cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preemptive analgesia with bupivacaine in reduction mammaplasty: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND Preincisional analgesia is an antinociceptive treatment that prevents altered central excitability from high-intensity noxious stimuli. To determine the analgesic efficacy of preoperative infiltration with bupivacaine for reduction mammaplasty, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was designed. METHODS Women with mammary hypertrophy were allocated randomly to one of two study groups. Patients in group I received preincision infiltration with bupivacaine into each breast after general anesthesia. Group II patients received similar injections of saline injection alone after general anesthesia. RESULTS Visual analogue pain score, verbal pain score, and short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire scores were higher in group II patients until 22 hours after surgery (p < 0.008). Patients in the saline group had higher intravenous meperidine consumption for 22 hours postoperatively and solicited opioids before the patients in the bupivacaine group (p < 0.001). The difference between groups was statistically significant. CONCLUSION Preincisional infiltration with bupivacaine results in reduced pain and lower postoperative opioid requirements in the early postoperative phase of pain following breast reduction. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, I.
Ionizing Radiation Stimulates Expression of Pro-Osteoclastogenic Genes in Marrow and Skeletal Tissue

Exposure to ionizing radiation can cause rapid mineral loss and increase bone-resorbing osteoclasts within metabolically active, cancellous bone tissue leading to structural deficits. To better understand mechanisms involved in rapid, radiation-induced bone loss, we determined the influence of total body irradiation on expression of select cytokines known both to stimulate osteoclastogenesis and contribute to inflammatory bone disease. Adult (16 week), male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to either 2 Gy gamma rays (137Cs, 0.8 Gy/min) or heavy ions (56Fe, 600MeV, 0.50–1.1 Gy/min); this dose corresponds to either a single fraction of radiotherapy (typical total dose is ≥10 Gy) or accumulates over long-duration interplanetary missions. Serum, marrow, and mineralized tissue were harvested 4 h—7 days later. Gamma irradiation caused a prompt (2.6-fold within 4 h) and persistent (peaking at 4.1-fold within 1 day) rise in the expression of the obligate osteoclastogenic cytokine, receptor activator of nuclear factor ka...
Performance appraisals and discrimination suits: Do courts pay attention to validity?

Performance appraisals have been reviewed by courts when there is an allegation they were used in a discriminatory manner. This article evaluates several federal court cases where performance appraisals were at issue. This analysis leads to the conclusion that courts give very little direction to employers and employees as to whether a particular type of performance appraisal system will withstand judicial scrutiny.
Sigmoidoscopy and mortality from colorectal cancer: The kaiser permanente multiphasic evaluation study

The Kaiser Permanente Multiphasic Evaluation Study is often cited as evidence from a randomized trial that screening sigmoidoscopy reduces mortality from colorectal cancer. To examine the role of sigmoidoscopy in this reduction, we reviewed the 110 incident cases of colorectal cancer occurring among the 10,713 subjects from randomization in 1964 through 1982. Tumor stage at diagnosis, location, mode of discovery, and current mortality status were determined for each. We also reanalyzed chart review data for the years 1965 through 1974 to assess the difference in exposure to sigmoidoscopy between groups. Study group subjects, who were urged to have annual multiphasic health checkups (MHC), had both a lower cumulative incidence (4.3 vs 6.7 cases per 1000 persons) and a better stage distribution (86 vs 54% Stage B or better) than nonurged control subjects for colorectal cancers arising within reach of the sigmoidoscope. The lowered incidence accounted for two-thirds of the total difference in mortality. No appreciable difference in removal of colorectal polyps was seen between groups. Only a slight excess in exposure to sigmoidoscopy was seen in the study group (30 vs 25% of subjects examined at least once between 1965 and 1974), which was unlikely to account for more than a small fraction of the study group's decrease in mortality. Although the Multiphasic Evaluation Study did find a significantly lower mortality from colorectal cancer in the study group, it did not achieve a substantial difference in exposure to sigmoidoscopy. Its results are therefore inconclusive with respect to sigmoidoscopy and should not be used as evidence either for or against sigmoidoscopic screening.
Characterization of the amino acid response element within the human sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 2 (SNAT2) System A transporter gene

The neutral amino acid transport activity, System A, is enhanced by amino acid limitation of mammalian cells. Of the three gene products that encode System A activity, the one that exhibits this regulation is SNAT2 (sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 2). Fibroblasts that are deficient in the amino acid response pathway exhibited little or no induction of SNAT2 mRNA. Synthesis of SNAT2 mRNA increased within 1-2 h after amino acid removal from HepG2 human hepatoma cells. The amino acid responsive SNAT2 genomic element that mediates the regulation has been localized to the first intron. Increased binding of selected members of the ATF (activating transcription factor) and C/EBP (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein) families to the intronic enhancer was established both in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, there was no significant association of these factors with the SNAT2 promoter. Expression of exogenous individual ATF and C/EBP proteins documented that specific family members are associated with either activation or repression of SNAT2 transcription. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis established in vivo that amino acid deprivation led to increased RNA polymerase II recruitment to the SNAT2 promoter.
An inverse problem approach to pattern recognition in industry

Abstract Many works have shown strong connections between learning and regularization techniques for ill-posed inverse problems. A careful analysis shows that a rigorous connection between learning and regularization for inverse problem is not straightforward. In this study, pattern recognition will be viewed as an ill-posed inverse problem and applications of methods from the theory of inverse problems to pattern recognition are studied. A new learning algorithm derived from a well-known regularization model is generated and applied to the task of reconstruction of an inhomogeneous object as pattern recognition. Particularly, it is demonstrated that pattern recognition can be reformulated in terms of inverse problems defined by a Riesz-type kernel. This reformulation can be employed to design a learning algorithm based on a numerical solution of a system of linear equations. Finally, numerical experiments have been carried out with synthetic experimental data considering a reasonable level of noise. Good recoveries have been achieved with this methodology, and the results of these simulations are compatible with the existing methods. The comparison results show that the Regularization-based learning algorithm (RBA) obtains a promising performance on the majority of the test problems. In prospects, this method can be used for the creation of automated systems for diagnostics, testing, and control in various fields of scientific and applied research, as well as in industry.
A prospective comparison of thoracoscopic vs open anterior instrumentation and spinal fusion for idiopathic thoracic scoliosis in children.

Abstract Background/Purpose The management of scoliosis in children has been evolving. Anterior release, diskectomy, and anterior instrumentation and spinal fusion (AISF) may be of benefit compared with a combined anterior and posterior or a posterior-only approach. Because thoracoscopic AISF (TAISF) has the potential benefit of muscle sparing, superior cosmesis, and less pain, the authors decided to prospectively compare this newer technique with open AISF (OAISF) to evaluate whether the 2 approaches were equivalent. Methods All children with idiopathic thoracic scoliosis undergoing AISF at a single center were prospectively examined. One hundred fifty-five children who had a minimum of 1-year follow-up were included in the study. Descriptive statistics are reported as means and SDs. Groups were compared using the independent-samples t test with Levene's test for equality of variances; a 2-tailed P value of .05 or less was considered significant. Results Open AISF was performed in 114 patients and TAISF was performed in 41; there were 126 girls and 29 boys. Mean age at surgery was similar (14 ± 3 vs 14.3 ± 1.5 years; P = .5), as was weight (54.2 ± 19 vs 54.6 ± 23 kg; P = .9). There were no differences in preoperative thoracic curves (48.5° ± 14° vs 49.8° ± 7°; P = .6) or in the number of vertebral levels instrumented (7.7 ± 1.3 vs 7.6 ± 0.7; P = .7). Operative time was shorter with OAISF (383 ± 65 vs 508 ± 98 minutes; P P = .03). The OAISF group took longer to extubate (1.4 ± 1.2 vs 1 ± 0.3 days; P = .03) and had slightly greater chest tube drainage (1710 ± 730 vs 1639 ± 515 mL; P = .5). At the 1-year follow-up, the thoracic curves were similar (17.5° ± 8° vs 15.2° ± 7.5°; P = .1) and percentage correction of thoracic curves was also similar (64% vs 69%). Conclusions Thoracoscopic AISF is safe and effective in correcting idiopathic childhood scoliosis. Correction of deformity with TAISF is equivalent to OAISF, although it takes longer and has more blood loss. However, it spares cutting muscle, uses smaller skin incisions, and appears to have superior cosmesis.
Seasonal and nutritional effects on the fatty acids of three species of shrimp, Penaeus setiferus, P. aztecus and P. duorarum.

Abstract The fatty acids of three species of shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico, white (Penaeus setiferus), brown (P. aztecus), and pink (P. duorarum), were analyzed periodically for 1 year. The fatty acid patterns of varied species of shrimp collected at the same time of the year differed very little from each other. On the other hand, a slight but distinctive seasonal variation of the fatty acid composition, irrespective of Penaeus species, was observed. Saturated fatty acids increased during the warm seasons and decreased during the cold months, while the opposite behavior was exhibited by monoenoic and polyenoic fatty acids. When the variations in fatty acid levels were compared to the temperature of the water, there was a 2-month lag period between a change in water temperature and the corresponding variation in fatty acid composition. This slow alteration of the shrimp fatty acids suggests that the changes are effected through the food chain rather than by endogenous adjustment to an alteration in water temperature. Further studies were performed in which the fatty acid patterns of pond- and laboratory-reared shrimp were compared with those of their food. Evidence was obtained confirming the significant effect of diet on the fatty acids of shrimp lipids. Shrimp incorporated certain dietary fatty acids readily but showed little ability for the conversion of C18 polyunsaturated fatty acids into C20 and C22 fatty acids of higher unsaturation. Thus, the C20 and C22 fatty acids which are essential for shrimp growth cannot be substituted in the diet by C18 precursors. Considered in toto, these experiments suggest that diet exerts a strong influence on the composition of shrimp body lipids and that, contrarily, endogenous synthesis or modification occurs to a low degree.
Knowledge‐based qualification tests for electronic components in harsh environments

The objectives of this paper are to propose a practical procedure for knowledge-based reliability qualification, and provide a checklist of required information for qualification analysis and testing. The paper investigates the common failure mechanisms of electronic components in automotive environments, and addresses the role of physics-of-failure approach in component reliability qualification.
Ground Effect Characteristics of a Two-Dimensional Hypersonic Configuration

The National Aerospace Plane (NASP) cone guration was designed to suit the propulsion needs at hypersonic speeds.Itslowerfuselagesurfaceformed thepropulsion system with an obliqueshock compression ramp, scramjet combustion module, and a single expansion ramp nozzle. To minimize drag, the nose was very thin and the upper surfacewas nearly e at. How each of these surfaces contribute to itspoor low-speed and ground effect performance is demonstrated. This poor performance is characterized by signie cant power-on lift reduction that is intensie ed by ejector action while in ground effect. The NASP aerodynamic characteristics were e rst measured on a threedimensionalmodelasfunctionsofangleofattack,groundproximity, andthrustcoefe cient. Then to separatethreedimensional effects from the key problems with this cone guration, the tests were repeated with a two-dimensional model based on the fuselage centerline geometry.
Targeting NOTCH1 in hematopoietic malignancy

NOTCH1 is a well-validated target in hematopoietic malignancy, with NOTCH1 activating mutations identified in more than 50% of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias. Moreover, a recent report has identified NOTCH1 activating mutations in 12% of chronic lymphocytic leukemias. While the frequency of NOTCH1 mutations and the well-documented role of this protein in the pathogenesis and maintenance of T-ALL support targeting NOTCH1 as a therapeutic strategy, the critical role of this protein in normal cell-fate specification and differentiation lead to complexities in its successful targeting. In this review, we will discuss potential approaches to targeting NOTCH1 in hematopoietic malignancies, including inhibition of the enzymes involved in its activation, antibodies directed against either the receptor or its ligands, and direct interference with the NOTCH1 transcriptional complex. Moreover, we will discuss the challenges to each of these approaches as well as potential solutions to overcoming these difficulties.
Transposition-invariant equations for the unified field theory

We discuss, within the framework provided by a recently developed variational method, transposition-invariant field equations for unified field theories. Systems that are, in addition, invariant under Weyl-type gauge transformations or lambda transformations are derived. It is found that in a weak field limit two of the systems contain the equations of general relativity and the covariant Maxwell equations for a charge-free region.
Predicting alcohol use across adolescence: Relative strength of individual, family, peer, and contextual risk and protective factors.

The current study examined developmental changes in the relative influence of risk and protective factors (RPFs) across individual, family, peer, school, and community domains on adolescent alcohol use. Using longitudinal data from two independent samples, multivariate cross-lagged models were used to estimate the unique influence of each RPF on subsequent changes in recent alcohol use between early to late adolescence. The results supported the hypothesis that the influence of Individual Risk would increase during this developmental period. However, less consistent evidence was found concerning developmental changes among the other domains. Whereas the influence arising from Family Protection diminished during adolescence, the influence of Family Risk, School Protection, and Community Protection did not vary. The influence of Peer Risk showed a nonlinear pattern across adolescence, peaking during the middle adolescent years. The results of this study support a developmental approach to adolescent alcohol use and emphasize the need for prevention strategies that account for these developmental changes.
FACTOR STRUCTURE OF BECK'S SUICIDE INTENT SCALES

Data obtained from 48 suicide attempters and 56 suicide threateners on three of Beck's suicide intent scales were factor analyzed. The scale, attempt suicide intent, yielded four orthogonal factors reflecting seriousness of intent, lethality of the act, precautions against interference and failure to initiate rescue after the attempt. The current scale of suicidal intent yielded four factors, bur one, the still suicidal factor, accounted for 44% of the variance. The suicide ideators scale yielded a general factor, called specificity of planning, accounting for more than half the variation. Factor scores were computed and correlated with diagnostic groupings. Character disordered subjects were more likely to report both more serious intent at time of suicide attempt and at interview than other attempters.
Insensitivity of compaction properties of brittle granules to size enlargement by roller compaction

ABSTRACT Pharmaceutical granules prepared by roller compaction often exhibit significant loss of tabletability, that is, reduction in tensile strength, when compared to virgin powder. This may be attributed to granule size enlargement for highly plastic materials, for example, microcrystalline cellulose. The sensitivity of powder compaction properties on granule size variations impacts the robustness of the dry granulation process. We hypothesize that such sensitivity of compaction properties on granule size is minimum for brittle materials because extensive fracture of brittle granules during compaction minimizes differences in initial granule size. We tested the hypothesis using three common brittle excipients. Results show that the fine (44–106 µm), medium (106–250 µm), and coarse (250–500 µm) granules exhibit essentially identical tabletability below a certain critical compaction pressure, 100, 140, and 100 MPa for spray-dried lactose monohydrate, anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate, and mannitol, respectively. Above respective critical pressure, tabletability lines diverge with smaller granules exhibiting slightly higher tablet tensile strength at identical compaction conditions. Overall, tabletability of brittle granules is insensitive to granule size enlargement. The results provide a scientific basis to the common practice of incorporating brittle filler to a typical tablet formulation processed by roller compaction granulation.
The use of secondary information in geostatistical target area identification

The identification and characterization of target areas at former bombing ranges is the first step in investigating these sites for residual unexploded ordnance. Traditionally, magnetometer surveys along transects are used in identifying areas with high densities of magnetic anomalies, which are likely former target areas. Combining magnetometer survey data with other data sources may reduce the level of survey data required for site characterization, increasing characterization efficiency. Here, several techniques for incorporating secondary information into kriging estimates of magnetic anomaly density are investigated for a former bombing range located near Pueblo, Colorado. In particular, kriging with external drift, collocated ordinary cokriging, and simple kriging with local means (SKLM) are used to incorporate information from a secondary variable. The secondary variable consists of a grid of crater density values derived from a topographic light detection and ranging (LIDAR) analysis. The craters, which are clearly identifiable in the LIDAR data, were generated through munitions use at the site and are therefore related to the target locations. The results from this study indicate that the inclusion of the secondary information in the kriging estimates does benefit target area characterization and provides a means of elucidating target area details from only limited magnetometer transect data. For the Pueblo site, the use of SKLM with the crater density as a secondary variable and only limited magnetometer transect data, provided results comparable to those obtained from using much larger magnetometer transect data sets.
Sorting out roles and defining divides: Social sciences at the World Conservation Congress

Many conservation practitioners and scholars have called for increasing involvement of the social sciences in conservation and better integration among the various disciplines engaged in conservation practice. This research uses the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Fourth World Conservation Congress (WCC) as a site of ethnographic inquiry to explore in-depth how conservation researchers and practitioners view the social sciences in conservation. This paper situates those views in the context of the WCC itself and treats such themes as the appropriate role for the social sciences in conservation, conflicts between social and natural scientists, and sorting out differences between academic social scientists and those working within conservation organisations. It ends with a reflection on what changes new approaches to conservation might bring to the relationship between natural and social sciences in conservation.
Retrieval of propositional information from long-term memory

Three experiments are reported in which subjects learn propositions like A hippie is in the park. The experiments manipulate the number of such propositions involving a particular person (e.g., hippie) or a particular location (e.g., park). After learning the material, subjects are asked to judge whether particular probe propositions are from the study set. Times to make these judgments about probe propositions increase with the number of study propositions involving the person or location used in the probe proposition. A model is presented which assumes a subject simultaneously accesses memory from all concepts in a probe proposition and serially searches through all study propositions involving each concept. Search of memory terminates as soon as one search process from a concept finds the probe proposition or exhausts the study propositions attached to that concept.
Catecholamines in rat brain following postnatal undernutrition and nutritional rehabilitation

Norepinephrine and dopamine were examined in 19 discrete brain areas from the telencephalon, diencephalon, and mesencephalon of nutritionally rehabilitated adult rats following postnatal undernutrition from birth through 21 days of age. Following rehabilitation, catecholamine levels were not significantly different from control values in any of the areas examined. Catecholamine concentrations in young, undernourished rats are generally elevated (either from stress or from nutritional insufficiency). Data presented here show that whichever case is true, the early effect of undernourishment is transient and that normal values are restored by nutritional rehabilitation.
Confidence depends on level of aggregation

The credible intervals that people set around their point estimates are typically too narrow (cf. Lichtenstein, Fischhoff, & Phillips, 1982). That is, a set of many such intervals does not contain the actual values of the criterion variables as often as it should given the probability assigned to this event for each estimate. The typical interpretation of such data is that people are overconfident about the accuracy of their judgments. This paper presents data from two studies showing the typical levels of overconfidence for individual estimates of unknown quantities. However, data from the same subjects on a different measure of confidence for the same items, their own global assessment for the set of multiple estimates as a whole, showed significantly lower levels of confidence and overconfidence than their average individual assessment for items in the set. It is argued that the event and global assessments of judgment quality are fundamentally different and are affected by unique psychological processes. Finally, we discuss the implications of a difference between confidence in single and multiple estimates for confidence research and theory.
Marine origin of Savannah River estuary sediments: Evidence from radioactive and stable isotope tracers

To determine the origin of sediments in the Savannah River estuary, we have measured 137 Cs and stable isotope ratios of C, N and S in suspended particles and bottom sediments at several sites in the Savannah River and estuary and offshore on the continental shelf. The 137 Cs and stable isotope data were used with a two-endmember mixing model to partition the suspended and bottom sediments at sites along a salinity gradient into riverine and marine fractions. Results from the 137 Cs measurements indicated that ≥ 65% of inorganic sediments in suspension or in the top 5 cm of bottom deposits in the estuary were of marine origin. Stable carbon isotope ratios indicated that ≥ 74% of the organic sediments in suspension or on the bottom of the estuary were of marine origin, except for sediments at the lowest salinity estuarine site (
Effects of epinephrine and norepinephrine on glucose release from chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) liver incubated in vitro

The effects of two catecholamines, epinephrine (EP) and norepinephrine (NE), on carbohydrate metabolism were studied by incubating chinook salmon liver in vitro. Basal release of glucose over the course of a 5-h incubation was 7.93 +/- 1.70 mumol/g dry weight. Both EP and NE (2 X 10(-7) M) stimulated glucose release rapidly during the first hour. After 5 h, EP and NE significantly increased glucose release over basal levels to 43.55 +/- 9.01 and 32.75 +/- 6.17 mumol/g dry weight, respectively. Epinephrine- and NE-stimulated glucose release was dose dependent, with a minimum effective dose of 10(-9) M. ED50 for both agents was approximately 2 X 10(-7) M; maximal stimulation occurred at 10(-5) M. No difference in potency between the two catecholamines was found. The effects of adrenergic agonists and antagonists were also studied. Alpha-agonists, methoxamine and phenylephrine, had no effect on glucose release. Isoproterenol, a beta-agonist, stimulated glucose release in a manner similar to EP. The beta-antagonist, propranolol, inhibited both catecholamine- and isoproterenol-stimulated glucose release. Alpha-antagonists (phentolamine, prazosin, and yohimbine) had no effect on either catecholamine- or isoproterenol-stimulated glucose release. Epinephrine and NE stimulate glycogen phosphorylase activity; propranolol inhibits catecholamine-stimulated phosphorylase activity. These results indicate that catecholamines stimulate glucose mobilization in salmon liver by promoting glycogenolysis mediated through beta-adrenergic receptors.
A measurement study of inter-vehicular communication using steerable beam directional antenna

We provide a measurement study of a single vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) link using 802.11b as the link layer technology. Our goal is to investigate practical usage of steerable beam directional antennas to improve V2V communications. We conduct extensive experiments using commercially available phased-array antennas mounted on cars in two different environments -- suburban roads and highways, with various drive patterns. It is observed that directional beamforming improves the link SNR significantly, that translates to significant range improvements. However, to achieve this performance gain both antenna beams must be steered appropriately in the right direction. We observe that often the best beams indeed point directly to each other (called `LOS beams'), in spite of various sources of reflections that could be present in the environment. We develop and evaluate a simple beam steering approach that uses LOS beams for communication. We present experimental data, demonstrating the performance gains (in terms of SNR and PHY-layer data rates) achieved by this approach. While we have studied a single V2V link, this method can be extended to a multihop V2V network.
Release of unsaturated vitamin B12 binding capacity from human granulocytes by the calcium ionophore A23187

Abstract The ionophore A23187, in the presence of calcium ions, was capable of eliciting the release of granule-associated unsaturated vitamin B 12 binding capacity from human granulocytes. The ionophore-induced extrusion of unsaturated vitamin B 12 binding capacity was concentration, time and temperature-dependent. The release was blocked by 2-deoxyglucose and was unaccompanied by cytotoxicity (trypan-blue uptake and lactate dehydrogenase release). The unsaturated vitamin B 12 binding capacity release was accompanied by the release of lysozyme, a specific granule marker enzyme.
Long-term outcomes after infant lung transplantation for surfactant protein B deficiency related to other causes of respiratory failure.

Objective To determine if the outcomes of lung transplantation for infants with surfactant protein-B (SP-B) deficiency are unique. Study design From a prospective analysis to identify infants with genetic causes of surfactant deficiency, we identified 33 SP-B–deficient infants from 1993 to 2005, and, among those undergoing lung transplantation (n = 13), compared their survival, pulmonary function, and developmental progress with infants who underwent transplantation at Results Five-year survival rates (∼50%, P = .3) and causes of death were similar for all three groups once the infants underwent transplantation. However, significant pretransplantation mortality decreased 5-year survival from listing to approximately 30% (P = .17). Pulmonary function, development of bronchiolitis obliterans, and school readiness were similar among the three groups. We detected anti SP-B antibody in serum of 3 of 7 SP-B–deficient infants and none of 7 SP-B–sufficient infants but could not identify any associated adverse outcomes. Conclusions Long-term outcomes after infant lung transplantation for SP-B–deficient infants are similar to those of infants transplanted for other indications. These outcomes are important considerations in deciding to pursue lung transplantation for infants with disorders of alveolar homeostasis.
New theoretical bounds of visibility representation of plane graphs

In a visibility representation (VR for short) of a plane graph G, each vertex of G is represented by a horizontal line segment such that the line segments representing any two adjacent vertices of G are joined by a vertical line segment. Rosenstiehl and Tarjan [6], Tamassia and Tollis [7] independently gave linear time VR algorithms for 2-connected plane graph. Afterwards, one of the main concerns for VR is the size of VR. In this paper, we prove that any plane graph G has a VR with height bounded by $\lfloor \frac{5n}{6} \rfloor$. This improves the previously known bound $\lceil \frac{15n}{16} \rceil$. We also construct a plane graph G with n vertices where any VR of G require a size of $(\lfloor \frac{2n}{3} \rfloor) \times (\lfloor \frac{4n}{3} \rfloor-3)$. Our result provides an answer to Kant's open question about whether there exists a plane graph G such that all of its VR require width greater that cn, where c > 1.
Online mercury speciation through liquid chromatography with particle beam/electron ionization mass spectrometry detection

The ability of particle beam/electron ionization-mass spectrometry (PB/EI-MS) to provide elemental and molecular information for a sample solution has been evaluated for the speciation of inorganic and organic mercury compounds. Specifically, the EI process yields mass spectra which reflect the chemical species eluting from the chromatographic column, either atomic or molecular. A detailed evaluation of source temperature and electron energy parameters has been performed for the PB/EI-MS method. Preliminary studies demonstrated that the approach can be utilized for the determination of mercury at μg mL−1 levels. A non-linear response at low concentrations (0.1–1 μg mL−1) of mercury was observed due to poor transport of small particles through the PB interface. The use of KCl as a carrier agent to enhance particle transport was investigated. The analyte responses for mercury species showed higher sensitivity with good linearity upon KCl addition, providing limits of detection on the ng mL−1 level (sub-ng absolute). The three mercury species (inorganic, phenyl- and methylmercury) were separated using a reversed phase (C18) column with a total elution time of less than 11 min and the species were detected using PB/EI-MS. Post-column addition of the KCl carrier to the mobile phase was accomplished with a HPLC pump and a tee connection. It is believed that the PB/EI-MS technique is well suited not only for speciation of mercury, but also for obtaining comprehensive speciation information via atomic and molecular mass spectral information of diverse species, and thus can be used to solve a number of speciation challenges.
The role of G-quadruplex/i-motif secondary structures as cis-acting regulatory elements

The nature of DNA has captivated scientists for more than fifty years. The discovery of the double-helix model of DNA by Watson and Crick in 1953 not only established the primary structure of DNA, but also provided the mechanism behind DNA function. Since then, researchers have continued to further the understanding of DNA structure and its pivotal role in transcription. The demonstration of DNA secondary structure formation has allowed for the proposal that the dynamics of DNA itself can function to modulate transcription. This review presents evidence that DNA can exist in a dynamic equilibrium between duplex and secondary conformations. In addition, data demonstrating that intracellular proteins as well as small molecules can shift this equilibrium in either direction to alter gene transcription will be discussed, with a focus on the modulation of proto-oncogene expression.
Systematic study of genes influencing cellular chain length in Streptococcus sanguinis.

Streptococcus sanguinis is a Gram-positive bacterium that is indigenous to the oral cavity. S. sanguinis, a primary colonizer of the oral cavity, serves as a tether for the attachment of other oral pathogens. The colonization of microbes on the tooth surface forms dental plaque, which can lead to the onset of periodontal disease. We examined a comprehensive mutant library to identify genes related to cellular chain length and morphology using phase-contrast microscopy. A number of hypothetical genes related to the cellular chain length were identified in this study. Genes related to the cellular chain length were analysed along with clusters of orthologous groups (COG) for gene functions. It was discovered that the highest proportion of COG functions related to cellular chain length was ‘cell division and chromosome separation’. However, different COG functions were also found to be related with altered cellular chain length. This suggested that different genes related with multiple mechanisms contribute to the cellular chain length in S. sanguinis SK36.
Contribution of complement activation pathways to neuropathology differs among mouse models of Alzheimer's disease

Complement proteins and activation products have been found associated with neuropathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recently, a C5a receptor antagonist was shown to suppress neuropathology in two murine models of AD, Tg2576 and 3xTg. Previously, a genetic deficiency of C1q in the Tg2576 mouse model showed an accumulation of fibrillar plaques similar to the complement sufficient Tg2576, but reactive glia were significantly decreased and neuronal integrity was improved suggesting detrimental consequences for complement activation in AD. The goal of this study was to define the role of the classical complement activation pathway in the progression of pathology in the 3xTg mouse that develops tangles in addition to fibrillar plaques (more closely reflecting human AD pathology) and to assess the influence of complement in a model of AD with a higher level of complement hemolytic activity. 3xTg mice deficient in C1q (3xTgQ-/-) were generated, and both 3xTg and 3xTgQ-/- were backcrossed to the BUB mouse strain which has higher in vitro hemolytic complement activity. Mice were aged and perfused, and brain sections stained for pathological markers or analyzed for proinflammatory marker expression. 3xTgQ-/- mice showed similar amounts of fibrillar amyloid, reactive glia and hyperphosphorylated tau as the C1q-sufficient 3xTg at the ages analyzed. However, 3xTg and 3xTgQ-/- on the BUB background developed pathology earlier than on the original 3xTg background, although the presence of C1q had no effect on neuropathological and pro-inflammatory markers. In contrast to that seen in other transgenic models of AD, C1q, C4 and C3 immunoreactivity was undetectable on the plaques of 3xTg in any background, although C3 was associated with reactive astrocytes surrounding the plaques. Importantly, properdin a component of the alternative complement pathway was associated with plaques in all models. In contrast to previously investigated transgenic models of AD, development of neuropathology in 3xTg mice, which progresses much slower than other murine models, may not be influenced by fibrillar amyloid mediated activation of the classical complement pathway, suggesting that the alternative complement pathway activation or a C3-independent cleavage of C5 could account for the detrimental effects in these mice that are prevented by the C5a receptor antagonist. Furthermore, the paucity of complement activation may be a factor in the slower kinetics of progression of pathology in the 3xTg model of this disease.
Sensitivity of phylogeny estimation to taxonomic sampling.

Recent studies have shown that addition or deletion of taxa from a data matrix can change the estimate of phylogeny. I used 29 data sets from the literature to examine the effect of taxon sampling on phylogeny estimation within data sets. I then used multiple regression to assess the effect of number of taxa, number of characters, homoplasy, strength of support, and tree symmetry on the sensitivity of data sets to taxonomic sampling. Sensitivity to sampling was measured by mapping characters from a matrix of culled taxa onto optimal trees for that reduced matrix and onto the pruned optimal tree for the entire matrix, then comparing the length of the reduced tree to the length of the pruned complete tree. Within-data-set patterns can be described by a second-order equation relating fraction of taxa sampled to sensitivity to sampling. Multiple regression analyses found number of taxa to be a signi® cant predictor of sensitivity to sampling; retention index, number of informative characters, total support index, and tree symmetry were nonsigni® cant predictors. I derived a predictive regression equation relating fraction of taxa sam- pled and number of taxa potentially sampled to sensitivity to taxonomic sampling and calculated values for this equation within the bounds of the variables examined. The length difference be- tween the complete tree and a subsampled tree was generally small (average difference of 0± 2.9 steps), indicating that subsampling taxa is probably not an important problem for most phylo- genetic analyses using up to 20 taxa. (Multiple regression; modeling; phylogeny estimation; tax- onomic sampling.)
On the eigendistribution of the steady-state error covariance matrix for the extended RLS algorithm

In an earlier work [1], we used transform methods from the theory of random matrices to analytically compute the asymptotic eigendistribution of the error covariance matrix of the single-measurement RLS filter. When we have a multiplicity of measurements, as happens in extended RLS filtering, the analysis is much more complicated. In this paper we study the multiple measurement case and obtain a system of two coupled equations for the Stieltjes transform of the asymptotic eigendistribution. Numerical solutions of this system very well predict the actual asymptotic eigendistribution for systems with as low as n = 10 − 20 state dimensions.
γδ T‐cell clones from intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes inhibit development of CTL responses ex vivo

Oral administration of antigen induces a state of tolerance that is associated with activation of CD8+ T cells that can transfer unresponsiveness to naive syngeneic hosts. These T cells are not lytic, but they inhibit development of antibody, CD4+ T helper cell, and CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses upon adoptive transfer into naive, syngeneic mice. In addition, we have shown that depletion of gammadelta T cells by injection of the anti-delta chain antibody (GL3) down modulates the expression of gammadelta T-cell receptor (TCR) and inhibits the induction of oral tolerance to ovalbumin. Oral administration of antigen also fails to induce tolerance in TCR delta-chain knockout mice suggesting that gammadelta T cells play a critical, active role in tolerance induced by orally administered antigen. To further study the contribution of gammadelta T cells to tolerance, murine gammadelta T cells were isolated from intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) of the small intestine by stimulation with splenic filler cells, concanavalin A and growth factors. gammadelta IEL lines demonstrated lytic activity in a redirected lysis assay. gammadelta T-cell clones express different gammadelta TCR genes and secrete large amounts of interleukin (IL)-10, but little or no IL-2, IL-4, or interferon-gamma. gammadelta IEL clones expressed transforming growth factor-beta1 and macrophage migration inhibitory factor, as well as IL-10, mRNA. Moreover, gammadelta T-cell clones potently inhibited the generation of CTL responses by secreted molecules rather than by direct cell-to-cell contact.
Natural and Doubly Natural Dualities

ABSTRACT Representable dualities between categories of modules satisfying natural closure properties are investigated and shown to be determined by homological properties shared by various classical and recently investigated types of dualities.
USING RULE STRUCTURE TO EVALUATE THE COMPLETENESS OF RULE-BASED SYSTEM TESTING: A CASE STUDY

Rule-based systems are typically tested using a set of inputs which will produce known outputs. However, one does not know how thoroughly the software has been exercised. Traditional test-coverage metrics do not account for the dynamic data-driven flow of control in rule-based systems. Our literature review found that there has been little prior work on coverage metrics for rule-based systems. This paper proposes test-coverage metrics for rule-based systems derived from metrics defined by prior work, and presents an industrial scale case study. We conducted a case study to evaluate the practicality and usefulness of the proposed metrics. The case study applied the metrics to a system for computational fluid-dynamics models based on a rule-based application framework. These models were tested using a regression-test suite. The data-flow structure built by the application framework, along with the regression-test suite, provided case-study data. The test suite was evaluated against three kinds of coverage. The measurements indicated that complete coverage was not achieved, even at the lowest level definition. Lists of rules not covered provided insight into how to improve the test suite. The case study illustrated that structural coverage measures can be utilized to measure the completeness of rule-based system testing.
A survey of data replication techniques for mobile ad hoc network databases

A mobile ad hoc network (MANET) is a network that allows mobile servers and clients to communicate in the absence of a fixed infrastructure. MANET is a fast growing area of research as it finds use in a variety of applications. In order to facilitate efficient data access and update, databases are deployed on MANETs. These databases that operate on MANETs are referred to as MANET databases. Since data availability in MANETs is affected by the mobility and power constraints of the servers and clients, data in MANETs are replicated. A number of data replication techniques have been proposed for MANET databases. This paper identifies issues involved in MANET data replication and attempts to classify existing MANET data replication techniques based on the issues they address. The attributes of the replication techniques are also tabulated to facilitate a feature comparison of the existing MANET data replication works. Parameters and performance metrics are also presented to measure the performance of MANET replication techniques. In addition, this paper also proposes criteria for selecting appropriate data replication techniques for various application requirements. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion on future research directions.
S/390 microprocessor design

The technical, business, and market requirements for large enterprise servers ("mainframes") strongly influence the design of microprocessors for these systems. Specific characteristics of the ESA/390 and z/Architecture instruction set architectures lead to different pipeline and branch prediction strategies than are found in most other microprocessors. The requirements for robust, scalable performance across a wide range of workloads, highly efficient logical partitioning, and very high hardware reliability affect the cache structure, internal code, and hardware fault detection and recovery designs.
Time-resolved proteomic analysis of quorum sensing in Vibrio harveyi

Bacteria use a process of chemical communication called quorum sensing to assess their population density and to change their behavior in response to fluctuations in the cell number and species composition of the community. In this work, we identified the quorum-sensing-regulated proteome in the model organism Vibrio harveyi by bio-orthogonal non-canonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT). BONCAT enables measurement of proteome dynamics with temporal resolution on the order of minutes. We deployed BONCAT to characterize the time-dependent transition of V. harveyi from individual- to group-behaviors. We identified 176 quorum-sensing-regulated proteins at early, intermediate, and late stages of the transition, and we mapped the temporal changes in quorum-sensing proteins controlled by both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. Analysis of the identified proteins revealed 86 known and 90 new quorum-sensing-regulated proteins with diverse functions, including transcription factors, chemotaxis proteins, transport proteins, and proteins involved in iron homeostasis.
Learning from the web: extracting general world knowledge from noisy text

The quality and nature of knowledge that can be found by an automated knowledge-extraction system depends on its inputs. For systems that learn by reading text, the Web offers a breadth of topics and currency, but it also presents the problems of dealing with casual, unedited writing, non-textual inputs, and the mingling of languages. The results of extraction using the KNEXT system on two Web corpora - Wikipedia and a collection of weblog entries - indicate that, with automatic filtering of the output, even ungrammatical writing on arbitrary topics can yield an extensive knowledge base, which human judges find to be of good quality, with propositions receiving an average score across both corpora of 2.34 (where the range is 1 to 5 and lower is better) versus 3.00 for unfiltered output from the same sources.