cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The strength of cell‐mediated xenograft rejection in the mouse is due to the CD4+ indirect response

: Previous studies have shown that CD4+ T cells are responsible for the great strength of cell-mediated xenograft rejection in the mouse. In vitro studies have suggested that this CD4+ response is to xenogeneic antigens that are presented indirectly. The present studies were carried out in order to determine whether the strength of cell-mediated xenograft rejection in vivo is dependent on the CD4+ indirect response. We grafted pig skin onto mice that express class 11 MHC antigens only on their thymic epithelial cells (II-4+ mice). These mice have normal numbers of functional peripheral CD4+ T cells; however they lack class II MHC expression on their antigen presenting cells and are thus incapable of mounting a CD4+ T cell-mediated indirect response. Xenograft survival was prolonged on these mice. Furthermore, administration of cyclosporine and anti-CDS monoclonal antibodies to II-4+ recipients prolonged xenograft survival to at least the same extent as allograft survival, demonstrating that the strength of cell-mediated xenograft rejection resides in the CD4+ indirect response. Despite the increased survival time, xenograft rejection still occurred in the absence of the indirect pathway. Depletion of the II-4+ recipients of their CD4+ T cell population prolonged xenograft survival even further, suggesting the presence of a weaker CD4+ direct mechanism which was virtually undetectable in vitro.
Algorithms for optimizing the placement of stationary monitors

This article examines the problem of placing stationary monitors in a continuous space, with the goal of minimizing an adversary’s maximum probability of traversing an origin–destination route without being detected. The problem arises, for instance, in defending against the transport of illicit material through some area of interest. In particular, we consider the deployment of monitors whose probability of detecting an intruder is a function of the distance between the monitor and the intruder. Under the assumption that the detection probabilities are mutually independent, a two-stage mixed-integer nonlinear programming formulation is constructed for the problem. An algorithm is provided that optimally locates monitors in a continuous space. Then, this problem is examined for the case where the monitor locations are restricted to two different discretized subsets of continuous space. The analysis provides optimization algorithms for each case and derives bounds on the worst-case optimality gap between t...
Flexural Response of Inorganic Hybrid Composites With E-Glass and Carbon Fibers

By far, carbon and glass fibers are the most popular fiber reinforcements for composites. Traditional carbon composites are relatively expensive since the manufacturing process requires significant heat and pressure, while the carbon fibers themselves are inherently expensive to produce. In addition, they are often flammable and their use is restricted when fire is a critical design parameter. Glass fabrics are approximately one order of magnitude less expensive than similar carbon fabrics. However, they lack the stiffness and the durability needed for many high performance applications. By combining these two types of fibers, hybrid composites can be fabricated that are strong, yet relatively inexpensive to produce. The primary objective of this study was to experimentally investigate the effects of bonding high strength carbon fibers to E-glass composite cores using a high temperature, inorganic matrix known as geopolymer. Carbon fibers were bonded to E-glass cores (i) on only the tension face, (ii) on both the tension and compression faces, or (iii) dispersed throughout the core in alternating layers to obtain a strong, yet economical, hybrid composite laminate. For each response measured (flexural capacity, stiffness, and ductility), at least one hybrid configuration displayed mechanical properties comparable to all carbon composite laminates. The results indicate that hybrid composite plates manufactured using 3k unidirectional carbon tape exhibit increases in flexural capacity of approximately 700% over those manufactured using E-glass fibers alone. In general, as the relative amount of carbon fibers increased, the likelihood of precipitating a compression failure also increased. For 92% of the specimens tested, the threshold for obtaining a compression failure was utilizing 30% carbon fibers. The results presented herein can dictate future studies to optimize hybrid performance and to achieve economical configurations for a given set of design requirements.
The impact of citizen influence on local government expenditure

This paper examines the impact of three measures of direct citizen influence — the initiative, referendum, and recall — on the level of local public expenditure for a national sample of communities with 10,000 persons or more. Two types of statistical tests are performed to analyze the role of the median voter model and to measure the effect of these governmental characteristics on the level of public spending.
The electrochromic properties of hydrous nickel oxide

The electrochromic properties of thin films of nickel hydroxide on conductive tin-oxide-coated glass substrates are reported. Adherent, uniform thin films (⩽ 100 nm) which are cathodically electrodeposited from Ni(NO3)2 solution, can be repeatedly colored and bleached electrochemically in a 1M KOH electrolyte. In the reduced form, the films are essentially transparent, but upon oxidation they absorb light strongly throughout the visible region of the spectrum. Peak coloration efficiency, which occurs at about 450 nm, is estimated to be 50 cm2/C. Variable control of transmittance through the films was achieved by controlling the extent of film oxidation. Intrinsic switching times for coloration and bleaching are each less than one second. Nonuniform coloration and bleaching, due to the resistivity of the conductive glass substrate, increases the effective switching time as the electrode area is increased. The open circuit memory of colored films is on the order of hours in 1M KOH. Increased switching times and a decrease in total coloration are observed after 500 color/bleach cycles.
Almost Hamiltonian Groups

In this paper we investigate the following problem in Group Theory: which properties $cal P$ transfer (or do not transfer) from all cyclic subgroups, or all abelian subgroups to all arbitrary subgroups? We solve this problem completely when $cal P$ is the property of having finite index in its normal closure, proving that $cal P$ carries from abelian, but not from cyclic to arbitrary subgroups. We use primarily some results of B.H. Neumann.
Reaction of 5 s RNA with a radioactive carbodiimide.

Escherichia coli 5 s RNA was reacted with 1-cyclohexyl-3-(2-morpholinyl-(4)-ethyl) carbodiimide [14C]methoiodide in the presence of magnesium ion. The RNA molecule seems highly compact in that most of its bases are inaccessible to the carbodiimide. However, the uridine residues in two sequences, UpApGp and ApCpCpCpCpApUpGp, are more exposed and available to reaction with the reagent, which throws light on the conformation of the RNA molecule.
Subretinal neovascularization after experimental ocular histoplasmosis in a subhuman primate.

Subretinal neovascularization was demonstrated in a subhuman primate eye ( Macaca speciosa ) one year after the internal carotid injection of yeast-phase Histoplasma capsulatum. In this animal model of ocular histoplasmosis, initial injection of viable H. capsulatum results in the development of self-limiting acute multifocal choroiditis. Acute lesions resolve within six months, forming chorioretinal scars that are clinically similar to human histo spots. Detailed ultrastructural study of a peripapillary scar 30 months after the injection showed the presence of subretinal neovascularization located between Bruch's membrane and degenerated retinal inner segments. These vessels appeared to be continuous, had tight junctional complexes, and a well-developed basal lamina with occasional pericytes. Failure of fluorescein angiography to demonstrate the presence of this neovascular net may be explained by the presence of tight junctions within the subretinal capillaries.
Homozygous gene conversion in von Willebrand factor gene as a cause of type 3 von Willebrand disease and predisposition to inhibitor development.

Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is the commonest congenital bleeding disorder, with a prevalence, estimated from population studies, of about 1%,[1][1],[2][2] although the prevalence of patients requiring treatment is much lower.[3][3] This autosomally inherited disorder is caused by either qualitative
A power-efficient TCAM architecture for network forwarding tables

Stringent memory access and search speed requirements are two of the main bottlenecks in wire speed processing. Most viable search engines are implemented in content addressable memories (CAMs). CAMs have high operational speed advantage over other memory search algorithms. However, this performance advantage comes with a price of higher silicon area, and higher power consumption. Ternary CAMs (TCAM) are widely used for route lookup operations in networking applications. IP address prefix length distribution in the core routers shows a similar characteristic such that the prefixes with 24 or longer bits attract more than 50% of the traffic. Based on this statistical observation, we propose a TCAM architecture that can be used on top of the previously reported power saving techniques and it offers additional 30% reduction in power consumption. Furthermore, we model the dynamic power consumption in TCAM circuits due match, mismatch and don't care activities.
Long‐term evaluation of body mass at weaning and postweaning survival rates of Weddell seals in Erebus Bay, Antarctica

Variability in juvenile survival rate is expected to be an important component of the dynamics of long-lived animal populations. Across a range of species, individual variation in juvenile body mass has been shown to be an important cause of variation in fates of juveniles. Our goal in this paper was to estimate age-specific apparent survival rates for Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Erebus Bay, Antarctica, and to investigate hypotheses about relationships between body mass at weaning and apparent survival rate for juveniles. Mark-resighting models found average apparent juvenile survival rate (survival from weaning to age 3) was similar between males and females, and revealed positive relationships between body mass at weaning and apparent juvenile survival rate. The effects of body mass on juvenile survival rate differed between the sexes and the relationship between body mass and survival rate was stronger in males. These results indicate that the magnitude of energy transferred from mother to pup during lactation likely has important consequences on offspring survival rate and maternal fitness.
Effect of nutrition on species of lipoprotein lipase

Abstract When NH 4 OH-NH 4 Cl extracts of heart and post-heparin plasma acetone powder were applied to agarose gel chromatographic columns, two peaks of lipoprotein lipase activity were eluted from the heart extract but only a single peak from that of plasma. The two activities from heart showed elution volumes similar to those previously determined for the two lipoprotein lipase species of adipose tissue. The elution volume of the plasma species approximated that of the larger of the adipose tissue species. The effect of nutritional state on these lipoprotein lipase species was studied in fasted and refed rats. Refeeding increased the activity of the two species in adipose tissue and decreased both heart species. The single species in post-heparin plasma was unaffected by these nutritional conditions.
Reliability of carpal angle determinations.

The radioscaphoid, radiolunate, and radiocapitatc angles of nine lateral projections of the wrist (three in flexion, three in extension, and three in neutral position) of three fresh cadaver specimens were measured. Seven orthopedic surgeons (six hand surgeons and one orthopedic surgeon) made the measurements with a standard goniometer using both the axial and tangential methods of angle determination. The overall standard deviation for all measurements was 5.2 degrees, and no significant difference in variability between axial and tangential methods was found. By comparing the same angles from different wrist positions, the amount of flexion-extension motion of the capitate, scaphoid, and lunate with respect to the radius was estimated. To assess the accuracy of such a method of carpal motion determination, a more accurate stereoradiographic method of analysis of carpal kinematics was utilized. The overall estimated error of this standard goniometric method of carpal motion determination averaged 7.4 degrees.
Utilizing a Value of Information Framework to Improve Ore Collection and Classification Procedures

This case study utilizes a value of information decision framework to provide mine managers guidance regarding the purchase of ore grade scanners. LKAB's Kiruna mine produces three types of iron ore to meet long-term contractual agreements on a monthly basis. There is a priori uncertainty regarding the ore type in any given mineable section of the orebody. In addition, there is extracted ore type uncertainty that is introduced by the mining process. These uncertainties are better understood by obtaining more precise (real-time) information. In addition, a better understanding of the uncertainties can improve the quality of operational decisions and increase the overall profitability of the mine. This case study provides a framework for measuring the economic impact of information purchases in a mining context and discusses the implications of those findings.
Recency effects in delayed recall of mouthed stimuli.

Auditory presentation leads to greater recency effects in recall than does visual presentation. This phenomenon (the modality effect) is found in both free and serial recall and in both immediate and delayed recall. Silent mouthing of visually presented stimuli also leads to enhanced recency effects in immediate serial recall. Two experiments reported here extend the generality of the mouthing effect by demonstrating that enhanced recency effects of mouthed stimuli occur in delayed serial and free recall. These results are inconsistent with theories that attribute the modality effect to a purely auditory sensory memory.
Sustainable housing: Emergy evaluation of an off-grid residence

Abstract Sustainable construction aims to utilize environmental-friendly materials and decrease energy and material demands in the construction, operation, and maintenance of a structure. A potential obstacle to building sustainable infrastructure is the initial cost of construction, as environmental-friendly materials are often more expensive. To quantify costs with environmental trade-offs, inputs must be measured taking into account both quality and quantity. Emergy, a method that converts various energies to a common unit, the solar energy joule (sej), offers a more holistic evaluation because it takes into account the quality of inputs. Data on all inputs required to construct and operate a 176 m2 off-grid house were collected and an emergy evaluation determined it took 8.12 E14 sej/m2 without service and 4.41E15 sej/m2 with service to construct the house. Labor and service accounted for 82% of the total. Annual emergy required to operate the house in terms of electricity, propane, water, and services associated with them was 0.05E15 sej/m2/yr, a value less than those found in previous studies. Results revealed that a higher initial emergy investment into sustainable construction can result in lower annual operational emergy requirements, thus a potential emergy savings over the long term.
Depression as a model for behavioral analysis

Abstract An alternative to psychiatric classification based upon topographical description is offered through classification based upon behavioral analysis. Depressive behavior is selected as a model. Two generic classes of environmental conditions are cited as associated with depressive behavior: (1) insufficient positive reinforcement, including high behavior/reinforcer ratio, withdrawal of a positive reinforcer, and interruption of a chain of behaviors leading to positive reinforcement; and (2) aversive control, including punishment, avoidance and escape.
Modern India and the question of middle-class religion

The three essays that follow each made a fine debut at the annual meeting of the Association for Asian Studies in Spring 2000. Naturally, they were somewhat slimmer and more youthful than the mature, fully developed papers we encounter here, but even in that earlier form it was possible to see how well they justified the thematic focus that Timothy Lubin had assigned them in organizing the panel. He called it 'Reinventing Traditions: Contemporary Trends in Religious Practices in India,' and each of the papers addressed that subject with admirable clarity. They continue to do so in their present versions. Joanne Waghorne investi gates the ways in which erstwhile village goddesses have been engulfed by the sprawling metropolis that is now called Chennai. She shows that like the name of the city itself, these goddesses have been reinvented as urban entities that nonetheless assume and even feature a preurban past. Philip Lutgendorf, working largely in Hindi-speaking North India, explains how recent developments in the worship of Hanum?n display a similar process. Old iconographies?in particular, a five-faced form whose associations are complex and somewhat obscure?have been adapted, indeed reinvented, to serve funda mentally new purposes. Timothy Lubin, who writes about Marathi-speaking Maharashtra, illuminates similar processes affecting a certain set of Vedic practices. He describes the ways in which one influential practitioner has marshaled srauta rites of soma sacrifice so that their ancient virtues can be felt to bear on radically changed social circumstances: a world where caste presumptions are challenged and everyone knows something of the prestige of science. None of these three spiritualities represents the full spectrum of innovation and selective conservation that we encounter in the rapidly developing life of
Involving Stakeholders in Resolving School Violence

This article reports the results of a collaborative project on school violence and safety that was conducted for a partnership that serves 13 school districts in Niagara and Orleans (NY) counties. Focus groups collected information on the nature, extent, awareness, and management of violence in schools from school stakeholders. Recommendations for enhancing building-level leadership by creating more effective channels of communication with the entire educational community are included. This article also provides strategiesfor enlisting support within a community for designing or enhancing effective violence prevention and intervention programs.
The barriers facing women in the information technology profession: an exploratory investigation of ahuja's model

In 2002, Ahuja conducted an extensive literature review and proposed a model of the challenges and barriers facing women in the information technology (IT) profession [3]. Her goal was to develop a model that might be used to stop the exodus of women from IT. While Ahuja's model has been consistently cited in the IT workforce literature (citation count as of 1/30/2014 ~ 65 utilizing ISI Web of Science and ~ 230 utilizing Google Scholar), women are still leaving the IT profession at an alarming rate. Using Ahuja's model as the impetus, the current investigation asked women working in the IT department at a Fortune 500 company what unique workplace challenges and barriers they faced that had influenced their voluntary turnover decisions at two time periods. The insights from this exploratory study are applied to Ahuja's model to propose an updated model that may be used to further explore the challenges and barriers facing women, and ultimately perhaps increase the retention of women in the IT field. The proposed model may be used to re-energize the dialogue regarding creating a more diversified IT work environment.
Geometry-defining processors for engineering design and analysis

Critical issues of interactive three-dimensional geometry definition and high-speed parallel computation are addressed in a unified fashion by Geometry-Defining Processors (GDPs). GDPs are microprocessors housed in three-dimensional physical polyhedral packages which can be easily manually assembled or reconfigured to construct approximate scale models of physical objects or domains. An individual GDP communicates with neighboring GDPs in an assembly through optical ports associated with the faces of its package. An assembly of communicating GDPs is able to bothdefine a system geometry and, operating as an optimally connected parallel processor,solve the associated continuum partial differential equations required for design evaluation. Combining simplicity-of-use with efficient computational capabilities, the GDP design system should prove useful in numberous engineering applications.
A Comparison of the Fluids From Small and Large Ovarian Follicles of the Pig

The concentration and composition of proteins in pooled pig serum and fluids from large, small and cystic ovarian follicles of the pig were compared by means of electrophoresis and gcl.fiitration. Foilicular and cystic fluids contained lower concentrations of total protein than did pooled serum. The follicular fluids all contained more albumin plus alpha globulins, but less gamma globulins relative to serum. The majority of fluids from small follicles exhibited a fast.migrating alpha globulin which was absent in most fluids from large follicles; whereas the majority of fluids from large follicles exhibited a slowly-migrating alpha globulin not observed in fluids from most small follicles. Oocyte maturation occurred in vitro in media containing fluids from small follicles whose endogenous oocytes had been at the germinal vesicle stage. With one group of fluids, from large follicles containing immature oocytes when recovered, oocyte maturation was totally inhibited in Vitro. The fluids from pig follicles at different physiological stages exhibit differences in their protein patterns, which may be related to oocyte maturation.
Embryonic Neuroepithelial Sodium Transport, the Resulting Physiological Potential, and Cranial Development

We have shown that the amiloride/novobiocin-sensitive sodium transport system of adult animal integuments is first observed in embryonic surface ectoderm and show here that this physiology is retained in this ectoderm following the closure of the neural folds. Unidirectional transport of Na+ out of the neural tube lumen results in a potential difference on the order of 40-90 mV, negative with respect to the abluminal surface. This transneural tube potential can be collapsed by iontophoresis of Na+ channel blockers amiloride or benzamil into the lumen, leading to severe cranial defects and incomplete morphogenesis. Modestly increasing the transneural tube potential with injection of novobiocin into the lumen also produces a lesser degree of developmental abnormality. We discuss the ways in which this physiology may help control the organization of the early nervous system.
Metabolic Syndrome and Mild to Moderate Chronic Kidney Disease Among Minorities

The incidence and prevalence of metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are increasing in the US population as a whole, but much more rapidly among ethnic minorities. Recent studies have shown that metabolic syndrome is an independent risk factor for the development of incident CKD in African Americans and American Indians distinct from its impact on cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. The pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome in ethnic minorities often is multifactorial. We review the myriad facets of the impact of the metabolic syndrome on the pathophysiology of CKD in minorities. In addition to classic biochemical and physiologic factors, increasing attention is being drawn to the major role of novel factors such as adiponectin and socioeconomic and cultural factors in the development of obesity and insulin resistance; an understudied area that may modulate clinically relevant consequences of biochemical and pathophysiologic aberrations. We present an integrated pathophysiologic viewpoint that incorporates insights from basic science, socioeconomic inquiry, and clinical studies into a framework for clinical practice and investigation.
Effects of myocardial ischemia on triggered activity in hamster atrial transplants

Effects of Ischemia on Triggered Activity. The effects of acute myocardial ischemia on delayed afterdepolarizations and triggered activity were determined in vascularized hamster atrial cheek pouch transplants. Triggered activity was initiated in eight normally perfused transplants by spontaneous or paced action potentials. During control, bursts of triggered activity lasted 14.4 ± 2.S sec (mean ± SEM), had an average cycle length of 456.6 ± 33.8 msec, and terminated following a subthreshold delayed afterdepolarization having an amplitude of 13.8 ± 0.5 mV. Interruption of blood flow to the transplants initially suppressed induction of triggered activity by spontaneous action potentials, shortened bursts of triggered activity initiated by pacing, and tended to prolong the cycle length during triggered bursts. Complete suppression of triggered activity occurred after 15–70 minutes of ischemia. Despite a reduction of delayed afterdepolarization amplitude during ischemia, the membrane potential at the peak of the afterdepolarization became less negative, secondary to ischemia-induced reductions of resting membrane and takeoff potentials. Thus, suppression of triggered activity during ischemia appeared to be caused by a shift of the voltage threshold to less negative membrane potentials, rather than by a reduction in delayed afterdepolarization amplitude. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 1. pp. 139–144, April 1990)
Influence of physical and interfacial characteristics on the wetting and spreading of fluids on powders

Abstract The wetting and spreading of liquid on compacts of carbon black and silica powders has been studied with the aim of investigating the degree to which the physical properties and chemical nature of the fluid govern the phenomena. Wetting experiments were performed with six fluids (glycerin, ethylene–propylene copolymer, squalene, poly(dimethylsiloxane), 1-butanol, and water) selected to provide a range of interfacial chemistries. The viscosity of these fluids spanned a range of three orders of magnitude. Capillary rise experiments gave insight into the wetting phenomena that occur between powders and large quantities of fluid. The observed infiltration kinetics was found to exhibit a different sensitivity to the fluid viscosity than what is explicitly predicted by the conventional Washburn analysis. This deviation is attributed to variation in the degree of saturation of the powder compacts arising from differences in viscosity of the infiltrating liquid. The wetting of compacts by small amounts of fluid was studied by contacting single drops of fluid onto carbon black compacts. Observed spreading and infiltration rates indicate that the wetting phenomena cannot be predicted on the basis of a simple balance between capillary and viscous forces. Cracking and microstructural rearrangement within powder compacts driven by the infiltrating liquid were also observed. The nature of this rearrangement was found to be strongly correlated with the kinetics of the wetting process.
Where the rubber meets the road: Understanding key changes in the patient protection and affordable care act since 2010

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) created dramatic changes in the healthcare payment and delivery systems in the United States. Widely hailed as the largest restructuring of healthcare delivery since the Johnson administration, the PPACA has been reshaping the American healthcare landscape since 2010. While much of the discussion surrounds the original contents of the bill, it is important to consider the changes in the legislation since its enactment 3 years ago. Although these changes can easily be interpreted through a partisan lens, it is critical to consider the evolution of the PPACA as objectively as possible, in order to better understand the potential impact of shifts in policy. The following discussion will attempt to (1) describe the three major changes in the PPACA since its passage in 2010; and (2) reflect on the implications for the overall American healthcare system and orthopaedic surgeons.
424 THE CLINICAL SPECTRUM OP OPTIC NERVE HYPOPLASIA, HYPOPITUITARISM, AND ABSENT SEPTUM PELLUCIDUM

Of 17 patients with optic nerve hypoplasia, hypopituitarism (HP), or absent septum pellucidum (SP), 11 presented with features of HP, 5 with eye signs, and 1 with microcephaly. Of the 11 with signs of HP, 9 had neonatal problems: 7 with hypoglycemia, 3 with diabetes insipidus, and 1 with microgenitalia. All 5 with eye signs presented with decreased vision in infancy. The infant with microcephaly underwent a CT scan which demonstrated an absent SP and corpus callosum. The disorder did not appear to be heritable in any case, although there was a female preponderance (12 female, 5 male); 6 of 17 mothers were teenagers at conception. Pituitary hormone deficiencies and CT scan findings are shown below: (*Only 2 patients have reached adolescence) This experience demonstrates the need for an awareness of eye problems in neonates with HP and of HP in infants with optic nerve dysplasia. Whether this clinical triad represents one entity or several remains to be seen.
Path covers of weighted graphs

Let (G, w) denote a simple graph G with a weight function w : E(G) {0, 1, 2}. A path cover of (G, w) is a collection of paths in G such that every edge e is contained in exactly w(e) paths of the collection. For a vertex v, w(v) is the sum of the weights of the edges incident with v; v is called an odd (even) vertex if w(v) is odd (even). We prove that if every vertex of (G, w) is incident with at most one edge of weight 2, then (G, w) has a path cover P such that each odd vertex occurs exactly once, and each even vertex exactly twice, as an end of a path of P. We also prove that if every vertex of (G, w) is even, then (G, w) has a path cover P such that each vertex occurs exactly twice as an end of a path of P. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A sensitive non-radioactive northern blot method to detect small RNAs

The continuing discoveries of potentially active small RNAs at an unprecedented rate using high-throughput sequencing have raised the need for methods that can reliably detect and quantitate the expression levels of small RNAs. Currently, northern blot is the most widely used method for validating small RNAs that are identified by methods such as high-throughput sequencing. We describe a new northern blot-based protocol (LED) for small RNA (� 15–40 bases) detection using digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled oligonucleotide probes containing locked nucleic acids (LNA) and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide for cross-linking the RNA to the membrane. LED generates clearly visible signals for RNA amounts as low as 0.05fmol. This method requires as little as a few seconds of membrane exposure to outperform the signal intensity using overnight exposure of isotope-based methods, corresponding to � 1000fold improvement in exposure-time. In contrast to commonly used radioisotope-based methods, which require freshly prepared and hazardous probes, LED probes can be stored for at least 6months, facilitate faster and more cost-effective experiments, and are more environmentally friendly. A detailed protocol of LED is provided in the Supplementary Data.
Lossy compression of noisy cardiac image sequences

The evaluation of medical image compression algorithms differs from the evaluation of compression algorithms of other classes of images. It is more concerned with preserving the diagnostic information in the image. Moreover, cardiac SPECT images are usually corrupted by Poisson noise which severely degrades the performance of any compression algorithm. This paper presents a region-based approach to lossy compression of noisy cardiac medical images. First, noisy source coding theory is applied to this problem and the noise is filtered optimally. Afterwards, region-based quantization is applied to the image. The region of the heart and the organs are not quantized in order to preserve the diagnostic information in these images.
Alcohol-Related Neurodegeneration and Recovery: Mechanisms from Animal Models

Human studies have found alcoholics to have a smaller brain size than moderate drinkers; however, these studies are complicated by many uncontrollable factors, including timing and amount of alcohol use. Animal experiments, which can control many factors, have established that alcohol can cause damage to brain cells (i.e., neurons), which results in their loss of structure or function (i.e., neurodegeneration) in multiple brain regions, similar to the damage found in human alcoholics. In addition, animal studies indicate that inhibition of the creation of neurons (i.e., neurogenesis) and other brain-cell genesis contributes to alcoholic neurodegeneration. Animal studies also suggest that neurodegeneration changes cognition, contributing to alcohol use disorders. Risk factors such as adolescent age and genetic predisposition toward alcohol consumption worsen neurodegeneration. Mild impairment of executive functions similar to that found in humans occurs in animals following binge alcohol treatment. Thus, animal studies suggest that heavy alcohol use contributes to neurodegeneration and the progressive loss of control over drinking. Despite the negative consequences of heavy drinking, there is hope of recovery with abstinence, which in animal models can result in neural stem-cell proliferation and the formation of new neurons and other brain cells, indicative of brain growth.
The Alice in Wonderland syndrome in juvenile migraine

Two children are reported who had recurrent attacks of impairment of time sense, body image, and visual analysis of the environment. These occurred with a clear state of consciousness and in the absence of any evidence of an encephalitic process, seizures, drug ingestion, or psychiatric illness. Both children had recurrent headaches; one was clearly migrainous. There was a family history of migraine in both cases. These children represent examples of the Alice in Wonderland syndrome in juvenile migraine.
A Phase II study of acute toxicity for Celebrex™ (celecoxib) and chemoradiation in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer: Primary endpoint analysis of RTOG 0128

Purpose: To determine treatment-related acute toxicity rates in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated by oral celecoxib, i.v. cisplatin and 5-FU, and concurrent pelvic radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: Eligible patients on this RTOG Phase I-II study for advanced cervix cancer included FIGO Stage IIB-IVA or patients with FIGO Stage IB through IIA with biopsy proven pelvic node metastases or tumor size ≥5 cm. Patients were treated with pelvic radiotherapy and brachytherapy. Celecoxib was prescribed at 400 mg twice daily beginning on day 1 for 1 year. Cisplatin (75 mg/m2) and 5-FU (1g/m2 for 4 days) were administered every 3 weeks times 3. The primary end point of the study was treatment related toxicity. Results: Between August 2001 and March 2004, 84 patients were accrued to the study and 77 patients were evaluable for toxicity. Regarding the primary end point, toxicities were observed in the following areas: blood/bone marrow (16), gastrointestinal (14), pain (7), renal/genitourinary (6), cardiovascular (3), hemorrhage (1), and neurologic (1). For the first 75 evaluable patients, a toxicity failure was identified in 36 patients for a rate of 48%. Conclusions: Celecoxib at 400 mg twice daily together with concurrent cisplatin and 5-FU and pelvic radiotherapy has a high incidence of acute toxicities. The most frequent toxicities were hematologic. Albeit, the toxicity was deemed excessive in this trial, the rate of toxicities was not too different compared to other recent experiences with concurrent chemoradiation for advanced cervix cancer.
Unusual Acetylation-Dependent Reaction Cascade in the Biosynthesis of the Pyrroloindole Drug Physostigmine

Physostigmine is a parasympathomimetic drug used to treat a variety of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and glaucoma. Because of its potent biological activity and unique pyrroloindole skeleton, physostigmine has been the target of many organic syntheses. However, the biosynthesis of physostigmine has been relatively understudied. In this study, we identified a biosynthetic gene cluster for physostigmine by genome mining. The 8.5 kb gene cluster encodes eight proteins (PsmA-H), seven of which are required for the synthesis of physostigmine from 5-hydroxytryptophan, as shown by in vitro total reconstitution. Further genetic and enzymatic studies enabled us to delineate the biosynthetic pathway for physostigmine. The pathway features an unusual reaction cascade consisting of highly coordinated methylation and acetylation/deacetylation reactions.
Oestrogen receptor expression in normal breast epithelium

Higher levels of oestrogen receptor (ER) expression in normal breast epithelium may compound the increase in breast cancer risk seen with prolonged estrogen exposure. In prior studies, we have used immunohistochemical ER assays on fresh frozen samples of benign breast tissue. Future studies will be more feasible on paraffin-embedded samples, and newer, more sensitive antibodies are now available. We examined 30 samples of paraffin-embedded breast epithelium from postmenopausal women with two antibodies, 6F11 and TE111. We find that the median labelling indices for ER are significantly higher using these antibodies, compared with previous results. The threshold for ER positivity will, therefore, have to be reset in future studies, since there are still many issues that remain to be resolved in this area.
Gestural Hand Motion Oscillation and Symmetries for Multimodal Discourse: Detection and Analysis

We address the detection and analysis of gestural hand motion oscillation and symmetries in natural speech. First, we extract hand motion trajectory signals from video dataset. Second, we present our windowed correlation coefficient approach for gestural symmetry extraction. The signs and magnitudes of the correlation coefficients in the cardinal directions of the subject's torso characterize the symmetries. Third, we present a wavelet-based approach that extracts the time-frequency properties of hand motion oscillation. By analyzing these frequency properties durations of homogeneous gestural oscillations are detected. Finally, we apply our approach to a real video dataset captured in candid conversation. We relate the hand motion oscillatory gestures and symmetric gestures to the phases of speech and multimodal discourse analysis. We demonstrate the ability of our algorithm to extract gestural symmetries and oscillations and show how symmetric gestures and oscillatory gestures correspond to natural discourse structure.
Preliminary mapping of the lunar magnetic field

Magnetic field measurements made with the Apollo 15 subsatellite established the existence of remanent magnetization over much of the Moon's surface. The major features of the structure of the measured remanent field are apparently associated with large craters, the most apparent detected to date being that in the vicinity of the Van de Graaff crater. A preliminary contour map of relative magnetic intensity was produced for a limited region of the Moon. A high resolution plot of the Van de Graaff region was constructed from vector data in an attempt to locate the source of the largest feature observed.
Bounds for covering numbers

Let λ be a singular cardinal of uncountable cofinality ν . Under various assumptions about the sizes of covering families for cardinals below λ , we prove upper bounds for the covering number COV( λ. λ. ν + . 2). This covering number is closely related to the cofinality of the partial order ( [ λ] ν . ⊆).
Interference alignment in multi-carrier interference networks

We consider an interference network with multi-carrier transmission over M parallel sub-channels. There are K transmitter-receiver pairs, each transmitter transmits a single data stream with a rank-one precoding matrix, and the receivers are assumed to be linear. We show that a necessary condition for zero interference (alignment across sub-channels) is K ≤ 2M−2. In contrast, for a Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) interference network with M×M spatial channels (full channel matrices) the corresponding condition is known to be K ≤ 2M − 1. We also characterize the sum rate at high Signal-to-Noise Ratios (SNR) by bounding the SNR offset (x-intercept) of the asymptote of the sum rate vs SNR curve. For a randomly chosen aligned solution as M increases, this offset shifts to the right as logM. In contrast, the SNR offset for a MIMO interference network does not increase with M. An approximation for the performance of sampling the best out of L aligned solutions is also presented. Numerical results show the analytical asymptotes accurately predict the sum rate curves at moderate to high SNRs.
Lessons from the human genome: transitions between euchromatin and heterochromatin

The publication of the human genome draft sequence provides, for the first time, a global view of the structural properties of the human genome. Initial sequence analysis, in combination with previous published reports, reveals that more than half of the transition regions between euchromatin and centromeric heterochromatin contain duplicated segments. The individual duplications originate from diverse euchromatic regions of the human genome, often containing intron-exon structure of known genes. Multiple duplicons are concatenated together to form larger blocks of wall-to-wall duplications. For a single chromosome, these paralogous segments can span >1 Mb of sequence and define a buffer zone between unique sequence and tandemly repeated satellite sequences. Unusual pericentromeric interspersed repeat elements have been identified at the junctions of many of these duplications. Phylogenetic and comparative studies of pericentromeric sequences suggest that this peculiar genome organization has emerged within the last 30 million years of human evolution and is a source of considerable genomic variation between closely related primate species. Interestingly, not all human pericentromeric regions show this proclivity to duplicate and transpose genomic sequence, suggesting at least two different models for the organization of these regions.
Association between Helicobacter pylori and Barrett's esophagus, erosive esophagitis, and gastroesophageal reflux symptoms.

Background & Aims Infection with Helicobacter pylori , particularly the cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA)+ strain, is believed to protect against Barrett's esophagus, but it is not clear if it protects against gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We aimed to determine whether H pylori infection is associated with GERD symptoms, erosive esophagitis, and Barrett's esophagus within the same cohort. Methods We analyzed data from a case–control study of 533 men (ages, 50–79 y) who underwent colorectal cancer screening at 2 tertiary medical centers in Michigan between 2008 and 2011 and who also were recruited to undergo upper endoscopy. We assessed 80 additional men found to have Barrett's esophagus during clinically indicated upper-endoscopy examinations. Logistic regression was used to estimate the associations between serum antibodies against H pylori or cagA and GERD symptoms, esophagitis, and Barrett's esophagus, compared with randomly selected men undergoing colorectal cancer screens (n = 177). Results H pylori infection was associated inversely with Barrett's esophagus (odds ratio [OR], 0.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29–0.97), particularly the cagA+ strain (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.14–0.90). There was a trend toward an inverse association with erosive esophagitis ( H pylori OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.37–1.08; and cagA+ OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.21–1.03). However, GERD symptoms were not associated with H pylori infection (OR, 0.948; 95% CI, 0.548–1.64; and cagA+ OR, 0.967; 95% CI, 0.461–2.03). Conclusions Based on a case–control study, infection with H pylori , particularly the cagA+ strain, is associated inversely with Barrett's esophagus. We observed a trend toward an inverse association with esophagitis, but not with GERD symptoms.
Function Representation of Commutative Operator Triple Systems

On considere des J * -algebres et des systemes triples de Jordan abstraits. On obtient un theoreme de representation de Gelfand-Naimark pour des systemes triples de Jordan associatifs
Congestion-aware power grid optimization for 3D circuits using MIM and CMOS decoupling capacitors

In three-dimensional (3D) chips, the amount of supply current per package pin is significantly more than in two-dimensional (2D) designs. Therefore, the power supply noise problem, already a major issue in 2D, is even more severe in 3D. CMOS decoupling capacitors (decaps) have been used effectively for controlling power grid noise in the past, but with technology scaling, they have grown increasingly leaky. As an alternative, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) decaps, with high capacitance densities and low leakage current densities, have been proposed. In this paper, we explore the tradeoffs between using MIM decaps and traditional CMOS decaps, and propose a congestion-aware 3D power supply network optimization algorithm to optimize this tradeoff. The algorithm applies a sequence-of-linear-programs based method to find the optimum tradeoff between MIM and CMOS decaps. Experimental results show that power grid noise can be more effectively optimized after the introduction of MIM decaps, with lower leakage power and little increase in the routing congestion, as compared to a solution using CMOS decaps only.
Long QT Syndrome

Over the past half century, LQTS has matriculated through several critical milestones including its sentinel clinical description, clinical diagnostic scorecard, pathogenetic discovery, decade of research-based genetic testing and genotype–phenotype correlations, and clinical availability of genetic testing. In this chapter, we will discuss the history, epidemiology, and clinical presentations of congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS). We will clarify current diagnostic approaches to LQTS, including clinical history and specific diagnostic testing. Treatment strategies including pharmacologic and surgical techniques will be examined, as well as the role of individualized treatment for the LQTS patient. Finally, preventative strategies will be discussed, including athletic participation.
DESIGN OF A SYSTEM-OF-SYSTEMS ARCHITECTURE MODEL AND ITS USE TO IDENTIFY CROSS-SYSTEM IMPACTS

This paper describes the techniques used to build and extract information from an architecture model of an as-built system-of-systems. The purpose of this paper is to describe the technical and procedural challenges in building the model using the commercially available systems engineering tool, RDD-100. The paper also discusses how architecture model information is being used to identify potential cross-system impacts due to proposed changes. The overall goal is to provide guidance to systems engineers to enable them to successfully develop useful models that support the controlled evolution of a system-of-systems architecture.