cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling killing and repopulation kinetics of subclinical cancer: direct calculations from clinical data.

Abstract Purpose Models for cell killing and repopulation can provide insight into the efficacy of therapies. Using clinical data on breast cancer recurrence after lumpectomy with or without radiotherapy (L±RT) and brain metastases after chemotherapy with or without prophylactic cranial irradiation (C±PCI) for small-cell lung cancer, estimates of cell killing and subclinical repopulation were tested against the results from simple radiobiologic models. Methods and materials The rates of local breast cancer recurrence after L±RT and of brain metastases after C±PCI were extracted from published randomized trials. In Method 1, assuming simple exponential growth, the cell number distributions after L±RT and C±PCI were calculated from the clinical data, and the impact of RT on these distributions was determined. In Method 2, "classic" radiobiology dictates that a typical course of breast RT and PCI results in ≈7 and ≈4.5 log of cell kill, respectively. Using an assumption of uniform log-kill, the clinical doubling times (CDTs) can be calculated directly from the clinical data. Results Using Method 1, for breast cancer and assuming a CDT of 110 days and a clinically detectable cell number of 10 9 , the calculated cell number distribution would be approximately uniformly distributed from 1 to 10 8 cells, with RT reducing the frequency at all points by ≈75%. From the brain metastasis data, assuming a CDT of 55 days, a cell number distribution of 10 3 to 10 8 cells would be calculated. PCI reduces the frequency of metastases by roughly 40%. For both the breast and the brain data, the effects of RT on the cell number distribution are not consistent with uniform radiosensitivity. Using Method 2, assuming a cell number of 10 after L±RT, the calculated CDTs range from 14 to 124 days. For the brain metastasis case, assuming a starting cell number of 3.16 × 10 3 , the CDTs would primarily be in the 10–30-day range. Conclusion The distribution of clinical responses to adjuvant RT suggests a broad range of radiosensitivity, rather than uniform log cell kill. The subpopulation of tumors with minimal cell kill appears to be significant. This heterogeneity may be due to radioresistant subpopulations, failure to irradiate tumor cells, and/or new tumor formation. Similarly, the computed CDTs consistent with the clinical data are shorter than those reported in the literature. Simple radiobiologic models that fail to incorporate heterogeneity of radiosensitivity and/or tumor cell repopulation do not adequately describe clinical outcomes.
Episodes from the early history of mathematics

Among other things, Aaboe shows us how the Babylonians did calculations, how Euclid proved that there are infinitely many primes, how Ptolemy constructed a trigonometric table in his Almagest, and how Archimedes trisected the angle. Some of the topics may be familiar to the reader, while others will seem surprising or be new.
Skills-based, interactive computer interventions to prevent HIV infection among African-American and Hispanic adolescents☆

The spread of the acquired immunodeficiency virus (AIDS) virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, is increasingly evident. Despite the attention that HIV infection has received, few effective prevention strategies have been developed. The present paper reviews the epidemiology of AIDS among African-American and Hispanic adolescents. From epidemiological data, the authors argue for preventive approaches to reduce the risks of HIV transmission among African-American and Hispanic adolescents. Emphasizing culturally sensitive prevention strategies, the authors describe an intervention for these adolescents that combines skills-based and interactive computer approaches.
State of the Field The Conceptualization of Scientific Specialties

This paper analyzes the phenomenon of research specialization in science. The format consists of two sections. The first features a state-of-the-art review of evidence from so-called specialty case...
Adaptive Surround Modulation in Cortical Area MT

Summary Visual motion perception relies on two opposing operations: integration and segmentation. Integration overcomes motion ambiguity in the visual image by spatial pooling of motion signals, whereas segmentation identifies differences between adjacent moving objects. For visual motion area MT, previous investigations have reported that stimuli in the receptive field surround, which do not elicit a response when presented alone, can nevertheless modulate responses to stimuli in the receptive field center. The directional tuning of this "surround modulation" has been found to be mainly antagonistic and hence consistent with segmentation. Here, we report that surround modulation in area MT can be either antagonistic or integrative depending upon the visual stimulus. Both types of modulation were delayed relative to response onset. Our results suggest that the dominance of antagonistic modulation in previous MT studies was due to stimulus choice and that segmentation and integration are achieved, in part, via adaptive surround modulation.
Tribology on the macroscale to nanoscale of microelectromechanical system materials: A review

AbstractSilicon-based microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices are made from single-crystal silicon, polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) films obtained by low-pressure chemical vapour deposition and certain ceramic films. For high-temperature applications, SiC films are being developed to replace polysilicon films. Tribology in the MEMS devices requiring relative motion is of importance. Atomic force microscopy/friction force microscopy (AFM/FFM) and nanoindentation techniques have been used for tribological studies on a microscale to nanoscale on materials of interest. These techniques have been used to study surface roughness, friction, scratching and wear, indentation and boundary lubrication of bulk and treated silicon, polysilicon films and SiC films, Macroscale friction and wear tests have also been conducted using the ball-on-flat tribometer. Measurements of microscale and macroscale frictional forces show that friction values on both scales of all the silicon samples are about the same for d...
Recovering the past through computation: new techniques for cultural heritage

Computation has provided new means for researchers and scholars in the humanities, fine arts and social sciences to address research questions long considered to be too difficult for conventional methodologies. The subject of this presentation will be to discuss emerging state-of-the-art scientific methodologies applied to discovery, recovery, restoration, representation, analysis and ultimately new understanding of a broad range of cultural heritage artifacts. Critically important remnants of the past are disappearing - through neglect, incidental destruction, neglect, and deterioration and looting. Many ancient artifacts are scattered about the world and reside in public and private collections, inaccessible to scholars and far removed from their original location and context of creation.Digital representation is possible for numerous cultural heritage resources: script and drawings on a variety of media, manuscripts and documents, images, objects of all shapes and textures, and historic sites and events to name a few. Computation can provide means for recovering to some degree what was lost. Computation using geospatial and temporal data is central to visualizing and understanding mechanisms of change over extended periods of time, at once revealing and elucidating the events, social processes and practices that drive or accompanied change. This task involves, in part, processing massive amounts of raw data from a wide range of instruments and combining these with historic records to produce new information. At this point scholarly work, creative approaches, imaginative thinking and international interdisciplinary collaboration can be undertaken to create new knowledge and understanding and bring to light new segments of the human record.
Programming Machines and People: Techniques for Live Improvisation with Electronics

Many performers of new music do not come from an improvising tradition, and the addition of live electronics to works written for these performers may be intimidating due to their inexperience with improvising and/or working with technology. Although inexperience may be a problem, it can be overcome. The author describes techniques and strategies for creating rule-based improvisation environments with live electronics.
Seismic anisotropy changes across upper mantle phase transitions

The mantle transition zone is believed to play an important role in the thermochemical evolution of our planet and in its deep water cycle. Constraining mantle flow at these depths can help elucidate its nature and better understand mantle dynamics and the history of plate tectonics. Seismic anisotropy, i.e., the directional dependence of seismic wave velocity, provides us with the most direct constraints on mantle deformation. Its detection below ∼250km depth is challenging, and it is often assumed that the deep upper mantle is seismically isotropic due to a change in mantle deformation mechanism. Here, we present a global model of azimuthal anisotropy for the top 1000 km of the mantle. We used a dataset composed of fundamental and higher mode Rayleigh wave phase velocity maps, which provides resolution of azimuthal anisotropy to much greater depths than in previous studies. Our model unravels the presence of significant anisotropy in the transition zone, challenging common views of mantle deformation mechanisms, and reveals a striking correlation between changes in anisotropy amplitudes and in the fast direction of wave propagation where upper mantle phase transitions occur. The newly found relation between anisotropy changes and phase transformations gives new insight on the nature of the MTZ and suggests that the anisotropy originates from the lattice preferred orientation of anisotropic material. While the interpretation of our results in terms of mantle deformation is not straightforward due to many possible scenarios, possible explanations for our findings include recrystallization during phase transformations, or changes in the slip system across the MTZ boundaries, which in turn could be explained by changes in the water content of mantle material, consistent with the idea that the transition zone acts as a water filter.
Subject and object in psychoanalytic criticism: on the interpretative method of Freud's ‘The Moses of Michelangelo'

This essay engages with several commentators, foremost among them the German psychoanalyst and critic Reimut Reiche, who have located the psychoanalytic nature of Freud's famously ‘non-psychoanalytic' essay on Michelangelo's Moses in its interpretative method (rather than in its content). Reiche holds up the essay as a heretofore largely overlooked paradigm for a vibrant future psychoanalytic criticism, one that would be unprecedentedly attentive to artistic form, and be modelled on Freudian therapeutic techniques, in particular on the analytic practice of ‘aimless' and ‘free-floating' attention. This kind of psychoanalytic criticism, he argues, would rigorously focus on its object, the artwork in question, and thus provide a preferable alternative – from a formalist and ethical point of view – to the standard rote application of psychoanalytic concepts to artworks and to psycho-biographical speculations about artists and authors. While wholly in agreement with Reiche's attempt to redirect psychoanalytic ...
Initial results and medium-term follow-up of stent implantation of patent ductus arteriosus in duct-dependent pulmonary circulation.

Abstract Objectives This study was designed to assess the safety, efficacy, medium-term outcome, and complications of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stenting in duct-dependent pulmonary circulation. Background Patent ductus arteriosus stenting has been proposed as an alternative to surgical shunt on account of postoperative morbidity and complications of surgical shunting. Methods Between April 2000 and February 2003, 69 patients with duct-dependent pulmonary circulation underwent cardiac catheterization with the intent of PDA stenting as first palliative procedure. Patients with critical pulmonary stenosis and pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum post-radiofrequency valvotomy who had PDA stenting were excluded. Thirteen more patients were excluded because of branch pulmonary artery (PA) stenosis. The follow-up was by clinical examination, echocardiography, and repeat cardiac catheterization at six to nine months following the procedure. Results Patent ductus arteriosus stenting was successful in 51 patients (91.1%) and failed in 5 patients (8.9%). The mean narrowest PDA diameter was 1.9 ± 0.6 mm. The mean procedure and fluoroscopy time were 95.7 min and 29.4 min, respectively. In one patient the stent dislodged and migrated to the left femoral artery and another patient developed transient intravascular hemolysis. There was no procedure-related mortality. Three patients (5.9%) died one day to two months after the procedure. At follow-up (3.2 months to 2.4 years), 8 patients developed significant stent stenosis requiring reintervention. Seven patients developed worsening of preexisting branch PA stenosis. The freedom from reintervention was 89% and 55% at 6 months and 1 year, respectively. Conclusions Patent ductus arteriosus stenting is an attractive alternative to surgical shunt in a majority of patients with duct-dependent circulation. An absolute contraindication to this technique is the presence of branch pulmonary stenosis.
On Aerodynamic Modelling and Simulation of the Dynamic Interface

AbstractThe past decade has seen significant advancements in modelling and simulation of the dynamic interface. The goal of the initial work in this area was to reduce the costs associated with first-of-class flight trials, and to deal with the backlog of aircraft-ship combinations for which flight-clearance envelopes were minimal or non-existent. A decade ago, piloted simulation of the dynamic interface appeared to be the obvious way to overcome these deficiencies. Validated models of fixed-wing and rotorcraft were in existence, and work began to combine these models with prescribed weather/lighting conditions (wind, rain, snow, fog, night, etc.), ship visuals, and motion. It had been envisioned that through the use of high-fidelity flight simulation, a test pilot could rapidly and safely determine the flight envelope boundaries without resorting to, or at least minimizing, flight trials.During the past decade, significant advancements in simulation fidelity did transpire due to increased computational p...
EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT METHODS TO ISOLATE COD (GADUS MORHUA) MUSCLE MYOSIN

Four methods developed for fish muscle myosin isolation were evaluated for their potential to isolate myosin from cod white muscle. A slightly modified version of the method by Martone and coworkers (Martone et al. 1986) gave outstanding myosin purity (97.3%) as determined by SDS-PAGE and densitometric analysis without employing time consuming chromatographic separation, while the other three methods tested gave myosin purity ranging from 33.4-76. 75% with substantial contamination of actin and tropomyosin. The method of Martone and coworkers (1986) with more complete muscle tissue disintegration and prolonged extraction steps than used in the original work is therefore highly recommended for researchers interested in studying functionality of a pure cod myosin preparation. 4 methodes d'isolement de la myosine du muscle de poisson sont comparees. L'amelioration de la methode existante de Martone (Martone et al 1986) donne une purete de 97,3%. Les 3 autres methodes donnent des puretes allant de 33,4 a 76,75%, avec contamination par l'actine et la tropomyosine.
Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: Expansion of the tumor size limits does not adversely impact survival

The precise staging of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on the size and number of lesions that predict recurrence after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has not been clearly established. We therefore analyzed the outcome of 70 consecutive patients with cirrhosis and HCC who underwent OLT over a 12-year period at our institution. Pathologic tumor staging of the explanted liver was based on the American Tumor Study Group modified Tumor-Node-Metastases (TNM) Staging Classification. Tumor recurrence occurred in 11.4% of patients after OLT. The Kaplan-Meier survival rates at 1 and 5 years were 91.3% and 72.4%, respectively, for patients with pT1 or pT2 HCC; and 82.4% and 74.1%, respectively, for pT3 tumors (P =.87). Patients with pT4 tumors, however, had a significantly worse 1-year survival of 33.3% (P =.0001). An alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level > 1,000 ng/mL, total tumor diameter > 8 cm, age > or = 55 years and poorly differentiated histologic grade were also significant predictors for reduced survival in univariate analysis. Only pT4 stage and total tumor diameter remained statistically significant in multivariate analysis. Patients with HCC meeting the following criteria: solitary tumor < or = 6.5 cm, or < or = 3 nodules with the largest lesion < or = 4.5 cm and total tumor diameter < or = 8 cm, had survival rates of 90% and 75.2%, at 1 and 5 years, respectively, after OLT versus a 50% 1-year survival for patients with tumors exceeding these limits (P =.0005). We conclude that the current criteria for OLT based on tumor size may be modestly expanded while still preserving excellent survival after OLT.
Dimensionless Design of Variable Displacement Pumps

External market forces constrain the design of engineered systems in much the same way that environmental conditions constrain the evolution of biological systems. Dimensional analysis is used to find functional relationships within biological systems and in turn can be used determine design relationships for engineered ones. This work applies these concepts to axial-piston swashplate variable displacement pumps. After presenting a pump model suitable for dimensional analysis, the necessary transformations are performed to create a pump model with completely dimensionless parameters and dynamics. Using a set of industry data, scale independent design information is extracted from successful industry pumps. This information is used to develop dimensionless design guidelines and strategies which allow for the specification of new designs dynamically similar to the original successful products.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
On the Separation of the Brazil Current from the Coast

Abstract A series of numerical experiments, using analytical and numerical models, leads to the conclusion that the separation of the Brazil Current from the coast can be related to the northward momentum of the Malvinas Current. Experiments in which the Maivinas Current has a low transport show the Brazil Current separating where the curl of the wind stress vanishes, seven degrees south of the observed separation latitude of 38°S. If, however, the flow distribution at the Drake Passage is adjusted so that the transport of the Malvinas Current is increased, then the model predicts that the latitude where the Brazil Current separates from the coast is near its observed value.
Pharmacology of spinal opioids

This review presents the pharmacology of spinal opioid receptor systems which are primarily involved in pain processing. The major areas upon which we will focus are: the structure and cellular functioning of the opioid receptor systems; the physiologic effects induced by spinally administered opioids, particularly in pain modulation; and pharmacokinetic and dynamic considerations, with special attention to the problem of opioid tolerance development.
Epithelial adnexal formations in human gingiva

Abstract We have described a case in which most areas of the facial gingiva had strands and nests of epithelium lying beneath the surface, which joined with the surface epithelium. There was a tendency toward duct formation at the surface and in some of the epithelial nests. Neither acinar elements nor odontogenic formations were found. A familial tendency toward this gingival anomaly was noted. These adnexal formations seem to represent another example of the pluripotential capability of gingival epithelium.
Contributions of zircon U–Pb geochronology to understanding the volcanic and sedimentary history of some Purāna basins, India

Abstract In this century, U–Pb ages of magmatic and detrital zircons, together with a few less accurate but fairly robust ages determined on monazite and baddeleyite, in the Purāna successions in India have established a few firm timelines that constrain the opening, closure, inversion, and provenance of the Purāna basins. The Cuddapah basin opened shortly before ca. 1900 Ma, the Vindhyan basin opened before ca. 1630 Ma, the Khariar basin likely opened ca. 1500 Ma, and the Chhattisgarh basin opened ca. 1400 Ma. The Marwar basin opened after ca. 750 Ma. The Chhattisgarh basin began to invert at ca. 1000 Ma and closed shortly thereafter. The Indravati and the Vindhyan basins closed ca. 1000 Ma. There are no other defensible geochronologic data to adequately constrain the opening and closure of other Purāna basins (e.g., Kaladgi, Badami, Bhima, Kurnool, Mallampalli, Albaka, Ampani, Sabari, and Kolhan). Neither the fossil record nor the biostratigraphy of these basins necessarily correspond to the chronology determined through radiometric measurements. The discovery of ca. 1000 Ma volcanic events in the Indravati and Chhattisgarh basins adds to the growing list of ca. 1000 Ma thermal disturbances in the Indian shield. Most of these events were likely the far field effects of the final assembly of Rodinia.
Development of a computer model to predict strains in the individual fibers of a ligament across the ligamentous occipito-atlanto-axial (C0-C1-C2) complex.

A fresh ligamentous occipito-atlanto-axial (C0-C1-C2) complex was appropriately prepared and serially sectioned into thin slices along the transverse planes. The bony outlines from these slices were digitized and assembled in the proper manner to obtain a three-dimensional model of the complex using the AutoCAD® system. Various ligaments were identified on the model and strains in individual fibers of a ligament were predicted based on the principles of rigid body mechanics. The ligament behaviors in axial rotation, flexion, and extension modes were analyzed. The capsular ligament fibers were predicted to undergo strains in all modes. Furthermore, these ligaments experienced the largest strain among the ligaments analyzed. Fibers within a ligament were found to respond differently; some were more active than the others and some did not experience any strain at all. A differential behavior in the right and left side alar ligament fibers was also found in axial rotation. The transverse ligament was predicted to wrap around the dens during axial rotation. The strain within a fiber was found to be a function of the initial length (ligament laxity) and its distance from the center of rotation.
Optically controlled ligand delivery: 3. Photocleavage of 2-nitrobenzyl bonds at solid-liquid interfaces

Abstract Optically controlled ligand delivery systems would be useful for the design and development of biosensors. We synthesized a N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer containing sidechains terminated in model ligand (Boc-Gly), bound via photocleavable 2-nitrobenzyl bonds. To study photocleavage at solid-liquid interfaces, the HPMA copolymer was covalently attached to 3-aminopropyl triethoxy silane (APS)-coated porous silica beads, which were modified with α,ω-diaminopoly (ethylene oxide) of molecular weight 1000 or 5000. The influence of the poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) spacer on the rate of photolysis and on the minimization of non-specific adsorption was determined. The results show that the photolytic rates are faster for copolymer-derivatized silicas with PEO spacers compared to that without spacer and that the PEO spacer reduces the non-specific adsorption of HPMA copolymer on the silica surface.
Evaluation of the direct myocardial efects of dexmedetomidine in the transplanted infant heart

Background The denervated state of the transplanted heart excludes it from central autonomic control. Dexmedetomidine (dex) is an imidazole with selective α2 adrenoceptor (α2AR) agonist properties. The α2AAR isoreceptor mediates central analgesic and sedative effects via the locus ceruleus. The central antihypertensive and antiarrhymic effect of dex is mediated via medullary imidazoline-1 receptors (I1R). While the desired effects of dex are centrally mediated, it has recently been determined that both α2AAR and I1R are present in the human heart. The hemodynamic significance of this is not understood. The denervated cardiac physiology of an infant cardiac transplant presents a unique opportunity to examine the direct myocardial effects of dex. Methods This report details the hemodynamic impact of dex on a 6 month old infant 4 weeks post transplant. Dex was administered at a rate of 0.8–1 μg/kg/hr with q6–8h loading doses of 1 μg/kg (on days 1–5) for 18 days in the PICU to facilitate withdrawal from a 3-mos. exposure to opioids. HR and BP assessments were made with an arterial line. Results Neither bradycardia nor hypotension occurred throughout the dex administration. The only evidence of opioid withdrawal was retching on days 4–6 accompanied by sinus tachycardia (200–220). Conclusions There was no hemodynamic impact of dex administered either by bolus or infusion technique. It may be that any effect was obscured by the catecholamines elaborated during opioid withdrawal. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P70–P70; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.12.159
Simple derivations of generalized linear and nonlinear Langevin equations

With the aid of a single operator identity, the derivation of the Mori generalized linear Langevin equation is simplified and a new generalized nonlinear Langevin equation is obtained. The flexibility of the method is stressed which allows the derivation of various generalized nonlinear Langevin equations that can be used as bases for devising approximation schemes such as the mode coupling scheme.
Riparian woody plant diversity and forest structure along an urban-rural gradient

Changes in riparian woody plant assemblages are anticipated in the southeastern United States due to increases in urbanization rates. Because riparian forests serve important roles in maintaining water quality and biodiversity, understanding how they respond to urbanization is crucial. The objective of this study was to examine forest structure and woody vegetation diversity indices of riparian communities in response to an urbanization gradient in West Georgia, USA. Measures of forest structure and diversity were compared to measures of urbanization and land cover. Although Liquidambar styracifluaand Quercus nigrawere dominant species in the forest stand and regeneration layer for all riparian communities, the invasive, non-native shrub Ligustrum sinense was the most dominant species observed in the regeneration layer for urban, developing, and agriculture communities. The proportion of non-native species in the forest stand and regeneration layer decreased and Shannon diversity of the regeneration layer increased with increasing distance from the urban center. Shifts in diversity indicate that anthropogenic disturbance may subdue the ability of diverse communities to resist non-native plant invasions.
Follicular populations following inhibition of follicle stimulating hormone with equine follicular fluid during early pregnancy in the mare

Abstract In two experiments, mares received either charcoal-extracted follicular fluid (treated animals: Experiment 1, n = 6; Experiment 2, n = 6) or saline (control animals: Experiment 1, n = 7; Experiment 2, n = 6). Treatment was given once every 12 h beginning on Day 14 of pregnancy (ovulation = Day 0) and was terminated on Day 30 (Experiment 1) or on Day 41 (Experiment 2). Analysis of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations and follicular endpoints were done for Days 14 to 30 (Experiment 1) and Days 14 to 50 (Experiment 2). In both experiments, there was a significant main effect of treatment due to suppressed concentrations of FSH in the treated group. For the follicular endpoints, the means were significantly reduced in the treated group when averaged over all days for the number of follicles 11 to 15 mm (Experiment 2), 16 to 20 mm, >20 mm, and for the diameter of the largest and second largest follicles (both experiments). The depressed follicular activity (diameter of the largest and second largest follicles and the number of follicles for different diameter categories) following follicular fluid treatment supported the hypothesis that follicular development during early pregnancy in the mare is attributable to circulating concentrations of FSH. The administration of follicular fluid and the resulting suppression of FSH and follicular activity did not have a significant effect on concentrations of progesterone or on the maintenance of pregnancy.
The Quality Promise

errors in the first place, but to correcting those errors before they affected patients. In past years, radiologists consulted on patients who might have only one primary care physician and one nurse providing their care. Radiologists would likely work with one technologist, and imaging modalities were limited. In such an environment, quality control in imaging was much easier to achieve.
Oxytocin and vasopressin modulate risk-taking

The modulation of risk-taking is critical for adaptive and optimal behavior. This study examined how oxytocin (OT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) influence risk-taking in function of three parameters: sex, risk-valence, and social context. Twenty-nine healthy adults (14 males) completed a risk-taking task, the Stunt task, both in a social-stress (evaluation by unfamiliar peers) and non-social context, in three separate drug treatment sessions. During each session, one of three drugs, OT, AVP, or placebo (PLC), was administered intra-nasally. OT and AVP relative to PLC reduced betting-rate (risk-averse effect). This risk-averse effect was further qualified: AVP reduced risk-taking in the positive risk-valence (high win-probability), and regardless of social context or sex. In contrast, OT reduced risk-taking in the negative risk-valence (low win-probability), and only in the social-stress context and men. The reduction in risk-taking might serve a role in defensive behavior. These findings extend the role of these neuromodulators to behaviors beyond the social realm. How the behavioral modulation of risk-taking maps onto the function of the neural targets of OT and AVP may be the next step in this line of research.
Assessment of Rotor Blade Angle of Attack from Experimental Inflow Data

A series of experiments was conducted by NASA Langley Research Center and the U.S. Army, over a 10-year period beginning in the mid-1980s, to provide some insight into the nature of helicopter rotor-system-induced velocity and to provide calibration data for many promising computational methods. Rotor-induced velocities were measured above the rotor system for several forward e ight-test conditions in the NASA Langley Research Center 14 by 22 Foot Subsonic Tunnel using a 15%-scale, fully articulated, stiff-in-torsion rotor and in a joint government/industry partnershipwith Bell HelicopterTextron,Inc.,foralarger,aeroelastically scaled, bearingless rotor. Atwo-componentlaservelocimeterwasused to makethesemeasurements in thefacility.Thedata fromthese tests have been published previously as NASA quick release reports and conference papers, and they are available electronically. Further analyses of the data to assess the local angle of attack of the rotor blades as a function of azimuth, span, and test condition aredocumented. The results indicatethat assessing ine owusing thetime average ofa rotorrevolutiondoesnotalwayscaptureadequately thelocaleffectsofbladepassageontheine owdistribution. The ine ow distribution should be assessed using the average of the blade azimuth-dependent ine ow. At advance ratioslessthan0.30, theeffectsof theindividual trailing vorticeswereevidentintheine owmeasurements, andthey have a signie cant impact on the local blade e ow angle. For higher advance ratios, the blade azimuth-dependent ine ow velocities differed very little from the time-averaged ine ow characteristics. The analyses demonstrated that dynamic twist is signie cant for aeroelastically scaled rotors and must be measured or modeled to assess the rotor performance accurately.
Immunologic responses following serial skin testing.

Twenty volunteers underwent intradermal skin testing with tetanus toxoid (TT) and varicella-zoster (VZ) antigens weekly for 7 weeks. In addition to measurements of delayed hypersensitivity skin test responses, in vitro antigen specific lymphocyte stimulation and antibody levels were monitored. Data for TT exhibited more variability than VZ, demonstrating a marked boost in antibody titers after the first skin test and a shift in the kinetics of the skin test reaction to later maximum responsed after the first 3 weeks. In contrast, serial skin testing with VZ was not associated with changes in cellular immune assays. Following the initial VZ skin test there was a slight rise in antibody levels for one-third of studied individuals. These observations suggest that VZ skin test antigen is ideal for monitoring immune function and that repeated testing should not significantly influence in vitro assays.
A GRAPH MATCHING APPROACH TO 3-D POINT CORRESPONDENCES

A recursive descent tree traversal algorithm is presented to find the point correspondences between two views. Given two sets of noisy 3-D feature points on multiple rigid objects at two time-sequential views, the points at the first view are constructed as a graph and then another graph is derived from those feature points at the second view so that a maximal matching point and minimum matching error is obtained. The correspondence of the vertices is then found. The algorithm can also he used when the number of points at two views are different. Therefore, after matching, the occluded points at either view or both views can be identified. The computation time of the proposed algorithm is large when the number of feature points is large. A data set splitting strategy for such cases, which can significantly reduce the computation time, is presented. Another algorithm presented is one in which motion parameters are estimated from a matched subgraph and are then used to guide the matching for the rest of the nodes. Computer simulations are performed to show the efficiency and accuracy of the algorithm.
Prophylaxis of varicella in children with neoplastic disease: comparative results with zoster immune plasma and gamma globulin

The incidence and severity of varicella following a close family contact were evaluated in children with neoplastic diseases who received prophylaxis either with commerical gamma globulin or with zoster immune plasma, as compared to patients who did not receive any prophylaxis. In the untreated group, all 14 patients developed varicella, complicated by 1 case of encephalitis and 2 cases of fatal pneumonia. In the group of 17 patients who received 0.6-1.2 ml/kg body weight of gamma globulin, 16 developed varicella, complicated by pneumonia in 2 cases, with 1 death. In the third group of 27 patients who received 10 ml/kg body weight of zoster immune plasma (ZIP), obtained from healthy adults convalescing from herpes zoster, there were only 8 cases of varicella, all very mild. Thus, prophylaxis with ZIP significantly reduced the incidence of clinical varicella (p less than 0.01) and attenuated the severity of its course.
A posteriori error estimation and adaptive mesh refinement for combined thermal-stress finite element analysis

Local and global error estimators and an associated h-based adaptive mesh refinement schemes are proposed for coupled thermal-stress problems. The error estimators are based on the “flux smoothing” technique of Zienkiewicz and Zhu with important modifications to improve convergence performance and computational efficiency. Adaptive mesh refinement is based on the concept of adaptive accuracy criteria, previously presented by the authors for stress-based problems and extended here for coupled thermal-stress problems. Three methods of mesh refinement are presented and numerical results indicate that the proposed method is the most efficient in terms of number of adaptive mesh refinements required for convergence in both the thermal and stress solutions. Also, the proposed method required a smaller number of active degrees of freedom to obtain an accurate solution.
Regulation of hepatitis B virus gene expression

Human hepatitis B virus (HBV) mainly infects hepatocytes. HB viral gene expression has been demonstrated to be liver-specific using DNA transfection methods. This liver-specific gene expression is regulated by promoter/enhancer elements. HBV contains two enhancer elements. Enhancer element I has been studied in detail at the DNA-protein level. This is further substantiated by DNA transfections of liver and non-liver cell lines with expression plasmids containing enhancer elements controlling the transcription of reporter genes. Genetic analysis of the enhancer elements defined the minimal sequences which play a key role in the regulation of enhancer function. One of the factors binding in this region is RXR α . Using only the DNA binding domain of the liver-specific RXR α expressed in E. coli , we demonstrated binding of RXR α to the putative retinoic acid receptor response element (RARE) in the HBV enhancer. Our studies implicate a potentially important role of retinoic acid and its receptor in the liver-specific regulation of HBV gene expression and the disease pathogenesis associated with infection.
Flower Visitors of Hymenocallis coronaria (Rocky Shoals Spider-lily) of Landsford Canal State Park — South Carolina, USA

ABSTRACT: The rocky shoals spider-lily (Hymenocallis coronaria (J. Le Conte) Kunth inhabits select rocky shoals in certain Piedmont rivers at, and above, the Fall Line in scattered populations in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. One of the largest and most northern populations is located in the Catawba River at Landsford Canal State Park, South Carolina. The pollination ecology of this plant has not been fully explored. Sphingophily (Lepidoptera) (hawkmoth) pollination has been suggested as the likeliest pollinator syndrome for H. coronaria. Throughout the peak blooming season (May — June 2011 and 2012) we made numerous observations and documented potential pollinators/insect visitors of H. coronaria with camera equipment at various times of the day and night. We recorded 623 total flower visits during the 96 hours of camera and observation time. Of the nineteen species of flower visitors documented. Apidae: Bombus spp. (Bumblebees). Hesperiidae: Epargyreus clarus Cramer (Silver spotted skipper), Pap...
The emerging world of the fungal microbiome.

The study of the fungal microbiota (‘mycobiome’) is a new and rapidly emerging field that lags behind our understanding of the bacterial microbiome. Every human has fungi as part of their microbiota, but the total number of fungal cells is orders of magnitude smaller than that of the bacterial microbiota. However, the impact of the mycobiome on human health is significant, especially as a reservoir for blooms of pathogenic microbes when the host is compromised and as a potential cofactor in inflammatory diseases and metabolic disorders.
From Coptic to Arabic in Medieval Egypt

The question of when and where Egyptian Christians began to disuse the Coptic language and adopt Arabic remains a puzzle. The Apocalypse of Samuel of Qalamūn ( ASQ ) offers interesting hints about the process of language change by referring to the loss of Coptic in church functions. This paper argues that the ASQ represents Christians from the specific region of the Fayyūm and their struggle of identity maintenance that occurred after the Coptic language had generally fallen into disuse. Some scholars have speculated that the ASQ has a Coptic Vorlage , even though it is only extant in Arabic. This paper argues that the ASQ may have been originally an Arabic composition, perhaps written as late as the fourteenth century, as a means of connecting the Christian community to the Coptic language at a time when they were unable to access their tradition through Coptic-language texts.
Distributed socialite: a datalog-based language for large-scale graph analysis

Large-scale graph analysis is becoming important with the rise of world-wide social network services. Recently in SociaLite, we proposed extensions to Datalog to efficiently and succinctly implement graph analysis programs on sequential machines. This paper describes novel extensions and optimizations of SociaLite for parallel and distributed executions to support large-scale graph analysis.With distributed SociaLite, programmers simply annotate how data are to be distributed, then the necessary communication is automatically inferred to generate parallel code for cluster of multi-core machines. It optimizes the evaluation of recursive monotone aggregate functions using a delta stepping technique. In addition, approximate computation is supported in SociaLite, allowing programmers to trade off accuracy for less time and space.We evaluated SociaLite with six core graph algorithms used in many social network analyses. Our experiment with 64 Amazon EC2 8-core instances shows that SociaLite programs performed within a factor of two with respect to ideal weak scaling. Compared to optimized Giraph, an open-source alternative of Pregel, SociaLite programs are 4 to 12 times faster across benchmark algorithms, and 22 times more succinct on average.As a declarative query language, SociaLite, with the help of a compiler that generates efficient parallel and approximate code, can be used easily to create many social apps that operate on large-scale distributed graphs.
Showing versus telling: Comparing online video from newspaper and television websites

Video has become a central part of news on the web. As an emerging form of news, news videos are appearing with varied narrative structures, styles and formats. Narrative structure is one way that ...
Intravascular coagulation--a source of possible error in carbon-clearance determinations.

Abstract Intravenous or intraperitoneal administration of Pseudomonas and Salmonella endotoxin resulted in clearance values more rapid than controls. Subcutaneous heparin had no effect on carbon-clearance determinations. When Pseudomonas endotoxin was given in an animal pretreated with heparin, normal clearance values resulted. It is postulated that the administration of endotoxin either by the intraperitoneal or intravenous route alters the coagulability of the blood. Carbon particles coalesce in the fibrin coagulum and are trapped by the capillary beds, especially in the kidneys and lungs. As a result of the large particle size, clearance determinations are no longer an exponential function of time and values are erroneously elevated. Thus, when evaluating the effects of endotoxin on the phagocytic activity of the reticuloendothelial system using the carbon-clearance method, one must be cautious in the interpretation of data. Elevated values may not necessarily reflect an increase in reticuloendothelial activity.
How do disturbances and environmental heterogeneity affect the pace of forest distribution shifts under climate change

Although it is widely predicted that the geographic distributions of tree species and forest types will undergo substantial shifts in future, modelling approaches used to date are largely unable to project the pace at which forest distributions will respond to environmental change. The expansion and contraction of forest distributions act against considerable demographic inertia in the present composition and size-structure of forest stands as climate-induced changes in growth, mortality, and recruitment alter population dynamics through time. We aimed to better understand how shifts in forest distributions reflect long-term changes in tree demographic rates and population dynamics, and how such shifts are influenced by 1) disturbance from forest harvesting and 2) local environmental heterogeneity. Using a simple, data-constrained gap model, we simulated regional forest dynamics in the eastern United States over the next 500 yr. We then compared the geographic distributions of five different forest types through time under present and altered climatic conditions, in scenarios that variously included and excluded forest harvesting and environmental heterogeneity. Although we held climate fixed after 100 yr, it took another 160 yr after this for these forest types to collectively experience 90% of their eventual climate-related distribution gains and losses. Competition strongly affected the nature of responses to climate change. Harvesting accelerated and amplified gains by an early-successional forest type at the expense of a late-successional one, but these gains did not occur faster than those for other forest types. Environmental heterogeneity had little effect on distribution gains or losses through time. These findings indicate that forest distributions should respond quite slowly to climate change, with the leading and trailing edges of different forest types shifting over a span of centuries. Disturbances can expedite some transitions, but are unlikely to lead to wholesale changes in forest types in the coming decades.
Environmental effects on male reproductive success and parental care in the Florida flagfish Jordanella floridae

Models of optimal parental care predict that parental investment should depend on offspring value or the effect parental care has on offspring benefits. Few studies have examined the effect of external factors that influence offspring survival and the cost of care. In this study on the Florida flagfish (Jordanella floridae), a species with male parental care, we examined whether environmentally induced changes in care result from changes in egg requirements or in parental costs. We manipulated salinity and temperature, as these factors are known to affect the metabolic rate in both eggs and parents. We predicted that if the change in care behavior is determined by costs to the male then it should be paralleled by changes in non-egg-directed behavior. Conversely, if egg-directed behavior changes independently of other behavior it would suggest that behavior is determined primarily by egg requirements. In addition we examined patterns of mating success under the assumption that if male care is affected by environmental factors then female preferences may change accordingly. Males decreased egg-directed behavior (fanning and cleaning of eggs) at high salinity. Non-egg-directed behavior was unaffected by salinity. Temperature had no effects on behavior. Thus, we conclude that changes in egg demands are primarily responsible for the observed results. Successful males were bigger and more aggressive. This suggests that male dominance was an important determinant of male mating success. Unsuccessful males showed significantly more variation in number of red stripes with respect to salinity than successful males. Unsuccessful males may be less able to regulate color expression under varying environmental conditions, in which case color may be an indicator of male quality. We replicated the experiment early and late in the season. Males did not change their effort in care over the season. However, care (fanning) in the absence of eggs increased towards the end of the season. Since pre-mating fanning was positively correlated to a male’s eventual mating success we conclude that males increased their effort to attract mates late in the season.