cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Force Dependent Gating Mechanism Inhibits ATP Dependent Release of Dynein from Microtubules

Cytoplasmic dynein is a processive minus end directed microtubule motor involved in a wide range of cellular functions. By studying how dynein monomers respond to load in an optical trapping assay, we discovered a force dependent gating mechanism that prevents ATP driven release of dynein from the microtubule. Our results show that tension on dynein's linker domain causes the microtubule release rate of the motor to be insensitive to ATP, while dynein motors with an unloaded linker release at a much faster rate at high ATP concentrations. We found that dynein monomers preferentially release when force is applied towards the minus end of the microtubule rather than the plus end. This strong asymmetry is observed even in the absence of dynein's ATPase ring, implying it is an intrinsic property of the stalk and microtubule binding domain. To test what role these phenomena play in dynein motility, we studied ATPase mutants with altered translocation velocities and measured their force dependent release kinetics. On the basis of these results we developed a minimal model of dynein motility and show how intramolecular tension, powerstroke and force dependent release are main determinants of dynein's motility properties and directionality.
Why Was the Monarchy Not Restored in Post-Communist Bulgaria?

The controversy over bringing back Bulgaria’s abolished monarchy reflects in a large measure the prolonged agony the country has been undergoing ever since it launched on a course of painful post-communist reforms. Against the background of a deep economic crisis, mass poverty, the breakdown of law and order, and political chaos that have traumatized the population, the attempts to reinstate the monarchy have failed only because of its low historical legitimacy. While the ex-king’s triumph in the June 2001 election initially seemed to improve the chances for bringing back the monarchy, such a restoration has been rendered less likely now by the numerous failures and blunders of his time in office, particularly his inability to rebuild the ailing national state and economy. In spite of some notable foreign policy successes such as Bulgaria’s entry into NATO and the European Union, ex–Prime Minister Simeon did not live up to the naively overoptimistic expectations of Bulgarians who had hoped that he would save their country from the profound economic, social, political, institutional, and even moral crisis into which it has descended. The precipitous fall of the political fortunes of Simeon, especially as a result of the public relations disaster involving the scandalous “restitution” of his family’s properties that turned the ex-monarch into a multimil lionaire, does not bode well for the prospect of reintroducing the monarchy. In the eyes of many ordinary Bulgarians, the former king has now turned into a liability and an embarrassing disappointment.
Intranasal flunisolide in the treatment of perennial rhinitis: Correlation with immunologic parameters.

Abstract The effectiveness and safety of 200 μg/day of intranasal flunisolide in the treatment of perennial rhinitis was studied in 56 patients in a 6 wk double-blind parallel vehicle controlled clinical trial. In addition, patients failing to respond to placebo were entered into a 6 wk open trial with the active drug. Forty-six percent of the flunisolide-treated patients achieved total or substantial control of their nasal symptoms compared to 11% of the placebo-treated group in the double-blind study (p = 0.031). Eighty percent of patients achieved total or substantial control of their nasal symptoms in the 6 wk open study. No adverse effects attributable to flunisolide were observed. Parameters of IgE-mediated reactivity, including immediate-type skin test reactivity, total serum and nasal secretion IgE, specific serum and nasal secretion IgE, and nasal eosinophilia, were also assessed in these patients. Although benefit from flunisolide significantly correlated with all of these parameters except specific serum IgE, the absence of these findings did not preclude significant benefit from the drug. This study demonstrates the efficacy and safety of intranasal flunisolide in the treatment of perennial rhinitis, especially but not exclusively in those patients with evidence of IgE-mediated reactivity.
Visual servo control of electromagnetic actuation for a family of microrobot devices

Microrobots have a number of potential applications for micromanipulation and assembly, but also offer challenges in power and control. This paper describes the control system for magnetically actuated microrobots operating at the interface between two immiscible fluids. The microrobots are 20 μm thick and approximately 100-200 μm in lateral dimension. Several different robot shapes are investigated. The robots and fluid are in a 20 × 20 mm vial placed at the center of four electromagnets Pulse width modulation of the electromagnet currents is used to control robot speed and direction, and a linear relationship between robot speed and duty cycle was observed, although the slope of that dependence varied with robot type and magnet. A proportional controller has been implemented and characterized. The steady-state error with this controller ranged from 6.4 to 12.8 pixels, or 90-180 μm.
The determination of vacancy concentrations in NaCl by density measurements

Abstract It is shown that density changes measured by Pelsmaekers et al . with quenched NaCl crystals can be attributed to isolated Schottky defects. It may be deduced that the enthalpy of pairing of such defects must be ⩽ 0.5 eV.
An enzyme mimic that hydrolyzes an unactivated ester with catalytic turnover

Abstract The Cu(II) complex of a cyclodextrin dimer linked by a bipyridyl unit catalyzes the hydrolysis of an unactivated doubly-bound benzyl ester.
Assessing the impacts of precipitation bias on distributed hydrologic model calibration and prediction accuracy

Summary Physics-based distributed (PBD) hydrologic models predict runoff throughout a basin using the laws of conservation of mass and momentum, and benefit from more accurate and representative precipitation input. V flo ™ is a gridded distributed hydrologic model that predicts runoff and continuously updates soil moisture. As a participating model in the second Distributed Model Intercomparison Project (DMIP2), V flo ™ is applied to the Illinois and Blue River basins in Oklahoma. Model parameters are derived from geospatial data for initial setup, and then adjusted to reproduce the observed flow under continuous time-series simulations and on an event basis. Simulation results demonstrate that certain runoff events are governed by saturation excess processes, while in others, infiltration-rate excess processes dominate. Streamflow prediction accuracy is enhanced when multi-sensor precipitation estimates (MPE) are bias corrected through re-analysis of the MPE provided in the DMIP2 experiment, resulting in gauge-corrected precipitation estimates (GCPE). Model calibration identified a set of parameters that minimized objective functions for errors in runoff volume and instantaneous discharge. Simulated streamflow for the Blue and Illinois River basins, have Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficients between 0.61 and 0.68, respectively, for the 1996–2002 period using GCPE. The streamflow prediction accuracy improves by 74% in terms of Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency when GCPE is used during the calibration period. Without model calibration, excellent agreement between hourly simulated and observed discharge is obtained for the Illinois, whereas in the Blue River, adjustment of parameters affecting both saturation and infiltration-rate excess processes were necessary. During the 1996–2002 period, GCPE input was more important than model calibration for the Blue River, while model calibration proved more important for the Illinois River. During the verification period (2002–2006), calibration was more important than GCPE input for the Illinois River, but both calibration and GCPE input improved prediction accuracy within the Blue River.
Anti-Estrogen Antibodies in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Quantitative Evaluation of Serum Levels

We measured the beta-estradiol binding capacity of serum gamma-globulins in four subject groups; 1) normal men, 2) normal women who had never taken oral contraceptives, 3) normal women who had a history of oral contraceptive use and, 4) patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We used dextran-coated charcoal to strip endogenous estradiol from serum proteins, added 3H-estradiol, and measured its association with proteins in various electrophoretic fractions following zone separation on agarose gels. Most of the bound radioactivity was present in the albumin, beta and gamma-globulin fractions. Binding to gamma-globulins was elevated in SLE patients, and normal controls who had taken oral contraceptives, as opposed to other controls (p less than 0.005). Gamma-region radioactivity could be removed by protein-G adsorption prior to zone electrophoresis. Isoelectric focusing revealed a pattern of tritiated-E2 binding consistent with polyclonal B-cell activation in all groups. There was no correlation between the extent of gamma-region binding and the total serum immunoglobulin level for any of the groups studied, nor was there a correlation between E2 binding and anti-DNA titers in the SLE group. The average anti-estradiol antibody concentrations in SLE sera (assuming equimolar binding) was 105 ng/ml (95% CL = 92-118), whereas their average anti-DNA antibody concentration was in the microgram/ml range. Thus, quantitatively, the level of anti-estradiol antibodies is at least an order of magnitude lower than the anti-DNA antibodies characteristic of this disease.
A dynamic memory approach to case based reasoning: AI research on a Macintosh

An important open problem in the field of case-based reasoning is the retrieval of relevant cross-contextual cases. This paper describes an approach to the problem based on Schank's dynamic memory theory of human memory and an implementation of that approach. This system, called RUMPOLE, is implemented on a Macintosh SE and demonstrates the capability of the Macintosh for AI research.
Death and Bodily Transfiguration

i Smith dies at midnight, as the bell tolls. Does Smith's body survive, continue to exist after, the event that is his death? Smith's 'remains' are on the cosmic scene at time t i, one hour after midnight. In referring to Smith's remains we are talking about a corpse. But is this corpse identical with the object that was called 'Smith's body' prior to Smith's death? It may be denied that it is. For it may be said that nothing is a human body unless it functions metabolically. Since the corpse (let us call it 'C') that is present at ti does not function metabolically, C is not a human body. And it may be said that C cannot be Smith's body, if C is not a human body. For Smith's body is a human body. Let us consider a second argument. The man now sitting in a certain chair is married. Is this the same man who was sitting in this same chair one week ago? The man who last week was in the chair was a bachelor. And nothing is a bachelor unless it is unmarried. Since the man now in the chair is married, and so is not a bachelor, the man who presently is in the chair cannot be (identical with) the man who was in this chair last week.
EXAMINING METAMEMORY WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF PARENT-CHILD INTERACTIONS

The production of memory-monitoring behaviors was investigated on two occasions, 1 yr. apart, for 9- and 10-yr.-old children and their parents. A structured block-design task was used to elicit verbal and nonverbal problem-solving strategies from children and their parents during dyadic interactions. Based on Vygotsky's zone of proximal development, it was proposed that children acquire more sophisticated cognitive skills through social interaction. Results support this view in that with experience, children and parents used fewer overt memory-monitoring strategies in problem solving.
Post-secondary fees and the decision to attend a university or a community college

Abstract This paper examines the effect that post-secondary fees have on a potential student's decision to start his or her college education at a university or a community college. A theoretical model demonstrates that the student's decision follows a natural ordering that depends on his or her probability of graduation. Based on this natural ordering, ordered probit is used to estimate the effect of interstate variation in fees on student attendance. The results indicate that the own-price effects of fee increases are negative while the cross-price effects are positive.
Quantum Logic With Quantized Fields: Beyond the 1/n Limit?

A formal Hamiltonian is presented that allows quantum logic with quantized fields beyond the 1/n error level, if the field is in a number state. The possibility of realizing this Hamiltonian approximately is discussed.
The Relationship between Maternal and Fetal CYP1A1 Genotype in Smokers and Nonsmokers to Benzo(a)pyrene Hemoglobin Adducts

Abstract Numerous methods exist by which we can follow exposure to tobacco smoke in experimental animals as well as in human populations. The simplest method to follow tobacco exposure is by assessing either urinary or serum cotinine levels. Although this provides an accurate assessment of short-term exposure to tobacco, it fails to provide a loan term assessment of exposure over several weeks and/or months. DNA adducts also provide effective means of monitoring exposure to tobacco smoke carcinogens. However, with the use of DNA adducts one deals with repair mechanisms, which may be altered as a result of the initial exposures. The ideal biomarker for use in assessing chemical exposures over a long-term basis is the use of the red cell protein hemoglobin. Formation of electrophilic metabolites of carcinogens has been shown to react with a variety of nucleophilic sites on hemoglobin, therefore forming covalent adducts which persists for the life of the red cell (120 days) and thus can be detected in used a...
Thermal Operation of Four-Zone Simulated Moving Beds

Simulation results with Aspen Chromatography 2004 show that thermal four-zone simulated moving beds (SMBs) operated in the traveling wave mode (fluid is heated or cooled) can significantly improve the separation without radial heat transfer limitations. For toluene/p-xylene separation (linear isotherms) in a four-zone SMB, the average purity increased from 84.8% to 99.2% and from 92.0% to 99.99% with four heat exchangers for one and two columns per zone, respectively. The average purities increased from 84.8% to 93.2% and from 92.0% to 99.0% when cold feed and hot desorbent were used with no heat exchangers for one and two columns per zone, respectively. The additional dead volumes introduced by heat exchangers had an insignificant effect. For separation of p-xylene from other C8 isomers (nonlinear isotherms), a p-xylene purity of 99.9% and recovery of 98.6% were obtained with a thermal SMB with significantly fewer columns/sections than an isothermal SMB.
Bayesian component selection in multi-response hierarchical structured additive models with an application to clinical workload prediction in patient-centered medical homes

Motivated by a large health care data obtained from the U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA), we develop a multivariate version of hierarchical structured additive regression (STAR) models that involves a set of health care responses defined at the lowest level of the hierarchy, a set of patient factors to account for individual heterogeneity, and a set of higher level effects to capture dependence between patients within the same medical home team and facility. We show how a special class of such models can equivalently be represented and estimated in structural equation modeling framework. We then propose a Bayesian component selection with a spike and slab prior structure that allows inclusion or exclusion single effects as well as grouped coefficients representing particular model terms. A simple parameter expansion is used to improve mixing and convergence properties of Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation. The proposed methods are applied to a real-world application of the VHA patient centered m...
Minerals Form a Continuum Phase in Mature Cancellous Bone

Bone is a hierarchically structured composite consisting of a protein phase (type I collagen) and a mineral phase (carbonated apatite). The objective of this study was to investigate the hierarchical structure of mineral in mature bone. A method to completely deproteinize bone without altering the original structure is developed, and the completion is confirmed by protein analysis techniques. Stereoscopy and field emission electron microscopy are used to examine the structural features from submillimeter- to micrometer- to nanometer-length scales of bovine femur cancellous bone. Stereoscopic images of fully deproteinized and demineralized bovine femur cancellous bone samples show that fine trabecular architecture is unaltered and the microstructural features are preserved, indicating the structural integrity of mineral and protein constituents. SEM revealed that bone minerals are fused together and form a sheet-like structure in a coherent manner with collagen fibrils. Well-organized pore systems are observed at varying hierarchical levels. Mineral sheets are peeled off and folded after compressive deformation, implying strong connection between individual crystallites. Results were compared with commercially available heat-deproteinized bone (Bio-Oss®), and evidence showed consistency in bone mineral structure. A two-phase interpenetrating composite model of mature bone is proposed and discussed.
The Diurnal Variation of Large-Scale Inferred Rainfall over the Tropical Pacific Ocean during August 1979

Abstract Average diurnal variation of satellite-inferred rainfall for August 1979 was examined for five 15° longitudinal slices of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Over each area, averages were computed for each hour of the day over 30 days and examined in time series. The results illustrate the character of maritime convective rain over very large tropical areas and do not reflect the behavior of individual cumuli. Time series over four of the five areas exhibited dual maxim one near dawn and the other in midafternoon. The remaining area's time series showed the test amount of rainfall in the morning. Harmonic analysis showed that the first harmonic (24-hour period), which peaked in the early afternoon over four of the arm accounted for most of the variance in the data over all areas. The second harmonic (12-hour period) significantly contributed to the variance, peaking near dawn and dusk over all areas, but, in most cases was of secondary importance. Higher frequency harmonics were unimportant. With the exc...
Sophisticated unconstrainer revenue performance in a large airline network

In this article, we use a large network (572 markets) in the sophisticated Passenger Origin-Destination Simulator (PODS) to examine the impact on expected revenues when applying three different methods of unconstraining – Expectation Maximization (EM), Projection Detruncation and Booking Curve in one of two different approaches (‘all closed’ versus ‘zeroes only’ (ZO), or ‘multiple estimates’ (ME) versus ‘single estimate’ (SE)). Owing to the extremely competitive nature of this PODS network (four airlines competing for customers) and its allowance for customer choice, we are able to assess all the implications of both implementation variations, including the impact of spill, upgrades and recapture. We find that for the first implementation decision, the optimization engine that is currently being used dictates quite different revenue results when considering changing implementation techniques. In one case (under leg optimization), moving away from the ZO approach will lead to 0.5–1.2 per cent revenue gains; while in the other case (under network optimization), it leads to slight revenue losses. For the second implementation decision, we find that generally it is safer to use ME. There is one exception – for EM unconstraining when the carrier of interest is using leg optimization, it is best to switch to the SE approach, as it generates 0.6–1.26 per cent revenue gains.
Brain hyperthermia: I. interstitial microwave antenna array techniques—the Dartmouth experience

Abstract Purpose: Microwave antennas of various designs were inserted into arrays of nylon catheters implanted in brain tumors with the goal of raising temperatures throughout the target volume to 43.0°C. Methods and Materials: All antennas were flexible, and included dipole, choke dipole, modified dipole, and helical designs driven at 915 or 2450 MHz. Antennas were tested in brain-equivalent phantom in arrays. Phase shifting and phase rotation techniques were incorporated into the treatment system to steer power in the tumor, assisted by a treatment planning computer that predicted power deposition patterns and temperature distributions. Choke antennas were designed and tested to reduce a dependence of the central power location on depth of insertion into tissue. Temperature data analysis used only central and orthogonal axes mapping data measured at 2.0 mm intervals. Results: A total of 23 patients were treated, using from one to six microwave antennas. Minimum tumor temperatures, averaged over the 60 min treatment, ranged from 37.2–44.3°C (mean 40.0°C) and maximum average tumor temperatures ranged from 46.5–60.1°C (mean 49.1°C). The percentage of all measured temperatures reaching therapeutic levels (≥ 43.0°C) was 70.9. T 90 , the temperature at which 90% of all measured temperatures equaled or exceeded, was 40.8°C, and T 50 was 44.2°C. Conclusion: Patient data analysis showed that the array of four dipole antennas spaced 2.0 cm apart were capable of heating a volume of 5.9 cm (along the central array axis) X 2.8 cm X 2.8 cm.
The long‐term effect of visualization in the classroom: A brief research report

A number of studies have affirmed the value of visualization in reducing communication apprehension (CA). However, none of these studies investigated whether visualization is effective in reducing CA over an extended period of time. This study compared CA levels of people exposed or not exposed to visualization after four months and after eight months. Those exposed to visualization reported significantly lower CA levels at the end of both time periods than those who were not exposed to visualization.
Inflammation and platelet-activating factor production during hepatic ischemia/reperfusion

The role of platelet-activating factor as a potential mediator of hepatic inflammatory injury associated with liver ischemia/reperfusion was investigated using a partial no-flow model in rats in vivo. Platelet-activating factor levels of livers from sham-operated rats and from animals experiencing hepatic reperfusion for less than 6 hr were very low. They were observed to increase significantly after 12 hr of reperfusion and reached peak levels after a 24-hr reperfusion period, a time when maximal hepatic injury and inflammation occurred. Treatment of experimental rats with WEB2170, a platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist, attenuated the hepatic injury and inflammation, as evidenced by decreases in plasma ALT and in hepatocyte necrosis and neutrophil infiltration. Both inactivation of Kupffer cells with gadolinium chloride and inhibition of the formation of reactive oxygen species with allopurinol reduced platelet-activating factor production in the liver, whereas induction of neutropenia had no effect, suggesting that interaction of Kupffer cells with oxygen-derived free radicals may be a plausible mechanism for hepatic platelet-activating factor accumulation. It is concluded that platelet-activating factor contributes to the inflammatory consequences of ischemia/reperfusion underlying late-phase hepatic injury.
Optimizing Natural Gas Flows with Linear Programming and Scenarios

Recently, we developed a linear programming model to aid an electric utility company in evaluating several long-term operating decisions. Variations of this model provide insights into daily operations and valuation of supply contracts. This paper outlines the important characteristics of this class of network models including the usage of a gas storage facility, the use of market forecasts of gas prices, and the accommodation of gas contract structures. In addition, we develop a scenario optimization procedure in which demand forecasts provide scenarios. We also describe ways in which these models were automated to drive a decision support system.
Migration patterns in a population of cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) inhabiting an isolated wetland

Few studies have examined the spatial and temporal migration patterns of snakes to and from active-season habitats. We conducted a year-long population-level analysis of cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus migration patterns by monitoring snakes entering and leaving a Carolina bay wetland that was encircled by a continuous terrestrial drift fence. Cottonmouths used the wetland during the active season and left the bay in the fall to overwinter in other habitats. Adults and juveniles did not differ in time of arrival at the bay but juveniles left the bay earlier than adults. Spatially, captures of adult cottonmouths entering and leaving the bay were distributed non-randomly, with capture peaks corresponding to the directions to the nearest permanent aquatic habitats. Juveniles' immigration patterns in the spring were biased in the same directions as those of the adults, but they left non-directionally in the fall. This suggests that neonates do not rely on adult scent trailing to locate hibernacula, and that in a region with moderate winter temperatures, suitable overwintering sites may not be a limited resource. Additionally, our study demonstrates that cottonmouths make extensive use of upland habitats and underscores the importance of both critical upland habitat and forested corridors between wetlands and hibernacula for the conservation of wetlands herpetofauna.
Prescribed optimism: is it right to be wrong about the future?

Personal predictions are often optimistically biased. This simple observation has troubling implications for psychologists, economists, and decision theorists concerned with rationality and the accuracy of self-knowledge (Armor & Taylor, 2002; Krizan & Windschitl, 2007; Sweeny, Carroll, & Shepperd, 2006). However, normative conclusions about the impropriety of optimistic bias rest on an untested assumption: that people desire to be accurate when making personal predictions. If people believe, rightly or wrongly, that unrealistic optimism has some value, then optimistic bias may be usefully understood as being consistent with people's values and beliefs.
Role of conserved surface amino acids in binding of SmpB protein to SsrA RNA

Bacteria possess a unique salvage mechanism for rescuing ribosomes stalled on aberrant mRNAs. A complex of SmpB protein and SsrA RNA orchestrates this salvage process. The specific and direct binding of SmpB facilitates recognition and delivery of SsrA RNA to stalled ribosomes. The SmpB protein is conserved throughout the bacterial kingdom and contains several conserved amino acid sequence motifs. We present evidence to demonstrate that amino acid residues Glu-31, Leu-91, and Lys-124, which are highly conserved and clustered along an exposed surface of the protein, play a crucial role in the SsrA-mediated peptide tagging process. Our analysis suggests that the peptide-tagging defect exhibited by these SmpB variants is due to their inability to facilitate the delivery of SsrA RNA to stalled ribosomes. Moreover, we present evidence to demonstrate that the ribosome association defect of these variants is due to their reduced SsrA binding affinity. Consistent with these findings, we present biochemical evidence to demonstrate that residues Glu-31, Leu-91, and Lys-124 are essential for the SsrA binding activity of SmpB protein. Furthermore, we have investigated the interactions of SmpB.SsrA orthologues from the thermophilic bacterium Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis. Our investigations demonstrate an analogous role for the equivalent T. tengcongensis residues in SmpB.SsrA interactions, hence further validating our findings for the Escherichia coli SmpB.SsrA system. These results demonstrate the functional significance of this cluster of conserved residues in SmpB binding to SsrA RNA, suggesting they might represent a core contact surface for recognition of SsrA RNA.
How surface wettability affects the binding, folding, and dynamics of hydrophobic polymers at interfaces.

We present an extensive molecular simulation study of the behavior of a flexible hydrophobic 25-mer polymer at interfaces presenting a range of chemistries from hydrophobic (−CH3) to hydrophilic (−CONH2). We quantify the free energy of adsorption, conformational equilibria, and translational and conformational dynamics of the polymer at these diverse interfaces. Water-mediated interactions drive the polymer to adsorb strongly at a hydrophobic interface and repel it from hydrophilic ones. At hydrophilic surfaces, van der Waals interactions between the polymer and the surface mitigate this water-mediated repulsion, leading to weak adsorption of the polymer. Although the polymer is strongly adsorbed to hydrophobic surfaces, it is also most dynamic there. Translational diffusion and conformational dynamics are faster at hydrophobic surfaces compared to those at hydrophilic ones. In bulk water, the polymer collapses into compact globular shapes, whereas the thermodynamic stability of folded polymers is signifi...
Size and Concentration Effect of Gold Nanoparticles on X-ray Attenuation As Measured on Computed Tomography.

We study size and concentration effect of Au nanoparticles on the attenuation to X-ray used for computed tomography. By investigating size (4, 20, 38, and 60 nm) and concentration (up to 1 mg/ml) effect of GNPs, we demonstrate that GNPs are nontoxic to HeLa S3 cells and the smaller GNPs show greater X-ray attenuation than the larger ones. The X-ray attenuation of GNPs over the iodine-based contrast agent, Omnipaque, is much enhanced at higher concentration.
Robustness of life table methods in large populations—a study by computer simulation☆

The robustness of the product life table estimator of the survival function was studied for large populations under perturbations in the age distribution, changing levels of mortality and changing patterns of fertility. A macrosimulation system, based on a class of stochastic population models called generalised age-dependent branching processes, was used to carry out the numerical investigations. Aside from drastic perturbations in the age distribution and changes in levels of mortality, the product life table estimator of the survival function was found to be robust in large populations, under a variety of conditions.
Navigating the International Academic Job Market

Given the extraordinarily competitive academic job market in the United States, this article explores a relatively new prospect for American-trained political science PhD graduates: teaching at a foreign institution. The article proceeds in two parts. First, it discusses various benefits and challenges associated with working abroad. Second, it provides practical guidance for candidates considering the international job market.
Efficient MFCC feature extraction on Graphics Processing Units

In this paper, we present an efficient parallel implementation of Mel-frequency Cepstral Coefficient (MFCC)-based feature extraction and describe the optimizations required for effective throughput on Graphics Processing Units (GPU) processors. We demonstrate that the feature extraction process in automatic speech recognition is well suited for GPUs and a substantial reduction in computation time can be obtained by performing feature extraction on these platforms. Using a single Nvidia GTX580 GPU our proposed approach is shown to be approximately 90x faster than a sequential CPU implementation, enabling feature extraction to be performed at under 0.01% real-time. This is significantly faster than prior reported results implemented on GPUs, DSPs and FPGAs. Furthermore we demonstrate that multiple MFCC features can be generated for a set of predefined Vocal-Tract-Length-Normalization (VTLN) alpha parameters with little degradation in throughput. Using the approach described in this paper MFCC features were extracted in 0.05% and 0.09% realtime, for 11 and 21 VTLN parameters respectively. (4 pages)
Implementation of a data and safety monitoring program in a general clinical research center

The success of the clinical research enterprise is dependent on the continued support and trust of the public and government. A number of high-profile cases of lapses of research oversight, although representing a small minority of total clinical research activity, have severely strained this support and trust. Although institutional review boards (IRBs), along with government agencies and research sponsors, have a major role in promoting subject safety, the limitations of the IRB mechanism for ongoing monitoring of trials has been increasingly recognized.1The clinical research community and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have responded with new initiatives to improve the quality of clinical research and ensure the protection of research subjects. In particular, the NIH has developed guidelines and regulations to increase the use of data and safety monitoring plans (DSMPs) in clinical research projects,2,3and the National Center for Research Resources Director, Division of Clinical Research, has positioned the General Clinical Research Centers (GCRCs) to play a leadership role in this process.4,5In this review, the purpose of data and safety monitoring is discussed and the approach of the Harbor-UCLA (HUCLA) GCRC in implementing a comprehensive data and safety monitoring program is presented. A DSMP is a prospectively defined strategy to assess the assumptions made in the design of a trial and evaluate important aspects of the trial's progress after study initiation. A properly designed DSMP improves both the scientific quality and yield from a clinical trial and improves the protection of study subjects (Table 1). These distinct, but related, functions are reviewed briefly below. The principles of DSMP development and operation and their utility in clinical research have been described previously.1,6,7 View this table: Table 1. Potential benefits of data and safety monitoring. ### Data Monitoring Investigators make a number of extrapolations and estimates in designing a trial to test a …
Cost-effectiveness analysis in the nursing literature, 1992-1996

Purpose: To review the recommendations by the U.S. Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine (panel) for use in future nursing research. The review (a) provides a critique of the nursing cost-effectiveness and cost utility literature from the perspective of the recommendations set forth by the panel and other recognized authorities in cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), (b) constructs an interdisciplinary framework to show the steps in the conduct of CEA, (c) makes the fechniques and major findings of nursing CEA studies available and understandable, and (d) offers guidelines for the incorporation of CEA into the evaluation of future nursing intervention and research. Data Sources: Seven nursing studies published between 1992 and 1996 that compared two or more interventions for costs and outcomes. Organizing Framework: For each study, the (a) perspective, fb) net costs, (c) net effect, (d) analysis of costs and effects, and (e) decision outcomes were analyzed. Findings: If the panel's recommendations reflect the problems in the health care CEA literature in general, then on balance, the nursing CEA 1992–1996 studies are no more or less flawed than CEA studies in the health or medical care fields. Conclusions: Methodologic guidelines and interdisciplinary strategies are needed to advance the progress of nursing cost-effectiveness research.
Cholinergic drug interactions and heat tolerance

Acute, subchronic and chronic exposures to cholinergic compounds may result in differing effects. The efficacy of pyridostigmine bromide (PY) prophylaxis against organophosphorus poisoning depends on post exposure atropine (AT) administration. AT induces a dose-dependent increase in rate of rise of core temperature in heat exposed humans and rats. To determine whether AT's anticholinergic potency is altered following PY administration, we examined AT's effects following acute or subchronic (2 weeks) PY administration in the sedentary heat-stressed rat. Four groups of rats were acutely (a, i.v.) treated with saline (SAL) or PY (100 ug/kg) followed by SAL or AT (200 ug/kg), and 4 groups were subchronically (c, osmotic pump) treated with SAL or PY (20 ug/hr) followed by SAL or AT (200 ug/kg). Fifteen minutes following the final injection, rats were subjected to an ambient temperature of 41.5 degrees C until a core temperature of 42.6 degrees C was attained. Heat tolerance times were significantly improved for cPY+SAL over aPY+SAL (241 +/- 9 vs 187 +/- 16 min, mean +/- SE) and for cPY+AT over aPY+AT (76 +/- 9 vs 57 +/- 2 min). The improvement in thermoregulation resulted from increased salivary water for evaporative cooling indicated by % weight loss (corrected for fecal loss) during heat stress: cPY+SAL over aPY+SAL (8.4 +/- 0.3 vs 6.6 +/- 0.5%). This increased heat tolerance resulting from subchronic anticholinesterase administration resembles changes seen with heat acclimation.
Unfold/fold transformations and loop optimization of logic programs

Programs typically spend much of their execution time in loops. This makes the generation of efficient code for loops essential for good performance. Loop optimization of logic programming languages is complicated by the fact that such languages lack the iterative constructs of traditional languages, and instead use recursion to express loops. In this paper, we examine the application of unfold/fold transformations to three kinds of loop optimization for logic programming languages: recursion removal, loop fusion and code motion out of loops. We describe simple unfold/fold transformation sequences for these optimizations that can be automated relatively easily. In the process, we show that the properties of unification and logical variables can sometimes be used to generalize, from traditional languages, the conditions under which these optimizations may be carried out. Our experience suggests that such source-level transformations may be used as an effective tool for the optimization of logic programs.
The Use of Vertical Offsets with Horizontal Strabismus Surgery

A series of 83 patients had vertical displacement of the horizontal rectus muscle insertions monocularly along with recession-resection surgery to correct comitant, vertical strabismus coexisting with a horizontal deviation. Using a surgical plan of approximately 1 mm of displacement of both the medial and lateral rectus insertions to correct each prism diopter (PD) of vertical deviation, 67% of patients had no residual vertical strabismus, and 80% had 2 PD or less of vertical strabismus. Mean follow-up time was 18 months (minimum, 6 weeks). Little change was noted in the vertical deviation after the 1-month postoperative examination. Transposition appeared to have no effect on the results of surgery for the horizontal strabismus.
High-pressure release and dispersion of hydrogen in a partially enclosed compartment: Effect of natural and forced ventilation

Abstract The study of compressed hydrogen releases from high-pressure storage systems has practical application for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Such releases may occur either due to accidental damage to a storage tank, connecting piping, or due to failure of a pressure release device (PRD). Understanding hydrogen behavior during and after the unintended release from a high-pressure storage device is important for development of appropriate hydrogen safety codes and standards and for the evaluation of risk mitigation requirements and technologies. In this paper, the natural and forced mixing and dispersion of hydrogen released from a high-pressure tank into a partially enclosed compartment is investigated using analytical models. Simple models are developed to estimate the volumetric flow rate through a choked nozzle of a high-pressure tank. The hydrogen released in the compartment is vented through buoyancy induced flow or through forced ventilation. The model is useful in understanding the important physical processes involved during the release and dispersion of hydrogen from a high-pressure tank into a compartment with vents at multiple levels. Parametric studies are presented to identify the relative importance of various parameters such as diameter of the release port and air changes per hour (ACH) characteristic of the enclosure. Compartment overpressure as a function of the size of the release port is predicted. Conditions that can lead to major damage of the compartment due to overpressure are identified. Results of the analytical model indicate that the fastest way to reduce flammable levels of hydrogen concentration in a compartment is by blowing through the vents. Model predictions for forced ventilation are presented which show that it is feasible to effectively and rapidly reduce the flammable concentration of hydrogen in the compartment following the release of hydrogen from a high-pressure tank.
Conformational Study of Cyclohexene Oxide by Dynamic NMR Spectroscopy and Ab Initio Molecular Orbital Calculations

The 13C spectra of cyclohexene oxide (1) show decoalescence of the peak at lowest frequency, with slow exchange at −187.7 °C and a coalescence temperature slightly above −178.2 °C. The low-temperature NMR results are interpreted in terms of two enantiomeric half-chair conformations, 1a and 1b, which could interconvert by way of either the endo-boat (1c) or exo-boat (1d) conformation. Ab initio calculations indicate that the endo-boat is significantly lower in energy than the exo-boat. Both boat conformations are shallow energy minima, as evidenced by the absence of imaginary frequencies. Relative free energies for the three conformations at −187.7 °C obtained from Allinger's MM3 program are in reasonable agreement with the ab initio results for 25 °C. A possible explanation for the greater stability of the endo-boat in terms of less eclipsing for the CH hydrogens of the three-membered ring with the CH2 hydrogens on the adjacent carbons is supported by calculated geometries. The experimental rate constant ...
Encounters in the City: Cops, Criminals, and Human Rights in Hindi Film

This paper discusses the recurring trope of the “encounter” in popular Hindi cinema and its implications as far as the human rights question is concerned. Encounter, in the legal sense, means a situation in which the police have an exchange of gunfire with certified criminals or suspects. The purpose could be self-defense, defense of citizens, or prevention of the escape of detainees. However, encounter is also a colloquialism used in the public sphere to describe extra-legal killings. Although it can be traced back to the early eighties, the encounter was a practice irresistibly systematized by the Mumbai Police Special Branch since the Bombay blasts of 1993. Its perpetrators like Vijay Salaskar, Praful Bhonsle, and Daya Nayak have since become folk heroes and many films have been made on the theme. This paper analyzes cinematic encounter as a trope of exception within the normative workings of the liberal constitutional state apparatus. The state addresses the danger posed by the other by announcing the...
Potentially Fatal Asthma and Syncope*: A New Variant of Munchausen's Syndrome in Sports Medicine

We report a case of Munchausen's syndrome in a 19-year-old female college athlete who presented with potentially fatal asthma and recurrent syncopal episodes. Failure to control her asthma with the appropriate medications and the lack of objective findings on both physical examination and diagnostic testing raised the possibility of factitious disease. Munchausen's syndrome, although not described with any frequency in asthmatic patients, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of those patients refractory to aggressive medical management. (Chest 1991; 99:763–65)
OCP: Offload Co-Processor for energy efficiency in embedded mobile systems

In current embedded mobile systems design, the application processor (AP) is often woken up to service interrupts and user requests. However, this kind of wakeups from sleep is very expensive in terms of battery usage. In the observation that the operating system/driver workloads are very light-weight, in this paper we propose the Offload Co-Processor (OCP) SoC architecture. In the OCP SoC design, when the device is idle, we offload the operating system workloads (mainly interrupt handling workloads) to an ultra-low-power coprocessor. This way, the co-processor would be able to handle most wake-up requests without awakening the heavy-weight AP, thus avoiding the overhead of AP spin-up/down. Using GPS continuous sampling workload as a case study, we show that the proposed OCP SoC design would extend battery life by 3.5 folds.
Cloning of four growth hormone/chorionic somatomammotropin-related complementary deoxyribonucleic acids differentially expressed during pregnancy in the rhesus monkey placenta

The close homology of the chorionic somatomammotropin (CS) genes with pituitary GH is unique to primates. Southern blots of rhesus genomic DNA probed with a human CS cDNA demonstrated that the rhesus gene family consists of at least five EcoRI fragments between 2.3-9.5 kilobases. Rhesus pituitary and placental cDNA libraries were screened for hCS-hybridizing clones. A pituitary GH cDNA was isolated that was 95% and 96% identical to human GH at the mRNA and protein levels, respectively. Thirteen placental clones representing four different cDNAs were identified and sequenced. The relationships of the rhesus placental clones among themselves were similar to those among human placental mRNAs. Two cDNAs (mCS1 and mCS2) differed by two bases and coded for identical proteins. A third cDNA (mCS3) was 94% homologous to mCS1/2 in mRNA sequence as well as in deduced amino acid sequence. A fourth cDNA (mGH-V) was 84-86% homologous to the other placental cDNAs at the mRNA and protein levels, similar to the homology b...
Teachers' perceptions of behavior problems in children from intact, single‐parent, and stepparent families

This study examined differences in the incidence of behavior problems between children living with both natural parents and those in single-parent or in stepparent families. Subjects were 3,644 white children in kindergarten through eighth grade; 2,991 were living with both of their own parents; 312 with mother only; 43 with father only; 264 with mother and stepfather; and 34 with father and stepmother. Teachers provided background information and Behavior Problem Checklist ratings on the youngsters. Compared to children from intact homes, those living with mother only had more problems checked on all five scales of the checklist; those with father only, more Socialized Delinquency; those with mother and stepfather, more Conduct Problems and Socialized Delinquency; and those with father and stepmother, more Conduct Problems. Interactions were found for sex, social class, and grade in school.
Advances in psychosocial oncology in pediatrics

The last decade witnessed major advances in research in psychosocial pediatric oncology. The knowledge base has been broadened, and our ability to conduct scientifically rigorous research has advanced. Many of the research findings have affected clinical practice in significant ways. This article reviews major advances in pediatric psychosocial oncology during that period. Five topics are considered: advances in knowledge; promoters of progress; barriers to progress; current needs; and future directions. Accomplishments and new trends also are examined.