cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Skyline-sensitive joins with LR-pruning

Efficient processing of skyline queries has been an area of growing interest. Most existing techniques assume that the skyline query is applied to a single data table. Unfortunately, this is not true in many applications where, due to the complexity of the schema, the skyline query may involve attributes belonging to multiple tables. Recently, various hybrid skyline-join algorithms have been proposed. However, the current proposals suffer from several drawbacks: they often need to scan the input tables exhaustively in order to obtain the set of skyline-join results; moreover, the pruning techniques employed to eliminate the tuples are largely based on expensive pairwise tuple-to-tuple comparisons. In this paper, we aim to address these shortcomings by proposing two novel skyline-join algorithms, namely skyline-sensitive join (S 2J) and symmetric skyline-sensitive join (S 3J), to process skyline queries over multiple tables. Our approaches compute the results using a novel layer/region pruning technique (LR-pruning) that prunes the join space in blocks as opposed to individual data points, thereby avoiding excessive pairwise point-to-point dominance checks. Furthermore, the S 3J algorithm utilizes an early stopping condition in order to successfully compute the skyline results by accessing only a subset of the input tables. We report extensive experimental results that confirm the advantages of the proposed algorithms over the state-of-the-art skyline-join techniques.
GFRα1-Deficient Mice Have Deficits in the Enteric Nervous System and Kidneys

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) signals through a receptor complex composed of the Ret tyrosine kinase and a glycosylphosphatidylinositol- (GPI-) anchored cell surface coreceptor, either GDNF family receptor alpha1 (GFR alpha1) or GFR alpha2. To investigate the usage of these coreceptors for GDNF signaling in vivo, gene targeting was used to produce mice lacking the GFR alpha1 coreceptor. GFR alpha1-deficient mice demonstrate absence of enteric neurons and agenesis of the kidney, characteristics that are reminiscent of both GDNF- and Ret-deficient mice. Midbrain dopaminergic and motor neurons in GFR alpha1 null mice were normal. Minimal or no neuronal losses were observed in a number of peripheral ganglia examined, including the superior cervical and nodose, which are severely affected in both Ret- and GDNF-deficient mice. These results suggest that while stringent physiologic pairing exists between GFR alpha1 and GDNF in renal and enteric nervous system development, significant cross-talk between GDNF and other GFR alpha coreceptors must occur in other neuronal populations.
Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Expanding Frontiers and Building Bridges

Despite significant advances in nonsurgical treatments of hepatocellular carcinoma, these approaches rarely result in cure. Surgery remains the mainstay of curative therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver transplantation, in particular, has emerged as one of the most beneficial therapeutic modalities. Questions remain, however, regarding hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance, the choice of surgical resection versus transplantation, the role of chemotherapy, optimal selection criteria for transplantation, and the role of ablative therapies to halt tumor progression and downsize tumors exceeding transplant criteria.
Projecting interconnect electromigration lifetime for arbitrary current waveforms

A vacancy-relaxation model is proposed. It predicts the DC lifetime, pulse DC (arbitrary unidirectional waveform) lifetime, pure AC lifetime, and AC-plus-DC-bias lifetime for all waveforms and all frequencies above 1 kHz. The predictions are verified by experiments and significantly raise the projected lifetimes beyond the widely assumed A/sub dc/ T/J/sub rms//sup m/. The pure AC lifetimes of aluminum interconnect are experimentally found to be more than 10/sup 3/ times larger than DC lifetime for the same current density. In addition, AC stress lifetimes are observed to follow the same dependences on current magnitude and temperature, for T >
Ultrastructure of fibroblasts in cyclosporin A-induced gingival hyperplasia.

Specimens from 2 cases of gingival hyperplasia resulting from the treatment with the immnosuppressant cyclosporin A (CSGH) and 4 cases of inflamed gingiva (non-CSGH) were examined by electron microscopy with particular interest in the fibroblasts. In general, the fibroblasts in CSGH revealed the ultrastructural characteristics of active protein synthesis and secretion and less cytotoxic or degenerative changes. Some fibroblasts in the CSGH (23.8%) displayed cytological modifications comparable to so-called myofibroblasts, i.e., microfilament bands with semi-periodic dense nodes, nuclear indentations, and basal-lamina associated, cell-lo-stromal junctions. Conversely, 5.9% of the fibroblasts in the non-CSGH showed these modifications. The modified fibroblasts were found most predominantly in the transitional area between inflamed and fibrous connective tissues. From these findings, it is suggested that the myofibroblastic modification in CSGH is regarded as a common morphological sign in actively proliferating fibrous tissue and may participate in the host-tissue response to the plaque-associated irritants.
Measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction in pediatric patients using the nuclear stethoscope.

Abstract Left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) was measured in 25 patients, aged 2 weeks to 20 years (mean 8.6 years), using a portable nonimaging scintillation stethoscope. Technically satisfactory studies were obtained in 23 patients. LVEF was validated by cineangiography in 19 patients and by standard gated blood pool scintigraphy in 4. EF measured by the nuclear stethoscope correlated well with values obtained by cineangiography or scintigraphy (r = 0.869, p
Electromagnetic acoustic transducer for in-plane and plane-normal velocity measurements

A new electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) is developed that measures velocities and absolute surface displacements in-plane and plane-normal to the direction of wave propagation. This transducer is flexible in shape and design to conform with irregular surfaces and has unique characteristics of nonresonant frequency response. Tests show that the sensitivity of this EMAT can be increased by increasing the applied magnetic field. Because this transducer is mode selective and nonresonent, its response can be related uniquely to the wave motion. This property is highly desirable for research purposes, though generally not wanted in field monitoring situations.
Suboptimal Selenium Status in Home Parenteral Nutrition Patients with Small Bowel Resections

The selenium status of 13 adult home parenteral nutrition (HPN) patients was evaluated using 12 healthy adult volunteers as controls. Patients had been maintained on HPN for a mean of 36 months and averaged 121 cm of residual small bowel. Prospective diet surveys in patients indicated a mean oral caloric intake of 902 kcal/day. The mean plasma selenium concentrations (microgram/g) were 0.044 in patients and 0.117 in controls (p less than 0.01). The erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activities, as mumol of NADPH oxidized/g hemoglobin/min, averaged 11.01 in patients and 31.76 in controls (p less than 0.01). Four patients exhibited myalgic symptomatology suggestive of clinical selenium deficiency. No correlations could be ascertained between plasma selenium levels and glutathione peroxidase activities in either patients or controls. Additionally, in the patient group, no significant correlations could be ascertained between selenium status and oral caloric intake, residual small bowel length, symptomatology suggestive of deficiency or HPN duration. However, since sample size was not large, lack of correlations might best be considered suggestive not conclusive. The data indicate that HPN patients with small bowel resections exhibit suboptimal selenium status and may be at risk of developing clinically evident selenium deficiency. HPN patients should be prophylactically supplemented with selenium regardless of oral intake, duration of HPN, or residual length of resected small bowel.
Receptor G-protein interactions in the development of Dictyostelium

Development in Dictyostelium results in the production of a multicellular aggregate. Aggregation depends on chemotaxis to cAMP and cell-to-cell relay of cAMP signalling. The cAMP signalling response involves surface receptor-mediated GTP-dependent activation of adenylate cyclase. Studies of the mutant synag 7 indicate that a soluble protein may be involved in this activation. Wild-type supernatants are required to restore GTP-dependent adenylate cyclase activity to mutant lysates. The surface cAMP receptor which initiates this response and is implicated in chemotaxis has been purified and an antiserum raised. The receptor undergoes a ligand-induced mobility change, probably due to serine phosphorylation, when analyzed by SDS-PAGE. Modulation of this transition is correlated with adaptation of the cells. Analysis of cells at various stages of development indicate that the receptor is most rapidly synthesized in the preaggregation stage. The antiserum was used to clone the cDNA for the receptor. Clones that have been sequenced account for about 33 000 D of the 37 000 D receptor. Hydropathy plots reveal 3 (or 4) potential membrane spanning domains; unsequenced regions are large enough to encode an additional 4 membrane spanning regions. Comparison to bovine rhodopsin reveals homology in those regions elucidated so far. Thirteen potential phosphorylation sites are present in the cytoplasmic domain and may be involved in ligand-induced phosphorylation.
UV-laser-induced densification of fused silica: A molecular dynamics study

Abstract Classical molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to study the UV-laser-induced densification in fused silica. Relationships between induced densification and absorbed laser fluence under different laser durations are established. We have also studied the effects of laser irradiation on the radial distribution functions, static structure factor, bond-angle distributions, ring-size distribution, and elastic constants of fused silica. While the Si–O bond length is little affected by laser irradiation, the lengths of O–O and Si–Si and bond-angle distributions of ∠Si–O–Si and ∠O–Si–O are undergoing larger changes. The number of dominant 6-member rings decreases after laser irradiation, and that of rings of other sizes increases. Young’s modulus, bulk modulus, and Lame constant of fused silica increase rapidly with increasing density.
Aesthetic Considerations in Secondary Procedures for Gender Reassignment

Background: Patients who have successfully undergone gender reassignment surgery seek further aesthetic refinements to suit their new gender role. Objective: The study evaluated secondary aesthetic procedures, laryngeal surgery, and adjuvant hormone therapy in 22 male-to-female gender reassignment change patients. Methods: Thirty-two aesthetic procedures performed in 22 patients were evaluated for operation type, surgical technique, complications, and satisfaction rates. Aesthetic procedures included rhytidectomy, platysmaplasty, rhinoplasty, brow lift, blepharoplasty, cheek or chin surgery, and body contouring. Results: A wide range of secondary aesthetic procedures was successfully performed with only 1 minor complication and 1 major psychological depressive episode. Conclusions: Secondary surgery in gender reassignment patients extends the frontier of aesthetic surgery and provides lessons that can be extrapolated to facial and body con-tour aesthetic surgery in the general patient population.
Radiometric calibration of Advanced Land Imager using reflectance-based results between 2001 and 2005

The Landsat series of sensors have supplied the remote sensing community with a continuous data set dating to the early 1970s. An important aspect of retaining the continuity of these data is that a Landsat follow-on as well as current Landsat instruments must be understood radiometrically throughout their mission. The Advanced Land Imager (ALI), for example, was developed as a prototype for the next generation of Landsat Instruments, and as such there was a significant effort to understand its radiometric characteristics as well as how it compares with previous Landsat sensors. The Remote Sensing Group at the University of Arizona has been part of this effort since the late 2000 launch of ALI through the use of the reflectance-based method of vicarious calibration. The reflectance-based approach consists of ground-based measurements of atmospheric conditions and surface reflectance at the time of satellite overpass to predict the at-sensor radiance seen by the sensor under study. The work compares results from the reflectance-based approach obtained from well-characterized test sites such as Railroad Valley Playa in Nevada and Ivanpah Playa in California as applied to ALI, Landsat-5 TM, and Landsat-7 EMT+. The results from the comparison use a total of 14 ALI dates spanning in time from 2001 to late 2005 and show that ALI agrees with the current radiometric results from TM and ETM+ to within 5%.
A general method for solving divide-and-conquer recurrences

The approximate complexity of divide-and-conquer algorithms is often described by recurrence relations of the formT(n) = kT(n/c) + f(n).The only well-defined method currently used for solving such recurrences consists of solution tables for fixed functions f and varying k and c. In this note we describe a unifying method for solving these recurrences that is both general in applicability and easy to apply. This method is appropriate both as a classroom technique and as a tool for practicing algorithm designers.
Enantiopure Cryptophane-129Xe Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Biosensors Targeting Carbonic Anhydrase.

The (+) and ( − ) enantiomers for a cryptophane-7-bond-linker-benzenesulfonamide biosensor (C7B) were synthesised and their chirality was confirmed by electronic circular dichroism spectroscopy. Biosensor binding to carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) was characterised for both enantiomers by hyperpolarised (HP) 129Xe NMR spectroscopy. Our previous study of the racemic ( ± ) C7B biosensor–CAII complex [Chambers, J.M.; Hill, P.A.; Aaron, J.A.; Han, Z.H.; Christianson, D.W.; Kuzma, N.N.; Dmochowski, I.J. J. Am. Chem. Soc.2009, 131, 563–569] identified two ‘bound’ 129Xe@C7B peaks by HP 129Xe NMR (at 71 and 67 ppm, relative to ‘free’ biosensor at 64 ppm), which led to the initial hypothesis that (+) and ( − ) enantiomers produce diastereomeric peaks when coordinated to Zn2+ at the chiral CAII active site. Unexpectedly, the single enantiomers complexed with CAII also identified two ‘bound’ 129Xe@C7B peaks: (+) 72, 68 ppm and ( − ) 68, 67 ppm. These results are consistent with X-ray crystallographic evidence for benze...
The viscosity of liquid metals and an empirical relationship between their activation energy of viscosity and their melting points

Abstract It is shown that a simple empirical relationship exists between the activation energy of viscosity for liquid metals and their melting points. This relationship coupled with Da Andrade's expression for the viscosity of the liquid metal at the melting point ( T m.p. ): ν m.p.(in poises) =5·7×10 −4 · (A.T m.p. ) V 2 3 A (A= At.wt.; V A = liq.at. volume at m.p; ° K ) permits us now to estimate the viscosity of any metal having a closepacked crystal structure , i.e., one for which the Andrade relationship holds, at any temperature. All available experimental data on the viscosity of metals were used to establish the empirical relationship shown in Fig. 2.
A novel probabilistic approach for damage localization and prognosis including temperature compensation

The development of a reliable structural damage prognostics framework, which can accurately predict the fatigue life of critical metallic components subjected to a variety of in-service loading conditions, is important for many engineering applications. In this article, a novel integrated structural damage localization method is developed for prediction of cracks in aluminum components. The proposed methodology combines a physics-based prognosis model with a data-driven localization approach to estimate the crack growth. Specifically, particle filtering is used to iteratively combine the predicted crack location from prognostic model with the estimated crack location from localization algorithm to probabilistically estimate the crack location at each time instant. At each time step, the crack location predicted by the prognosis model is used as a priori knowledge (dynamic prior) and combined with the likelihood function of the localization algorithm for accurate crack location estimation. For improving th...
Intraoperative determination and display of cortical function

One of the most important issues in neurosurgical lesion resection is margin definition. And while there is still some effort required to exactly determine lesion boundaries from tomographic images, the lesions are at least perceptible on the scans. What is not visible is the location of function. Functional imaging such as PET and fMRI hold some promise for cortical function localization; however, intraoperative cortical mapping can provide exact localization of function without ambiguity. Since tomographic images can provide lesion margin definition and cortical mapping can provide functional information we have developed a system for combining the two in our Interactive, Image-Guided system. For cortical surface mapping we need a surface description. Brain contours are extracted from a MRI volume using a deformable model approach and rendered from multiple angular positions. As the surgeon moves a probe, its position is displayed on the view closes to the angular position of the probe. During functional mapping, positive response to stimulation result in a color overlay 'dot' added to the cortical surface display. Different colored dots are used to distinguish between motor function and language function. And a third color is used to display overlapping functionality. This information is used to guide the resection around functionally eloquent areas of the cortex.
Combustion phasing for maximum efficiency for conventional and high efficiency engines

Abstract The importance of the phasing of the combustion event for internal-combustion engines is well appreciated, but quantitative details are sparse. The objective of the current work was to examine the optimum combustion phasing (based on maximum bmep ) as functions of engine design and operating variables. A thermodynamic, engine cycle simulation was used to complete this assessment. As metrics for the combustion phasing, both the crank angle for 50% fuel mass burned (CA 50 ) and the crank angle for peak pressure (CA pp ) are reported as functions of the engine variables. In contrast to common statements in the literature, the optimum CA 50 and CA pp vary depending on the design and operating variables. Optimum, as used in this paper, refers to the combustion timing that provides the maximum bmep and brake thermal efficiency (MBT timing). For this work, the variables with the greatest influence on the optimum CA 50 and CA pp were the heat transfer level, the burn duration and the compression ratio. Other variables such as equivalence ratio, EGR level, engine speed and engine load had a much smaller impact on the optimum CA 50 and CA pp . For the conventional engine, for the conditions examined, the optimum CA 50 varied between about 5 and 11°aTDC, and the optimum CA pp varied between about 9 and 16°aTDC. For a high efficiency engine (high dilution, high compression ratio), the optimum CA 50 was 2.5°aTDC, and the optimum CA pp was 7.8°aTDC. These more advanced values for the optimum CA 50 and CA pp for the high efficiency engine were largely due to lower heat losses.
Other likely BBB functions possibly related to aging

In addition to selectively facilitating transport between blood and brain, the BBB appears to carry out other functions. It probably protects the brain from trophic peptides in blood. It also maintains a different electrolyte concentration in the neuronal environment relative to blood plasma. It also prevents the loss of locally produced neurotransmitters and modulator substances in brain. The cytoplasmic enzymes in brain capillary endothelial cells may also alter molecular structure on route between blood and brain. Any of these functions may be disturbed in the aging brain, but we do not understand them well enough to draw any conclusions as yet.
THERMOMECHANICAL STRESSES AND SOME ASYMPTOTICBEHAVIOR IN CASTINGS WITH SPHERICAL SOLIDIFICATION

The distribution of the instantaneous thermal and the residual stresses in castings of spherical shape due to solidification is calculated A numerical solution is obtained for the heat conduction problem in which a liquid, initially at the melting temperature, becomes solidified by heat transfer to a mold whose temperature is constant but lower than the melting temperature. Particular attention is paid to the behavior at the last instant of solidification, where the velocity of the melt /solid boundary becomes unbounded. Improved numerical accuracy in this range is obtained by transforming the governing equations into a domain in which the central region is expanded Based on the quasi-static approach, the thermal stress problem is decoupled from the heat conduction problem. A linear isotropic thermoelastic model for the solidified material is used to determine the transient and residual stresses. The transient stresses have no impact on the final residual stress field Numerical results show that for the c...
Identification of proteolytic activities in ROS 17/2.8 cell lysates which cleave peptide substrates for protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation

Abstract We have observed two proteolytic activities in cell lysates from the rat osteoblastic osteosarcoma cell line ROS 17/2.8 which are capable of cleaving a peptide substrate for protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation, and other peptides containing similar sequences. Both activities are inhibited by Pefabloc, a serie protease inhibitor, while one of the activities is inhibited by either EDTA or aprotinin. The protease inhibitors pepstatin, bestatin, E-64, leupeptin and phosphoramidon do not block either of these proteolytic activities.
The history of nihilism and the limits of political critique

Nihilism is commonly defined as ‘a philosophy of negation, rejection, or denial of some or all aspects of thought or life’ [Craig, Edward, ed. 1998. “Nihilism.” In Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. London: Routledge]. It has been interpreted since its early days as a radical negation of all forms of authority – whether that authority be God, a human sovereign, or moral values. More specifically, the concept of nihilism has emphasized the connection between authority and interpretative competence, political sovereignty, and a hermeneutic knack. My article attempts to introduce both the history of the concept and its current theoretical implications. While introducing the key motives of nihilism – investigated in a research group under my guidance at the Jerusalem Van Leer Institute during 2010 and part of 2011 – I hope to clarify what made this concept so relevant for a younger generation of critics and scholars. As demonstrated in this article, the history of the concept has been traditionally marking...
PRACTICAL TOOL TO ACCURATELY ESTIMATE TENSILE STRESSES IN CONCRETE BRIDGE DECKS TO CONTROL TRANSVERSE CRACKING

This paper describes a simple method to estimate tensile stresses due to early age time dependent loadings in concrete bridge decks with full composite action between the deck and girder. These stresses can cause transverse deck cracking if they exceed the modulus of rupture for concrete, and need to be checked. A system of equations for a pin-roller supported composite girder is developed to estimate the deck stresses due to the volume change in concrete caused by shrinkage and/or other effects. These equations are further extended to consider different boundary conditions. Results of this method agree very well with the results of finite-element analyses. It is proposed that this practical method be used as a tool during bridge design to examine concrete bridge deck stresses against the possibility of transverse cracking. A Microsoft Windows application that is easy to use is developed and presented. Furthermore, an overview of factors causing the volume change in bridge deck concrete and their typical magnitude is provided to further simplify the use of this practical method.
Deficient Tumor Necrosis Factor-related Apoptosis-inducing Ligand (TRAIL) Death Receptor Transport to the Cell Surface in Human Colon Cancer Cells Selected for Resistance to TRAIL-induced Apoptosis

Many tumor cell types are sensitive to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis. Incubation of TRAIL-sensitive cells with TRAIL invariably leads to resistant survivors even when high doses of TRAIL are used. Because the emergence of resistance to apoptosis is a major concern in successful treatment of cancer, and TRAIL survivors may contribute to therapeutic failure, we investigated potential resistance mechanisms. We selected TRAIL-resistant SW480 human colon adenocarcinoma cells by repeatedly treating them with high and/or low doses of TRAIL. The resulting TRAIL-resistant clones were not cross-resistant to Fas or paclitaxel. Expression of modulators of apoptosis was not changed in the resistant cells, including TRAIL receptors, cFLIP, Bax, Bid, or IAP proteins. Surprisingly, we found that DISC formation was deficient in multiple selected TRAIL-resistant clones. DR4 was not recruited to the DISC upon TRAIL treatment, and caspase-8 was not activated at the DISC. Although total cellular DR4 mRNA and protein were virtually identical in TRAIL-sensitive parental and TRAIL-resistant clones, DR4 protein expression on the cell surface was essentially undetectable in the TRAIL-resistant clones. Moreover, exogenous DR4 and KILLER/DR5 were not properly transported to the cell surface in the TRAIL-resistant cells. Interestingly, TRAIL-resistant cells were resensitized to TRAIL by tunicamycin pretreatment, which increased cell surface expression of DR4 and KILLER/DR5. Our data suggest that tumor cells may become resistant to TRAIL through regulation of the death receptor cell surface transport and that resistance to TRAIL may be overcome by the glycosylation inhibitor/endoplasmic reticulum stress-inducing agent tunicamycin.
Comparison of adaptive beamforming and adaptive OSTBC with outdated channel feedback

For high speed wireless systems adopting adaptive modulation, we compare the achievable performance of adaptive beamforming (A-BF) and adaptive orthogonal space time block coding (A-OSTBC) with outdated channel feedback. In the presence of feedback delay, we optimize the switching thresholds to maximize the average throughput subject to an average BER constraint and illustrate the effects of feedback delay on the performance of A-BF and A-OSTBC. We observe that while the A-BF scheme outperforms the A-OSTBC scheme with a small feedback delay, the A-OSTBC scheme achieves higher average throughput due to the reduced diversity advantage of A-BF when the feedback delay is large.
LASER MICRODISSECTION OF PLANT TISSUE: What You See Is What You Get

AbstractLaser microdissection (LM) utilizes a cutting or harvesting laser to isolate specific cells from histological sections; the process is guided by microscopy. This provides a means of removing selected cells from complex tissues, based only on their identification by microscopic appearance, location, or staining properties (e.g., immunohistochemistry, reporter gene expression, etc.). Cells isolated by LM can be a source of cell-specific DNA, RNA, protein or metabolites for subsequent evaluation of DNA modifications, transcript/protein/metabolite profiling, or other cell-specific properties that would be averaged with those of neighboring cell types during analysis of undissected complex tissues. Plants are particularly amenable to the application of LM; the highly regular tissue organization and stable cell walls of plants facilitate the visual identification of most cell types even in unstained tissue sections. Plant cells isolated by LM have been the starting point for a variety of genomic and met...
Runoff and erosional responses to a drought‐induced shift in a desert grassland community composition

In contrast, measurements on small runoff plots on the hillslopes of the same watershed showed a significant increase in sediment discharge that continued after E. lehmanniana replaced native grasses. Together, these findings suggest alteration in plant community increased sediment yield but that hydrological responses to this event differ at watershed and plot scales, highlighting the geomorphological controls at the watershed scale that determine sediment transport efficiency and storage. Resolving these scalar issues will help identify critical landform features needed to preserve watershed integrity under changing climate conditions.
Binding of Melatonin to human and rat plasma proteins.

3H-Melatonin was not metabolized when incubated with rat venous blood in vitro and 72-82% of the added radioactivity was recovered in the plasma fractions. The binding of 3H-melatonin to rat and human plasma proteins was studied by equilibrium dialysis; there were no significant differences between the binding capacities of human and rat plasma, and the proportions bound (77.8 ± 4.3% and 60.7 ± 4.8% at 4 and 37 C, respectively) were independent of melatonin concentration up to 1.5 HIM, indicating a highcapacity binder protein. The in vitro binding of melatonin to plasma proteins was not modified by the presence of other indole derivatives. Equilibrium dialysis of 3H-melatonin with purified plasma protein fractions and electrophoresis of plasma preincubated with melatonin revealed that albumin was the only melatonin-binding protein detectable in plasma. No significant association was observed between melatonin and macromolecules in fresh cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from goats unless the protein concentration...
1‐Methyl‐4‐Phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐Tetrahydropyridine‐Resistant, Flat‐Cell PC12 Variants Having a Partial Loss of Transformed Phenotype

We have cloned and characterized two variants of PC12 cells. MPT1 cells were selected by their resistance to 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), and variant 2068 was isolated nonselectively as a large, flat-cell variant commonly occurring in PC12 cultures. Variant 2068 cells also exhibit resistance to MPTP. Karyotype analysis revealed that these variants are true derivatives of wild-type PC12 cells; however, each variant is tetraploid, whereas the wild-type parent is diploid. The two variants contain an altered level and composition of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes, which could account for a previously described difference in lactate metabolism. Both variants exhibit a partial loss of transformed phenotype in culture in that they are nonrefractile, grow in monolayers, and fail to multiply in soft agar. We suggest that this alteration in transformed phenotype may result in altered mitochondria and lactate dehydrogenase and thus account for their resistance to MPTP. Compared with wild-type PC12 cells, MPT1 cells have a decreased level of fos mRNA and an increased level of myc mRNA; the latter results from an increased level of transcription of exon 1 of the myc gene. Studies with hybrid cells obtained by fusing MPT1 cells with wild-type-like cells show that most, but not all, of the parameters of the MPT1 phenotype predominate.
A novel computer aided detection (CADe) scheme for colonic polyps based on colon structure decomposition

To more accurately detect small polyps (ranged 5∼8mm, also called C2 stage) on the colon wall is of great significance for early diagnosis colorectal cancers. In order to achieve better detection results on small polyps in colon, both relatively global and local method were presented in the literature (or we can say single layer surface based or volume(image) based). However the colon usually consists of the Mucosa layers which result in Partial volume effect (PVE) on the colon wall, the task turns too complicated to be reached by simply following solo philosophy. According to the literature, the sensitivity of detection for small polyps only slightly above 0.83( polyp size range 5∼9mm). Though those results were based on different datasets due to share limitations, the average sensitivity is still not good enough for providing sufficient diagnosis support for further process. We believe that due to the influence of background undulating, small polyps and large polyps(bigger than 8mm) usually have not only some differences in geometric characteristics, but also Significant difference as far as the philosophy of measurement to be concerned. In order to adapt previous method to the mission of the small polyps' detection, a novelty global structure decomposition approach was suggested. By which the complex colon was separated into much uniform broken parts, where the Haustral folds and Haustral wall were broken into two independently kinds of morphological shape by means of analysis on second order derivatives of volume image. Polyp detection will look like finding certain abnormal protrusion on the relatively simple morphological surfaces. Hence the morphologically protruding characteristic of the small polyps will be enhanced in the volume image. Experimentally, we chose 60 patient cases from our database, and in which we focus on the polyps whose size range from 5∼8mm to validate the presented new approach. Compared with previously presented in the literature, the experimental are much more promising with average sensitivity of 0.99 per patient at mean time the false positive rate dramatically decreased to 1.2 per patient after false positive deduction based on texture.
Speaking with Forked Tongues: Indian Treaties, Salmon, and the Endangered Species Act

As salmon runs began to be listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the early 1990s, questions arose as to the impact of these listings on the 1855 treaties that Pacific Northwest Indian Nations had signed with the United States. In these treaties, Indian Tribes reserved for themselves and their citizens the right to take fish at their usual and accustomed fishing sites forever. The author addresses the history of these treaties, their judicial interpretations through seven trips to the U.S. Supreme Court and more, and the question of the continuing validity of the treaties and the tribal fishing rights in view of ESA listings of salmon runs as threatened or endangered. These issue continue to be important ones today as the wild runs teeter on the brink of extinction, and as questions about the continuing enforceability of the treaties and the United States' obligation to protect tribal rights in salmon have not yet been answered.
Beyond the Great Divide: Immigration and the Last Frontier

SINCE 1945, American historians have been hastening to overtake a world-centered United States. Seeking a world audience, they can no longer view their country as an innocent adolescent nation which has been engaged in a trans-Atlantic feud with an authoritarian European parent. Increasingly, the United States has become a premier trustee and guarantor of civilization, burdened with all the ironies and ambiguities that accompany its new condition. Looking outward, the nation's historians inevitably have come to look inward; and a new cosmopolitanism is gradually being introduced to the reassessment and rewriting of American history.' Nowhere is the hiatus between the older and the new historiography more challenging and more interesting than west of the Rockies in the thirteen latter-day original states, which include Alaska and Hawaii-the much touted racially aloha laboratory of democracy. No aspect of the history of the new West is more crucial to American self-understanding and more universal in interest than the virtually unexplored story of the accommodation and interaction of its diverse peoples and the implications of the severance or perpetuation of group and personal ties with the places of their origin elsewhere in America or abroad.2 No region of the United States has
Relationship Management: Bridging Internal and External Quality Management

Total quality management (TQM) is an organizational culture that emphasizes internal integration at the same time that it demands innovation in the marketplace. TQM effectively integrates the internal and external activities of an organization. In business to business marketing, the role of relationship management is to bridge internal quality management with external quality management. In a hotel, the convention services manager must be sure that the promises made by external marketing activities can be fulfilled through interactive marketing activities. Internal marketing processes which enable employees to fulfill marketing promises are an equally important part of the service quality equation.
High-Dose Phenobarbital for Ohtahara Syndrome

Oral high-dose phenobarbital therapy was effective in the control of tonic spasms in a 1 month-old-infant with early infantile epileptic encephalopathy with suppression bursts (Ohtahara syndrome) treated at Tokyo Metropolitan Hachioji Children’s Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Molecular Heterogeneity of Polystyrene-Modified Fullerene Core Stars

Structure–property relationships of polymeric materials require careful characterization of macromolecular properties. In this work we use 2-dimensional chromatography, coupling temperature gradient interaction and size exclusion chromatography, as well as density functional theory calculations to clarify that when poly(styryl)lithium anions are reacted with stringently purified C60, stars with greater than six arms can be attained, in contrast to prior reports. We attribute this apparent contradiction to the limited ability of size exclusion chromatography to separate polymers having branched architectures. These results clarify the chemistry of anionically modified fullerenes and also show that more sophisticated separation techniques are necessary when characterizing architecturally complex polymers.
Accuracy of a Mouse Bioassay for the Diagnosis of Botulism in Horses

Background The laboratory diagnosis of botulism in horses traditionally has relied upon the mouse bioassay (MBA). The accuracy of this test for the diagnosis of botulism in horses is unknown. Hypothesis/Objectives Our goal was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the MBA on laboratory-processed fecal and gastrointestinal samples for foals and adult horses. Animals Cases included all horses with a final clinical diagnosis of botulism that were admitted between 1986 and 2011 and had MBA testing performed. Controls included horses without botulism that were admitted during the same time period and had MBA testing performed. Methods Retrospective study. Horses suspected of having botulism had fecal or (less commonly) gastrointestinal content samples tested using MBA. For every hospitalized botulism suspect, control samples were obtained from ≥1 additional hospitalized horses not suspected to have botulism. Results One hundred and twenty-nine adult horses and 253 adult controls were identified. Overall sensitivity of the MBA was only 32% but specificity was 97%. Forty-three foal cases and 21 foal controls were evaluated; sensitivity of the MBA was 53% and specificity was 100%. Positive predictive value was substantially higher (100% for foals and 89% for adults) than negative predictive value (51% for foals and 67% for adults). Conclusions and Clinical Importance Mouse bioassay has low sensitivity but high specificity for the diagnosis of botulism in horses. Positive results are highly suggestive of botulism but negative results do not exclude the diagnosis. Unaffected horses and foals rarely shed C. botulinum in their feces.
Survey on Coordinated Control of Multi-infeed DC Systems

Based on the strongly nonlinear and coupled characteristics of multi-infeed DC(MIDC)systems,this paper analyses the urgent requirements for the practical applications of coordinated control methods in real systems.From the perspective of linear/nonlinear control theories and centralized/decentralized control structures,the development process and the current research situation of the coordinated control technologies in MIDC systems are reviewed.First,application results of various coordinated control methods,such as classical linear control,nonlinear control,optimized control,robust control,adaptive control in MIDC systems,are discussed.Then,in view of the existing engineering application problems with the centralized coordinated control methods in MIDC systems that need remote and unmeasurable variables as feedbacks,this paper presents the research results of decentralized coordinated control methods in MIDC systems,which integrates the decentralized model theory with the correlative measured vectors,distributed closed-loop feedback and WAMS signals feedback methods.Finally,the problems and further research directions of the coordinated control methods in MIDC systems are also discussed.
Formal specification and verification of reconfigurable hybrid systems

A reconfigurable hybrid system is a collection of digital and analog components, where digital components are embedded in and interact with analog components and their configuration can be changed by means of physical or logical mobility of components. To establish a formal framework for the specification and verification of such systems, we extend the π-calculus, a process algebraic formalism for mobile concurrent computation, to hybrid setting. The outcome is the p-calculus, whose main features in syntactic extensions are information hiding of analog variables, dynamic instantiations and mobility of analog components. The structural operational semantics of the p-calculus is defined with a set of transition rules. We show a certain congruence of hybrid processes under defined bisimulation in arbitrary analog environment. Another direction for the verification is pursued by specifying requirements in linear-time temporal logic and checking whether the system model satisfies the requirement logic formula. The well-known software model checker SPIN is found to be very suitable for the verification of reconfigurable systems. A hybrid extension to SPIN is implemented using an efficient geometric processing library. We show that the resulting model checker SPHIN is capable of verifying important requirements of interesting reconfigurable hybrid systems such as models of assembly factory robots and flocking agents.
Hidden in Plain Sight: How Industry, Mass Media, and Consumers’ Everyday Habits Suppress Food Controversies

In this article, I develop the concept of ‘suppressive synergy’ to explain how meat products retain their everyday legitimacy amongst consumers despite the controversies which surround these products. While sociologists have offered various explanations for and solutions to contemporary food controversies, absent from this literature is a more integrated explanation as to how industry, mass media, and consumers’ everyday habits reciprocally limit the public's engagement with these arguments. I investigated this empirically elusive phenomenon by conducting six focus groups plus follow-up interviews with urban meat consumers in the US and a content analysis of meat-related articles in the New York Times (1983–2011). Findings indicate that suppressive synergy occurs on both spatial-temporal and cognitive-affective dimensions. The meat and livestock industry enchants consumers with ornate products while sequestering production facilities in remote areas. Consumers, resistant to abandon their everyday habits and the cultural imperative of meat consumption, routinely avoid and dissociate themselves from meat-related controversies. The mass media further normalises meat culture by infrequently covering these debates. This only reinforces public indifference, as the dearth of controversial stories bolsters the cultural presupposition that meat consumption is a generally benign activity.
Autoantibodies Directed against Erythrocytes in Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia can be broadly divided into two categories: alloimmune and autoimmune (1–4). Autoimmune hemolytic anemia may be further classified according to the immunoglobulin type of the autoantibody and its optimum temperature of reactivity (1–4). Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia is due to IgG autoantibodies that bind to erythrocytes optimally at 37°C, while cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia is caused by IgM autoantibodies that preferentially react with red cells at low temperatures. A mixed-type autoimmune hemolytic anemia may occur when both warm IgG and cold IgM autoantibodies are implicated in clinical hemolysis. The rarest form of autoimmune hemolytic anemia, paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (PCH), is associated with IgG autoantibodies that are biphasic, sensitizing erythrocytes at lower temperatures and activating complement as the temperature increases to 37°C.
Luc's abscess masquerading as severe otitis externa

Abstract Luc's abscess is an unusual complication of otitis media. We report a 12-year old boy who presented with severe otitis externa, complicated by a Luc's abscess. He underwent incision and drainage of the abscess without mastoidectomy, followed by 6-weeks of culture-directed antibiotic therapy, and recovered well. This case suggests that Luc's abscess may present as severe otitis externa. It also supports the current literature, that the need for a mastoidectomy may be judged on a case by case basis.