cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract IA17: Developing improved methods to measure human DNA repair capacity

The Samson lab has been developing potentially high-throughput methods for measuring DNA repair capacity (DRC) in human cells. These approaches are modeled on the pioneering work of the late Professor Lawrence Grossman and rely on the transfection of plasmids containing specific types of DNA damage and then monitoring the repair of that damage by the expression of a reporter gene that is poorly expressed in the absence of repair. One of our goals is to simultaneously measure DRC for a variety of DNA repair pathways using a multiplexed approach and a collection of fluorescent proteins of different color. So far we have developed methods for measuring relative levels of nucleotide excision repair, homologous recombination, DNA mismatch repair, and MGMT mediated repair. We are currently extending this approach to encompass other DNA repair pathways. Measuring DNA repair capacity in various human cell types may help predict inter-individual differences in the ability of people to respond upon exposure to environmental agents and thus predict their cancer susceptibility. Moreover, knowing the DNA repair capacity of tumor cells for different types of DNA damage could help in choosing more effective chemotherapy regimens. Citation Format: Leona D. Samson. Developing improved methods to measure human DNA repair capacity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Chemical Systems Biology: Assembling and Interrogating Computational Models of the Cancer Cell by Chemical Perturbations; 2012 Jun 27-30; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(13 Suppl):Abstract nr IA17.
Comparative study of the phase behavior of liquid‐crystalline components in closely related blends and copolyesters

Phase behavior of blends of a liquid-crystalline (LC) polymer with a non-LC polymer and of a series of copolymers containing mesogenic and nonmesogenic units was studied by thermal, optical, and dynamic mechanical methods. The polymers composing the blends and the copolymers had the same constituent monomers. The blends exhibited phase separation over the whole range of compositions studied as observed by DSC and dynamic mechanical analysis. Two glass transition temperatures (Tg) corresponding to the two components and independence of melting (Tm) and isotropization temperatures (Ti) to changes in composition were observed for the blends. The copolymers did not show phase separation over most of the composition range studied. Only one Tg corresponding to that of the major component could be detected for the copolymers, and the Tg was found to increase with an increase in the amount of nonmesogenic monomer in the copolymers. The difference in phase behavior was explained on the basis of the chemical environment of the constituent units in the blends and in copolymers. Phase inversion in the blends was observed by microscopy when the blends contained 60 mol% or more of the non-LC polymer.
Effects of age and/or puberty on coronary artery atherosclerosis in cynomolgus monkeys

Abstract In this retrospective study of diet-induced atherosclerosis in male cynomolgus macaques, juvenile (2.5–3.5 years) and adult (6–12 years) monkeys that had consumed comparable atherogenic diets resulting in similar plasma lipid concentrations showed marked differences in coronary artery atherosclerotic lesion characteristics and extent. Adult animals (n = 16) developed more extensive lesions characterized predominantly as proliferative atherosclerotic plaques, while juveniles (n = 10) had minimal lesions that consisted primarily of fatty streaks. These differences in lesion characteristics and extent were not explained by differences in blood pressure. It is uncertain if these quantitative and qualitative differences in susceptibility to diet-induced atherosclerosis are due to intrinsic age-related changes in the arterial wall and/or related to the endocrine and metabolic changes associated with puberty. These findings may have relevance to the natural history of atherosclerosis in human beings.
Surface EMG activity during REM sleep in Parkinson's disease correlates with disease severity

Abstract Objectives Over 40% of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) have rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD). This is associated with excessive sustained (tonic) or intermittent (phasic) muscle activity instead of the muscle atonia normally seen during REM sleep. We examined characteristics of manually-quantitated surface EMG activity in PD to ascertain whether the extent of muscle activity during REM sleep is associated with specific clinical features and measures of disease severity. Methods In a convenience sample of outpatients with idiopathic PD, REM sleep behavior disorder was diagnosed based on clinical history and polysomnogram, and severity was measured using the RBD sleep questionnaire. Surface EMG activity in the mentalis, extensor muscle group of the forearms, and anterior tibialis was manually quantitated. Percentage of REM time with excessive tonic or phasic muscle activity was calculated and compared across PD and RBD characteristics. Results Among 65 patients, 31 had confirmed RBD. In univariate analyses, higher amounts of surface EMG activity were associated with longer PD disease duration (srho = 0.34; p = 0.006) and greater disease severity ( p p Conclusion Surface EMG activity during REM sleep was associated with severity of both PD and RBD. This measure may be useful as a PD biomarker and, if confirmed, may aid in determining which PD patients warrant treatment for their dream enactment to reduce risk of injury.
The Effect of Static and Dynamic Loading and Temperature on the Yield Stress of Iron and Mild Steel in Compression

Cylindrical test samples were compressed statically and dynamically at temperatures ranging from +100 to -195°C and the yield stress, form of yield and surface markings observed. A Hopkinson bar and throw -off rod and electric resistance strain gauges were used for stress determinations under dynamic loads. The stress necessary to in intiate yield rises steeply with fall in temperature and is accompanied by a change in mechanism of deformation from normal slip to the formation of Neumann lamellae at a critical temperature. The critical temperature is higher under dynamic loading, but there appears to be a critical stress for the formation of Neumann lamellae, whether caused by high rates of loading or low temperatures.
Abstract 2410: Crucial role of the non-BRCT automodification domain of PARP1 in either DNA binding and PARP inhibitor-mediated cell toxicity

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) inhibitor (PARPi)-mediated synthetic lethality is an attractive new paradigm for cancer therapy. While it has been recently proposed some of PARPi may cause DNA single strand break (SSB)-PARP1 or -PARP2 complexes, leading to cell toxicity, the mode of action of PARPi-mediated synthetic lethality is not well understood. We analyzed DNA damage response to PARPi using an isogenic set of DT40 cells. Both PARP-1 ko mutants and PARP-1 ko mutants expressing DNA bindin domain-defficient PARP1 showed markedly more resistance to olaparib than parental DT40 cells, indicating that PARP1 binding to DNA strand break through DNA binding domain is critical in olaparib-mediated cell toxicity. While non-BRCT automodomain domain deletion mutant showed a resistant phenotype, olaparib causes similar toxicity in BRCT domain deletion mutant and parental DT40 cells. Furthermore, PARP1 localized in chromatin binding fraction in BRCT1 deletion mutant, but not in non-BRCT automodomain domain deletion mutant. These results indicate that non-BRCT automodification domain plays crucial role for the formation of stable DNA SSB-PARP1 complex and olaparib-mediated synthetic lethality. Citation Format: Jun Nakamura, Xu Tian. Crucial role of the non-BRCT automodification domain of PARP1 in either DNA binding and PARP inhibitor-mediated cell toxicity. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2410. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2410
Cluster models of ionic crystals: Band gaps

The authors performed electronic ab initio calculations of ion clusters simulating a piece of ionic crystal. The main interest here is to estimate the (direct) energy band gap from the cluster energy levels. The model consists of a central cation surrounded by four shells of ions, with additional point charges embedding the cluster. The authors present results for the series of alkali halides with rock-salt structure. 16 refs., 1 tab.
Solution of and bounding in a linearly constrained optimization problem with convex, polyhedral objective function

A dual method is presented to solve a linearly constrained optimization problem with convex, polyhedral objective function, along with a fast bounding technique, for the optimum value. The method can be used to solve problems, obtained from LPs, where some of the constraints are not required to be exactly satisfied but are penalized by piecewise linear functions, which are added to the objective function of the original problem. The method generalizes an earlier solution technique developed by Prekopa (1990). Applications to stochastic programming are also presented.
Predicting Reading Problems at Kindergarten for Children in Second Grade: SEARCH as a Screen:

In this study, 668 kindergarten children were screened and followed through second grade to compare the 2-year predictive validity of SEARCH (a test designed to assess delays in the acquisition of spatial and temporal information) with the predictive validity of academic achievement tests as screens for identifying children at-risk for developing reading problems. Six different cutoff scores on SEARCH were used to establish risk status, and reading scores at or below the 30th percentile were used to establish both at-risk status and inadequate reading at second grade. The use of SEARCH scores indicating major risk resulted in false negative error rates in the 52% to 69% range and false positive error rates in the 56% to 70% range. The use of academic tests to predict reading problems resulted in error rates of 65% for false negative and 62 % for false positive. The results are discussed in the context of issues in measuring perceptual and cognitive performance in an age range where normal and deviant vari...
Polytype identification in heteroepitaxial 3C-SiC grown on 4H-SiC mesas using synchrotron white beam X-ray topography

Abstract Synchrotron white beam X-ray topography (SWBXT), post-oxidation color mapping, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been used to study the defect and polytype distribution in a thin film grown on mesas structures on part of a 4H-SiC crystal subjected to a non-optimal version of the previously reported [Appl. Phys. Lett. 77 (2000) 1449] procedure for achieving atomic flatness. This combination of techniques was used to provide confirmation that atomic flatness could only be achieved on mesas containing no screw dislocations. It was also found that the vast majority of the atomically flat mesas were of small size as expected since the probability of a screw dislocation threading a mesa is proportional to its area. For these small mesas, either no 3C-SiC nucleation or complete coverage by one or other of the 3C variants was observed. In mesas containing screw dislocations, mostly those of larger size, either no 3C nucleation or partial coverage by single or double phase 3C was observed. In contrast to our previous observations of on-axis mesa samples grown under different conditions in which polytypes such as 15R were observed [J. Phys. D 28 (1995) A56; in: L. Terminello, N. Shinn, G. Ice, K. D’Amico, D. Perry (Eds.), Applications of Synchrotron Radiation Techniques to Materials Science, Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 375 (1995) 327] no polytypes other than 4H, 3C(I) and 3C(II) were detected anywhere on this wafer. In the absence of the stacking sequence template provided by the risers of steps (whether from screw dislocations or offcut angle), this data indicates that no other polytype forms but 3C under these growth conditions. This study indicates that combined use of SWBXT in back-reflection and forward-reflection geometry, post-oxidation color mapping, AFM and SEM, is ideally suited for detailed microstructural and structural mapping in SiC.
Stimulus sampling learning models described as continuous-time stochastic processes

Abstract In a previous work, an extension of the stimulus sampling theory to continuous-time learning models was introduced. A noncontingent reinforcement schedule occurring according to a Poisson process was then considered. The present article thoroughly investigates first properties of four continuous-time models which differ in their reinforcement schedules. Two are noncontingent and two are simply contingent; two occur according to a Poisson process, the other two are equally spaced in time. The response process is always two-valued and continuous in time. Fundamental equations are derived from the axioms, conditional probabilities computed and estimation procedures provided for the parameters.
Studies on the formation of discontinuous rock fragments during cutting operation

Abstract A rock fragmentation process is simulated during mechanical cutting of rock using an explicit finite element code, LS-DYNA. In the simulation, a cutting tool is orthogonally moved against stationary rock materials made of sandstone and limestone. Rock material properties have been incorporated using an advanced damage constitute material model. Simulations were performed for various rake angles at different cutting velocities and cutting depths. The variation of cutting forces, stresses, rock fragment morphology and the character of fragment formation have been investigated. Overall, the results indicate that the explicit FEM is a powerful tool for simulating rock cutting and the fragmentation process. More specifically, the separation of rock fragments from the base rock slab was accurately predicted using the numerical model. The cutting forces and rock fragment characteristics were strongly influenced by rake angle when compared to cutting tool velocities for a given depth of cut. This information is shown to be highly pertinent to better understanding cutting rates and tool wear.
Associations Between Trans Fatty Acid Consumption and Colon Cancer Among Whites and African Americans in the North Carolina Colon Cancer Study I

Disparities in incidence and mortality rates of colon cancer exist between Whites and African Americans. Prior studies examined the association between trans fatty acid consumption and colorectal cancer, but none assessed this possible relationship within a large study population of African Americans and Whites. Using data from a population-based, case-control study in North Carolina, we investigated this association with attention to possible racial differences. Cases and matched controls were queried on demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, medical history, and diet. Cases reported higher daily consumption (g/day) of trans fatty acids (mean = 5.9, SD = 2.9, median = 5.5, IQR = 3.8-7.5) compared to controls (mean = 5.2, SD = 2.4, median = 4.7, IQR = 3.5-6.4). Energy-adjusted trans fatty acid consumption was not associated with colon cancer. Compared to participants in the lowest quartile of consumption, those in the highest quartile had an adjusted odds ratio of 1.01 (95% confidence interval 0.69, 1.49) for Whites and 0.99 (95% confidence interval 0.61, 1.62) for African Americans. No association was found between increased consumption of trans fatty acid and specific tumor location (proximal or distal colon). In conclusion, trans fatty acid consumption is not associated with colon cancer and does not contribute to disparities in colon cancer rates.
Peripheral blood T and B lymphocytes in patients with burns. II. Sequential rosette analyses considering burn severity and pseudomonas sepsis

Abstract Lymphocytes have been enumerated by E rosette assay for T lymphocytes and by EA and EAC rosette assay for B lymphocytes in 49 burn patients sequentially for 30 days following thermal injury. Severity of burn was used as a classification in a separate analysis of patients. Significant depressions in T lymphocyte percentages and counts per mm 3 were seen in the early post-burn period, the magnitude of which increased with increasing severity of burn. There was a trend towards elevated levels of EAC rosetting cells in mild to moderate injury but there was an absolute depression in severe injury. Extreme depressions of T lymphocytes have been consistently seen in patients who coincidentally developed clinically evident pseudomonas sepsis.
Design of a staggered-p.r.f. moving target indication filter

To avoid blind speed phenomena, staggered-p.r.f. m.t.i. systems are used in modern radars for detection of high-speed targets. In this paper a procedure is presented which considers both the effect of filter weights and the interpulse durations. The goal of this procedure is to yield an m.t.i. response with minimum variations in the pass-band and maximum attenuation in the stop-band.
Microgravity assay of neuroblastoma: in vitro aggregation kinetics and organoid morphology correlate with MYCN expression

Neuroblastoma, the most common and deadly solid pediatric tumor, features genetic and biologic heterogeneity that defies simple risk assessments, drives diverse clinical behavior, and demands more extensive characterization. This research served to investigate the utility of a microgravity assay—rotary bioreactor culture—to evaluate and characterize the cell-specific, in vitro behavior of neuroblastoma cell lines: aggregation kinetics of single cells and the morphology of the formed structures, called organoids. Specifically, we examined the effect of amplification of the oncogene MYCN, a genetic factor that is strongly associated with poor clinical outcome. Three human neuroblastoma cell lines with varied MYCN expression (CHP-212 (unamplified), SK-N-AS (unamplified), IMR-32 (amplified)) were cultured in the microgravity rotary bioreactor. Simple aggregation kinetics were determined by periodically performing counts of non-aggregated single cells in the media. Organoids were harvested, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and evaluated microscopically in terms of size and shape. The MYCN-amplified cell line (IMR32) aggregated much more rapidly than the unamplified cell lines, as indicated by a significantly lower area under its aggregation curve (single non-aggregated cells vs. time): IMR32 = 4.3, CHP-212 =12.4, SK-N-AS = 9.8 (adhesion index ×105). Further, the organoid morphology of the MYCN-amplified cell line was noticeably different compared to the unamplified lines. The CHP-212 and SK-N-AS cells formed spherical structures with average cross-sectional area 0.213 and 0.138 mm2, respectively, and featured an outer viable zone of cells (average length of 0.175, 0.129 mm, respectively; the “diffusion distance”), surrounding an inner necrotic core. In contrast, the MYCN-amplified cell line formed a large single mass of cells but had a similar diffusion distance (0.175 mm). This microgravity assay provides a rapid, reproducible assessment of in vitro behavior of neuroblastoma, and the measured parameters, aggregation kinetics and organoid size and shape correlated with malignant potential in terms of MYCN amplification. This assay allows for the examination of cell-specific biologic and genetic factors that should provide valuable insight into the clinical behavior of neuroblastoma.
Two New Species of Euphausiacea, Euphausia Nana and Stylocheiron Robust Um From the Pacific1)

[Zwei neue Arten von Euphausiiden sind in Planktonproben vom Stillen Ozean gefunden worden. Euphausia nana sp. nov. unterscheidet sich von der verwandten Art Euphausia pacifica Hansen in Struktureinzelheiten der terminalen und proximalen Fortsatze der Copulations-organe des Mannchens. E. nana ist sehr viel kleiner als E. pacifica. Euphausia nana ist in der Ost-Chinesischen See sowie im Gebiet sudostlich von Japan gefunden worden, und lebt moglicherweise geographisch isoliert von der nordlicheren E. pacifica, Die "dominierende Stadien" der Larven sind nahezu identisch in beiden Arten. Sie sind aber kleiner bei E. nana als bei E. pacifica. Stylocheiron robustum sp. nov., eine dritte Art der "Stylocheiron maximum Gruppe", bewohnt die warmen Gewasser des zentralen und westtropischen Stillen Ozeans, und wurde auch von SudAfrika gemeldet., Zwei neue Arten von Euphausiiden sind in Planktonproben vom Stillen Ozean gefunden worden. Euphausia nana sp. nov. unterscheidet sich von der verwandten Art Euphausia pacifica Hansen in Struktureinzelheiten der terminalen und proximalen Fortsatze der Copulations-organe des Mannchens. E. nana ist sehr viel kleiner als E. pacifica. Euphausia nana ist in der Ost-Chinesischen See sowie im Gebiet sudostlich von Japan gefunden worden, und lebt moglicherweise geographisch isoliert von der nordlicheren E. pacifica, Die "dominierende Stadien" der Larven sind nahezu identisch in beiden Arten. Sie sind aber kleiner bei E. nana als bei E. pacifica. Stylocheiron robustum sp. nov., eine dritte Art der "Stylocheiron maximum Gruppe", bewohnt die warmen Gewasser des zentralen und westtropischen Stillen Ozeans, und wurde auch von SudAfrika gemeldet.]
γ-Tubulin: the microtubule organizer?

Microtubules are composed predominantly of two related proteins: alpha- and beta-tubulin. These proteins form the tubulin heterodimer, which is the basic building block of microtubules. Surprisingly, recent molecular genetic studies have revealed the existence of gamma-tubulin, a new member of the tubulin family. Like alpha- and beta-tubulin, gamma-tubulin is essential for microtubule function but, unlike alpha- and beta-tubulin, it is not a component of microtubules. Rather, it is located at microtubule-organizing centres and may function in the nucleation of microtubule assembly and establishment of microtubule polarity.
Are fish oils an effective therapy in mental illness--an analysis of the data.

Objective: To review the literature regarding the use of fish oils in the treatment of psychiatric illness. Method: A Medline search was conducted in September 1999. Results: Five papers have investigated omega-3 fatty acids levels in depression. One study used omega-3 fatty acids as an adjunctive therapy in bipolar disorder. Four studies used fatty acids as an adjunctive therapy in schizophrenia. Conclusion: There is a great deal of current research in this field. While omega-3 fatty acids levels may be lowered in depression, there are no data suggesting that omega-3 fatty acids are effective. One paper indicates that omega-3 fatty acids are effective in bipolar disorders. The data on schizophrenia are conflicting. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids have proved effective. Most of the evidence suggests that the main effect is an improvement in negative symptoms. One recent study showed that omega-3 fatty acids had no effect on negative symptoms.
SITEHOUND-web: a server for ligand binding site identification in protein structures

SITEHOUND-web (http://sitehound.sanchezlab.org) is a binding-site identification server powered by the SITEHOUND program. Given a protein structure in PDB format SITEHOUND-web will identify regions of the protein characterized by favorable interactions with a probe molecule. These regions correspond to putative ligand binding sites. Depending on the probe used in the calculation, sites with preference for different ligands will be identified. Currently, a carbon probe for identification of binding sites for drug-like molecules, and a phosphate probe for phosphorylated ligands (ATP, phoshopeptides, etc.) have been implemented. SITEHOUND-web will display the results in HTML pages including an interactive 3D representation of the protein structure and the putative sites using the Jmol java applet. Various downloadable data files are also provided for offline data analysis.
Editorial: Presentation and participation

(1988). Editorial: Presentation and participation. American Journal of Distance Education: Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 1-3.
School-Based Assessment of Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder:

Schools are uniquely situated to provide information relevant to the assessment and treatment of Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) across a variety of tasks, settings, and observers. The importance of the school setting to the assessment and treatment of ADHD has resulted in the development of numerous measures appropriate for such assessment, but few guidelines for their use. The purpose of this article is to describe school-based assessment procedures and their relationship to ADHD. These procedures include teacher rating measures, direct observations in classrooms and on playgrounds, peer rating and sociometric measures, and permanent product measures such as academic performance. It is recommended that school-based assessment of ADHD involve the concurrent use of multiple measures to assess adequately the wide variety of symptoms associated with this disorder. It is further recommended that assessment serve the purpose of determining treatment efficacy to avoid unwarranted preoccupation with diagnostic issues that are as yet unresolved. The components of a comprehensive school-based assessment of ADHD are described, and their relationship to school-based treatment is discussed.
A method for evaluating certain bessel integrals

This paper gives a direct approach for evaluating a class of integrals involving the Russell functions ker and kei.
Risk factors for rehospitalization and inpatient care among pediatric psychiatric intake response center patients

The study sought to explore the characteristics, risk factors for inpatient recommendation, and risk factors for revisits to a pediatric psychiatric intake response center (PIRC). There are three research questions: 1. What is the general profile of pediatric patients who present at the PIRC? 2. What are the risk factors for patients who repeatedly visit the PIRC? 3. What are the risk factors for PIRC patients who are recommended to inpatient care? The study utilized a retrospective medical chart review of a random sample (n = 260). A PIRC profile was created using frequency and prevalence calculations, in addition to a survival analysis of patients who return to the PIRC in order to determine how long it takes for PIRC patients to return to the PIRC. Factors that contribute to increased odds of returning to PIRC and being recommended for inpatient treatment were calculated using two logistic regression analyses. The average pediatric PIRC patient is about 13 years old, Caucasian, with Medicaid and comes from a divorced or single parent household. About 43% of patients presented at PIRC for suicidal thoughts, ideation, intentions or actions. At least 63% of patients have a history of victimization. The average time to return to PIRC is about 90 days. Patients with a history of victimization, suicidal behavior, learning problems, problems with peers, and a history of violence were at an increased odds of returning to the PIRC. Those patients who were previously admitted to inpatient care and had a family history of mental health issues were at increased odds of being recommended to inpatient treatment. This sample presents with a multitude of issues that contribute to increased odds of revisits to PIRC and inpatient recommendation. These issues seem to come from multiple levels of influence. Future research should expand to similar treatment facilities and use a prospective design to confirm risk factors. Treatment for pediatric psychiatric patients may focus on multiple factors that influence patients’ mental health.
Determination of bamboo-diet digestibility and fecal output by giant pandas

Abstract The goals of this study were to determine digestibility of a bamboo diet by giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and to evaluate potential internal markers (naturally occurring markers in their diet) for their ability to estimate fecal output and digestibility. Digestibility predictions using internal markers were based on either feed offered or feed consumed. Two giant pandas were used in 1-, 2-, and 3-day digestibility trials with total collection of feces. In the 3-day trial, animals were fed 100% bamboo with no dietary supplements. In all other trials, supplements were included in addition to bamboo. The 3 internal markers chosen for evaluation were acid insoluble ash (AIA), acid detergent lignin (ADL), and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN). Results from digestibility trials indicated that apparent nutrient digestibility could be determined with no differences (P > 0.05) between pandas. Six apparent dry matter (DM) digestibility values ranged from 6.9 to 38.5%. Apparent DM digestibili...
A game theory perspective on interference avoidance

We show that the fixed power, synchronous interference avoidance (IA) scheme of (C. Rose et al, IEEE Trans. on Wireless Comm., vol.1, no.3, p. 415-427, 2002) employing the (greedy) eigen-iteration can be modeled as the recently developed potential game of (D. Monderer et al, Journal of Games and Economic Behavior, vol.14, no.0044, p.124-143, 1996). Motivated by the fact that receivers can make small mistakes, we consider the convergence of the eigen-iteration when noise is added in a manner similar to (P. Anigstein, IEEE Trans. On Inf. Theory vol.49, no.4, 2003). Further, we restrict ourselves to a class of signal environments that we call levelable environments. Applying game-theory, we obtain a convergence result similar to that of the Anigstein method, for levelable environments: arbitrarily small noise assures that the eigen-iteration almost surely converges to a neighborhood of the optimum signature set.
Separation principle for opportunistic spectrum access in unslotted primary systems

We consider the design of opportunistic spectrum access (OSA) strategies that allow secondary users to search for and exploit spectrum opportunities in unslotted primary systems. We formulate the joint design of OSA as a constrained partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP). A separation principle for the joint design of OSA is established under certain conditions on the false alarm probability of the spectrum sensor. This result extends the separation principle for OSA in slotted primary systems to unslotted primary systems.
Protecting and Managing Privacy Information in Video Surveillance Systems

Recent widespread deployment and increased sophistication of video surveillance systems have raised apprehension of their threat to individuals’ right of privacy. Privacy protection technologies developed thus far have focused mainly on different visual obfuscation techniques but no comprehensive solution has yet been proposed. We describe a prototype system for privacy-protected video surveillance that advances the state-of-the-art in three different areas: First, after identifying the individuals whose privacy needs to be protected, a fast and effective video inpainting algorithm is applied to erase individuals’ images as a means of privacy protection. Second, to authenticate this modification, a novel rate-distortion optimized data-hiding scheme is used to embed the extracted private information into the modified video. While keeping the modified video standard-compliant, our data hiding scheme allows the original data to be retrieved with proper authentication. Third, we view the original video as a private property of the individuals in it and develop a secure infrastructure similar to a Digital Rights Management system that allows individuals to selectively grant access to their privacy information.
Secure Control: Towards Survivable Cyber-Physical Systems

In this position paper we investigate the security of cyber-physical systems. We (1) identify and define the problem of secure control, (2) investigate the defenses that information security and control theory can provide, and (3) propose a set of challenges that need to be addressed to improve the survivability of cyber-physical systems.
Financial Health and Airline Safety

Theoretical models suggest that firms may pursue riskier strategies in times of financial distress. For example, financially weak firms may compromise safety and quality to maximize current period profits. If the riskier strategy fails, then the stockholders are content to hand over the bankrupt firm to the debt holders. Despite much interest, there is little, if any, empirical evidence that relates financial health to the risk-taking behavior of firms. We explore this relationship for the airline industry. Using bond ratings to proxy for financial health and airline mishaps to measure safety, we find a significant correlation: airlines with higher quality bond ratings are less likely to experience mishaps than airlines with lower quality ratings. On average, an airline with an investment grade bond rating has a 25% lower probability of a mishap than an airline with a below investment grade bond rating. The findings imply that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should shift part of its inspection and surveillance resources from financially strong airlines to financially weak airlines. Further, reliance on readily available bond ratings makes it easy to implement these recommendations.
Inflammation and endothelial dysfunction during aging: role of NF-κB

One of the major conceptual advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of age-associated cardiovascular diseases has been the insight that age-related oxidative stress may promote vascular inflammation even in the absence of traditional risk factors associated with atherogenesis (e.g., hypertension or metabolic diseases). In the present review we summarize recent experimental data suggesting that mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species, innate immunity, the local TNF-α-converting enzyme (TACE)-TNF-α, and the renin-angiotensin system may underlie NF-κB induction and endothelial activation in aged arteries. The theme that emerges from this review is that multiple proinflammatory pathways converge on NF-κB in the aged arterial wall, and that the transcriptional activity of NF-κB is regulated by multiple nuclear factors during aging, including nuclear enzymes poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP-1) and SIRT-1. We also discuss the possibility that nucleophosmin (NPM or nuclear phosphoprotein B23), a known modulator of the cellular oxidative stress response, may also regulate NF-κB activity in endothelial cells.
Trends in concentrations of nitrate and total dissolved solids in public supply wells of the Bunker Hill, Lytle, Rialto, and Colton groundwater subbasins, San Bernardino County, California: Influence of legacy land use

Concentrations and temporal changes in concentrations of nitrate and total dissolved solids (TDS) in groundwater of the Bunker Hill, Lytle, Rialto, and Colton groundwater subbasins of the Upper Santa Ana Valley Groundwater Basin were evaluated to identify trends and factors that may be affecting trends. One hundred, thirty-one public-supply wells were selected for analysis based on the availability of data spanning at least 11 years between the late 1980s and the 2000s. Forty-one of the 131 wells (31%) had a significant (p<0.10) increase in nitrate and 14 wells (11%) had a significant decrease in nitrate. For TDS, 46 wells (35%) had a significant increase and 8 wells (6%) had a significant decrease. Slopes for the observed significant trends ranged from -0.44 to 0.91 mg/L/yr for nitrate (as N) and -8 to 13 mg/L/yr for TDS. Increasing nitrate trends were associated with greater well depth, higher percentage of agricultural land use, and being closer to the distal end of the flow system. Decreasing nitrate trends were associated with the occurrence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); VOC occurrence decreases with increasing depth. The relations of nitrate trends to depth, lateral position, and VOCs imply that increasing nitrate concentrations are associated with nitrate loading from historical agricultural land use and that more recent urban land use is generally associated with lower nitrate concentrations and greater VOC occurrence. Increasing TDS trends were associated with relatively greater current nitrate concentrations and relatively greater amounts of urban land. Decreasing TDS trends were associated with relatively greater amounts of natural land use. Trends in TDS concentrations were not related to depth, lateral position, or VOC occurrence, reflecting more complex factors affecting TDS than nitrate in the study area.
Kinase signaling pathways as potential targets in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a severe, progressive, age-associated, neurodegenerative disorder. Current therapies are symptomatic and not effective at halting or significantly slowing the disease progress. The search for etiologic-based therapies has focused largely on genetic findings made in familial forms of this disease. Mutations of five genes have been unequivocally linked to PD; two of these, LRRK2 and PINK1, encode kinases and as such are attractive tools with which to understand the disease process; furthermore, preliminary functional data suggests that these proteins, or the pathways in which they are involved, are viable therapeutic targets. Here we explore the current data and thoughts regarding LRRK2 and PINK1 and discuss further avenues of research to understand the pathologic effects of mutations at these loci and potential points of therapeutic intervention, such as within these kinases or in associated pathways such as Jun N-terminal kinase and Akt pathways.
A Mathematical Model to Detect Inspiratory Flow Limitation During Sleep

The physiological significance of inspiratory flow limitation (IFL) has recently been recognized, but methods of detecting IFL can be subjective. We sought to develop a mathematical model of the up...
Competing Causes of Death and Medical Comorbidities Among Patients With Human Papillomavirus-Positive vs Human Papillomavirus-Negative Oropharyngeal Carcinoma and Impact on Adherence to Radiotherapy

Importance Survival of patients with head and neck cancer can be affected by competing causes of mortality, as well as comorbidities that result in radiation treatment interruptions. Objective To discern how differences in preexisting medical and psychosocial comorbidities potentially influence adherence to radiation therapy according to human papillomavirus (HPV) status. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective analysis at a comprehensive cancer center of 162 consecutive patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx treated with primary chemoradiation (n = 95) or primary surgery followed by adjuvant radiation (n = 67). Immunostaining for p16 was used to determine HPV status. Main Outcomes and Measures Difference in alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use was compared between patients with HPV-positive and HPV-negative tumors, as well as the prevalence of the following comorbidities: diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), anxiety disorder, and major depression. The number of total missed treatment days was analyzed as both a continuous and categorical variable. Results Rates of self-reported heavy alcohol use (47% vs 16%; P = .02) and any marijuana use (47% vs 23%; P = .003) were significantly higher among HPV-negative patients. Fifty-four percent of HPV-positive patients self-identified as never smokers, compared with only 12% of HPV-negative patients ( P P = .02), as well as an increased rate of at least 5 missed days (24% vs 10%; P = .04), and higher prevalences of COPD (12% vs 7%; P = .37) and anxiety disorder (12% vs 6%; P = .35). Conclusions and Relevance Pronounced differences exist in lifestyle habits between patients with HPV-negative and HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer at diagnosis. These differences, as well as those of medical and psychosocial burden, may contribute to observed discrepancies in treatment adherence and need to be considered in outcomes reporting and clinical trial design.
Draft Genome Sequence of Streptomyces sp. Strain Wigar10, Isolated from a Surface-Sterilized Garlic Bulb

Streptomyces sp. strain Wigar10 was isolated from a surface-sterilized garlic bulb (Allium sativum var. Purple Stripe). Its genome encodes several novel secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters and provides a genetic basis for further investigation of this strain's chemical biology and potential for interaction with its garlic host.
A review on equal channel angular extrusion as a deformation and grain refinement process

Equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) has been known over some years now as a deformation and grain refinement process for materials when pushed more than a couple of times through a die formed from two channels of equal cross-section, intersecting to form a 'sharp' corner. Since its invention in 1977 by V. M. Segal, it has been an essential tool by engineers and scientists for imparting various properties on the extruded material. It should be noted also that its usage gained more prominence in the early 80's. A lot of publications and articles have come up as reports after the use of ECAE on various materials. Various factors have been known to affect the properties and the microstructures of ECAEed materials. Some of these factors include temperature, die corner angle and type of route. This paper gives a concise summary of what ECAE entails as a deformation and grain refinement process. This was achieved after reviewing various articles in refereed journals published worldwide.
Biomimetic oxidation of acetaminophen prodrugs catalyzed by iron porphyrins: Effect of nitrogen and thiolate axial ligands on drug and metabolite formation

Abstract Metalloporphyrins (MP) are often employed in biomimetic catalysis due to their structural and functional similarity to the heme prosthetic group of oxygenating enzymes. In these enzymes, the iron porphyrin is primarily protein-bound at the active site by cysteine (cytochrome P450, CYP), histidine (peroxidase), and tyrosine (catalase), acting as axial ligands. The diverse functionality and variable oxidizing power exhibited by different oxygenating enzymes is [in part] attributed to the ligating amino acid, and the relationship between iron and the heteroatom. Attempts to mimic this relationship by developing MP systems that behave similarly to CYP enzymes have mainly focused on incorporating nitrogen ( N )-heterocycles. Although it is widely known that different enzyme families favor distinctive products, sulfur is easily oxidized and prone to form disulfide bonds, and as such, thiolates for the most part remain unexplored. Herein, we report our findings from the biomimetic oxidation of phenacetin, methacetin, and acetanilide by meta -chloroperoxybenzoic acid ( m -CPBA), catalyzed by hindered iron (III) porphyrins that are chelated by different axial ligands. Nine axial ligands that vary in p K a (2.8–11.2), size, and heteroatomic identity were examined, to more accurately determine the factors that contribute to function and effect. The [three] thiolate ligands afforded the greatest yields of acetaminophen in the majority of cases. Furthermore, nitrogen- and sulfur-containing ligands were observed to promote different reaction pathways, regardless of p K a or ligand size.
The James A. Rand Young Investigator's Award: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Oral and Intravenous Tranexamic Acid in Total Knee Arthroplasty: The Same Efficacy at Lower Cost?

Abstract Background Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a synthetic antifibrinolytic agent successfully used intravenously (IV) to reduce blood loss after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). An oral formulation of the medication is available, at a fraction of the cost of the IV preparation. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to determine if oral TXA is equivalent to IV TXA in reducing blood loss in TKA. Methods In this double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, patients undergoing primary TKA were randomized to receive 1.95g of TXA orally 2 hours preoperatively or 1g IV bolus before wound closure. The primary outcome was reduction of hemoglobin. Power analysis determined that 30 patients were required in each group. Equivalence analysis was performed with pooled and Satterthwaite t tests with a P -value of Results Thirty-four patients received oral TXA and 37 patients received IV TXA. There was no difference in the mean reduction of hemoglobin between oral and IV groups (3.45g/dL vs 3.31g/dL, respectively; P = .001, equivalence), and total blood loss was equivalent at 1281 mL vs 1231 mL, respectively ( P = .02, equivalence). One patient in each group was transfused. Conclusion Oral TXA provides equivalent reductions in blood loss, at a cost of $14 compared with $47-$108 depending on the IV formulation selected. As approximately 700,000 primary TKA are performed in the United States annually, a switch to oral TXA could yield total cost savings of between $23 million and $67 million dollars per year for our health care system.
Motion – Prophylactic Banding of Esophageal Varices Is Useful: Arguments for the Motion

Variceal hemorrhage is a frequent complication of cirrhosis and is associated with a high mortality rate, especially in patients with decompensated liver disease. Endoscopy is useful in identifying factors that predict a high likelihood of bleeding, including large varices and red colour signs. Endoscopic rubber band ligation has superseded sclerotherapy in the prevention of both recurrent hemorrhage and the first episode of bleeding, because it causes fewer complications and requires fewer sessions to eradicate varices. It has been proven to be more effective than nontreatment in the primary prophylaxis against variceal hemorrhage. There is extensive literature that has found that band ligation is more effective than beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists at preventing the first variceal hemorrhage. There is ongoing debate about the relative merits of these two approaches, but the available evidence supports the conclusion that band ligation is the treatment of choice in the primary prevention of variceal bleeding. Trials of combined medical and endoscopic therapy are eagerly awaited, and the author suspects that it may prove to be more effective than either modality alone.
On the Reactions π + + d ⇆ p + p

The reactions ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+d\ensuremath{\leftrightarrows}p+p$ have been investigated in weak-coupling approximation. Using detailed balancing arguments it is shown that comparison of the total cross sections for both processes at appropriate energies allows a unique determination of the spin of the charged $\ensuremath{\pi}$-meson independent of weak coupling theory. It is also shown that the angular distributions of the final state particles and the energy variation of the total cross sections also provide information as to the charged $\ensuremath{\pi}$-meson spin.
Subclinical cobalamin deficiency.

Purpose of reviewThis review focuses on recent developments and controversies in the diagnosis, consequences, and management of subclinical cobalamin deficiency (SCCD), which affects many elderly persons.Recent findingsDiagnosis of SCCD depends exclusively on biochemical tests whose individual limit
Reconstructions and Morphological Instabilities of FCC (110) Surfaces

We compare the ground state energy of the following structures of fcc (110) surfaces: the (1×1) flat surface, the (n×1) reconstruction (2 ± n < ∞), and the (∞ × 1) structure where the surface is faceted into macroscopic (111) surfaces. We map out the phase diagram using a lattice model with pair and triplet interactions. We argue that it is unlikely that any realist pair potential will give a reconstructed ground state. We also doubt that including, in addition, three body interactions will stabilize the reconstructed structure for interatomic interactions derived from the embedded atom method.