaiiensis

Phytoseius hawaiiensis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) had relatively long periods of preoviposition, oviposition and postoviposition (4.6, 46.9 and 52.0 days, respectively, at 24 °C), and a relatively low fecundity (31.4 eggs per female), compared to other phytoseiid species. The most favorable food tested was all stages of Oligonychus punicae (Hirst), but various other species of mite prey as well as pollen also promoted oviposition. Extreme variation was observed in hatching time of the eggs, from 10 min (rare) to over 4 days (common). Occasionally, females apparently retain their eggs until just before larvae hatch, as eggs containing developed larvae were observed inside some females. Results of experiments suggested that unsuitable substrate (e.g. for oviposition) is a factor which induces longer egg retention prior to oviposition. RESUME Donnees sur la biologie de l'acarien phytophage Phytoseius hawaiiensis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) Chez Phytoseius hawaiiensis, les durees des periodes precedant la ponte, correspondant a la ponte et succedant a la ponte, sont relativement longues; respectivement 4, 6; 31, 4 et 52 jours a 24 °C; dans ces conditions, la fecondite est relativement basse: 31, 4 oeufs par femelle. Oligonychus punicae (aux differents stades) a constitue le meilleur aliment essaye, mais diverses autres especes d'acariens ainsi que le pollen induisent la ponte. La date d'eclosion des oeufs a presente une tres grande variabilite, de 10 min (rare) a plus de 4 jours (frequent). Souvent, les femelles semblent retenir leurs oeufs jusqu'au moment precedant l'eclosion des larves, car des oeufs contenant des larves developpees ont ete observes dans quelques femelles. Les resultats des experiences ont suggere qu'un substrat defavorable (pour la ponte) induit une plus longue retention de la ponte.
Umbilical artery regression: a rare complication of intravascular fetal transfusion.

Abstract Background: Intravascular fetal transfusion is an important therapeutic advance but is associated with several complications. Regression of an umbilical artery associated with transfusion is rare. Case: A case of red blood cell alloimmunization managed by serial transfusions was complicated by functional loss of an umbilical artery during pregnancy. Refractory fetal bradycardia occurred during the last transfusion procedure, requiring emergency preterm cesarean delivery. Coagulative necrosis, thrombosis, and focal calcification of one umbilical artery was confirmed after delivery. Conclusion: Umbilical artery regression associated with transfusion therapy is rare and may complicate subsequent fetal transfusions.
Effects of a Self-Fed Pelleted Mixture of Hay and Calf Starter on the Performance of Young Dairy Calves

Abstract Newborn calves fed milk and a self-fed pelleted (.95-cm die) mixture of three parts calf starter and one part ground suncured alfalfa hay consumed significantly more feed and gained more weight than calves fed milk, starter, and hay separately in the conventional manner. Results were similar when the experiment was repeated with a .48-cm pellet; calves preferred the pellet having the smaller diameter. In a third experiment the self-fed pelleted mixture containing 22% protein was compared with one containing 18% protein. Calves receiving the 22% protein mixture gained more than those receiving the 18% protein mixture. There was no difference between groups in feed intake.
Commentary on "nationwide trends in abdominal aortic aneurysm repair and use of endovascular repair in the emergency setting".

Although the article provides more substantive data on overall use of EVAR, it also has problems. The authors attempted to evaluate relative costs of EVAR and OAR and changes in these costs with time by assessing hospital charges over the 2001–2009 study period. Hospital charges are known to vary with many factors other than cost. Moreover, the NIS database does not reflect inflationary changes. Therefore, the apparent increasing cost of EVAR and OAR with time may be more apparent than real. In addition, relative differences in charges may be reflective of differences in comorbidities and risk factors as better-risk cases with less challenging anatomy were increasingly treated by EVAR over the study period. The increasing proportion of patients with AAA requiring afterhospital care is of interest but remains unexplained. It may indicate that older, sicker patients with AAAs are being
Plant behaviour and communication

Plant behaviours are defined as rapid morphological or physiological responses to events, relative to the lifetime of an individual. Since Darwin, biologists have been aware that plants behave but it has been an underappreciated phenomenon. The best studied plant behaviours involve foraging for light, nutrients, and water by placing organs where they can most efficiently harvest these resources. Plants also adjust many reproductive and defensive traits in response to environmental heterogeneity in space and time. Many plant behaviours rely on iterative active meristems that allow plants to rapidly transform into many different forms. Because of this modular construction, many plant responses are localized although the degree of integration within whole plants is not well understood. Plant behaviours have been characterized as simpler than those of animals. Recent findings challenge this notion by revealing high levels of sophistication previously thought to be within the sole domain of animal behaviour. Plants anticipate future conditions by accurately perceiving and responding to reliable environmental cues. Plants exhibit memory, altering their behaviours depending upon their previous experiences or the experiences of their parents. Plants communicate with other plants, herbivores and mutualists. They emit cues that cause predictable reactions in other organisms and respond to such cues themselves. Plants exhibit many of the same behaviours as animals even though they lack central nervous systems. Both plants and animals have faced spatially and temporally heterogeneous environments and both have evolved plastic response systems.
Minimization of Organocuprate Complexity through Self‐Organization: Remarkable Orientation Effect in Mixed Cuprate π Complexes

They "know" where to go: a powerful orientation effect has been observed in complexes of mixed organocuprates [R(T)R(NT)CuLi] and substrates with C-C, C-N, and C-S double bonds (see scheme; Th=thienyl). The preferred geometry of the intermediate complex sets up the facile addition of R(T) to the double bond, rather than addition of the "dummy ligand", R(NT) .
A Description and Market Analysis of Write‐off Announcements

This paper examines the stock market reaction to write-off announcements. The increasing prevalence of write-offs over the last decade has lead the Financial Accounting Standards Board to issue new guidelines on the accounting for write-offs, and there has been much discussion about the stock market reaction to these types of announcements. By focusing on the expected cash flow implications of the different types of write-off announcements, this paper documents that the stock price reaction to write-off announcements is associated with the expected cash flow implications of the events surrounding the write-off.
Systemic and Mucosal Antibody Response to Moraxella catarrhalis after Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

To characterize the immune response to Moraxella catarrhalis after exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pre- and postexacerbation serum and sputum supernatant samples obtained during 21 exacerbations in 18 patients were studied, using the homologous infecting isolates. New serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) detected by whole-cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay developed after 12 (57.1%) of 21 exacerbations. Analysis of serum samples with flow cytometry, which detects antibodies that are exclusive to epitopes on the bacterial surface, revealed that 5 (23.8%) of the 21 exacerbations were associated with the development of new serum IgG to surface epitopes. Three of these serum samples and 2 other serum samples contained new IgG directed at lipooligosaccharide. Flow cytometry revealed that new mucosal IgA to surface-exposed epitopes of the infecting isolate developed in sputum supernatants after 42% of exacerbations. Therefore, adults with COPD develop variable humoral immune responses to M. catarrhalis after exacerbations, including new serum IgG and new mucosal IgA to epitopes on the bacterial surface.
Vendor Performance and Alternative Manufacturing Environments

Today, many American firms are demanding a high level of performance from their major suppliers while at the same time reducing the number of them. Vendor performance is an important aspect of maintaining low production costs and high product quality. In this study, we examine the effects of poor vendor quality and vendor lead time uncertainty in a variety of manufacturing environments using a comprehensive simulation model. The results indicate that the effect of poor vendor performance on various manufacturing firms depends on the number of stocking points and the degree of component commonality. Moreover, disruption of the manufacturing system caused by poor vendor performance can be manifested in higher levels of inventory and order backlogs. We introduce the concept of supplyside uncertainty, as it relates to component-part commonality, to demonstrate that in certain environments commonality reduces order backlogs but increases total inventories and creates an environment that is very sensitive to vendor quality problems. Finally, several conjectures are posited for future research.
Subclinical atherosclerosis and obesity phenotypes among Mexican Americans.

Background Data on the influence of obesity on atherosclerosis in Hispanics are inconsistent, possibly related to varying cardiometabolic risk among obese individuals. We aimed to determine the association of obesity and cardiometabolic risk with subclinical atherosclerosis in Mexican‐Americans. Methods and Results Participants (n=503) were drawn from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort. Metabolic health was defined as 5.13; or high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein >3 mg/L. Carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) was measured. A high proportion of participants (77.8%) were metabolically unhealthy; they were more likely to be male, older, with fewer years of education, and less likely to meet daily recommendations regarding fruit and vegetable servings. One‐third (31.8%) had abnormal carotid ultrasound findings. After adjusting for covariates, mean cIMT varied across the obesity phenotypes ( P =0.0001); there was no difference among the metabolically unhealthy regardless of whether they were obese or not. In multivariable analysis, after adjusting for covariates, cardiometabolic risk ( P =0.0159), but not obesity ( P =0.1446), was significantly associated with subclinical atherosclerosis. Conclusions In Mexican‐Americans, cardiometabolic risk has a greater effect on early atherosclerosis development than body mass index. Non‐obese but metabolically unhealthy participants had similar development of subclinical atherosclerosis as their obese counterparts. Interventions to maintain metabolic health among obese and non‐obese patients may be a more important goal than weight loss alone.
The positive impact of team-based virtual microscopy on student learning in physiology and histology

Team-based virtual microscopy and on-line learning were used to transform the first-year Physiology/Histology course at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine into a student-centered learning environ...
Compression Creep Behavior of the 95.5Sn-(4.3, 3.9, 3.8)Ag-(0.2, 0.6, 0.7)Cu Solders

The compression creep properties were evaluated for the Pb-free solders 95.5Sn-4.3Ag-0.2Cu (wt.%), 95.5Sn-3.9Ag-0.6Cu, and 95.5Sn-3.8Ag-0.7Cu to determine the effects of small composition differences on time-dependent deformation. The test temperatures were -25°C, 25°C, 75°C, 125°C, and 160°C. The nominal applied stresses were in the range of 2 – 45 MPa. Samples were tested in the as-fabricated condition as well as post-aged at 125°C for 24 hours. Negative creep was recorded for all three alloy compositions. However, the extent of this phenomenon was sensitive to alloy composition and the aging treatment. Creep deformation resulted in the formation of coarsened-particle boundaries within the eutectic regions of the microstructure. The boundaries were comprised of Cu 6 Sn 5 and, to a lesser extent, Ag 3 Sn particles. The minimum creep rate kinetics were evaluated for these solders. The sinh term exponent, n, was 4 – 6 for the Sn-Ag-0.2Cu and Sn-Ag-0.6Cu solders and 1 – 2 for the Sn-Ag-0.7Cu alloy. The apparent activation energy (ΔH) values were in the range of 30 – 70 kJ/mol for all alloys, indicating that a short-circuit or fast-diffusion mechanism controlled creep deformation. The aging treatment did not consistently alter the rate kinetics parameters amongst the alloys. Separating the minimum creep rate data into the low and high temperature regimes, [-25°C, 75°C] and [75°C, 160°C], respectively, showed that bulk diffusion contributed to creep in the higher temperature regime. The ΔH values for the low temperature regime, which indicated that creep was dominated by a fast-diffusion mechanism, were sensitive to solder composition.
Digital circuit design using FPGAs

Abstract Field Programmable Gate Arrays are generic devices that contain a vast number of basic digital components. The interconnections between these components are defined by the user. By specifying these interconnections different digital circuits may be realized. FPGAS are reprogrammable devices, making the change from one digital circuit to another as simple as downloading a new interconnection file. Furthermore the definition of the interconnection file may be carried out at high level machine languages, making the design and debugging of complex digital circuits rather simple. This publication discusses the use of FPGA as an alternate solution to ASICs. A review of the FPGA technology and its impact on the use of ASICs is carried out. This is followed by a projection of the impact of FPGA on digital technology. Finally methods on introducing FPGA technology to in the classroom and its impact on the quality of future engineers in considered. A case study of the FPGA impact on the Computer Engineering Technology Department of the University of Southern Mississippi will be considered.
The American Diet—Past and Present

wars stimulated epidemiologic studies in this field. Changes in disease rates during World War II have been associated with alterations in the food available during that period. A decrease in the incidence of multiple sclerosis and atherosclerosis was reported in Norway, Sweden, and Finland.’ In Denmark, where total fat intake may have decreased but butter fat consumption has increased, there was a decrease in tuberculosis, but deaths from arteriosclerosis remained about the same.2 Admissions of hypertensive patients to hospitals decreased during the siege of Leningrad when total food supply decreased.3 While these observations are of interest and have led to a great deal of speculation, care must be exerted in assessing any one factor as the principal or sole agent responsible for changes in mortality and morbidity rates during penods of national emergency. Since coronary artery disease is a leading cause of death in the United States and in many other countries with similar standards of living, the role of nutrition in its etiology is being studied intensively. A great number of specific nutrients and foods have been implicated as possible contributing agents. Epidemiologic studies have shown an association between the availability of animal fat and coronary artery diseases.4 Others have debated
Problems and solutions in calculating quality-adjusted life years (QALYs)

The quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) is a measure of the value of health outcomes. Since health is a function of length of life and quality of life, the QALY was developed as an attempt to combine the value of these attributes into a single index number. The QALY calculation is simple: the change in utility value induced by the treatment is multiplied by the duration of the treatment effect to provide the number of QALYs gained. QALYs can then be incorporated with medical costs to arrive at a final common denominator of cost/QALY. This parameter can be used to compare the cost-effectiveness of any treatment. Nevertheless, QALYs have been criticised on technical and ethical grounds. A salient problem relies on the numerical nature of its constituent parts. The appropriateness of the QALY arithmetical operation is compromised by the essence of the utility scale: while life-years are expressed in a ratio scale with a true zero, the utility is an interval scale where 0 is an arbitrary value for death. In order to be able to obtain coherent results, both scales would have to be expressed in the same units of measurement. The different nature of these two factors jeopardises the meaning and interpretation of QALYs. A simple general linear transformation of the utility scale suffices to demonstrate that the results of the multiplication are not invariant. Mathematically, the solution to these limitations happens through an alternative calculation of QALYs by means of operations with complex numbers rooted in the well known Pythagorean theorem. Through a series of examples, the new calculation arithmetic is introduced and discussed.
Effects of Frustration Justification on Hostile Aggression

The present study tested Berkowitz' [1989: Psychological Bulletin 106:59-731 reformulation of the frustration-aggression hypothesis which states that any negative or aversive stimulus such as frustration, even if justified, will result in some measurable tendency to aggress. Participants' attainment of an expected gratification was either blocked in an unjustified manner, blocked in a justified manner, or not blocked at all. Degree of hostile aggression directed at the frustrating individual was measured. As predicted, justified frustration produced less hostile aggression than unjustified frustration, but even justified frustration produced more hostile aggression than no frustration at all. Results support Berkowitz'frustration-aggression reformulation. ©i995Wiiey-Liss,inc.
Use of thermolysin metalloprotein affinity metal chromatography in the decontamination of actinide-bearing solutions

Thermolysin metalloprotein affinity metal chromatography (MAMC) has been shown to be effective for the removal and concentration of lanthanide and actinide ions from aqueous solution. Using solutions of trivalent lanthanide ions of appropriate radii and of Th 4+ and UO 2 2+ ions as models, the calcium-binding sites of immobilized thermolysin have shown appreciable potential for the decontamination of actinide-bearing waste solutions. The zinc-binding site of the affixed protein may also be used for the removal and concentration of divalent transition metal ions.
Brown Dog: Leveraging everything towards autocuration

We present Brown Dog, two highly extensible services that aim to leverage any existing pieces of code, libraries, services, or standalone software (past or present) towards providing users with a simple to use and programmable means of automated aid in the curation and indexing of distributed collections of uncurated and/or unstructured data. Data collections such as these encompassing large varieties of data, in addition to large amounts of data, pose a significant challenge within modern day "Big Data" efforts. The two services, the Data Access Proxy (DAP) and the Data Tilling Service (DTS), focusing on format conversions and content based analysis/extraction respectively, wrap relevant conversion and extraction operations within arbitrary software, manages their deployment in an elastic manner, and manages job execution from behind a deliberately compact REST API. We describe both the motivation and need/scientific drivers for such services, the constituent components that allow for arbitrary software/code to be used and managed, and lastly an evaluation of the systems capabilities and scalability.
A multi-antigen vaccine in combination with an immunotoxin targeting tumor-associated fibroblast for treating murine melanoma

A therapeutically effective cancer vaccine must generate potent antitumor immune responses and be able to overcome tolerance mechanisms mediated by the progressing tumor itself. Previous studies showed that glycoprotein 100 (gp100), tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP1), and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP2) are promising immunogens for melanoma immunotherapy. In this study, we administered these three melanoma-associated antigens via lentiviral vectors (termed LV-3Ag) and found that this multi-antigen vaccine strategy markedly increased functional T-cell infiltration into tumors and generated protective and therapeutic antitumor immunity. We also engineered a novel immunotoxin, αFAP-PE38, capable of targeting fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-expressing fibroblasts within the tumor stroma. When combined with αFAP-PE38, LV-3Ag exhibited greatly enhanced antitumor effects on tumor growth in an established B16 melanoma model. The mechanism of action underlying this combination treatment likely modulates the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment and, consequently, activates cytotoxic CD8+ T cells capable of specifically recognizing and destroying tumor cells. Taken together, these results provide a strong rationale for combining an immunotoxin with cancer vaccines for the treatment of patients with advanced cancer.
TH 6040: Laboratory and Field Trials for Control of Gypsy Moths

TH 6040, 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(2,6-difluorobenzoyl)-urea, affected 3rd-stadial larvae of Porthetria dispar (L.) at an EC50 of 0.013 ppm of artificial diet. On apple trees infested with gypsy moth, mistblower rates from 0.125 to 0.00139 lb AI/10 gal water protected foliage equally well and as well as 0.75 lb AI carbaryl/10 gal water. The parasitoid, Apanteles melanoscelus (Ratzeburg), was affected within the gypsy moth host by the TH 6040 treatments.
Treponema pallidum 19(s)-IgM-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay laboratory diagnosis of early congenital syphilis

Objective To search for a diagnostic method for early congenital syphilis by comparing of several detecting methods. Methods Toludine red unheated serum test(TRUST),Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) and Treponema pallidum 19(s)?IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [Tp?19(s)?IgM?ELISA] were used to detect the serums of 6 newborns whose serums were rapid plasma reagin(RPR) positive and whose mothers were diagnosed with syphilis at different stages. Results Four of them were TRUST,TPPA and Tp?19(s)?IgM?ELISA positive and finally they were diagnosed with early congenital syphilis, the other 2 were TRUST,TPPA positive but Tp?19(s)?IgM?ELISA negative and were excluded early congenital syphilis. Conclusion It is suggested that specific IgM test should be used as confirmatory laboratory diagnostic method for early asymptomatic congenital syphilis.
Paraneoplastic Neurologic Antibodies

Paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes constitute a rare group of disorders resulting from damage to the nervous system in the setting of cancer but remote from the site of cancer, and not related to metastasis, infection, or metabolic derangements otherwise associated with cancer. Paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes have diverse presentations affecting both the central and peripheral nervous system, and commonly it is the paraneoplastic neurologic syndrome, not cancer, that is the presenting symptom. Several can be grouped into recognizable clinical syndromes, a number of which are considered “classical” in that when present they strongly suggest the presence of an underlying cancer.
Vitamin D: Promise and reality

Vitamin D: Promise and reality V D can easily be called the most celebrated new-age molecule. With the discovery of various properties and implications in multiple diseases vitamin D has becomefirmly established in the realm of public health. Such findings have also raised expectations from vitamin D as preventive and therapeutic agents in several diseases. In this speech I will provide an overview of the rise of vitamin D from a primordial molecule to its current stage, and discuss expectation and reality, with particular emphasis on its role in cancer.
Genetic polymorphisms to predict progression-free survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) receiving abiraterone therapy: Results from the NCI 9012 trial.

145Background: Abiraterone is a CYP17 inhibitor approved for treatment of men with mCRPC. The NCI 9012 trial evaluated abiraterone alone with or without the PARP inhibitor veliparib in mCRPC patients. We hypothesized that germline genetic variation in the androgen axis and other metabolic enzymes would predict response to veliparib + abiraterone vs. abiraterone alone. Methods: A randomized trial cohort of (148) men with advanced mCRPC treated with abiraterone with or without veliparib was genotyped for 120 DNA polymorphisms in genes involved in androgen metabolism using Lifetech Open array chips. Blood for pharmacogenomic SNP analysis were collected at pre-treatment from each subject into 10-mL EDTA tube. Polymorphisms were tested using Cox models without treatment for prognostic testing and with treatment arm for predictive testing. Results: Genotyping was completed in 143 of 148 men; all were treated with abiraterone; 72 without veliparib (Median PFS: 10.3m) and 71 with veliparib (Median PFS: 11.3m). Po...
End-to-End Policy Monitoring and Enforcement for Service-Oriented Architecture

A service-oriented architecture (SOA)-based application is composed of a number of distributed and loosely-coupled services which are interconnected to accomplish a more complex functionality. The main security challenge in SOA is that we cannot trust the participating services in a service composition to behave as expected all the time. Moreover, the chain of all services involved in an end-to-end invocation may not be visible to the clients. As a result, any violation of the client's policies could remain undetected. To address these challenges in SOA, we propose the following contributions. First, we propose a new end-to-end security architecture for SOA based on a dynamic composite trust model. To maintain the dynamic trust, we designed a trusted-third party service called trust manager component, which collects and processes feedbacks from the actual execution of services. Second, we developed an end-to-end inter-service policy monitoring and enforcement framework (PME framework), which is able to dynamically intercept the interactions between services at runtime and react to the potentially malicious activities according to the client's policies. Third, we design an intra-service policy monitoring and enforcement framework based on taint analysis mechanism to monitor the flow of information within services and detect and prevent information disclosure attacks. These two frameworks together can provide an end-to-end visibility and security in SOA. Finally, we have extensively studied the correctness and performance of the proposed security frameworks based on a realistic SOA case study in a cloud environment. All experimental studies validate that the practicality and effectiveness of the presented solutions.