cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heritability of performance deficit accumulation during acute sleep deprivation in twins.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To determine if the large and highly reproducible interindividual differences in rates of performance deficit accumulation during sleep deprivation, as determined by the number of lapses on a sustained reaction time test, the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT), arise from a heritable trait. DESIGN Prospective, observational cohort study. SETTING Academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS There were 59 monozygotic (mean age 29.2 ± 6.8 [SD] yr; 15 male and 44 female pairs) and 41 dizygotic (mean age 26.6 ± 7.6 yr; 15 male and 26 female pairs) same-sex twin pairs with a normal polysomnogram. INTERVENTIONS Thirty-eight hr of monitored, continuous sleep deprivation. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Patients performed the 10-min PVT every 2 hr during the sleep deprivation protocol. The primary outcome was change from baseline in square root transformed total lapses (response time ≥ 500 ms) per trial. Patient-specific linear rates of performance deficit accumulation were separated from circadian effects using multiple linear regression. Using the classic approach to assess heritability, the intraclass correlation coefficients for accumulating deficits resulted in a broad sense heritability (h(2)) estimate of 0.834. The mean within-pair and among-pair heritability estimates determined by analysis of variance-based methods was 0.715. When variance components of mixed-effect multilevel models were estimated by maximum likelihood estimation and used to determine the proportions of phenotypic variance explained by genetic and nongenetic factors, 51.1% (standard error = 8.4%, P < 0.0001) of twin variance was attributed to combined additive and dominance genetic effects. CONCLUSION Genetic factors explain a large fraction of interindividual variance among rates of performance deficit accumulations on PVT during sleep deprivation.
Autonomous Calibration of Hexapod Machine Tools

Hexapod machines are emerging as a new type of CNC machine tools, Among other things, stringent calibration is an important means to improve their accuracy, Traditionally, to perform system calibration, one needs to measure a number of machine poses using an external measuring device. However, this process is often labor-intensive and invasive, and difficult for on-line calibration. In this paper, a systematic way of self-calibrating a hexapod machine tool is introduced. By adding a small number of redundant internal sensors, errors of the hexapod machine tool can be measured. This approach has the potential of automatically producing high accuracy measurement data over the entire workspace of the system with an extremely fast measurement rate. Once the measurement data is available, a recursive filter is applied to estimate machine parameter errors from the predicted geometric errors, and to update the model residing in the machine controller. Thus, it is possible to dynamically calibrate and compensate for various types of machine errors including those induced by thermal and loading variations, without interrupting the normal operation of the machine tool. To verify the concept, preliminary experimental studies were conducted on a Stewart platform built at Florida Atlantic University.
The development and characterization of neutron-damaged GaAs x-ray detectors

Photoconductive x-ray detectors are becoming an important x-ray diagnostic as a result of their small size, fast response time, and high sensitivity. We are developing a discrete array of neutron-damaged GaAs detectors to be used in an imaging x-ray spectrometer, and we describe herein the techniques we use to fabricate and characterize them for an upcoming experiment. Using a 225-ps x-ray pulse from a laser-produced plasma, we measured the sensitivity and time response of the detectors to be 7.1 mA/W and on the order of 150 ps FWHM, respectively. The carrier mobility is 741 cm2/V.s at a bias of 2 x 104 V/cm.
Stomatal and photosynthetic responses to variable sunlight

Most plants experience many fluctuations in sunlight from full sun to shade throughout the day. Under these conditions, stomatal and photosynthetic responses vary dramatically among species depending on water status and growth form. Many herbaceous, fast-growing species rapidly reduce stomatal opening during short-term shade periods. Rapid stomatal closure during shade conserves water, but may also reduce CO2 uptake. Because periods of alternating sun and shade can reduce accumulative water stress that would otherwise severely curtail carbon gain, some herbs are restricted to habitats with intermittent periods of shade. In contrast to herbaceous growth forms, woody species maintain relatively constant stomatal opening during both sun and shade periods. This results in greater CO2 uptake, but with greater water loss. These two generalized response patterns for woody and herbaceous species to natural variations in sunlight conflict with conventional ideas of water use and carbon gain based on measurements made under constant light.
Undergraduate Education with a Purpose: A Planning Program at the University of Washington

In 1993, the University of Washington initiated a planning major in the liberal arts and sciences. The experimental program, called Community and Environmental Planning (CEP), has recently assessed...
Tensile Stress-Strain Curves of Gold Film

Freestanding vapor-deposited gold films 0.15 μm, 0.5 μm, and 1.0 μm thick were tested in tension with strain measured directly in the gage section by digital imaging. The average grain size of all three films was ~ 60 nm with some large grains in the 0.15 μm material. Young's modulus decreased as the thickness decreased - from 73.1 ± 6.7 GPa to 64.7 ± 9.9 GPa to 51.4 ± 10.6 GPa respectively. The yield stress decreased from 365 ± 25 MPa to 328 ± 28 MPa, but was 371 ± 36 MPa for the 0.15 μm film, which was more brittle. Microstructural studies provide no clear explanation for this behavior.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Illuminating the unseen in transit use: A framework for examining the effect of attitudes and perceptions on travel behavior

Abstract This study develops the Perception–Intention–Adaptation (PIA) framework to examine the role of attitudes, perceptions, and norms in public transportation ridership. The PIA framework is then applied to understand the relative importance of socio-demographic, built environment, transit service, and socio-psychological factors on public transit use for 279 residents of south Los Angeles, California, a predominately low-income, non-white neighborhood. Confirmatory factor analysis based on 21 survey items resulted in six transit-relevant socio-psychological factors which were used in regression models of two measures of transit use: the probability of using transit at least once in the 7-day observation period, and the mean number of daily transit trips. Our analysis indicates that two PIA constructs, attitudes toward public transportation and concerns about personal safety, significantly improved the model fit and were robust predictors of transit use, independent of built environment factors such as near-residence street network connectivity and transit service level. Results indicate the need for combined policy approaches to increasing transit use that not only enhance transit access, but also target attitudes about transit service and perceptions of crime on transit.
Verification of semantic commutativity conditions and inverse operations on linked data structures

We present a new technique for verifying commutativity conditions, which are logical formulas that characterize when operations commute. Because our technique reasons with the abstract state of verified linked data structure implementations, it can verify commuting operations that produce semantically equivalent (but not necessarily identical) data structure states in different execution orders. We have used this technique to verify sound and complete commutativity conditions for all pairs of operations on a collection of linked data structure implementations, including data structures that export a set interface (ListSet and HashSet) as well as data structures that export a map interface (AssociationList, HashTable, and ArrayList). This effort involved the specification and verification of 765 commutativity conditions.Many speculative parallel systems need to undo the effects of speculatively executed operations. Inverse operations, which undo these effects, are often more efficient than alternate approaches (such as saving and restoring data structure state). We present a new technique for verifying such inverse operations. We have specified and verified, for all of our linked data structure implementations, an inverse operation for every operation that changes the data structure state.Together, the commutativity conditions and inverse operations provide a key resource that language designers, developers of program analysis systems, and implementors of software systems can draw on to build languages, program analyses, and systems with strong correctness guarantees.
The experimental paradigm and observational studies of cause-effect relationships in clinical medicine.

Abstract The paradigm of the randomized clinical trial (RCT) is proposed as a heuristic that can serve as a unified approach to guide the design not just of cause-effect studies of therapy, but also of studies of the etiology of disease. Three themes are developed in detail: (1) that variability in the scientific paradigm of the randomized trial results in a wide range of techniques and methods being employed for the RCT, and that this extensive variability in clinical trial methods contributes substantially to the occurrence of conflicting trial results; (2) that the scientific validity of observational surrogates for the RCT could be enhanced if investigators designed observational studies by incorporating the principles inherent in the RCT; and (3) that there are two distinctive and competing strategies for designing case-control studies. The traditional strategy views case-control designs as statistical acts of sampling for cases and controls, but ignores the scientific reasoning that should guide the performance of case-control research. The alternative strategy requires that case-control studies adhere to the principles inherent in the RCT.
The survivability of large space-borne reflectors under atomic oxygen and micrometeoroid impact

Solar dynamic power system mirrors for use on space station and other spacecraft flown in low Earth orbit (LEO) are exposed to the harshness of the LEO environment. Both atomic oxygen and micrometeoroids/space debris can degrade the performance of such mirrors. Protective coatings will be required to protect oxidizable reflecting media, such as silver and aluminum, from atomic oxygen attack. Several protective coating materials have been identified as good candidates for use in this application. The durability of these coating/mirror systems after pinhole defects have been inflicted during their fabrication and deployment or through micrometeoroid/space debris impact once on-orbit is of concern. Studies of the effect of an oxygen plasma environment on protected mirror surfaces with intentionally induced pinhole defects have been conducted at NASA Lewis and are reviewed. It has been found that oxidation of the reflective layer and/or the substrate in areas adjacent to a pinhole defect, but not directly exposed by the pinhole, can occur.
Attachment of cells to islands presenting gradients of adhesion ligands.

This paper reports a strategy that uses microfluidic networks to pattern self-assembled monolayers with gradient microislands for the attachment of individual cells. A microfluidic network is first used to pattern a monolayer into square regions that present maleimide groups and then used to flow a solution having a gradient of the cell adhesion peptide Arg-Gly-Asp over the substrate. In this way, the surface is patterned with microislands approximately 33 x 33 micrometers in size and each having a defined gradient of immobilized cell adhesion ligand. B16F10 cells were allowed to attach to the patterned islands and were found to display a nonuniform distribution of cytoskeletal structures in response to the gradient of adhesion ligand. This work is significant because it permits studies of the influence of a nonuniform microenvironment on the polarization, differentiation, and signaling of adherent cells.
PHYSIOLOGIC STUDIES OF SNAIL-SCHISTOSOME INTERACTIONS AND POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVEMENT OF IN VITRO CULTURE OF SCHISTOSOMES

Despite extensive efforts to develop suitable media for rearing the intramolluscan stages of schistosomes, successful in vitro culture of these parasites remains elusive. Recent31P NMR studies demonstrated that the levels of free phospholipids, particularly phosphatidylcholine, in the digestive gland of the snail,Biomphalaria glabrata, were dramatically reduced when the host was infected withSchistosoma mansoni. It was speculated that absorption of host phosphatides may be an important source of membrane phospholipid precursors and fatty acids for developing sporocysts and cercariae. During the present investigations,B. glabrata was maintained on a high fat diet of egg yolk, and the lipid composition of control uninfected and infected snails examined by31P and13C NMR. In addition, the levels of host hemolymph metabolites, including glucose and urea, considered as indicators of parasite nutrient uptake, were monitored. The lipid level of snails fed egg yolk was greatly increased, and hosts developed patent infections in approximately half the time of infected snails maintained on lettuce. The composition of the free phospholipids accumulated in the tissues ofB. glabrata fed egg yolk were the same as those previously reported in the cercarial stage ofS. mansoni. Moreover, the fatty acids ofS. mansoni and those reported here in the neutral lipids and free phosphatides in the host tissues were similar. Uninfected snails maintained on lettuce had higher hemolymph levels of glucose than those reared on egg yolk, and infected hosts on egg yolk had significantly lower levels of hemolymph urea. β-hydroxybutyrate was the principal hemolymph metabolite in snails fed egg yolk, but was not detected in snails maintained on lettuce. The level of β-hydroxybutyrate in the hemolymph of snails on egg yolk was significantly reduced by infection. The results indicated that the pattern of host hemolymph nutrient utilization by larval schistosomes may be markedly altered by host diet, and it was concluded that host lipids may directly and indirectly be important nutrients for developing schistosomes. Future studies on in vitro culture of the intramolluscan stages of schistosomes should emphasize the potential role of lipids and attempt to define the nutritive value of those medium components that presently supply lipids in culture media, most notably serum.
Four-facet PCL-R structure and cognitive functioning among high violent criminal offenders.

High violent inmates (N = 126) were administered the Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL–R; Hare, Clark, Grann, & Thornton, 2000; Hare et al., 1990) and neuropsychological measures. No significant correlations were present between the overall PCL–R score and 14 cognitive measures. A violence score, computed as the total number of violent acts across all situations and types, was significantly correlated with the PCL–R total score and Facet 2 but not with the other three facets. Our data suggest that Facet 2 elevations may prove relevant to violence risk assessment; this link, however, needs further exploration with larger samples.
Monkey P3 in an “oddball” paradigm: Pharmacological support for multiple neural sources

Two experiments examined the effects of the alpha-2 antagonist L657,743 on monkey electroencephalographic (EEG) and event-related potential (ERP) activity following auditory and visual stimuli. In the first experiment, EEG was recorded before and after the administration of a saline placebo or L657,743 (0.01, 0.05 mg/kg IM). No drug effects occurred on EEG spectral frequencies. In the second experiment, ERPs were recorded during an 80-10-10 passive oddball paradigm. The paradigm consisted of a repetitive tone as background, a different-pitch tone as the auditory oddball, and a yellow rectangle as an infrequent visual stimulus. Waveforms were collected before and after the administration of placebo or drug (0.01, 0.03, 0.05 mg/kg IM). Both auditory oddball and visual stimuli elicited large P3-like potentials with different distributions, suggesting different sources. However, their magnitudes were similarly reduced by drug administration. These effects were significant at parietal but unchanged at other sites. The data support the hypothesis that norepinephrine is a modulatory neurotransmitter common to auditory and visual P3s in parietal areas. On the other hand, midline and temporal P3s are unaffected by manipulations of noradrenergic activity, supporting the existence of two independent P3 sources.
Multiscale air quality modeling of the Northeastern United States

Abstract The Urban and Regional Multiscale (URM) model has been used to study the ozone problem in the northeastern United States. The model was applied to a multiday ozone episode extending from 2 July 1988 to 8 July 1988. The URM model is particularly suitable for application to the Northeast as there is a dense network of urban centers along with large rural areas, and the model allows the use of variable grid sizes to effectively capture the pollutant dynamics while being computationally efficient. This study particularly concentrates on how spatial grid resolution affects results, particularly in the Northeast Corridor, a string of urban centers extending from Washington D.C. to Boston. Three different grid systems are employed in the model simulations to examine this issue. The most dynamic grid system uses grid sizes varying from 4.625 to 74 km, with the finest grids concentrated in the Northeast Corridor. The uniform grid system uses a uniform grid size of 18.5 km similar to that used in the regional oxidant model (ROM). The intermediate grid system uses grid sizes varying from 4.625 to 18.5 km. When finer grids are used over the urban areas, as in the intermediate and the most dynamic grid systems, the model predicted higher peak ozone concentrations with greater detail. Sensitivity calculations were performed to quantify the effect of various inputs on the predicted ozone. Effects of zeroing the initial conditions persisted until 7 July 1988. When using background levels of species concentrations as initial conditions, the effect lasted only for two days of simulation. Boundary conditions impacted the ozone concentrations near the boundary cells only. Emission inputs were the major factor in producing the large concentrations of ozone predicted in the Northeast Corridor. The URM model was also used to study ozone control strategy issues in the Northeast Corridor. A suite of simulations was performed where anthropogenic NO x and VOC emission levels were reducd uniformly over the whole domain to determine the impact on ozone. Both VOC and NO x controls reduced the peak ozone in the Corridor, with NO x control working better than VOC control at high levels of control.
Temporal and spatial assessments of minimum air temperature using satellite surface temperature measurements in Massachusetts, USA

Abstract Although meteorological stations provide accurate air temperature observations, their spatial coverage is limited and thus often insufficient for epidemiological studies. Satellite data expand spatial coverage, enhancing our ability to estimate near surface air temperature (Ta). However, the derivation of Ta from surface temperature (Ts) measured by satellites is far from being straightforward. In this study, we present a novel approach that incorporates land use regression, meteorological variables and spatial smoothing to first calibrate between Ts and Ta on a daily basis and then predict Ta for days when satellite Ts data were not available. We applied mixed regression models with daily random slopes to calibrate Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Ts data with monitored Ta measurements for 2003. Then, we used a generalized additive mixed model with spatial smoothing to estimate Ta in days with missing Ts. Out-of-sample tenfold cross-validation was used to quantify the accuracy of our predictions. Our model performance was excellent for both days with available Ts and days without Ts observations (mean out-of-sample R 2 = 0.946 and R 2 = 0.941 respectively). Furthermore, based on the high quality predictions we investigated the spatial patterns of Ta within the study domain as they relate to urban vs. non-urban land uses.
Only a Piece of Meat One Patient's Reflections on Her Eight-Day Hospital Experience

Patients in hospitals are often treated as objects without regard for their subjective sense of self. The following narrative is an account of the day-to-day experiences of one patient's recent hospital confinement. It is a demonstration of her loss of subjective freedom and her struggle to regain her dignity and sense of self through negotiated interactions. Main topics include patient indignities, loss of power and control, patient management work, and identity maintenance. The ethnomethodological perspective is invoked as an interpretive method of inquiry.
A case in print

De la valeur irremplacable des etudes de cas pour les sciences comportementales appliquees et les sciences sociales. Distribution de divers types d'eutdes de cas
Stress reactivity after maximal exercise: the effect of manipulated performance feedback in endurance athletes.

This study was designed to assess the effect of performance feedback on stress reactivity after recovery from maximal exercise. Forty competitive athletes were recruited to complete a maximal exercise test. Performance feedback was manipulated after the exercise test to give four groups: (1) high performance, (2) low performance, (3) accurate feedback and (4) no exercise control. Cardiovascular reactivity was assessed during psychological stress. The results indicate that accurate feedback participants experienced lower relative reactivity to stress (lower mean arterial pressure) than their no-exercise counterparts. These results demonstrate that the stressbuffering effect of exercise extends to maximal exercise. In addition, high-performance participants experienced lower relative reactivity than low-performance participants. Thus, low-performance feedback was sufficient to remove the buffering effect of exercise. There were no differences between the high-performance and accurate feedback conditions, or...
Transport of radon‐222 and methyl iodide by deep convection in the GFDL Global Atmospheric Model AM2

Author(s): Donner, LJ; Horowitz, LW; Fiore, AM; Seman, CJ; Blake, DR; Blake, NJ | Abstract: Transport of radon-222 and methyl iodide by deep convection is analyzed in the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) Atmospheric Model 2 (AM2) using two parameterizations for deep convection. One of these parameterizations represents deep convection as an ensemble of entraining plumes; the other represents deep convection as an ensemble of entraining plumes with associated mesoscale updrafts and downdrafts. Although precipitation patterns are generally similar in AM2 with both parameterizations, the deep convective mass fluxes are more than three times larger in the middle- to upper troposphere for the parameterization consisting only of entraining plumes, but do not extend across the tropopause, unlike the parameterization including mesoscale circulations. The differences in mass fluxes result mainly from a different partitioning between convective and stratiform precipitation; the parameterization including mesoscale circulations detrains considerably more water vapor in the middle troposphere and is associated with more stratiform rain. The distributions of both radon-222 and methyl iodide reflect the different mass fluxes. Relative to observations (limited by infrequent spatial and temporal sampling), AM2 tends to simulate lower concentrations of radon-222 and methyl iodide in the planetary boundary layer, producing a negative model bias through much of the troposphere, with both cumulus parameterizations. The shapes of the observed profiles suggest that the larger deep convective mass fluxes and associated transport in the parameterization lacking a mesoscale component are less realistic. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.
Adolescents' Meaning in Life: A Replication of Devogler and Ebersole (1983):

Previous studies have indicated that adolescents understand the concept of meaning in life and can apply it to their lives. In this study we examined how religious adolescents differ in their self-reports of meaning in life compared to adolescents previously studied. It is expected that adolescents in a Christian community more frequently attribute their meaning in life to beliefs than will adolescents in the non-Christian population. 81 adolescents from a religious summer camp reported commitment to a belief as their strongest personal meaning more frequently than any other category when reported in a free-response essay format, whereas no adolescents in the previous study reported belief as their strongest meaning.
Circulating Mediators of Inflammation and Immune Activation in AIDS-Related Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Background: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is the most common AIDS-related malignancy in developed countries. An elevated risk of developing NHL persists among HIV-infected individuals in comparison to the general population despite the advent of effective antiretroviral therapy. The mechanisms underlying the development of AIDS-related NHL (A-NHL) are not fully understood, but likely involve persistent B-cell activation and inflammation. Methods: This was a nested case-control study within the ongoing prospective Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS). Cases included 47 HIV-positive male subjects diagnosed with high-grade B-cell NHL. Controls were matched to each case from among participating HIV-positive males who did not develop any malignancy. Matching criteria included time HIV+ or since AIDS diagnosis, age, race and CD4+ cell count. Sera were tested for 161 serum biomarkers using multiplexed beadbased immunoassays. Results: A subset of 17 biomarkers, including cytokines, chemokines, acute phase proteins, tissue remodeling agents and bone metabolic mediators was identified to be significantly altered in A-NHL cases in comparison to controls. Many of the biomarkers included in this subset were positively correlated with HIV viral load. A pathway analysis of our results revealed an extensive network of interactions between current and previously identified biomarkers. Conclusions: These findings support the current hypothesis that A-NHL develops in the context of persistent immune stimulation and inflammation. Further analysis of the biomarkers identified in this report should enhance our ability to diagnose, monitor and treat this disease.
Time-Varying PLC Network Modeling with Wavelet MDFB and Weighted OFDM Precoders

The paper addresses a problem of designing a simple, efficient power line network simulator embedded with two types of multirate filter bank precoders, weighted orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and wavelet-based maximally decimated filter bank (MDFB). In fact, power line channel is time-varying due to the appliances that are connected to outlets since appliances often exhibit input impedance that is a function of the instantaneous amplitude of the mains voltage. Hence, constructing a discrete time-varying block channel model in the time domain that captures the cyclostationary nature of the channel response, we propose the overall input output relationship for the case where multiple appliances are cascaded. Thereafter, we numerically verify whether the model is appropriately designed for a real test channel and compare two precoder schemes in terms of error probability performance.
Evaluating Aptness of a Regression Model

The data for 104 software projects is used to develop a linear regression model that uses function points (a measure of software project size) to predict development effort. The data set is particu...
Capes on the W-Defense

According to the principle of alternative possibilities (PAP), a person is morally responsible for what he has done only if he could have done otherwise. Widerker (Philosophical Perspectives 14: 181-201, 2000) offers an intriguing argument for PAP as it applies to moral blameworthiness. His argument is known as the “What-should-he-have-done defense” of PAP or the “W-defense” for short. In a recent article, Capes (Philosophical Studies 150: 61-77, 2010) attacks Widerker’s argument by rejecting the central premise on which it rests, namely, the premise that a person is blameworthy for his action only if in the circumstances it would be morally reasonable to expect him not to have acted as he did. In this paper, I show that Capes’ criticism does not undermine this premise and, to this extent, Widerker’s argument is safe from Capes’ attack.
Holistic/constructivist Principles of the Teaching/Learning Process Implications for the Field of Learning Disabilities

Structuralist philosophy, constructivist theory, and holistic beliefs define the learning enterprise in opposition to reductionistic behavioral learning theory and suggest that the task of schools is to help students develop new meanings in response to new experiences rather than to learn the meanings others have created. This change in the very definition of learning reveals principles of learning that beg consideration in designing classroom instruction. Twelve principles are drawn here from the structuralist, constructivist, and holist literature and are applied to teaching students with learning disabilities. Looking at learning from this paradigm, one can see a different classroom environment emerging, one in which instruction is seen through the eyes of the students rather than through preferred methodologies, mandated curricula, and student assessments and diagnoses.
Gendered identities at play: Case studies of two women playing morrowind

This article explores issues of gender and video gaming, typically perceived as a masculine practice, through case studies of two adult women gamers. Drawing on a conception of identities in practice, the analyses show that dominant assumptions about women’s preferences and orientations toward video gaming do not reflect the diverse ways that women might make meaning of, respond to, and take pleasure in such games. To better understand women’s and men’s orientations toward gaming, the article argues for the need to take into account the complexity of people’s identities, not just gender alone but its interplay with and enactment in combination with personal histories and cultural factors that play out differently in individuals’ lives. This understanding, in turn, leads to insights into how video games may serve as spaces for the enactment of new forms of gendered identities.
Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Surgically Altered Anatomy

ERCP in surgically altered anatomy requires the endoscopist to fully understand the procedural goals and the reconstructed anatomy before proceeding. Altered anatomy presents a variety of challenges unique to enteroscopy, and others related to accessing the biliary or pancreatic duct from unusual orientations. Both side-viewing and forward-viewing endoscopes, as well as single and double balloon techniques, are available for ERCP in these settings. Endoscope selection largely depends on the anatomy and length of reconstructed intestinal limbs. Endoscopist experience with performing ERCP in surgically altered anatomy is the most important factor for determining outcomes and success rates.
Notch signaling, wt1 and foxc2 are key regulators of the podocyte gene regulatory network in Xenopus

Podocytes are highly specialized cells in the vertebrate kidney. They participate in the formation of the size-exclusion barrier of the glomerulus/glomus and recruit mesangial and endothelial cells to form a mature glomerulus. At least six transcription factors (wt1, foxc2, hey1, tcf21, lmx1b and mafb) are known to be involved in podocyte specification, but how they interact to drive the differentiation program is unknown. The Xenopus pronephros was used as a paradigm to address this question. All six podocyte transcription factors were systematically eliminated by antisense morpholino oligomers. Changes in the expression of the podocyte transcription factors and of four selected markers of terminal differentiation (nphs1, kirrel, ptpru and nphs2) were analyzed by in situ hybridization. The data were assembled into a transcriptional regulatory network for podocyte development. Although eliminating the six transcription factors individually interfered with aspects of podocyte development, no single gene regulated the entire differentiation program. Only the combined knockdown of wt1 and foxc2 resulted in a loss of all podocyte marker gene expression. Gain-of-function studies showed that wt1 and foxc2 were sufficient to increase podocyte gene expression within the glomus proper. However, the combination of wt1, foxc2 and Notch signaling was required for ectopic expression in ventral marginal zone explants. Together, this approach demonstrates how complex interactions are required for the correct spatiotemporal execution of the podocyte gene expression program.
Nutritional deficiencies in patients with thalassemia

Optimal nutritional status is imperative for growth, development, immune function, and bone health. Patients with thalassemia are known to have poor growth, altered puberty, and immune function as well as reduced bone mineral acquisition. The etiology of these comorbidites is typically ascribed to the toxic effects of transfusion-related iron-overload. Recently, our group and others have observed marked nutritional deficiencies in key fat and water-soluble vitamins as well as important essential minerals. Depressed circulating levels of nutrients have been observed despite seemingly adequate dietary intake. This disconnect between intake and circulating levels suggests that patients with thalassemia may have increased needs for certain nutrients due to either poor nutrient absorption, elevated losses, or increased nutrient turnover. Randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to test the efficacy of nutritional therapies toward improving the overall health in thalassemia, as well as decreasing long-term comorbidities such as reduced bone mass.
Quantization for distributed testing of independence

We consider the problem of distributed test of statistical independence under communication constraints. While independence test is frequently encountered in various applications, distributed independence test is particularly useful for events detection in sensor networks: data correlation often occurs among sensor observations in the presence of a target. Focusing on the Gaussian case because of its tractability, we study in this paper the characteristics of optimal scalar quantizers for distributed test of independence where the optimality is in the sense of optimizing the error exponent. We also discuss the optimal quantizer properties for the finite sample regime, i.e., that of directly minimizing the error probability.
Symbolic solutions for boundary value problems using Maple

A simple technique based on finite differences is presented for obtaining symbolic solutions for boundary value problems (BVPs). The governing equations for the node points are expressed in matrix form and the dependent variables (e.g. concentration) at both the boundaries (both at x0 and x 1) are taken as unknown constants. The solution is obtained by finding the matrix inverse using Maple. The unique aspect of the technique presented here is that the solution obtained is valid for various boundary conditions (both linear and nonlinear) and geometries. Both linear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and partial differential equations (PDEs) with linear and non-linear boundary conditions are treated in this paper. Solutions analytical in time are obtained for PDEs. © 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Synchronization of Ovarian Cycles Within and Between Social Groups in Golden Lion Tamarins (Leontopithecus Rosalia)

Synchronization of ovarian events has been reported in a number of primate species, with the temporal resolution of synchrony ranging from the occurrence of seasonal breeding within the annual cycle to a close matching of ovarian events within a single ovarian cycle. However, ovarian synchrony has not been reported in a New World primate. The temporal association of ovarian events was examined in female golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia) living in the same or different social groups. Ovarian cyclicity was monitored by measuring the excretion of urinary estrogen metabolites. There was a high degree of synchronization in the occurrence of urinary estrogen peaks for females in different social groups (mean peak discrepancy = 2.1 days) and in females housed in the same social group (mean peak discrepancy = 1.3 days). Contrary to previous reports on callitrichid primates, daughters housed in their natal family group exhibited cyclic patterns of urinary estrogen excretion. These findings represent the first explicit demonstration of ovarian synchrony in a New World primate, and the tight coupling of ovarian cycles in female tamarins resembles the nature of menstrual synchrony in human females.
A phase II study of adjuvant gemcitabine plus docetaxel followed by concurrent chemoradation in resected pancreaticobiliary carcinoma.

Abstract Objectives Adjuvant gemcitabine with or without chemoradiation is a standard therapeutic option for patients with resected pancreatic cancer. The feasibility and toxicity of gemcitabine with docetaxel before and after 5‐fluorouracil (5FU)‐based chemoradiation in the adjuvant pancreatic and biliary cancer setting were investigated. Methods After a curative‐intent resection, eligible patients with pancreaticobiliary cancers were treated with two cycles of gemcitabine and docetaxel followed by 5FU‐based chemoradiation. Four weeks after completing chemoradiation, two cycles of gemcitabine and docetaxel were administered. The primary endpoint was the incidence of severe toxicities. Secondary endpoints included disease‐free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Results Fifty patients with pancreaticobiliary cancers were enrolled. Twenty‐nine patients had pancreatic cancer whereas 21 patients had biliary tract or ampullary cancers. There was one death as a result of pneumonia, and 15% of patients experienced grade 3 or greater non‐haematological toxicities. The median DFS and OS for patients with pancreatic cancer were 9.6 and 17 months, respectively, and for those with resected biliary tract cancer were 12 and 23 months, respectively. Conclusions This combination of gemcitabine and docetaxel with chemoradiation is feasible and tolerable in the adjuvant setting. Future studies utilizing a different gemcitabine/taxane combination and schedule may be appropriate in the adjuvant treatment of both pancreatic cancer and biliary tumours.
Area Estimation of World Regions and the Projection of the Global-Scale Cognitive Map

For global-scale geographic information, there are relatively few sources that can be used to form or structure a cognitive map. One of the most common sources for this information is maps, the only reference that permits an individual a comprehensive view of the world without having to integrate information from multiple views (e.g., stitching together the two halves of a globe or assembling the pages of an atlas). It has been frequently stated that visual experience with the map projections used for global-scale mapping, specifically the Mercator projection, has a strong influence on the shape and structure of an individual's global-scale cognitive map. In this article, we examine this belief by conducting two studies on the relationship between memory- and inference-derived estimates of land area and the actual land areas of regions on the Earth. Numerical and graphical estimation techniques were used to obtain area estimates. We examined the results for relationships between distortion in estimated ar...
Bilayer Bichromatic Cathode Screen

Screens consisting of superimposed, thin, transparent, luminescent layers were formed by evaporation in a vacuum. The color of the luminescent emission depends on the depth of penetration of the cathode rays into the bilayer screens. Due to the decrease in luminescent brightness after the phosphor layers are penetrated, the pure chromatic emission from both of the layers may be obtained. A particular screen consisting of aluminum/CaWO4[W] (blue)/ZnS[Mn] (yellow)/glass has been analyzed. The laws of color mixture are found to be obeyed. Optical interference effects in the screen produce a slight color shift in the emission. The basic ideas of the multilayer chromatic system are briefly discussed.
Nonlinear [Ca2+] signaling in dendrites and spines caused by activity-dependent depression of Ca2+ extrusion

Spine Ca2+ triggers the induction of synaptic plasticity and other adaptive neuronal responses. The amplitude and time course of Ca2+ signals specify the activation of the signaling pathways that trigger different forms of plasticity such as long-term potentiation and depression. The shapes of Ca2+ signals are determined by the dynamics of Ca2+ sources, Ca2+ buffers, and Ca2+ extrusion mechanisms. Here we show in rat CA1 pyramidal neurons that plasma membrane Ca2+ pumps (PMCAs) and Na+/Ca2+ exchangers are the major Ca2+ extrusion pathways in spines and small dendrites. Surprisingly, we found that Ca2+ extrusion via PMCA and Na+/Ca2+ exchangers slows in an activity-dependent manner, mediated by intracellular Na+ and Ca2+ accumulations. This activity-dependent depression of Ca2+ extrusion is, in part, attributable to Ca2+-dependent inactivation of PMCAs. Ca2+ extrusion recovers from depression with a time constant of 0.5 s. Depression of Ca2+ extrusion provides a positive feedback loop, converting small differences in stimuli into large differences in Ca2+ concentration. Depression of Ca2+ extrusion produces Ca2+ concentration dynamics that depend on the history of neuronal activity and therefore likely modulates the induction of synaptic plasticity.
An optimal labeling scheme for workflow provenance using skeleton labels

We develop a compact and efficient reachability labeling scheme for answering provenance queries on workflow runs that conform to a given specification. Even though a workflow run can be structurally more complex and can be arbitrarily larger than the specification due to fork (parallel) and loop executions, we show that a compact reachability labeling for a run can be efficiently computed using the fact that it originates from a fixed specification. Our labeling scheme is optimal in the sense that it uses labels of logarithmic length, runs in linear time, and answers any reachability query in constant time. Our approach is based on using the reachability labeling for the specification as an effective skeleton for designing the reachability labeling for workflow runs. We also demonstrate empirically the effectiveness of our skeleton-based labeling approach.
Novel therapies for relapsed myeloma

Treatment of myeloma relapse needs to be individualized to reflect the effectiveness and toxicities of prior therapies, with consideration given to pragmatic issues such as the tempo of relapse, age of the patient, access to drugs and patient preference. In general, combination therapies have been associated with higher response rates and improved progression-free survival and may be preferable when a rapid response is required. Nevertheless, in a slower-tempo relapse it is unclear at this juncture whether sequencing of drugs or multi-agent combinations offer superior overall survival results. Fortunately, active novel agents that offer further possibilities for some myeloma patients have become available in clinical trials. In this review we will describe the various classes of novel drugs being tested and the pros and cons of preclinical testing, and will particularly focus on two agents with single-agent activity in myeloma: carfilzomib, a proteasome inhibitor, and pomalidomide, a member of the immunomodulatory class of drugs.
Low-Defect-Density Ge on Si for Large-Lattice-Mismatched Semiconductor Integration and Strain-Engineered Devices

Heteroepitaxial Ge layers were grown on vicinal Si(100) by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) at substrate temperatures of 500°C and 900°C. The layers grown at 500°C were topographically smooth with planar interfaces and a typically high threading dislocation density at the surface (> 108cm-2). Layers grown at 900°C (nucleation at 500°C) showed smooth topography, an interface highly facetted on (111) planes and a dense network of dislocations that is well confined to the interfacial region. Etch pit density measurements indicated that defect densities at the surface were as low as 1 × 105cm-2. Biaxial tensile strains of 1.2 × l0-3 and 2.5 × 10-3 were measured by Raman spectroscopy for the 500°C and 900°C layers, respectively. RBS/channeling spectra supported cross-section TEM results indicating interfacial defect confinement in the layers grown at 900°C. A model describing thermal radiation absorption suggests that interfacial Ge melting occurred during the high temperature growths.
Fashioning a New Regime for Agricultural Trade: New Issues and the Global Food Crisis

This article examines the impact of issues such as the global food crisis, export controls on agricultural products, and food security on the agricultural trade negotiations currently underway in connection with the Doha Development Agenda convened by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. These important issues, which were not foreseen when the negotiations began, must now be squarely faced. Many international organizations, such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and most recently the G-20, are examining in particular the problem of food security. While food security and the global food crisis require solutions and actions that are broader than international trade, trade reform in agricultural products is an essential part of their solution. This article concludes that these new issues do not change the basic international agreement that needs to be reached to reform the WTO Agreement on Agriculture. WTO members still should pursue agreement on market access, reducing and simplifying domestic support, and eliminating export subsidies. However, to deal with food security issues, WTO members should take up the export side of agricultural trade and prohibit export controls altogether, or at least enact strict criteria before export controls may be instituted by WTO members. Oxford University Press 2011, all rights reserved, Oxford University Press.