cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corticotropin Releasing Factor in Neuroplasticity

Stress is among the strongest signals promoting neuroplasticity: Stress signals, indicating real or perceived danger, lead to alterations of neuronal function and often structure, designed to adapt to the changed conditions and promote survival. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) is expressed and released in several types of neuronal populations that are involved in cognition, emotion and the regulation of autonomic and endocrine function. CRF expressing neurons undergo functional and structural plasticity during stress and, in addition, the peptide acts via specific receptors to promote plasticity of target neurons.
Early Intermediates in the Photocycle of the Glu46Gln Mutant of Photoactive Yellow Protein: Femtosecond Spectroscopy

Transient absorption spectroscopy in the time range from -1 ps to 4 ns, and over the wavelength range from 420 to 550 nm, was applied to the Glu46Gln mutant of the photoactive yellow protein (PYP) from Ectothiorhodospira halophila. This has allowed us to elucidate the kinetic constants of excited state formation and decay and photochemical product formation, and the spectral characteristics of stimulated emission and the early photocycle intermediates. Both the quantum efficiency ( approximately 0.5) and the rate constants for excited state decay and the formation of the initial photochemical intermediate (I(0)) were found to be quite similar to those obtained for wild-type PYP. In contrast, the rate constants for the formation of the subsequent photocycle intermediates (I(0)(double dagger) and I(1)), as well as for I(2) and for ground state regeneration as determined in earlier studies, were found to be from 3- to 30-fold larger. The structural implications of these results are discussed.
Drugs versus bugs: in pursuit of the persistent predator Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Why do we seem to be losing the fight against tuberculosis? In this Review, James Sacchettini, Eric Rubin and Joel Freundlich review the recent and ongoing efforts to produce new antitubercular drugs and the properties of current investigational agents. Tuberculosis (TB) claims a life every 10 seconds and global mortality rates are increasing despite the use of chemotherapy. But why have we not progressed towards the eradication of the disease? There is no simple answer, although apathy, politics, poverty and our inability to fight the chronic infection have all contributed. Drug resistance and HIV-1 are also greatly influencing the current TB battle plans, as our understanding of their complicity grows. In this Review, recent efforts to fight TB will be described, specifically focusing on how drug discovery could combat the resistance and persistence that make TB worthy of the moniker 'The Great White Plague'.
On modeling the design of cellular manufacturing systems

A new optimization model is discussed for the design of cellular manufacturing systems. It is based on an integer programming formulation that updates some other models by eliminating redundant machine assignment and cost coefficients dependent on cell configuration. To reduce computational burdens, a simplified integer programming model and a decomposition algorithm are proposed. Several computer solutions were performed to evaluate the performance of the new model. The computational results are discussed.
Origin of cholesteryl oleate and other esterified lipids of rabbit atheroma

Rabbit were fed a diet containing [9,10-3H]oleic acid starting at weaning, After 14 weeks, 2% cholesterol was added to the diet to induce atheroma formation, and the experiment was continued for 12 additional weeks. During these 12 weeks serial serum samples were obtained, and at the end of the period the animals were autopsied and aortic atheromata were dissected out. From all serum and atheroma samples, cholesteryl ester, triglyceride, lecithin and free fatty acid were isolated. Oleic acid was obtained from each component and assayed for 3H. The ratio of the atheroma oleic acid specific radioactivity in a given component to the mean serum oleic acid specific radioactivity in that component, designated A/S, was calculated. 1.0-A/S was taken as an estimate of the minimum fractional contribution of local synthesis to the oleate in that component. For cholesteryl ester, the mean value for 1.0-A/S was 0.19 with standard error of the mean ± 0.05; if one outlying value is omitted, the mean is 0.13 with standard error ± 0.02. It is concluded that a measurable and significant fraction of atheroma cholesteryl oleate is derived by local synthesis, and reasons are given for considering the observed value a probable underestimate.
1611 EARLY NEONATAL URINARY TRACT INFECTION (EUTI) CONTROLLED STUDY OF MORPHOLOGY, BACTERIOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY

UTI during early neonatal period (under 2 weeks) has rarely been studied. Previous studies included older infants (even up to 3 months) and often lacked complete investigation and long term follow-up. We evaluated all infants with EUTI who were treated and prospectively studied regarding host factors and long term follow-up (mean 2.6 yrs.). Recurrences were classified as frequent (FR) (≥ 2 episodes in any 3 months) or infrequent (IR) if <2. The control group consisted of all neonates with late onset UTI (LUTI) (between 2 weeks and 2 months). M:F ratio, frequency of positive blood culture and abnormal urinalyses was similar. E. coli (EC) constituted only 33% cases of EUTI but 80% of LUTIs (P<0.01). Incidence of abnormal IVP was about double in EUTI (not statistically significant). Recur, rate was slightly lower in EUTI and number of recurrences less than ¼ compared to LUTI. In summary EUTIs are due to organisms other than EC, fever is an unusual sign (1/5 of cases), structural abnormalities are frequent (50%) but associated with fewer recurrences.
Male Victims: The Nature and Meaning of Sexual Coercion

In this qualitative study we interviewed twelve males who reported on the RELATE questionnaire that they were sexually coerced by their female partners. The purpose of these interviews was to understand more fully the nature and the meaning of their coercive experiences. Several themes became apparent for both the nature and meaning of sexual coercion. In the category of coercion, men reported experiencing three main modes of coercion: verbal, emotional, and blackmail. There were also three themes regarding the meaning that men made about their experience of sexual coercion; decreased safety in relationships, loss, and perceived negligible impact. Clinical implications for male victims were presented from several theoretical perspectives.
Enhancing learning outcomes in computer-based training via self-generated elaboration

The present study investigated the utility of an instructional strategy known as the query method for enhancing learning outcomes in computer-based training. The query method involves an embedded guided, sentence generation task requiring elaboration of key concepts in the training material that encourages learners to ‘stop and think’ about the information already presented before proceeding to new concepts. This study also investigated the effect of varying the level of elaboration (low or high) prompted by the queries. Fifty-one undergraduate students from the general psychology department subject pool at a major university in the southeastern United States received instruction on the basic principles of flight via one of three versions of a computer-based tutorial (no query, low-level elaboration query, or high-level elaboration query). Participants had no prior knowledge or previous experience with the aviation domain. A one-way between-groups design was employed, with the query method serving as the independent variable and a sample size of 17 per condition. Dependent variables included knowledge organization, knowledge acquisition, and instructional efficiency. Overall, results showed that incorporating low-level elaboration queries into the training resulted in improved organization, integration, and application of task-relevant knowledge and higher instructional efficiency. High-level elaboration queries consistently failed to produce significantly better post-training outcomes, possibly due to the increased cognitive load imposed on learners during training. The discussion centers on theoretical and practical implications for promoting and assessing learning outcomes in computer-based training.
A prospective study of endoscopy in HIV-associated diarrhea.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Diarrhea commonly occurs in persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The optimal use of endoscopic procedures remains poorly studied for patients with HIV-related diarrhea. The purpose of this study is to compare the diagnostic yield of a complete endoscopic work-up including an esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy to a more limited approach of biopsies obtainable by flexible sigmoidoscopy. METHODS: A prospective study of 79 patients with HIV-related diarrhea. Upper endoscopy and colonoscopy were performed with tissue biopsies labelled according to location within the colon or small intestine. RESULTS: A new infection was diagnosed in 22 of 79 patients (28%). Biopsy of the left colon yielded an enteric pathogen in 17 of 22 patients (sensitivity: 77%) and in 15 of 15 patients with cytomegalovirus colitis (sensitivity: 100%). Combined left and right colonic biopsies had a sensitivity of 82%. Combined colonic and terminal ileum biopsies missed no pathogens. Duodenal biopsies yielded no additional pathogens beyond those identified by colonoscopy and terminal ileal biopsy. Patients with a new pathogen diagnosed had significantly lower CD4 lymphocyte counts as compared to patients without a new pathogen (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with CD4 counts
From Cambridge Platonism to Scottish Sentimentalism

The Cambridge Platonists were a group of religious thinkers who attended and taught at Cambridge from the 1640s until the 1660s. The four most important of them were Benjamin Whichcote, John Smith, Ralph Cudworth, and Henry More. The most prominent sentimentalist moral philosophers of the Scottish Enlightenment – Hutcheson, Hume, and Adam Smith – knew of the works of the Cambridge Platonists. But the Scottish sentimentalists typically referred to the Cambridge Platonists only briefly and in passing. The surface of Hutcheson, Hume, and Smith's texts can give the impression that the Cambridge Platonists were fairly distant intellectual relatives of the Scottish sentimentalists – great great-uncles, perhaps, and uncles of a decidedly foreign ilk. But this surface appearance is deceiving. There were deeply significant philosophical connections between the Cambridge Platonists and the Scottish sentimentalists, even if the Scottish sentimentalists themselves did not always make it perfectly explicit.
Creating Difference: A Contemporary Affiliation Drama in the Highlands of New Guinea

Les questions d'affiliation aux groupes, importantes dans l'ethnographie de la Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinee dans les annees soixante et soixante-dix, ont ete obscurcies depuis par d'autres preoccupations analytiques. Cependant ces questions n'ont jamais disparu pour autant et elles ressortent clairement dans la vie locale ou les gens font face a des situations de changement rapide, qui rendent la realisation astucieuse d'affiliations problematique et strategiquement importante. Les AA. examinent un cas ou une procedure d'affiliation a ete mise en scene, afin de proceder a la mediation de revendications interethniques au sujet d'un enfant, et de restaurer des pratiques visant a garantir ces droits en l'absence de paiements de dot et de residence virilocale. L'analyse montre comment les transactions entre les acteurs occupent une position ambigue entre les categories de don et de marchandise, et comment les liens crees par la pratique de soins et le don de nourriture continuent a jouer un role crucial dans les representations et les negociations. L'etendue de la comprehension commune, par les parties en cause, de l'evenement est au coeur meme de cet evenement. Ceci fait ressortir le fait que les transactions et leurs significations sont toujours inextricablement liees. Les strategies sont porteuses de significations et les significations sont creees strategiquement.
Elevated Bmi-1 expression is associated with dysplastic cell transformation during oral carcinogenesis and is required for cancer cell replication and survival.

Bmi-1 is a polycomb group protein that was identified as c-myc cooperating oncogene in murine lymphomagenesis. The current study was undertaken to determine the role of Bmi-1 in human oral carcinogenesis. Bmi-1 protein and RNA expression levels were markedly enhanced in the cells of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) compared with that of normal human oral keratinocytes (NHOK). Enhanced-Bmi-1 expression was also detected in situ in the archived oral mucosal tissues with cancerous and precancerous histopathology, including that of mild epithelial dysplasia. Thus, Bmi-1 expression occurs at a very early stage in oral carcinogenesis. To determine the biological role of Bmi-1 in cell proliferation, endogenous Bmi-1 was knocked down in actively proliferating SCC4 cells and NHOK by RNA interference. After Bmi-1 knockdown, cell replication was severely retarded. However, the expression of p16INK4A, a known cellular target of Bmi-1, was not changed in cells with or without Bmi-1 knockdown. Furthermore, Bmi-1 knockdown in HOK-16B-BaP-T cells, in which the p16INK4A/pRb pathway was abrogated, led to immediate arrest of replication and loss of viable cells. Thus, our data suggest that Bmi-1 may act through p16INK4A-independent pathways to regulate cellular proliferation during oral cancer progression.
The C-terminal domains of the RNA polymerase alpha subunits: contact site with Fis and localization during co-activation with CRP at the Escherichia coli proP P2 promoter.

Abstract Fis is a versatile transactivator that functions at many different promoters. Fis activates transcription at the RpoS-dependent proP P2 promoter when bound to a site that overlaps the −35 hexamer by a mechanism that requires the C-terminal domain of the α subunit of RNA polymerase (αCTD). The region on Fis responsible for activating transcription through the αCTD has been localized to a short β-turn near the DNA-binding determinant on one subunit of the Fis homodimer. We report here that Fis-dependent activation of proP P2 transcription requires two discrete regions on the αCTD. One region, consisting of residues 264–265 and 296–297, mediates DNA binding. A second patch, comprising amino acid residues 271–273, forms a ridge on the surface of the αCTD that we propose interacts with Fis. The accompanying paper shows that these same regions on αCTD are utilized for transcriptional activation at the rrnB and rrnE P1 promoters by Fis bound to a site upstream of the core promoter (centered at −71/−72). In addition to stimulation of proP P2 transcription by Fis, CRP co-activates this promoter when bound to a remote site upstream from the promoter (centered at −121.5). RNA polymerase preparations lacking one αCTD of the α dimer were employed to demonstrate that the β′-associated αIICTD was utilized preferentially by Fis at proP P2 in the presence and absence of CRP. These experiments define the overall architecture of the proP P2 initiation complex where Fis and CRP each function through a different αCTD.
Financial Incentives for Smoking Cessation Among Pregnant and Newly Postpartum Women

Objective Smoking during pregnancy is the leading preventable cause of poor pregnancy outcomes in the U.S., causing serious immediate and longer-term adverse effects for mothers and offspring. In this report we provide a narrative review of research on the use of financial incentives to promote abstinence from cigarette smoking during pregnancy, an intervention wherein women earn vouchers exchangeable for retail items contingent on biochemically-verified abstinence from recent smoking.
High-Frequency Flp Recombinase-Mediated Inversions of the oriC-Containing Region of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Genome

The genomes of the two clonally derived Pseudomonas aeruginosa prototypic strains PAO1 and DSM-1707 differ by the presence of a 2.19-Mb inversion including oriC. Integration of two Flp recombinase target sites near the rrn operons containing the inversion endpoints in PAO1 led to Flp-catalyzed inversion of the intervening 1.59-Mb fragment, including oriC, at high frequencies (83%), favoring the chromosome configuration found in DSM-1707. The results indicate that the oriC-containing region of the P. aeruginosa chromosome can readily undergo and tolerate large inversions.
A brief introduction to algebraic set theory

This brief article is intended to introduce the reader to the field of algebraic set theory, in which models of set theory of a new and fascinating kind are determined algebraically. The method is quite robust, applying to various classical, intuitionistic, and constructive set theories. Under this scheme some familiar set theoretic properties are related to algebraic ones, while others result from logical constraints. Conventional elementary set theories are complete with respect to algebraic models, which arise in a variety of ways, such as topologically, type-theoretically, and through variation. Many previous results from topos theory involving realizability, permutation, and sheaf models of set theory are subsumed, and the prospects for further such unification seem bright.
Multichannel Wideband Synthetic Aperture Radar for Ice Sheet Remote Sensing: Development and the First Deployment in Antarctica

We developed a multichannel wideband synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that operates over a frequency range of 190–450 MHz for measurements over the ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland. The antenna-array, which consists of eight elements housed in a certified external structure for a BASLER aircraft, was used for measurements during the 2013–2014 Antarctic field season. We performed measurements with this system in conjunction with two ultra-wideband radars operating over a frequency range of 2–8 GHz and 12–18 GHz on Siple Coast ice streams in West Antarctica during December 2013 and January 2014. We sounded ice thicker than 2 km with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of more than 20 dB in an area with two-way ice loss of about 27 dB/km. The same system also simultaneously mapped near-surface internal layers with submeter resolution from the ice-surface to a depth of about 1100 for 1200 m thick ice. In this paper, we provide a detailed overview of the radar instrumentation and signal processing algorithms and present a few sample results. The radar will be operated over a frequency range of 150–550 MHz with a 24-element antenna-array for wide-ranging measurements over the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, starting around August 2015.
Sexual abuse as a factor in child maltreatment by adolescent mothers of preschool aged children

We examined the role of a history of sexual abuse as a predictor of child maltreatment by adolescent mothers in a prospective study of 104 mother-child dyads. Mothers were interviewed about any experienced abuse, and the mother-child dyads were observed in a teaching interaction and in the Strange Situation when the children were 1 year old. Three and a half years later, the mothers were interviewed about their Child Protective Service (CPS) contacts since the birth of their children. The percentage of mothers reporting CPS contacts for their own children was 15.4%, 38.5%, and 83.3%, respectively, for those mothers with no history of sexual abuse, a history of a single incident or brief duration of sexual abuse, and those mothers with a history of chronic sexual abuse (median 24 months duration; test of increasing trend significant at p < .000009). Mothers who reported having been chronically sexually abused as children were significantly more likely to have CPS contacts for their own children, after controlling for history of physical abuse, quality of early teaching interactions, and infant attachment security (both of which also predicted CPS contacts), race, IQ, welfare status at 1 year postpartum, and history of foster care.
Comparison of survival rates after bland arterial embolization and ablation versus surgical resection for treating solitary hepatocellular carcinoma up to 7 cm.

PURPOSE The vast majority of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) occur in patients with underlying liver dysfunction, making surgical resection available to only a subset of patients with adequate hepatic reserve. This study analyzes the authors' results with bland arterial embolization combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or percutaneous ethanol injection (PEIT) compared with surgical resection for the treatment of solitary HCC up to 7 cm in size. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective review of all patients undergoing either surgical resection or bland embolization combined with local ablation for solitary HCC between January 1996 and August 2002 was performed. Progression-free survival rate and overall survival rate were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS There were 40 patients who underwent surgical resection and 33 patients who underwent embolization and ablation. Age, gender, and size of the treated lesion were not significantly different between the groups. The embolization/ablation group had more patients classified as Okuda stage II ( P P = .20). CONCLUSIONS Bland arterial embolization in combination with ablation is effective in treating solitary HCC lesions up to 7 cm and achieves similar overall survival rates to surgical resection in selected patients.
Low temperature radio frequency shielding of exfoliated graphite

Abstract The results of experiments using exfoliated graphite as a low temperature substrate for NMR studies of physisorbed molecules at ultra-high frequencies (100–300 MHz) are reported. The radio frequency shielding was observed to be anomalously high at very high frequencies for the graphite samples studied and precluded the use of this material for NMR studies requiring high sensitivity in this frequency range at liquid helium temperatures. It is shown that this behaviour can be understood in terms of the in- and out-of-plane conductivities and the capacitive coupling of the microcrystalline structure of the graphite.
INHIBITING EFFECT OF AUTOCLAVED MALT PREVENTING THE IN VITRO GROWTH OF DATURA EMBRYOS

STUDIES OF the necessary ingredients in nutrient solutions for the growth of excised plant embryos in artificial culture have been carried on for at least 40 years (Brink and Cooper, 1947; La Rue, 1936; White, 1931). Among other essential components has been an unknown "embryo factor" which has promoted the growth of immature embryos of Datura in vitro. Non-autoclaved coconut milk was the original source of this "embryo factor" (van Overbeek et al., 1942). Later Blakeslee and Satina (1944) reported a powdered malt extract solution, sterilized by Seitz filtration rather than by heat, as being an effective substitute for coconut milk. When the malt extract was sterilized by autoclaving, however, an inhibition of the growth of immature embryos was observed. In addition, Sanders (1947) observed that Seitz filtered malt interfered with the germination of Datura embryos, decreased root formation, and inhibited plumule growth. Heaton (1929) reported a substance obtained from malt which inhibited the multiplication of animal tissue cultured in vitro. Medawar, Robinson, and Robinson (1943) further described this inhibitory substance. The study reported in this paper is an attempt to throw still further light on the inhibiting effect of autoclaved malt extract. MATERIALS AND METHODS.-With the exception of the first experiment in which five species of Datura were used, the plant embryos were obtained from capsules resulting from the self-pollination of a single species of Datura, D. stramonium. The basic medium contained mineral salts and sucrose mixed according to a slightly modified form of the Randolph and Cox (1943) formula. The culture vials (12 X 50 mm.) containing 1.5 ml. of the basic medium were sterilized by autoclaving. With the exception of the autoclaved malt solution, all the test solutions were sterilized by Seitz filtration and subsequently added aseptically to the 1.5 ml. of the basic medium. The dissection technique involved removal of the seeds from the capsule, excision of the embryos from the seed, and immersion of the embryos into the sterile nutrient medium.
Proteasome inhibitors as therapeutics.

The ubiquitin–proteasome pathway is a principle intracellular mechanism for controlled protein degradation and has recently emerged as an attractive target for anticancer therapies, because of the pleiotropic cell-cycle regulators and modulators of apoptosis that are controlled by proteasome function. In this chapter, we review the current state of the field of proteasome inhibitors and their prototypic member, bortezomib, which was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of advanced multiple myeloma. Particular emphasis is placed on the pre-clinical research data that became the basis for eventual clinical applications of proteasome inhibitors, an overview of the clinical development of this exciting drug class in multiple myeloma, and a appraisal of possible uses in other haematological malignancies, such non-Hodgkin9s lymphomas.
Deformation of elastomeric ethylene-octene copolymers

The elastomeric behavior of low-crystallinity ethylene−octene copolymers prepared by Dow's INSITE constrained geometry catalyst technology is described. Deformation in uniaxial tension was examined as a function of comonomer content and molecular weight. Within the melting range of copolymers, temperature was used as an experimental variable to reveal the relationship between crystallinity and stress response. The concept of a network of flexible chains with fringed micellar crystals serving as the multifunctional junctions provided the structural basis for analysis of the elastic behavior. The rubber modulus scaled with crystallinity. Furthermore, the dimension of the fringed micellar junction obtained from the modulus correlated well with the average crystallizable sequence length of the copolymer. Because classical rubber theory could not account for the large strain dependence of the modulus, a theory which incorporates the contribution of entanglements to the network response was considered. Slip-lin...
Design Optimization and Efficiency Modeling of a Hot Gas Vane Motor

The purpose of this work is to model and analyze the dynamics of a hot gas vane motor for later design optimization work. The pneumatic motor is a portable direct drive actuator that is intended as an alternative to battery-powered electromagnetic motors. It is believed that the vane motor could eventually replace other solution for portable power generation. An optimal design of the motor is desirable to maximize portability and efficiency. Modeling the device will make it possible to optimize the mechanical efficiency by altering the geometry of the motor’s vanes and respective chambers. While the efficiency of the motor is affected to a great extent by its geometry, losses from leakage and friction will also be considered. For the device to remain portable, there are limitations on the size of the final design which will restrict the optimal efficiency of the vane motor.© 2007 ASME
Dual pathways for organic anion secretion in renal proximal tubule

Transport on the "classical" organic anion system in renal proximal tubule is specific, active, Na-dependent, and ouabain sensitive. Here we review recent studies using intact teleost proximal tubules and laser scanning confocal microscopy which show that the secretion of large organic anions, such as, fluorescein-methotrexate (FL-MTX, Mw 923 Da) is handled by a separate and distinct organic anion transport system. In contrast to the classical system, FL-MTX uptake into cells and secretion into the tubular lumen was ouabain insensitive and largely Na-independent. KCN did not affect cellular uptake but abolished secretion into the lumen. PAH and probenecid, potent inhibitors of transport on the classical system, were weak inhibitors of FL-MTX transport. Uptake and secretion of FL-MTX were inhibited by micromolar concentrations of other organic anions (MTX, folate, bromocresol green, bromosulfonphthalein). FL-MTX secretion into the lumen was inhibited by leukotriene C4 and cyclosporine A, neither of which affected transport of the model substrate for the classical system, fluorescein. Thus, FL-MTX secretion is specific, but largely Na-independent and ouabain-insensitive. Both the basolateral and luminal steps in FL-MTX transport differ from those associated with fluorescein and P-aminohippurate secretion.
Efficient data partitioning model for heterogeneous graphs in the cloud

As the size and variety of information networks continue to grow in many scientific and engineering domains, we witness a growing demand for efficient processing of large heterogeneous graphs using a cluster of compute nodes in the Cloud. One open issue is how to effectively partition a large graph to process complex graph operations efficiently. In this paper, we present VB-Partitioner -- a distributed data partitioning model and algorithms for efficient processing of graph operations over large-scale graphs in the Cloud. Our VB-Partitioner has three salient features. First, it introduces vertex blocks (VBs) and extended vertex blocks (EVBs) as the building blocks for semantic partitioning of large graphs. Second, VB-Partitioner utilizes vertex block grouping algorithms to place those vertex blocks that have high correlation in graph structure into the same partition. Third, VB-Partitioner employs a VB-partition guided query partitioning model to speed up the parallel processing of graph pattern queries by reducing the amount of inter-partition query processing. We conduct extensive experiments on several real-world graphs with millions of vertices and billions of edges. Our results show that VB-Partitioner significantly outperforms the popular random block-based data partitioner in terms of query latency and scalability over large-scale graphs.
In-situ elasticity measurement for the unquenchable high-pressure clinopyroxene phase: Implication for the upper mantle

@KS/@ T= � 0.017(1) GPa K � 1 and (@G/@T) = � 0.015(1) GPa K � 1 . Our results show that the elastic velocities of HP-CEN are not only higher than those of OEN but also higher than olivine at upper mantle conditions. According to these new data, the elastic velocities for the ‘‘depleted’’ mantle composition, with � 20 vol% of HP-CEN, would result in � 0.8% and � 1.6% in difference for P and S waves, respectively, when OEN data were used in previous calculations. Newly measured results also suggest that it is possible to distinguish ‘‘undepleted’’ and ‘‘depleted’’ composition models in the upper mantle. Citation: Kung, J., B. Li, T. Uchida, and Y. Wang (2005), In-situ elasticity measurement for the unquenchable high-pressure clinopyroxene phase: Implication for the upper mantle, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L01307, doi:10.1029/2004GL021661.
Acetylcholine receptor-controlled ion translocation. A comparison of the effects of suberyldicholine, carbamoylcholine, and acetylcholine

Summary The effect of suberyldicholine concentration (0.5 to 30 μM) on acetylcholine receptor-controlled ion flux was measured in membrane vesicles prepared from E. electricus . Both a quench flow apparatus and a stopped flow technique were used. The integrated rate equation, based on a minimum model that relates ligand binding to ion translocation, accounts for the effects of acetylcholine, carbamoylcholine, and suberyldicholine over a wide range of concentrations. The different maximum influx rates obtained with these 3 ligands are accounted for by their effect on the equilibrium between receptor: ligand complexes in the open and closed channel forms. The constants for these equilibria have been determined.
Altered levels of PGF in cat spinal cord tissue following traumatic injury.

Abstract Previous studies by others indicated that PGs were present in brain, spinal cord, and c.s.f. of several mammalian species. In the present study we compared levels of PGE and PGF by R.I.A. in spinal cord tissue from traumatized cats and cats pretreated with indomethacin prior to trauma to those of baseline and sham operated controls in order to assess for the first time, to our knowledge, whether meaningful changes in levels of PGE and PGF could be detected which might shed new light on the etiology of spinal cord trauma. Levels of PGF (nanograms/gram wet wt) in the cord segment immediately adjacent to the point of trauma were 8.05 ± 1.50, and 13.13 ± 1.38 for baseline and sham operated cats respectively. Spinal trauma led to more than a 100% increase in PGF levels to 29.26 ± 3.58. Although pretreatment with indomethacin 30 min prior to trauma gave the expected blockade of the PGF response to trauma, a measurable level of PGF (2.55 ± 0.17) was found in the cord after indomethacin. Cord levels of PGF declined after 3 hr in both sham operated and traumatized animals. PGF was maximally stimulated by trauma during the first 3 hr with little effect at 72 hr. Although carefully examined, PGE levels in cat spinal cord appeared to be virtually unaffected by trauma. These findings clearly demonstrate for the first time that traumatic injury to the spinal cord is accompanied by marked increases in PG levels at the site of trauma, and that the observed elevation in PGF in response to trauma can be blocked by indomethacin in vivo . Whether PGF changes are causally related to the etiology of spinal cord trauma, or merely represent a manifestation of PG release as a result of non-specific tissue injury, remains to be seen.
Limited prognostic value of thallium-201 exercise treadmill testing early after myocardial infarction in patients treated with thrombolysis

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic value of thallium-201 exercise treadmill testing performed early after myocardial infarction in patients treated with thrombolysis. A retrospectively identified group of 210 patients treated with thrombolytic therapy alone ( n = 131) or with thrombolytic therapy and coronary angioplasty ( n = 79) who underwent tomographic thallium exercise treadmill testing 9 ± 6 days after infarction were followed up for a median of 21 months. There was a high prevalence of abnormalities on the thallium studies. One hundred thirtynine (66%) patients had a high-risk scan, defined as redistribution in at least one segment, a defect outside the infarct zone, or increased pulmonary uptake. Thirty-six (17%) patients underwent early revascularization. In the remaining 174 patients, there were 30 initial cardiac events (1 cardiac death, 11 nonfatal recurrent myocardial infarctions, and 18 revascularization procedures performed >3 months after the thallium study). No single exercise or thallium variable was predictive of outcome. At 2 years there were no differences in survival free of any cardiac event for patients with a high or low-risk thallium scan treated with thrombolysis alone (high-risk scan 86% and low-risk scan 80%; p not statistically significant [NS]) or with both thrombolysis and coronary angioplasty (high-risk scan 80% and low-risk scan 77%; p NS). Postinfarction exercise thallium variables associated with poor outcome in the prethrombolytic era were not associated with an adverse outcome in patients who had been treated with thrombolysis. Careful prospective studies are necessary to define the role of thallium exercise testing for risk stratification after myocardial infarction in patients treated with thrombolytic therapy.
Rapport and facial expression

How to build virtual agents that establish rapport with human? According to Tickle-Degnen and Rosenthal [4], the three essential components of rapport are mutual attentiveness, positivity and coordination. In our previous work, we designed an embodied virtual agent to establish rapport with a human speaker by providing rapid and contingent nonverbal feedback [13] [22]. How do we know that a human speaker is feeling a sense of rapport? In this paper, we focus on the positivity component of rapport by investigating the relationship of human speakers' facial expressions on the establishment of rapport. We used an automatic facial expression coding tool called CERT to analyze the human dyad interactions and human-virtual human interactions. Results show that recognizing positive facial displays alone may be insufficient and that recognized negative facial displays was more diagnostic in assessing the level of rapport between participants.
Optimal Error Correction for Computationally Bounded Noise

For adversarial but computationally bounded models of error, we construct appealingly simple and efficient cryptographic encoding and unique decoding schemes whose error-correction capability is much greater than classically possible. In particular: 1) For binary alphabets, we construct positive-rate coding schemes that are uniquely decodable under a 1/2 - γ error rate for any constant γ > 0. 2) For large alphabets, we construct coding schemes that are uniquely decodable under a 1 - R error rate for any information rate R > 0. Our results for large alphabets are actually optimal, since the "computationally bounded but adversarial channel" can simulate the behavior of the q-ary symmetric channel, where q denotes the size of the alphabet, the capacity of which is known to be upper-bounded by 1 - R. Our results hold under minimal assumptions on the communication infrastructure, namely: 1) we allow the channel to be more powerful than the receiver and 2) we only assume that some information about the sender-a public key-is known. (In particular, we do not require any shared secret key or joint local state between sender and receivers).
Thec-2d-Index of Oriented Matroids

We obtain an explicit method to compute thecd-index of the lattice of regions of an oriented matroid from theab-index of the corresponding lattice of flats. Since thecd-index of the lattice of regions is a polynomial in the ring Z(c,2d), we call it thec-2d-index. As an application we obtain a zonotopal analogue of a conjecture of Stanley: among all zonotopes the cubical lattice has the smallestc-2d-index coefficient-wise. We give a new combinatorial description for thec-2d-index of the cubical lattice and thecd-index of the Boolean algebra in terms of all the permutations in the symmetric groupSn. Finally, we show that only two-thirds of the?(S)'sof the lattice of flats are needed for thec-2d-index computation.
Blunted natriuretic response to a high-sodium meal in obese dogs : role of renal nerves

Although the relation between body weight and arterial pressure is well established, the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of obesity-related hypertension are unclear. However, recent studies suggest that abnormalities in renal function may be involved. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that obese animals have a reduced ability to excrete a sodium load as a result of abnormal renal nerve function. To quantify the role of renal nerves, we examined changes in renal hemodynamics and sodium excretion in response to a high-sodium meal (200 mmol Na) in separate innervated and denervated kidneys simultaneously within the same conscious dog. Two surgically designed hemibladders with indwelling catheters were used to collect urine from innervated and denervated kidneys of the same dog. Body weight averaged 19.9 +/- 1.0 kg in the control lean dogs and 25.1 +/- 1.1 kg in the obese dogs. Arterial pressure averaged 101 +/- 4 mm Hg in the obese dogs and 90 +/- 4 mm Hg in the lean dogs. In response to the high-sodium meal in lean dogs, urinary sodium excretion increased from 20.8 +/- 4.2 to 189.7 +/- 21.2 mumol/min in the innervated kidneys and from 25.3 +/- 5.9 to 194.8 +/- 26.9 mumol/min in the denervated kidneys. In contrast, urinary sodium excretion in obese dogs increased from 9.6 +/- 1.4 to 129.9 +/- 34.3 mumol/min in the innervated kidneys and from 18.4 +/- 3.7 to 125.2 +/- 30.5 mumol/min in the denervated kidneys.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
CARM driver for high frequency RF accelerators

The CARM (cyclotron autoresonance maser) is a promising source of microwave power for the next generation of linear collider. Designs for a high-power 17.136-GHz CARM amplifier, utilizing a 700-kV pulse modulator and a 1.2-MeV linear induction accelerator, are presented. These designs are attractive for a proof-of-principle CARM amplifier experiment. Interaction efficiencies are in the 30-50% range; higher efficiencies should be possible with nonlinear tapers. >
MEASURING THE WAR ON DRUGS: A CYBERNETIC MODEL FOR ANALYZING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DRUG SEVERITY, DRUG SALIENCE AND DRUG FUNDING

This study explores the rationality of drug policy. It proposes a cybernetic relationship between actual drug severity, public salience of the drug problem, and anti-drug funding. The study hypothesizes that increases in the severity of the drug problem will cause an increase in the salience of the drug issue. Increased salience in turn leads to political pressure and increased drug funding. As funding increases, anti-drug programs become more robust and effective and drug severity decreases. When severity decreases, salience should in turn decrease. And so on. To test the cybernetic model, the study correlates trends of drug data from 1970 through 1996. It finds significant correlation between drug severity, measured by hospital emergency room drug episodes, and drug salience, measured by media coverage of drug events. The study finds correlations of drug funding and severity to be ambiguous, and finds no correlation between drug funding and drug salience. The findings do not support the overall hypothesis of a rational, cybernetic process but offer insights on drug policy dynamics.
Wideband source localization using a distributed acoustic vector-sensor array

We derive fast wideband algorithms, based on measurements of the acoustic intensity, for determining the bearings of a target using an acoustic vector sensor (AVS) situated in free space or on a reflecting boundary. We also obtain a lower bound on the mean-square angular error (MSAE) of such estimates. We then develop general closed-form weighted least-squares (WLS) and reweighted least-squares algorithms that compute the three-dimensional (3-D) location of a target whose bearing to a number of dispersed locations has been measured. We devise a scheme for adaptively choosing the weights for the WLS routine when measures of accuracy for the bearing estimates, such as the lower bound on the MSAE, are available. In addition, a measure of the potential estimation accuracy of a distributed system is developed based on a two-stage application of the Cramer-Rao bound. These 3-D results are quite independent of how bearing estimates are obtained. Naturally, the two parts of the paper are tied together by examining how well distributed arrays of AVSs located on the ground, seabed, and in free space can determine the 3-D position of a target The results are relevant to the localization of underwater and airborne sources using freely drifting, moored, or ground sensors. Numerical simulations illustrate the effectiveness of our estimators and the new potential performance measure.
FPGA-accelerated seed generation in Mercury BLASTP

BLASTP is the most popular tool for comparative analysis of protein sequences. In recent years, an exponential increase in the size of protein sequence databases has required either exponentially more runtime or a cluster of machines to keep pace. To address this problem, we have designed and built a high-performance FPGA-accelerated version of BLASTP, Mercury BLASTP. In this paper, we focus on seed generation, the first stage of the BLASTP algorithm. Our seed generator is capable of processing database residues at up to 219 Mresidues/second for 2048- residue queries. The full Mercury BLASTP pipeline, including our seed generator, achieves a speedup of 37times over the popular NCBI BLASTP software on a 2.8 GHz Intel P4 CPU, with sensitivity more than 99% that of the software. Our architecture can be generalized to accelerate the seed generation stage in other important biocomputing applications.
Passive and Active Membrane Properties Contribute to the Temporal Filtering Properties of Midbrain Neurons In Vivo

This study examined the contributions of passive and active membrane properties to the temporal selectivities of electrosensory neurons in vivo. The intracellular responses to time-varying (2-30 Hz) electrosensory stimulation and current injection of 27 neurons in the midbrain of the weakly electric fish Eigenmannia were recorded. Each neuron was filled with biocytin to reveal its anatomy. Neurons were divided into two biophysically distinct groups based on their frequency-dependent responses to sinusoidal current injection over the range 2-30 Hz. Fourteen neurons showed low-pass filtering, with a maximum decline in the amplitude of voltage responses of >2.6 dB (X = 4.30 dB, s = 1.10 dB) to sinusoidal current injection. These neurons also showed low-pass filtering of electrosensory information but with larger maximum declines in postsynaptic potential amplitude (X = 9.53 dB, s = 3.34 dB; n = 10). These neurons had broad dendritic arbors and relatively spiny dendrites. Five neurons showed all-pass filtering, having maximum decline in the amplitude of voltage responses of <2.0 dB (X = 1.16 dB, s = 0.61 dB). For electrosensory stimuli, however, these neurons showed low-, band-, or high-pass filtering. These neurons had small dendritic arbors and few or no spines. Voltage-dependent "active" conductances were revealed in eight neurons by using several levels of current clamp. In four of these neurons, the duration of the voltage-dependent conductances decreased in concert with the period of the electrosensory stimulus, whereas in the other four neurons the duration of the voltage-dependent conductances was relatively short (<30 msec) and nearly constant across sensory stimulation frequencies. These conductances enhanced the temporal filtering properties of neurons.
Combining aluminum [18F]fluoride radiolabeling and catalyst-free click chemistry to rapidly prepare 18F-labeled PET probes.

219 Objectives To develop a fast, efficient, and catalyst-free approach for generating 18F-labeled PET probes by combining aluminum [18F]fluoride radiofluorination and tetrazine-trans-cyclooctene ligation. Methods Macrocyclic chelating agent 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (NOTA)-conjugated tetrazine was synthesized and radiolabeled with 18F using aluminum [18F]fluoride method. To test the efficacy of tetrazine-trans-cyclooctene (TTCO) ligation, 18F-labeled tetrazine was mixed with a trans-cyclooctene-terminated NGR peptide. The coupling conditions were systematically explored. The resulting conjugate was subjected to small animal PET and direct tissue sampling biodistribution studies in mouse HT-1080 tumor xenografts. Results The 18F-labeled tetrazine was obtained with 15-25% labeling yield and the identity was confirmed by HPLC co-injection. The conjugation between the trans-cyclooctene containing NGR peptide and 18F-labeled tetrazine was completed (>98%) within 5 min of mixing at low micromolar concentrations to afford 18F-TTCO-NGR2. For microPET studies, the 18F-TTCO-NGR2 peptide demonstrated prominent HT-1080 tumor uptake with the highest value of 2.82±0.25%ID/g at 2 h pi. The blocking experiment was achieved by co-injection of 18F-TTCO-NGR2 with a non-radiolabeled NGR peptide. The biodistribution results were consistent with the quantitative analysis of microPET imaging. Conclusions A radiolabeling method combining aluminum [18F]fluoride radiofluorination and tetrazine-trans-cyclooctene ligation is described. This method is modular and versatile, which can be applied to 18F-labeling of other biomolecules in PET applications. Research Support This work was supported by the Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation and the USC Department of Radiology.