cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ivy: a read/write peer-to-peer file system

Ivy is a multi-user read/write peer-to-peer file system. Ivy has no centralized or dedicated components, and it provides useful integrity properties without requiring users to fully trust either the underlying peer-to-peer storage system or the other users of the file system.An Ivy file system consists solely of a set of logs, one log per participant. Ivy stores its logs in the DHash distributed hash table. Each participant finds data by consuiting all logs, but performs modifications by appending only to its own log. This arrangement allows Ivy to maintain meta-data consistency without locking. Ivy users can choose which other logs to trust, an appropriate arrangement in a semi-open peer-to-peer system.Ivy presents applications with a conventional file system interface. When the underlying network is fully connected, Ivy provides NFS-like semantics, such as close-to-open consistency. Ivy detects conflicting modifications made during a partition, and provides relevant version information to application-specific conflict resolvers. Performance measurements on a wide-area network show that Ivy is two to three times slower than NFS.
Improved functional outcome for severely injured children treated at pediatric trauma centers

Background: Controversy exists regarding the impact of pediatric trauma centers (PTC) on survival for injured children. However, functional outcome for children treated at PTC compared with adult trauma centers (ATC) has not been evaluated. Methods: An analysis of children entered in the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcome Study between 1993 and 1997 was conducted. Patients were stratified according to type of trauma center: PTC; Level I ATC; Level II ATC; or ATC with added qualifications (AQ). Functional outcome at discharge was analyzed. Results: For severely injured children, there was an overall trend toward improved functional outcome at PTC compared with ATC AQ and ATC I, but no difference compared with ATC II. PTC showed improved functional outcome at discharge for head injury compared with ATC AQ and ATC I. Conclusion: There is an overall trend toward improved functional outcome at discharge for children treated at PTC compared with those treated at ATC AQ and ATC I. Improved outcome for head injury may be a key factor contributing to improved outcome at PTC.
Pectus excavatum and carinatum: the how, when, and why of surgical correction.

Abstract Combining our cases with those of the cooperating surgeons we can report 114 cases operated upon prior to April of 1964 with 100 excellent cosmetic and functional results, 12 fair and two poor. All cases have been followed more than five years. † †The combined series now numbers over 200 cases with no deaths and improved results indicated for the second 100 cases. When these additional cases have been followed a minimum of five years, a new report will be made.
Stroke in patients with isolated IgM anticardiolipin antibody.

Eight of 90 patients with ischemic neurologic events were found to have persistent, isolated high-level IgM anticardiolipin antibodies. Strokes were multiple in four patients. Six patients were under 50 years of age at the time of the first stroke.
Influenza and schizophrenia: A possible connection with the substantia nigra

The neurovirulent influenza virus of the 1918 pandemic induced clinical schizophrenia. The biochemistry, the neurovascular anatomy, the afferent connections, and the efferent connections of the substantia nigra suggest that a (Na+K)-ATPase injury could be a cause of some positive schizophrenias. The genetic trait in schizophrenia may be an inheritable susceptibility to an infectious agent.
Representations and Ostrowski type inequalities on time scales

Here, we give univariate and multivariate representations of the Montgomery type for hybrid functions on time scales. Based on these, we establish univariate and multivariate Ostrowski type inequalities on time scales domains. These compare the average of a function to its values. The estimates involve the higher order delta and nabla derivatives and partial derivatives. We finish with applications on the time scales R and Z.
Precipitation of calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate under diffusion controlled mixing

Abstract Multi-component mineral precipitation in porous, subsurface environments is challenging to simulate or engineer when in situ reactant mixing is controlled by diffusion. In contrast to well-mixed systems, the conditions that favor mineral precipitation in porous media are distributed along chemical gradients, which evolve spatially due to concurrent mineral precipitation and modification of solute transport in the media. The resulting physical and chemical characteristics of a mixing/precipitation zone are a consequence of coupling between transport and chemical processes, and the distinctive properties of individual chemical systems. We examined the spatial distribution of precipitates formed in “double diffusion” columns for two chemical systems, calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate. Polyacrylamide hydrogel was used as a low permeability, high porosity medium to maximize diffusive mixing and minimize pressure- and density-driven flow between reactant solutions. In the calcium phosphate system, multiple, visually dense and narrow bands of precipitates were observed that were reminiscent of previously reported Liesegang patterns. In the calcium carbonate system, wider precipitation zones characterized by more sparse distributions of precipitates and a more open channel structure were observed. In both cases, formation of precipitates inhibited, but did not necessarily eliminate, continued transport and mixing of the reactants. A reactive transport model with fully implicit coupling between diffusion, chemical speciation and precipitation kinetics, but where explicit details of nucleation processes were neglected, was able to qualitatively simulate properties of the precipitation zones. The results help to illustrate how changes in the physical properties of a precipitation zone depend on coupling between diffusion-controlled reactant mixing and chemistry-specific details of precipitation kinetics.
Postcesarean delivery adhesions associated with delayed delivery of infant.

Objective The purpose of this study was to estimate the incidence of adhesions after cesarean deliveries and to determine their impact on delivery and infant well-being. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort analysis with chart review. The charts of 542 women who had undergone primary (265 women) or repeat cesarean (277 women) deliveries were reviewed. The incidence, severity, and locations of adhesions; delivery time; cord blood pH, and Apgar scores were noted. Results After the first cesarean delivery, 100 of 217 women (46%) had pelvic adhesive disease; 48 of 64 women (75%) who underwent a third cesarean delivery and 5 of 6 women (83%) who underwent a fourth cesarean delivery had formed pelvic adhesive disease. Compared with primary cesarean section, delivery of the infant was delayed 5.6 minutes (52%) with 1 previous cesarean birth, 8.5 minutes (79%) after 2 cesarean birth, and 18.1 (169%) during the fourth cesarean birth ( P Conclusion A high percentage of cesarean deliveries result in adhesive disease, which delays repeat cesarean delivery of the fetus. The potential for adhesive disease should be included in counseling regarding primary elective cesarean births.
Activity-Based Protein Profiling of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1

The protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) are SAM-dependent enzymes that catalyze the mono- and dimethylation of peptidyl arginine residues. PRMT1 is the founding member of the PRMT family, and this isozyme is responsible for methylating ∼85% of the arginine residues in mammalian cells. Additionally, PRMT1 activity is aberrantly upregulated in heart disease and cancer. As a part of a program to develop isozyme-specific PRMT inhibitors, we recently described the design and synthesis of C21, a chloroacetamidine bearing histone H4 tail analogue that acts as an irreversible PRMT1 inhibitor. Given the covalent nature of the interaction, we set out to develop activity-based probes (ABPs) that could be used to characterize the physiological roles of PRMT1. Herein, we report the design, synthesis, and characterization of fluorescein-conjugated C21 (F-C21) and biotin-conjugated C21 (B-C21) as PRMT1-specific ABPs. Additionally, we provide the first evidence that PRMT1 activity is negatively regulated in a spa...
Phase I/II study, combination of radiotherapy and hyperthermia in patients with deep-seated malignant tumors: Report of a pilot study by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group

This is a report of a Phase I/II study activated in March 1984 and completed in October 1988 by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group on the feasibility/toxicity of hyperthermia in patients with deep-seated malignant tumors. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the morbidity of regional hyperthermia (systemic and regional, acute and late effects); a secondary objective was to evaluate tumor response to combined irradiation and regional hyperthermia. A total of 54 patients with locally advanced abdominal or pelvic malignancy were accrued to this study; 42% were male and 58% female. Seventy-five of the patients had pelvic tumors and 25% abdominal tumors. Acute toxicities included grade 4 in three patients (1 cutaneous, 1 infection and 1 chemical peritonitis) one grade 3 (skin), and 12 grade 2 toxicities (6 skin and 6 gastrointestinal). With regard to late toxicities, grade 4 was noted in one patient (skin), grade 3 (GI) in one, and grade 2 (skin, peripheral neuropathy) in six patients. The prescribed course of hyperthermia was completed in 17 (32%) of patients. In 36 patients (68%) the course of hyperthermia was terminated, primarily because of patient discomfort. Tumor response was assessed by physical examination or radiological studies. Of 44 patients evaluable for response, there were 17 (39%) complete responses and 6 (14%) partial responders. Significant technical problems in heat delivery and thermometry remain.
Design and Synthesis of Novel α1a Adrenoceptor-Selective Dihydropyridine Antagonists for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

We report the synthesis and evaluation of novel α1a adrenoceptor subtype-selective antagonists. Systematic modification of the lipophilic 4,4-diphenylpiperidinyl moiety of the dihydropyridine derivatives 1 and 2 provided several highly selective and potent α1a antagonists. From this series, we identified the 4-(methoxycarbonyl)-4-phenylpiperidine analogue SNAP 5540 (−) [(−)-63] for further characterization. When examined in an isolated human prostate tissue assay, this compound was found to have a Ki of 2.8 nM, in agreement with the cloned human receptor binding data (Ki = 2.42 nM). Further evaluation of the compound in isolated dog prostate tissue showed a Ki of 3.6 nM and confirmed it to be a potent antagonist (Kb = 1.6 nM). In vivo, this compound effectively blocked the phenylephrine-stimulated increase in intraurethral pressure (IUP) in mongrel dogs, at doses which did not significantly affect the arterial pressure (diastolic blood pressure, DBP), with a DBP Kb/IUP Kb ratio of 16. In addition, (−)-63 ...
Isolation of an azide mutagenic metabolite in Salmonella typhimurium.

Abstract A scheme that employs a cation-exchange column and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) is devised to isolate and process large quantities of azide metabolite produced by S. typhimurium TA1530 strain. The mutagenic metabolite adheres strongly to the cation-exchange column, thus providing a convenient way to separate the metabolite from unreacted azide (N3−). The metabolite is very polar and only sparingly soluble in most organic solvents. Recrystallization in a methanol-carbontetrachloride solvent system gave rise to microcrystalline material that decomposes with charring and gas evolution at 173–176°C. The infrared spectrum indicates the presence of a covalently bound azide moiety.
Transcriptional regulation of the GnRH receptor gene by glucocorticoids

Expression of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor gene is stimulated by dexamethasone in GnRH-deficient rodents. In this study we identify a 1226 bp sequence at the 5'-flanking region of the mouse GnRH-R gene that confers dexamethasone responsiveness when expressed in host cells. Further, a glucocorticoid antagonist blocks transcriptional activity of the mGnRHR promoter. Progressive 5'-deletion of the mGnRHR promoter localized the response sequence between the -331/-255 region. Analysis of this region revealed binding sites for the AP-1 transcription factor. Mutation in AP-1 modified the functional activity of the mGnRHR promoter following GnRH agonist or dexamethasone-stimulation. Using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay, a protein complex is shown to bind to the AP-1 site. These results suggest that AP-1 proteins and glucocorticoid receptor regulate transcription of the GnRH-R promoter in a heterologous system.
Nanoparticle-mediated gene delivery: state of the art

With the development of genomic and proteomic technologies, the prospect for gene therapy has progressed rapidly. This has been partly possible due to the emergence of a diverse array of polymeric and non-polymeric nanoparticles that are being investigated for their ability to deliver genes and drugs. In this review, particles have been pragmatically divided as chitosan-related and chitosan-unrelated nanomaterials. The state of the art in terms of the development, characterisation and evaluation of their in vitro and/or in vivo potential is discussed for each of these various particles. Although substantial progress has been made, the potential of these particles in the clinical arena and human responses remain to be evaluated. It is hoped that this review will provide an impetus for further studies of these particles, with the ultimate intent that one or more of these diverse nanoparticle-based non-viral approaches for gene transfer will translate from ‘bench to bedside’ in the future.
A role for androgen reduction treatment in Kennedy disease

Over the past 4 years, there have been 3 published reports of randomized, placebo-controlled trials of androgen reduction therapy in patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA, Kennedy disease). 1–3 Despite clear evidence of efficacy of androgen reduction in transgenic mouse models, 4,5 the clinical trials, which studied 2 different drugs, leuprorelin and dutasteride, and included 50–200 subjects followed for up to 2 years, did not show significant benefits compared with placebo in the primary outcome measures [the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) functional rating scale, barium swallow, and quantitative muscle assessment, respectively]. There was evidence for efficacy in secondary outcome measures in an open-label extension and with post hoc subgroup analysis of patients symptomatic for less than 10 years; this left open the possibility of unproven benefit that might emerge with longer treatment. Now, a small, open-label study reported in this issue indicates that androgen reduction with leuprorelin does not prevent disease progression over a longer period (3.5 years).6 The primary outcome measure in this study was leg strength. There are shortcomings of such a small-scale, uncontrolled study: Would patients on placebo have fared worse? Would a different, perhaps more sensitive and clinically meaningful outcome measure have shown benefit? Would patients closer to disease onset, or even before the onset of weakness, have done better? Here again, a subset analysis indicates that patients early in the disease course, with higher baseline testosterone levels, may do better with the treatment. Secondary outcome measures such as the 10 m timed walk and ALS Functional Rating Scale did not show a significant decline, and serum creatine kinase levels decreased with treatment. It is still possible that androgen reduction has some benefit in SBMA, particularly in younger patients with higher testosterone levels before treatment. However, based on the results of these studies, it is unlikely that such a benefit, if present, amounts to much for the typical patient. It is clear that this is not the treatment that patients and clinicians would like, one that improves muscle function or stops the disease progression over time. One problem may be that androgen reduction, while perhaps preventing the toxicity of the mutant androgen receptor protein, exacerbates the loss of androgen receptor function that also occurs in SBMA, and deprives patients of the anabolic benefits of endogenous androgens on muscle. The positive correlation of testosterone levels with muscle strength found in this and previous studies supports this conjecture.6,7 Other therapeutic approaches, currently under investigation and also beneficial in mouse models, may do better in patients.8 Further well-designed clinical trials are needed to address this possibility.
Buckling and Post-buckling of Composite Plates and Shells Subjected to Elevated Temperature

Effects of temperature on buckling and post-buckling behavior of reinforced and unstiffened composite plates or cylindrical shells are considered. First, equilibrium equations are formulated for a shell subjected to the simultaneous action of a thermal field and an axial loading. These equations are used to predict a general form of the algebraic equations describing the post-buckling response of a shell. Conditions for the snap-through of a shell subjected to thermomechanical loading are formulated. As an example, the theory is applied to prediction of post-buckling response of flat large-aspect-ratio panels reinforced in the direction of their short edges. 19 refs.
Importance and Effect of Nitrogen on Crop Quality and Health

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the importance and effect of nitrogen on crop quality and health. Nitrogen is often the most limiting factor in crop production. Hence, application of fertilizer nitrogen results in higher biomass yields and protein yield and concentration in plant tissue is commonly increased. Nitrogen often affects amino acid composition of protein and in turn its nutritional quality. In cereals, abundant supply of nitrogen decreases the relative proportion of lysine and threonine, thus, reducing the biological value of the protein. Increasing nitrogen supply generally improves kernel integrity and strength, resulting in better milling properties of the grain. In oil seed crops, protein levels are increased upon nitrogen fertilization, whereas oil concentration is decreased. Effects of nitrogen fertilization on oil composition and quality are inconsistent.
‘Stronger than men and braver than knights’: women and the pilgrimages to Jerusalem and Rome in the later middle ages

Women who participated in the long-distance pilgrimages to Jerusalem and Rome in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries faced a variety of economic and social barriers. Based upon the pilgrimage narratives of Margery Kempe, Felix Fabri, and others, this article examines the strategies women used to overcome those barriers both before and during the journey. While resistance to women’s pilgrimages was strong, in part, because they did not fit their quotidian roles as caregivers, it was nevertheless to aspects of those same normative roles that women appealed in order to justify their pilgrimages and shield themselves from censure during their journeys.
Transamination of Leucine and Nitrogen Accretion in Human Pregnancy and the Newborn Infant

Kinetics of leucine and its oxidation were determined in human pregnancy and in the newborn infant, using stable isotopic tracers, to quantify the dynamic aspects of protein metabolism. These data show that in human pregnancy there is a decrease in whole-body rate of leucine turnover compared with nonpregnant women. In addition, data in newborn infants show that leucine turnover expressed as per kg body weight is higher compared with adults. The administering of nutrients resulted in a suppression of the whole-body rate of proteolysis. Because nonessential amino nitrogen is an important component of nutritional nitrogen and can be limiting for growth under certain circumstances, and because BCAA are an important source of nonessential amino nitrogen, we have examined the relations among the transamination of leucine, leucine N kinetics, and urea synthesis and glutamine kinetics in human pregnancy and newborn infants. In human pregnancy, early in gestation, there is a significant decrease in urea synthesis in association with a decrease in the rate of transamination of leucine. A linear correlation was evident between the rate of leucine reamination and urea synthesis during fasting in pregnant and nonpregnant women. In healthy-term newborn and growing infants, although the reamination of leucine was positively related to glutamine flux, leucine reamination was negatively related to urea synthesis, suggesting a redirection of amino N toward protein accretion. The regulatory mechanism involved in this redirection of nitrogen from irreversible loss to accretion remains under investigation.
Phosphatase 2A Negatively Regulates Mitotic Exit in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Cdc5 kinase is a component of mitotic exit network (MEN), which inactivates cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) after chromosome segregation. cdc5-1 mutants arrest at telophase at the nonpermissive temperature due to the failure of CDK inactivation. To identify more negative regulators of MEN, we carried out a genetic screen for genes that are toxic to cdc5-1 mutants when overexpressed. Genes that encode the B-regulatory subunit (Cdc55) and the three catalytic subunits (Pph21, Pph22, and Pph3) of phosphatase 2A (PP2A) were isolated. In addition to cdc5-1, overexpression of CDC55, PPH21, or PPH22 is also toxic to other temperature-sensitive mutants that display defects in mitotic exit. Consistently, deletion of CDC55 partially suppresses the temperature sensitivity of these mutants. Moreover, in the presence of spindle damage, PP2A mutants display nuclear localized Cdc14, the key player in MEN pathway, indicative of MEN activation. All the evidence suggests the negative role of PP2A in mitotic exit. Finally, our genetic and biochemical data suggest that PP2A regulates the phosphorylation of Tem1, which acts at the very top of MEN pathway.
Geometric morphometrics: Ten years of progress following the ‘revolution’

The analysis of shape is a fundamental part of much biological research. As the field of statistics developed, so have the sophistication of the analysis of these types of data. This lead to multivariate morphometrics in which suites of measurements were analyzed together using canonical variates analysis, principal components analysis, and related methods. In the 1980s, a fundamental change began in the nature of the data gathered and analyzed. This change focused on the coordinates of landmarks and the geometric information about their relative positions. As a by-product of such an approach, results of multivariate analyses could be visualized as configurations of landmarks back in the original space of the organism rather than only as statistical scatter plots. This new approach, called “geometric morphometrics”, had benefits that lead Rohlf and Marcus (1993) to proclaim a “revolution” in morphometrics. In this paper, we briefly update the discussion in that paper and summarize the advances in the ten years since the paper by Rohlf and Marcus. We also speculate on future directions in morphometric analysis.
Designing Deaf Babies and the Question of Disability

This article explores the recent controversy surrounding a Deaf lesbian couple's deliberate attempt at finding a Deaf donor to increase their chances of having a d/Deaf baby. Many have criticized the Deaf couple for harming their child; Deaf advocates have responded that the couple's decision reflects a natural cultural desire. This article seeks to explore how the medical model of disability implicitly used on both sides of the debate has obscured important points. Once this controversy takes into consideration the social construction of disability, the ethical defense of seeking a deaf child gains further support. This leads to the ironic claim that seeking a deaf child could actually mitigate the conditions of disability within the family.
Stereospecific synthesis of N-acyl-(E)-vinyl-, dienyl-, and enynylsulfoximines

A β-tosylvinylsulfoximine, 5, was used as the common starting point for the preparation of the title compounds. Treatment of 5 with “higher-order cuprates” or trialkylalanes (with a Pd(II) catalyst) afforded NTBDMS-(E)-vinylsulfoximines, whereas dienylsulfoximines and enynylsulfoximines were obtained by treatment with divinylalanes and alkynylalanes in a Pd(0)-catalyzed process. The N-pivaloyl derivative of each sulfoximine was readily prepared.
On elastic, workhardening solids

Abstract A set of integral equations is established for the rate of change of the stress field that corresponds to a given rate of loading from a given elasto-plastic state in an elastic, workhardening solid. An approximate method is developed for the solution of these integral equations in three- and two-dimensional elasto-plastic problems. The results are applied to one-dimensional structures, such as continuous beams, and explicit solutions are obtained.
Why Is Research on the Effects of Negative Campaigning So Inconclusive? Understanding Citizens’ Perceptions of Negativity

Prior research has produced inconclusive results concerning the effects of negative campaigning. Researchers’ reliance on encyclopedic, even-handed measures of the tone of campaigns may help account for this inconsistency, for such measures are unlikely to reflect the way that most citizens process information about campaigns. Testing this argument by analyzing data from three 1998 gubernatorial campaigns, we observe a lack of consensus in citizens’ perceptions of these campaigns, a lack of convergence between citizens’ perceptions and social science-style classifications of these campaigns, and an array of biasing factors in citizens’ perceptions.
Parameter Estimation for Mover-Stayer Models Analyzing Depression Over Time

Mover-stayer models provide an important tool for analyzing changes in attitudinal and psychological states over time. Two general methods are presented for estimating the parameters of the mover-stayer model that are asymptotically efficient and straightforward to calculate using available computer programs. These methods provide procedures for estimating parameters for various modifications of the first-order mover-stayer model. Data from a study of depression among adults are used to illustrate how methods for estimating parameters of the mover-stayer model under various hypotheses can be employed to test the validity of the assumptions of the mover-stayer model.
Prevention of oxidative DNA damage by bioactive berry components.

The hormone 17s-estradiol (E2) causes oxidative DNA damage via redox cycling of its metabolites such as 4-hydroxy estradiol (4E2). In this study, ACI rats (8 wk old) were fed either AIN-93M diet or diets supplemented with 0.5% each of mixed berries (strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, and red and black raspberry), blueberry alone (BB; 2.5%), or ellagic acid (EA; 400 ppm) from 2 wk prior to and up to 12 wk of E2 treatment. The liver DNA was analyzed for the presence of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxodG) and other polar adducts by 32P-postlabeling. Compared to sham treatment, E2 significantly increased the levels of both 8-oxodG and P-1 subgroup (259% and 214%, respectively; P< 0.05). EA diet significantly reduced E2-induced levels of 8-oxodG, P-1, P-2, and PL-1 by 79, 63, 44, and 67%, respectively (P< 0.001). BB diet also significantly reduced the levels of P-1, P-2, and PL-1 subgroups by 77, 43, and 68%, respectively (P< 0.001). Mixed berries were, however, ineffective. In addition, aqueous extracts of ber...
Entropy-constrained tree-structured vector quantizer design by the minimum cross entropy principle

The authors address the variable rate tree-structured vector quantizer design problem, wherein the rate is measured by the quantizer's entropy. For this problem, tree pruning via the generalized Breiman-Friedman-Olshen-Stone (1980) algorithm obtains solutions which are optimal over the restricted solution space consisting of all pruned trees derivable from an initial tree. However, the restrictions imposed on such solutions have several implications. In addition to depending on the tree initialization, growing and pruning solutions result in tree-structured vector quantizers which use a sub-optimal encoding rule. To remedy the latter problem, they consider a "tree-constrained" version of entropy-constrained vector quantizer design. This leads to an optimal tree-structured encoding rule for the leaves. In practice, though, improvements obtained in this fashion are limited by the tree initialization, as well as by the sub-optimal encoding performed at non-leaf nodes. To address these problems, they develop a joint optimization method which is inspired by the deterministic annealing algorithm for data clustering, and which extends their previous work on tree-structured vector quantization. The method is based on the principle of minimum cross entropy, using informative priors to approximate the unstructured solution while imposing the structural constraint. As in the original deterministic annealing method, the number of distinct codevectors (and hence the tree) grows by a sequence of bifurcations in the process, which occur as solutions of a free energy minimization. Their method obtains performance gains over growing and pruning methods for variable rate quantization of Gauss-Markov and Gaussian mixture sources. >
Estimating the extent of cascading transmission line outages using standard utility data and a branching process

The number of transmission line outaged is one measure of the extent of a cascading disturbance. An initial number of lines outaged can lead to a cascading propagation of further outages. We estimate the amount by which line outages propagate from standard utility data that is reported annually to NERC by transmission owners for the Transmission Availability Data System. Given an assumption about the initial lines outages, we estimate the distribution of the total number of outages after cascading from the amount of propagation and a probabilistic branching process model of the cascading.
Interindividual Variability and Intra-Individual Reproducibility of Glycemic Index Values for Commercial White Bread

OBJECTIVE —We sought to assess the intra- and interindividual variability of glycemic index value determinations for white bread using glucose as the reference food. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —A total of 23 healthy adults (aged 20–70 years) completed up to three sets of two visits per set. Each pair of visits assessed the glycemic response to 50 g available carbohydrates from commercial white bread and glucose, administered in random order. Glycemic index values were calculated by dividing the 2-h incremental area under the serum glucose response curve after each commercial white bread challenge by the mean area under the curve (AUC) for glucose. RESULTS —The mean ± SE ratio of the AUC after white bread intake by the AUC after glucose intake for the first set of determinations was 78 ± 15 ( n = 23; coefficient of variation [CV] 94%). When using glycemic index values calculated with the subset of participants who completed three sets of tests ( n = 14), glycemic index values for each of the three sets of determinations were 78 ± 10, 60 ± 5, and 75 ± 10, respectively. CVs were 50, 28, and 50%, respectively. The mean glycemic index value of these three sets was 71 ± 6, with a CV of 30%. When an ANOVA approach was applied to these data, the interindividual CV was 17.8%, and the intra-individual variation was 42.8%. CONCLUSIONS —These data suggest that in response to a challenge of white bread relative to glucose, within-individual variability is a greater contributor to overall variability than among-individual variability. Further understanding of all the sources of variability would be helpful in better defining the utility of glycemic index values.
WikiLeaks and the Authority of Knowledge

This article outlines how providing accessible transparency to information controlled by institutions of power and suppressed from public view is both similar in purpose to, as well as an essential component of, the pedagogical processes promoted by Paulo Freire, which are necessary for the establishment of a truly just and non-oppressive society. It asserts fundamental philosophical, instrumental, and ethical connections between organizations such as WikiLeaks and Freire's program of dialogic education towards undermining the foundations of societal-based ignorance, upon which the maintenance of structures of oppression are dependent.
SPRING STOPOVER AND REFUELING AMONG MIGRANT PASSERINES IN THE SIERRA DE LOS TUXTLAS, VERACRUZ, MEXICO

Abstract The narrowing of the North American continent at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec creates an important geographic bottleneck for songbirds on their northward spring migrations. The Sierra de Los Tuxtlas, in the northwestern portion of the Isthmus, provide an ideal location from which to address questions of resource use and fuel acquisition during migration. We operated mist nets during morning and evening to capture passerines during spring migration in 2003 and 2004. Seven of 13 taxa had significant diurnal increases in body condition (an index of size-adjusted mass): Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus), Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magnolia), Kentucky Warbler (Oporornis formosus), Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina), Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum), and Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla). All of these species, except Ovenbird, also had a significant increase in fat score. Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea) had a significant increase in fat score but not i...
Effects of Age and Conditions of Exposure on Maternally Mediated Food Selection by Lambs

Abstract We studied how age and conditions of exposure with mothers affected lambs' abilities to select and avoid foods. Ewes in the treatment group were allowed to eat Amelanchier alnifolia , but were conditioned, with lithium chloride, to avoid Cercocarpus montanus . Ewes in the control group were allowed to eat both foods. After the mothers were conditioned, lambs with their mothers were exposed for 5 min day −1 on 5 consecutive days to A. alnifolia and C. montanus offered simultaneously: the two shrub species were located at opposite ends of a 5 m × 5 m exposure pen. Half of the lambs in the treatment and control groups were 6 weeks of age and half were 12 weeks of age. During exposure. ewes in the treatment group did not ingest C. montanus , but ewes in the control group took nearly the same number of bites per 5 min of A. alnifolia and C. montanus . During exposure, lambs 6 and 12 weeks of age in the treatment group took fewer ( P C. montanus than lambs in the control group. Following exposure, lambs were weaned and then tested 7 days later for preferences. Preference index (PI) values were calculated as the fraction of the total bites taken per 5 min of C. montanus . Treatment lambs exposed at 6 weeks of age had a lower PI for C. montanus than did control lambs during trials of 5 min day −1 for 7 days (PI=0.15 vs. 0.51; P P C. montanus did not differ for treatment lambs exposed at 6 or 12 weeks of age (PI = 0.15 vs. 0.19; P > 0.05). Nine weeks after exposure, the PI of treatment lambs for C. montanus was less ( P C. montanus (PI=0.21 vs. 0.28; P > 0.05). The results show that lambs offered two foods simultaneously took more bites of the food consumed by their mothers and less bites of the food avoided by the mothers.
Recommendation or Evaluation? Task Sensitivity in Information Source Selection

Ironically, when consumers turn to an information source to assist in decision making, they are faced with the added responsibility of having to make a decision about the information source itself. A normative model is presented that shows that consumer assessment of an information source should include both the task for which an information source is sought and the appropriate probability of success for the task. A key distinction between tasks is whether or not the consumer knows the agents' (or prospective agents') ratings of the alternative in question at the time of his or her assessment of the information source. A series of experiments is presented that examines consumer assessment of the diagnosticity of one type of information source, consumer agents (e.g., movie critics and stock analysts) across the three common tasks of seeking recommendations, seeking evaluations, and choosing between agents who have provided conflicting advice. Results show that consumers frequently select inferior agents for providing recommendations and choose product alternatives that should be avoided because of a failure to recognize when a task calls for a conditional rather than overall assessment of agent prior performance. A final study attempts to isolate the reasons for these shortcomings by examining the process underlying consumer diagnosticity assessment of information sources. Implications and future research to address and improve consumer assessment of information sources across tasks are discussed.
Implementation of Spatiotemporal Model for Infrastructure Reconstruction Strategy Under Large-Scale Disaster

The reconstruction strategy chosen to repair damaged transportation network infrastructure after an unscheduled event is important in returning the disrupted economy to the status preceding the event. Furthermore, the strategy determines how fast the national economy will recover. Previous research has shown how damage to the transportation network has significant direct and indirect impacts on the national economy. The optimal sequence or priority for reconstruction of damaged links must be developed to restore the economy quickly. Common issues from the previous research on finding the optimal reconstruction strategy are (a) lack of consideration of the national economic impact, (b) lack of integration of the traffic flow and commodity flow models, and (c) lack of consideration of the spatiotemporal characteristics of the economy. To overcome these issues, this paper suggests a spatiotemporal model for finding the optimal reconstruction strategy after an unscheduled event based on an earlier model. The paper discusses the framework for finding the optimal reconstruction strategy by using the spatiotemporal analysis model for a posteriori unscheduled event (STAM-2).
Embryology, Adrenal Gland, Mouse

Knowledge concerning the embryogenesis of the adrenal is essential to the correct interpretation of the pathologic processes which affect this gland. The following review is offered to augment the few reports in the literature on the adrenal of the mouse (Waring 1935; Politzer 1936; McPhail and Read 1942; Rugh 1968; Fernholm 1971; Theiler and Muntener 1974). The most detailed studies are those of Theiler and Muntener (1974), who examined embryos of C57BL/6 and CBA mice. The embryos ranged in age from 10.5 days post gestation to birth; the specimens were serially sectioned. Theiler (1972) also reported on the embryogenesis of other organs of the laboratory mouse based on studies in which serial sectioning techniques were used. In his study, embryogenesis of the adrenal gland cortex and medulla were discussed in relation to the embryogenesis of the other organs.
Local Production of Chemokines during Experimental Vaginal Candidiasis

Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, caused by Candida albicans, is a significant problem in women of childbearing age. Although cell-mediated immunity (CMI) due to T cells and cytokines is the predominant host defense mechanism against C. albicans at mucosal tissue sites, host defense mechanisms against C. albicans at the vaginal mucosa are poorly understood. Based on an estrogen-dependent murine model of vaginal candidiasis, our data suggest that systemic CMI is ineffective against C. albicans vaginal infections. Thus, we have postulated that local immune mechanisms are critical for protection against infection. In the present study, the kinetic production of chemokines normally associated with the chemotaxis of T cells, macrophages (RANTES, MIP-1α, MCP-1), and polymorphonuclear neutrophils (MIP-2) was examined following intravaginal inoculation of C. albicans in estrogen-treated or untreated mice. Results showed significant increases in MCP-1 protein and mRNA in vaginal tissue of infected mice as early as 2 and 4 days postinoculation, respectively, that continued through a 21-day observation period, irrespective of estrogen status. No significant changes were observed with RANTES, MIP-1α, or MIP-2, although relatively high constitutive levels of RANTES mRNA and MIP-2 protein were observed. Furthermore, intravaginal immunoneutralization of MCP-1 with anti-MCP-1 antibodies resulted in a significant increase in vaginal fungal burden early during infection, suggesting that MCP-1 plays some role in reducing the fungal burden during vaginal infection. However, the lack of changes in leukocyte profiles in vaginal lavage fluids collected from infected versus uninfected mice suggests that MCP-1 functions to control vaginal C. albicans titers in a manner independent of cellular chemotactic activity.
Design trends and test challenges in automotive electronics

Electronics design has been driven by three major trends in recent years: going green, health & safety and connected intelligence. These three trends converge for automotive electronics design, driving the need for energy-efficient, intelligent and reliable chip products. This increases design complexity and demands for higher-quality products. Historically, test of automotive chip products has been a critical part to ensure that the quality demand is met. The recent trends present greater ever challenges for test of automotive chip products, including managing the enormous test data, dealing with new defect mechanisms, controlling the test cost while achieving the customer demand of zero defect rate. This talk discusses these challenges and two potential directions to overcome the challenges: Built-in Self Test (BIST) and data mining driven intelligent test. We will explain why BIST and test data mining are crucial for automotive electronics and how test is value-added for automotive chip products and not cost.
Electrostethography. II. New method for study of precordial transmission of cardiodynamics.

Abstract 1. 1. The method involves direct conversion of the cardiac forces at the precordium into electrical impulses, followed by amplification and conversion to light deflections by electrostatic means. 2. 2. Calibration is in absolute units, and conditions for predictable operation have been determined and applied to the development of a method applicable to clinical study. 3. 3. Some of the results of precordial study using multiple identical microphones are presented. 4. 4. The method is applicable to the study of cardiodynamics as transmitted to the precordium and prompts a reidentification of various phases of the cardiac cycle in the normal and diseased heart.
Apolipoprotein A-I and Cancer

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) and apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), the predominant protein in plasma HDL, have long been the focus of intense studies in the field of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. ApoA-I, in large part, is responsible for HDL assembly and its main atheroprotective function, that of shuttling excess cholesterol from peripheral tissues to the liver for excretion (reverse cholesterol transport). Recently, a protective role for HDL in cancer was suggested from several large clinical studies where an inverse relationship between plasma HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and risk of developing cancer was noted. This notion has now been tested and found to be supported in mouse tumor studies, where increasing levels of apoA-I/HDL were discovered to protect against tumor development and provision of human apoA-I was therapeutic against established tumors. This mini-review discusses the emerging role of apoA-I in tumor biology and its potential as cancer therapeutic.
Graphene nanoelectronics

Graphene, a two-dimensional (2D) material with the highest intrinsic carrier mobility and many desirable physical properties at room temperature, is considered a promising material for ultrahigh speed and low power applications. [1–3] Ultra-thin body enables the ultimately scaled-down device feasibility. (Fig. 1) Here we report the graphene nanoelectronics progress in synthesizing wafer-scale monolayer-controlled graphene and fabricating high-speed graphene FETs (GFET) with the highest value reported cut-off frequency (f T ) approaching 100 GHz.
The Performance of Vibration Controlled Transient Elastography in a US Cohort of Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

The Performance of Vibration Controlled Transient Elastography in a US Cohort of Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Framework for analysis of joint impact of atmospheric turbulence and refractivity on laser beam propagation

A physics-based model for analysis of atmospheric turbulence and refractivity impact on laser beam propagation is proposed and analyzed. Numerical simulation example shows that strong refractive index gradient layer can result in spatial anisotropy of laser beam characteristics.
Paleoecology of a low-diversity Silurian community from the Tofta Beds of Gotland

The Silurian (Wenlockian) Tofta Beds at Galgberget 1, Gotland, Sweden, formed in a protected intertidal setting. Massive fenestral limestone at this locality contains a low diversity community dominated by stromatoporoids, calcareous algae, and ostracods, with less common rugose corals, bryozoans, brachiopods, and trilobites. Abundance of stromatoporoids, which form about 40% of sediment volume, suggests reef-like conditions. The Tofta community differs from typical Silurian reef communities, however, in its low diversity, very limited tiering, and absence of groups such as crionozoans and tabulates. These differences are possibly due to intertidal conditions which precluded upward growth of a mound structure and subjected the community to periodic desication.
Abstract 5276: CXCL7/CXCR2 axis and invasion

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Introduction: The CXCL7/CXCR2 axis interfaces with matrix molecules whereby the chemokine CXCL7 binds heparan sulfate and the G-protein-linked receptor CXCR2. CXCL7-transfected breast cells acquire the ability to invade through Matrigel. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of inhibition of heparan sulfate binding and CXCR2 binding on invasion. Methods: Stably transfected breast cells (MCF10AT) were tested with CXCL7-siRNA, and a specific CXCR2 antagonist (SB225002). Inhibition was verified by real time PCR and heparanase ELISA assay. Matrigel invasion assays were performed. Results: [SB225002][1] and CXCL7 siRNA blocked invasion through Matrigel as compared to controls (p<0.01), and CXCL7 siRNA significantly decreased heparanase activity (p<0.01). Conclusion: Interfering with either heparan sulfate binding by CXCL7 or its binding to CXCR2 leads to decreased invasion through Matrigel. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5276. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=GEN&access_num=SB225002&atom=%2Fcanres%2F70%2F8_Supplement%2F5276.atom