cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of V3 Mutations That Can Compensate for Inactivating Mutations in C4 of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus

A valine to isoleucine substitution at position 322 within variable region 3 (V3) of envelope of simian immunodeficiency virus was previously shown to compensate for an inactivating valine to glycine mutation at position 448 in constant region 4 (C4) (Morrison et al., Virology 195, 167-174, 1993). Cloned DNA fragments with inactivating C4 mutations were combined with complex mixtures of mutant V3 sequences, and full length genomes were transfected into COS-1 cells. By cocultivating transfected cells with CEM x 174 cells, we were able to identify two additional compensatory V3-C4 combinations. Changing 334 proline to leucine compensated for an inactivating 428 asparagine to lysine mutation and changing 324 isoleucine to leucine compensated for an inactivating 448 valine to glycine mutation. The double mutants replicated efficiently in CEM x 174 cells, rhesus monkey peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and the continuously growing rhesus monkey T cell line 221. Surprisingly, the 324 I-->L and 33 P-->L mutations by themselves impaired SIVmac239 wild-type replication in CEM x 174 cells. These results confirm the cooperation between V3 and C4 sequences and they define additional specific residues participating in this cooperation.
Effects of orthotopic liver transplantation on the corrected QT interval in patients with end-stage liver disease.

Autonomic dysfunction is a recognized complication of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) associated with a poor prognosis. The corrected QT interval (QTc) on electrocardiogram is a marker of autonomic function. A few small studies have suggested that QTc may normalize with the return of liver function after orthotopic liver transplantation. We sought to determine how transplantation affects the QTc in patients with ESLD. The QTc from the pretransplantation evaluation of 46 patients with ESLD was compared with the QTc at 4-month posttransplantation follow-up. Other factors that can influence autonomic function also were evaluated. Most patients with ESLD (54%) showed a prolonged QTc (≥440 msec) at the pretransplantation evaluation (451± 45 msec) that improved to within the normal range at posttransplantation follow-up (418± 18 msec; P < 0.001). There was no relationship between QTc prolongation and Child–Turcotte–Pugh score, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, diabetes mellitus, age, or etiology of liver disease. Most patients with ESLD and a prolonged QTc will have a significant improvement in QTc after transplantation; however, 6.5% of patients in our study had a worsening of QTc after transplantation.
Prevalence of Neoplasia in Llamas and Alpacas (Oregon State University, 2001–2006)

Prevalence and type of neoplastic disease were determined in 551 camelid submissions (368 alpacas [Lama pacos], 180 llamas [Lama glama], and 3 cases in which species was not identified) over a 5-year period. Forty neoplasms were identified in 38 animals (6.9%). Prevalence of neoplasia in llamas was higher (11%) than in alpacas (4.9%). Mean age of camelids with neoplasia was 9.42 +/- 4.9 years. Mean age of alpacas with neoplasia (5.48 +/- 3.7 years) was significantly less than of llamas with neoplasia (12.53 +/- 3.2 years; P < 0.001). Cutaneous and mucocutaneous fibroma/fibropapilloma was most common (10 animals), followed by cutaneous and mucocutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (6 animals), disseminated lymphoma (5 animals), and fibrosarcoma (4 animals). Four of 5 animals with lymphoma were alpacas, aged 0.21 to 4 years. Lymphoma occurred in 1 aged llama (15 years). Disseminated carcinoma and adenocarcinoma occurred in 4 llamas and 2 alpacas, and included biliary (2), gastrointestinal (2), mammary gland (1), and unknown (1) origin. Mean age of camelids with any type of carcinoma or adenocarcinoma (12.36 +/- 2.8 years) was significantly greater than that of camelids with lymphoma (4.24 +/- 6.2 years; P = 0.02). Results indicate that neoplasia is relatively common in camelids and that there are differences between llamas and alpacas as regards prevalence of neoplasia, tumor types, and age at diagnosis.
Functional anatomy and physiology of the upper esophageal sphincter

Upper esophageal sphincter (UES) refers to the high-pressure zone located in between the pharynx and the cervical esophagus. The physiological role of this sphincter is to protect against reflux of food into the airways as well as prevent entry of air into the digestive tract. UES is a musculocartilaginous structure with its anterior wall being formed by the full extent of the posterior surface of the cricoid cartilage and arytenoid and interarytenoid muscles in the upper part. Posteriorly and laterally the cricopharyngeus (CP) muscle is a definitive component of the UES. CP has many unique characteristics: it is tonically active, has a high degree of elasticity, does not develop maximal tension at basal length, and is composed of a mixture of slow- and fast-twitch fibers, with the former predominating. These features enable the cricopharyngeus to maintain a resting tone and yet be able to stretch open by distracting forces, such as a swallowed bolus and hyoid and laryngeal excursion. CP, however, constitutes only the lower one third of the entire high-pressure zone. The thyropharyngeus (TP) muscle accounts for the remaining upper two thirds of the UES. The UES pressure is not entirely the result of myogenic activity, as a component of the pressure is the result of passive elasticity of the tissues. The opening of the UES involves relaxation of CP and TP muscles and forward movement of the larynx by the contraction of hyoid muscles. The UES function is controlled by a variety of reflexes that involve afferent inputs to the motorneurons innervating the sphincter. These physiological reflexes elicit either contraction or opening of the UES. Inability of the sphincter to open leads to difficulty in swallowing. Opening of the sphincter without associated CP relaxation leads to the clinical syndrome of cricopharyngeal bar.
TGF-β in cancer and bone: Implications for treatment of bone metastases

Bone metastases are common in patients with advanced breast, prostate and lung cancer. Tumor cells co-opt bone cells to drive a feed-forward cycle which disrupts normal bone remodeling to result in abnormal bone destruction or formation and tumor growth in bone. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a major bone-derived factor, which contributes to this vicious cycle of bone metastasis. TGF-β released from bone matrix during osteoclastic resorption stimulates tumor cells to produce osteolytic factors further increasing bone resorption adjacent to the tumor cells. TGF-β also regulates 1) key components of the metastatic cascade such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition, tumor cell invasion, angiogenesis and immunosuppression as well as 2) normal bone remodeling and coupling of bone resorption and formation. Preclinical models demonstrate that blockade of TGF-β signaling is effective to treat and prevent bone metastases as well as to increase bone mass.
Species cross-reactivities of antisera reacting with myelin basic peptide 43-88. Applications for the detection of peptide in rabbit plasma.

Abstract Previous investigations have demonstrated that the detection and measurement of peptides of myelin basic protein (BP) by immunochemical procedures are heavily dependent on the conformation of BP peptides and the specificities of antisera to these peptides. In the present study a double antibody-radioimmunoassay was used to assess the species specificity of antisera from 4 rabbits and 2 sheep against myelin basic protein (BP) peptide 43–88. Although some antisera showed broad reactivity, others were selective for species of BP used in the immunogen. By optimizing the reaction of one of the sheep anti-human peptide 43–88 for detection of rabbit BP peptide 43–88, it was possible to detect immunoreactive BP peptide 43–88 in the plasma of rabbits previously injected with bovine BP peptide 43–88 and complete Freud's adjuvant (CFA). Peptide could be detected in plasma for 1–2 days immediately after subcutaneous injection and again between days 20 and 50. Plasma antibody to rabbit BP peptide 43–88 also appeared 15–20 days after immunization and persisted often in an oscillatory pattern reciprocal for the peptide level. Neither
Does structure find structure?: A critique of Burt's use of distance as a measure of structural equivalence

This paper examines some of the assumptions and consequences of the use of distance as a measure of structural equivalence, as implemented in Burt's STRUCTURE program. We take the general perspective that for a measure to be useful it should not confound separate types of information which are theoretically and mathematically independent. The mathematical relationship between distance and the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient is presented. We show that use of distance as a measure of similarity without proper attention to appropriate standardization procedures confounds information on differences between means and differences between variances with information on the similarity of the patterns between pairs of individuals, e.g. correlation. A detailed examination of Burt and Bittner's analysis of Bernard, Killworth and Sailer's Ham radio operator group is presented, and it is demonstrated that use of distance as a measure of structural equivalence led to nonsensical results.
The influence of interstitial oxygen and peak pressure on the shock loading behavior of zirconium

Abstract The pressure of the α–ω phase transition in zirconium is quantified as a function of interstitial content. The pressure increases with increasing interstitial oxygen content and for the high purity (Zr 0 ) material occurs at 7.1 GPa. Increasing the oxygen content increases the number of octahedral sites occupied; this is postulated to increase the pressure for phase transformation. Deformation behavior and substructural evolution of as-annealed Zr 0 zirconium under quasi-static conditions is compared to its response following shock prestraining at 5.8 and 8 GPa. The reload response of Zr 0 zirconium shock prestrained to 8 GPa exhibits enhanced hardening, while specimens shocked to 5.8 GPa do not when compared to quasi-static constitutive behavior.
Symptom Patterns and Comorbidity in the Early Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

Objective: To learn whether patients with early Alzheimer's disease tend to under-report or over-report symptoms and to compare their comorbidity with non-demented patients. Design: Case Control Study in a population-based dementia registry. Setting and Patients: Three groups of subjects (mean age 76) were enrolled from an HMO base population: 154 cases had clinically diagnosed probable Alzheimer's disease, 92 subjects were found to be not demented although they had complaints of cognitive impairment, and another 129 cognitively intact controls were enrolled after frequency-matching for age and sex. Measurements and Results: Medical records were examined for the 2 years prior to enrollment. Symptoms suggestive of cognitive impairment were evident 7.8 months prior to enrollment (median 6 months) in 95% of cases, in 77% of the not demented subjects, and in 6% of controls. After corrections for multiple comparisons, only symptoms of cognitive impairment were more frequent in cases, whereas several common symptoms not suggestive of cognitive impairment (eg, gastrointestinal discomfort, joint pain, vision problems) occurred more often in controls and the not demented group, even though comorbidity was similar among all three groups (Charlson Index mean scores: case = 0.7, not demented = 0.7, control = 0.5). Conclusions: Persons with Alzheimer's disease do complain of symptoms clearly related to cognitive impairment early in the course of illness, but may under-report common symptoms not suggestive of cognitive impairment, even though their comorbidity is similar to patients without dementia.
Why is S a Biased Estimate of σ

Summary This article outlines an experiment that leads one to discover and verify that S is a biased estimator of σ.
High-throughput biological sample analysis using on-line turbulent flow extraction combined with monolithic column liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A high-throughput liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method, which combines on-line sample extraction through turbulent flow chromatography with a monolithic column separation, has been developed for direct injection analysis of drugs and metabolites in human plasma samples. By coupling a monolithic column into the system as the analytical column, the method enables running 'dual-column' extraction and chromatography at higher flow rates, thus significantly reducing the time required for the transfer and mixing of extracted fraction onto the separation column as well as the time for gradient separation. A strategy of assessing and reducing the matrix suppression effect on the on-line extraction LC/MS/MS has also been discussed. Experiments for evaluating the resolution, peak shape, sensitivity, speed, and matrix effect were conducted with dextromethorphan and its metabolite dextrorphan as model compounds in human plasma matrix. It was demonstrated that the total run time for this assay with a baseline separation of two analytes is less than 1.5 min.
Large deformation adhesive contact mechanics of circular membranes with a flat rigid substrate

We study the large deformation mechanics of contact and adhesion between an inflated hyperelastic membrane and a rigid substrate. The initial configuration of the membrane is flat and circular and is clamped at the edge. Two types of friction conditions between the membrane and the substrate are considered: frictionless and no-slip contact. We derive an exact expression for the energy release rate in terms of local variables at the contact edge, thus linking adhesion to the contact angle. Our model can account for the effects of fluid pressure for experiments performed in solution. We also extend our formulation to include surface tension. Numerical simulations for a neo-Hookean membrane are carried out to study the relation between applied pressure and contact area.
Experimental immunity to a metabolite of halothane and fluroxene: cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity.

Trifluoroacetate (TFA), a common metabolite of halothane and fluroxene, conjugated to human and guinea pig albumin induces specific delayed-type hypersensitivity in guinea pigs. Histologic examination of cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions characterized by erythema and induration 24–48 hours after intradermal challenge with antigen revealed perivascular mononuclear infiltration. These findings support the hypothesis that trifluoroacetate, a metabolite of halothane and fluroxene, can serve as a hapten to elicit specific cellular immune responses.
Regional Plans, Local Fates? How Spatially Restrictive Regional Policies Influence County Policy and Regulations

Councils of governments create regional comprehensive plans to shape the future development of their regions. However, actual implementation often depends on local governments that control land use. How, if at all, did two Atlanta Regional Development Plans (RDPs) influence local government policies? Interviews and comparisons of regional and local policies reveal that the RDP planning process clearly and causally influenced voluntary local comprehensive plans, but not subsequent local land-use regulations. However, the RDPs served other functions, such as data provision. Thus, it is useful to incorporate a communicative evaluation approach to examine the broader functions of the planning process, rather than strictly examining the conformance outcomes of the plan policies.
Real-time task reallocation in fault-tolerant distributed computer systems

Abstract We address the issue of real-time task reallocation due to the failure of one or more processors in a software implemented fault-tolerant system. The incremental and total task reallocation problems are discussed, and a heuristic procedure for both problems is proposed. Computational experiments with the heuristic on the total task reallocation problem produce near perfect system reconfigurations. Further experiments with a slightly modified version of the heuristic show that excellent quality system reconfigurations are obtainable with minimal computational effort.
Task-based assessment of phase-shifting interferometer/ellipsometer

In this presentation, I present a novel phase-shifting interferometer/ellipsometer. The uniqueness arises from the fact that this study is the consolidation of four distinct ideas drawn from the field of optics and the field of statistics. A conventional four-step phase-shifting interferometer is modified to allow for both TE and TM polarized measurements. Maximum-likelihood estimation theory is then used to extract the three parameters of interest, namely the real and imaginary components of the complex index of refraction and the surface profile. Finally, Cramer-Rao lower bounds serve as a quantitative means of assessing the particular system design at the task of estimating the three parameters in question. I will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technique with a Mach-Zehnder prototype, and show how three system parameters, namely the incident amplitude and the relationship between the TE and TM polarized light in terms of amplitude and phase, affect the performance. I also show how quantization of the measured irradiance affects the performance.
Data acquisition and display for a high-speed cell sorter

Abstract Data acquisition and control hardware and display and processing software are presented for a biological cell sorter in which the four parameters of information about each cell are stored event-by-event on a computer disk.
Effects of image resolution and segmentation method on automated mammographic mass shape classification

This article investigates the effects of resolution on the automated segmentation and classification of mammographic masses. A set of 39 mammographic images containing 40 masses are digitized at two resolutions: 220 micrometer and 8 bits per pixel and 180 micrometer and 16 bits per pixel. An expert mammographer classified the shape of all 40 masses as round, lobular, or irregular, and manually segmented the masses from the lower resolution images. The masses in both sets are automatically segmented with a Markov Random Field-based method. Two groups of shape features are extracted from the segmented masses in each set of images: (1) compactness, radial distance mean, standard deviation, entropy, zero- crossing count, and roughness index, and (2) wavelet-based scalar-energy features. Linear discriminant analysis and a minimum Euclidean distance classifier are used to automatically separate the mass shapes into the three classes determined by the expert. The effects of the resolution and method of segmentation on the classification process are analyzed for both groups of shape features.
Diet and Genetics: Trp-ing Over Food Sensitivity

Summary Laboratory-reared Caenorhabditis elegans eat Escherichia coli . A new study demonstrates a strong diet–gene interaction: worms with reduced nhr-114 activity are fertile when fed E. coli K-12 strains but are sterile on E. coli B. Surprisingly, tryptophan supplementation of E. coli B restores worm fertility.
How effective is continuous glucose monitoring in intensively treated type 1 diabetes mellitus

This Practice Point commentary discusses the findings of a multicenter clinical trial conducted by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Continuous Glucose Monitoring Study Group. In the study, 322 individuals aged >/=8 years who were already receiving intensive insulin therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus were randomly assigned to either a group that performed continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), or to a control group that performed conventional self-monitoring with a blood-glucose meter. At week 26, the between-group difference in the change in HbA(1c) level from baseline varied according to the patient's age. A significantly greater reduction in HbA(1c) level in the CGM group compared with the control group was found in patients aged >or=25 years, but not in those aged 8-14 years or 15-24 years. In patients aged >or=25 years, CGM improved glycemic control without increasing the frequency of hypoglycemia. Motivation, willingness to change diabetes self-care behaviors, and the ability to use CGM effectively are important determinants of whether this technology will improve glycemic control.
Livingstonia (Thalassiosirales, Bacillariophyta), a new genus of fultoportulate centric diatoms from an Atlantic coastal plain river in Florida, southeastern United States

Abstract Prasad A.K.S.K and Nienow J.A. 2011. Livingstonia (Thalassiosirales, Bacillariophyta), a new genus of fultoportulate centric diatoms from an Atlantic coastal plain river in Florida, southeastern United States. Phycologia 50: 264–280. DOI: 10.2216/09-89.1 A morphological and taxonomic account of Livingstonia palatkaensis, a new genus and species of centric diatoms belonging to the order Thalassiosirales Glezer & Makarova, is provided. Descriptions are based on material collected from the St. Johns River, a major, highly colored blackwater river in the Atlantic coastal plain in the southeastern United States. Scanning electron microscopic observations clearly show that although the valve structure in Livingstonia shares broad similarities with the genera Thalassiosira and Skeletonema, the types of the two fultoportulate families Thalassiosiraceae and Skeletonemataceae, respectively, it is sufficiently dissimilar to warrant the description of a new genus. Livingstonia is characterized by the presenc...
Volcanoes: interpreting inclusive evidence.

Crystallization of ascending magma may affect the style of volcanic activity. Pockets of melt incorporated into crystals provide windows on processes that occur several kilometres below Earth's surface.
The influence of some metallic cations on deinking flotation

Abstract This paper presents some aspects of the fundamentals of ink flotation with sodium stearate, oleic acid and sodium dodecyl sulphate collectors as well as the influence of metallic cations such as Ca2+, Mg2+ and Al3+ on floatability. Zeta potential studies showed that the isoelectric point (IEP) of ink reached a pH of about 2.3. The presence of calcium, magnesium and aluminum cations modified the zeta potential curves of ink particles in relation to the indifferent electrolyte. The results of microflotation tests indicated that, with sodium stearate, an increase in floatability was probably associated with the precipitation of stearate species on the ink surface. It was suggested that a non-specific adsorption mechanism had occurred with sodium dodecyl sulphate, whilst a specific adsorption mechanism was associated with oleic acid. In the presence of calcium cation, an increase in floatability at pH 8.0 was verified, probably due to calcium/collector salt precipitation on the ink particle surface. In the presence of magnesium and aluminum species, an increase in floatability was noted for pH ranges related to the maximum concentration of their hydroxy complexes and to the predominance of metallic hydroxides at pH values below their IEPs. Scanning electron microscope studies suggested that ink particles formed aggregates with a rough surface in the absence of metallic cations. In contrast, aggregates had a more homogeneous surface in the presence of metallic cations.
Words That Make Customer Contact Employees Tick: A Grounded Study

Why do some customer contact employees (CCEs) show high levels of engagement while others of similar profile and training in the same organization remain disengaged and disinterested? We address th...
ANNIHILATION OF TRANSVERSE VELOCITY BIAS DURING SPINNING-UP MANEUVERS

During spinning-up maneuvers of a spacecraft, the spin thrusters can produce a e nite transverse velocity offset or bias in the plane perpendicular to the spin axis. A two-burn scheme is introduced to eliminate this offset. The fundamental transcendental equation for the two-burn scheme is of the same form as Kepler' s equation. The relationship between the transcendental equation and Kepler' s equation is investigated. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the two-burn scheme. scribe the spin-rate-control e ight algorithm that is used both to alter and to maintain spin rate. The problem is challenging because the thruster causes body-e xed torques about three axes and body-e xed forces along two axes. In this paper, a maneuver scheme is presented that annihilates the transverse velocity bias accrued during spinning-up maneuvers. This offset velocity is directly dependent on the unbalanced force of the spinup thrusters and so is particularly noticeable if there is a large thruster couple mismatch or if (as in the case of the Galileo spacecraft)thereisonlyonespinupthruster (i.e.,nocoupleavailable as depicted in Fig. 1 ). The maneuver scheme consists of two burns with a coast period in between. The initial burn angle is given by a transcendental equation similar to Kepler' s equation. However, in contrast to Kepler' s equation, which has a unique solution for a given eccentricity, the transcendental velocity equation can have an ine nite number of solutions. (The fact that there are close analogies between the classic problem of rigid-body motion and the orbital motion of two bodies is notnew— it has been noted in an interesting paper by Cochran et al. 2 ) OurproblemisrelatedtothatdiscussedbyLonguskietal., 3 where a two-burn scheme is introduced to annihilate angular momentum bias due to transverse torques during a spinning-up maneuver. We consider the problem of transverse velocity accumulation due to transverse forces, which is not addressed in Ref. 3. Our approach makesuseoftheanalytical approximation 4 for velocityaccrued due toappliedforcesina spinupmaneuver.Theresulting transcendental equationisdifferentfromthatofRef.3butiscloselyrelated.Finally, we investigate the existence of multiple solutions for the two-burn scheme.
Conclusive evidence for the excitonic nature of the E1-(E1+Δ1) optical structure in diamond- and zincblende-type semiconductors at room temperature☆

Abstract Conclusive evidence for the existence of excitons at 300°K in the E1-(E1+Δ1) transitions of Ge and GaAs has been obtained from piezo-electroreflectance. The observed polarization-dependent stress-induced splitting is not explained by one-electron theory but is accounted for by including the electron-hole exchange interaction. By including exciton effects, the systematic discrepancy between theory and experiment for the intensity and line shape of this structure should be resolved.
cDNA cloning and expression of HIP, a novel cell surface heparan sulfate/heparin-binding protein of human uterine epithelial cells and cell lines.

Abstract Heparan sulfate proteoglycans and their corresponding binding sites have been suggested to play an important role during the initial attachment of murine blastocysts to uterine epithelium and human trophoblastic cell lines to uterine epithelial cell lines. Previous studies on RL95 cells, a human uterine epithelial cell line, had characterized a single class of cell surface heparin/heparan sulfate (HP/HS)-binding sites. Three major HP/HS-binding peptide fragments were isolated from cell surfaces by tryptic digestion, and partial amino-terminal amino acid sequence for each peptide fragment was obtained (Raboudi, N., Julian, J., Rohde, L. H., and Carson, D. D.(1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 11930-11939). In the current study, using approaches of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and cDNA library screening, we have cloned and expressed a novel, cell surface HP/HS-binding protein, named HP/HS interacting protein (HIP), from RL95 cells. The full-length cDNA of HIP encodes a protein of 159 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 17,754 Da and pI of 11.75. Transfection of HIP full-length cDNA into NIH-3T3 cells demonstrated cell surface expression and a size similar to that of HIP expressed by human cells. Predicted amino acid sequence indicates that HIP lacks a membrane spanning region and has no consensus sites for glycosylation. Northern blot analysis detected a single transcript of 1.3 kilobases in both total RNA and poly(A) RNA. Examination of human cell lines and normal tissues using both Northern blot and Western blot analyses revealed that HIP is expressed at different levels in a variety of human cell lines and normal tissues but absent in some cell lines and some cell types of normal tissues examined. HIP has relatively high homology (80% both at the levels of nucleotide and protein sequence) to a rodent ribosomal protein L29. Thus, members of the L29 family may be displayed on cell surfaces where they may participate in HP/HS binding events.
Law enforcement and civil society in Russia

Abstract Many Russian civil society organisations are directly engaging with state law enforcement agencies, particularly the police, in joint efforts to improve the performance and change the norms and values of state officials involved in administering justice. These activities are based upon a model of state–society relations that stresses the possibility of a positive relationship of mutual assistance and partnership between the state and civil society. Such assistance is often described by these organisations as helping low-level bureaucrats better perform their core organisational tasks. This model is contrasted with two alternative models of the role of civil society, which depict civil society either as teaching citizens the norms and values associated with liberal democracy, or as a potential counter-weight to an over-reaching state. Three cases studies of cooperation between NGOs and law enforcement agencies demonstrate the utility of such an approach. Although these projects suffer from some co...
Comparing Relaxed and Non-Relaxed Fast Affine Projection Adaptation Algorithms

In order to provide a guideline to designers of practical adaptation systems that are based on the family of affine projection algorithms, this paper derives and verifies certain simple formulation for learning curves of relaxed and non-relaxed affine projection algorithms (APAs), to which the fast affine projection (FAP) algorithms approximate. It is observed that the formulation accurately predicts the behavior of the algorithms when the input is independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.), and gives a reasonable estimate when the input is speech ? not satisfying the i.i.d. condition.
Characterization of brimonidine metabolism with rat, rabbit, dog, monkey and human liver fractions and rabbit liver aldehyde oxidase.

1. In vitro metabolism of 14C-brimonidine by the rat, rabbit, dog, monkey and human liver fractions was studied to assess any species differences. In vitro metabolism with rabbit liver aldehyde oxidase and human liver slices, and in vivo metabolism in rats were also investigated. The hepatic and urinary metabolites were characterized by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.2. Up to seven, six, 11 and 14 metabolites were detected in rat liver S9 fraction, human liver S9 fraction, human liver slices and rat urine respectively. Rabbit liver aldehyde oxidase catalysed the metabolism of brimonidine to 2-oxobrimonidine and 3-oxobrimonidine, and further oxidation to the 2,3-dioxobrimonidine. Menadione inhibited the liver aldehyde oxidase-mediated oxidation.3. Hepatic oxidation of brimonidine to 2-oxobrimonidine, 3-oxobrimonidine and 2,3-dioxobrimonidine was a major pathway in all the species studied, except the dog whose prominent metabolites were 4′,5′-dehydrobrimonidine and 5-bromo-6-guanidinoquinox-ali...
Optimal Call Admission Control Policy In Wireless Networks

It is well known that the call admission policy has a big impact on the performance of a wireless network. Due to the nonlinear dependence between new calls and handoff calls, it becomes quite difficult to exactly model a wireless network. In this paper, we take all the incoming calls to a single cell of a wireless network as one class, their distribution as a general distribution and model it as a semi-Markov decision process (SMDP). Assuming that accepting each call would contribute a reward to the system and the system incurs a cost per unit time for the calls waiting in the buffer, we derive the optimal call admission control policy for the maximum reward. By using SMDP technique, we find that optimal call admission control policy is a control limit policy if the waiting cost function is a convex nondecreasing function.
Five Grand Challenges for Library Research

Librarians have many and varied difficulties. For some library problems research is not the best remedy. Improved coordination, clarification of values, or drawing on existing research results may suffice. When research is indicated, it pays to be selective. Investing in research, like any other kind of investment, should be judged in terms of the probability of success, the likely delay before results are achieved, and the impact on the population of competent researchers, as well as the perceived importance of the problem. New technology permits new forms of service, generates new data for analysis, and supports new tools for researchers. Normal research is repetitious and progresses incrementally. A bolder strategy is to seek significant advances in library service by challenging researchers to achieve a deeper understanding of important, but inadequately understood library phenomena. Five Grand Challenges are proposed: Library service: Could library services be made more meaningful? Library theory: Who knew what when? Library design: Have digital libraries been designed backwards? Library values: How neutral can libraries be? and, Library communities: How do communities differ?
Symmetric and antisymmetric resonances in a pair of metal-dielectric nanoshells: tunability and closed-form formulas

Resonances of symmetric and antisymmetric polarization states in tightly coupled nanoshell particles made of either a metallic core and a dielectric shell or, vice versa, a dielectric core and a metallic shell were analyzed at optical frequencies. The investigation was performed by using the single dipole approximation (SDA) with all the dynamical retarded field terms included. Furthermore, analytic formulas for the four possible resonances were derived for the first time by retaining only the static (non-retarded) term in the dipolar field expression. The image principle was used to distinguish a priori between symmetric and antisymmetric modes and for full-wave simulations performed to confirm the identification of resonances achieved by the SDA. It was observed that the resonance frequencies of a pair of nanoshells can be tuned over a wide range of wavelength/frequencies by varying the relative dimensions of the core and shell. This makes this kind of particle pairs suited very well to be adopted either as constituents of metamaterials or to enhance local fields when operating frequencies range from the visible to the infrared spectral regions.
Break-Induced Replication and Recombinational Telomere Elongation in Yeast

When a telomere becomes unprotected or if only one end of a chromosomal double-strand break succeeds in recombining with a template sequence, DNA can be repaired by a recombination-dependent DNA replication process termed break-induced replication (BIR). In budding yeasts, there are two BIR pathways, one dependent on the Rad51 recombinase protein and one Rad51 independent; these two repair processes lead to different types of survivors in cells lacking the telomerase enzyme that is required for normal telomere maintenance. Recombination at telomeres is triggered by either excessive telomere shortening or disruptions in the function of telomere-binding proteins. Telomere elongation by BIR appears to often occur through a "roll and spread" mechanism. In this process, a telomeric circle produced by recombination at a dysfunctional telomere acts as a template for a rolling circle BIR event to form an elongated telomere. Additional BIR events can then copy the elongated sequence to all other telomeres.
Active point out-of-plane ultrasound calibration

Image-guided surgery systems are often used to provide surgeons with informational support. Due to several unique advantages such as ease of use, real-time image acquisition, and no ionizing radiation, ultrasound is a common intraoperative medical imaging modality used in image-guided surgery systems. To perform advanced forms of guidance with ultrasound, such as virtual image overlays or automated robotic actuation, an ultrasound calibration process must be performed. This process recovers the rigid body transformation between a tracked marker attached to the transducer and the ultrasound image. Point-based phantoms are considered to be accurate, but their calibration framework assumes that the point is in the image plane. In this work, we present the use of an active point phantom and a calibration framework that accounts for the elevational uncertainty of the point. Given the lateral and axial position of the point in the ultrasound image, we approximate a circle in the axial-elevational plane with a radius equal to the axial position. The standard approach transforms all of the imaged points to be a single physical point. In our approach, we minimize the distances between the circular subsets of each image, with them ideally intersecting at a single point. We simulated in noiseless and noisy cases, presenting results on out-of-plane estimation errors, calibration estimation errors, and point reconstruction precision. We also performed an experiment using a robot arm as the tracker, resulting in a point reconstruction precision of 0.64mm.
Assessing the Association Between Childhood Sexual Abuse and Adult Sexual Experiences in Women with Sexual Difficulties

Self-report instruments for assessing sexual well-being in women with sexual difficulties have not to date been explicitly validated among women with a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Given an extensive literature suggesting psychological differences between women with and without a history of CSA, it is possible that sexual well-being has a different meaning for these groups. Without validated scales, it is difficult to evaluate the impact of early sexual trauma on adult sexuality. The present study assessed whether the factor structure of widely used measures of sexual well-being were consistent across women experiencing sexual difficulties, with and without an abuse history, and to estimate effect sizes for the statistical effect of CSA on sexual well-being in this population. A sample of women with and without a history of CSA (N = 238) completed the Female Sexual Function Index and the Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women. Structural equation models indicated generally consistent factor structures across groups, suggesting good construct validity. Effect size estimates indicated medium to large (0.53–0.72) effects of CSA on sexual well-being for women with sexual difficulties. These findings support and extend research regarding the potential effects of CSA that may inform treatment for this population. Traditional and Simplified Chinese Abstracts by AsianSTSS 標題：有性困難婦女中童年性虐待和成人性體驗的關係 撮要：有童年被性虐歷史(CSA)的婦女中，使用自我評估性愉悅量度工具(在性困難婦女中使用的)未曾驗證。眾多文獻指出有和沒有CSA歷史的婦女中存在心理差異，但性愉悅在這些組別中可能有不一樣的意義。我們很難在沒有已驗證量表的情況下評核早期性侵害對成人性慾方面的影響。本文旨在對有性困難(有或沒有虐待歷史者)婦女評估一些廣泛使用的性愉悅量度工具的分子結構是否一致，亦估算在這些婦女的性愉悅中CSA歷史統計效果的有效值。樣本是一羣有或沒有CSA歷史的婦女(N = 238), 她們完成了女性性功能指數和婦女性滿足量表的測試。結構方程式模型顯示羣組中有大體上一致的分子結構，暗示了良好的結構效度。有效值估量顯示CSA對性困難婦女性愉悅有中度至高度(.53至.72) 影響。結論支持及擴展CSA可能效果研究，或能對此婦女羣提供可行的治療方案。 标题：有性困难妇女中童年性虐待和成人性体验的关系 撮要：有童年被性虐历史(CSA)的妇女中，使用自我评估性愉悦量度工具(在性困难妇女中使用的)未曾验证。众多文献指出有和没有CSA历史的妇女中存在心理差异，但性愉悦在这些组别中可能有不一样的意义。我们很难在没有已验证量表的情况下评核早期性侵害对成人性欲方面的影响。本文旨在对有性困难(有或没有虐待历史者)妇女评估一些广泛使用的性愉悦量度工具的分子结构是否一致，亦估算在这些妇女的性愉悦中CSA历史统计效果的有效值。样本是一羣有或没有CSA历史的妇女(N = 238), 她们完成了女性性功能指数和妇女性满足量表的测试。结构方程式模型显示羣组中有大体上一致的分子结构，暗示了良好的结构效度。有效值估量显示CSA对性困难妇女性愉悦有中度至高度(.53至.72) 影响。结论支持及扩展CSA可能效果研究，或能对此妇女羣提供可行的治疗方案。
Sensitivities of sulfate aerosol formation and oxidation pathways on the chemical mechanism employed in simulations

Abstract. The processes of aerosol sulfate formation are vital components in the scientific understanding of perturbations of earth's radiative balance via aerosol direct and indirect effects. In this work, an analysis of the influence of changes in oxidant levels and sulfur dioxide oxidation pathways was performed to study the underlying pathways for sulfate formation. Sensitivities of this constituent were calculated from a series of photochemical model simulations with varying rates of NOx and VOC emissions to produce variations in oxidant abundances using a photochemical model (CMAQ) that covers the eastern US for part of the ICARTT 2004 campaign. Three different chemical mechanisms (CBIV, CB05, and SAPRC99) were used to test model responses to changes in NOx and VOC concentrations. Comparison of modeled results and measurements demonstrates that the simulations with all three chemical mechanisms capture the levels of sulfate reasonably well. However, the three mechanisms are shown to have significantly different responses in sulfate formation when the emissions of NOx and/or VOC are altered, reflecting different photochemical regimes under which the formation of sulfate occurs. Also, an analysis of the oxidation pathways that contribute to sulfur dioxide conversion to sulfate reveals substantial differences in the importance of the various pathways among the three chemical mechanisms. These findings suggest that estimations of the influence that future changes in primary emissions or other changes which perturb SO2 oxidants have on sulfate abundances, and on its direct and indirect radiative forcing effects, may be dependent on the chemical mechanism employed in the model analysis.
Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in the management of penetrating and blunt thoracic trauma

Background: The role of video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) is still being defined in the management of thoracic trauma. We report our trauma cases managed by VATS and review the role of VATS in the management of thoracic trauma. Materials and Methods: All the trauma patients who underwent VATS from 2000 to 2007 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center were retrospectively studied. Results: Twenty-three trauma patients underwent 25 cases of VATS. The most common indication for VATS was retained haemothorax. Thoracotomy was avoided in 21 patients. VATS failed in two cases. On an average VATS was performed on trauma day seven (range 1-26) and the length of hospital stay was 20 days (range 3-58). There was no mortality. VATS was performed in an emergency (day 1-2), or in the early (day 2-7) or late (after day 7) phases of trauma. Conclusion: VATS can be performed safely for the management of thoracic traumas. VATS can be performed before or after thoracotomy and at any stage of trauma. The use of VATS in trauma has a trimodal distribution (emergent, early, late), each with different indications.
Stability criteria for miscible displacement of fluids from a porous medium

Stability criteria are formulated for displacement of a fluid from an infinite porous medium by a second more dense fluid miscible with the fluid being displaced. Pure displacing fluid is separated from pure displaced fluid by a region of constant thickness in which the two fluids interpenetrate. The steady displacement process takes place at a constant velocity in the direction of gravity. It is shown that appreciable differences in pure-component densities, viscosity variation within the zone of interpenetration, and the displacement velocity can have a major effect on the stability criteria of such a flow.
Status of the SLAC Snoop Diagnostic Module for FASTBUS

A SNOOP Diagnostic Module for FASTBUS is under development at SLAC. The SNOOP Module resides on a FASTBUS crate segment and provides diagnostic monitoring and testing capability. It consists of a high-speed ECL front-end to monitor and single-step segment operations, a simple master interface, and a control processor with two serial communication ports. Module features and specifications are summarized, and prototype hardware is shown.
2‐Formylphenylboronic Acid

[40138-16-7] C7H7BO3 (MW 149.94) InChI = 1S/C7H7BO3/c9-5-6-3-1-2-4-7(6)8(10)11/h1-5,10-11H InChIKey = DGUWACLYDSWXRZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N (a reagent and substrate that participates in palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions2-9 as well as other metal-catalyzed reactions,10-14 is commonly employed in reductive amination reactions15-18 and certain three-component reactions,19, 20 and as a precursor for other boron derivatives21-24) Physical Data: mp 115–120 °C (contains varying amounts of the anhydride). Solubility: soluble in water (sparingly) and in most of the organic solvents. Form Supplied in: white crystalline solid. Analysis of Reagent Purity: HPLC, IR, NMR. Preparative Methods: refluxing 2-bromobenzaldehyde, ethylene glycol and p-toluenesulfonic acid in toluene for 6 h provides the protected aldehyde. Addition of the aryl bromide to Mg in THF, followed by transfer of the resulting Grignard reagent to a solution of trimethyl borate in THF (−78 °C to room temperature), and subsequent hydrolysis provides the product.25 2-Formylphenylboronic acid can also be prepared by reaction of o-tolylboronic acid with N-bromosuccinimide followed by reaction at reflux with benzoyl peroxide for 6 h.26 Purification: recrystallization from water26 or CH2Cl2/hexane.27 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: the compound should be handled with protective gloves and eyewear in a ventilated area. The compound is stable, but care should be taken to avoid contact with strong oxidizing agents. Hazardous decomposition products include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and boron oxides.
Blind separation of FHSS signals using PARAFAC analysis and quadrilinear least squares

This paper considers the problem of blindly separating multiple-frequency-hopped spread-spectrum (FHSS) signals using an antenna array, without knowledge of hopping patterns or directions of arrival (DOAs). We propose to use PARAllel FACtor (PARAFAC) analysis of four-way data generated by capitalizing on both spatial and temporal shift invariance. As a preprocessing step, we may identify a hop-free subset of the data by discarding high-entropy spectral slices from the spectrogram. The analysis step is implemented using quadrilinear alternating least squares (QALS). We discuss identifiability and performance issues, and compare our algorithm with some earlier algebraic approaches. We also discuss robustness issues when QALS is applied to the raw data without first detecting a hop-free data set.
Dynamical Evolution of the Adeona and Gefion Asteroid Families

In this work we investigate the degree to which large asteroid family fragments could be scattered by close encounters with the four most massive asteroids in the Main Belt (1 Ceres, 2 Pallas, 4 Vesta,and 10 Hygiea). We performed N-body simulations over 500 Myr of members of the Adeona and Gefion families. While close encounters seem unable to significantly alter the semimajor axis distribution of these two families’ members, single asteroids can be significantly moved from their original positions. These objects might be classified as interlopers if only based on their current values of apparent ejection velocity.
2016 Outlook: Humans in the Technology Loop

Computer's digital offerings will change in 2016, and this Outlook issue offers a glimpse into the future of computing technologies. Some of the brightest spots are ubiquitous computing, human-centered software engineering, cyber-physical systems, OS design changes, and advances that will revolutionize personal medical device development.