cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of improved ischemic regional dysfunction by bradycardia. Studies on UL-FS 49 in swine.

In anesthetized swine, the left anterior descending coronary artery was cannulated and perfused at constant blood flow levels during two grades of ischemia. In one group (n = 10), moderate ischemia reduced percent systolic wall thickening (by sonomicrometry) from 25 +/- 7% to 6 +/- 2%, whereas in the other group (n = 7), severe ischemia reduced percent wall thickening from 24 +/- 6% to -0.5 +/- 4%. Heart rate was paced in both groups at 91 beats/min. After reperfusion and complete return to control conditions, administration of the bradycardic agent UL-FS 49 (0.37 mg/kg i.v.) decreased the heart rate to 55 +/- 5 beats/min. During subsequent ischemia at the same coronary inflow as before bradycardia, percent wall thickening in the ischemic zone during moderate ischemia was increased from 6 +/- 2% to 25 +/- 6% (p less than 0.01) (not significantly different from control without ischemia), and during severe ischemia, percent wall thickening increased from -0.5 +/- 4% to 13 +/- 7% (p less than 0.01). During moderate ischemia, bradycardia caused an increase in the subendocardial blood flow from 0.24 +/- 0.60 to 0.42 +/- 0.17 (ml/min)/g (p less than 0.009) and during severe ischemia, bradycardia caused an increase from 0.14 +/- 0.08 to 0.2 +/- 0.1 (ml/min)/g (p less than 0.001). At each level of ischemia, a more marked improvement occurred in subendocardial blood flow per beat ([(ml/min)/g]/heart rate). The relation between myocardial blood flow and wall function at a heart rate of 55 beats/min (n = 14) was plotted and compared with that studied at a heart rate of 122 beats/min in another group of pigs (n = 14). The increase in subendocardial blood flow per minute during bradycardia was not sufficient to explain the striking increase in function; thus, an independent relation (p less than 0.05) between blood flow per minute and contractile function (percent wall thickening) was found for for each heart rate. In contrast, when myocardial blood flow was normalized for heart rate and expressed per beat, data from both heart rate groups could be described by a single relation. Thus, the subendocardial blood flow per beat predicted wall function independently of heart rate and accounted for changes in both oxygen supply and demand.
The communication complexity of computing differentiable functions in a multicomputer network

Abstract Employing Abelson's multistage model of distributed computation, we study the amount of intercomputer communication required for a differentiable function to be computed in a multicomputer network, under the assumption that each computer in the network has only partial information about the input data. We formulate a general approach for obtaining a lower bound on the amount of required information exchange among the computers in the network. Unlike other studies in this setting, where the lower bound results are obtained only for the special two-computer case and often for a certain particular class of functions, our approach makes it possible to obtain a lower bound result for a general multicomputer network and for any differentiable function. The lower bound obtained here is given in terms of a certain differential-geometric property of the function to be computed and is not merely asymptotic, in contrast to most lower bound results in the literature. Furthermore, the lower bound is fully constructive and computable.
Self-managing online partitioner for databases (SMOPD): a vertical database partitioning system with a fully automatic online approach

A key factor of measuring database performance is query response time, which is dominated by I/O time. Database partitioning is among techniques that can help users reduce the I/O time significantly. However, how to efficiently partition tables in a database is not an easy problem, especially when we want to have this partitioning task done automatically by the system itself. This paper introduces an algorithm called Self-Managing Online Partitioner for Databases (SMOPD) in vertical partitioning based on closed item sets mining from a query set and system statistic information mined from system statistic views. This algorithm can dynamically monitor the database performance using user-configured parameters and automatically detect the performance trend so that it can decide when to perform a re-partitioning action without feedback from DBAs. This algorithm can free DBAs from the heavy tasks of keeping monitoring the system and struggling against the large statistic tables. The paper also presents the experimental results evaluating the performance of the algorithm using the TPC-H benchmark.
All-Atom Simulation of ION Permeation in Single-File Channels

Using long, all-atom simulations enabled by special-purpose hardware, we studied K+ permeation at the level of individual permeation events across the bacterial channel gramicidin A and across the KV1.2/2.1 voltage-gated potassium channel. At experimentally accessible voltages, which include the physiological range, the simulated permeation rates were substantially lower than the experimentally observed rates for both systems. In addition, the current-voltage relationships were nonlinear, but became linear at much higher, non-physiological voltages. In gramicidin A, the underestimated permeation rate largely resulted from too-infrequent ion recruitment into the pore lumen, although reducing the interaction strength between the ion and the pore did increase the observed permeation rate. In KV1.2/2.1, we observed at all voltages permeation consistent with a knock-on mechanism, and found that the predicted rate was lower than the experimental rate because the knock-on intermediate formed too infrequently. Additional simulations further suggested that the knock-on permeation mechanism in different K+ channels could vary, possibly due to sequence and structural variations in the selectivity-filter regions of these channels. Despite the need to apply large voltages to simulate the permeation processes, the apparent voltage insensitivity of the permeation mechanisms overall suggests that the direct simulation of permeation at the single-ion level can provide fundamental physiological insight into ion channel function. Polarizable force fields and membrane models with improved dipolar potential and dielectric constants would be needed, however, to obtain accurate simulated permeation rates at experimentally accessible voltages.
A comparison of leaf physiology and anatomy of Quercus (section Erythrobalanus-Fagaceae) species in different light environments

Physiological and anatomical attribut-es of leaves were examined of three species of Quercus section Erythrobalanus. All three species occur in moist temperate deciduous forests of eastern North America. Seedlings of each species were grown in different light conditions for comparison. The attributes measured were net photosynthesis, stomatal conductivity, blade and cuticle thickness, stomatal density, thickness of upper and lower epidermis, and thickness of palisade mesophyll. The results generally demonstrate the close association between anatomical adaptations and efficiency of physiological processes; they also elucidate the distribution patterns of the three Quercus species across the forest topography in southern New England. The most drought-tolerant and light-demanding species, Q. velutina (Lam.), exhibited the greatest leaf anatomical plasticity, the highest net photosynthesis in the different light conditions, and the lowest stomatal area per unit area of leaf. The most drought-intolerant species, Q. rubra (L.), exhibited the least leaf anatomical plasticity, the lowest net photosynthesis in the different light conditions, and the highest stomatal area per unit area of leaf. Quercus coccinea (Muenchh.) usually exhibited values that were intermediate between Q. rubra and Q. velutina.
Music feedback in the treatment of tension headache: An experimental case study

Abstract The effects of bio-feedback (music presented contingent on low EMG levels) on tension headaches was evaluated during inpatient and outpatient phases. Dependent variables included frequency and intensity of headaches in both phases, and anti-headache medication as needed in the outpatient phase. Results indicated that the patient's headache levels and medication requirements were low during bio-feedback but increased when bio-feedback was terminated. Anti-tension exercises involving deep breathing and stretching of neck muscles introduced during a clinical follow-up were associated with a sustained decrease in headaches.
Genetics and structure of the late gene regulatory region of phage 82.

Abstract We have examined the organization and properties of the genes around the region controlling late gene expression in phage 82. We have isolated mutants of λ(QSR)82 hybrid phages that are analogous to λ Q−, S−, and R− mutants; they map on the 82 genome in the same order as the corresponding λ mutations. The QSR region of 82 encodes a small, r-strand-specific transcript which is probably the 82 analog of the λ 6 S RNA, and thus may be involved in the regulation of late gene expression in 82.
Cumulant analysis in two-color fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy

Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy (FFS) studies the fluctuating fluorescent signal from a small illumination volume and extracts the concentration and dynamical information of fluorophores. Detecting the fluorescence in two detector channels introduces the possibility of differentiating the fluorophores based on color. We introduce bivariate cumulant analysis for Two-Color Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy and derive an analytical expression for the bivariate factorial cumulants of photon counts at arbitrary sampling times. Fits of the data to the analytical model determine the brightness of each channel, occupation number and diffusion time of each fluorescent species. The statistical accuracy of each cumulant is described by its variance, which we calculate by the moments-of-moments technique. The theory is experimentally verified using model dye system. We also performed first experiments in living cells, and develop a model that takes nonideal detector effects into account. This technique is useful for optimizing the spectroscopic separation of heterogeneous biological samples by FFS.
Carcinoid Tumor Metastatic to the Breast

Breast metastases from nonmammary malignant neoplasms are uncommon, accounting for approximately 2% of breast tumors. There are 13 cases reported in the literature of carcinoid tumor metastatic to the breast, and more than half of these cases were misdiagnosed pathologically and treated as primary breast carcinoma, even in cases with a medical record of carcinoid tumor. We describe a patient with a history of asthma and diarrhea who presented to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, with an exacerbation of the asthma. The results of routine physical examination revealed a mass in the left breast. A diagnosis of carcinoid tumor metastatic to the breast was made after a partial mastectomy was performed.The differential diagnosis between primary carcinoid tumor of the breast and carcinoid tumor metastatic to the breast is often controversial in surgical pathology. Diagnoses need to be made correlating clinical and histological examination in difficult cases in which there is not a diagnosis of carcinoid tumor elsewhere. Accurate diagnosis of breast metastases is important to avoid unnecessary treatment.
Spectral diffusion of triplet excitation energy in molecular glasses and doped polymer solids

Abstract Steady state phosphorescence at 4.2 K is monitored for different concentrations of 4-methylbenzophenone (MBP) doped into polystyrene. At concentrations less than 20%, the spectra are characteristic of separated molecules embedded in a disordered matrix. As the concentration increases to 20%, the vibronic bands shift to longer wavelengths and become slightly sharper. At concentrations above 30%, the spectra have additional features due to aggregates, which appear to be characteristic of a segregated phase of MBP. Triplet excitation energy transport in glassy MBP and MBP doped into a polystyrene matrix is monitored for different excitation energies and temperatures using time-resolved spectroscopy. These experiments reveal that spectral diffusion at liquid helium temperatures is not thermally activated, and that the spectral diffusion efficiency increases abruptly at a critical mole fraction of acceptors, 0.054, which corresponds to a critical distance of 9.8 A. Although low-dimensional energy transfer dynamics has been revealed in other studies of disordered systems, the results indicate that spectral diffusion in these systems is controlled by a three-dimensional exchange interaction and the emission of phonons and/or vibrons.
Lens intermediate filaments.

Abstract The ocular lens assembles two separate intermediate filament systems sequentially with differentiation. Canonical 8–11 nm IFs composed of Vimentin are assembled in lens epithelial cells and younger fiber cells, while the fiber cell-specific beaded filaments are switched on as fiber cell elongation initiates. Some of the key features of both filament systems are reviewed.
Search for Hybrid Sterility for Helicoverpa zea in Crosses Between the North American H. zea and H. armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from China

Inter specific crosses between Helicoverpa annigera (Hubner) from China and H. zea (Boddie) were evaluated for sterility. Reciprocal crosses through 2 inbred generations and Back crosses through 4 generations were evaluated. Although few matings were obtained for some crosses, all crosses mated and produced offspring. Sterility was not detected in any cross.
Dynamic digital distance maps in two dimensions

An efficient means for dealing with obstacles in motion is provided to extend the usefulness of digital distance maps. An algorithm is presented that allows one to compute what portions of a map will probably be affected by an obstacle's motion. The algorithm is based on an analysis of the distance transform as a problem in wave propagation. The regions that must be checked for possible updates when an obstacle moves are those that are in its or in the shadow of obstacles that are partially in the shadow of the moving obstacle. The technique can handle multiple fixed goals, multiple obstacles moving and interacting in an arbitrary fashion, and it is independent of the technique used for calculation of the distance map. The algorithm is demonstrated on a number of synthetic two-dimensional examples, and example timing results are reported. >
Performance assessment of partially unzipped carbon nanotube field-effect transistors

By performing atomistic quantum transport simulation, we have investigated device characteristics of partially unzipped carbon nanotube field-effect transistors and compared with those of homojunction counterparts. Our simulation results show that carbon heterostructure can be advantageous in tunnel transistors for ultralow power and high performance applications, whereas it may not be suited for MOSFETs due to the junction resistance at the CNT-GNR interface. ON current and transconductance of Schottky barrier transistors can be improved by 50% if ordinary metal contacts are replaced with low density-of-states metallic carbon nanotubes.
Female athlete triad

Objective To describe the components of female athlete triad, the proposed mechanisms that may relate to its causation, and some screening and treatment options that may be used by the clinician who encounters this clinical entity in patients.
OSMOTIC PRESSURE STUDY OF PROTEIN FRACTIONS IN NORMAL AND IN NEPHROTIC SUBJECTS

In serum of patients with nephrosis both albumin and globulin showed by osmotic pressure nearly double the molecular weights of normal albumin and globulin. In the urines of such patients, on the other hand, both proteins showed molecular weights lower even than in normal serum. The colloidal osmotic pressures were measured by the author's method at such dilutions that the van't Hoff law relating pressures to molecular concentrations could be directly applied. For the albumin and globulin of normal serum the molecular weights found were 72,000 and 164,000 respectively, in agreement with the weights obtained by other methods.
HANS: Controlling Ink-Jet Print Attributes Via Neugebauer Primary Area Coverages

Ink-jet print attributes such as color gamut, grain, and cost are consequences of the materials and printing technology used and of choices made during color management, color separation, and halftoning operation. Traditionally, color separation determines what amounts of the available inks to use for each reproducible color, and halftoning deals with the spatial distribution of inks that also results in the nature of their overprinting. However, using an ink space as a means of communication between color separation and halftoning gives access only to some of the printed patterns that a printing system is capable of and, therefore, only to a reduced range of print attributes. Here, a method, i.e., Halftone Area Neugebauer Separation, is proposed to gain access to all possible printable patterns by specifying relative area coverages of a printing system's Neugebauer primaries instead of only ink amounts. This results in delivering prints with more optimal attributes (e.g., using less ink and giving rise to a larger color gamut) than is possible using current methods.
Effects of ionophore A23187 on in vitro rat adrenal corticosterone production

Abstract The administration of the ionophore A23187 to superfused rat adrenal cortical tissue slices resulted in a significant elevation in corticosterone production. Removal of calcium from the superfusion medium prevented this ionophore induced corticosteroidogenesis. Threshold amounts of ionophore potentiated the steroidogenic action of 1 mU but not 10 mU ACTH under in vitro conditions. This potentiation by ionophore on ACTH stimulated steroid production was not observed when calcium was omitted from the superfusing medium. Potentiation by the ionophore on dbCAMP or CAMP stimulated steroid formation was not observed for any dose of cyclic nucleotide employed.
Synthesis and physical characterization of selected polystyrene supported phthalocyanines

Abstract Nickel, vanadyl, cobalt, iron and manganese phthalocyanine complexes have been attached to polystyrene by binding the chlorosulfonated metal phthalocyanines to styrene-divinylbenzene (8 and 20% DVB) copolymers. Attachment by direct sulfonylation and by formation of the sulfonamide linkage were carried out. The resulting complexes were characterized by electron spin resonance spectroscopy, transmittance electron microscopy, scanning electron microprobe analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Catalytic activity toward cyclohexene oxidation was measured and proved to be only moderately enhanced over the activity of non-supported phthalocyanines.
Self-Similar Pulse Evolution in a Ti: sapphire Laser

Numerical simulations of self-similar pulse evolution in a Ti:sapphire laser are presented. The results show~10-fs pulses with energies as high as 1 microjoule should be possible. Recent experimental results support the conclusions of the simulations.
Histochemical reactions in the human endometrium following administration of 17-ethynylestrenolone.

Histochemical analyses of the effect of 17-ethinylestrenolone on sit es of glycogen lipid and alkaline phosphatase in the endometria of 13 anovulating women are presented. All pretreatment endometrial biopsies showed glycogen lipid and alkaline phosphatase reactions consistent with reactions known for proliferative types of endometria. 17-ethinylestrenolone was administered orally in 5 or 10 mg daily doses to each patient over periods ranging from 7-21 days. The total dose given to an individual varied from 70 to 140 mg. Histochemical studies of the posttreatment endometria revealed both typical and atypical secretory responses to the drug. In some cases glycogen alkaline phos phatase and lipids were visualized in both the glandular and stromal cell similar to their localization in a normal ovulating woman. In other cases a more prominent deposition of glycogen and lipids was observed in the stromal and pseudodecidual cells than in normal endometria. In a few cases glandular alkaline phosphatase was present in amounts more characteristic of proliferative and early secretory phases although the stromal glycogen and lipid response was late or heightened secretory. Although histochemical analysis of posttreatment analysis of posttreatment biopsies showed results that differed somewhat per patient and per reaction the investigation showed that the use of this steroid with progesteronelike activity produced secretory-type endometria with sites of glycogen lipid and alkaline phosphatase similar to those found in secretory endometria of normally ovulating women.(AUTHORS MODIFIED)
Effect of rotation on isotropic turbulence - Computation and modelling

This paper uses numerical simulation to analyse the effects of uniform rotation on homogeneous turbulence. Both large-eddy and full simulations were made. The results indicate that the predominant effect of rotation is to decrease the rate of dissipation of the turbulence and increase the lengthscales, especially those along the axis of rotation. These effects are a consequence of the reduction, due to the generation of inertial waves, of the net energy transfer from large eddies to small ones. Experiments are also influenced by a more complicated interaction between the rotation and the wakes of the turbulence-generating grid which modifies the nominal initial conditions in the experiment. The latter effect is accounted for in simulations by modifying the initial conditions. Finally, a two-equation model is proposed that accounts for the effects of rotation and is able to reproduce the experimental decay of the turbulent kinetic energy.
Electronic structure and transport properties of carbon nanotube adsorbed with a copper chain

The authors have studied the electronic structure and transport properties of hybrid nanowires made of a copper chain adsorbed on a single-wall carbon nanotube (CNT) using first principle methods. Results have shown that after the adsorption of the Cu chain, the density of states and the transmission coefficients of the CNT (5, 5)/Cu nanowire have been increased, while the band gap of CNT (10, 0)/Cu have been significantly reduced. These results imply that the conductivity of CNTs, either metallic or semiconducting, have been enhanced by the adsorption of a copper chain. These hybrid nanowires with enhanced conductivity may be suitable for nanoelectronics.
American Social Problems in a World Setting: The Role of U. S. Government Spending

My interest in international problems has convinced me that it is pertinent to analyze possible provincialism and ethnocentrism found among American social scientists. This has a bearing on social problems as defined in terms of the value-assumptions of our society. Let us look at two factors that both bound and restrict the field of social problems as dealt with by most American sociologists.
Genomic mapping by anchoring random clones: a mathematical analysis.

A complete physical map of the DNA of an organism, consisting of overlapping clones spanning the genome, is an extremely useful tool for genomic analysis. Various methods for the construction of such physical maps are available. One approach is to assemble the physical map by "fingerprinting" a large number of random clones and inferring overlap between clones with sufficiently similar fingerprints. E.S. Lander and M.S. Waterman (1988, Genomics 2:231-239) have recently provided a mathematical analysis of such physical mapping schemes, useful for planning such a project. Another approach is to assemble the physical map by "anchoring" a large number of random clones--that is, by taking random short regions called anchors and identifying the clones containing each anchor. Here, we provide a mathematical analysis of such a physical mapping scheme.
Clinical significance of elevated alpha-fetoprotein in Alaskan Native patients with chronic hepatitis C.

The clinical significance of elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is not well defined. We analysed data from a population-based cohort of patients with HCV infection to assess the prevalence of elevated serum AFP, to determine its association with clinical and virologic parameters and with clinical outcomes. We defined a slightly elevated serum AFP level as 8 to or =15 microg/L. Among 541 HCV-RNA-positive persons, 61 (11%) had a slightly elevated or high AFP at the time of consent. AFP > or =8 microg/L was associated with the older age, aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio >1, and higher alkaline phosphatase levels, but not with heavy alcohol use, IV drug use, genotype, viral load or duration of HCV infection. Among 192 persons with an AFP at liver biopsy, 17% had an AFP > or =8 microg/L. The sensitivity/specificity of an AFP level > or =8 in detecting Ishak 3-6 fibrosis was 39%/95%. Among 372 persons with a minimum of four AFP measurements over 6 years, 5% had persistently elevated AFP >8 microg/L, 19% had both elevated and normal AFP measurements, and 76% had persistently normal AFP. Elevated AFP at consent was associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and end-stage liver disease. Over 6 years of follow-up, persistently elevated AFP was associated with the development of HCC; no person with AFP persistently <8 microg/mL developed HCC. Serial AFP measurements appear to be useful in identifying persons with advanced fibrosis and help to determine who needs periodic screening with liver ultrasound to detect HCC.
“Life stage-specific” variations in performance in response to age stereotypes.

In a test of life stage-specific responses to age-based stigma, older (n = 54, ages 62-92) and younger (n = 81, ages 17-22) adults were told that a task (Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale-III block design) required either (a) speed/contemporary knowledge (YA; "youth advantage") or (b) life experience/wisdom (OA; "age advantage"). In order to investigate the role of individuals' own perceptual biases in response to age-based stigma, participants also completed a measure of perceived personal control of their life outcomes. Older adults showed lower performance on the task as a result of the additive effects of (a) exposure to a negative age-relevant stereotype and (b) being under the perceived control of others. Younger adults, however, showed higher performance on the task as a result of exposure to a negative age-relevant stereotype (a stereotype challenge effect, disconfirming the stereotype)-but only if they saw themselves under the control of powerful others. The opposed responses of the 2 age groups are interpreted as reflecting (a) differences in the permanence of their group membership and (b) uniqueness of age-based stigma. To our knowledge, this is the first test of the effects of age-relevant stereotypes on younger adults.
Biochemistry and Physiology of Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases: Essential Components in Cyclic Nucleotide Signaling

Although cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) were described soon after the discovery of cAMP, their complexity and functions in signaling is only recently beginning to become fully realized. We now know that at least 100 different PDE proteins degrade cAMP and cGMP in eukaryotes. A complex PDE gene organization and a large number of PDE splicing variants serve to fine-tune cyclic nucleotide signals and contribute to specificity in signaling. Here we review some of the major concepts related to our understanding of PDE function and regulation including: (a) the structure of catalytic and regulatory domains and arrangement in holoenzymes; (b) PDE integration into signaling complexes; (c) the nature and function of negative and positive feedback circuits that have been conserved in PDEs from prokaryotes to human; (d) the emerging association of mutant PDE alleles with inherited diseases; and (e) the role of PDEs in generating subcellular signaling compartments.
Sharing the road: autonomous vehicles meet human drivers

In modern urban settings, automobile traffic and collisions lead to endless frustration as well as significant loss of life, property, and productivity. Recent advances in artificial intelligence suggest that autonomous vehicle navigation may soon be a reality. In previous work, we have demonstrated that a reservation-based approach can efficiently and safely govern interactions of multiple autonomous vehicles at intersections. Such an approach alleviates many traditional problems associated with intersections, in terms of both safety and efficiency. However, the system relies on all vehicles being equipped with the requisite technology-a restriction that would make implementing such a system in the real world extremely difficult. In this paper, we extend this system to allow for incremental deployability. The modified system is able to accommodate traditional human-operated vehicles using existing infrastructure. Furthermore, we show that as the number of autonomous vehicles on the road increases, traffic delays decrease monotonically toward the levels exhibited in our previous work. Finally, we develop a method for switching between various human-usable configurations while the system is running, in order to facilitate an even smoother transition. The work is fully implemented and tested in our custom simulator, and we present detailed experimental results attesting to its effectiveness.
Abstract P6-08-42: Association of metabolic syndrome, its components and multigene assays for recurrence risk:

Background: There is an association of metabolic syndrome (MS) and its constituents (obesity; diabetes mellitus, DM; hypertension, HTN; hyperlipidemia, HL) with breast cancer (BC) causation and outcomes. Previously we showed an impact of obesity on tumor biology as defined by a multigene assay. Our objective was to study the association between MS, its components and tumor biology, as determined by the 70 gene signature (70-GS) and the 21-gene Recurrence Score (RS). Methods: Consecutive patients with newly diagnosed ER+, lymph node-negative BC from 2005-2012 were studied. A 70-GS was done for those pts with tumors that had either low or intermediate RS. Pearson’s Chi-square tests for univariate analyses and logistic regression for multivariate analysis were used. Results: Low or intermediate RS were found on tumors from 151 pts of which 133 had a 70-GS. The MS was present in 23/104 (22%) pts with intermediate RS and 21/46 (46%) pts with low RS (p=0.004). DM, HTN, and obesity were each inversely associated with 21-gene RS in univariate analyses (p=0.002, p=0.003, p=0.004 respectively, see Table). However, MS and its individual components were not significantly associated with the 70-GS. Upon adjustment for age and race, the association between MS and RS was not significant (OR=0.64; p=0.28); however, DM (OR=0.35; p=0.01), HTN (OR=0.44; p=0.05) and obesity (OR=0.35; p=0.01) remained significantly inversely associated with RS. Independent of age and race, patients with DM, HTN, or obesity were more likely to be in the low-risk 21-gene RS group. Conclusions and Implications: The association of MS and its components differs for the 70-GS and RS assays. There is significant association between MS (and DM, HTN, obesity) and RS, but no association with 70-GS. Patients with MS (and components) are more likely to have a biology (low RS) known to have less chemotherapy benefit. Given the reported impact of MS on BC incidence and outcomes along with the global increased MS incidence, the MS may have profound impact on BC biology and treatment outcomes in the coming years. It is also possible that multigene assays currently in use for prognosis and prediction may need refinement in the presence of MS and/or its components. Citation Format: Hanh P Mai, Stephanie Kliethermes, Shikha Jain, Shelly S Lo, Ellen R Gaynor, Kathy S Albain, Patricia Robinson. Association of metabolic syndrome, its components and multigene assays for recurrence risk [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-08-42.
Increasing United States hospital admissions for acute pancreatitis, 1988-2003.

Purpose To examine the epidemiology of hospital admissions for acute pancreatitis in the United States. Methods We compiled data from the 1988–2003 National Hospital Discharge Survey and analyzed it with respect to patient demographics, hospital type and region, procedures performed, length of hospital stay, and inpatient mortality. Results Hospital admissions for acute pancreatitis increased from a 1988 low of 101,000 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 87,000–116,000) to a 2002 peak of 210,000 (95% CI: 186,000–234,000). The corresponding admission rate increased from 0.4 to 0.7 hospitalizations per 1000 U.S. population ( p = 0.001). The patients' average age was 53 years, 51% were male, and 23% were black. The hospitalization rate was higher among blacks (0.9; 95% CI, 0.6–1.1) than among whites (0.4; 95% CI, 0.3–0.5). The mean length of stay was 6.9 days and decreased over the study period. Overall mortality was 2%, with increasing age and male gender comprising independent risk factors for death. Conclusions The hospitalization rate for acute pancreatitis in the United States is rising and is higher in blacks than in whites. Further research is necessary to identify the cause(s) of increasing pancreatitis admissions, the observed racial disparity, and the cost of these admissions.
A comparison of cross-sectional and longitudinal methods of assessing the influence of pregnancy on cardiac function during exercise

To evaluate the influence of pregnancy on resting and exercise cardiac function, we studied 16 nonpregnant and 26 pregnant females in a two-phase study. During phase I, all pregnant subjects (P1) (mean gestational age=29.5±7 weeks) were compared with 16 control (C) subjects. In phase II, 8 of the pregnant subjects (P2) (mean gestational age=32.6±6 weeks) were evaluated again at 12.5±7 weeks postpartum (PP). Using Collier's CO 2 rebreathing technique, exercise cardiac output (Q) was measured on a cycle ergometer during rest and at three submaximal work levels (25, 50, and 75 W), during the last minute of 5 to 7 minutes of steady-level power output. Metabolic parameters [ventilation (VE), beart rate (HR) and oxygen consumption (VO 2 )] were measured during the submaximal tests and throughout the progressive increase in work after the last measure of Q, until peak VO 2 was achieved. The results from the phase I comparison indicated (as expected) higher resting heart rates [(90.0±3 P1; 81.8±3 bpm C), ventilation (9.5±0.3 P1; 7.5±0.5 L min −1 C), and resting oxygen consumption (0.263±0.07 P; 0.221±0.01 L·min −1 C) associated with pregnancy, and these findings were similar when the pregnant subjects were compared with their postpartum values. Analysis of the various indices of cardiac function [Q, stroke volume (SV), and arteriovenous oxygen difference (A-VO 2 diff)] resulted in statistically higher resting Q in pregnancy when compared with C and PP conditions. No resting differences were observed for SV or A-VO 2 diff in either phase of the study. The results of the submaximal exercise tests indicated no significant differences in HR nor VO 2 between P1 and C; however, P2 had significantly higher submaximal heart rates and oxygen consumption when compared with PP. Further, no significant differences were observed between P1 and C for Q, SV or A-VO 2 diff, whereas P2 versus PP resulted in significantly lower SV and higher A-VO 2 diff in the pregnant subjects. These findings suggest that pregnancy/control versus pregnancy/ postpartum studies yield statistically different results and that an effort needs to made by the research community to develop standardized methodologies to evaluate physiological processes in pregnancy.
Noninvasive Treatments for Pediatric Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Focused Review

This is a review of current literature of noninvasive treatments for pediatric complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). There are a variety of noninvasive approaches to the treatment of pain, but few pediatric-focused studies have been published in regard to CRPS. In comparison with adult CRPS, there is a greater need for behavioral approaches in children to enable coping with difficult symptoms. Current gaps in knowledge include mechanisms triggering CRPS, pediatric-focused diagnostic criteria, validated tests that are diagnostically specific, definitive treatment protocols, age-based medication recommendations, and validation of specific noninvasive treatments in pediatric populations. Intensive multidisciplinary treatment is supported by high recovery rates and a family-centered approach that allows continuation of goals into the community environment.
Classifying Sentences as Speech Acts in Message Board Posts

This research studies the text genre of message board forums, which contain a mixture of expository sentences that present factual information and conversational sentences that include communicative acts between the writer and readers. Our goal is to create sentence classifiers that can identify whether a sentence contains a speech act, and can recognize sentences containing four different speech act classes: Commissives, Directives, Expressives, and Representatives. We conduct experiments using a wide variety of features, including lexical and syntactic features, speech act word lists from external resources, and domain-specific semantic class features. We evaluate our results on a collection of message board posts in the domain of veterinary medicine.
Reverse Concatenation of Product and Modulation Codes

Reverse concatenation (RC) architectures, which recently have been deployed in hard-disk-drive (HDD) products, offer crucial advantages in coding such as (i) avoiding error propagation through the modulation decoder, (ii) allowing the use of efficient high-rate modulation codes, and (iii) passing of soft information from the detector to the decoder, which facilitates parity-post processing and iterative coding schemes. In HDDs, error-correcting codes essentially consist of a single high-rate Reed-Solomon code, whereas in tape recording, large product codes are used that require a new RC architecture. Such a novel RC architecture for product codes is presented and illustrated by an example based on the linear tape open standard, generation 4 (LTO-4). Compared with the rate-16/17 modulation code of the LTO-4 standard, the proposed RC scheme has a modulation scheme of rate 0.9951, i.e., achieves 5.7% improvement in rate while maintaining the same interleaved I = 11 modulation constraint, but at the cost of a slight weakening of the G-constraint.
The working alliance: Where have we been, where are we going?

AbstractObjective: This paper reviews the construct of the working alliance, beginning with its historical development and moving into its modern pantheoretical conceptualization. Method: Major research efforts on the topic are reviewed. The review includes both theoretical and empirical literature on the working alliance and related constructs, such as alliance ruptures and repair, and therapeutic negotiation. Existing measures of the working alliance are also reviewed. Results: The working alliance is critiqued on both theoretical and empirical grounds, including the strengths and limitations of current approaches and assessments. Recent theoretical developments are reviewed, among them work on alliance rupture and repair and the reconceptualization of the alliance as a process of therapeutic negotiation. Emerging applications of advanced statistical techniques to measure the working alliance are also considered. Conclusion: The review concludes by supporting recent efforts that have attempted to increa...
High‐performance implementation of planted motif problem on multicore and GPU

SUMMARY In this paper, we present an efficient, easily parallelizable approach to solve planted motif problem (PMP). PMP is a well-studied problem in computational biology. It is useful in developing methods for finding transcription factor binding sites, classifying sequences, and building phylogenetic trees. Many approaches to solve PMP can be found in the literature. But the problem with those approaches is that they are difficult to parallelize as they have been designed for serial computers. In this paper, we propose a simple, easily parallelizable enumeration-based approach called BitBased. As with most other enumeration-based approaches that have been proposed to solve PMP, BitBased is also limited by memory for solving large-sized problems. To overcome this limitation, we propose various modifications, which not only reduce the memory requirement but also improve the performance of the approach. We have implemented our approach on multicore and GPU devices. We found that BitBased outperforms all the approaches proposed to solve PMP so far. BitBased is able to solve the (21,8) instance, which was not previously reported as solved in the literature. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Remote effects of pressure changes in arterioles

Blood is distributed to match the demands of the tissue in accordance with the local effectors of pressure, flow, nerves, and metabolites. Influences of these effectors are integrated and communica...
Integration of cluster ensemble and EM based text mining for microarray gene cluster identification and annotation

In this paper, we design and develop a unified system GE-Miner (Gene Expression Miner) to integrate cluster ensemble, text clustering and multi document summarization and provide an environment for comprehensive gene expression data analysis. We present a novel cluster ensemble approach to generate high quality gene cluster. In our text summarization module, given a gene cluster, our Expectation Maximization (EM) based algorithm can automatically identify subtopics and extract most probable terms for each topic. Then, the extracted top k topical terms from each subtopic are combined to form the biological explanation of each gene cluster. Experimental results demonstrate that our system can obtain high quality clusters and provide informative key terms for the gene clusters.
Human Capital and Strategic Competitiveness in the 1990s

The development of human capital is critical for firms to gain competitive advantage. However, short‐term, risk‐averse managerial behaviour often produces lower investments in the development of human capital. Short‐term risk‐averse managerial behaviour is often the result of managerial energy absorption in mergers and acquisitions, higher debt levels, increasing diversification and size, inappropriate downsizing and lack of managerial vision. Such problems can be reversed through downscoping, retaining valuable employees during restructuring, emphasizing the importance of human capital, cultivating an effective learning‐oriented corporate culture, developing an entrepreneurial spirit, promoting a long‐term focus, and promoting high‐quality products and services. With these changes, a strategically targeted human resource development programme can be established.
Towards integrated multidisciplinary synthesis of actively controlled fiber composite wings

The synthesis of actively controlled composite wings is formulated as a multidisciplinary optimization problem. A unique integration of analysis techniques spanning the disciplines of structures, aerodynamics, and controls is described. A rich variety of behavior constraints can be treated including stress, displacement, control surface travel and hinge moment, natural frequency, aeroservoelastic stability, gust response, and handling quality constraints, as well as performance measures in terms of drag/lift coefficients, drag polar shape, required load factor or roll rate, and wing mass. The design space includes a simultaneous treatment of structural, aerodynamic, and control system design variables. The paper sets the stage for multidisciplinary wing optimization by describing the capabilities and discussing the accuracy of the analysis and related behavior sensitivity analysis. Applicability of approximation concepts to the multidisciplinary optimization problem is examined by studying typical aeroservoelastic stability, gust response, and performance-related constraints. The computational efficiency of the combined analysis and sensitivity as well as the quality of key behavior constraint approximations indicate that single-level optimization of composite, actively controlled practical wings is within reach.
Context Is Routinely Encoded During Emotion Perception

In the present study, we investigated whether context is routinely encoded during emotion perception. For the first time, we show that people remember the context more often when asked to label an emotion in a facial expression than when asked to judge the expression's simple affective significance (which can be done on the basis of the structural features of the face alone). Our findings are consistent with an emerging literature showing that facial muscle actions (i.e., structural features of the face), when viewed in isolation, might be insufficient for perceiving emotion.
Spatial Optimization and Geographic Uncertainty: Implications for Sex Offender Management Strategies

Residence restrictions are increasingly popular policy-based tools for managing the spatial distribution of sex offenders in the USA.
Sparse Dynamic 3D Reconstruction from Unsynchronized Videos

We target the sparse 3D reconstruction of dynamic objects observed by multiple unsynchronized video cameras with unknown temporal overlap. To this end, we develop a framework to recover the unknown structure without sequencing information across video sequences. Our proposed compressed sensing framework poses the estimation of 3D structure as the problem of dictionary learning. Moreover, we define our dictionary as the temporally varying 3D structure, while we define local sequencing information in terms of the sparse coefficients describing a locally linear 3D structural interpolation. Our formulation optimizes a biconvex cost function that leverages a compressed sensing formulation and enforces both structural dependency coherence across video streams, as well as motion smoothness across estimates from common video sources. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in both synthetic data and captured imagery.
Search for Structure in the PP̄ Annihilation Cross-Section in the S Region

This paper presents a re-analysis of data (on the search for the S meson in pp annihilation) previously published by the same authors1. Although the results are different in detail the conclusions remain the same: no statistically significant structure is seen in the ‘S’ region of invariant mass (1930–1942 MeV).