cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“Total NO x ” Sensing Elements with Compositionally Identical Oxide Electrodes

NO x sensing elements consisting of coplanar, compositionally identical oxide electrodes on a yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate are reported. During operation, a dc current (or voltage) is applied to the element, and the resultant voltage (or current) is used as a sensing signal. With the appropriate applied dc current level, these sensing elements can be nearly "total NO x ," with responses to NO and NO 2 of the same algebraic sign and similar magnitude. For example, when an element with La 0 . 8 5 Sr 0 . 1 5 Cr 1 . 0 1 O 3 electrodes was operated at 600°C with a fixed dc current of 2.5 μA and fixed [O 2 ] of 7 vol %, 77 ppm v NO and NO 2 produced voltage changes of -37 and -40%, respectively. The elements displayed an [O 2 ] sensitivity that was a decreasing function of [NO x ], the dc electrical resistance of the elements varied exponentially with temperature, and the magnitude of the NO x responses decreased approximately linearly with temperature. Similar NO x sensing performance was obtained with either constant-current or constant-voltage operation and several different oxides were observed to exhibit qualitatively identical behavior with respect to NO x sensing and [O 2 ] sensitivity.
Bivariate conditioning approximations for multivariate normal probabilities

New formulas are derived for multivariate normal probabilities defined for hyper-rectangular probability regions. The formulas use conditioning with a sequence of bivariate normal probabilities. The result is an approximate formula for multivariate normal probabilities which uses a product of bivariate normal probabilities. The new approximation method is compared with approximation methods based on products of univariate normal probabilities, using tests with random covariance-matrix/probability-region problems for up to twenty variables. The reordering of variables is studied to improve efficiency of the new method.
An update on the management of severe idiopathic aplastic anaemia in children

The current outlook for a child with severe idiopathic aplastic anaemia (AA) is very much better than in previous decades. In part, this may reflect better differentiation of idiopathic and inherited marrow failure. For children with idiopathic AA and a human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling donor (MSD), allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (AHSCT) is the primary therapy of choice, offering long-term disease-free survival of 90%, although graft-versus-host disease remains a cause of long-term morbidity. A greater treatment challenge remains for those children without a MSD. Combination immunosuppressive therapy (IST) is associated with response rates of 70% or more. However, relapse and clonal evolution with transformation to myelodysplasia or acute myeloid leukaemia remain significant problems after IST and long-term event-free survival rates are less impressive. For children who do not have a sustained response to IST, alternate donor AHSCT should be considered. New HLA typing technologies, novel stem cell sources, reduced-intensity conditioning and graft engineering have reduced toxicity and improved the outcome after alternate donor AHSCT. Emerging therapies that capitalise on recent advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of idiopathic AA and the immunobiology of AHSCT and IST may further improve the long-term outcome of this disease.
Zinc Diffusion through Lipid Bilayers

Zinc diffusion across liposome bilayers was measured for a set of phosphatidylcholines. These lipids were sonicated to form small unilamellar vesicles in the presence of the metallochromic indicator antipyrylazo III. This chelator sequentially forms two complexes with zinc ion. The rate constant for the first complex formation is shown to increase linearly with zinc concentration. The slope of this line, a [Zn2+]-independent, second-order rate constant, varies with changes in phosphatidylcholine properties. The rate constant is little affected by changes in fluidity as estimated from the reduced temperature [Tr = (Texperimental-Tc)/Tc]. In contrast, the rate constant is directly dependent on lipid oxidation as measured by either a thiobarbituric acid test or a spectrophotometric determination of conjugate dienes. We estimate that zinc diffusion stimulated by lipid oxidation can approach rates observed in hepatocyte zinc transport.
Immunological capabilities of the oyster Crassostrea virginica

Abstract 1. 1. The oyster Crassostrea virginica was found to clear secondary injections of T2 bacteriophage more rapidly than primary injections. 2. 2. The clearance rates, however, were not as pronounced as in the lemon shark, Negaparion brevirostris . 3. 3. The response in the oyster was felt to be cellularly mediated since longterm immunization with T2 or typhoid vaccine failed to elicit detectable circulating antibody. 4. 4. Oysters injected with sheep erythrocytes in an attempt to raise the natural hemagglutinin titer also failed to respond in a fashion suggestive of an immune phenomenon. 5. 5. The physical-chemical properties of this natural hemagglutinin were determined and comparison made with the immunoglobulins of vertebrates.
On the non-commutative two level model for metallic glasses

Abstract The electronic lifetime is calculated for a metallic glass considering a general interaction between electrons and the two level system. It is shown that in the leading logarithmic approximation logarithmic terms occur only if at least two of the coupling parameters do not commute in the momentum space. The first contribution is proportional to the square of the logarithm which results in an increase of the decay rate as the temperature is lowered.
Structure and mechanism of a bacterial sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporter

The cytosolic concentration of citrate partially depends on its direct import across the plasma membrane by the Na+-dependent citrate transporter (NaCT); here the X-ray crystal structure of a bacterial homologue of NaCT is reported, which, along with transport-activity studies, suggests how specific conformational changes facilitate substrate translocation across the cellular membrane. Citrate is an important metabolite that serves as the starting material for the biosynthesis of fatty acids, triacylglycerols, cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. The cytosolic concentration of citrate depends in part on direct import across the plasma membrane through the Na+-dependent citrate transporter, a member of the divalent anion/Na+ symporter family. In this paper, the authors report the X-ray crystal structure and transport-activity studies of a bacterial Na+-dependent citrate transporter. The structural and biochemical studies suggest how specific conformational changes facilitate substrate translocation across the cell membrane. In human cells, cytosolic citrate is a chief precursor for the synthesis of fatty acids, triacylglycerols, cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. Cytosolic citrate further regulates the energy balance of the cell by activating the fatty-acid-synthesis pathway while downregulating both the glycolysis and fatty-acid β-oxidation pathways1,2,3,4. The rate of fatty-acid synthesis in liver and adipose cells, the two main tissue types for such synthesis, correlates directly with the concentration of citrate in the cytosol2,3,4,5, with the cytosolic citrate concentration partially depending on direct import across the plasma membrane through the Na+-dependent citrate transporter (NaCT)6,7. Mutations of the homologous fly gene (Indy; I’m not dead yet) result in reduced fat storage through calorie restriction8. More recently, Nact (also known as Slc13a5)-knockout mice have been found to have increased hepatic mitochondrial biogenesis, higher lipid oxidation and energy expenditure, and reduced lipogenesis, which taken together protect the mice from obesity and insulin resistance9. To understand the transport mechanism of NaCT and INDY proteins, here we report the 3.2 A crystal structure of a bacterial INDY homologue. One citrate molecule and one sodium ion are bound per protein, and their binding sites are defined by conserved amino acid motifs, forming the structural basis for understanding the specificity of the transporter. Comparison of the structures of the two symmetrical halves of the transporter suggests conformational changes that propel substrate translocation.
Physiology and composition of molting fluid and midgut lumenal contents in the silkmoth Hyalophora cecropia

1. The concentrations of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, trehalose, total phosphates, labile phosphates, amino acids, proteins and polypeptides, and the osmotic pressures were determined in pharate pupal hemolymph and molting fluid, and pupal hemolymph and midgut lumenal contents. 2. The osmotic pressures of molting fluid and midgut lumenal contents were 40 and 56% greater, respectively, than those of hemolymph. To account for this increase in molting fluid, I proposed that cells in the epidermis actively transport potassium into the exuvial space with an accompanying passive bulk flow of water. 3. With the approach of ecdysis, the osmotic pressure of molting fluid remained constant, while the concentrations of organic components in molting fluid declined and those in hemolymph were simultaneously enhanced. 4. Differences in the levels of potassium, magnesium, labile phosphate and all organic components were so great as to preclude passive diffusion between molting fluid and hemolymph. 5. Fluid in the pupal midgut lumen appears to be derived primarily from the sloughed larval midgut epithelia and actively transported pigment derived from the larval integument. 6. Chloride, labile phosphate and amino acids were the major anionic components of hemolymph, while for molting fluid, they constituted less than 9% of the anions present. 7. The origins of fluids accumulating in the exuvial space of the cuticle and the lumen of the midgut are different, and both fluids are isolated from hemolymph.
Simultaneous resource scheduling with batching to minimize weighted flow times

This paper examines scheduling problems in which individual tasks require several resources concurrently. We analyze the situation where, in addition to the need to schedule resources concurrently, it is possible to choose the batch sizes of the tasks. Although such situations arise in both manufacturing and service firms, the likely application of these results will be to repetitive batch manufacturing situations. Several formulations for this problem are presented. Both a lagrangian relaxation and a surrogate relaxation are developed. Heuristics based on these relaxations as well as extensive computational experiments are discussed. The simultaneous resource scheduling problem without batching is quite difficult because jobs need to be synchronized so that individual jobs can capture their required simultaneous resources. Nevertheless, if batch size is introduced as an additional variable, we show that the resulting problem is in some sense easier because of the added flexibility provided by the ability...
Maternal deprivation regulates serotonin 1A and 2A receptors in the infant rat.

Abstract Several studies have demonstrated that 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors are altered in rat brain following chronic stress. While this is true in the adult animal, this may be different in the developing animal, which has a limited corticosterone response to acute challenges between days 3 and 14 of life. Methods: We investigated the effect of maternal deprivation on 5-HT2A and 5-HT1A receptor mRNA levels in the developing brain. In situ hybridization was used to quantify gene expression in rat pups at three ages: 6, 9, and 12 days old. In each age group, half were maternally deprived for 24 h and half were kept with their mothers. Maternally deprived animals showed elevated ACTH and corticosterone plasma levels when compared to NDEP animals, significantly elevated 5-HT1A mRNA levels in the CA1 hippocampal region and, significantly elevated 5-HT2A mRNA levels in the parietal cortex. No changes were observed in 5-HT1A or 5-HT-transporter mRNA levels in the dorsal raphe. Our results indicate that post-synaptic 5-HT receptors in the developing hippocampus and cortex are sensitive to maternal deprivation. Because hippocampal 5-HT1A gene expressions are known to decrease in the adult animal after chronic glucocorticoid elevation, this data also suggests that other mechanisms, perhaps central, predominate during development.
Effects of non-opioid antitussives on epileptiform activity and NMDA responses in hippocampal and olfactory cortex slices.

Three commonly used antitussive compounds were tested for their ability to ability to block epileptiform activity recorded extracellularly from hippocampal and olfactory cortex slices maintained in vitro. Antitussives were bath-applied to brain slices either before or after epileptiform acttvity was induced. Dextromethorphan (DM) prevented electrically evoked epileptiform afterdischarges and arrested spontaneous bursting induced by exposure to added NMDA or to Mg2+-free medium. In contrast, caramiphen (CM) and carbetapentane (CB) were effective against epileptiform activity induced by Mg2+-free medium, but not by NMDA. Atropine was effective in blocking epileptiform activity at concentrations 10 times the effective concentration of CM, which has known cholinolytic activity. Our results suggest that all these antitussives exert their anticonvulsant action at the DM binding site. Neither cholinolutytic activity nor antagonism of the NMDA receptor-channel complex appears to be necessary for antitussives to prevent or arrest epileptiform activity. DM appears to have a separate NMDA-antagonist property in addition to its attions at the DM site. Our neurophysiological evidence supports the hypothesis that these antitussives have anticonvulsant properties independent of any action at the NMDA receptor-channel complex.
Early Magnetic Resonance Imaging Is Unnecessary In Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury

Introduction: Computed tomography (CT) is routinely performed in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered more sensitive than CT for subtle abnormalities. Because CT does not always explain the posttraumatic neurologic examination, MRI is being performed with increasing frequency. Although MRI at a later stage may be of significant prognostic value, the role of early MRI is questionable. Our objective was to evaluate the role of early MRI in the initial management of patients with TBI. Methods: This is a 3-year prospective study (January 2005-December 2007) of adult patients with TBI who, in addition to CT, had MRI of the head within 48 hours of admission to the hospital. The findings from the two imaging studies were compared. The outcome was any change in management based on MRI findings. Results: We identified 123 trauma patients who had MRI within 18 hours ± 14.5 hours of CT (median: 12 hours). In 82 (67%) patients, the findings of CT and MRI were identical. In the remaining 41 patients there were discrepancies between CT and MRI: 35 patients had slight differences in the location or size of the lesions found and six had minor brain lesion detected by MRI and not CT. Compared with patients who had identical CT and MRI, those who showed differences in the two tests had higher severity of head injury, lower initial blood pressure, and a higher rate of intubation. Based on CT findings, 78 (63%) patients received TBI-related interventions: 8 craniotomies, 12 intracranial pressure monitoring catheters, 14 mannitol infusions, and 72 anti-epileptic medications. There was no change in treatment because of MRI. Conclusion: Early MRI may be superior to CT in describing subtle TBI findings, but this information does not affect management. Head CT is the only imaging test necessary in the first 48 hours after TBI.
Epidermal cell fate determination in Arabidopsis: patterns defined by a steroid-inducible regulator

The Arabidopsis mutant ttg lacks both trichomes (epidermal hairs) and anthocyanin pigments. Trichomes and anthocyanins are restored by the constitutive expression of the maize transcriptional regulator (R). The expression of an R-glucocorticoid receptor chimeric protein results in a steroid hormone-dependent, conditional allele of R that functions in whole Arabidopsis plants. The response of the chimeric protein to pulses of hormone was used to define the pattern and timing of trichome formation on the developing leaf epidermis. Each adaxial epidermal leaf cell appears to have an equal probability of differentiating into a trichome; there is a temporal zone of decision for trichome cell fate that proceeds as a wave from the tip to the base of developing leaves.
Oxidative stress and dysregulation of NAD(P)H oxidase and antioxidant enzymes in diet-induced metabolic syndrome

Previously, we have demonstrated that chronic consumption of a high-fat, high-refined sugar (HFS) diet results in metabolic syndrome which is marked by obesity, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension in Fischer rats. Metabolic syndrome in this model is associated with oxidative stress, avid nitric oxide (NO) inactivation by reactive oxygen species (ROS), diminished NO bioavailability, and dysregulation of NO synthase isotypes. Although occurrence of oxidative stress and its impact on NO metabolism are well established, the molecular source(s) of ROS in this model is unknown. In an attempt to explore this issue, we measured protein expressions of the key ROSproducing enzyme, NAD(P)H oxidase, and the main antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (CuZn SOD and Mn SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2), in the kidney and aorta of Fischer rats fed an HFS or low-fat, complexcarbohydrate diet for 7 months. In addition, plasma lipid peroxidation product (malondialdehyde) as well as endothelium-dependent and independent vasorelaxation (aorta rings) was determined. The results showed a significant upregulation of gp91 phox subunit of NAD(P)H oxidase and downregulations of SOD isoforms, GPX, and HO-2 in the kidney and aorta of the HFS-fed animals. This was associated with increased plasma malondialdehyde concentration and impaired vasodilatory response to acetylcholine, but not the NO donor, Na nitroprusside. The latter findings confirm the presence of oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in the HFS-fed rats. Oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in the diet-induced metabolic syndrome are accompanied by upregulation of NAD(P)H oxidase, pointing to increased ROS production capacity, and downregulation of SOD isoforms, GPX, and HO-2, the key enzymes in the antioxidant defense system.
Targeted genome editing in Aedes aegypti using TALENs

The Culicine mosquito, Aedes aegypti, is both a major vector of arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) and a genetic model organism for arbovirus transmission. TALE nucleases (TALENs), a group of artificial enzymes capable of generating site-specific DNA lesions, consist of a non-specific FokI endonuclease cleavage domain fused to an engineered DNA binding domain specific to a target site. While TALENs have become an important tool for targeted gene disruption in a variety of organisms, application to the mosquito genome is a new approach. We recently described the use of TALENs to perform heritable genetic disruptions in A. aegypti. Here, we provide detailed methods that will allow other research laboratories to capitalize on the potential of this technology for understanding mosquito gene function. We describe target site selection, transient embryo-based assays to rapidly assess TALEN activity, embryonic microinjection and downstream screening steps to identify target site mutations.
OMVPE growth of p-AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunctions using diethylberyllium

We report on the OMVPE growth of modulation doped p-type Al0.43Ga0.57As(Be)/GaAs heterojunctions which exhibit a two-dimensional hole gas (2DHG). Hole mobilities de-termined by Hall or cyclotron resonance measurements at 300, 77, and 4 K were 394, 3750, and 21200 cm2/V bs s respectively for a sheet carrier density of about 4.5 × 1011 cms−2. Beryllium doping of AlxGa1−xAs using diethylberyllium is characterized by Hall measurements, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and photoluminescence. The depen-dence of free carrier concentrationvs AlAs% forp+ layers of AlxGa1−xAsx,x = 0–0.5, is determined. A free carrier concentration greater than 1 × 1018 cms−3 is achieved forx = 0–0.43 with no carrier freeze-out down to 77 K.
Functional implications of the unusual spatial distribution of a minor α-tubulin isotype in Drosophila: A common thread among chordotonal ligaments, developing muscle, and testis cyst cells

Abstract Three of the four α-tubulin genes in Drosophila melanogaster are temporally regulated. mRNA from one of these genes, α85E-tubulin, first appears in 6- to 8-hr embryos and persists, with marked fluctuations, through the end of pupal development. In adults, α85E mRNA has been unequivocally identified only in testes. In the present study, isotype-specific antibodies have been used to localize α85E tubulin protein in whole tissues. The results demonstrate a spatially restricted expression pattern of the α85E gene that includes tissues of both ectodermal and mesodermal origins. Specifically, embryonic accumulation of α85E tubulin is limited to support cells of chordotonal organs and the developing musculature of the viscera and body wall. In late third instar larvae, chordotonal organs and a subset of larval nerves, but not muscle, stain with anti-α85E. The timing of protein accumulation during pupal development suggests that α85E tubulin is involved in the construction of the adult as well as the larval musculature. In testis, only the somatically derived cyst cells that surround developing spermatid bundles accumulate α85E-tubulin. The cell types that express α85E share a requirement for extensive cell shape changes during development, suggesting that this minor α-tubulin may have distinct functional properties.
A calculation of auroral hiss with improved models for geoplasma and magnetic field

Intensities of auroral hiss generated by the Cerenkov radiation process by electrons in the lower magnetosphere are calculated with respect to a realistic model of the earth's magnetosphere. In this calculation, the magnetic field is expressed by the Mead-Fairfield Model (1975), and a static model of the iono-magnetospheric plasma distribution is constructed with data accumulated by recent satellites (Alouette-I, -II, ISIS-I, OGO-4, -6 and Explorer 22). The energy range of hiss producing electrons and the frequency range of the calculated VLF are 100-200 keV, and 2-200 kHz, respectively. The higher rate of hiss occurrence in the daytime side, particularly in the soft electron precipitation zone in the morning sector, and the lesser occurrence of auroral hiss in night-time sectors must be due to the local time dependence of the energy spectra of precipitating electrons rather than the difference in the geomagnetic field and in the geoplasma distributions.
Impact of state and civil institutions on the operation of rural market and nonmarket configurations

Abstract The approach undertaken in this study is based on the concept of configurations. Configurations are shaped by specific combinations of characteristics of the following elements: the item transacted; the actors; and the underlying physical, technological, cultural and policy environment. Configurations can be either market or nonmarket configurations. In turn, transactions are endogenously determined within given configurations. The impact of government intervention on the performance of a number of prototypical rural configurations and agrarian institutions, such as the food and cash crops market configurations, the farm household, sharecropping, and the rural official and unofficial credit markets is evaluated critically.
Gemfibrozil, a Lipid-Lowering Drug, Upregulates IL-1 Receptor Antagonist in Mouse Cortical Neurons: Implications for Neuronal Self-Defense

Chronic inflammation is becoming a hallmark of several neurodegenerative disorders and accordingly, IL-1β, a proinflammatory cytokine, is implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Although IL-1β binds to its high-affinity receptor, IL-1R, and upregulates proinflammatory signaling pathways, IL-1R antagonist (IL-1Ra) adheres to the same receptor and inhibits proinflammatory cell signaling. Therefore, upregulation of IL-1Ra is considered important in attenuating inflammation. The present study underlines a novel application of gemfibrozil (gem), a Food and Drug Administration-approved lipid-lowering drug, in increasing the expression of IL-1Ra in primary mouse and human neurons. Gem alone induced an early and pronounced increase in the expression of IL-1Ra in primary mouse cortical neurons. Activation of type IA p110α PI3K and Akt by gem and abrogation of gem-induced upregulation of IL-1Ra by inhibitors of PI3K and Akt indicate a role of the PI3K-Akt pathway in the upregulation of IL-1Ra. Gem also induced the activation of CREB via the PI3K-Akt pathway, and small interfering RNA attenuation of CREB abolished the gem-mediated increase in IL-1Ra. Furthermore, gem was able to protect neurons from IL-1β insult. However, small interfering RNA knockdown of neuronal IL-1Ra abrogated the protective effect of gem against IL-1β, suggesting that this drug increases the defense mechanism of cortical neurons via upregulation of IL-1Ra. Taken together, these results highlight the importance of the PI3K-Akt-CREB pathway in mediating gem-induced upregulation of IL-1Ra in neurons and suggest gem as a possible therapeutic treatment for propagating neuronal self-defense in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders.
Misperception in the Arab-Israeli Conflict

Some consensus exists as to what a fair, peace-promoting settlement would be. Both sides reject it. Why? Some nonrational reasons are considered. Four wars are reviewed. Each side tends not to perceive the real fear and realistic anger on the other side and not to perceive its own actions that have largely created and are now sustaining the other's fear and anger. Sullivan, Freud, Heider, S-R theory, and Jones-and-Nisbett are invoked. Circular processes in the Arab-Israeli conflict-system predominate; they are unlikely to be reversed unless strong influences from outside the system are brought to bear.
A Computational Role for Dopamine Delivery in Human Decision-Making

Recent work suggests that fluctuations in dopamine delivery at target structures represent an evaluation of future events that can be used to direct learning and decision-making. To examine the behavioral consequences of this interpretation, we gave simple decision-making tasks to 66 human subjects and to a network based on a predictive model of mesencephalic dopamine systems. The human subjects displayed behavior similar to the network behavior in terms of choice allocation and the character of deliberation times. The agree ment between human and model performances suggests a direct relationship between biases in human decision strategies and fluctuating dopamine delivery. We also show that the model offers a new interpretation of deficits that result when dopamine levels are increased or decreased through disease or pharmacological interventions. The bottom-up approach presented here also suggests that a variety of behavioral strategies may result from the expression of relatively simple neural mechanisms in different behavioral contexts.
An utterance comparison model for speaker clustering using factor analysis

We propose a novel utterance comparison model based on probability theory and factor analysis that computes the likelihood of two speech utterances originating from the same speaker. The model depends only on a set of statistics extracted from each utterance and can efficiently compare utterances using these statistics without requiring the indefinite storage of speech features. We apply the model as a distance metric for speaker clustering in the CALLHOME telephone conversation corpus to achieve competitive results compared to three other known similarity measures: the Generalized Likelihood Ratio, Cross-Likelihood Ratio, and eigenvoice distance.
ASKING TRANSIT USERS ABOUT TRANSIT-ORIENTED DESIGN

Visual-preference surveys are becoming popular in "visioning" projects, design charrettes, and other physical planning activities in which intensive public involvement is desired. In a survey, transit users, nonusers, and professionals were shown a series of paired slides of bus stops, asked to choose the stop from each pair at which they would prefer to wait, and asked to rate each stop chosen as a place to wait. Slides then were analyzed for content, with 19 features of bus stops and surroundings measured and quantified. Subsequent analysis showed that transit-oriented design features most affecting both choices and ratings are a bus shelter at the stop, trees along the street leading to the stop, a vertical curb at the stop, the setback of the stop from the street edge, and a continuous sidewalk leading to the stop. Such a survey may help transit planners choose the best transit-stop locations and devote financial resources to the most promising transit-stop amenities, given the inevitable trade-offs i...
Incremental all pairs similarity search for varying similarity thresholds

All Pairs Similarity Search (APSS) is a ubiquitous problem in many data mining applications and involves finding all pairs of records with similarity scores above a specified threshold. In this paper, we introduce the problem of Incremental All Pairs Similarity Search (IAPSS), where APSS is performed multiple times over the same dataset by varying the similarity threshold. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that addresses the IAPSS problem. All existing solutions for APSS perform redundant computations by invoking APSS independently for each threshold value.In contrast, our solution to the IAPSS problem avoids redundant computations by storing the history of previous APSS invocations and using index splitting. While offering obvious benefits, the computation and I/O intensive nature of the IAPSS solution raises two key research challenges: (1) to develop efficient I/O techniques to manage computation history and (2) to efficiently identify and prune redundant computations. We address these challenges through the proposed (a) history binning technique that clusters record pairs based on similarity values and performs I/O during the similarity computation, and (b) splitting of inverted index that maps each dimension to a list of records that have a non-zero projection along that dimension. As a result, we evaluate the effectiveness of our techniques by demonstrating speed-ups in the order of 2X to over 105X over the state-of-the-art APSS algorithm for four real-world large-scale datasets.
Filter Design and Analysis in Frequency Domain for Server Scheduling and Optimization

Internet traffic often exhibits a structure with rich high-order statistical properties like self-similarity and long-range dependency (LRD). This greatly complicates the problem of server performance modeling and optimization. Existing tools like queuing models in most cases only hold in mean value analysis under the assumption of simplified traffic structures. In this paper, we present a filter model to characterize the relationship among the factors of server capacity, request scheduling, and service quality for general input traffic. By the model, a server scheduler operates as an finite-duration impulse response (FIR) filter that transforms request processes into workload processes with the objective of minimizing load variation or overload probability, and meanwhile, without violating request response deadlines as defined in service-level agreements. We present a design and analysis of the filter for traffic with strong LRD in the frequency domain. Most Internet traffic has monotonically decreasing strength of variation functions over frequency. For this type of input traffic, we prove that optimal schedulers must have a convex structure. Uniform resource allocation is an extreme case of the convexity and is proved to be optimal for Poisson traffic. We integrate the convex structural principle with the Generalized Processor Sharing (GPS) discipline and show that the enhanced GPS policy improves the service quality significantly. Furthermore, we show that the presence of LRD in the input traffic results in shift of variation strength from high frequency to lower frequency bands and consequently leads to a degradation of the service quality.
Quantifying DNA-protein interactions by double-stranded DNA arrays

We have created double-stranded oligonucleotide arrays to perform highly parallel investigations of DNA-protein interactions. Arrays of single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides, synthesized by a combination of photolithography and solid-state chemistry, have been used for a variety of applications, including large-scale mRNA expression monitoring, genotyping, and sequence-variation analysis. We converted a single-stranded to a double-stranded array by synthesizing a constant sequence at every position on an array and then annealing and enzymatically extending a complementary primer. The efficiency of second-strand synthesis was demonstrated by incorporation of fluorescently labeled dNTPs (2'-deoxyribonucleoside 5'-triphosphates) and by terminal transferase addition of a fluorescently labeled ddNTP. The accuracy of second-strand synthesis was demonstrated by digestion of the arrayed double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) on the array with sequence-specific restriction enzymes. We showed dam methylation of dsDNA arrays by digestion with DpnI, which cleaves when its recognition site is methylated. This digestion demonstrated that the dsDNA arrays can be further biochemically modified and that the DNA is accessible for interaction with DNA-binding proteins. This dsDNA array approach could be extended to explore the spectrum of sequence-specific protein binding sites in genomes.
Physical location awareness for enterprise IT assets

In this paper we discuss techniques to automatically discover and track the physical location of networked devices in support of enterprise IT asset management. Recording the location of physical IT assets has long been the domain of manual change-tracking processes and wall-to-wall inventory activities. Meanwhile, increasing end-user device mobility, company growth and merger dynamics, adoption of outsourcing models, as well as transformation of formerly physical servers into virtual machines challenge the efficiency of manual location tracking. Dedicated sensor networks such as those used for RFID tags have been proposed as a replacement. In practice however, extensive infrastructure deployment costs seem to preclude industry adoption. Hence, we focus on location discovery techniques that leverage the ubiquitous wired and wireless enterprise networking infrastructure, to which an increasing percentage of IT assets is at least occasionally connected. Based on this assumption, we present a novel system architecture and algorithm for enterprise-network topology-centric IT asset location estimation based on adaptive learning techniques and spatial hierarchies. We use authentic and simulated data to show the functional and non-functional characteristics of this system.
No table necessary? Foreign policy crisis management techniques in non-state actor-triggered crises:

This article examines how states manage foreign policy crises that are triggered by non-state actors. This research argues that crises triggered by non-state actors are particularly prone to informational and commitment problems, as well as audience costs. As a consequence, a state experiencing a non-state-triggered crisis will be more likely to adopt violent crisis management techniques and less likely to seek a negotiated solution. This assertion is tested using data from the International Crisis Behavior project. The findings suggest that these crises are indeed more prone to violent crisis management techniques when compared with crises triggered by other states. The implications of these findings for both our understanding of crisis decision-making and the study of non-state actors in international relations are discussed.
Animals in the influenza world

In the history of influenza there are many references, notes and comments about influenza epizootics occurring among various non-human animals, sometimes coinciding with epidemics of influenza in human beings. That the first influenza viruses were recovered from non-human animals is not so surprising, given the current knowledge of the distribution of influenza among animals. Influenza viruses are found in a wide variety of mammalian and avian species. In some species the disease that occurs as a result of the infection mimics the influenza disease of human beings, in other species there are no signs of disease, and in others there is disease specific to a species. It is clear that influenza viruses have a significant impact on the health of several animal species. In recent times it has also become clear that many species of animals are inextricably entwined in the puzzle of influenza viruses and human influenza. Our knowledge in animals has provided both questions and answers about the influenza viruses and their diseases. Certainly our understanding of human influenza has been advanced because of the animals in the influenza world.
Recent advances in temperature-emissivity separation algorithms

This paper presents recent advances in temperature emissivity separation. 12 The ARTEMISS (Automatic Retrieval of Temperature and Emissivity using Spectral Smoothness) method was developed over the last 10 years to retrieve temperature, emissivity and associated uncertainties from data collected with hyper-spectral imaging spectrometers. Numerous improvements have been made to speed up the algorithm and create better results. In particular, new selection methods to find blackbody-like pixels led to better estimates of transmission and path radiances. New methods to select the best atmosphere, based on transmission and path radiance, narrow down the number of possible solutions. A new multi-dimensional fitting method based on the AMOEBA algorithm made it possible to include changes on the down-welling radiance for airborne sensors, e.g. from clouds and from transmission through sub-visible cirrus clouds.
Prevalence and predictors of left atrial thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation: is transesophageal echocardiography necessary before cardioversion?

Abstract Background Systemic embolization threatens patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The risk is enhanced at the time of cardioversion. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) prior to cardioversion to screen for left atrial thrombus (LAT), a marker of high risk for embolization, is recommended for many patients with AF. Objective To determine clinical and echocardiographic factors associated with LAT formation in AF. Methods Data from 600 consecutive patients with AF undergoing TEE prior to cardioversion for the detection of LAT were analyzed. Clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic parameters were abstracted from the clinical record. Results TEE identified LAT in 70 (11.6%) and dense (LA) spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) in 156 (26%). Baseline characteristics and echocardiographic parameters of patients with or without LAT are compared. A prior myocardial infarction, 21 (29.4 %) vs. 31 (5.8), (p 2 ≥2, 56 (80%) vs. 308 (58.1%), (p Conclusion LAT is not an uncommon finding of AF patients prior to cardioversion. The current practice of TEE examination may be justified since neither clinical nor routine 2D echo examinations reliably identify LAT.
Applications of empirical characteristic functions in some multivariate problems

In this note we extend univariate tests for normality and symmetry based on empirical characteristic functions to the multivariate case. RESUME Cette note vise a etendre au cas multidimensionnel certains tests de normalite et de symetrie univaries construits a partir de fonctions caracteristiques experimentales.
The Evolutionary Foundation of Perceiving One's Own Emotions

Much research in the field of emotions has shown that people differ in the cues that they use to perceive their own emotions. People who are more responsive to personal cues (personal cuers) make use of cues arising from their own bodies and behavior; people who are less responsive to personal cues (situational cuers) make use of cues arising from the world around them. An evolutionary explanation of this well- documented phenomenon is that it occurs because of the operation of a cognitive module designed to enable the organism to predict its own impending behavior. This theory suggests that situational cuers would be people for whom external factors are the best source of information about their own future behavior, whereas personal cuers are people for whom cues about themselves are the best source of information about their own future behavior. Such a view is founded in the New Realist philosophy of the early twentieth century, a philosophy that affected psychology through the work of E. C. Tolman and J. J. Gibson.
Servo control of amplitude modulation in frequency-modulation spectroscopy: demonstration of shot-noise-limited detection

We describe and demonstrate a new method to reduce actively the amplitude modulation of a phase-modulated laser to the shot-noise limit. This theoretical limit of ultrahigh sensitivity of FM spectroscopy is achieved in a linear absorption experiment with iodine.
Patient-Centered Dialysis Care: Depression, Pain, and Quality of Life

Remarkable advancements have been made in the provision of chronic dialysis therapy since its inception decades ago. A series of studies inform current dialysis dosing recommendations, while advancements in strategies to treat mineral and bone disease, acid-base and electrolyte disturbances, and anemia have facilitated the management of these well-recognized complications of ESRD. The collective result has been a model of chronic dialysis care focused principally on the achievement of metabolic and dialysis-related targets. In fact, guidelines such as the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative put forth by the National Kidney Foundation recommend metrics that characterize successful dialysis care, including the attainment of specific solute clearance targets; maintenance of hemoglobin, calcium, phosphorous, and parathyroid hormone levels within target ranges; and the preferred use of primary arteriovenous fistulae for vascular access. This focus on serologic and dialysis-specific outcomes has helped renal providers manage the biochemical effects related to the loss of kidney function and has reduced ESRD-related morbidity and mortality. Yet, absent from this model of care is an emphasis on the treatment of bothersome symptoms and the impact of such treatment on quality of life (QOL). Among the many symptoms that affect patients on chronic dialysis, depression and pain are particularly common, strongly associated with decrements in QOL, and potentially treatable. This review discusses key research findings and unanswered questions pertaining to the prevalence, significance, and treatment of depression and pain and the effect of such treatment on QOL in patients dependent on chronic dialysis, with the broad goal of incorporating symptom management strategies into a paradigm of patient-centered dialysis care.
The Value of Imprint Cytology in Cytochemical Detection of Steroid Hormone Receptors in Breast Cancer

Steroid hormone receptors were studied in 42 patients with primary, recurrent or metastatic breast cancer in cryostat frozen section and imprint preparations. The ligands, 17 B-estradiol-6-carboxymethyloxine-bovine serum album fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC-BSA estrodiol) and hydroxyprogesterone-hemisuccinate bovine serum album tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate (TMRITC-BSA progesterone) were used in the fluorescent cytochemical method. Results were compared with standard dextran-coated charcoal (DCC) biochemical assay. Overall, significant correlation between biochemical values and cytochemical fluorescence results was found. However, the imprint results were more sensitive and more specific than the frozen section results. A statistically significant difference ( P < 0.05) was observed between touch preparation material and frozen section specimens by the fluorescent method.
Diffusion-Ordered NMR Spectroscopy as a Reliable Alternative to TEM for Determining the Size of Gold Nanoparticles in Organic Solutions

Diffusion-ordered spectroscopy is used to determine gold nanoparticle sizes. Traditional characterization of nanoparticles has centered on imaging by electron microscopy and plasmon resonance absorption in UV−visible electronic spectra. We present a convenient method to characterize gold nanoparticles using diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY). 2D DOSY NMR is used to calculate diffusion constants and the diameter of solubilized gold nanoparticles capped with 1-dodecanethiol (C12) or 1-octanethiol (C8) in three deuterated solvents. The distributions of nanoparticle sizes strongly correlate with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image analysis. C12 and C8 capped nanoparticle sizes were found to be 4.6 and 2.7 nm by TEM as compared to estimates of 4.6 ± 0.3 and 2.5 ± 0.1 nm based on 2D DOSY NMR data. This demonstrates that reliable size characterization of nanoparticles with NMR active nuclei (1H in this study) in their protective groups (alkane thiols in this study) can be achieved by a widely ava...
Caregiver perceptions of childhood weight: demographic moderators and correlates.

Background To examine whether ethnicity moderates the association between caregiver characteristics and perceptions of childhood weight and whether these perceptions are associated with their child's obesity status. Methods Caregivers recruited from paediatricians' offices (n = 453) completed a survey about childhood health; nurses weighed and measured the children. Caregivers reported their own weight and height, demographic information about their family and made ratings of healthy weight for children in general and for their own child in particular. Results African American caregivers were more likely to view heavier girls as healthier, but this association held only for lower income families or caregivers with higher body mass index. Hispanic caregivers were more likely to misperceive their own child's weight if either the caregiver or the child had a higher body mass index. Parents who perceived heavier weight as healthier or misperceived their own child's weight were more likely to have a child with obesity. This latter association held regardless of ethnicity. Conclusion The association between ethnicity and perceptions of healthy childhood weight are complex. The relation between caregivers' perceptions of healthy weight and their own child's obesity status, however, was similar regardless of ethnicity.
Resilience and development among ultra-poor households in rural Ethiopia

AbstractThis paper describes subjective understandings of resilience among residents of a community in southern Ethiopia. It also considers the implications of using this term as a mobilising concept for research and practice in a highly resource-constrained context. Understandings of resilience among ultra-poor households highlight a tension between meeting short-term subsistence needs and taking actions that contribute to building resilience against future shocks and stresses. Responses also underline the need to think beyond resilience-building at the individual or household level, and consider the structural conditions that limit the efficacy of micro-level interventions and contribute to the shocks and stresses that resilience is to be built against. The need to think critically about the spatial and temporal scales at which resilience is enhanced or constrained was also manifest in a brief analysis of a development intervention taking place in Kejima. This intervention addressed a number of the hous...