cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Competition Between Adjacent Meiotic Recombination Hotspots in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In a wild-type strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a hotspot for meiotic recombination is located upstream of the HIS4 gene. An insertion of a 49-bp telomeric sequence into the coding region of HIS4 strongly stimulates meiotic recombination and the local formation of meiosis-specific double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs). When strains are constructed in which both hotspots are heterozygous, hotspot activity is substantially less when the hotspots are on the same chromosome than when they are on opposite chromosomes.
Contemporary Drug Development in Heart Failure: Call for Hemodynamically Neutral Therapies

Until now, successful drug development in chronic heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection (HFrEF) has followed a conceptual model of targeting the secondary consequences of HF and its associated peripheral maladaptive processes leading to cardiovascular adverse remodeling. Step-wise modulation of angiotensin-II, the adrenergic system, and aldosterone have contributed to reductions in mortality in chronic HFrEF. Moreover, other vasodilators, such as hydralazine and nitrates, have improved outcomes in African American patients with HFrEF. Similarly, the combination of a neprilysin inhibitor and an angiotensin-II receptor blocker (ARB) provided incremental improvement in cardiovascular outcomes albeit at the cost of a higher risk of hypotension. The introduction of many other novel HFrEF agents beyond these therapies has largely failed, and the outcomes for these patients, especially after hospital discharge, have remained relatively stagnant and exceedingly high.1 To date, almost all disease-modifying therapies in HFrEF cause blood pressure lowering as an intended or unintended consequence. Low systolic blood pressure (SBP), which may reflect the extent of myocardial reserve, is one of the strongest determinants of clinical course in ambulatory and hospitalized patients with HFrEF.2–4 Hypotension, especially in high-risk or susceptible patients, presents a major hurdle to the contemporary HFrEF drug development paradigm and will likely pose an even greater obstacle once sacubitril/valsartan achieves widespread clinical application. The continued addition of hemodynamically active novel agents does not seem to be a practical or sustainable approach to further optimize HFrEF outcomes. Herein, we critically explore recent trends in the HFrEF drug development pipeline and discuss the importance of shifting to a strategy of developing therapies that directly target primary cardiac abnormalities without significantly influencing blood pressure or heart rates. Optimal blood pressure is critical for maintaining adequate coronary and renal perfusion pressures, especially in patients with overt or subclinical vascular disease. Patients with …
von Willebrand factor: polymorphism predicts prompt polypeptide proteolysis

von Willebrand factor (VWF) has at least 3 important hemostatic roles: (1) bound to collagen, it captures platelets from rapidly flowing blood at sites of vessel wall injury; (2) it is able to cross-link platelets during aggregation, particularly at sites of high fluid shear stress; and (3) it
A multiscale framework for Compressive Sensing of video

Compressive Sensing (CS) allows the highly efficient acquisition of many signals that could be difficult to capture or encode using conventional methods. From a relatively small number of random measurements, a high-dimensional signal can be recovered if it has a sparse or near-sparse representation in a basis known to the decoder. In this paper, we consider the application of CS to video signals in order to lessen the sensing and compression burdens in single- and multi-camera imaging systems. In standard video compression, motion compensation and estimation techniques have led to improved sparse representations that are more easily compressible; we adapt these techniques for the problem of CS recovery. Using a coarse-to-fine reconstruction algorithm, we alternate between the tasks of motion estimation and motion-compensated wavelet-domain signal recovery. We demonstrate that our algorithm allows the recovery of video sequences from fewer measurements than either frame-by-frame or inter-frame difference recovery methods.
Bounding the strong chromatic index of dense random graphs

Abstract For a graph G, a strong edge coloring of G is an edge coloring in which every color class is an induced matching. The strong chromatic index of G, χ s (G) , is the smallest number of colors in a strong edge coloring of G. Palka (Austral. J. Combin. 18 (1998) 219–226), proved that if p=p(n)=Θ(n−1), then with high probability, χs(G(n,p))=O(Δ(G(n,p))). Recently Vu (Combin. Probab. Comput. 11 (2002) 103–111), proved that if n −1 ( ln n) 1+δ ⩽p=p(n)⩽n −e for any 0 δ , then with high probability, χs(G(n,p))=O((pn)2/ln(pn)). In this note, we prove that if p=p(n)>n−e for all e>0, then with b=(1−p)−1, with high probability, (1− o (1))(p n 2 / log b n)⩽χ s (G(n,p))⩽(2+ o (1))(p n 2 / log b n) .
Population regulation of the native holly leafminer, Phytomyza ilicicola Loew (Diptera: Agromyzidae), on American holly

Three sources of mortality, intraspecific competition, parasitism, and early leaf abscission, were investigated to determine their importance in regulating populations of the leafminer Phytomyza ilicicola Loew (Diptera: Agromyzidae) on cultivated American holly trees. Spatial aggregation of leafminers among leaves resulted in density-dependent mortality from interference and from intraspecific competition for nutritional resources. Pupal weight of survivors decreased significantly as within-leaf density increased. Within-tree parasitism of P. ilicicola by Opius striativentris (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) ranged from 3%–58%, but parasitism was independent of host density both for individual leaves and on a tree-wide spatial scale. The incidence of early leaf abscission was significantly higher for mined than for unmined leaves, with about 14% of the mined leaves abscising before the adult leafminers emerged. There was high mortality of both P. ilicicola and O. striativentris within fallen leaves. These results are discussed in relation to recent hypotheses concerning the role of competition, parasitism, and early leaf abscission in population regulation of leafminers.
Biocompatible controlled release polymers for delivery of polypeptides and growth factors

The development of biocompatible, controlled release systems for macromolecules has provided the opportunity for researchers and clinicians to target and deliver, on site, biologically active factors. This advance has also facilitated the purification and characterization of a number of important biomolecules. These systems include controlled release delivery systems which release proteins through porous polymer matrices, degradable polymeric delivery systems, and modulated polymer release systems. These areas of research will be reviewed with regards to their design, release kinetics, and biocompatibilities. The utilization of these systems to release such biologically important polypeptides as growth factors (e.g., fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor-B) as well as a number of important inhibitory factors (e.g., nitrosoureas, angiogenesis inhibitors) in both in vivo and in vitro studies will be discussed.
Relationship of whole body and egg essential amino acid patterns to amino acid requirement patterns in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

Abstract 1. 1. The amino acid composition of channel catfish eggs and whole body tissue of three different sizes of channel catfish were determined. 2. 2. Regression analysis indicated a significant correlation between the essential amino acid requirements and the content of the same amino acids in whole body tissue of channel catfish. 3. 3. A lower correlation was found when the requirement values were regressed against the egg values. 4. 4. This relationship should serve as a valuable index to evaluate amino acid requirement data as determined by growth studies and to formulate test diets for those species where requirement data are not available.
Comparative morphology and the rise of paleobotany

Abstract In the past half century paleobotany in North America has progressed from a subdiscipline of comparative morphology to a broadly based, analytical, interpretative, sometimes experimental subject. Major advances have been made in the area of early land plants, Carboniferous floras, palynology, Precambrian evolution and angiosperms. Important new directions have been initiated, e.g., the use of cladistics, geochemistry, broad surveys of changes in diversity, analyses of radiations and extinctions.
New and future immunomodulatory therapy in type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a common autoimmune disease that affects millions of people worldwide and has an incidence that is increasing at a striking rate, especially in young children. It results from the targeted self-destruction of the insulin-secreting β cells of the pancreas and requires lifelong insulin treatment. The effects of chronic hyperglycemia – the result of insulin deficiency – include secondary endorgan complications. Over the past two decades our increased understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease has led to the development of new immunomodulatory treatments. None have yet received regulatory approval, but this report highlights recent progress in this area.
STUDIES OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE PERMEABILITY IN PREGNANT RATS.

SummaryConnective tissue permeability was studied in pregnant and non-pregnant (control) rats by measuring the intradermal infusion rate of an Evans blue solution, alone and in combination with ascorbic acid. Dermal connective tissue permeability when tested by this method was not altered by pregnancy.
Another type of profundus tendon avulsion: Combined with an extraarticular fracture of the terminal phalanx

A different variant of a profundus tendon avulsion is described, in which the avulsed tendon injury (Leddy and Packer Type I, II, or III) is associated with an extraarticular fracture of the distal phalanx.
The Aztec, Frida Kahlo, and Cinco de Mayo: Mexico in Children's Literature

The authors provide an overview of children's books published in the United States during the last decade (2000–2010) that deal with Mexico and Mexican people. Suggested guidelines for selecting quality books and a list of award-winning titles are included as resources for teaching about Mexico.
Iron absorption by rats fed tannins extracted from bean hulls

Abstract Nutritional balance and whole-body radioassay procedures were used to assess the effects of tannins extracted from hulls of beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) on iron (Fe) absorption by male rats fed test meals labeled extrinsically with 59 Fe. Tannin in single meals did not affect 59 Fe absorption by moderately anemic, growing rats when 59 Fe was added directly to the whole meal or when it was added to casein before it was incorporated into the meal. However, addition of 59 Fe to either bean tannin or to tannic acid prior to including it in the meal depressed 59 Fe absorption compared to that from tannin-free meals. In growing, anemic rats fed diets with O, .06, .125, .25 or .5% tannin before and after test meals, 59 Fe absorption averaged about 82, 81, 72, 72 and 71% of the dose, respectively; absorption of 59 Fe by rats fed diets with either O or .06% tannin was greater than that of rats fed the other diets. These data suggest a threshold effect of tannins on inhibition of Fe absorption. Similarly, compared to rats fed a tannin-free diet, 59 Fe absorption was depressed in growing, Fe-adequate rats fed a diet with .5% tannin. In contrast, tannins did not affect 59 Fe absorption by mature rats. Although some impairment in Fe absorption in growing rats resulted from consumption of tannin-containing diets for several days, bean tannins consumed as part of typical diets probably have little adverse effect on Fe absorption.
Rheumatology reaction pattern survey

Abstract A husband-wife co-therapy team, working in clinical collaboration with the rheumatologists of the Phoenix Arthritis Center, has devised a questionnaire, the Rheumatology Reaction Pattern Survey (RRPS), that measures external and internal stress, containment of feelings, anticipation of change, hope, and interpersonal relationships. The questionnaire was given to 302 consecutive outpatients, and the results tabulated and a T-test run on various parameters to compare results and determine sta tistical validity. The survey will be repeated in one and five years to further test hypotheses that have arisen from this project.
Small gas turbine technology

Abstract Small Gas Turbine Technology: Small gas turbine, in the power range up to 500 kW, requires a recuperated thermodynamic cycle to achieve an electrical efficiency of about 30%. This efficiency is the optimum, which is possible for a cycle pressure ratio of about 4–1. The cycle airflow is function of the power requirement. To increase the efficiency, in view to reduce the CO 2 emission, it is mandatory to develop a more efficient thermodynamic cycle. Different thermodynamic cycles were examined and the final choice was made for an Intercooled, Recuperated cycle. The advantage of this cycle, for the same final electrical efficiency of about 35%, is the smaller cycle airflow, which is the most dimensional parameter for the important components as the heat exchanger recuperator and the combustion chamber. In parallel with the thermodynamic cycle it is necessary to develop the High Speed Alternator technology, integrated on the same shaft that the gas turbine rotating components, to achieve the constant efficiency at part loads, from 50% up to 100%, by the capacity to adjust the engine speed at the required load. To satisfy the stringent requirement in pollutant emissions of NO x and CO, the catalytic combustion system is the most efficient and this advance technology has to be proven. The major constraints for the small gas turbine technology development are the production cost and the maintenance cost of the unit. In the power range of 0–500 kW the gas turbine technology is in competition with small reciprocating engines, which are produced in large quantity for automotive industry, at a very low production cost.
Crystal structure of the bis-pocket porphyrin aquo(tetramesitylporphinato)zinc(II)

Abstract The crystal structure of aquo(tetramesitylporphinato) zinc(II) ([Zn(TMP)(OH2)]) is reported. Crystal data for [Zn(TMP)(OH2)]· 1 21 H2O: ZnO1.5- N4C56H55, tetragonal, space group I4/m, a = 18.392(10), c=8.804(3) A Z=2. The crystal packing of [Zn(TMP)(OH2)] is compared to that of the tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) analogue which has the same solid state arrangement (space group I4/m, M. D. Glick, G. H. Cohen and J. L. Hoard, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 89 (1967) 1996). [Zn(TMP)- (OH2)] packs with a substantially lower density than [Zn(TPP)(OH2)]. The effect of the bulky mesityl-methyl groups on crystal packing is discussed. Analysis of various assumed arrangements of molecules having only the needed bulky 2- and 6-methyl groups show that the intermolecular contacts are dominated by these substituents. This study suggests that any porphyrin system with o-methyl substituted ligands is not likely to form a high-density packing arrangement.
On limb radiance calculations and convergence of relaxation type retrieval algorithms

Several approaches to the solution of the radiative transfer equation assume either Curtis-Godson average or linear change of the source function across grid segments. When such solutions are used for calculating limb radiances, the peak radiance response to the source function perturbation at tangent point i is displaced down to the tangent point i+1. This effect is explained through a geometric argument. Temperature profile retrievals performed by applying the ratio of signals at level i+1 for correcting temperature at level i demonstrate dramatic convergence acceleration of the iterative relaxation scheme.
Phenological patterns in a southern Amazonian tropical forest: implications for sustainable management

Abstract Phenological transects were employed to assess monthly leaf, flower, unripe fruit and ripe fruit abundance for a total of 1732 individual plants within five tropical forest habitats at the ‘Lago Caiman Research Camp’, Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, northeastern Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. Fruit surveys along trails were conducted concomitantly to assess fruit availability for the resident terrestrial frugivore community. The results of the two methodologies are compared and discussed with respect to wildlife and forest management in the region. Phenological transects revealed that Cerrado forest, tall forest, low vine forest, Sartenejal (swamp) forest, and pied mont (premontane) forest, showed seasonal variations in flower, unripe fruit and ripe fruit abundance, however, the broad temporal patterns were significantly different across habitats. Seasonal variation in overall foliage abundance was only marked for Cerrado forest. Ripe fruit production within the study site was not significantly different across months, with different habitats peaking asynchronously in abundance. From a frugivory perspective, overall ripe fleshy fruit abundance also varied considerably between habitats, and again showed asynchronous peaks in habitat production. However, both methodologies revealed the early dry season (June–July) as a period of ripe fleshy fruit scarcity throughout the study area. This period represents a resource ‘bottleneck’ for the resident frugivore community and phenological results allowed the identification of a number of keystone fruit resources for the region. Furthermore, fruit resources which are super-abundant in the early–mid wet season (November–February) might also be considered keystone resources for the region, given that they are available in an otherwise fruit scarce forest. The dynamic spatial patterning of fruit availability at Lago Caiman suggests that certain habitats might be considered keystone habitats, since they provide the majority of fruit resources on a seasonal basis. Finally, the potential of phenological information in tropical forest management plans is discussed and underlined by the observation that rainfall in itself fails to predict fruit availability in the dominant habitats at Lago Caiman.
An algorithm for fast constrained nuclear norm minimization and applications to systems identification

This paper presents a novel algorithm for efficiently minimizing the nuclear norm of a matrix subject to structural and semi-definite constraints. It requires performing only thresholding and eigenvalue decomposition steps and converges Q-superlinearly to the optimum. Thus, this algorithm offers substantial advantages, both in terms of memory requirements and computational time over conventional semi-definite programming solvers. These advantages are illustrated using as an example the problem of finding the lowest order system that interpolates a collection of noisy measurements.
Aberration analysis calculations for synchrotron radiation beamline design

The application of ray deviation calculations based on aberration coefficients for a single optical surface for the design of beamline optical systems is reviewed. A systematic development is presented which allows insight into which aberration may be causing the rays to deviate from perfect focus. A new development allowing analytical calculation of lineshape is presented.
Hosting dynamic data in the cloud with Isis2 and the Ida DHT

The big-data community generally favors a two stage methodology whereby data is first collected, then uploaded for analysis using tools like MapReduce. During analysis the data won't change; this simplifies fault-tolerance and makes it worthwhile to cache intermediary results. In contrast, when it is necessary to capture data continuously and query it on the fly, cloud storage and access technologies must be reexamined. Isis2 aims at such scenarios, offering a base set of mechanisms that replicate data and perform computation with strong consistency and other assurance properties, then layering higher level abstractions over this core. Here we a focus on a subsystem called the Isis2 interactive data analysis infrastructure: Ida. Ida is a strongly-consistent distributed key-value store on which surprisingly complex computational tasks are feasible.
Immunoengineering: How Nanotechnology Can Enhance Cancer Immunotherapy

Although cancer immunotherapy can lead to durable outcomes, the percentage of patients who respond to this disruptive approach remains modest to date. Encouragingly, nanotechnology can enhance the efficacy of immunostimulatory small molecules and biologics by altering their co-localization, biodistribution, and release kinetics.
Dissolved silica concentrations and reactions in pore waters from continental slope sediments offshore from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, USA

The pore water concentrations of dissolved silica in sediment cores from the continental slope offshore from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, varied from 150 to almost 700 μ,M with depth in the top 40 cm of sediment. Sediment cores from 630 to 2010 m depth had very similar profiles of dissolved silica in their pore waters, even though these cores came from regions greatly different in slope, topography, sedimentation rate, and abundance of benthic macrofauna. Cores from 474 to 525 m were more variable, both with respect to pore water dissolved silica profiles, and with respect to sediment texture. Experiments indicate that both the rate of dissolution of silica and the saturation concentration decrease as sediment depth below the sediment-seawater interface increases. These data are consistent with depletion of a reactive silica phase in surface sediment, which may be radiolarian tests, or the alteration of biogenic silica to a less reactive form over time. Experimental results suggest that the pore water dissolved silica concentration in sediments below the top few centimeters may be higher than the sediments could now achieve. The flux of dissolved silica out of these sediments is estimated to be 15 μmoles cm−2 yr−1.
Galanin-acetylcholine interactions: Relevance to memory and Alzheimer's disease

The neuropeptide, galanin, and its receptors are localized in the cholinergic basal forebrain and its projection areas in mammalian brain. Centrally administered galanin inhibits acetylcholine release in the rat ventral hippocampus, and produces deficits in learning and memory tasks. In Alzheimer's disease, galanin is overexpressed in terminals innervating the nucleus basalis of Meynert cell bodies. Selective galanin receptor antagonists provide a novel approach for increasing cholinergic function, as a potential adjunct to the clinical treatment of dementias.
Morphometric affinities of the human shoulder

A recent discussion by Corruccini and Ciochon ('76) implies that previous multivariate morphometric studies of the shoulder, reviewed in Oxnard ('73), have been misinterpreted because due allowance was not made for the overall sizes of the specimens. Results that were given functional significance in the earlier investigations are cited as being due at least in part to overall bodily size. Although examination of the range of genera selected for mention by Corruccini and Ciochon seems superficially to support this view, it is demonstrated here that examination of the full range of genera in the earlier studies refutes, unequivocally, that suggestion. The discussion by Corruccini and Ciochon ('76) also implies that the more complex size correction applied in their study produces a result different from that of the previous workers. Again, although perusal of the particular part of the earlier study selected for discussion by Corruccini and Ciochon would appear to bear that out, it is demonstrated here that comparisons with all parts of the earlier results provide a different picture. Thus the main result of Corruccini and Ciochon replicates rather closely a more restricted part of the earlier result not mentioned by Corruccini and Ciochon. The difference between Corruccini and Ciochon's principal result and the main result of the prior authors is shown to rest upon the difference between the more restricted earlier study of “residual” shoulder dimensions and the other broader studies; i.e., not upon any multivariate manipulation, but upon the inclusion in the broader study of a wider range of information about the shape of the primate shoulder. Knowledge of these and other points is important in assessing the overall contribution of the discussion of Corruccini and Ciochon.
Nature of the Vasodilator and Vasoconstrictor Receptors in Skeletal Muscle of the Dog

Femoral blood flow and arterial pressure responses to stimulation of the lumbar sympathetic chain at L3, L4 and L5 were compared with responses to intra-arterial injections of l-epinephrine and l-norepinephrine before and after progressively increasing levels of adrenergic blockade, and after atropine. The vasoconstrictor responses to nerve stimulation resembled most closely those caused by l-norepinephrine injections at all levels of blockade. Atropine blocked the dilator responses to sympathetic nerve stimulation and reduced reversal responses to l-norepinephrine injections but had no effect on the dilator responses to l-epinephrine. It is concluded that, in skeletal muscle, there are three types of vasoreceptors under autonomic control. Two of these, one constrictor and one dilator, are innervated; the third, a dilator receptor, is only under hormonal control.
Algorithm 666: Chabis: a mathematical software package for locating and evaluating roots of systems of nonlinear equations

CHABIS is a mathematical software package for the numerical solution of a system of n nonlinear equations in n variables. First, CHABIS locates at least one solution of the system within an n-dimensional polyhedron. Then, it applies a new generalized method of bisection to this n-polyhedron in order to obtain an approximate solution of the system according to a predetermined accuracy. In this paper we briefly describe the user interface to CHABIS and present several details of its implementation, as well as an example of its usage.
Development of new no-flow underfill materials for both eutectic Sn-Pb solder and a high temperature melting lead-free solder

In recent years, no-flow underfill technology has drawn more attention due to its potential cost-savings advantages over conventional underfill technology, and as a result several no-flow underfill materials have been developed and reported. However, most of these materials are not suitable for lead-free solder, such as Sn/Ag (m.p. 225/spl deg/C), Sn/Ag/Cu (m.p. 217/spl deg/C), applications that usually have higher melting temperatures than the eutectic Sn-Pb solder (m.p. 183/spl deg/C). Due to the increasing environmental concern, the demand for friendly lead-free solders has become an apparent trend. This paper demonstrates a study on two new formulas of no-flow underfill developed for lead-free solders with a melting point around 220/spl deg/C. As compared to the G25, a no-flow underfill material developed in our research group, which uses a solid metal chelate curing catalyst to match the reflow profile of eutectic Sn-Pb solder, these novel formulas employ a liquid curing catalyst thus provides ease in preparation of the no-flow underfill materials. In this study, curing kinetics, glass transition temperature (Tg), thermal expansion coefficient (TCE), storage modulus (E') and loss modulus (E'') of these materials were studied with a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), a thermo-mechanical analysis (TMA), and a dynamic-mechanical analysis (DMA), respectively. The pot-life in terms of viscosity of these materials was characterized with a stress rheometer. The adhesive strength of the materials on the surface of silicon chips were studied with a die-shear instrument. The influences of fluxing agents on the materials curing kinetics were studied with a DSC. The materials compatibility to the solder penetration and wetting on copper clad during solder reflow was investigated with both eutectic Sn-Pb and 95.9Sn/3.4Ag/0.7Cu solders on copper laminated FR-4 organic boards.
Audiovisual speech perception in elderly cochlear implant recipients.

Objectives/Hypothesis: This study examined the speech perception skills of a younger and older group of cochlear implant recipients to determine the benefit that auditory and visual information provides for speech understanding. Study Design: Retrospective review. Methods: Pre- and postimplantation speech perception scores from the Consonant-Nucleus-Consonant (CNC), the Hearing In Noise sentence Test (HINT), and the City University of New York (CUNY) tests were analyzed for 34 postlingually deafened adult cochlear implant recipients. Half were elderly (i.e., >65 y old) and other half were middle aged (i.e., 39-53 y old). The CNC and HINT tests were administered using auditory-only presentation; the CUNY test was administered using auditory-only, vision-only, and audiovisual presentation conditions Results: No differences were observed between the two age groups on the CNC and HINT tests. For a subset of individuals tested with the CUNY sentences, we found that the preimplantation speechreading scores of the younger group correlated negatively with auditory-only postimplant performance. Additionally, older individuals demonstrated a greater reliance on the integration of auditory and visual information to understand sentences than did the younger group Conclusions: On average, the auditory-only speech perception performance of older cochlear implant recipients was similar to the performance of younger adults. However, variability in speech perception abilities was observed within and between both age groups. Differences in speechreading skills between the younger and older individuals suggest that visual speech information is processed in a different manner for elderly individuals than it is for younger adult cochlear implant recipients.
Rank minimization via online learning

Minimum rank problems arise frequently in machine learning applications and are notoriously difficult to solve due to the non-convex nature of the rank objective. In this paper, we present the first online learning approach for the problem of rank minimization of matrices over polyhedral sets. In particular, we present two online learning algorithms for rank minimization - our first algorithm is a multiplicative update method based on a generalized experts framework, while our second algorithm is a novel application of the online convex programming framework (Zinkevich, 2003). In the latter, we flip the role of the decision maker by making the decision maker search over the constraint space instead of feasible points, as is usually the case in online convex programming. A salient feature of our online learning approach is that it allows us to give provable approximation guarantees for the rank minimization problem over polyhedral sets. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our methods on synthetic examples, and on the real-life application of low-rank kernel learning.
Fluid management for dengue in children.

AbstractDengue is a serious public health problem worldwide. Dengue shock syndrome (DSS), the severe form of dengue fever, can cause death within 12–24 hours if appropriate treatment is not promptly administered. For patients with DSS and the 30% of non-shocked dengue patients who require intravenous fluid therapy, a range of solutions is available for plasma volume support. Crystalloid solutions, such as normal 0·9% saline or Ringer’s lactate, are the ones most commonly used. In severe cases, colloid solutions may be administered for their greater osmotic effect, although they carry a greater risk of adverse events. This paper summarises the key clinical data, comparing fluid regimens in children with severe dengue, and concludes that the majority of patients with DSS can be treated successfully with isotonic crystalloid solutions. If a colloid is thought necessary, a medium-molecular-weight preparation that combines good initial plasma volume support with good intravascular persistence and an acceptable...
Modernism Made Vernacular: The Brazilian Case

From its early acceptance in the 1940s and 1950s, modern architecture in Brazil has become the vernacular, adapted and adopted by the middle class with the help of contractors and unskilled laborers. Even the poorest favelas are constructed using modernist principles on a scale unmatched in developed nations. The Brazilian case highlights a number of issues regarding the relationship between modernism and vernacular architecture, a topic insufficiently explored in architectural scholarship outside Europe and North America.
An experimental investigation of odd beliefs: individual differences in non-normative belief conviction

Two competing theories for the endorsement of odd beliefs were tested within an experimental setting. After completing a pursuit rotor task and receiving either expectancy-confirming or disconfirming performance feedback, participants were asked to rate their conviction in a series of causal attributions that had been assessed by judges with regard to belief normativeness. The psychosis proneness scores of 163 (89 male and 74 female) college students were found to predict the concurrent endorsement of empirically defined abnormal/odd causal attributions, even after controlling for depression scores. However, conviction ratings were unrelated to both the endorsement of normal causal attributions and to the expectancy confirming/disconfirming nature of the performance feedback. The results demonstrate, within an analog experiment, the relative importance of individual differences in the endorsement of non-normative beliefs.
Bronchoalveolar lavage and opportunistic pulmonary infections.

A point made by this study is that this diag­ nostic technique is associated with an acceptable morbidity in immunosuppressed and thrombocytopenic patients. No bleeding complications were noted (even in patients with very low platelet counts), and a minority of the patients (5 of 100) experienced a transient exacerbation of respira­ tory failure. Nine mechanically ventilated pa­ tients tolerated the procedure well. Stover and colleagues 9 similarly reviewed their results in 97 immunocompromised patients who underwent bronchoalveolar lavage for the evaluation of dif­ fuse infiltrates. Eighteen patients were on as­ sisted ventilation, and 35 had severe thrombocy­ topenia at the time of lavage. These investigators also reported no major complications associated with the procedure. Two patients with thrombo­ cytopenia had an increased amount of blood in the lavage fluid; however, the hemorrhage did not persist. Among their patients, 50% had an in­ crease in temperature after the procedure and a slight increase in infiltrates in the area of lavage, but blood cultures were consistently negative. Several studies have evaluated the safety of diagnostic bronchoalveolar lavage in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In general, most patients with AIDS
NF-κB Negatively Impacts the Myogenic Potential of Muscle-derived Stem Cells

Inhibition of the inhibitor of kappa B kinase (IKK)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway enhances muscle regeneration in injured and diseased skeletal muscle, but it is unclear exactly how this pathway contributes to the regeneration process. In this study, we examined the role of NF-κB in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs). MDSCs isolated from the skeletal muscles of p65+/– mice (haploinsufficient for the p65 subunit of NF-κB) had enhanced proliferation and myogenic differentiation compared to MDSCs isolated from wild-type (wt) littermates. In addition, selective pharmacological inhibition of IKKβ, an upstream activator of NF-κB, enhanced wt MDSC differentiation into myotubes in vitro. The p65+/– MDSCs also displayed a higher muscle regeneration index than wt MDSCs following implantation into adult mice with muscular dystrophy. Additionally, using a muscle injury model, we observed that p65+/– MDSC engraftments were associated with reduced inflammation and necrosis. These results suggest that inhibition of the IKK/NF-κB pathway represents an effective approach to improve the myogenic regenerative potential of MDSCs and possibly other adult stem cell populations. Moreover, our results suggest that the improved muscle regeneration observed following inhibition of IKK/NF-κB, is mediated, at least in part, through enhanced stem cell proliferation and myogenic potential.
Economic evaluations of novel antipsychotic medications: a literature review

Abstract Objective : To evaluate the evidence that novel antipsychotic medications offer a cost advantage compared to traditional antipsychotic medications. Methods : Literature for this review was identified through a computerized search of Medline, Healthstar and Psyc-INFO databases inclusive from January 1989 to January 2002. Articles included in the review were required to include cost evaluation and to be published in peer-reviewed journals. Results : Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria. All five studies that used experimental designs found that second-generation antipsychotic medications were associated with a cost advantage or were cost-neutral, and, in some cases, improved quality of life. Of the ten studies using a pre-post design, four found an increase in total costs, six reported a decrease in total costs, and four reported increased effectiveness with use of a second-generation antipsychotic. All seven of the simulation studies reported a cost advantage for novel antipsychotics for specific patient populations under certain conditions. Conclusions : The majority of studies found that novel antipsychotics are at least cost-neutral and may offer cost advantages compared to traditional agents. Some studies also reported greater improvement in effectiveness and quality of life when novel antipsychotics were compared to traditional antipsychotic medications. However, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions given the small sample sizes and limited study designs available in this literature.
Neither Persons Nor Associations: Against Constitutional Rights for Corporations

This article challenges the practice of extending constitutional rights to corporations. Drawing on recent corporate law scholarship, it shows that a corporation is neither an association of natural persons nor an independent person (or “real entity”) itself. The rights of natural persons thus do not pass to it. Instead, the corporation is an abstract, property-owning legal entity entirely distinct from its members that owes its very existence to a complex of legal privileges granted by government. Having been constituted by government, the corporation cannot properly assert constitutional rights against it. Corporations have only what rights they are granted by charter or statute, and these do not and cannot include constitutional rights.
Working toward More Effective Adult Christian Education: A Case of Youngsville Baptist Church

Youngsville Baptist Church's Sunday School Program, its only avenue for adult Christian education, is not meeting the faith-related educational needs of its congregants, nor is it attracting new participants. This paper represents the author's attempt to analyze and understand the reasons the program is not fulfilling those needs. Recommendations for intentional changes in the adult Christian education at Youngsville Baptist Church are included.
Effect of Coefficient Rounding in Floating-Point Digital Filters

The effect of coefficient rounding in digital filters using floating-point arithmetic is analyzed. An error is defined as the difference between the output of a digital filter realized with a finite number of bits and the output of the same filter using infinite number of bits. It is shown that this error consists of two uncorrelated components. One component is due to the rounding of the arithmetic operations alone, and the other component represents the additional error due to coefficient rounding. Expressions are derived for the mean-square value of the error for the three canonical programming forms. The stability problem is studied by examining the shift of the pole locations due to the coefficient rounding. The mean-square value of the shift is calculated. Good agreement between theoretical and experimental results is obtained.
Parallel machines scheduling with nonsimultaneous machine available time

Abstract In this paper we consider the problem of scheduling n independent jobs on m identical machines in order to minimize the makespan, the total finishing time. The jobs are available at time zero, but some machines may not be available at time zero. This problem is a generalization of the classical multiprocessor scheduling problem, where all machines are available simultaneously at time zero. We first show that the makespan obtained by applying the longest processing time (LPT) algorithm to our generalized problem is always within ( 3 2 − 1 2 m)M∗ and the bound is tight. We then provide a modified LPT (MLPT) algorithm and show that the makespan obtained by MLPT is bounded by 4 3 M∗.
The pyrrole locus is the major orienting factor in ryanodine binding.

Ryanodine, a natural product, is a complex modulator of a class of intracellular Ca2+ release channels commonly called the ryanodine receptors. Ryanodine analogs can cause the channel to persist in long-lived, subconductance states or, at high ligand concentrations, in closed, nonconducting states. In this paper, we further explore the relationship between structure and ryanodine binding to striated muscle. Ryanodine, 3-epiryanodine, and 10-ryanodine are three structural isomers of ryanodine. The dissociation constants of these compounds were measured using rabbit skeletal muscle ryanodine receptors. Placing the pyrrole carbonyl group at the 3-epi- and 10-positions of ryanodol largely restores the large loss of binding energy observed when ryanodine is hydrolyzed to ryanodol. Comparative molecular field analysis successfully predicts the enhanced binding and indicates that the pyrrole group controls the orientation of ligand binding. We propose that the ryanoids are reorientated in the binding site of the...
The Design of Alice

This article explores the major design characteristics (both pedagogic as well as technical) that helped to shape Alice 2. It identifies several strengths of Alice as well as several weaknesses. An example problem is solved in Alice, covering many of the design characteristics. Finally, the effects and impacts of Alice instruction are presented, and the future directions of Alice development are provided.
Extraction and purification of PCR amplifiable DNA from lacustrine subsurface sediments

Abstract An extraction procedure which recovers high quality DNA from microbial communities in lacustrine type sediments has been developed. This method employs direct lysis of cells in an agarose-sediment mixture, electroelution of community DNA, followed by ammonium acetate precipitation for further purification. The extracted community DNA was found to be suitable for PCR amplification with 16S rRNA gene-specific primers when T4 gene 32 protein was present in amplification reactions.
Blackness as a barrier to citizenship and education: situating the example of Dilcia Yean and Violeta Bosico

Pervasive anti-Haitian bias in the Dominican Republic has created a three-pronged barrier for the black population’s inclusion into the Dominican perception of national identity, citizenship and public education system. First, blacks born in the Dominican Republic are not typically considered to be truly Dominican. Rather, they are commonly thought to be Haitian. Second, this biased concept of Dominican identity and citizenship often makes it difficult for blacks to obtain a birth certificate needed to prove their status as Dominican citizens. Third, this undue burden of documentation results in restricted access to public schooling. Each of these issues is at play in the tangled international court battle of two black Dominican girls, Dilcia Yean and Violeta Bosico, who in 1998 sought to force the Dominican government to grant them birth certificates, and in turn, an education.
Literacy Coaching in Wyoming Secondary Schools: A Situational Analysis of Roles in Context.

In 2006, The Wyoming state legislature allocated monies to fund Instructional Facilitators (IFs) in schools around the state. This interview study, developed through situational analysis, explores the roles and responsibilities of IFs in Wyoming secondary schools, and the contextual factors of those schools that impact the work of IFs, particularly those whose work is focused on literacy coaching. Findings from the study include descriptions of common work roles, individual coaching with teachers, providing staff development to groups of teachers, and collection, analysis, management, and interpretation of data. Contextual issues of teacher enrollment and embeddedness in school professional development structure are also presented as of great importance to IFs, and recommendations for IFs’ work in schools, as well as for future research are presented.
Steal affecting the central nervous system.

STEAL IS A pathophysiological process in which increased blood flow through a low-resistance vascular bed is sufficient to divert flow away from a region of the central nervous system. Three disease states in which steal may cause neurological deficits due to central nervous system ischemia are reviewed. Subclavian steal occurs when stenosis of the subclavian artery proximal to the vertebral origin causes retrograde flow in the left vertebral artery. Patients with anatomic subclavian steal usually do not develop neurological symptoms but may rarely present with posterior circulation ischemia. Arteriovenous malformations alter cerebral blood flow patterns and regional perfusion pressure. It has been hypothesized that cerebral arteriovenous malformations may cause neurological deficits due to steal and that these deficits may be cured with arteriovenous malformation treatment. Intra-arterial pressure measurements and transcranial velocity studies show regional hemodynamic alterations. However, these changes have not been correlated with presenting symptoms. Evidence from single-photon emission computed tomography does suggest a relationship between regional hypoperfusion and neurological deficits. Coarctation of the aorta may divert flow from the spinal cord circulation through intercostal arteries distal to the stenosis. This is a possible but unproven mechanism of myelopathology. Steal syndromes may be amenable to treatment by open surgical or endovascular approaches. Experimental studies of the pathophysiology of steal are strengthened by precise definitions of the measured parameters and innovative applications of technology. (Neurosurgery 50:679–689, 2002)
Peripheral neuropathy due to dinitrophenol used for weight loss: something old, something new

The benzene-based compound 2,4-dinitrophenol was developed in the late 19th century, and was used during World War I for manufacture of explosives.1 A number of cases of dinitrophenol poisoning were noted in French munitions plant workers. Acute inisxication caused hyperpyrexia, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea; sympisms of subacute exposure included weight loss. Several workers died.1 The weight-loss observation led is widespread clinical use in the United States in the 1930s as an antiobesity drug, until reports of adverse effects prompted withdrawal from the consumer market in 1938 under pressure from the Food and Drug Administration. Dinitrophenol has continued to be available for industrial uses, including production of dyes, wood preservatives, and pesticides.
How Do Payers Respond to Regulatory Actions? The Case of Bevacizumab

Although insurers varied in terms of public statements regarding coverage intentions, bevacizumab use declined similarly among all payers, suggesting that provider decision making, rather than payer-specific coverage policies, drove reductions.