cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Hybrid Computer Technique for Treating Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations

When digital computers are employed to solve linear and nonlinear partial differential equations using implicit finite-difference approximations, the most time-consuming portion of the calculation is the solution of the large system of simultaneous difference equations which must be carried out for each time increment. Recognizing that an analog computer system, by virtue of its parallel mode of operation, generates solutions of simultaneous algebraic equations virtually instantaneously regardless of the number of equations involved, a combined analog and digital computer system has been developed. The system includes a small digital computer connected in a closed loop with a network of analog elements, consisting of an array of inexpensive node modules, one for each grid point in space. The purpose of this network is to solve the system of difference equations whenever this solution is required by the digital program. The analog unit, therefore, serves as a subroutine. The resulting system has a number of important advantages over pure digital computer techniques.
The relation of red cell size to fetal hemoglobin concentration in the term infant

The relation of red cell size to fetal hemoglobin concentration was examined in blood smears prepared from term infants. Cells were examined by microdensitometry before and after elution of adult hemoglobin. The elution process did not alter cell size. Analysis reveals that the small erythrocytes contain significantly greater proportions of fetal hemoglobin than do the larger erythrocytes and is consistent with the observations that the youngest, and largest, erythrocytes are synthesizing less fetal hemoglobin at the time of birth.
Real-time signal processor software support

The Real-Time Signal Processor (RSP) is a microprocessor optimized to provide fast, cost-efficient processing for signal processing applications. In order for the RSP to become fully useful, a complete set of software support tools needed to be developed. The hardware design and software development, which took place between 1978 and 1980, resulted in many architectural features which minimized hardware complexity at the expense of programmability. This paper describes the tools that were developed and the decisions that were involved, and includes hindsight comments on what was done. Particular emphasis is placed on the most interesting aspects of the software development, i.e., how the special architectural features of the RSP were handled to make the overall hardware/software system more programmable.
Regulation and function of mTOR signalling in T cell fate decisions

In T cells, the kinase mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) integrates immune signals and metabolic cues to control T cell maintenance and activation. This Review describes the role of mTOR in determining T cell fate decisions and the implications of targeting mTOR in the treatment of disease.
Transition-State Spectroscopy of Cyclooctatetraene

The 351-nanometer photoelectron spectrum of the planar cyclooctatetraene radical anion (COT·-) shows transitions to two electronic states of cyclooctatetraene (COT). These states correspond to the D4h 1A1g state, which is the transition state for COT ring inversion, and the D8h 3A2u state. The electron binding energy of the 1A1g transition state is 1.099 ± 0.010 electron volts, which is lower by 12.1 ± 0.3 kilocalories per mole than that of the 3A2u state. The photoelectron spectrum shows that the singlet lies well below the triplet in D8h COT and confirms ab initio predictions that the molecule violates Hund's rule. Vibrational structure is observed for both features and is readily assigned by use of a simple potential energy surface.
Coupled cluster calculation of the in-plane harmonic force field of benzene

Abstract The in-plane harmonic force field for benzene has been calculated at the CCSD level of theory using a large cc-VTZ basis set (318 functions in 234 contractions). The computed harmonic frequencies deviate on average 2.4% from experimental estimates. Comparison with previous theoretical harmonic frequencies and force fields reveals dependencies on basis set size and methodology.
Emerging therapies for MS.

Resume Jusqu’a present, la majorite des traitements immunomodulateurs developpes dans la sclerose en plaques (SEP) ont vise les lymphocytes T. Depuis quelques annees cependant, des approches therapeutiques innovantes modulant differemment le systeme immunitaire ont emerge. Certaines molecules modifient l’equilibre immunitaire en general. D’autres ont une action plus specifique et modulent l’immunite mediee par les anticorps ou ciblent des types cellulaires particuliers comme les lymphocytes B. D’autres molecules en developpement inhibent la migration des cellules immunes a travers la barriere hemato-encephalique. Plusieurs essais therapeutiques de phase III actuellement en cours, evaluent l’efficacite de traitements intraveineux administres de facon annuelle ou bisannuelle (alemtuzumab, rituximab), et de traitements oraux (FTY720, acide fumarique, laquinomod) dans les formes remittentes de SEP. Enfin, pour la premiere fois dans le domaine de la SEP, plusieurs etudes cliniques se focalisent sur la neuroprotection ou la facilitation des mecanismes de reparation dans le systeme nerveux central.
Grief, Anxiety, Stillbirth, and Perinatal Problems: Healing With Kangaroo Care

A young, anxious mother's first pregnancy was eclamptic, her placenta was underperfused, and her son was stillborn. She carried grief, guilt, anxiety, and hypervigilance into her next preeclamptic pregnancy, birth (of her small-for-dates son), and early postpartum period. When breastfeeding difficulties developed, the authors intervened with three consecutive (skin-to-skin) breastfeedings. During the first skin-to-skin breastfeeding, the mother stopped crying, shared self-disparaging emotions, and then began relaxing and "taking-in" her new baby. Breastfeeding continues at 1 year.
C2-SYMMETRIC COPPER(II) COMPLEXES AS CHIRAL LEWIS ACIDS. CATALYTIC ENANTIOSELECTIVE ALDOL ADDITIONS OF ENOLSILANES TO PYRUVATE ESTERS

Our laboratory has been engaged in the development of chiral Cu(II)-based Lewis acids that exhibit the capacity to catalyze enantioselective Diels-Alder1 and aldol reactions2 with substrates that can participate in catalyst chelation. In our recent study,2 we reported that bidentate bis(oxazolinyl) (box) and tridentate bis(oxazolinyl)pyridyl (pybox)3 Cu(II) complexes 1 and 2 are effective chiral Lewis acid catalysts in the aldol reactions of benzyloxyacetaldehyde with enolsilanes. In this communication, we demonstrate that these complexes also mediate the enantioselective additions of enolsilanes to 1,2dicarbonyl compounds, to provide functionalized succinate derivatives, useful synthons in natural product synthesis.4 Although excellent stereocontrol in these reactions may be achieved through the use of stoichiometric chiral ester controllers and chiral metal complexes, to our knowledge, this is the first report of a catalytic enantioselective addition of enolsilanes to pyruvate esters.5,6
Bond-length alternation in symmetrical cyanine dyes

Abstract As a probe of transient perturbation of symmetrical cyanine chromophores from their C 2v molecular symmetry by displacements along the bond-length alternation coordinate, we have selected hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) spectroscopy. Three of the four members investigated of a homologous series of dithiacarbocyanine dyes exhibit HRS signals in methanol, indicative of hyperpolarizabilities comparable to those of the reference compounds, m - and p -nitroaniline. The signals disappear in toluene; we infer that the observed hyperpolarizabilities are a property of the solute–solvation shell system. The results suggest significant, albeit transient, bond-length alternation in the ground state. Semi-empirical molecular orbital calculations (at the AM1 level) are used to model ground state cis – trans isomerization in a representative dye. From the calculated energetics and geometries we infer that isomerization locks in the bond-length alternation, enabling isomerization about a low-order bond. According to the generally accepted relaxation scheme for S 1 cyanines, bond-length alternation must likewise be pre-requisite to S 1 –S 0 internal conversion.
Gene transfer therapy for heritable disease : cell and expression targeting

Gene therapy is defined as the delivery of a functional gene for expression in somatic tissues with the intent to cure a disease. Different gene transfer strategies may be required to target different tissues. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency is a good gene therapy model for targeting a rare population of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells capable of self-renewal. We present evidence for the highly efficient gene transfer and sustained expression of hum an ADA in human primitive hematopoietic progenitors using retroviral supernatant with a supportive stromal layer. A stem cell-enriched (CD34 + ) fraction was also successfully transduced. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is also a good model for somatic gene therapy. Two of the challenges presented by this model are the large size of the gene and the large number of target cells. Germline gene transfer and correction of the phenotype has been demonstrated in transgenic mdx mice using both a full-length and a truncated form of the dystrophin cDNA. We present here a deletion mutagenesis strategy to truncate the dystrophin cDNA such that it can be accommodated by retroviral and adenoviral vectors useful for somatic gene therapy.
Bullet Impact on Steel and Kevlar®/Steel Armor: Computer Modeling and Experimental Data

Computer hydrocode analyses and ballistic testing have been used to investigate the effectiveness of steel plate armor against lead/copper bullets commonly available in the U.S. and across the world. Hydrocode simulations accurately predict the steel plate thickness that will prevent full penetration as well as the impact crater geometry (depth and diameter) in that thickness of steel armor for a 338 caliber bullet. Using the hydrocode model developed for steel armor, studies were also done for an armor consisting of a combination of Kevlar® and steel. These analyses were used to design the experiments carried out in the ballistics lab at Sandia National Laboratories. Ballistics lab testing resulted in a very good comparison between the hydrocode computer predictions for bullet impact craters in the steel plate armor and those measured during testing. During the experiments with the combination armor (Kevlar®/steel), the steel became a witness plate for bullet impact craters following penetration of the Kevlar®. Using the bullet impact craters in the steel witness plate it was determined that hydrocode predictions for Kevlar® armor are less accurate than for metals. This discrepancy results from the inability of the hydrocode (Eulerian) material model to accurately represent the behavior of the fibrous Kevlar®. Thus, this paper will present the hydrocode predictions and ballistics lab data for the interaction between a lead/copper bullet and several armoring schemes: 1) steel, 2) Kevlar®, and 3) a Kevlar®/steel combination.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
What Are the Recommended Timing and Screening Modalities for Women at Higher Risk of Developing Breast Cancer? A Clin-IQ

Early detection of breast cancer is desirable to prevent progression to advanced disease. This subject has been one of significant study and debate for women at normal risk, and recommendations continue to evolve. However, with regard to women at high risk, the recommendations from various health care professional organizations, including the recent recommendations from the United States Preventative Services Task Force, are different and also inconsistent concerning when to begin screening and which modalities should be used. We review several randomized controlled trials and consensus opinions regarding when to begin screening for breast cancer and how to best screen women at high risk. Specifically, we address women with known personal history of breast cancer, prior mantle radiation, or specific family history (including genetic family history) of breast cancer. The purpose of this inquiry is to present current evidence and suggest a clinical pathway regarding the screening of women at high risk for breast cancer.
A macroscopic approach to glacier dynamics

A simple approach to glacier dynamics is explored in which there is postulated to be a relationship between area and volume with three parameters: the time for area to respond to changes in volume, a thickness scale, and an area characterizing the condition of the initial stale. This approach gives a good fit to the measurements of cumulative balance and area on South Cascade Glacier from 1970-97; the area time-scale is roughly 8 years, the thickness scale about 123 m, and the 1970 area roughly 4% larger than required for adjustment with volume. Combining this relationship with a version of mass continuity expressed in terms of area and volume produces a theory of glacier area and volume response to climate in which another time constant, the volume time-scale, appears. Area and volume both respond like a damped spring and mass system. The damping of the South Cascade response is approximately critical, and the volume time-scale is roughly 48 vexes. six times the area time-scale. The critically damped spring and mass analogy reproduces the time dependence predicted by the more complicated traditional theory of Nyc.
Flow properties of powders using four testers — measurement, comparison and assessment

Abstract The flow properties, i.e. cohesion and slope of the yield locus, of wheat flour and sugar were measured using four testers, namely, the triaxial cell, the direct shear cell, the Jenike shear cell and the rotational split-level (RSL) shear cell over a range of loading conditions. A statistical comparison was done at the 0.05 level of significance ( P ) to evaluate the performance of the four testers with respect to the yield loci. For wheat flour, the flow properties determined from the Jenike shear cell, the direct shear cell, the triaxial cell and the RSL shear cell experimental data were not significantly different. For sugar, however, the test results from the RSL shear cell were significantly different from the other three testers. Therefore, the four testers seemed appropriate for determining the flow properties of wheat flour and similar powders, whereas, the Jenike shear cell, the triaxial cell and the direct shear cell seemed appropriate for measuring flow properties of sugar and similar powders.
Disc degeneration: A human cadaveric study correlating magnetic resonance imaging and quantitative discomanometry

Study Design. This human cadaveric study evaluated disc degeneration of the lumbar spine using magnetic resonance imaging and quantitative discomanometry. Objective. To determine if a correlation exists between magnetic resonance imaging and quantitative discomanometry in determining disc degeneration of the lumbar spine. Summary of Background Data. Several studies analyzing disc degeneration of the lumbar spine have compared magnetic resonance imaging with discography and discomanometry. The reported results are conflicting. No studies exist that compare magnetic resonance imaging and quantitative discomanometry in assessing the disc degeneration of the lumbar spine. Methods. Three fresh human cadaveric thoracolumbar spine specimens (two T11-S1 and one L1-S1) that included a total of 19 discs were used. Spines were scanned with magnetic resonance imaging, and the scans were read by a neuroradiologist. Using the quantitative discomanometry technique, discs were injected with normal saline, and pressure-volume curves were collected and quantified with six parameters: intrinsic pressure, leakage pressure, initial slope, slope from 0.0 to 0.1 mL, maximum pressure, and volume at maximum pressure. Data analysis was performed using Spearman's Rank Correlation (Rho) statistic. Results. Based on the results from 19 discs, an overall good correlation between magnetic resonance imaging scores and the six quantitative discomanometry parameters was demonstrated. With exception of the volume at maximum pressure, correlation coefficients ranged between 0.61 to 0.78 with a P < 0.05. Conclusions. Magnetic resonance imaging scores and quantitative discomanometry parameters correlated well in the assessment of disc degeneration of the lumbar spine. Quantitative discomanometry may be an important technique for evaluating early disc degeneration, especially tears of the anular fibers, which may be missed on magnetic resonance imaging.
Simultaneous temporal processing

Seven experiments assessed the ability of rats to process temporal information from two internal clocks simultaneously and independently. In the first six experiments a light stimulus signalled an overall interval between the beginning of a trial and the availability of food reinforcement (e.g., a 50-s fixed interval). During the overall interval a sound stimulus was used to signal shorter intervals that divided the overall interval into equal segments. When there was a fixed temporal relation between the final segment signal and the availability of reinforcement, there was a double-scallop pattern of responding throughout the segmented overall interval; the function relating response rate to time during segment intervals was similar to the function relating response rate to time in unsegmented overall intervals; a change in response rate occurred at the time that a normally presented segment signal was omitted. Taken together, the results indicate that rats timed the overall interval and the segment intervals simultaneously and independently without interference. In Experiment 7 a light stimulus was used on some trials, and a sound stimulus was used on other trials to signal a discrete-trial 50-s peak procedure. When these two signals were presented in compound, there was a leftward shift of the response function, which suggests that rats timed both signals simultaneously. For all of the experiments a scalar timing model with specific stimulus integration rules is used to explain the results. The stimulus integration rule used in the first six experiments, in which there were two signals for the same reinforcement, was to respond if both the segment and the overall interval had exceeded a response threshold. The stimulus integration rule used in Experiment 7, in which there were two signals for different reinforcements, was to respond if the response threshold for either interval had been exceeded.
Animate objects: how physical motion encourages public interaction

The primary challenge for information terminals, kiosks, and incidental use systems of all sorts, is that of getting the “first click” from busy passersby. This paper presents two studies that investigate the role of motion and physicality in drawing people to look and actively interact with generic information kiosks. The first study was designed as a 2x2 factorial design, physical v. on-screen gesturing and hand v. arrow motion, on a kiosk deployed in two locations, a bookstore and a computer science building lobby. The second study examined the effect of physical v. projected gesturing, and included a follow-up survey. Over twice as many passersby interacted in the physical v. on-screen condition in the first study and 60% more interacted in the second. These studies, in concert, indicate that physical gesturing does indeed significantly attract more looks and use for the information kiosk, and that form affects people’s impression and interpretation of these gestures.
Linear estimates of rates of disease progression as predictors of survival in patients with ALS entering clinical trials

Maximal voluntary isometric grip and foot dorsiflexion (FD) strength and forced vital capacity (FVC) were obtained in 62 patients with ALS at or close to enrollment into two clinical trials. The agents tested did not slow disease progression. Isometric strength data were standardized, and the worse side was taken. FVC was expressed as a percentage of the predicted value (FVC%). We derived linear estimates of rates of disease progression based on the isometric myometry and FVC measures and on disease duration. Forty one patients were known to have died or to have undergone tracheostomy for ventilatory support. Probability of tracheostomy-free survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The measured values, the linear estimates for rates of decline of these values, gender, age at onset, bulbar vs. spinal onset, height and weight were tested as risk factors within the Cox proportional hazards model, using regression techniques. When tested individually, estimates of rates of decline based on all three measures (FD, grip and FVC%) were the only statistically significant risk factors (P<0.005). Multivariate analysis resulted in a 3-variable model (chi-square=75.3, P<0.00001) in which estimated rates of decline of FD strength and of FVC%, and bulbar onset were independently significant (P<0.0001, P<0.0007 and P<0.05, respectively). We conclude that linear estimates of the rate of disease progression till enrollment into a clinical trial may be better predictors of patient survival than demographic data or discrete biologic measures.
Drought Monitoring with NDVI-Based Standardized Vegetation Index

Drought is one of the major natural hazards affecting the environment and economy of countries worldwide. Reliance on weather data alone is not sufficient to monitor areas of drought, particularly when these data can be untimely, sparse, and incomplete. Augmenting weather data with satellite images to identify the location and severity of droughts is a must for complete, up-to-date, and comprehensive coverage of current drought conditions. The objective of this research was to standardize, by time of year, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVT) to augment drought-monitoring techniques. The Standardized Vegetation Index (SVI) describes the probability of vegetation condition deviation from "normal," based on calculations from weekly NDvI values. The study was conducted with 12 years (1989-2000) of Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) satellite images. Z-scores of the NDVI distribution are used to estimate the probability of occurrence of the present vegetation condition at a given location relative to the possible range of vegetative vigor, historically. The ~VI can be interpreted as vegetation condition based on the fact that vegetation is an efficient integrator of climatic and anthropogenic impacts in the boundary layer of the atmosphere. It thereby provides a spatially and temporally continuous short-term indicator of climatic conditions. Findings indicate that the svr, along with other drought monitoring tools, is useful for assessing the extent and severity of drought at a spatial resolution of 1 km. The SVI is capable of providing a near-real-time indicator of vegetation condition within drought regions, and more specifically areas of varying drought conditions.
Implementation of x-ray energy detection and photon counting using a silicon field-emission imaging array

A silicon field-emission array (FEA) was proposed for the implementation of x-ray energy detection and photon counting. The response of single X-ray photon events of differing X-ray energies is modeled showing two pulses with different widths and amplitudes. To verify the theory, a 2cm x 2cm silicon field emission array has been fabricated by subtractive etching and oxidation sharpening techniques. At 450 mum cathode to anode distance and at a vacuum level of 5x107 Torr, the device was biased at 1400V, field emitting at an integrated current of 32pA. When the device was excited by a 100muCi Fe55 X-ray source, an average increase of 24pA was observed.
The hydrolysis of fatty acid ethyl esters in low-density lipoproteins by red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Abstract Fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE), esterification products of fatty acids and ethanol, have been implicated as toxic mediators of ethanol ingestion. In this study, we investigated the in vitro hydrolysis of FAEE reconstituted in low-density lipoproteins (LDL) when incubated with human blood, cell free plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. We also determined the metabolic fate of the fatty acid originally incorporated in the FAEE following FAEE hydrolysis. When FAEE were incubated with human red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets, at physiologic cell counts, 80% of the FAEE were hydrolyzed at 2 h. The FAEE-derived fatty acid was predominantly found in phospholipid and free fatty acid fractions. Cell free plasma contained minimal FAEE hydrolytic activity. These studies demonstrate that FAEE are degraded to free fatty acids and ethanol by the cellular elements in the blood. The generation of free fatty acids from extensive hydrolysis of FAEE adds support to the growing concept that at least some of the toxic effects of FAEE are mediated by the free fatty acids generated upon hydrolysis of the ethyl esters.
A correct and complete algorithm for the generation of mechanical assembly sequences

The authors present an algorithm for the generation of mechanical assembly sequences and a proof of its correctness and completeness. The algorithm uses a relational model which describes the geometry of the assembly and the attachments that bind one part to another. The problem of generating the assembly sequences is transformed into the problem of generating disassembly sequences, in which the disassembly tasks are the reverse of feasible assembly tasks. This transformation leads to a decomposition approach in which the problem of disassembling one assembly is decomposed into distinct subproblems, each involving the disassembly of one subassembly. It is assumed that at each assembly task exactly two subassemblies are mated and that all contacts between the parts in the two subassemblies are established. The algorithm yields an AND/OR graph representation of assembly sequences. The correctness of the algorithm is based on the assumption that it is always possible to decide correctly whether two subassemblies can be joined based on geometrical and physical criteria. An approach to compute this decision is given, and bounds for the amount of computation required are presented. >
Is There a Global Digital Divide for Digital Wireless Phone Technologies

This research examines digital wireless phone adoption among nations and regions that will help to provide a picture of the current global “digital divide.” The data are drawn from 43 countries. We present a new theoretical perspective for IS research: a regional contagion theory of technology diffusion. We examine the efficacy of the new theory using empirical regularities analysis, and a vector autoregression and variance decomposition approach to establish information about the strength of the regional contagion links between countries in digital wireless phone diffusion. We found that faster growth of digital wireless phones occurs when a country has: a more welldeveloped telecommunications infrastructure, more competition in the wireless market, lower wireless network access costs, and fewer wireless technology standards. We also obtained a reading on cross-national influence of wireless diffusion. The countries we studied fell into three regional contagion groups: high, medium and low. The Asia Pacific countries revealed a pattern of homogeneously high regional contagion links, while Western European countries were divided across the three groups. Our findings are supported by a descriptive analysis of diffusion patterns and mini-case assessments.
Hot flue gas filtration experience at the Power Systems Development Facility

AbstractHigh-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) filters are key components in the successful development of advanced coal-based integrated gasification combined cycles. The clean-up stage of current designs cools the syngas close to ambient conditions with much of the heat removed being rejected as it is of insufficient quality for re-use. Carrying out clean up at elevated temperature will reduce the amount of heat rejected and increase generating efficiency. The first step in the warm/hot clean-up stage is to remove the particulate and protect the downstream H2S, HCl, NH3 etc. removal steps. The HTHP filters also protect the downstream gas turbine from particle-related damage and clean the process gas to satisfy dust emission standards.HTHP filter systems have been under development worldwide for over 20 years but their commercialization has been impeded by low overall reliability. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) established the Power Systems Development Facility (PSDF) in 1994 to accelerate developme...
Channel-adaptive video streaming using packet path diversity and rate-distortion optimized reference picture selection

In this paper, we present error-resilient Internet video transmission using path diversity and rate-distortion optimized reference picture selection. Under this scheme, the optimal packet dependency is determined adapting to channel characteristics and video content, to achieve a better trade-off between coding efficiency and forming independent streams to increase error resilience. Packets are sent over the selected path that minimizes the distortion, while taking advantage of path diversity. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed scheme provides significant gains over video redundancy coding and the NACK mode of conventional reference picture selection.
Becoming an academic doctor: perceptions of scholarly careers

OBJECTIVES Despite a recognised need to prepare future faculty members, little research has been conducted on how best to accomplish this task, especially among learners and faculty members within research-intensive medical schools. METHODS We interviewed 40 medical students, residents and faculty members from a single institution in the USA and asked questions about which careers the school does and should prepare individuals for, and the strengths of the institution for doing so. Interviews were conducted in person at a location chosen by the participant. All interviews were transcribed and coded using qualitative methods and software. The coding and themes were reviewed and discussed among members of the research team and verified by external reviewers. RESULTS We identified five themes related to becoming an academic doctor: early exposure to research; role models and mentoring; career pathways; interplay of personal and social factors, and career support for junior faculty members. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that opportunities should be structured within undergraduate and graduate medical education to stimulate interest in careers as academic doctors and to aid junior faculty members to act as role models who can encourage learners to pursue careers in academic medicine.
The value of including boys in an HPV vaccination programme: a cost-effectiveness analysis in a low-resource setting.

We assessed the cost-effectiveness of including boys vs girls alone in a pre-adolescent vaccination programme against human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 in Brazil. Using demographic, epidemiological, and cancer data from Brazil, we developed a dynamic transmission model of HPV infection between males and females. Model-projected reductions in HPV incidence under different vaccination scenarios were applied to a stochastic model of cervical carcinogenesis to project lifetime costs and benefits. We assumed vaccination prevented HPV-16 and -18 infections in individuals not previously infected, and protection was lifelong. Coverage was varied from 0-90% in both genders, and cost per-vaccinated individual was varied from I$25 to 400. At 90% coverage, vaccinating girls alone reduced cancer risk by 63%; including boys at this coverage level provided only 4% further cancer reduction. At a cost per-vaccinated individual of $50, vaccinating girls alone was <$200 per year of life saved (YLS), while including boys ranged from $810–18 650 per YLS depending on coverage. For all coverage levels, increasing coverage in girls was more effective and less costly than including boys in the vaccination programme. In a resource-constrained setting such as Brazil, our results support that the first priority in reducing cervical cancer mortality should be to vaccinate pre-adolescent girls.
The Centromeric Region of Chromosome 7 from MRL Mice (Lmb3) Is an Epistatic Modifier of Fas for Autoimmune Disease Expression

Lupus is a prototypic systemic autoimmune disease that has a significant genetic component in its etiology. Several genome-wide screens have identified multiple loci that contribute to disease susceptibility in lupus-prone mice, including the Fas-deficient MRL/Fas(lpr) strain, with each locus contributing in a threshold liability manner. The centromeric region of chromosome 7 was identified as a lupus susceptibility locus in MRL/Fas(lpr) mice as Lmb3. This locus was backcrossed onto the resistant C57BL/6 (B6) background, in the presence or absence of Fas, resulting in the generation of B6.MRLc7 congenic animals. Detailed analysis of these animals showed that Lmb3 enhances and accelerates several characteristics of lupus, including autoantibody production, kidney disease, and T cell activation, as well as accumulation of CD4(-)CD8(-) double-negative T cells, the latter a feature of Fas-deficient mice. These effects appeared to be dependent on the interaction between Lmb3 and Fas deficiency, as Lmb3 on the B6/+(Fas-lpr) background did not augment any of the lupus traits measured. These findings confirm the role of Lmb3 in lupus susceptibility, as a modifier of Fas(lpr) phenotype, and illustrate the importance of epistatic interaction between genetic loci in the etiology of lupus. Furthermore, they suggest that the genetic lesion(s) in MRLc7 is probably different from those in NZMc7 (Sle3/5), despite a significant overlap of these two intervals.
Characterization of an active spore photoproduct lyase, a DNA repair enzyme in the radical S-adenosylmethionine superfamily.

The major photoproduct in UV-irradiated Bacillus spore DNA is a unique thymine dimer called spore photoproduct (SP, 5-thyminyl-5,6-dihydrothymine). The enzyme spore photoproduct lyase (SP lyase) has been found to catalyze the repair of SP dimers to thymine monomers in a reaction that requires S-adenosylmethionine. We present here the first detailed characterization of catalytically active SP lyase, which has been anaerobically purified from overexpressing Escherichia coli. Anaerobically purified SP lyase is monomeric and is red-brown in color. The purified enzyme contains 3.1 iron and 3.0 acid-labile S 2 per protein and has a UVvisible spectrum characteristic of iron-sulfur proteins (410 nm (11.9 mM 1 cm 1 ) and 450 nm (10.5 mM 1 cm 1 )). The X-band EPR spectrum of the purified enzyme shows a nearly isotropic signal (g 2.02) characteristic of a [3Fe-4S] 1 cluster; reduction of SP lyase with dithionite results in the appearance of a new EPR signal (g 2.03, 1.93, and 1.89) with temperature dependence and g values consistent with its assignment to a [4Fe-4S] 1 cluster. The reduced purified enzyme is active in SP repair, with a specific activity of 0.33 mol/min/mg. Only a catalytic amount of S-adenosylmethionine is required for DNA repair, and no irreversible cleavage of S-adenosylmethionine into methionine and 5-deoxyadenosine is observed during the reaction. Label transfer from [5- 3 H]S-adenosylmethionine to repaired thymine is observed, providing evidence to support a mechanism in which a 5-deoxyadenosyl radical intermediate directly abstracts a hydrogen from SP C-6 to generate a substrate radical, and subsequent to radical-mediated -scission, a product thymine radical abstracts a hydrogen from 5-deoxyadenosine to regenerate the 5-deoxyadenosyl radical. Together, our results support a mechanism in which S-adenosylmethionine acts as a catalytic cofactor, not a substrate, in the DNA repair reaction.
Potential of Detection and Identification of Nymphal Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) of Lygus Bugs (Heteroptera: Miridae) by Using Polymerase Chain Reaction and ITS2 Sequence Analysis Techniques

Abstract Ribosomal ITS2 DNA fragments were sequenced from four Peristenus species, two Leiophron species, and two Lygus species. Specific primers for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification were designed from ITS2 DNA sequences to separate each species from the others. Using this molecular approach, we were able to determine whether Lygus hesperus Knight and Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) were parasitized by Peristenus and Leiophron parasitoids. The PCR technique was very sensitive and could detect Peristenus stygicus Loan DNA at a concentration of 0.01 pg/μl or 7.5 × 10−7 wasp DNA equivalents. Detection of P. stygicus eggs confirmed that early detection of parasitoids was possible. Parasitoid DNA was readily recovered from all L. hesperus nymphs that were parasitized by a single P. stygicus after 1 h of contact between the parasitoid and putative hosts. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a molecular technique for detecting parasitoids developing inside their hosts.
Meditative interventions and antisocial personality disorder

Empathic functioning and inhibitory control deficits are two symptoms of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Despite their deleterious effects, limited research exists on interventions that would ameliorate these specific symptoms. We suggest that meditative interventions may help to increase empathic functioning and inhibitory control in ASPD individuals. Using Luria’s working brain framework, we present research showing that meditative interventions influence the same brain regions associated with empathic functioning and inhibitory control. Implications for the counseling profession and directions for further research are discussed.
Presentation of the Mineralogical Society of America Award for 2004 to Kevin M. Rosso

The MSA Award is about “outstanding published contributions to the science of mineralogy by relatively young individuals.” Suffice it to say that in nearly all cases, we are talking about people who get this award for research done before the age of 35. Assuming a nominal retirement age of 65 and a typical Ph.D. age of 28, the age of 35 is less than 20% of the way through one’s professional career. Yet, have you looked through the list of past MSA Award winners lately? It’s a humbling experience. Anyone who has been around mineralogy for any length of time would recognize nearly every name. Let me illustrate with just a very few of them starting in the 1950s and 1960s. And remember, this is the MSA Award, 35 years old, not the Roebling medal. Hat Yoder, J.V. Smith, Gary Ernst. Let’s fast forward to the 1980s. How about Alex Navrotsky, Bob Hazen, Michael Carpenter? So as you think about Kevin Rosso, ask yourself, is this the next Don DePaolo, Raymond Jeanloz, or Russ Hemley, also MSA Award winners, or any …
Natural Language Processing in Game Studies Research: An Overview

Natural language processing (NLP) is a field of computer science and linguistics devoted to creating computer systems that use human (natural) language as input and/or output. The authors propose that NLP can also be used for game studies research. In this article, the authors provide an overview of NLP and describe some research possibilities that can be explored using NLP tools and techniques. The authors discuss these techniques by performing three different types of NLP analyses of a significant corpus of online videogame reviews: (a) By using techniques such as word and syllable counting, the authors analyze the readability of professionally written game reviews, finding that, across a variety of indicators, game reviews are written for a secondary education reading level; (b) the authors analyze hundreds of thousands of user-submitted game reviews using part-of-speech tagging, parsing, and clustering to examine how gameplay is described. The findings of this study in this area highlight the primary aesthetics elements of gameplay according to the general public of game players; and (c) the authors show how sentiment analysis, or the classification of opinions and feelings based on the words used in a text and the relationship between those words, can be used to explore the circumstances in which certain negatively charged words may be used positively and for what reasons in the domain of videogames. The authors conclude with ideas for future research, including how NLP can be used to complement other avenues of inquiry.
Collective behaviour, uncertainty and environmental change

A central aspect of cultural evolutionary theory concerns how human groups respond to environmental change. Although we are painting with a broad brush, it is fair to say that prior to the twenty-first century, adaptation often happened gradually over multiple human generations, through a combination of individual and social learning, cumulative cultural evolution and demographic shifts. The result was a generally resilient and sustainable population. In the twenty-first century, however, considerable change happens within small portions of a human generation, on a vastly larger range of geographical and population scales and involving a greater degree of horizontal learning. As a way of gauging the complexity of societal response to environmental change in a globalized future, we discuss several theoretical tools for understanding how human groups adapt to uncertainty. We use our analysis to estimate the limits of predictability of future societal change, in the belief that knowing when to hedge bets is better than relying on a false sense of predictability.
Development of high-power photodiodes for W-band applications

We report high-power MUTC photodiodes with 110 GHz bandwidth. The RF output power levels reach 7.8 dBm at 110 GHz and 9 dBm at 100GHz.
Self-Organized Criticality: The Origin of Fractal Growth

We show that aggregation processes naturally evolve into self-organized critical states. The associated critical exponents provide a new characterization of fractal growth. We consider diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) and compare our description with that based on the f(α) spectrum. We find that a critical value α c of a exists, above which the spectrum fails to characterize the growth, and below which only a spiky part of the aggregate is described. For DLA, α c = 1.
Adropin acts in brain to inhibit water drinking: potential interaction with the orphan G protein-coupled receptor, GPR19

Adropin, a recently described peptide hormone produced in the brain and liver, has been reported to have physiologically relevant actions on glucose homeostasis and lipogenesis, and to exert significant effect on endothelial function. We describe a central nervous system action of adropin to inhibit water drinking and identify a potential adropin receptor, the orphan G protein-coupled receptor, GPR19. Reduction in GPR19 mRNA levels in medial basal hypothalamus of male rats resulted in the loss of the inhibitory effect of adropin on water deprivation-induced thirst. The identification of a novel brain action of adropin and a candidate receptor for the peptide should extend and accelerate the study of the potential therapeutic value of adropin or its mimetics for the treatment of metabolic disorders.
The American Psychological Association’s Organized Amicus Activity

Historically, amicus curiae briefs were offered by bystanders or others who had no interest in the outcome, but had knowledge relevant to a point of law or evidence in the case. The inclusion of such briefs has been traced back to an appearance by Henry Clay before the Supreme Court in 1821 (Krislov,1963), although more than a hundred years would pass before anything about amicus briefs was incorporated into the Supreme Court’s rules of procedure (Menez, 1984). The designation amicus curiae (friend of the court) is now something of a misnomer in most examples, as the organization submitting the brief is typically aligned with one party to the dispute.
Use of MRI in Differentiation of Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma Subtypes: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to determine whether qualitative and quantitative MRI feature analysis is useful for differentiating type 1 from type 2 papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS. This retrospective study included 21 type 1 and 17 type 2 PRCCs evaluated with preoperative MRI. Two radiologists independently evaluated various qualitative features, including signal intensity, heterogeneity, and margin. For the quantitative analysis, a radiology fellow and a medical student independently drew 3D volumes of interest over the entire tumor on T2-weighted HASTE images, apparent diffusion coefficient parametric maps, and nephrographic phase contrast-enhanced MR images to derive first-order texture metrics. Qualitative and quantitative features were compared between the groups. RESULTS. For both readers, qualitative features with greater frequency in type 2 PRCC included heterogeneous enhancement, indistinct margin, and T2 heterogeneity (all, p < 0.035). Indistinct margins...
Theory Sí, Data No! A Decade of Cross-National Political Research

Macro-Quantitative Analysis , edited by John V. Gillespie and Betty A. Nesvold, should be welcomed by students of cross-national empirical theory and research. It places important reference materials at the fingertips of the analyst, and should stimulate him to take stock of the state of his art. Moreover, it should prove a boon to teaching. I find it hard to conceive of an undergraduate or graduate course on cross-national theory and research which would not benefit from this volume.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MULTI-OBJECTIVE UAV PATH PLANNER USING TERRAIN INFORMATION

Military operations are turning to more complex and advanced automation technology for minimum risk and maximum efficiency. A critical piece to this strategy is unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). UAVs require the intelligence to safely maneuver along a path to an intended target, avoiding obstacles such as other aircrafts or enemy threats. Often automated path planning algorithms are employed to specify targets for a UAV to fly to. To date, path-planning algorithms have been limited to providing only a single solution (alternate) path without further inputs from the UAV controller. This paper presents a unique platform for decision making in a three-dimensional path planner where multiple solution paths are generated in the form of meta-paths. The path planner uses Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to generate multiple solution paths based on predefined criteria. The problem formulation was designed to minimize risk due to enemy threats, to minimize fuel consumption incurred by deviating from the original path, and takes into account reconnaissance targets. Using PSO, alternate paths are generated using B-spline curves, optimized based on preferences set for the three objectives. The resulting paths can be optimized with a preference towards maximum safety, minimum fuel consumption, or target reconnaissance. By incorporating terrain data into the path planner, the algorithm ensures that the generated alternate paths are feasible and at a safe height above ground. Viewing the paths in an immersive environment allows the decision making process to be completed in an efficient and organized manner. The problem formulation and solution implementation is described along with the results from several simulated scenarios.
Shallow Talk Intranet the Protection Method of the Safety

Always, for network safety problem of comprehension, majority customer unit pair of outside net conduct and actions main of protection object, along with intranet application of continuously thorough, intranet safety the problem become more and more importance, fact certificate also intranet insecurity factor far ratio exterior of endanger larger.This text was shallow to talk intranet the safety protection problem and protection method, point introduction how active the method of protection and passive protection, along with customer rightness inside net safety understanding of deepen with intranet safety follow of management system, only adopted multilayers of whole safety measure, then can be real to solve intranet of safety problem.