cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cooperative control and optimization in an uncertain, asynchronous, wireless, networked world

Cooperative control arises when a system consists of multiple distributed components (e.g., nodes in a sensor network) that jointly function to meet a system-wide objective, often in an uncertain environment. It involves communication among components which is typically carried out asynchronously, wirelessly, and subject to limitations such as energy or physical constraints in the environment. In most cases, the performance of such systems depends on how its components (which we will refer to as “nodes” in a network) are located within a given mission space, which gives rise to the fundamental problem of coverage control or active sensing [1],[2],[3],[4],[5]. We will specifically concentrate on cooperative control and optimization problems that arise when sensor networks are deployed to detect and extract information from events occurring in a mission space. In general, the nodes need to perform the following three tasks simultaneously: Task 1 - Coverage Control: Nodes perform motion control to reach an optimal deployment which maximizes the probability of event detection. After an event is detected, it is referred to as a data source or target. Task 2 - Data Source Detection: Nodes actively run a procedure for detecting and locating emerging data sources. This usually returns binary results corrupted by false alarm and missed detection errors. Thus, we need to model such uncertainty in the detection process in order to provide reliable information to Task 3. Task 3 - Data Collection: Sensor nodes gather information from detected data sources. To achieve higher data collection quality, the sensor nodes need to adjust their locations according to the known data source locations.
SU‐FF‐I‐118: MicroRT Multi‐Modality Treatment Planning

Purpose: To evaluate image registration and fusion techniques for multi‐modality microRT treatment planning.Methods and Materials: Subject mice were first anesthetized and positioned within the custom microRT couch/head immobilization assembly. The immobilized subjects were then imaged using both a Phillips 64‐slice Brilliance CTscanner and a small‐animal MR imagingscanner built around a 4.7 T Oxford Instruments magnet and a Varian imaging console. The CT data was imported into CERR using the ‘DICOM‐import’ CERR tool, while the MRI data was imported into CERR using a custom Matlab *.FDF‐importer function. Using the CERR contouring tool, CT contours were generated for the brain, lung, and skin, and MRI contours were generated for the liver, lung and skin. The CTimages were then registered to the microRTP treatment planning space using a custom Matlab registration algorithm for the microRT couch. Lastly, the resultant MR images were merged and fused to the registered CT plan, both translationally and rotationally, using the CERR ‘image fusion’ tool. Results: Previously‐published microRT studies have demonstrated the translational and rotational capabilities of CERR image fusion for merged CT plans. As expected, in this study, MRI was qualitatively superior for identifying and contouring target structures that had relatively low contrast variation on CT.Conclusions: CT/MRI co‐registration improves microRT treatment planning by providing verification of target positioning for organs contoured on both imaging modalities, as well as by providing increased target definition for soft‐tissue organs visualized effectively using MRI but not CT. CT/MRI phantom validation studies are currently in progress. Future planned studies include rotational MRI evaluation, as well as additional co‐registration studies evaluating the integration of PET, SPECT, and optical imaging modalities.
Determination of bacterial manganese oxidation rates in sediments using an in-situ dialysis technique I. Laboratory studies

Abstract An in-situ dialysis technique has been developed to examine chemical and bacterial rates of manganese binding and oxidation under diffusion-limited conditions in sediments. With this method, the microbial and abiotic components of manganese binding were delineated quantitatively in laboratory sediments spiked with manganese oxidizing bacteria. The abiotic removal of manganese by the same sediments has also been determined independently to define the relative importance of adsorption, ion exchange and autocatalytic oxidation in the removal of Mn2+ from solution. Independent measurements of both bacterial and abiotic manganese binding were in good agreement with the diffusion-controlled rate data, validating the use of this dialysis technique as a means of examining manganese oxidation in-situ.
Brief clinical report: a 46,XY phenotypic female with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome.

A phenotypic female infant with Smith-Lemli-Opitz (SLO) syndrome was found to have a 46,XY karyotype. Autopsy showed normal testes for age and normal Wolffian duct structures. The serum testosterone level was unusually high, suggesting that the failure of virilization of the external genitalia in the child might be due to a defect in testosterone conversion to dihydrotestosterone or a lack of end-organ receptors for the same. An additional feature not previously described in association with SLO syndrome was present, which was clinical hypoglycemia with nesidioblastosis.
Common questions regarding clinical use of axitinib in advanced renal cell carcinoma

Purpose An overview of the responses to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding axitinib administration and dosage modifications used in clinical practice are presented. Summary Axitinib was approved for second-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma by the Food and Drug Administration on January 27, 2012. Inquiries received over the first six months after the approval date were reviewed. A large number of questions were related to administration of axitinib in different patient populations or in patients with various comorbidities, such as its (1) use in patients unable to swallow oral medication or administration of axitinib via a nasogastric tube, (2) use in patients with renal or hepatic impairment, (3) central nervous system penetration and use in patients with brain metastases, (4) drug interactions, particularly with anticoagulants, and (5) dosage modifications. Responses to these inquiries were provided based on the published literature or from data on file from the manufacturer. The dosage of axitinib can be adjusted for use in patients with hepatic impairment or in patients who cannot otherwise tolerate the usual regimen. Patients taking concomitant warfarin can also take axitinib, and patients who cannot swallow oral medications can receive a liquid formulation of the drug, though its efficacy and comparability to the tablet formulation has not been tested. Conclusion Based on the published literature and company data on file, the axitinib dosage may be modified to accommodate patients with renal or hepatic impairment, who cannot swallow oral medication, are receiving concomitant warfarin, or who cannot otherwise tolerate the standard dosage regimen. For patients who cannot swallow, an oral suspension can be prepared because crushing axitinib is not recommended.
Using algal metrics and biomass to evaluate multiple ways of defining concentration-based nutrient criteria in streams and their ecological relevance

a b s t r a c t We examined the utility of nutrient criteria derived solely from total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in streams (regression models and percentile distributions) and evaluated their ecological relevance to diatom and algal biomass responses. We used a variety of statistics to characterize ecological responses and to develop concentration-based nutrient criteria (derived from ecological effects) for streams in Connecticut, USA, where urbanization is the primary cause of watershed alteration. Mean background TP concentration in the absence of anthropogenic land cover was predicted to be 0.017 mg/l, which was similar to the 25th percentile of all study sites. Increased TP concentrations were significantly correlated with altered diatom community structure, decreased percent low P diatoms and diatoms sensitive to impervious cover, and increased percent high P diatoms, diatoms that increase with greater impervious cover, and chlorophyll a (P < 0.01). Variance partitioning models showed that shared effects of anthro- pogenic land cover and chemistry (i.e., chemistry affected by land cover) represented the majority of explained variation in diatom metrics and chlorophyll a. Bootstrapped regression trees, threshold indi- cator taxa analysis, and boosted regression trees identified TP concentrations at which strong responses of diatom metrics and communities occurred, but these values varied among analyses. When consid- ering ecological responses, scientifically defensible and ecologically relevant TP criteria were identified at (1) 0.020 mg/l for designating highest quality streams and restoration targets, above which sensi- tive taxa steeply declined, tolerant taxa increased, and community structure changed, (2) 0.040 mg/l, at which community level change points began to occur and sensitive diatoms were greatly reduced, (3) 0.065 mg/l, above which most sensitive diatoms were lost and tolerant diatoms steeply increased to their maxima, and (4) 0.082 mg/l, which appeared to be a saturated threshold, beyond which substan- tially altered community structure was sustained. These criteria can inform anti-degradation policies for high quality streams, discharge permit decisions, and future strategies for watershed development and managment. Our results indicated that management practices and decisions at the watershed scale will likely be important for improving degraded streams and conserving high quality streams. Results also emphasized the importance of incorporating ecological responses and considering the body of evidence from multiple conceptual approaches and statistical analyses for developing nutrient criteria, because solely relying on one approach could lead to misdirected decisions and resources. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Phthalaldehyde microprotein method: Usefulness and potential errors

Two major technical advances introduced by Brenner et al [l, 2] have been responsible for recent breakthroughs in understanding the process of glomerular ultrafiltration at the single nephron level. These are the development of a method for directly measuring glomerular capillary pressure [1] and the microadaptation of the colorimetric protein method of Lowry et al [2, 3] to estimate changes in colloid osmotic pressure between the afferent and efferent ends of the glomerular vasculature [4]. The good correlation between colloid osmotic pressure as calculated from the arterial protein concentrations and direct measurement of the colloid osmotic pressure has established the usefulness of the protein method to accurately measure intravascular oncotic forces [5]. Because the colorimetric Lowry microprotein method is both time consuming and necessitates the use of a frequently unstable, relatively high intensity colorimetric scale for sample reading, attempts have been made to use other microprotein techniques as substitutes for the Lowry method [6–9]. Viets et al [7] have compared the usefulness of two fluorescent microprotein methods in micropuncture studies. Of these, the phthalaldehyde fluorescent microprotein method was preferable and appeared to be equally as useful as the Lowry method, with certain minor limitations. Our laboratory has spent the last 2 years evaluating the applicability of the phthalaldehyde technique to microprotein analysis in micropuncture studies. Although we have found the method to have the advantage of being less time consuming than the Lowry technique, we have noted certain limitations and potential errors that could artificially lower the estimate of protein content in plasma samples. Spuriously low protein concentrations could result in under-estimations of afferent and efferent arteriolar oncotic pressures and overestimates of single nephron filtration fractions. This report is designed to describe the limitations of phthalaldehyde fluorescent protein technique and point out its potential errors in measuring protein concentration while comparing its usefulness to that of the colorimetric micro-Lowry method.
Protein kinase D negatively regulates hepatitis C virus secretion through phosphorylation of oxysterol-binding protein and ceramide transfer protein.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA replicates its genome on specialized endoplasmic reticulum modified membranes termed membranous web and utilizes lipid droplets for initiating the viral nucleocapsid assembly. HCV maturation and/or the egress pathway requires host sphingolipid synthesis, which occur in the Golgi. Ceramide transfer protein (CERT) and oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP) play a crucial role in sphingolipid biosynthesis. Protein kinase D (PKD), a serine/threonine kinase, is recruited to the trans-Golgi network where it influences vesicular trafficking to the plasma membrane by regulation of several important mediators via phosphorylation. PKD attenuates the function of both CERT and OSBP by phosphorylation at their respective Ser132 and Ser240 residues (phosphorylation inhibition). Here, we investigated the functional role of PKD in HCV secretion. Our studies show that HCV gene expression down-regulated PKD activation. PKD depletion by shRNA or inhibition by pharmacological inhibitor Go6976 enhanced HCV secretion. Overexpression of a constitutively active form of PKD suppressed HCV secretion. The suppression by PKD was subverted by the ectopic expression of nonphosphorylatable serine mutant CERT S132A or OSBP S240A. These observations imply that PKD negatively regulates HCV secretion/release by attenuating OSBP and CERT functions by phosphorylation inhibition. This study identifies the key role of the Golgi components in the HCV maturation process.
Comparative study of some statistical and set-theoretic methods for image restoration

Abstract In the last decade, many researchers have devoted considerable effort to the problem of image restoration. However, no recent study has been undertaken for a comparative evaluation of these techniques under conditions where a user may have different kinds of a priori information about the ideal image. To this effect, we briefly survey some recent techniques and compare the performance of a linear space-invariant (LSI) maximum a posteriori (MAP) filter, an LSI reduced update Kalman filter (RUKF), an edge-adaptive RUKF, and an adaptive convex-type constraint-based restoration implemented via the method of projection onto convex sets (POCS). The mean square errors resulting from the LSI algorithms are compared with that of the finite impulse response Wiener filter, which is the theoretical limit in this case. We also compare the results visually in terms of their sharpness and the appearance of artifacts. As expected, the space-variant restoration methods which are adaptive to local image properties obtain the best results.
Birefringence and dichroism

We develop a general theory of birefringence and dichroism to account for the optical (and electrical) anisotropy exhibited by the refractive indices and attenuation coefficients of biological tissues or of composites of aligned particles. The primary bases for dichroism are the same as we considered before for birefringence (i.e., anisotropic parameters of the particles and of the embedding medium, and anisotropic shapes of the particle and configurational-correlation surfaces), but now the particle parameters are complex to include energy losses. The present birefringent effects are therefore more varied than those considered earlier, and the associated dichroic effects also depend on the refractive and absorbtive properties of the particles. Because the attenuation includes both absorption and scattering losses, scattering dichroism determined by particle shape and configurational fluctuations may be physically significant even if the particles are nonabsorbing and their refractivity is isotropic. The general theory, applied to phenomena involving both dichroism and birefringence, may account for some reported anomalies. We show, for example, that the presence of absorption in birefrigence measurements in which the base index is varied could be misinterpreted as intrinsic birefringence.
Vasopressin-induced redistribution of binding sites for concanavalin A at the surface of epithelial cells from urinary bladder.

VASOPRESSIN promotes water movement across the epithelium of the distal portion of mammalian renal tubule and amphibian urinary bladder1,2. The hormone also elicits a general, non-selective increase in the transcellular permeation of lipophilic solutes3 and a decrease in the discrimination between straight- and branched-chain isomers4,5. Such changes in the permeability of amphibian urinary bladder are limited to the apical membrane of those epithelial cells rich in intracellular secretion granules6,7. These granules, some of which may correspond to lysosomes8, are observed to migrate to the mucosal membrane of toad bladders treated with oxytocin or cyclic AMP9. Moreover, treatment with vasopressin provokes the extracellular release of acid hydrolases at the apical surface of cells from bullfrog bladder10. Additional evidence shows that repression of such hydrolase activity at the external surface reduces the hormone-induced water flow observed across the intact epithelium7. My present investigation extends these observations by providing direct evidence in epithelial cells from bullfrog bladder for vasopressin-induced rearrangement into clusters of binding sites for concanavalin A (con A) which are otherwise randomly disposed at the surface of control cells. This hormone effect is inhibited by prior incubation of cells with the microtubule-disrupting drug, colchicine. In addition, colchicine treatment antagonises the enhancement of extracellular hydrolase release and transepithelial water flow attributable to vasopressin action.
LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF GROWTH IN CHILDREN TREATED FOR ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA

To evaluate growth retardation and obesity in relation to treatment of ALL children in initial remission (7.3 to 17.5 yrs), the heights (HTs) and weights (WTs) of 74 boys and 83 girls diagnosed prior to 1976 were analyzed. Patients were treated with chemotherapy and cranial or craniospinal irradiation (2400 rads) after diagnosis at 0.2 to 16.6 yrs of age (median 4.4). HT and WT are expressed as SD from the mean of the normal population by age and sex (NCHS standards). A decrease in HT SD occurred between diagnosis and last HT recorded for boys (mean ± 1 SD: O.1±1.0 vs -0.9 ±1.2, p<0.001, Wilcoxon) and for girls (-0.1±1.1 vs -1.4±1.2, p<0.001). Boys lost -0.7±0.4 SD in HT during therapy; -0.1±0.6 SD from the end of therapy until age 11.6 yrs; and -0.3±0.7 SD thereafter. Girls lost -0.7±0.6 SD in HT during therapy; 0.0±0.6 SD from end of treatment until 2 yrs prior to menarche, and -0.7±0.9 SD thereafter. 35% of boys and 48% of girls lost ≥1.5 SD in HT during the study period. As an index of appropriateness of WT for HT, HT SD was subtracted from WT SD. For boys, last (WT-HT) SD was 1.3±1.3 compared to -0.2±0.9 at diagnosis; 76.2% had a final positive index of obesity. For girls, last (WT-HT) SD was 1.3±1.2 compared to - 0.2±0.8 SD at diagnosis: 85.7% had a final positive index. Last (WT-HT) SD inversely correlated to last HT SD among girls (r= -0.45, p<0.001 ) but not boys. Additional girls receiving 1800 rads (20) or no rads (23) were compared to girls receiving 2400 rads for change in HT during treatment and a difference was found (-0.4±0.6 vs -0.3±0.6 vs -0.7±0.6, respectively, p<0.02, ANOVA); no difference was found with similar groups of\boys. In conclusion, many long-term survivors of ALL develop linear growth retardation and obesity. Much of the height loss occurs during therapy and may be related to radiation; an adequate “catch-up” phase of growth does not occur.
A quadrature-based LES/transported probability density function approach for modeling supersonic combustion

Abstract The joint-scalar probability density function (PDF) approach provides a comprehensive framework for large eddy simulation (LES) based combustion modeling. However, currently available stochastic approaches for solving the high-dimensional PDF transport equation can be error prone and numerically unstable in highly compressible shock-containing flows. In this work, a novel Eulerian approach called the direct quadrature method of moments (DQMOM) is developed for evolving the PDF-based supersonic combustion model. The DQMOM technique uses a set of scalar transport equations with specific source terms to recover the PDF. The new technique is coupled to a compressible LES solver through the energy equation. The DQMOM approach is then used to simulate two practical flow configurations: a supersonic reacting jet and a cavity-stabilized supersonic combustor. Comparisons with experimental data demonstrate the predictive accuracy of the method.
Patent reform in the United States.

Abstract The recent financial meltdown has muted the patent reform debate in the United States. But given that President Obama, as well as many members of Congress, support patent reform, we expect the debate to resurface. In this essay, we look carefully at reports from three prestigious organizations which have been enormously influential in the debate. We examine the empirical basis contained in these reports upon which proposed legislative changes are based. We conclude that the empirical data being used to justify the need for reform either has serious methodological limitations or is non-existent. Moreover, we review recent court decisions which have already altered the patent environment calling into further question whether the limited data that exists is still applicable. The effect of these recent decisions has not been adequately evaluated or assessed. Thus, we recommend other empirical studies are needed to inform public policy as to whether patent reform is necessary.
Practical arbitrary lookahead LR parsing

Abstract We present a practical technique for computing lookahead for an LR(0) parser, that progressively attempts single-symbol, multi-symbol, and arbitrary lookahead. The technique determines the amount of lookahead required, and the user is spared the task of guessing it. The class of context-free grammars defined by our technique is a subset of the LR-regular grammars; we show that unlike LR-regular, the problem of determining whether an arbitrary grammar is in the class, is decidable. When restricted to k -symbol lookahead, the technique has the power of LALR( k ) parsers. It has been successfully used to resolve multi-symbol lookahead conflicts in grammars for FORTRAN, Ada, C, COBOL, and PL/I, and its performance compares favorably with that of two well-known, commercially available parser generators.
Michael Cox (1941–1989): His Pioneering Contributions to Ocean Circulation Modeling

Abstract Michael Cox was a pioneer in the development and application of numerical models to the study of the ocean circulation. His simulation of the response of the Indian Ocean to the monsoons was one of the first applications of a numerical model to seasonal changes in circulation near the equator. Cox's finding that the seasonal reversal of the Somali Current was primarily due to local monsoon-driven coastal upwelling challenged a popular theory that the effects of remote forcing, propagating westward along the equatorial waveguide, were the most important mechanism. In a detailed follow-up study, he was able to demonstrate that remote forcing could only be important near the equator along the Somali Coast and that local driving was the only viable mechanism to explain the amplitude and phase of the main features of the seasonal reversal of the Somali Current. In another pioneering calculation, Cox was the first to simulate the seasonal changes of the eastern equatorial Pacific, including the Legecki...
Structure-function studies of the HIV-1 coreceptors.

Ten seven-transmembrane-domain G protein-coupled receptors have been identified that are functional HIV-1, HIV-2 and SIV coreceptors. However, the specific structures these receptors have in common that enable them to mediate HIV entry are unknown. Structure-function analyses have revealed that the determinants of coreceptor activity are distinct for each coreceptor, coreceptor activity is dependent on multiple extracellular domains, and various envelope proteins may interact differently with the same coreceptor. G protein coupling and receptor internalization are not required for fusion and infection of established cell lines, or for inhibition of infection by chemokines. The structure-function studies have also helped determine the mechanism by which previously described small molecules inhibit HIV-1 entry. Finally, these studies have led to a hypothesis as to how coreceptor utilization evolves during the course of an infection.
Prenatal ultrasonographic findings associated with short bowel syndrome in two fetuses with gastroschisis

Background Studies on the importance of prenatal ultrasonographic findings in gastroschisis have shown variable significance in predicting neonatal outcome. We report two cases of short bowel syndrome and poor neonatal outcome that had interesting prenatal ultrasonographic findings. Cases Gastroschisis was confirmed in both cases. Throughout gestation, the extra-abdominal bowel remained unchanged in size, hyperechoic, and clustered. Amniotic fluid volume increased with increasing intra-abdominal bowel dilation. Both fetuses were delivered prematurely and found to have short bowel syndrome incompatible with life. Conclusion Prenatal ultrasonographic findings of hyperechoic and clustered extra-abdominal bowel with progressive intra-abdominal bowel dilation and associated polyhydramnios may be indicative of high bowel obstruction, atresia, and poor neonatal outcome. Families should be counseled cautiously.
Investigation into cracked aluminum plate repaired with bonded composite patch

Abstract Several parameters/factors related to mechanical and fatigue behaviors of a cracked 7075-T6 aluminum panel repaired with one-sided adhesively bonded composite patch were studied by a combined experimental–analytical approach. These were strain distribution, out-of-plane deformation and residual strength along with crack growth behavior. The effects of cool-down temperature during patch bonding, disbond and bending moment were also investigated. Residual thermal stresses, developed during patch bonding, requires the knowledge of temperature at which adhesive becomes effective in creating a bond between the specimen and patch. This can be determined through the out-of-plane deformation of the repaired panel. A bending moment is developed upon application of axial load due to initial out-of-plane deformation of the repaired panel with one-sided bonded patch. This can be also determined from the out-of-plane deformation. Further, the bending moment and temperature change during patch curing have a relatively more effect on the out-of-plane deformation than on the in-plane strain of the repaired panel. The disbond does not affect the out-of-plane deformation and in-plane strain except in their vicinity. Crack length has a small effect upon the in-plane strain and out-of-plane deformation. The stress intensity factor varies along the thickness of the repaired panel; however, crack growth rate was primarily dominated by stress intensity factor near the bonded patch side of the thin repaired panel in the present study. The bonded patch repair of a cracked panel provides a considerable increase in the residual strength as well as fatigue life.
Risks and benefits of testosterone therapy in older men

In young men (defined as age 65 years) with androgen deficiency. Therefore, a general policy of testosterone replacement in all older men with age-related decline in testosterone levels is not justified.
Non-applicability for the Li+ H2 ion molecule system of an INDO potential energy surface or of the approximate monopole-transition moment long range force expressions

A potential energy surface for the ion-molecule system Li+ + H2 was calculated by a semi-empirical LCAO-MO-SCF INDO procedure to check the results against the published accurate Hartree-Fock LCAO-MO-SCF calculation using a large Gaussian basis set. The INDO surface did not reproduce at all the accurate surface although this is a system which separates properly in the Hartree-Fock approximation and, thus, one in which single determinant wave functions should pick up all of the ion-induced dipole long-range attractive energy. Approximate monopole and transition moment expressions used previously for calculation of long-range forces involving π-electrons only were extended to general systems including σ electrons. These expressions involve knowing the eigenvalues and eigenvectors for the separated fragments. It was shown that use of INDO eigenvalues and eigenvectors in the approximate long-range expression do not lead to proper values for these intermolecular energies. These INDO calculations, however, are equivalent in concept and accuracy to the Pariser-Parr-Pople calculations of the π-electron systems whose results have been used in the same long-range expressions in order to calculate π interactions between molecules containing π-electrons. As a check whether it was the minimal Slater orbital basis of the INDO calculation which was causing the inaccuracies when these results were used in long-range calculations, non-empirical ab initio minimal STO basis were carried out for the system Li+–H2. While the energy differences between the separated fragments and the intermediate supermolecule resulting from this ab initioSTO calculations gave an accurate ion-induced dipole energy, use of the corresponding eigenvalues and eigenvectors in the long-range expressions still did not lead to agreement with accurate interaction energies calculations from the Hartree-Fock surface. Examination of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the intermediate supermolecule Li+–H2 indicated the fundamental physical basis for the non-applicability of the approximate long-range expressions.
Emotional and behavioral problems and mental health service utilization of youth living with HIV acquired perinatally or later in life

Abstract This study sought to examine predictors of psychological symptoms and psychiatric service receipt among youth with HIV. Data were from the baseline assessment of Adolescent Impact, a study of 13–21-year-old youth with HIV in three US cities. Between August 2003 and February 2005, participants completed the age-appropriate youth or adult self-report symptom checklists (Achenbach system of empirically based assessment) and reported their psychiatric treatment history. Psychiatric diagnoses were abstracted from medical records. The 164 participating youth living with HIV were Black (81%), female (52%), Heterosexually identified (62%), and perinatally HIV-infected (60%). Thirty-one percentage reported levels of internalizing (i.e., self-focused/emotional), externalizing (i.e., outwardly focused/behavioral), or overall symptoms consistent with clinical psychopathology. In multivariate analyses, questioning one's sexual identity was associated with greater internalizing problems, whereas identifying as...
LRU-based column-associative caches

The column-associative cache is a direct-mapped cache that may be accessed more than once, each time with a different hash function, to satisfy a memory request. In the column-associative cache, the possible locations that a line can reside in defines the column. The original scheme relies on a rehash bit array to guide the replacement policy within the column. A subsequent proposal uses an index vector to speed up the cache search within the column. In this paper, we consider the idea of using the Least-Recently-Used (LRU) information to guide both the replacement policy and the search order. Results from trace-driven simulations using the SPEC95 benchmark suite show that the LRU-based scheme can achieve better or at least comparable performance.
2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine Therapy for Disseminated Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CDA), a purine nucleoside analogue, in treating disseminated Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). Patients and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 5 patients who were seen at our institution for histologically confirmed disseminated LCH, including 1 patient with central nervous system parenchymal involvement. These patients were treated consecutively with 2-CDA chemotherapy between December 1994 and January 2001. The patients ranged in age from 19 to 81 years, and the median pretreatment duration of disease was 23 months. Median follow-up after initiation of 2-CDA treatment was 33 months. 2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine was used as frontline therapy for 1 patient and as salvage therapy for the other patients. Patients generally received 0.7 mg/kg over 5 or 7 days; the median number of courses was 4. Results Complete responses were achieved in 3 patients, including the patient with central nervous system disease, which, to our knowledge, has not been described previously. Two other patients achieved partial responses. The overall response rate was 100%. Toxic effects consisted mainly of myelosuppression; 1 patient developed dermatomal herpes zoster infection. Conclusion Our experience confirms the reported efficacy of 2-CDA in the treatment of LCH; however, the optimal timing and schedule of therapy remain to be determined.
Simulation modeling of the effect of climatic factors on bluetongue virus infection in Australian cattle herds. I. model formulation, verification and validation

Abstract A state transition model based on matrix formulation was used to investigate the infection of Australian cattle herds with bluetongue viruses. The model was simulated until the prevalence of bluetongue virus infection stabilized (a period of approximately 25–30 simulated years). The model behaved in an appropriate manner given the introduction of an infectious disease agent into a naive cattle population. Validation was achieved by comparing the prevalence of infection predicted by the model for a set of input climatic values with the prevalence of bluetongue virus infection observed in a serological survey of cattle herds in Queensland, Australia. No significant difference was detected (P > 0.05) and a strong correlation was found between observed and predicted prevalence of infection (r = 0.75). Sensitivity analysis was performed by systematically varying the value of input climatic parameters. The model was robust, except at very low minimum temperatures that are rarely reached in Queensland. We considered the model satisfactory for quantitatively investigating the effect of climatic factors on the infection of Australian cattle herds with bluetongue viruses.
Effects of postnatal anti-NGF on the development of CGRP-IR neurons in the dorsal root ganglion.

Experiments were undertaken to examine anatomical correlates of physiological effects of rabbit sera raised against nerve growth factor (anti-NGF) on nociceptive afferents. This antiserum has been shown to deplete the population of A-δ high threshold mechanoreceptors and to reduce neurogenic vasodilatation. Because numerous studies implicate calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP)- containing sensory neurons in these effects, immunocytochemical and anatomical techniques were used to examine the normal development of CGRP-immunoreactive (-IR) neurons in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of rats from 13 days to 19 weeks of age, and to compare this to the development in rats treated neonatally (postnatal days 2-14) with anti-NGF. In controls the rate of increase in the mean diameter of CGRP-IR cells was substantially greater between 13 days and 5 weeks of age than it was between 5 weeks and 19 weeks, in contrast to CGRP-negative neurons whose rate of growth remained relatively constant. Anti-NGF had no significant effect on growth rate, but rats treated with anti-NGF exhibited a reduced proportion of CGRP-IR neurons at 5 weeks. This deficit was reversed by 19 weeks unlike the physiological changes. These results indicate independent regulation of CGRP expression and nociceptor physiology by NGF. J. Comp. Neurol. 392: 489–498, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Machining and surface integrity of fibre-reinforced plastic composites

The current focus of manufacturing research on fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP) is composed of the search for efficient processing techniques capable of providing high quality machined surfaces. Very limited work has been performed to identify the influence of manufacturing processes like edge-trimming and drilling on material performance. Recent reports suggest that process-induced damage may affect the mechanical behaviour of FRP materials. Therefore an experimental study of orthogonal cutting was conducted on the edge trimming of unidirectional and multi-directional graphite/epoxy composites with polycrystalline diamond tools. The effects of tool geometry and operating conditions were evaluated from an analysis of chip formation, cutting force, and machined surface topography. All aspects of material removal were found to be primarily dependent on fibre orientation. Discontinuous chip formation was noted throughout this study, regardless of machining parameters. Three distinct mechanisms in the edge trimming of fibre-reinforced composite material including a combination of cutting, shearing, and fracture along the fibre/matrix interface were observed. An investigation conducted on the compression, flexural and impact strength of graphite/epoxy composites machined by both traditional and non-traditional techniques, confirms that manufacturing characteristics may not only affect bulk properties but also influence the initiation and propagation of failure.
Supportive evidence for the validity of the epidemiologic necropsy for gallstones.

Objective:The epidemiologic necropsy measures the occurrence of unsuspected disease through the examination of necropsy records of patients who died for other reasons. The estimates of unsuspected disease derived from the epidemiologic necropsy should approximate what actually occurs in the living population. Design/setting:To test this hypothesis, all necropsy records of adult patients at the University of Kansas Medical Center from 1950 to 1984 were examined for the presence of gallstones. Patients with previous cholecystectomy or whose gallstones were diagnosed during life were excluded. The data were stratified by age and race and compared with those of a screening survey from Canada, a surgical series from New York, two screening surveys from Italy, and one from Denmark. The crude necropsy detection rates and the rates from the screening surveys were standardized to the 1970 federal census for Kansas City. Results/conclusions:The standardized occurrence rates were similar and suggest that the epidemiologic necropsy accurately assesses the occurrence of asymptomatic gallstones in the living population, thus strengthening its validity as a research tool.
Solving deterministic problems by stochastic approximation

Abstract Stochastic approximation originally proposed by Robbins and Monro for stochastic problems is shown to be an effective computational tool for the numerical solution of deterministic problems. Some of the striking features of this approach are: Convergence can be proved for a general function and no differentiations or partial derivatives are needed. With some modifications of the required constant for deterministic problems, convergence can be accelerated considerably. To illustrate the approach, both algebraic equations and 2-point boundary value problems in ordinary differential equations are solved. Although these two classes of problems are quite different, they can be solved by essentially the same iterative approach. This shows the advantage and the generality of the method. Only 1-dimensional problems are investigated. Multidimensional problems and optimization problems with and without constraints will be discussed in other papers.
Co-pyrolysis reaction rates and activation energies of West Virginia coal and cherry pit blends

Abstract Bringing our society to a carbon-neutral, clean-energy future is an evolutionary process that must combine technological advances with available infrastructure. By co-firing biomass in existing coal-fired power plants, we can utilize standing equipment to increase the share of renewables in energy generation portfolios. This study investigates the pyrolysis behavior of blends of sweet cherry pit stones and a West Virginia coal using thermogravimetric analysis at a heating rate of 100 K/min under nitrogen to determine mass loss rates and global activation energies as a function of blend composition. Derivative thermogravimetric curves show two distinct peaks for the fuel blends at temperatures corresponding to peaks for the pure cherry pits and coal. The peak mass loss rates for blends are higher than predicted using an additive scheme at the lower temperature peak and lower than predicted at the higher temperature peak. Global activation energies determined using a first order Arrhenius equation were higher than predicted by a linear addition scheme at lower temperatures, and lower than predicted at higher temperatures, suggesting that the incorporation of the cherry pit biomass may promote devolatilization of the coal at lower temperatures.
Skeletal muscle-smooth muscle interaction: An unusual myoelastic system

The serratus superficailis metapatagialis (SSM) of pigeons is a skeletal muscle with unusual properties. It lies between the ribs and the trailing edge of the wing, where it is attached to the skin by a system of smooth muscles having elastic tendons. Wing movements during flight induce marked changes in this muscle's length. The SSM inserts onto the deep fascia, and at its termination the skeletal muscle contains large numbers of microtubules. Many myofibrils attach to leptomeric organelles, which then attach to the terminal end of the skeletal muscle fiber. The deep fascia next connects to the dermis of the skin by bundles of smooth muscles that have elastic tendons at both ends. This system allows large movements of the muscle while preventing its fibers from overstretching. The movements and presumed forces acting at this muscle make the presence of sensory receptors such as muscle spindles unlikely. Spindles are absent in this muscle.
Determination of water content in pharmaceutical hydrates by differential scanning calorimetry

Abstract Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Karl Fischer titrimetry (KFT) are the most commonly used techniques for determination of the water content of pharmaceutical solids. We here report a novel method of determining water content of drug hydrates by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The method is based on the hypothesis that the enthalpy of binding of n moles of water molecules in the hydrate (enthalpy of dehydration, ΔHd) is the same as that of n moles of water molecules in liquid water (nΔHv), where ΔHv is the enthalpy of vaporization of water. From the literature value of ΔHv and the ΔHd value for each dehydration endotherm the number of moles of water associated with each endotherm was calculated. This approach was applied to several non-ionic drug hydrates, such as hydrates of ampicillin, Carbamazepine, caffeine and theophylline, and to several metal salts of nedocromil. The results obtained by DSC agree well with the KFT and TGA data. Since enthalpy is a state function, the applicability of the above hypothesis does not necessarily support any particular mechanism of dehydration. The above hypothesis was also tested using the dehydration endotherms in the literature for a variety of organic and inorganic hydrates. For those hydrates which give more than one dehydration endotherm by DSC, it is hypothesized that each dehydration endotherm corresponds to a specific binding state or location of water molecules in the crystal lattice. Using this method, it is possible to apportion the water content in each location. The DSC method described cannot be applied when the dehydration endotherm overlaps another peak, such as a polymorphic change, melting, sublimation or decomposition, but can, in principle, be extended to other solvents of crystallization in organic and inorganic solvents. The method may complement the TGA and KFT methods and provide additional information about water binding in pharmaceutical solids.
Anaesthesia and the liver: history and epidemiology.

A PROVEN DAMAGING EFFECT of an anaesthetic agent on the human liver is an adverse drug reaction, and must receive its final evaluation by studies, conducted in sick human populations, of both the efficacy and the toxicity of the drug. Such studies fall within the province of the epidemiologist, and must rely on the techniques he has developed for their conduct. MacMahon e t al. 1,2 have divided the "Strategy of Epidemiology" into four steps. First, descriptive epidemiology, or the search for variables associated with a disease, and second, formulation of hypotheses, or the drawing up of tentative theories regarding the most direct causal associations possible between the disease and the variables associated with it. The final two steps, aimed at testing hypotheses, are analytic epidemiology (non-experimental studies ), and experimental epidemiology (prospective randomized clinical trials). Non-experimental studies can be of two types, case-control (case-history) studies and cohort studies. In case-control studies, two groups of patients, one affected with the disease under study and the other not so affected, are selected: the incidence of exposure to the suspected causal factor is then compared. In cohort studies, two groups of patients, one of which suffers exposure to the causal factor under study and the other of which does not, are selected. The groups are then observed to determine the proportion of each group that develops the disease under study. These studies may be either retrospective or prospective in nature; case-control studies are of necessity retrospective in nature. The effect of halothane upon the human liver has only been investigated satisfactorily by means of cohort studies.
Olfactory receptor trafficking to the plasma membrane

Olfactory receptors typically exhibit poor plasma membrane localization and functionality when heterologously expressed in most cell types. It has therefore proven difficult to effectively study olfactory receptor pharmacology and signaling mechanisms using traditional cell culture systems. Over the past few years, a variety of distinct proteins have been reported to interact with olfactory receptors and facilitate olfactory receptor trafficking to the plasma membrane in heterologous cells. Advances in this area have shed significant light on the fundamental factors governing the cell-specific control of olfactory receptor trafficking.
GEC1-kappa Opioid Receptor Binding Involves Hydrophobic Interactions GEC1 has Chaperone-Like Effect

We demonstrated previously that the protein GEC1 (glandular epithelial cell 1) bound to the human κ opioid receptor (hKOPR) and promoted cell surface expression of the receptor by facilitating its trafficking along the secretory pathway. Here we showed that three hKOPR residues (Phe345, Pro346, and Met350) and seven GEC1 residues (Tyr49, Val51, Leu55, Thr56, Val57, Phe60, and Ile64) are indispensable for the interaction. Modeling studies revealed that the interaction was mediated via direct contacts between the kinked hydrophobic fragment in hKOPR C-tail and the curved hydrophobic surface in GEC1 around the S2 β-strand. Intramolecular Leu44-Tyr109 interaction in GEC1 was important, likely by maintaining its structural integrity. Microtubule binding mediated by the GEC1 N-terminal domain was essential for the GEC1 effect. Expression of GEC1 also increased cell surface levels of the GluR1 subunit and the prostaglandin EP3.f receptor, which have FPXXM and FPXM sequences, respectively. With its widespread distribution in the nervous system and its predominantly hydrophobic interactions, GEC1 may have chaperone-like effects for many cell surface proteins along the biosynthesis pathway.