cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High Glucose-Mediated Tyrosine Nitration of PI3-Kinase: A Molecular Switch of Survival and Apoptosis in Endothelial Cells

Diabetes and hyperglycemia are associated with increased retinal oxidative and nitrative stress and vascular cell death. Paradoxically, high glucose stimulates expression of survival and angiogenic growth factors. Therefore, we examined the hypothesis that high glucose-mediated tyrosine nitration causes inhibition of the survival protein PI3-kinase, and in particular, its regulatory p85 subunit in retinal endothelial cell (EC) cultures. Retinal EC were cultured in high glucose (HG, 25 mM) for 3 days or peroxynitrite (PN, 100 µM) overnight in the presence or absence of a peroxynitrite decomposition catalyst (FeTPPs, 2.5 µM), or the selective nitration inhibitor epicatechin (100 µM). Apoptosis of ECs was assessed using TUNEL assay and caspase-3 activity. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot were used to assess protein expression and tyrosine nitration of p85 subunit and its interaction with the p110 subunit. HG or PN accelerated apoptosis of retinal ECs compared to normal glucose (NG, 5 mM) controls. HG- or PN-treated cells also showed significant increases in tyrosine nitration on the p85 subunit of PI3-kinase that inhibited its association with the catalytic p110 subunit and impaired PI3-kinase/Akt kinase activity. Decomposing peroxynitrite or blocking tyrosine nitration of p85 restored the activity of PI3-kinase, and prevented apoptosis and activation of p38 MAPK. Inhibiting p38 MAPK or overexpression of the constitutively activated Myr-Akt construct prevented HG- or peroxynitrite-mediated apoptosis. In conclusion, HG impairs pro-survival signals and causes accelerated EC apoptosis, at least in part via tyrosine nitration and inhibition of PI3-kinase. Inhibitors of nitration can be used in adjuvant therapy to delay diabetic retinopathy and microvascular complication.
Psychosis and Suicide

Among the 21 million people in the world with schizophrenia, the risk of suicide is high. Some studies indicate that about ¼ of schizophrenics will attempt suicide, while others place the estimate higher. There is agreement that the time between diagnosis and engagement with evidence-based treatment for first-episode psychosis is a time of high risk for suicide. Early identification and intervention can be helpful, and protective factors can be strengthened. The chapter discusses screening and assessment instruments specific to psychosis and suicide. Connecting with treatment providers early after the discovery of psychosis is key, as is working with a psychiatrist to find the most helpful medication regimen. Evidence-based treatments are reviewed. It is recommended that patients with psychosis should be carefully monitored for suicide risk.
The Nature of Life and the Nature of Death

Life is defined as a "condition" that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic materials and dead organisms. Life is comprised of processes and is a maintained state. The most sophisticated form of life is man and our though focuses upon the nature of the life and death of man. Man demonstrates three lives or aspects of life: Life of the body--the physical, life of the mind and life of the spirit. Physical life is basic existence; the mind contributes effectiveness and scope; the spiritual entity contributes maximum living. Physiology: The existence of life physical is demonstrated by the presence of functions. Living tissues and organisms exhibit: Irritability: the ability to be excited or detect stimuli and to respond thereto; Growth and reproduction: this consists of the power of multiplication and duplication, regeneration and differentiation; Adaptability: permitting both change and maintenance of balances (homeostasis); and finally and most characteristic of all is Metabolism: the transformation of energy and the use of materials. These properties, however, can be retained for a while by tissues after death of the organism so there is another mystery of life which we understand only in part. Life consists of structure and processes operating under integrative control. This integrative power is the secret we do not understand--we know it confers all the life properties, the continuous flow of processes related to the organism's need for survival. Death is failure not so much of process but of integrative drive and coordination--but, of course, structure and process can fail too, destroying integrated activity. The total organism is under integrative control by brain and mind, the autonomic nervous system and by the neuroendocrine-endocrine complex, all acting in unison. These physical processes contribute to the existence of the life of the mind and spirit and are in turn powerfully affected by intellect and morale. However, we do not understand the driving force which converts inorganic matter, organizes it and then propels it into life. Life seems to be only a continuation of a heritage--life creating life. Philosophy: The life of the mind requires acquisition of knowledge, curiosity, cultivation of the power to reason, use of thought and contemplation, all under discipline. True life of the mind may not exist and may cease to be even though physical existence may be present. Somewhat the same can be said of the life of the spirit; it also is not automatically genetically granted in completed form.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Generators and Applicators: Equipment for Electroporation

This chapter provides an introduction to the equipment available for treatments based on electroporation. The purpose is to acquaint the reader with the equipment available for the performance of electroporation-based treatments. To that end, pulse generators and applicators are presented along with details on their use. Particular features of relevance to the clinician are described, and manufacturers of the different types of equipment are introduced.
Between Linearizability and Quiescent Consistency

Linearizability is the de facto correctness criterion for concurrent data structures. Unfortunately, linearizability imposes a performance penalty which scales linearly in the number of contending threads. Quiescent consistency is an alternative criterion which guarantees that a concurrent data structure behaves correctly when accessed sequentially. Yet quiescent consistency says very little about executions that have any contention.
Vasculogenesis and Angiogenesis

Defining angiogenesis as an organizing principle in biology and medicine indicates that there are fundamental connections between developmental and pathological phenomena that on the surface appear to be unrelated. In this chapter we discuss our current knowledge of different clinical conditions that appear to have little in common but in fact are fundamentally explained by abnormal angiogenesis that occurs as a result of congenital or postnatal aberration and/or in response to injury.
Methodology of Phase II Clinical Trial in Cancer

The phase II clinical trial in cancer patients represents an initial step in the investigation of the antitumor potential of new treatments. It is usually considered as a clinical screening designed according to a delicate compromise of the need for meaningful data weighed against exposing the patient to other treatments with possibly greater effectiveness. The definition of this compromise is subject to change resulting in continuous readaptations in the design of these trials.
Abstract B75: Nutritional profiling reveals glutamine-utilizing transaminases as a metabolic vulnerability of TAZ/YAP-driven breast cancer cells

The aberrant activity of the transcriptional regulators TAZ and YAP (TAZ/YAP) drives many oncogenic traits, including the resistance to cell death, sustaining cell growth, and control of cell fate. Aggressive breast cancers in particular exhibit high TAZ/YAP levels and activity, and thus understanding the roles of these factors may offer therapeutic opportunity for these poorly treatable diseases. Here, we report that TAZ/YAP play an important role in driving breast cancer dependency to exogenous glutamine, an abundant amino acid that has emerged as central for tumor growth. We observed that breast cancer cells with high levels of TAZ/YAP are more sensitive to glutamine deprivation, and that knockout of TAZ/YAP in these cells alleviated defects resulting from glutamine. Rescue experiments with glutamine-derived metabolites suggested an essential role for glutamate and α-ketoglutarate (AKG) in TAZ/YAP-driven cell growth. Analysis of enzymes mediating the conversion of glutamate to α-ketoglutarate (AKG) showed that TAZ/YAP induce the expression of distinct transaminases, and that TAZ/YAP activity positively correlates with transaminase expression in breast cancer patients. Notably, the transaminase inhibitor aminooxyacetate (AOA) repressed cell growth in a TAZ/YAP-dependent manner, identifying transamination as a potential vulnerable metabolic requirement for TAZ/YAP-driven breast cancer. Considering the link between breast cancer risk and obesity, and the connection between obesity-driven metabolic changes to glutamine metabolism, our study offers a potential direction for future therapeutic targeting of aggressive breast cancers in underserved populations, where obesity is becoming a prevalent factor. Citation Format: Eleni Stampouloglou, Nathan Kingston, Chih-Sheng Yang, Liye Zhang, Stefano Monti, Xaralabos Varelas. Nutritional profiling reveals glutamine-utilizing transaminases as a metabolic vulnerability of TAZ/YAP-driven breast cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr B75.
Experimental Evidence about "A factorisation algorithm in adiabatic quantum computation" by T. D. Kieu

Computations show that the logic about a quantum factoring algorithm does not hold in reality on a D-Wave quantum computer. We demonstrate this for the integers 15 = 3 x 5, 91 = 7 x 13 and 899 = 29 x 31. The likely cause is the D-Wave hardware that does not accept input terms that are a number, i.e., only terms that contain a Boolean variable can be an input. Without terms that are numbers, the relative magnitude of the coefficients in the factoring algorithm is too great to differentiate values.
Giant nonvolatile resistive switching in a Mott oxide and ferroelectric hybrid

Controlling the electronic properties of oxides that feature a metal-insulator transition (MIT) is a key requirement for developing a new class of electronics often referred to as "Mottronics." A simple, controllable method to switch the MIT properties in real time is needed for practical applications. Here we report a giant, nonvolatile resistive switching (ΔR/R > 1,000%) and strong modulation of the MIT temperature (ΔTc > 30 K) in a voltage-actuated V2O3/PMN-PT [Pb(Mg,Nb)O3-PbTiO3] heterostructure. This resistive switching is an order of magnitude larger than ever encountered in any other similar systems. The control of the V2O3 electronic properties is achieved using the transfer of switchable ferroelastic strain from the PMN-PT substrate into the epitaxially grown V2O3 film. Strain can reversibly promote/hinder the structural phase transition in the V2O3, thus advancing/suppressing the associated MIT. The giant resistive switching and strong Tc modulation could enable practical implementations of voltage-controlled Mott devices and provide a platform for exploring fundamental electronic properties of V2O3.
National Institutes of Health Research Plan on Rehabilitation: Analysis and Progress.

Abstract Objective To summarize the progress toward the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Plan on Rehabilitation goals and the methods by which tracking occurred. Design Each grant award was manually coded by NIH staff for research plan goals, type of science categories (eg, basic, applied, infrastructure, etc), and if applicable, training, and then validated by NIH institute and center (IC) experts. Data for years 2015 through 2017 were used to develop a coding algorithm to automatically code grants in 2018 for validation by NIH IC experts. Additional data for all years (2015-2018) were also analyzed to track changes and progress. Setting The research utilized administrative data from NIH Reporter and internal NIH databases. Participants The data sample included research grants and programs funded from fiscal years 2015 through 2018. The year 2015 was considered a baseline year as the research plan was published in 2016. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome measures were substantial growth in NIH funding and numbers of awards for rehabilitation research, across most research plan goals and types of science, as well as validation of an automatic algorithm for coding grants. Results Number of grants, funding dollars, funding mechanisms, patent data, scientific influence and translational science, research plan goals, and type of science categories were tracked across years (2015-2018). Algorithm validation is presented for 2018 data. Conclusions NIH advanced the goals stated in the Research Plan on Rehabilitation, but gap areas remain. Though funding in this portfolio is growing, continued focus and participation by the field is needed to advance rehabilitation science.
Mitigating nutrient accumulation with microalgal growth towards enhanced nutrient removal and biomass production in an osmotic photobioreactor.

Abstract Forward osmosis (FO) has great potential for low energy consumption wastewater reuse provided there is no requirement for draw solutes (DS) regeneration. Reverse solute flux (RSF) can lead to DS build-up in the feed solution. This remains a key challenge because it can cause significant water flux reduction and lead to additional water quality problems. Herein, an osmotic photobioreactor (OsPBR) system was developed to employ fast-growing microalgae to consume the RSF nutrients. Diammonium phosphate (DAP) was used as a fertilizer DS, and algal biomass was a byproduct. The addition of microalgae into the OsPBR proved to maintain water flux while reducing the concentrations of NH4+-N, PO43--P and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the OsPBR feed solution by 44.4%, 85.6%, and 77.5%, respectively. Due to the forward cation flux and precipitation, intermittent supplements of K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and SO42− salts further stimulated algal growth and culture densities by 58.7%. With an optimal hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3.33 d, the OsPBR overcame NH4+-N overloading and stabilized key nutrients NH4+-N at ∼ 2.0 mg L−1, PO43--P
Smart Glasses as a Surgical Pathology Grossing Tool.

Context.— Smart glasses are a wearable technology that enable hands-free data acquisition and entry. Objective.— To develop a surgical pathology grossing application on a smart glass platform. Design.— An existing logistics software for the Google Glass Enterprise smart glass platform was used to create surgical pathology grossing protocols. The 2 grossing protocols were developed to simulate grossing a complex (heart) and a simple (kidney) specimen. For both protocols, users were visually prompted by the smart glass device to perform each task, record measurements, or document the field of view. In addition to measuring the total time of the protocol performance, each substep within the protocol was automatically recorded. Subsequently, a report was generated that contained the dictation, images, voice recordings, and the timing of each step. The application was tested by 3 users using the 2 grossing protocols. The users were tracked across 3 grossing procedures for each protocol. Results.— For the complex specimen grossing the average time across repeated procedures was not significantly different between users (P = .999). However, when grossing times of the complex specimen were compared for repeated performances of the same user, a significant reduction in grossing times was observed with each repetition (P = .002). For the simple specimen, the average grossing time across multiple attempts was different among users (P = .03); however, no improvement in grossing time was observed with repeated performance (P = .499). Conclusions.— Augmented reality based grossing applications can provide automated data collection to track the changes in grossing performance over time.
Queueing theory of search processes with stochastic resetting.

We use queueing theory to develop a general framework for analyzing search processes with stochastic resetting, under the additional assumption that following absorption by a target, the particle (searcher) delivers a packet of resources to the target and the search process restarts at the reset point ${\mathbf{x}}_{r}$. This leads to a sequence of search-and-capture events, whereby resources accumulate in the target under the combined effects of resource supply and degradation. Combining the theory of $G/M/\ensuremath{\infty}$ queues with a renewal method for analyzing resetting processes, we derive general expressions for the mean and variance of the number of resource packets within the target at steady state. These expressions apply to both exponential and nonexponential resetting protocols and take into account delays arising from various factors such as finite return times, refractory periods, and delays due to the loading or unloading of resources. In the case of exponential resetting, we show how the resource statistics can be expressed in terms of the MFPTs ${T}_{r}({\mathbf{x}}_{r})$ and ${T}_{r+\ensuremath{\gamma}}({\mathbf{x}}_{r})$, where $r$ is the resetting rate and $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ is the degradation rate. This allows us to derive various general results concerning the dependence of the mean and variance on the parameters $r,\ensuremath{\gamma}$. Our results are illustrated using several specific examples. Finally, we show how fluctuations can be reduced either by allowing the delivery of multiple packets that degrade independently or by having multiple independent searchers.
Atomistic Simulation of Flow Stress and Dislocation-Interface Interaction in Thin Metal Films

This study focuses on the atomistics of interface-mediated plasticity in thin metallic films. Molecular statics simulations are carried out to model the tensile stress-strain response of the free-standing and substrate-bonded films. In the free-standing film dislocation glide readily occurs, inducing slip steps at both surfaces of the film. The existence of an interface with the substrate constrains the dislocation motion in the film and restricts the slip steps to only the free surface. The propensity of film plasticity is dictated by the capability of atoms to slide along the interface. The flow stress of the film can be correlated with the dislocation activities obtained from the simulation. The propensity of spreading of relatively energetic atoms associated with the dislocation near the interface is also discussed.
The predictive value of interictal scalp EEG findings in aiding the detection of malformations of cortical development in temporal lobe epilepsy and impact on surgical planning

Abstract Background Complete resection of focal malformations of cortical development (MCD) has been recognized as crucial for the success of epilepsy surgery. However, many of these lesions escape detection using even state-of-the-art epilepsy protocol MRI imaging. This study evaluates the concurrence of radiographic and histopathologic findings of MCD in patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and defines the predictive value of EEG findings in the detection of MCD. Materials and Methods Pre-operative MRI, scalp VEEG, and post-operative surgical pathology reports from 34 consecutive patients treated for refractory TLE by surgical resection over a ten year period were included in analysis. Radiographic findings of MCD were correlated with histopathologic findings of MCD and compared against pre-operative interictal scalp EEG findings. Results 66.7% of focal cortical dysplasias (FCD) identified on pathology and all cases of mild MCD (mMCD) were missed on pre-operative MRI. The description of a rhythmic or continuous interictal abnormality on pre-operative VEEG corresponds to a sensitivity of 73.1% and a specificity of 62.5% in detecting either FCD or mMCD. Of the patients who had a radiographically occult FCD, 80% had either a continuous or rhythmic interictal abnormality described in the interpretation of their pre-operative VEEG. Conclusion This study highlights the high prevalence of MCDs in refractory TLE and the high rate of missed MCDs on pre-operative MRI. Findings here suggest that pre-operative scalp EEG may be able to provide additional information in the pre-operative detection of MCDs and therefore inform surgical decision making.
Procedural Content Generation using Behavior Trees (PCGBT).

Behavior trees (BTs) are a popular method of modeling the behavior of NPCs and enemy AI and have found widespread use in a large number of commercial games. In this paper, rather than use BTs to model game-playing agents, we demonstrate their use for modeling game design agents, defining behaviors as executing content generation tasks rather than in-game actions. Similar to how traditional BTs enable modeling behaviors in a modular and dynamic manner, BTs for PCG enable simple subtrees for generating parts of levels to be combined modularly to form more complex trees for generating whole levels as well as generators that can dynamically vary the generated content. We demonstrate this approach by using BTs to model generators for Super Mario Bros., Mega Man and Metroid levels as well as dungeon layouts and discuss several ways in which this PCGBT paradigm could be applied and extended in the future.
Bit Complexity of Jordan Normal Form and Spectral Factorization.

We study the bit complexity of two related fundamental computational problems in linear algebra and control theory. Our results are: (1) An $\tilde{O}(n^{\omega+3}a+n^4a^2+n^\omega\log(1/\epsilon))$ time algorithm for finding an $\epsilon-$approximation to the Jordan Normal form of an integer matrix with $a-$bit entries, where $\omega$ is the exponent of matrix multiplication. (2) An $\tilde{O}(n^6d^6a+n^4d^4a^2+n^3d^3\log(1/\epsilon))$ time algorithm for $\epsilon$-approximately computing the spectral factorization $P(x)=Q^*(x)Q(x)$ of a given monic $n\times n$ rational matrix polynomial of degree $2d$ with $a-$bit coefficients which satisfies $P(x)\succeq 0$ for all real $x$. The first algorithm is used as a subroutine in the second one. Despite its being of central importance, polynomial complexity bounds were not previously known for spectral factorization, and for Jordan form the best previous best boolean running time was an unspecified polynomial of degree at least twelve \cite{cai1994computing}. Our algorithms are simple and judiciously combine techniques from numerical and symbolic computation, yielding significant advantages over either approach by itself.
A new accurate spectral method for solving the Lippman-Schwinger equation

A new spectral method (S-IEM) for solving the Lippman-Schwinger integral equation is described, and its high accuracy is confirmed for several physical situations, such as, the scattering of an electron from a static hydrogen atom in the presence of exchange, the scattering of two atoms at ultra low temperatures, and barrier penetration in the presence of a resonance for a Morse potential. In all cases the S-IEM achieves accuracies several order of magnitude higher than the methods commonly used for solving the Schroedinger equation.
Gecko Feet: Natural Hairy Attachment Systems for Smart Adhesion – Mechanism, Modeling and Development of Bio-Inspired Materials

Leg attachment pads of several creatures including many insects, spiders, and lizards, are capable of attaching to a variety of surfaces and are used for locomotion. Geckos, in particular, have the largest mass and have developed the most complex hairy attachment structures capable of smart adhesion—the ability to cling to different smooth and rough surfaces and detach at will. These animals make use of about three million microscale hairs (setae) (about 14000/mm2) that branch off into hundreds of nanoscale spatulae (about a billion spatulae). This hierarchical surface construction gives the gecko the adaptability to create a large real area of contact with surfaces. Modeling of the gecko attachment system as a hierarchical spring model has provided insight into adhesion enhancement generated by this system. Van der Waals forces are the primary mechanism utilized to adhere to surfaces, and capillary forces are a secondary effect that can further increase adhesion force. Preload applied to the setae increases adhesive force. Although a gecko is capable of producing on the order of 20 N of adhesive force, it retains the ability to remove its feet from an attachment surface at will. The adhesive strength of gecko setae is dependent on the orientation; maximum adhesion occurs at 30o. During walking a gecko is able to peel its foot from surfaces by changing the angle at which its setae contact a surface. A man-made fibrillar structure capable of replicating gecko adhesion has the potential for use in dry, superadhesive tapes that would be of use in a wide range of applications. These adhesives could be created using micro/nanofabrication techniques or self-assembly.
Grave Tending: With Mom at the Cemetery

Diese autoethnographische Erzahlung beschaftigt sich mit dem Prozess der Grabpflege fur Familienangehorige: In der Vergangenheit hatte die Autorin eher widerstrebend ihre Mutter bei deren Besuchen an Familiengrabern begleitet. Als die Mutter dies nicht mehr selbst tun konnte, kummerte die Autorin sich um die Blumenarrangements auf den Grabern. Erst durch diese Tatigkeit begann sie, sich mit der Bedeutung des Friedhofbesuches zu beschaftigen, sie fuhlte (ihre Verbundenheit und) die erlittenen Verluste, und sie befasste sich mit den Brauchen, die sie sich fur ihren eigenen Tod wunschte. Als ihre Mutter starb, ubernahm die nachste Frauengeneration – die Autorin, ihre Schwester, ihre Schwagerin – die Grabpflege, verbunden durch ihre Liebe und ihren Respekt fur ihre (Schwieger-) Mutter, durch ihre Familiengefuhle und durch ihre familiare Verantwortung. Mit dieser Erzahlung soll die Bedeutung familiarer Todesrituale und deren Weitergabe uber Generationen nachvollziehbar werden. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0302285
Promoter region of the nar operon of Escherichia coli: nucleotide sequence and transcription initiation signals.

The nar operon, which encodes the three subunits of nitrate reductase in Escherichia coli, is fully induced under anaerobic conditions with nitrate. Two distinct regulatory domains have been delineated in the 5' region of the operon which respond respectively to positive induction by the fnr gene product under anaerobic conditions and to positive induction by the narL gene product in the presence of nitrate (S.F. Li, T. Rabi, and J.A. DeMoss, J. Bacteriol. 164:25-32). To characterize these two regulatory regions, we determined the DNA sequence for a 500-base-pair (bp) region extending upstream from the first structural gene of the nar operon. Analysis of subsequent subclones of the operon established that the 5' limit of the nar operon lies between 215 and 260 bp upstream from the translational start site of the first structural gene. The region required for induction by the fnr gene product is located within 160 bp from the translation start site, while the region responding to induction by nitrate extends an additional 100 bp upstream. Protein fusions of lacZ with the N-terminal sequence of the narG gene were constructed so that beta-galactosidase formation was under the control of the nar promoter and one or both regulatory domains. Analysis of strains bearing these fusion plasmids indicated that the expression of the hybrid proteins paralleled that of nitrate reductase by the parent plasmids, demonstrating that the regulatory signals did not extend significantly into the first structural gene. The transcriptional start site and the level of the transcription were determined by the S1 mapping procedure. One major transcript was identified which initiated -50 bp from the translational start site of the first structural gene. The synthesis of the transcript was repressed aerobically, was fully induced by nitrate anaerobically, and was greatly reduced in an Fnr- mutant. Possible regulatory sequences were identified in the 200-bp regulatory region extending upstream from the transcription start site.
An Economic Model of The East-West Confrontation

In this paper, we develop a comprehensive analytical perspective on the contemporary conflict situation between the United States and the Soviet Union, based upon standard concepts and methodologies in contemporary economic thinking. The perspective involves static-model specification, comparative-statics analysis, and a possible extension of the model to dynamic uncertainty circumstances. Applications of the model include results on the determination of socially optimal armaments spending and on the effect of the invention and dissemination of nuclear weapons upon the probability of war. The complexity of the comparative-statics results obtained on the basis of an apparently quite-simple static-model specification reflect the complexity of the contemporary human predicament. Because of this complexity, the model does not necessarily support the widespread contemporary presumption that the invention and dissemination of nuclear weapons has reduced the probability of total war.
Enhancement of two apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease activities from normal but not xeroderma pigmentosum lymphoblastoid cells by nucleosome structure.

Abstract The influence of nucleosomes on the activity of two chromatin-associated apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) DNA endonuclease activities, pIs 9.2 and 9.8, from normal and xeroderma pigmentosum, complementation group A (XPA), lymphoblastoid cells was examined. These AP endonuclease activities were studied on non-nucleosomal and nucleosomal plasmid pWT830/pBR322 DNA which had been reconstituted with core (H2A, H2B, H3, H4) or total (core plus H1) histones from normal or XPA cells. Both nucleosomal and non-nucleosomal DNA was rendered partially AP by alkylation with 12.5 mM methyl methane-sulfonate, followed by heating it at 70°C, to produce approximately three AP sites per DNA molecule. The activities of both normal lymphoblastoid AP endonuclease activities on nucleosomal AP DNA, reconstituted with core histones, was approximately 2.5 times greater than that on non-nucleosomal AP DNA. When histone H1 was added to the system, this increase was reduced. XPA AP endonuclease activities, on the other hand, did not show any increase in activity on nucleosomal AP DNA reconstituted with core histones. These differences between normal and XPA endonuclease activities on AP nucleosomal DNA were the same regardless of whether histones from normal or XPA cells were used in the reconstituted system.
Economic and business dimensions The broadband price is not right

Developing an effective pricing index is essential to understanding the value of broadband connectivity.
Remarks on infinitesimally desarguesian families of curves

Infinitesimally Desarguesian two-parameter families of curves in the plane which are in a sense close to the family of straight lines are discussed. Their properties, examples, and multidimensional generalizations are considered.
Trends in NDVI time series and their relation to rangeland and crop production in Senegal, 1987-1993

Growing archives of NDVI images derived from the NOAA-AVHRR provide opportunities for time-series analysis of changes in land-use and cover. In this study a time series (1987-1993) of 1.1 km spatial resolution NDVI images obtained from the NOAA-AVHRR sensor was used in combination with aboveground rangeland harvest measurements and agricultural yield statistics to assess trends in NDVI in Senegal, West Africa. Correlations between trends in maximum NDVI (TMN) and field measures of rangeland and crop production were positive and statistically significant. Spatial patterns of TMN corresponded well with current understanding of changing land-use and cover of Senegal from 1987-97. The results suggest that trend images derived from NDVI series may provide a useful way to identify land-cover change in Africa.
Antibiotics for Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections: Vancomycin, Teicoplanin, Quinupristin/Dalfopristin, Oxazolidinones, Daptomycin, Dalbavancin, and Telavancin

An overview of the mechanism of action, dosing, clinical indications, and toxicities of the glycopeptide vancomycin is provided. The emerging gram-positive bacterial resistance to antimicrobials and its mechanisms are reviewed. Strategies to control this emergence of resistance are expected to be proposed. Newer antimicrobial agents that have activity against vancomycin-resistant organisms are now available and play a critical role in the treatment of life-threatening infections.
Intimacy Status Its Relationship to Locus of Control, Self-Disclosure, and Anxiety in Adults

The purpose of these studies was to determine whether individuals who have afully developed capacity for intimacy, as assessed by an intimacy status interview and rating, could be distinguished from those with lesser capacities based on their locus of control orientation, self-disclosure, and anxiety levels. Study I indicated that women high in depth and commitment in their romantic relationships were more internally orientated than those low in either depth or commitment. A finding of no group differences in self-disclosure was thought to be due to the absence of a specified target for the disclosure. In study 2 target persons were specified. It was found that those with high levels of intimacy development had disclosed more about themselves to their romantic partners than those lower in intimacy development and that highly intimate individuals disclosed more to significant others than to casual acquaintances, whereas less intimate participants did not disclose differentially when communicating to differ...
Crime Does Pay: An Analysis of the Burglary Profession

A recent paper [Gleason, J., D. Barnum. 1976. Effectiveness of OSHA penalties: Myth or reality. Interfaces7 1, Part I, November 1--13.] examined the Occupational Safety and Health Act OSHA from a decision theory point of view, in an attempt to determine the effectiveness of the penalty provisions of the Act. That paper may be classified in the general area of the economics of crime, although violators of OSHA standards usually would not be considered criminals. This paper examines a group of people who consider themselves criminals---professional burglars. Those who have chosen crime as their profession are herein defined as rational economic criminals. The high rate of recidivism, especially among burglars 76 percent in 1974 [U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. 1975. Uniform Crime Report, 1974. Washington, p. 51.], supports the concept of the rational economic criminal, as does other recent work [Becker, G. 1968. Crime and punishment: An economic approach. The J. Political Econom.76 2, March--April 169--217; Sjoquist, D. 1973. Property crime and economic behavior: Some empirical results. The Amer. Econom. Rev.LXIII 3, June 439--446.].
Open lung biopsy for the diagnosis of acute, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates in the immunosuppressed patient.

To examine the role of open lung biopsy in the evaluation of immunocompromised patients with an acute, diffuse pulmonary infiltrate undiagnosed by noninvasive techniques, 42 consecutive open lung biopsies performed over a three-year period were reviewed. Immunosuppression was invariably present among these patients who had either a malignancy treated by chemotherapy (62 percent), bone marrow transplantation (21 percent), immunodeficiency disorder (10 percent), or corticosteroid therapy (5 percent). Preoperatively, all patients were acutely ill with bilateral infiltrates in 88 percent and severe hypoxia (P02 60 mm Hg) in 64 percent; thrombocytopenia (31 percent), anemia (45 percent), leukopenia (45 percent), and coagulation defects (21 percent) were also present. Through a small anterior thoracotomy, a portion of involved lung was excised for pathologic and microbiologic evaluation. In 30 patients (71 percent) a specific diagnosis (Pneumocystis pneumonia, leukemic infiltrate, etc) was established; the remaining 12 (29 percent) had nonspecific intersitial pneumonitis. Complications attributable to the operative procedure consisted of delayed pneumothorax in 3 (7 percent) and wound dehiscence in one patient Due to the multiple, serious disorders accompanying the underlying disease, 31 percent of patients died within 30 days; mortality was higher among patients whose malignancy was not in remission (55 percent) versus those in remission (8 percent). Open lung biopsy is a rapid, reliable method for establishing a diagnosis in diffuse pulmonary infiltrates and can be performed safely even in a group of acutely ill, immunosuppressed patients.
SPUTERS: An Integrated Traffic Surveillance and Emergency Response Architecture

Abstract Secure Progressively Updatable Traffic Emergency Response System (SPUTERS) is a framework for collecting traffic-surveillance data in crash-prone areas of roadways. SPUTERS receives as input video, audio, and text-based data from an integrated collection of distributed cameras and sensors, both vehicle-borne and those embedded in the roadway infrastructure. Under nominal roadway operating conditions, the multimedia data are used to develop incident countermeasures. During degraded modes of roadway operation, SPUTERS generates progressive updates to create a shared situational awareness among the people who orchestrate responses to traffic incidents and emergencies. In addition to addressing performance-oriented quality-of-service requirements for interactive display of data on handheld devices, SPUTERS relies on role-based access control to safeguard the privacy of roadway users under surveillance, preventing privileged information collected and managed by the system from being leaked to unauthor...
An integral equation approach to smooth 3D Navier–Stokes solution

We summarize a recently developed integral equation (IE) approach to tackling the long-time existence problem for smooth solution v(x, t) to the 3D Navier–Stokes (NS) equation in the context of a periodic box problem with smooth time independent forcing and initial condition v0. Using an inverse-Laplace transform of in 1/t, we arrive at an IE for , where p is inverse-Laplace dual to 1/t and k is the Fourier variable dual to x. The advantage of this formulation is that the solution to the IE is known to exist a priori for and the solution is integrable and exponentially bounded at ∞. Global existence of NS solution in this formulation is reduced to an asymptotics question. If has subexponential bounds as p→∞, then global existence to NS follows. Moreover, if f=0, then the converse is also true in the following sense: if NS has global solution, then there exists n≥1 for which the inverse-Laplace transform of in 1/tn necessarily decays as q→∞, where q is the inverse-Laplace dual to 1/tn. We also present refined estimates of the exponential growth when the solution is known on a finite interval [0, p0]. We also show that for analytic v[0] and f, with finitely many nonzero Fourier-coefficients, the series for in powers of p has a radius of convergence independent of initial condition and forcing; indeed the radius gets bigger for smaller viscosity. We also show that the IE can be solved numerically with controlled errors. Preliminary numerical calculations for Kida (1985 J. Phys. Soc. Japan 54 2132) initial conditions, though far from being optimized, and performed on a modest interval in the accelerated variable q show decay in q.
Flow past a sphere with surface blowing and suction

The effect of uniform surface blowing and suction on the wake dynamics and the drag and lift forces on a sphere is studied using a high-resolution direct numerical simulation technique. The sphere Reynolds number Re, based on its diameter and the freestream velocity, is in the range 1-300. The onset of recirculation in the sphere wake occurs at higher Re, and the transition to nonaxisymmetry and unsteadiness occurs at lower Re in the presence of blowing. The size of the recirculation region increases with blowing, but it nearly disappears in the case of suction. Wake oscillation also increases in the presence of blowing. The drag coefficient in the presence of blowing is reduced compared to that in uniform flow, in the range 10<Re<250, whereas it is increased in the presence of suction. The reduction in the wake pressure minimum associated with the enhanced vortical structures is the primary cause for drag reduction in the case of blowing. In the case of suction, it is the increased surface vorticity associated with the reduction of the boundary layer that results into increased drag. The fluctuations in the instantaneous lift and drag coefficients are significant for blowing, and they result from the asymmetric movement of the wake pressure minimum associated with the shedding process.
Elegant systems design: Creative fusion of simplicity and power

Elegance is a term frequently associated with aesthetics in design. It typically connotes simplicity, beauty, and grace. When it comes to complex systems, it also connotes predictable behavior, power, and creative functionality. Elegance is what separates the merely functional from the engaging. An elegant design usually has a thematic vision that drives its creation. It engages both designers and users and supports creative exploration on their part. The process of elegant design is an iterative, creative process that exploits systems thinking, probing questioning, and appropriate analogies and metaphors to gain insights that can be transformed novel solutions. This paper provides key insights into elegant systems design and characteristics of elegant systems designers. It offers a heuristics-driven elegant systems design process along with metrics for assessing elegance. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 15 © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Electrical Properties of Sulfur Passivated MIS GaAs Diodes

The electrical properties and aging of sulfur passivated MIS GaAs diodes were studied. Comparison of sulfur and selenium passivated diodes shows that sulfur passivation is more effective than the selenium passivation.
Hypocalcemia due to hypomagnesemia and reversible parathyroid hormone unresponsiveness.

ABSTRACT Parathyroid extract (PTE) had neither calcemic nor phosphaturic effects in 8 alcoholic patients who had both hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia. Correction of the hypomagnesemia by intravenous infusion of magnesium sulfate for 3 days resulted in disappearance of PTE refractoriness and correction of serum calcium. Two additional hypomagnesemic alcoholics remained refractory to PTE during treatment with multivitamin supplements including large amounts of vitamin D, but they responded briskly to PTE following correction of hypomagnesemia. One non-alcoholic patient who had steatorrhea, hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia was also resistant to PTE until serum magnesium had been normalized. These findings indicate that the calcemic and phosphaturic effects of parathyroid hormone are magnesium dependent, and that hypocalcemia, which occurs in severely hypomagnesemic states, is due to parathyroid hormone unresponsiveness.
Inter-instance authorization constraints for secure workflow management

Work flows model and control the execution of business process in an organization. They are typically comprised of tasks or logical steps in the business process. To mitigate the ability of insiders to commit fraud, care should be taken that people authorized to perform critical tasks cannot collude. This is typically done through the specification of separation of duty (SOD)constraints. SOD constraints impose restrictions on which users or roles can be assigned to tasks and have been discussed widely in the research literature in the context of a single work flow instance. In this paper, we argue that SOD constraints that span multiple instances of a work flow also need to be considered to mitigate the security fraud. To this end, we extend the notion of SOD to include constraints that span multiple executing instances of a work flow and constraints that also take into consideration the history of completed work flow instances. We present a constraint specification language to specify the inter-instance constraints and propose methodologies to identify the cases in which certain SOD specifications would result in an anomaly. Specifically, we identify 3 types of anomalies, namely, inconsistency, depletion anomaly and overlapping anomaly The identification and rectification of anomalies are done at both the work flow specification time as well as at runtime,as appropriate,so that users can be assigned to tasks in a consistent manner.
Detrimental Effects of an Electronic Health Records System on Musculoskeletal Symptoms among Health Professionals

A survey of 204 health professionals (physicians, physicians’ assistants and nurse practitioners) in private diagnostic clinics of a major healthcare system was conducted after the introduction of an electronic health records (EHR) system. Results showed considerable daily use of computers in various configurations and some 90% of respondents said the EHR had substantially increased their daily computer use. Less than half of the health professionals found the EHR easy to use. Almost half of the physicians said that use of the EHR reduced their face-to-face interactions with patients. Around two-thirds of respondents reported increased frequency of neck, shoulder and back discomfort and some 50% reported an increased frequency of right wrist discomfort since introduction of the EHR. Results demonstrate the importance of incorporating ergonomic workstation designs and ergonomics education when an EHR is being implemented.
The Proton Storage Ring Control System

When designing a control system for a new facility, one is faced with a bewildering array of electronic devices to use in the solution. There is, of course, no single correct solution because the constraints are Laboratory and project dependent. The major constraint applicable to the hardware choice for the Proton Storage Ring (PSR) control system was the limited manpower available for the design, development, and documentation of custom hardware. As a result, wherever possible, commercial components have been used that are based on recognized standards. The array of choice on the hardware side contrasts markedly with the absence of suitable commercial software products, and it is unfortunate that here there seems to be little prospect of change. The analysis of the overall system that follows will lead to a suitable hardware choice and a description of the software's structure. This paper is an overview, but more information is available.
The Impact of Biomedical Bleeding on Horseshoe Crab, Limulus polyphemus, Movement Patterns on Cape Cod, Massachusetts

The purpose of this study was to determine if bleeding, for biomedical purposes, influenced the behavior of horseshoe crabs, Limulus polyphemus. In the summer of 2001, ten bled and ten control (unbled) female horseshoe crabs were tracked for 26 days using acoustic telemetry in a small estuary on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. All but three crabs, two bled and one control, were located during the study period. No mortality was observed in the control group, while 20% mortality was observed within the bled group. There was no significant difference in the average rate of movement or in the spatial distribution within the estuary between the two groups. However, a difference was detected in the movement patterns. Horseshoe crabs from the bled group had a random direction of movement compared to the directional movement pattern of the control group, suggesting that the bled crabs experienced more disorientation.