cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potato cuttings as models to study maturation and senescence

Single leaf cuttings with their subtended axillary buds proved to be useful models to study maturation and senescence in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Senescence was more rapid if the cultivar was early maturing or if plants were exposed to short days before cuttings were taken. Rooting was decreased by short days before cutting; excision of the buried bud only partially overcame the effects on senescence and rooting. High rates of N to mother plants in the field delayed senescence of cuttings in a way analogous to the delayed senescence of field plants. The tuberization of cuttings from late maturing cultivars was decreased by high rates of N. The color of crisps made from bud tubers was positively correlated with the color of crisps made from ordinary tubers of the same cultivars. Sugar concentrations in bud tubers decreased as cuttings became more senescent and increased after cold storage. Bud tubers harvested while ‘immature’ had greater concentrations of reducing sugars after 90 d at 10°C than did ‘mature’ bud tubers.
The influence of prosodic structure on the resolution of temporary syntactic closure ambiguities

This paper investigates the influence of prosodic structure on the process of sentence comprehension, with a specific focus on the relative contributions of syntactic and prosodic information to the resolution of temporary syntactic closure ambiguities. We argue that prosodic structure provides an initial memory representation for spoken sentences, and that information from this prosodic representation is available to inform syntactic parsing decisions. This view makes three predictions for the processing of temporary syntactic ambiguity: 1. When prosodic and syntactic boundaries coincide, syntactic processing should be facilitated. 2. When prosodic boundaries are placed at misleading points in syntactic structure, syntactic processing should show interference effects. 3. The processing difficulties that have been reliably demonstrated in reading experiments for syntactically complex sentences should disappear when those sentences are presented with a felicitous prosodic structure in listening experiments. These predictions were confirmed by series of experiments measuring end-of-sentence comprehension time and cross-modal naming time for sentences with temporary syntactic closure ambiguities. Sentences with coinciding or conflicting prosodic and syntactic boundaries were compared to a prosodic baseline condition.
Rural-urban fertility differences and the fertility transition.

Summary In this paper a method for decomposing rural-urban fertility differences into separate differences in nuptiality and marital fertility is developed. This technique is applied to national and provincial statistics for two countries, Japan and Sweden. It is shown that there are some features of rural-urban differences which hold for both countries, but it is also demonstrated that because the Japanese and Swedish fertility transitions were markedly dissimilar, there are salient contrasts in the relation between the magnitude and composition of the rural-urban differences and the stage reached in each country during its fertility transition.
A survey of labor patient-controlled epidural anesthesia practice in California hospitals.

Abstract Background Patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) offers many advantages over continuous epidural infusions for labor analgesia including fewer physician interventions, improved analgesia and satisfaction, and reduced local anesthetic doses. However, anesthesiologists have been slow to adopt this technique, first described in 1988. No previous studies have evaluated specific labor patient-controlled epidural analgesia practices in the United States. The aim of this study was to determine labor epidural and patient-controlled epidural analgesia practices among California hospitals. Methods Following institutional review board exemption approval, an online survey was created using freeonlinesurveys.com®. An anonymous survey was sent via e-mail to 230 California Society of Anesthesiologists' members chosen at random to represent their hospitals' labor analgesia practices. Results We received 133 replies from the 230 survey requests sent, a 58% response rate. The median labor epidural rate among the hospitals involved was 65% (range 0-95%). Overall, only 25% of California hospitals use patient-controlled epidural analgesia for analgesia in labor, with greater use among hospitals with dedicated obstetric anesthesia coverage and larger numbers of deliveries. Reasons given for not using patient-controlled epidural analgesia include cost, clinician preference, safety concerns and the inconvenience of change. Conclusions Despite the potential advantages of patient-controlled epidural analgesia over continuous epidural infusions for labor analgesia, patient-controlled epidural analgesia has not been widely adopted in California hospitals. Education regarding this technique is needed to encourage its increased use.
The Use of Neutral Red and Evans Blue for Live-Dead Determinations of Marine Plankton (With Comments on the Use of Rotenone for Inhibition of Grazing)

Modifications of the neutral red vital staining technique of Drgsel and co-workers to sort live and dead marine copepods have made possible live-dead determinations of most components of estuarine ...
An algorithm for finding the nucleolus of assignment games

Assignment games with side payments are models of certain two-sided markets. It is known that prices which competitively balance supply and demand correspond to elements in the core. The nucleolus, lying in the lexicographic center of the nonempty core, has the additional property that it satisfies each coalition as much as possible. The corresponding prices favor neither the sellers nor the buyers, hence provide some stability for the market. An algorithm is presented that determines the nucleolus of an assignment game. It generates a finite number of payoff vectors, monotone increasing on one side, and decreasing on the other. The decomposition of the payoff space and the lattice-type structure of the feasible set are utilized in associating a directed graph. Finding the next payoff is translated into determining the lengths of longest paths to the nodes, if the graph is acyclic, or otherwise, detecting the cycle(s). In an (m,n)-person assignment game withm = min(m,n) the nucleolus is found in at most 1/2·m(m + 3) steps, each one requiring at mostO(m·n) elementary operations.
X-ray investigation of the structure of poly(tetramethylene terephthalate)

Poly(tetramethylene terephthalate) (PTMT) undergoes a reversible stress-induced crystal-crystal phase transition. X-ray fiber-diffraction photographs were obtained from the oriented, unstressed (α) phase. Relative intensities were measured from these photographs. These were used to help check the reported structures of the α phase. Structures and observed intensity data from other authors were also utilized. Results show the α phase contains a non-trans, non-gauche bond rotation in the tetramethylene chain and a nonplanar terephthalic acid residue. A tilt of 3.5° between the fiber axis and the c axis was determined in a direction 210° counterclockwise from the b* axis.
Coupled channels treatment of transfer reactions

Abstract Consistent coupled channels calculations, using folded optical potentials, are performed by iteration for the reactions 16O(d, d), 16O(d, p), and 17O(p, p). The kernel is greatly changes when the nonorthogonality of the channel wave functions is included. The non-orthogonality corrections tend to cancel the effects from higher-order processes except for 17O(p, p) where only higher-order processes are important. The use of folded potentials reduces both effects.
Superconvergence Relations for Mesons and Higher Symmetries

Superconvergence relations for meson-meson scattering are obtained on the basis of locality and unitarity, and they are selected using the infinite-momentum limit. Complete saturation of these superconvergence relations with nonets of pseudoscalar and vector mesons gives rise to a consistent set of relations between coupling constants. These equations have a unique solution which is consistent with collinear $U(6)$ symmetry for the vertices. It is proposed that this result remains unchanged if additional intermediate states are introduced in sets corresponding to higher representations of $U(6)\ensuremath{\bigotimes}U(6)\ensuremath{\bigotimes}O(3)$ which separately satisfy the relations.
Changes in Fatty Acids and Sensory Quality of Fresh Water Prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) Stored Under Frozen Conditions

The effects of frozen storage and packaging methods on the oxidation of fatty acids and rancidity development in fresh-water prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii were studied. The lipids of these fresh prawns contained 23% saturated, 46% monounsaturated, and 31% polyunsaturated fatty acids. The fatty acids, especially the unsaturated ones decreased during frozen storage for 6 months at -18°C, regardless of the packaging procedure employed. No objectionable rancid flavor was detected in these prawns during the 6-month frozen storage study.
Using data to account for lack of data: Linking material informatics with stochastic analysis

Many material systems of fundamental as well as industrial importance are significantly affected by underlying fluctuations and variations in boundary conditions, initial conditions, material property, as well as variabilities in operating and surrounding conditions. There has been increasing interest in analyzing, quantifying, and controlling the effects of such uncertain inputs on complex systems. This has resulted in the development of techniques in stochastic analysis and predictive modeling. A general application of stochastic techniques to many significant problems in engineering has been limited due to the lack of realistic, viable models of the input variability. Ideas of material informatics can be used to utilize available data about the input to construct a data-driven, computationally viable model of the input variability. This promising coupling of material informatics and stochastic analysis is investigated and some results are showcased using a simple example of analyzing diffusion in heterogeneous random media. Limited microstructural data is utilized to construct a realistic model of the thermal conductivity variability in a system. This reduced-order model then serves as the input to the stochastic partial differential equation describing thermal diffusion through random heterogeneous media.
OXYGENATION PROPERTIES OF HUMAN ERYTHROCYTES CONTAINING EXCLUSIVELY α-NITROSYL HEMOGLOBIN: A PROMISING BLOOD TRANSFUSANT CANDIDATE

We have prepared human erythrocytes that contain exclusively α-nitrosyl hemoglobin (Hb), i.e., α(Fe-NO)2β(Fe-O2)2, by incorporating nitric oxide (NO) into erythrocytes in a well-controlled nitrosylation process. The amount of α(Fe-NO) corresponding to 50% of the total heme content of the erythrocytes and exclusive binding of NO to α-subunits of intraerythrocytic Hb were confirmed by EPR. Oxygenation experiments on the intraerythrocytic α-nitrosyl Hb over a wide range of pH showed that: (1) the oxygen affinity of cell-free and intraerythrocytic α-nitrosyl Hbs were much lower than native Hb in their respective environments; (2) the oxygenation characteristics of the intraerythrocytic α-nitrosyl Hb in the acidic range was similar to that of the cell-free α-nitrosyl Hb in the presence of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate; and (3) the apparent Bohr effect in the intraerythrocytic α-nitrosyl Hb was dramatically diminished. This can be due to a restricted variation in intraerythrocytic pH in the alkaline region and the pre...
Bias optimization of 2.4 GHz double gate MOSFET RF mixer

The optimum biasing points and structural design parameters for novel nano-scale double gate MOSFET (DG-MOSFET) radio frequency mixers are investigated at 2.4 GHz. Our objective is to analyze and identify the correlation of the conversion gain of the mixer circuit with the signal amplitude of the local oscillator (LO) as well as different device parameters, such as the gate length (L gate ), doping concentration (N A ) and body thickness (t Si ), thus minimizing signal loss and power consumption and increasing stability. The most important figure of merit is found to be the LO DC bias that determines the level of non-linearity in the transconductance response. Furthermore, we observe that in properly designed DG-MOSFETs $$(\hbox{L}_{gate} \ge 3t_{Si}),\; \hbox{L}_{gate}$$ ( L g a t e ? 3 t S i ) , L g a t e and N A have limited impact on the conversion gain of the mixer, while t Si has a more significant role to play. Although the mixing performance of DG-MOSFETs is ultimately limited by the short channel effects perpetrated by any given structural constraint, an optimum body thickness t Si exists in each case to maximize the conversion gain. Thus, we illustrate how 2D and quantum-corrected simulations can identify the optimum body thickness and optimum bias conditions in such compact nano-scale mixers.
A sustained release formulation of chitosan modified PLCL: poloxamer blend nanoparticles loaded with optical agent for animal imaging

The objective of this study was to develop optical imaging agent loaded biodegradable nanoparticles with indocynanine green (ICG) using chitosan modified poly(L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone) (PLCL):poloxamer (Pluronic F68) blended polymer. Nanoparticles were formulated with an emulsification solvent diffusion technique using PLCL and poloxamer as blend-polymers. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan were used as stabilizers. The particle size, shape and zeta potential of the formulated nanoparticles and the release kinetics of ICG from these nanoparticles were determined. Further, biodistribution of these nanoparticles was studied in mice at various time points until 24 h following intravenous administration, using a non-invasive imaging system. The average particle size of the nanoparticles was found to be 146 ± 3.7 to 260 ± 4.5 nm. The zeta potential progressively increased from − 41.6 to + 25.3 mV with increasing amounts of chitosan. Particle size and shape of the nanoparticles were studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) which revealed the particles to be smooth and spherical in shape. These nanoparticles were efficiently delivered to the cytoplasm of the cells, as observed in prostate and breast cancer cells using confocal laser scanning microscopy. In vitro release studies indicated sustained release of ICG from the nanoparticles over a period of seven days. Nanoparticle distribution results in mice showing improved uptake and accumulation with chitosan modified nanoparticles in various organs and slower clearance at different time points over a 24 h period as compared to unmodified nanoparticles. The successful formulation of such cationically modified nanoparticles for encapsulating optical agents may lead to a potential deep tissue imaging technique for tumor detection, diagnosis and therapy.
Comparison of normalization methods for CodeLink Bioarray data

The quality of microarray data can seriously affect the accuracy of downstream analyses. In order to reduce variability and enhance signal reproducibility in these data, many normalization methods have been proposed and evaluated, most of which are for data obtained from cDNA microarrays and Affymetrix GeneChips. CodeLink Bioarrays are a newly emerged, single-color oligonucleotide microarray platform. To date, there are no reported studies that evaluate normalization methods for CodeLink Bioarrays.
Recruiting Science Librarians: A Call to Action!

SUMMARY Sci-tech librarians who understand the unique culture and language of science, and who enjoy being part of an investigative team, are a gift to researchers. The ranks of science librarians can be increased by encouraging people with a solid science background to train as librarians. Strategies to recruit scientists include identifying science/engineering students who love their field but may not be particularly interested in laboratory work and science researchers employed in industry who may be looking for a different environment. We need to communicate with potential recruits about how varied and challenging our jobs are. The technological changes in libraries should make our profession attractive to Millennials and Generation Y. Managers should rewrite job descriptions for science librarians to emphasize technology, scholarly communication, digital transformation of key source material, and instructional collaboration. Each of us can contribute to changing the ingrained (and limited) cultural i...
Overcoming Katrina: African American Voices from the Crescent City and Beyond

Introduction: Black New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina * Views from Retirement * At the Height of Their Careers * Thirty Something * Coming of Age in New Orleans in the Late Twentieth Century
Neural net algorithms that learn in polynomial time from examples and queries

An algorithm which trains networks using examples and queries is proposed. In a query, the algorithm supplies a y and is told t(y) by an oracle. Queries appear to be available in practice for most problems of interest, e.g. by appeal to a human expert. The author's algorithm is proved to PAC learn in polynomial time the class of target functions defined by layered, depth two, threshold nets having n inputs connected to k hidden threshold units connected to one or more output units, provided k >
Games with a purpose

Through online games, people can collectively solve large-scale computational problems. Such games constitute a general mechanism for using brain power to solve open problems. In fact, designing such a game is much like designing an algorithm - it must be proven correct, its efficiency can be analyzed, a more efficient version can supersede a less efficient one, and so on. "Games with a purpose" have a vast range of applications in areas as diverse as security, computer vision, Internet accessibility, adult content filtering, and Internet search. Any game designed to address these and other problems must ensure that game play results in a correct solution and, at the same time, is enjoyable. People will play such games to be entertained, not to solve a problem - no matter how laudable the objective
Battling a ‘sex-saturated society’: The abstinence movement and the politics of sex education

The abstinence movement in the USA, as a sector of the Christian Right, advocates abstinence before marriage and links abstinence to Evangelical Christian morality, sexual purity, and heterosexual ...
Axial dispersion with time variable flow in multiphase systems

A theory has been developed for heat or mass transfer between phases which may have unsteady time dependent velocity fields. The configuration analyzed involves two concentric tubes, but the analysis can be extended to more than two phases, or streams, and to noncylindrical cross sections. For the configuration considered, the dispersion coefficient is found from first principles. It is noteworthy that the dispersion model given by Equation (15) or (63) and (64), which is consistent with the basic continuum model of Equations (8) and (9), is based on the superficial velocity rather than the interstitial velocity. This strongly suggests that experimental observations on packed beds, or other multiphase systems, should be interpreted on the basis of um, the superficial velocity, rather than the interstitial velocity which has been used often in the past.
Macro-operators: a weak method for learning

Abstract This article explores the idea of learning efficient strategies for solving problems by searching for macro-operators . A macro-operator, or macro for short, is simply a sequence of operators chosen from the primitive operators of a problem. The technique is particularly useful for problems with non-serializable subgoals, such as Rubik's Cube, for which other weak methods fail. Both a problem-solving program and a learning program are described in detail. The performance of these programs is analyzed in terms of the number of macros required to solve all problem instances, the length of the resulting solutions (expressed as the number of primitive moves), and the amount of time necessary to learn the macros. In addition, a theory of why the method works, and a characterization of the range of problems for which it is useful are presented. The theory introduces a new type of problem structure called operator decomposability . Finally, it is concluded that the macro technique is a new kind of weak method, a method for learning as opposed to problem solving.
Optimizing Throughput with Carrier Sensing Adaptation for IEEE 802.11 Mesh Networks Based on Loss Differentiation

In high density (HD) mesh networks, packet losses can occur due to co-channel interference (asynchronous interference) or collisions (synchronous interference). In this paper, we first propose a novel method of estimating the probability of collision and interference statistically. Further, we integrate this differentiation method with physical carrier sensing adaptation in a novel centralized algorithm to improve the aggregate throughput in HD mesh network. Extensive simulations results show that the on-line algorithm approaches the optimal throughput predicted by analytical models.
Prognostic significance of ST-segment elevation during dobutamine stress echocardiography.

Background Limited data are available concerning the significance of ST-segment elevation during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE). The purpose of this study was to assess the prognostic significance of new ST-segment elevation during DSE and its relationship to angiographic severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods From 4240 consecutive patients who had DSE, we identified 134 (3%) patients with new stress-induced ST-segment elevation ≥1 mm in at least two contiguous electrocardiographic leads. Significant CAD was considered as ≥50% diameter obstruction by angiography. Follow-up was obtained for cardiac events. Results Age was 69 ± 10 years; 84 (63%) were men. ST-segment elevation developed in the anterior leads in 55 (41%), inferior leads in 100 (75%), and lateral leads in 54 (40%); 56 (42%) had ST elevation in more than one region. Dobutamine stress echocardiography was abnormal in all patients; 115 (86%) had ischemia. Coronary angiography was obtained in 69 (51%) patients. Stenosis was ≥70% diameter in 68 (99%) patients and multivessel in 53 (77%). Follow-up (2.6 ± 2.8 years) was obtained in all 134 patients. Events occurred in 103 (77%) patients, including death in 53, coronary revascularization in 33, myocardial infarction in 12, and unstable angina in 5. Event-free survival was 55% at 2 years, 38% at 4 years, and 28% at 5 years. Conclusions Patients with stress-induced ST-segment elevation during DSE commonly have severe CAD and are at high risk for events during follow-up. These patients should be considered for coronary angiography.
Cultural Distance and the US Immigrant–Trade Link

Using data from the World and the European Values Surveys, we calculate cultural distances between the US and 54 immigrant home countries and examine the influences of cultural distance and immigrant populations on US imports from and exports to immigrants’ home countries during the years 1997–2004. Our study indicates that, for both US imports and exports, the trade-enhancing effect of immigrants partially offsets the trade-inhibiting effect of cultural distance. Further, decomposing our measure of cultural distance into two component dimensions and revisiting the immigrant–trade relationship, we find significant variation in the extent to which immigrants counter the trade-inhibiting influences of the underlying dimensions of culture for both US imports and exports. Our findings have the implication that by countering the trade-inhibiting influences of cultural differences between their home and host countries, immigrants exert pro-development effects.
High-power, near-diffraction-limited large-area traveling-wave semiconductor amplifiers

Operating characteristics of high-power large-active-area GaAlAs amplifiers configured in double-pass and single-pass traveling-wave arrangements are described. Single-pass broad-area amplifiers with a 600- mu m stripe width generated up to 21 W of near-diffraction-limited emission under pulsed operation when injected with 500 mW from a Ti:Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ laser, and 11.6 W when injected with 100 mW from a laser diode master laser. In CW operation, a broad-area amplifier output of 3.3 W was demonstrated. Tapered-stripe large-area amplifiers emitted up to 4.5 W in a near-diffraction-limited beam when injected with 150 mW from a Ti:Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ laser. The physical mechanisms causing degradation of the output beam phase front and intensity uniformity at high output power levels, including thermal lensing and filamentation, are presented. >
Bayesian analysis for simulation input and output

The paper summarizes some important results at the intersection of the elds of Bayesian statistics and stochastic simulation. Two statistical analysis issues for stochastic simulation are discussed in further detail from a Bayesian perspective. First, a review of recent work in input distribution selection is presented. Then, a new Bayesian formulation for the problem of output analysis for a single system is presented. A key feature is analyzing simulation output as a random variable whose parameters are an unknown function of the simulation’s inputs. The distribution of those parameters is inferred from simulation output via Bayesian response-surface methods. A brief summary of Bayesian inference and decision making is included for reference.
Intragenic suppressor mutations restore GTPase and translation functions of a eukaryotic initiation factor 5B switch II mutant.

Structural studies of GTP-binding proteins identified the Switch I and Switch II elements as contacting the γ-phosphate of GTP and undergoing marked conformational changes upon GTP versus GDP binding. Movement of a universally conserved Gly at the N terminus of Switch II is thought to trigger the structural rearrangement of this element. Consistently, we found that mutation of this Gly in the Switch II element of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5B (eIF5B) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae impaired cell growth and the guanine nucleotide-binding, GTPase, and ribosomal subunit joining activities of eIF5B. In a screen for mutations that bypassed the critical requirement for this Switch II Gly in eIF5B, intragenic suppressors were identified in the Switch I element and at a residue in domain II of eIF5B that interacts with Switch II. The intragenic suppressors restored yeast cell growth and eIF5B nucleotide-binding, GTP hydrolysis, and subunit joining activities. We propose that the Switch II mutation distorts the geometry of the GTP-binding active site, impairing nucleotide binding and the eIF5B domain movements associated with GTP binding. Accordingly, the Switch I and domain II suppressor mutations induce Switch II to adopt a conformation favorable for nucleotide binding and hydrolysis and thereby reestablish coupling between GTP binding and eIF5B domain movements.
DNA-Origami-Directed Self-Assembly of Discrete Silver-Nanoparticle Architectures

We report a bottom-up method for the fabrication of discrete, well-ordered AgNP nanoarchitectures on self-assembled DNA origami structures of triangular shape by using AgNPs (20 nm in diameter) conjugated with chimeric phosphorothioated DNA (ps-po DNA) as building blocks. Discrete monomeric, dimeric, and trimeric AgNP structures and a AgNP–AuNP hybrid structure could be constructed reliably in high yield. We demonstrate that the center-to-center distance between adjacent AgNPs can be precisely tuned from 94 to 29 nm, whereby the distance distribution is limited by the size distribution of the nanoparticles. The self-assembly of discrete AgNP and AgNP–AuNP nanoarchitectures by using rationally designed DNA templates enabled us to control some of the properties that are essential for hierarchical nanoparticle assembly. These properties include but are not limited to the spatial relationship between the particles and the identity of the particles. The system described herein could potentially be used to gain better insight into particle–particle interactions. Systematic studies with this objective are underway. Although more systematic investigations (e.g. spectroscopic studies combined with theoretical simulation of the assembled structures) are needed to identify the photonic properties of the spatially controlled AgNP architectures, we see no fundamental limitation now to the assembly of target structures.
Synthesis of novel 19-(alkyloxycarbonylamino)bilanes

Abstract α-Urethane-dipyrromethanes and -bilanes were synthesized for the first time and characterized by 1 H- and 13 C-NMR. Stability studies toward oxygen were also performed.
Demo abstract: Embedded Virtual Machines for wireless industrial automation

The factory of the future is the Wireless Factory - fully programmable, nimble and adaptive to planned mode changes and unplanned faults. Today automotive assembly lines loose over $22,000 per minute of downtime. The systems are rigid, difficult to maintain, operate and diagnose. Our goal is to demonstrate the initial architecture and protocols for all-wireless factory control automation. Embedded wireless networks have largely focused on open-loop sensing and monitoring. To address actuation in closed-loop wireless control systems there is a strong need to re-think the communication architectures and protocols for reliability, coordination and control. As the links, nodes and topology of wireless systems are inherently unreliable, such time-critical and safety-critical applications require programming abstractions where the tasks are assigned to the sensors, actuators and controllers as a single component rather than statically mapping a set of tasks to a specific physical node at design time. To this end, we introduce the Embedded Virtual Machine (EVM), a powerful and flexible runtime system where virtual components and their properties are maintained across node boundaries. EVM-based algorithms introduce new capabilities such as provably minimal graceful degradation during sensor/actuator failure, adaptation to mode changes and runtime optimization of resource consumption. Through the design of a micro-factory we aim to demonstrate the capabilities of EVM-based wireless networks.
Renal transplantation in familial dysautonomia: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Background and objectives: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an increasingly recognized complication of familial dysautonomia (FD), a neurodevelopmental disorder with protean systemic manifestations that are the result of sensory and autonomic dysfunction. Progressive renal dysfunction occurs due to chronic volume depletion and cardiovascular lability with supine hypertension and orthostatic hypotension. By age 25, nearly one-half of all patients with FD will have reached stage 3 CKD. Furthermore, dialysis for ESRD in FD patients is associated with multiple complications and poor outcomes. Design, settings, participants, & measurements: We report two patients with FD who developed ESRD at ages 27 and 16, respectively, and underwent renal transplantation. Transplant was performed after 3 months on intermittent hemodialysis (HD) in the first case and after 1 month on twice-weekly continuous veno-venous hemodialysis (CVVHD) in the second case. Results: Both patients tolerated surgery well and have maintained good graft function at 20 and 24 months posttransplantation, respectively. Symptomatic and functional improvements have included lower supine BP and increased sensitivity to antihypertensive agents. Conclusions: As general supportive care improves the lifespan of FD patients, issues related to the management of ESRD will become more important. Renal transplantation provides a viable alternative to dialysis for FD patients with ESRD.
The transformation of labor supply in the pre-industrial world

Abstract In pre-industrial economies labor supply curves bent backwards at very low levels of income. This changed in England before the industrial revolution ( De Vries, 1994 , De Vries, 2008 , Voth, 1998 ). Using a model of labor supply where consumption takes time, this paper shows that both an increase in the cost of subsistence and a fall in the price of time-intensive consumption could have generated an increase in hours worked but that only the latter would lead to an increase in the elasticity of labor supply. This model clarifies the role played by consumption in the behavior of labor on the eve of the onset of modern economic growth, distinguishing between an increase in hours worked caused by changing patterns of demand [the case of England] and an increase in hours worked caused by involution [the case of Italy and possibly Japan].
Equalized-spectrum Watermarking Using Perceptual Modeling

Digital image watermarking is a method of embedding a secret, imperceptible signal - a watermark - into the original image data to facilitate copy control, distribution tracking, etc. Robust watermarking schemes enable reliable verification of an imperceptible watermark, even after the watermarked content has undergone various forms of unintentional or malicious modification. The disadvantage of making a system more robust is an increase in the perceptibility of the embedded watermark. This can be overcome by using visual masking schemes that more effectively hide the watermark from the human observer. This paper presents a method that reduces the perceptibility of a robust watermarking scheme, viz. equalized-spectrum watermarking, using human visual models. The visual mask is generated using Watson's model, which is based on the block discrete cosine transform (DCT). The generated mask is applied to the watermarked image as a post-watermarking process. An existing masking equation, which is commonly used for spatial masks, was modified such that it could be used for the block-based DCT mask
BEAD - building energy asset discovery tool for automating smart building analytics: demo abstract

The demo presents the IBM Building Energy Asset Discovery Tool (BEAD). The tool semi-automates the discovery of relevant assets and sensors for energy management in large sets of building data. Application to real-world examples demonstrate how easy it is to extract the semantic information for the configuration of an energy management system as well as for generating building specific diagnostic models.
Measuring the Quality of Well-Being in Cystic Fibrosis and Lung Transplantation: The Importance of the Area under the Curve

The quality of well-being scale (QWB) has been used to measure overall life quality in a number of different clinical conditions, including cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Evidence supports its validity and reliability in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. One of the strengths of the QWB is that it is not organ-specific, so that it can take into account the broad impact of a disease and/or intervention, including unanticipated effects. The well-year of life is a concept that includes both morbidity and mortality: if a disease reduces quality of life by one-half, over a period of two years, that person can be said to have lost one full well-year. As we examine the impact of diseases such as cystic fibrosis, and of interventions such as lung transplantation, it is important to consider changes in overall well-being over time to help individual patients and families make difficult therapeutic choices and to help formulate health policy.
Persistence of Antidepressant Treatment Effects in a Pharmacotherapy Plus Psychotherapy Trial for Active Injection Drug Users

The objective of this study was to determine if combined psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy reduces reported depressive symptoms compared to an assessment only condition for active drug injectors over nine months. Using a randomized controlled trial at an outpatient academic research office, the researchers applied psychotherapy (eight sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy) plus pharmacotherapy (citalopram) to active injection drug users with a DSM-IV diagnosis of major depression, dysthymia, substance-induced mood disorder with symptoms persisting for at least three months, or major depression plus dysthymia, and a Modified Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (MHRSD) score greater than 13. The MHRSD scale scores were then assessed at the completion of three, six, and nine months. Participants (n = 109) were 64% male and 82% Caucasian, with a mean baseline MHRSD score of 20.7. Depression subtypes included major depression only (63%), substance-induced depression (17%), and double-depression (17%). Stud...
Separable codes for detecting unidirectional errors

Systematic and separable codes are widely used for error detection in VLSI circuits. Recently, systematic codes have been found for detecting t-unidirectional and burst unidirectional errors. In such codes, r checkbits are added to k information bits to form a codeword of length (k+r), and it is assumed that all 2/sup k/ possible information k-tuples are present. However, in many applications all 2/sup k/ possible k-tuples are not used. In such cases it is possible to obtain codes usually referred to as separable codes. The author presents separable codes which can detect t or all unidirectional errors. >
The acquisition of conditionals in American Sign Language: Grammaticized facial expressions

An unusual facet of American Sign Language (ASL) is its use of grammaticized facial expression. In this study, we examine the acquisition of conditional sentences in ASL by 14 deaf children (ages 3;3–8;4) of deaf parents. Conditional sentences were chosen because they entail the use of both manual signs and grammaticized non-manual facial expressions. The results indicate that the children first acquire manual conditional signs, e.g., SUPPOSE, before they use the obligatory grammaticized conditional facial expression. Moreover, the children acquire the constellation of obligatory non-manual behaviors component by component, rather than holistically.
Increased flow precedes remote arteriolar dilations for some microapplied agonists.

This study asks which occurs first in time for remote responses: a dilation or a remote change in flow. Arteriolar diameter (∼20 μm) and fluorescently labeled red blood cell (RBC) velocity were mea...
Jet quenching in QCD matter: from RHIC to LHC

Abstract The current experimental and theoretical status of hadron and jet production at large transverse momentum in high-energy nucleus-nucleus collisions is summarised. The most important RHIC results are compared to theoretical parton energy loss predictions providing direct information on the (thermo)dynamical properties of hot and dense QCD matter. Prospects for the LHC are also outlined.
Recent Applications of Aerosol Sealing in Buildings

This paper describes two recent applications of aerosol sealing techniques in buildings for improving indoor air quality and reducing energy required for heating, cooling, and ventilation. One application applies a commercially-available duct sealing technology, which has typically been used in single-family applications, to large-building exhaust systems. The initial leakage rates, percent leakage sealed, and issues encountered are presented for several large buildings. The reasons for having this leakage sealed are presented, as are some of the techniques applied when conducting this type of sealing. The average duct leakage for these buildings was 28% of fan flow and the aerosol process sealed over 90% of that leakage. The second application is the use of aerosol sealing techniques for building envelope leaks. The process is similar to that used for sealing leaks in ducts; however it does not depend on injection of the sealant into a carrier flow to transport the sealant to the leaks, and therefore has to address the likelihood of particles settling to the ground, as well as the possibility of particles depositing on vertical surfaces. Laboratory tests investigating the impacts of pressure and particle size on the sealing process are described, as are the results of selected field tests showing how well the process performed when applied at two different stages of new multifamily construction. These tests suggest that the process should be able to achieve better levels of air tightness as compared to manual sealing methods, while including the added benefit of automated air-tightness verification.
EXTRA-ARTICULAR ARTHRODESIS OF THE SHOULDER

A study of the two cases of tuberculosis of the shoulder joint in children, treated by the Jones extra-articular arthrodesis, yields the following conclusions: 1. The operation is well adapted for fusing a tuberculous shoulder in a child and gives firm bony ankylosis with little reaction on the part of the patient. 2. Bony fusion is speedily accomplished. 3. The operation should be done when the process is quiescent. 4. The cosmetic and functional results following the operation are good. 5. The epiphyses of the bones involved are not destroyed by the operation. 6. To date there has been no recurrence of the symptoms in the two shoulders operated upon by this method.
Antitumor activity of docetaxel

The mechanism of action, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, use in drug combinations, resistance profile, and toxicology of docetaxel are reviewed. Docetaxel acts by stabilizing microtubules--enhancing the rate and extent of tubulin polymerization, and inhibiting depolymerization. Docetaxel accumulates in tumor cells to a greater extent than paclitaxel and remains in the cells longer. This may explain why docetaxel is more cytotoxic and less schedule dependent than paclitaxel. Higher concentrations of paclitaxel than docetaxel are required to produce the same cytotoxic effect in many murine and human tumor cell lines. Docetaxel has shown cytotoxicity in 41% of tumor specimens, compared with 33% for paclitaxel. In vivo, docetaxel has substantial activity against a multitude of murine and human tumor models; in some cases, there was complete remission of advanced disease. Synergism occurs between docetaxel and cyclophosphamide, fluorouracil, vinorelbine, methotrexate, and etoposide. Cross-resistance to docetaxel does not necessarily occur in cell lines that are resistant to other antineoplastic agents. In animal toxicology studies, docetaxel principally affected tissues with a high cell trun-over, such as hematopoietic tissue. An intermittent-dose regimen is preferable to allow for resolution of hematopoietic effects. Preclinical study results suggest that docetaxel may be effective against various tumors, whether it is given alone or in combination with other antineoplastic drugs.
Determination of Parameters for Enzyme Therapy Using L‐Asparaginase Entrapped in Canine Erythrocytes

The antitumor agent L-asparaginase was entrapped in canine erythrocytes by a single dialysis encapsulation (efficiency mean = 30%). Concentration of asparaginase in carrier cells was about 240 IU/ml, with an average of 62% cell recovery. Use of a double dialysis procedure increased the L-asparaginase concentration within carrier cells to 530 IU/ml, with an overall cell recovery of 53.9%. In vitro efflux experiments showed L-asparaginase-loaded canine carriers were stable at both 4 and 37 degrees C for an 18-h period. In vivo cell survival studies showed that carrier cells did circulate and that L-asparaginase had a half-life of 6.5 days. No evidence suggesting that the enzyme left the cell was found. Carrier cells prepared with [3H]inulin and [14C]sucrose were stored at 4 degrees C for 2 weeks and began to show signs of deterioration after 2 days.
The plastidial retrograde signal methyl erythritol cyclopyrophosphate is a regulator of salicylic acid and jasmonic acid crosstalk

The exquisite harmony between hormones and their corresponding signaling pathways is central to prioritizing plant responses to simultaneous and/or successive environmental trepidations. The crosstalk between jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) is an established effective mechanism that optimizes and tailors plant adaptive responses. However, the underlying regulatory modules of this crosstalk are largely unknown. Global transcriptomic analyses of mutant plants (ceh1) with elevated levels of the stress-induced plastidial retrograde signaling metabolite 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol cyclopyrophosphate (MEcPP) revealed robustly induced JA marker genes, expected to be suppressed by the presence of constitutively high SA levels in the mutant background. Analyses of a range of genotypes with varying SA and MEcPP levels established the selective role of MEcPP-mediated signal(s) in induction of JA-responsive genes in the presence of elevated SA. Metabolic profiling revealed the presence of high levels of the JA precursor 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), but near wild type levels of JA in the ceh1 mutant plants. Analyses of coronatine-insensitive 1 (coi1)/ceh1 double mutant plants confirmed that the MEcPP-mediated induction is JA receptor COI1 dependent, potentially through elevated OPDA. These findings identify MEcPP as a previously unrecognized central regulatory module that induces JA-responsive genes in the presence of high SA, thereby staging a multifaceted plant response within the environmental context.
Bacterial interactomes: interacting protein partners share similar function and are validated in independent assays more frequently than previously reported

Numerous affinity purification-mass spectrometry (AP-MS) and yeast two-hybrid screens have each defined thousands of pairwise protein-protein interactions (PPIs), most of which are between functionally unrelated proteins. The accuracy of these networks, however, is under debate. Here, we present an AP-MS survey of the bacterium Desulfovibrio vulgaris together with a critical reanalysis of nine published bacterial yeast two-hybrid and AP-MS screens. We have identified 459 high confidence PPIs from D. vulgaris and 391 from Escherichia coli Compared with the nine published interactomes, our two networks are smaller, are much less highly connected, and have significantly lower false discovery rates. In addition, our interactomes are much more enriched in protein pairs that are encoded in the same operon, have similar functions, and are reproducibly detected in other physical interaction assays than the pairs reported in prior studies. Our work establishes more stringent benchmarks for the properties of protein interactomes and suggests that bona fide PPIs much more frequently involve protein partners that are annotated with similar functions or that can be validated in independent assays than earlier studies suggested.
Quantum Chemistry Guide to PTRMS Studies of As-Yet Undetected Products of the Bromine-Atom Initiated Oxidation of Gaseous Elemental Mercury

A series of BrHgY compounds (Y = NO2, ClO, BrO, HOO, etc.) are expected to be formed in the Br-initiated oxidation of Hg(0) to Hg(II) in the atmosphere. These BrHgY compounds have not yet been reported in any experiment. This article investigates the potential to use proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTRMS) to detect these atmospherically important species. We show that reaction of the standard PTRMS reagent (H3O(+)) with BrHgY leads to stable parent (M + 1) ions, BrHgYH(+), for most of these radicals, Y. Rate constants for the proton transfer reaction H3O(+) + BrHgY are computed using average dipole orientation theory. Calculations are also carried out on the commercially available compounds HgCl2, HgBr2, and HgI2 to enable tests of the present work.
Distribution of Carbonic Anhydrase in Alligator. Effect of Acetazolamide on Blood and Aqueous Humor CO2

SummaryCarbonic anhydrase was found in the caiman (C. laitrostris) erythrocytes, kidney, gastric mucosa, pancreas and hind-brain. No activity, however, was found in the lens. The enzyme was also found in the alligator (A. mississipiensis) choroid plexus and ciliary processes. Carbonic anhydrase inhibition in the alligator caused a long-lasting rise of plasma total CO2 but no certain change of anterior aqueous total CO2 was observed.