cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomechanical Response to External Biofeedback During Functional Tasks in Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability

Context Altered biomechanics displayed by individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a possible cause of recurring injuries and posttraumatic osteoarthritis. Current interventions are unable to modify aberrant biomechanics, leading to research efforts to determine if real-time external biofeedback can result in changes. Objective To determine the real-time effects of visual and auditory biofeedback on functional-task biomechanics in individuals with CAI. Design Crossover study. Setting Laboratory. Patients or other participants Nineteen physically active adults with CAI (7 men, 12 women; age = 23.95 ± 5.52 years, height = 168.87 ± 6.94 cm, mass = 74.74 ± 15.41 kg). Intervention(s) Participants randomly performed single-limb static balance, step downs, lateral hops, and forward lunges during a baseline and 2 biofeedback conditions. Visual biofeedback was given through a crossline laser secured to the dorsum of the foot. Auditory biofeedback was given through a pressure sensor placed under the lateral foot and connected to a buzzer that elicited a noise when pressure exceeded the set threshold. Cues provided during the biofeedback conditions were used to promote proper biomechanics during each task. Main outcome measure(s) We measured the location of center-of-pressure (COP) data points during balance with eyes open and eyes closed for each condition. Plantar pressure in the lateral column of the foot during functional tasks was extracted. Secondary outcomes of interest were COP area and velocity, time to boundary during static balance, and additional plantar-pressure measures. Results Both biofeedback conditions reduced COP in the anterolateral quadrant while increasing COP in the posteromedial quadrant of the foot during eyes-open balance. Visual biofeedback increased lateral heel pressure and the lateral heel and midfoot pressure-time integral during hops. The auditory condition produced similar changes during the eyes-closed trials. Auditory biofeedback increased heel pressure during step downs and decreased the lateral forefoot pressure-time integral during lunges. Conclusions Real-time improvements in balance strategies were observed during both external biofeedback conditions. Visual and auditory biofeedback appeared to effectively moderate different functional-task biomechanics.
Bilateral Hydronephrosis From Retroperitoneal Fibrosis.

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare condition characterized by fibroinflammatory tissue infiltrating and compressing retroperitoneal structures. While mostly idiopathic (idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis or IRF), RPF is frequently associated with certain drugs, infections, and malignancies. It is thought to be immune-mediated because of response to steroids and RPF is commonly seen with other autoimmune diseases, especially IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). IRF is also a part of the chronic aortitis syndromes and the presence of aortic aneurysms is another characteristic of this disease. A 63-year old woman presented with left-sided flank pain. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed left hydronephrosis from compression of the ureter by a retroperitoneal mass. A thoracoabdominal aneurysm was also noted. A [18F]- fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan showed hypermetabolism in the mass, with no abnormally increased activity noted elsewhere. Within four months, the mass enlarged to involve the right ureter as well, leading to right hydronephrosis. She required bilateral ureteral stents and aneurysm repair. Biopsy of the mass showed dense fibrosis with a mononuclear cell infiltrate. The histology of the aneurysm specimen showed chronic periaortic inflammation. Laboratory investigations were significant for elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), with no evidence of monoclonal gammopathy. She was referred to the rheumatology clinic to receive steroid treatment for IRF. IRF commonly involves the ureters and is diagnosed on CT scans during a workup for obstructive uropathy. The treatment is high dose steroids, while in resistant cases, other immunosuppressants have been used. The presentation of a patient with IRF can commonly mimic that of urinary calculi and malignancy. While rare, IRF should not be forgotten when evaluating a patient for obstructive uropathy.
Efficient Search of Circular Repeats and MicroDNA Reintegration in DNA Sequences

MicroDNAs are a type of extrachromosomal circular DNAs found both in cell nuclei and as cell-free circulating DNA, with links to cancer and genetic mosaicism. Research suggests that microDNAs originate from chromosomal DNA. To better understand the evolutionary role of microDNAs, it is of interest to determine if and how they interact with the chromosomal DNA. In particular, do microDNAs re-integrate back into the chromosomal genome? Given their circular form, if they do, this will lead to a specific form of repeat in the genome, which we term circular repeat. Due to the presence of mutations, these repeats are expected to be approximate. Motivated by this question, we develop an efficient ab initio algorithm for finding approximate circular repeats in a given genome. The algorithm consists of two main components. First, it performs a two-stage search to locate candidate circular repeat patterns by identifying their substrings. Second, it checks the validity of each candidate by inspecting the flanking sequences of the substrings. By applying our method to human genome chromosomes 21, 22, and Y, we find hundreds of approximate circular repeats. Our simulation shows that the patterns found are unlikely to be purely the result of inherent repetitive structure of the genome, thus suggesting that microDNAs reintegrate back into the genome.
SIALADENITIS AND SIALOLITHIASIS: Diagnosis and Management

SUMMARY Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are often asked to evaluate major salivary gland abnormalities. Sialadenitis of the major salivary glands is a common clinical finding and may present as an acute or chronic process. Treatment alternatives differ according to etiology, severity, and location of the sialadenitis. It may occur at any age and be due to bacterial or viral involvement of the gland and/or its ductal system. Sialolithiasis is the most common cause of ductal obstruction; however, other contributing factors must be considered. Whether sialolithiasis is symptomatic or not depends on the size and anatomic location of the sialolith within the ductal system. Multiple imaging techniques have been used in the evaluation and precise localization of sialoliths. Treatment objectives include the removal of the ductal obstruction, allowing normal salivary flow and a return to normal glandular function. Multiple treatment modalities have been presented.
Intestinal organoids: roadmap to the clinic.

Recent advances in intestinal organoid research, along with encouraging preclinical proof-of-concept studies, have revealed significant therapeutic potential for induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC...
Malicious Activity Detection in Lightweight Wearable and IoT Devices Using Signal Stitching

The integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process involves many players, from chip/board design and fabrication to firmware design and installation. In today’s global supply chain, any of these steps are prone to interference from rogue players, creating a security risk. Therefore, manufactured devices need to be verified to perform only their intended operations since it is not economically feasible to control the supply chain and use only trusted facilities. This paper presents a detection technique for malicious activity that can stem from hardware or firmware Trojans. The proposed technique relies on (i) repetitious side-channel sample collection of the active device, (ii) time-domain stitching, and (iii) frequency domain analysis. Since finding a trusted sample is generally impractical, the proposed technique is based on self-referencing to remove the effects of environmental or device-to-device variation in the frequency domain. We first observe that the power spectrum of the Trojan activity is confined to a low-frequency band. Then, we exploit this fact to achieve self-referencing using signal detection theory. The proposed technique’s effectiveness is demonstrated through experiments on a wearable electronics prototype and system-on-chip (SoC) under a variety of practical scenarios. Experimental results show the proposed detection technique enables a high overall detection coverage for malicious activities of varying types with 0.8 s monitoring time overhead, which is negligible.
Venous Salvage Using Cephalic Vein/External Jugular Vein

The standard approach to free flap recipient vessels in the chest is the internal mammary system. It can be successfully used greater than 98% of the time, but in those instances where the internal mammary system is inadequate, it is usually the left internal mammary vein that proves to be the culprit. This chapter outlines a stepwise approach to dealing with this rare circumstance starting locally and progressing out of the standard bearers for free flap recipients. When all local options are depleted, the external jugular vein and cephalic vein offer a chance at flap salvage.
Mobile Crowd-sensing Applications: Data Redundancies, Challenges, and Solutions

Conventional data collection methods that use Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) suffer from disadvantages such as deployment location limitation, geographical distance, as well as high construction a...
Determination of residues of fensulfothion and its metabolites in Chinese cabbage, Japanese radish , and turnips.

A method was developed using a selective nitrogen-phosphorus detector to determine the combined total residues, as the oxygen analogs, of fensulfothion (O,O-diethyl O-[p-(methylsulfinyl)-phenyl] phosphorothioate) and its 3 metabolites. The procedure was used to determine harvest residues in Chinese cabbage, Japanese radish, and turnips treated with 2 application rates of fensulfothion. Residues found after application of 2 oz active ingredient (AI)/100 lineal ft of row ranged from 0.026 ppm for Japanese radish to 1.543 ppm for turnip greens. When the application rate was doubled, the amount of residue found was approximately doubled.
Clinical and Laboratory Aspects of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis and Derivation of Affected Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) consists of diagnostic ­procedures detecting a genetic condition(s) in the oocyte or embryo produced by in vitro fertilization (IVF) prior to pregnancy. Chromosomal abnormalities and single gene disorders can be tested by PGD, which gives the parents the opportunity to choose unaffected embryos for transfer. Establishment of affected human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines from affected preembryos with genetic disorders diagnosed by PGD provides a powerful research tool for exploring fundamental biological mechanisms of early stages of development. This, in turn, leads to the development of new approaches for diagnosing, treating, and preventing genetic disorders. Human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines are pluripotent and can ­produce all types of cell lineages in the body. Considering the presence of genetic diversities and polymorphisms in populations, there is a need for large hESC line collections to provide the various genetic components for research purposes. There are several advantages and a uniqueness of hESC research. It cannot be done in animal models or with cell culture methods. Also, it has an invaluable place in pharmacogenomic testing and regenerative medicine applications as affected hESCs of some disorders are the only biological tools we have as disease models.
Outlier Detection in Discrete Sequences

The previous chapter discusses anomaly detection from the perspective of continuous time series. A related setting is one in which the individual elements at each time stamp are discrete-valued (i.e., categorical). Such discrete time-series are also referred to as sequences. Discrete-valued temporal scenarios arise in numerous systems diagnosis, intrusion detection, and biological applications. In some domains such as intrusion detection and systems diagnosis, the discrete sequences are caused by temporal ordering, whereas in other domains such as biological data, the discrete sequences are caused by physical ordering. Nevertheless, at a logical level, the differences in the problem definitions for the two cases are relatively minor. The primary difference is that temporal data often has a specific direction to the analysis in real scenarios (i.e., forward in time), whereas this may not be the case for data based on placement relationships. At the analytical level, the models for the two cases are different in minimal ways and typically have cross-applicability.
Surgeon-performed ultrasound: accurate, reproducible, and more efficient

Purpose A study previously performed at our institution demonstrated that surgeon-performed ultrasound (SPUS) was accurate compared to radiology department ultrasound (RDUS) when evaluating children with suspected appendicitis. The purpose of this study was to determine if these results were reproducible and if SPUS decreased time to definitive diagnosis.
Interventions for children coping with parental multiple sclerosis: a systematic review.

Purpose A systematic review was conducted to explore ways to assist children of parents with multiple sclerosis (MS) in developing positive coping strategies. Data sources Multiple databases including Academic Search Complex, CINAHL plus with full text, Health Source: Nursing Academic Edition, Medline with full text, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. The review was not limited by year of publication. Conclusions Evidence demonstrates children of parents with MS who increase their coping skills, social support, and knowledge of the disease process exhibit decreased emotional distress and increased overall life satisfaction. Implications for practice Future research needs to explore the effects of intervention programs designed specifically to target different age levels and promote coping strategies, social support, and knowledge of MS. Healthcare providers need to address the family's needs, including children, when a parent is diagnosed with MS.
Transport Theory for Propagation and Reverberation

Abstract : The main goals proposed for this project were to extend transport theory to range dependent environments and to develop reverberation modeling based on transport theory. The stochastic process emphasized was forward scattering from the sea surface, since it is the most important effect on reverberation modeling that is not being taken into account in reverberation modeling prediction for naval applications. The effect of sea surface forward scattering can affect predicted reverberation levels at mid frequencies by more than 10 dB, and therefore it is one of very few physical effects (if not the only one) not presently being taken into account that can lead to such large reverberation modeling uncertainties. The need to account for surface forward scattering with traditional reverberation modeling approaches readily accessable for naval applications is also being addressed with the development of an effective reflection loss model for the total field, referred to as TOTLOS. The original approach in developing TOTLOS was to base it on the results of Monte Carlo rough surface PE results, but as transport theory became available it became clear that results from it were much more suitable to support TOTLOS development, making it an important secondary goal of the present project.
Transient Inhibition of Polyoma Virus Synthesis by Sendai Virus (Parainfluenza I) II. Mechanism of the Interference by Inactivated Virus

The mechanism of the transient inhibition of polyoma virus synthesis by betapropiolactone-inactivated Sendai virus was studied. Polyoma virus early functions did not appear to be affected, although deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and structural protein synthesis were inhibited 60 and 35% respectively. The inhibition of macromolecular synthesis was not sufficient to account for the 90% inhibition of infectious progeny formation. Encapsidation of polyoma DNA into mature virions appears to be completely inhibited after superinfection by beta-propiolactone-inactivated Sendai virus. Ultraviolet irradiation of live or beta-propiolactone-inactivated Sendai virus preparations abolishes the interfering capacity, indicating that a functional Sendai virus ribonucleic acid molecule is the interfering component.
A new parallel technique for design of decrement/increment and two's complement circuits

A novel design technique for the construction of a decrement/increment and two's complement (DIT) circuit is presented. The technique is shown to be highly efficient of both in terms silicon area consumption and time. More interestingly, it is shown that the operation delay is almost independent of the word size, and hence the method is best used for high-density codes. Structurally, the circuit is made of two parallel paths: one for the input data and one for the generation of the control signal to be utilized for DIT operation through the data path. The circuit is designed and simulated for 64-bit word length using CMOS technology. For the worst-case situation, a 14.7 ns response time is reported. >
Pneumonia in Nursing Home Residents: Factors Associated with In-Home Care of EverCare Enrollees

Objectives: To identify determinants of whether nursing home (NH) residents enrolled in EverCare were admitted to in-home intensive service days (ISDs) rather than a hospital when they were thought to have pneumonia. Design: Retrospective cross-sectional. Setting: EverCare operations in five metropolitan areas. participants: EverCare enrollees admitted to ISDs or a hospital for suspected pneumonia in 2002. Measurements: Member, nurse practitioner, physician, and NH characteristics extracted from EverCare's administrative data and Online Survey Certification and Reporting NH data. Results: Multivariable logistic regression indicated that admission to ISDs (65% of cases) was positively associated with age (odds ratio (OR)=1.04. 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–1.04), advance directives not to hospitalize (OR=2.88, 95% CI=1.76–4.72), or perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, 3.09 (2.44–3.91), and hours worked by the NH's registered nurses (OR=4.34, 95% CI=1.74–10.8). Admission to ISD was less likely on weekends (OR=0.30, 95% CI=0.21–0.43), when residents had renal insufficiency (OR=0.61, 95% CI=0.49–0.76), and when the resident was covered by Medicaid (OR 0.87, 95% CI=0.82–0.93). Conclusion: Exploration of ways to extend services to weekends, increased availability of registered nurse staff, attention to advance directives, and a better understanding of the role of Medicaid might increase the likelihood of caring for EverCare enrollees with suspected pneumonia in their NH.
Metaphorically Speaking: Ableist Metaphors in Feminist Writing

This article examines the use of metaphors of disability in feminist texts. Starting from an understanding of feminism as a movement to end sex and gender oppression in the lives of all people, a movement aligned with anti-racist, anti-homophobic, anti-classist and anti-ableist movements, I make connections between sexist and ableist rhetoric in order to expose the political and intellectual repercussions for feminist work that relies upon metaphors of disability. I argue that most current uses of disability metaphors promote an ideology of impairment as a negative form of embodiment. In order to articulate my claims, I provide a close reading of extended disability metaphors used in work by bell hooks and Tania Modleski, identifying the implications about disability and problems that occur in their overall arguments when the metaphors are read from a disability studies perspective. The article ends by offering recommendations for a feminist philosophy of language, calling for a reflective political commitment by feminists to interrogate our theoretical assumptions and consider the effects of our language so as to prevent further marginalization of disempowered groups in general and disabled people in particular. Keywords: metaphor; language; ableism; feminism
Transduction of Rifampin Resistance in Group A Streptococci

Rifampin-resistant strains of group A streptococci were isolated as spontaneous mutants. Transduction analyses employing phage A25 showed the rifampin marker to be transferred with high frequency. The mutations conferring resistance to rifampin and streptomycin are not co-transducible.
Introduction to Electrical Engineering

1. Introduction. I. CIRCUITS. 2. DC Circuits. 3. Transient Analysis. 4. AC Steady-State Analysis. 5. Steady-State Power Analysis. 6. Network Frequency Characteristics. II. BASIC ELECTRONICS. 7. Overview of Basic Concepts in Electronics. 8. Semiconductors, Diodes and Applications. 9. The Transistor as a Switch: FET's and BJT's for Digital Applications. III. DIGITAL SYSTEMS. 10. Basic Digital Switching Circuits: The Logic Gate. 11. Digital Logic Circuits. 12. Microprocessor Systems. 13. Microelectronics Design and Manufacturing. IV. ANALOG SYSTEMS. 14. Op-Amps: Introduction to Analog Systems. 15. The Large Signal Analysis of MOSFET's and BJT's for Analog Applications. 16. The Small Signal Analysis of MOSFET's and BJT's for Analog Applications. 17. Advanced Analog Circuit Concepts and Applications. V. ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND SAFETY. 18. Magnetically Coupled Circuits and Transformers. 19. dc Machines. 20. ac Polyphase Machines. 21. Electrical Activity. VI. CONTROLS AND COMMUNICATIONS. 22. Control Systems Analysis. 23. Communications.
An Implementation of a Query Language with Generalized Quantifiers

It is well known that SQL's syntax sometimes forces users to write queries in an awkward way. Together with the danger of formulating an incorrect query, complex queries pose a challenge to the optimizer. A well studied example is that of universal quantification[1,2]. As an example, assume two relations: student(sid) and teaches(pid,sid) , which denotes that professor pid is a teacher of student sid . Consider the question "find the professors teaching allstudents." Since SQL does not directly support the quantifier all, most textbooks express this question using two subqueries, NOT EXISTS and NOT IN .
Air Pollution and Daily Mortality in Birmingham, Alabama

Several recent studies have reported associations between common levels of particulate air pollution and small increases in daily mortality. This study examined whether a similar association could be found in the southern United States, with different weather patterns than the previous studies, and examined the sensitivity of the results to different methods of analysis and covariate control. Data were available in Birmingham, Alabama, from August 1985 through 1988. Regression analyses controlled for weather, time trends, day of the week, and year of study and removed any long-term patterns (such as seasonal and monthly fluctuations) from the data by trigonometric filtering. A significant association was found between inhalable particles and daily mortality in Poisson regression analysis (relative risk = 1.11, 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.20). The relative risk was estimated for a 100-micrograms/m3 increase in inhalable particles. Results were unchanged when least squares regression was used, when robust regression was used, and under an alternative filtering scheme. Diagnostic plots showed that the filtering successfully removed long wavelength patterns from the data. The generalized additive model, which models the expected number of deaths as nonparametric smoothed functions of the covariates, was then used to ensure adequate control for any nonlinearities in the weather dependence. Essentially identical results for inhalable particles were seen, with no evidence of a threshold down to the lowest observed exposure levels. The association also was unchanged when all days with particulate air pollution levels in excess of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards were deleted. The magnitude of the effect is consistent with recent estimates from Philadelphia, Steubenville, Detroit, Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Utah Valley.
Getting started in computational immunology.

The immune system acts across multiple scales involving complex interactions and feedback, from somatic modifications of DNA to the systemic inflammatory reaction. Computational modeling provides a framework to integrate observational data collected from multiple modes of experimentation and insight into the immune response in health and disease. This Message attempts to illustrate how different computational methods have been integrated with experimental observations to study an immunological question from multiple perspectives by focusing on a very particular, though fundamental, component of adaptive immunity: B cells and affinity maturation (Figure 1). B cells bind foreign antigens through their Immunoglobulin (Ig) receptor. Affinity maturation is the process by which B cell receptors that initially bind antigen with low affinity are modified through cycles of somatic mutation and affinity-dependent selection to produce high-affinity memory and plasma cells. How this process can reliably generate orders of magnitude increases in affinity over a period of weeks is one of the many questions where computational modeling has made important contributions (for example, the cyclic re-entry model [1]). Yet, even the seemingly straightforward matter of detecting antigen-driven selection remains controversial, and such fundamental questions as whether increased proliferation or decreased death drives the preferential expansion of higher-affinity B cell mutants remain unanswered. A good biological introduction to the immune system is available on the NIH website [2], while more detailed information can be found in any number of textbooks [3]. An animation by Julian Kirk-Elleker provides a visual introduction to the affinity maturation process (http://web.mac.com/patrickwlee/Antibody-affinity_maturation/Movie.html). The kinds of computational techniques described here have been widely applied in other areas of immunology, including the innate response [4],[5], viral dynamics [6], and immune memory [7]. A classic introduction to computational immunology geared to the more mathematically inclined was written by Perelson and Weisbuch [8]. The rapidly expanding area of immunoinformatics was covered in a recent issue of PLoS Computational Biology [9], and several other applications were explored in a 2007 volume of Immunological Reviews (216) devoted to quantitative modeling of immune responses. Figure 1 A wide range of experimental techniques are used in combination with computational modeling to probe the process of affinity maturation at multiple scales (from DNA to tissue).
A meiotic recombination checkpoint controlled by mitotic checkpoint genes

In budding yeast, meiotic recombination occurs at about 200 sites per cell and involves DNA double-strand break (DSB) intermediates. Here we provide evidence that a checkpoint control requiring the mitotic DNA-damage checkpoint genes RAD17, RAD24 and MEC1 ensures that meiotic recombination is complete before the first meiotic division (MI). First, RAD17, RAD24 and MEC1 are required for the meiotic arrest caused by blocking the repair of DSBs with a mutation in the recA homologue DMC1. Second, mec1 and rad24 single mutants (DMC1+) appear to undergo MI before all recombination events are complete. Curiously, the mitosis-specific checkpoint gene RAD9 is not required for meiotic arrest of dmc1 mutants. This shows that although mitotic and meiotic control mechanisms are related, they differ significantly. Rad17 and Rad24 proteins may contribute directly to formation of an arrest signal by association with single-strand DNA in mitosis and meiosis.
Tamoxifen in postmenopausal women a safety perspective

Tamoxifen is a synthetic antiestrogen with both agonist and antagonist properties. It is believed to act primarily through binding to estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells, acting as a competitive inhibitor of estrogen. Tamoxifen has a wide range of systemic effects, possibly acting on every estrogen target tissue in the body. Tamoxifen therapy is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of recurrence and death in postmenopausal women with early stage breast cancer. In addition, it has been shown to effectively suppress preclinical breast cancer, as evidenced by the decrease in second primary breast cancers in adjuvant trials. Tamoxifen is also the most widely used endocrine therapy for women with metastatic breast cancer. Tamoxifen, acting predominantly as an estrogen agonist in the liver, has generally favourable effects on serum lipids in postmenopausal women. In addition, tamoxifen has been shown to preserve bone mineral density and may even decrease the risk of osteoporosis in these women. Most patients treated with tamoxifen have minimal adverse effects. Vasomotor symptoms are the most commonly reported events. Less frequently, vaginal discharge or dryness, nausea and depression have been reported. A slight increase in thromboembolic events in postmenopausal women taking tamoxifen has been suggested in some adjuvant trials. Rarely, ocular toxicity and hepatotoxicity are found. The adverse effect of primary importance is the increased incidence of endometrial carcinoma. Several studies indicate that almost all of the tumours are of low histological grade and stage, similar to those seen with exogenous estrogen use. The relative risk of endometrial cancer in women taking tamoxifen is about 2 to 4 times higher than for postmenopausal women not taking tamoxifen. The benefits of tamoxifen outweigh the risks in almost all postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive early stage breast cancer and in all women with metastatic breast cancer. Should tamoxifen prove to be an effective chemopreventive agent for breast cancer, the risks and benefits of treatment will have to be more carefully assessed for this setting.
Risk-Aware Virtual Resource Management for Multitenant Cloud Datacenters

The multitenancy and virtualization features of cloud computing enhance resource utilization and lower the cloud provider's total cost of hosting customer data for big data applications. However, cloud computing has many security challenges that are exacerbated by virtual resource sharing. In particular, sharing resources among potentially untrusted tenants can increase the risk of information leakage due to vulnerability of virtual resources causing side channel attacks or virtual machine escape. For big data applications, an access control policy such as role-based access control (RBAC) can be used to control data sharing among cloud customers. This article aims to develop efficient risk-aware virtual resource assignment mechanisms for the cloud's multitenant environment. The authors present two resource assignment heuristics, including a scalable solution, and compare their relative performance.
Species loss on spatial patterns and composition of zoonotic parasites

Species loss can result in the subsequent loss of affiliate species. Though largely ignored to date, these coextinctions can pose threats to human health by altering the composition, quantity and distribution of zoonotic parasites. We simulated host extinctions from more than 1300 host–parasite associations for 29 North American carnivores to investigate changes in parasite composition and species richness. We also explored the geography of zoonotic parasite richness under three carnivore composition scenarios and examined corresponding levels of human exposure. We found that changes in parasite assemblages differed among parasite groups. Because viruses tend to be generalists, the proportion of parasites that are viruses increased as more carnivores went extinct. Coextinction of carnivore parasites is unlikely to be common, given that few specialist parasites exploit hosts of conservation concern. However, local extirpations of widespread carnivore hosts can reduce overall zoonotic richness and shift distributions of parasite-rich areas. How biodiversity influences disease risks remains the subject of debate. Our results make clear that hosts vary in their contribution to human health risks. As a consequence, so too does the loss (or gain) of particular hosts. Anticipating changes in host composition in future environments may help inform parasite conservation and disease mitigation efforts.
Spiritual coping and psychosocial adjustment of adolescents with chronic illness: the role of cognitive attributions, age, and disease group.

Purpose Spiritual coping is an important determinant of adjustment in youth with chronic illness, but the mechanisms through which it affects outcomes have not been elucidated. It is also unknown whether the role of spiritual coping varies by age or disease group. This study evaluated whether general cognitive attributions explain the effects of spiritual coping on internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescents with cystic fibrosis and diabetes and whether these relationships vary by age or disease group.
Power in Dayton: A Replication of the Bonjean Technique in a Medium Size City

Since Hunter's innovative technique for assessing community power (Hunter, 195 3), the study of community power has undergone a revived interest. An indication of this interest is seen in a 310 item bibliography compiled in 1970 by Roland Pelligrin (Pelligrin, 1970). According to Harold Nix, four basic points have been illustrated by these studies: key roles in the exercise of community leadership are performed by certain individuals; various techniques can identify these community leaders; the decision-making process involves the activity of a small percentage of the community members; the key community leaders must be located and involved if community action is to be successful (Nix, 1969). As Nix noted, various techniques have been utilized to identify community leaders; the basic ones are the reputational, issue analysis and positional methods. However, each of these basic methods have been criticized due to what appears to be inherent biases in their technical aspects. For example, the reputational method has been accused of arbitrarily selecting the choice of informants and of inferring that power is wielded in all areas by the same elite since the method fails to differentiate scopes of power; the positional method has been criticized for inferring the amount of influence wielded by occupants of formal positions. The findings by Nix plus the criticism of the methods utilized indicate a need to develop an accurate, simplified technique for identifying and classifying community leaders. Such a technique has been offered by Bonjean in his study of Burlington, North Carolina (Bonjean, 1963). The Bonjean technique, although referred to as a reputational technique, is in reality, a combination of the reputational and positional methods in that it utilizes formal position as the basis for the original sample in gathering the names of those individuals reputed to have power. In this manner, the biases of the two methods were largely negated: there was not an arbitrary use of informants in selecting the sample nor was the
Large particle nitrate artifacts in the aerodynamic size distributions of ambient aerosols

Abstract Large particle nitrate artifacts on the aerodynamic size distributions of ambient aerosols due to deposition of nitric acid vapor on impactor substrates and back-up filter of cascade impactors when collecting aerosols, may contribute to high values in estimating the mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) for airborne nitrate, but not for sulfate aerosols.
Nonsequential double ionization of molecular fragments

High-precision ion yields are taken with 30-fs ultrashort laser pulses in various species of doubly ionized diatomic molecules, ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{O}}_{2},$ including metastable, charge symmetric, and asymmetric dissociating channels. The experimental results indicate that the detailed electronic structure is a critical factor influencing strong field nonsequential ionization. The study of ellipticity effects of nonseqential ionization is also extended, for the first time to our knowledge, to the molecular system.
Magnetic Forces in an Isopedic Disk

We consider the magnetic forces in electrically conducting thin disks threaded by magnetic fields originating in the external (interstellar) medium. We focus on disks that have dimensionless ratios λ of the mass to flux that are spatially constant, a condition that we term isopedic. For arbitrary distributions of the surface density Σ (which can be nonaxisymmetric and time dependent), we show that the magnetic tension exerts a force in the plane of the disk equal to -1/λ2 times the self-gravitational force. In addition, if the disk maintains magnetostatic equilibrium in the vertical direction, the magnetic pressure, integrated over the z-height of the disk, may be approximated as (1 + η2)/(λ2 + η2) times the gas pressure integrated over z, where η ≡ f||/2πGΣ and f${b f}$ -->|| is the component of the local gravitational field parallel to the plane of the disk. We apply these results to the problem of the stability of magnetized isothermal disks to gravitational fragmentation into subcondensations of a size comparable to the vertical scale height of the disk. Contrary to common belief, such dynamical fragmentation probably does not occur. In particular, the case of the magnetized singular isothermal disk undergoes not dynamical fragmentation into many subcondensations, but inside-out collapse into a single compact object, a self similar problem that is studied in a companion paper (Li & Shu 1997).
Isolation and characterization of the nuclear matrix in friend erythroleukemia cells: Chromatin and hnRNA interactions with the nuclear matrix

Abstract Nuclear matrices from undifferentiated and differentiated Friend erythroleukemia cells have been obtained by a method which removes DNA in a physiological buffer. These matrices preserved the characteristic topographical distribution of condensed and diffuse "chromatin" regions, as do nuclei in situ or isolated nuclei. Histone H1 was released from the nuclear matrix of undifferentiated cells by 0.3 M KCI; inner core histones were released by 1 M KCI. Nuclear matrix from differentiated cells did not maintain H1, and histone cores were fully released in 0.7 M KCI. KCI removed the core histones as an octameric structure with no evidence of preferential release of any single histone. Electron microscopy of KCI-treated matrix revealed no condensed regions but rather a network of fibrils in the whole DNA-depleted nuclei. When nuclear matrices from both types of cell were exposed to conditions of very low ionic strength, inner core histones and condensed regions remained. These observations support the contention that inner core histones are bound to matrix through natural ionic bonds or saline-labile elements, and that these interactions are implicated in chromatin condensation. hnRNA remained undegraded and tenaciously associated to the matrix fibrils, and was released only by chemical means which, by breaking hydrophobic and hydrogen bonds, produced matrix lysis. Very few nonhistone proteins were released upon complete digestion of DNA from either type of nuclei. The remaining nonhistone proteins represent a large number of species of which the majority may be matrix components. The molecular architecture in both condensed and diffuse regions of interphase nuclei appears to be constructed of two distinct kinds of fibers; the thicker chromatin fibers are interwoven with the thinner matrix fibers. The latter are formed by a heteropolymer of many different proteins.
The Effects of Evaporation at the Base of Ice Precipitation Layers: Theory and Radar Observations

Abstract Simple theoretical models of evaporation and sensitive high-resolution Doppler radars are used to study the precipitation and velocity structures resulting from evaporation at the base of layers of ice particles. The models show that most ice particles will evaporate completely within a 2 km depth of fall, with the depth being dependent primarily upon particle size and relative humidity. Vertical gradients of reflectivity factor of 20–30 dBZ per 750 m are predicted for relative humidities <75% for a non-rimed collection of particles with a distribution of sizes. The evaporative cooling produces a destabilized layer, the depth and intensity of which are most dependent upon the relative humidity and precipitation characteristics. A dynamical model shows that downdrafts of at least 6 m s−1 penetrating to a depth of 2 km can be produced by evaporation. The intensity and penetration depth of the downdrafts depend primarily on the ambient lapse rate of temperature. The magnitudes of vertical gradients ...
A sequential block approach to the design of a cost estimation system

Abstract The estimation of costs is a vital concern of every manufacturing firm. Many economic and financial decisions are arrived at using some form of cost estimation. To assist in the estimation process, companies have produced computer software specifically designed for cost estimation. A common characteritic of many cost estimating software are their narrowly focused estimation capabilities. This refers to the software being designed to estimate costs for specific process or a specific set of processes. Since different companies estimate costs using different inputs and estimation techniques. flexibility in a cost estimation software design is essential. However, if a cost estimation syste is not designed properly too much flexibility can reduce the effectiveness of the system. This paper discusses a sequential block approach to the design of a computerized cost estimation system. The system constructs cost estimates by defining each step of the production as a block for a specific product. Then the sequence of blocks are linked as a tree structure to represent the whole production processes. The design of the syste is illustrated using the estimation of the manufacturing cost of a typical plate/fin type automotive evaporator.
Herpes Simplex Viruses: Mechanisms of DNA Replication

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) encodes seven proteins necessary for viral DNA synthesis-UL9 (origin-binding protein), ICP8 (single-strand DNA [ssDNA]-binding protein), UL30/UL42 (polymerase), and UL5/UL8/UL52 (helicase/primase). It is our intention to provide an up-to-date analysis of our understanding of the structures of these replication proteins and how they function during HSV replication. The potential roles of host repair and recombination proteins will also be discussed.
Charge transfer processes in astrophysical plasmas

Abstract Charge transfer processes involving multiply-charged ions modify the ionization structure of astrophysical plasmas and exert a major influence on plasmas created by the absorption of high frequency radiation. As a recombination mechanism, charge transfer suppresses the higher ionization stages. In hot plasmas, charge transfer ionization may enhance the abundances of highly charged systems. Charge transfer excitation also occurs and the resulting emission lines provide a unique diagnostic probe of the neutral content of the plasma, the ionization distribution and the nature of the ionization source. Examples of the role of charge transfer as a recombination, ionization and excitation mechanism in astrophysical plasmas are presented.
Role of Streptococcal T Antigens in Superficial Skin Infection

FCT region genes of Streptococcus pyogenes encode surface proteins that include fibronectin- and collagen-binding proteins and the serological markers known as T antigens, some of which give rise to pilus-like appendages. It remains to be established whether FCT region surface proteins contribute to virulence by in vivo models of infection. In this study, a highly sensitive and ecologically relevant humanized mouse model was used to measure superficial skin infection. Three genes encoding FCT region surface proteins essential for T-serotype specificity were inactivated. Both the Deltacpa and DeltaprtF2 mutants were highly attenuated for virulence when topically applied to the skin following exponential growth but were fully virulent when delivered in stationary phase. In contrast, the DeltafctA mutant was virulent at the skin, regardless of its initial growth state. Immunoblots of cell extracts revealed anti-FctA-reactive, ladder-like polymers characteristic of streptococcal pili. In addition, FctA formed a heteropolymer with the putative collagen-binding protein Cpa. The DeltafctA mutant showed a loss in anti-Cpa-reactive polymers, whereas anti-FctA-reactive polymers were reduced in the Deltacpa mutant. The findings suggest that both FctA and Cpa are required for pilus formation, but importantly, an intact pilus is not essential for Cpa-mediated virulence. Although it is an integral part of the T-antigen complex, the fibronectin-binding protein PrtF2 is not covalently linked to the FctA- and Cpa-containing heteropolymer derived from cell extracts. The data provide direct evidence that streptococcal T antigens function as virulence factors in vivo, but they also reveal that a pilus-like structure is not essential for the most common form of streptococcal skin disease.
Rapid enzymatic determination of 0-3-oxo-bile acids separated by thin-layer chromatography

Abstract A method for the rapid quantification of 3-oxo-5-β-cholan-24-oic acids has been developed. The acids are separated on silica gel G and located using a water spray or iodine vapor. Each oxo acid is eluted from the gel and reduced with sodium borohydride. The resulting α- and β-hydroxy acids are then oxidized in a reaction catalyzed by 3-hydroxysteroid dehydrgenase during which NAD is reduced to NADH. The absorbance of the reaction mixture is determined at 340 nm and is directly proportional to the amount of 3-oxo acid originally present on the thin-layer plate.
Pharmacokinetics of oseltamivir among pregnant and nonpregnant women

We sought to delineate the pharmacokinetics (PK) of oseltamivir and its active metabolite oseltamivir carboxylate during pregnancy. Physiologic changes of pregnancy, including increased renal filtration and secretion, may increase the clearance of oseltamivir carboxylate. Sixteen pregnant women taking oseltamivir for prophylaxis or treatment of suspected/proven influenza infection were enrolled. Twenty-three nonpregnant reproductive-age females served as the control group. The primary PK endpoint was area under the plasma concentration time curve for oseltamivir carboxylate. Pregnancy did not alter the PK parameters of the parent compound, oseltamivir. However, for oseltamivir carboxylate the area under the plasma concentration time curve was significantly lower (P = .007) and the apparent clearance significantly higher (P = .006) in pregnant women compared with nonpregnant women. Pregnancy produces lower systemic levels of oseltamivir carboxylate. Increasing the dose and/or dosing frequency of oseltamivir during pregnancy may be necessary to achieve comparable exposure in pregnant and nonpregnant women.
Oroclinal bending of the southern sierra nevada batholith.

Structural, magmatic, and isotopic features of the southern Sierra Nevada batholith are deflected clockwise with respect to its central and northern parts. Directions of magnetization at three localities in the southern Sierra Nevada are progressively deflected; this is consistent with the hypothesis that the region was tectonically rotated in an orocline. No paleomagnetic deflection was observed northwest of the White Wolf-Kern Canyon fault system. Oroclinal bending ofa block bounded by the San Andreas, Garlock, and White Wolf-Kern Canyon faults may have occurred before about 16 x l06 years ago. The deformation may have been a response to shear at the western boundary of the North American plate caused by oblique subduction.