cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Targeting integrin β4 for cancer and anti-angiogenic therapy

The integrins play key roles in the signaling networks that drive pathological angiogenesis and tumor progression. Integrin β4 is a laminin receptor upregulated in tumor cells and angiogenic endothelial cells. Biochemical studies have indicated that β4 combines with and enhances the signaling function of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases, including ErbB2, EGF-R and Met. Genetic studies have revealed that β4 signaling promotes both angiogenesis and tumorigenesis. Here, I discuss the hypothesis that β4 promotes both processes by amplifying receptor-tyrosine-kinase signaling. Therefore, I propose that a simultaneous blockade of β4 and receptor-tyrosine-kinase signaling represents a rational approach to cancer and anti-angiogenic therapy.
CMOS integrated transformers: coming of age

Research into modeling, verification and circuit applications of transformers in CMOS is reviewed. Transformer concepts and topologies are followed by discussions of the use of transformers for power and area reduction, bandwidth enhancement, modeling, etc. Finally, conclusions are drawn on future research directions for the use of transformers in CMOS design
Laparoscopic Repair of Colonoscopic Perforations: Indications and Guidelines

Iatrogenic colonic perforation is one of the most serious potential complications of colonoscopy. Standard management is surgical repair. No prospective data exist to clearly define the indications for laparoscopic repair. We report the largest case series to date of laparoscopic repair of colonoscopic perforations. A retrospective review was performed of all patients undergoing either exploratory laparoscopy with conversion to open repair, or laparoscopic repair of colonoscopic perforation. Exploratory laparoscopy for the attempted repair of colonoscopic perforations was performed in 11 patients at our institution. The mean colonic perforation size was 2.7 cm. Three cases were converted immediately to open laparotomy. A fourth patient that underwent primary laparoscopic repair of a 4-cm tear developed a leak at the repair site, necessitating reoperation. A fifth patient in whom exploratory laparoscopy was unrevealing underwent separate laparotomy for continued sepsis. Six patients underwent successful laparoscopic repair. Most perforations secondary to colonoscopy warrant rapid exploratory laparoscopy. Extensive inflammation or fecal soilage may require colonic diversion. Inability to laparoscopically localize the area of perforation or doubt regarding the security of the repair should prompt conversion to laparotomy. Laparoscopic repair of colonic perforations in experienced hands is a viable alternative to the open approach.
P.7.5 Sociodemographic and health related profile of adults with Duchenne/Becker Muscular Dystrophy (DBMD): Data from the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking and Research Network (MD STARnet)

Improved respiratory and cardiac management along with glucocorticoid therapy have contributed to increasing survival of patients with DBMD.This has led to a growing population of adults with DBMD. The purpose of this population based study was to describe the sociodemographic profile and health related outcomes of individuals with DBMD followed in the MD STARnet. MD STARnet is a multi state population based surveillance system that collects data on all individuals with DBMD born since 1/1/1982. In addition to epidemiologic data, MD STARnet collects extensive sociodemograhic and clinical data related to natural history milestones and treatments and services received by individuals with DBMD. The cohort for this analysis was all individuals born from 1/1/1982 to 12/31/1992 and followed through 8/31/2011. Overall, 384 individuals were identified of which 32% have died [mean age 17.6 years (8.7–25.5)], and 20% were lost to follow up [mean age 15.3 (0.9–25.8)]. The remainder continue to be followed [mean age 21.5 (17–28.6)]. Most individuals were white, non-Hispanic (59%) and live with parent/s/family (98%), have post high school/college training (24%). The number of individuals and the average age (range) at which they crossed clinical milestones or required specific treatments were as follows: loss of ambulation [ N = 300, 11.7 years (6.9–24.50)], scoliosis surgery [ N = 128, 14.7 years (10.3–20.2)], night time ventilator support [ N = 158, 16.9 years (9.4–26.2)], cardiomyopathy (SF N = 188, 16.5 years (9–25.5)], PEG [ N = 58, 19.2 years (11.8–26.0)]. Forty nine percentage have been treated with corticosteroids. Our population based data support an emerging population of adults with DBMD. This sociodemographic and health related profile provides information for providers, payors and policy makers to help design the appropriate care models for the needs of adults with DBMD and their families.
A Note on the Comparison between Simple Mean and Mean Based on Distinct Units in Sampling with Replacement

Abstract Basu (1958) and Raj and Khamis (1958) have shown that in sampling with replacement the average over distinct units possesses lower variance than the average over the entire sample, including repetitions. While Basu proves the result by the use of the Rao-Blackwell theorem, Raj and Khamis prove it by making use of the distribution of the number of distinct units u in the sample, and the proof is quite involved. Here, an elementary algebraic proof is given.
Molecular evolution tracks macroevolutionary transitions in Cetacea

Cetacea (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) is a model group for investigating the molecular signature of macroevolutionary transitions. Recent research has begun to reveal the molecular underpinnings of the remarkable anatomical and behavioral transformation in this clade. This shift from terrestrial to aquatic environments is arguably the best-understood major morphological transition in vertebrate evolution. The ancestral body plan and physiology were extensively modified and, in many cases, these crucial changes are recorded in cetacean genomes. Recent studies have highlighted cetaceans as central to understanding adaptive molecular convergence and pseudogene formation. Here, we review current research in cetacean molecular evolution and the potential of Cetacea as a model for the study of other macroevolutionary transitions from a genomic perspective.
An immersed boundary method for complex incompressible flows

An immersed boundary method for time-dependent, three-dimensional, incompressible flows is presented in this paper. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are discretized using a low-diffusion flux splitting method for the inviscid fluxes and second-order central-differences for the viscous components. Higher-order accuracy achieved by using weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) or total variation diminishing (TVD) schemes. An implicit method based on artificial compressibility and dual-time stepping is used for time advancement. The immersed boundary surfaces are defined as clouds of points, which may be structured or unstructured. Immersed-boundary objects are rendered as level sets in the computational domain, and concepts from computational geometry are used to classify points as being outside, near, or inside the immersed boundary. The velocity field near an immersed surface is determined from separate interpolations of the components tangent and normal to the surface. The tangential velocity near the surface is constructed as a power-law function of the local wall normal distance. Appropriate choices of the power law enable the method to approximate the energizing effects of a turbulent boundary layer for higher Reynolds number flows. Five different flow problems (flow over a circular cylinder, an in-line oscillating cylinder, a NACA0012 airfoil, a sphere, and a stationary mannequin) are simulated using the present immersed boundary method, and the predictions show good agreement with previous computational and experimental results. Finally, the flow induced by realistic human walking motion is simulated as an example of a problem involving multiple moving immersed objects.
Extent of Reversibility of Hepatic Encephalopathy Following Liver Transplantation

Although hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is prevalent in the cirrhotic population, it has also been considered a potentially reversible condition. Liver transplantation represents the ultimate reversal of the decompensated cirrhotic state and should provide the best option for the reversibility of HE. However, the neurologic compromise associated with HE in the cirrhotic patient may not be completely reversible. Theories regarding fixed structural and reversible metabolic deficits as well as persistence of the hyperdynamic state with continued portosystemic shunting have been proposed to explain this lack of complete reversibility. Whether this remnant neurologic deficit is clinically significant remains unclear.
Sensitivity and specificity of immunoprecipitation of DNA containing 5-Methylcytosine.

Background Attempts to enrich or identify DNA with cytosine methylation have been commonly carried out using anti-5-methylcytosine or anti-MBD2 (methyl-CpG binding domain protein 2) antibody in immunoprecipitation (IP) assays. However, a careful and systematic control experiment to examine the sensitivity and specificity of this approach has not been reported. It is of critical importance to understand the potential pitfalls of this approach and to avoid potential misinterpretation of findings.
ABCA2 as a therapeutic target in cancer and nervous system disorders.

Background: Overexpression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters is a major adaptive advantage used by tumor cells to evade the accumulation of cytotoxic agents. ABCA2, a transporter highly expressed in the cells of the nervous and haematopoetic systems, is associated with lipid transport and drug resistance in cancer cells, including tumor stem cells. Recently, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in Abca2 was linked to early onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). The characterization of two independent knockout mouse models has shed light on putative in vivo functions of this transporter in the development and maintenance of myelin membrane lipids in the CNS. Objective: The objective of this review is to guide the reader through the existing scope of literature on the ABCA2 transporter, focusing on its potential as a future target in human pathologies, specifically cancer and neurological disease. Methods: An NCBI PubMed literature search was conducted to address the growing body of ABCA2 literature tha...
STATISTICAL SAMPLING FOR IN-SERVICE INSPECTION OF LIQUID WASTE TANKS AT THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE

Savannah River Remediation, LLC (SRR) is implementing a statistical sampling strategy for In-Service Inspection (ISI) of Liquid Waste (LW) Tanks at the United States Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, South Carolina. As a component of SRS's corrosion control program, the ISI program assesses tank wall structural integrity through the use of ultrasonic testing (UT). The statistical strategy for ISI is based on the random sampling of a number of vertically oriented unit areas, called strips, within each tank. The number of strips to inspect was determined so as to attain, over time, a high probability of observing at least one of the worst 5% in terms of pitting and corrosion across all tanks. The probability estimation to determine the number of strips to inspect was performed using the hypergeometric distribution. Statistical tolerance limits for pit depth and corrosion rates were calculated by fitting the lognormal distribution to the data. In addition to the strip sampling strategy, a single strip within each tank was identified to serve as the baseline for a longitudinal assessment of the tank safe operational life. The statistical sampling strategy enables the ISI program to develop individual profiles of LW tank wall structural integrity that collectively provide a high confidence in their safety and integrity over operational lifetimes.
An implementation of hyper-resolution

Abstract In this paper the data structures and algorithms which were used to implement hyper-resolution are presented. The algorithms, which do not generate hyper-resolvents by creating sequences of P 1-resolvents, have been used to obtain proofs of THEOREM 1. Let G be a group such that x 3 = e for all x∈G. If h is defined as h(x, y) = xyx′y′ forx, y∈G, then for all x, y∈G, h(h(x, y), y) = e (the identity). THEOREM 2. Let R be a ring such that x 2 = x for all x∈R. Then R is commutative. THEOREM 3. Every subgroup of index 2 is normal. The data structures have been designed so that only a single copy of any literal or term is retained, no matter how often it occurs in the clauses kept. The main advantage of this approach is not the resulting savings in storage, but instead the fact that simultaneously matching a set of literals generates an entire set of hyper-resolvents. A method of extracting a set of “candidates for unification with a given literal” from the data structures is also presented. The result of using this method is a substantial reduction in the number of times a complete unification of two literals must be attempted. The initial results obtained from the program suggest that many resolution algorithms besides hyper-resolution could be enhanced by the use of similar data structures and algorithms.
Effect of clonidine on heart rate variability in congestive heart failure

In patients with congestive heart failure, abnormal heart rate variability is a predictor of total mortality and sudden cardiac death. Drugs that improve heart rate variability may have a potential role for improving the survival among these patients. The effects of clonidine were studied in 24 patients with congestive heart failure, sinus rhythm, a left ventricular ejection fraction 115 mm Hg. A 6-minute corridor walk test and 24-hour Holter monitoring were performed before and 42 ± 24 days after initiation of clonidine therapy (Catapres-TTS patch, mean dose: 0.33 ± 0.21 mg). Changes in other medications used at baseline were not allowed. One patient died suddenly. Two patients did not complete the protocol due to worsening congestive heart failure, which required changes in medications, 1 patient discontinued due to hypotension, and 2 for personal reasons. Among the 18 patients who completed the protocol, the mean RR interval of sinus beats increased from 760 ± 106 to 822 ± 125 ms (p = 0.001) and the distance covered during the 6-minute walk test increased from 1,148 ± 277 to 1,255 ± 359 feet (p = 0.042). Systolic blood pressure decreased from 139 ± 15 to 119 ± 10 mm Hg (p <0.0001). The following increases were noted in the heart rate variability measurements: high-frequency power in 0.15 to 0.40 Hz: 4.58 ± 1.07 to 4.94 ± 1.17 ln (ms), p = 0.002; SD: 47.0 ± 16.9 to 52.5± 18.4 ms, p = 0.034; SD of the mean of all RR intervals in 24 hours: 116 ± 94 to 130 ± 19 ms, p = 0.033; SD of all 5-minute mean RR intervals: 106 ± 44 to124 ± 66 ms, p = 0.042; root-mean square of difference of successive RR intervals: 28.8 ± 10.7 to 34.1 ± 14.2 ms, p = 0.017. Clonidine improves heart rate variability in the patients with congestive heart failure by increasing the parasympathetic tone. It is well tolerated by most patients with heart failure and may have a beneficial effect on exercise capacity.
Electromechanical Simulation of Helicopter Blade Responses to Random Excitation During Forward Flight

The response of a model helicopter rotor blade to random excitation while in simulated forward flight is studied analytically and experimentally by means of an electromechanical apparatus. Generalized transfer functions are defined which relate steady-state responses in bending, flapping, and torsion modes to a sine input. Responses occur at the input and side-band frequencies. These transfer functions are then used along with excitation power spectra to predict the nonstationary time-averaged power spectrum of the response. Validity of the transfer function analysis is investigated by means of the electromechanical model which includes analog computer simulation of the interaction of blade deflections and aerodynamic load. Generalized transfer functions are measured for sinusoidal excitation. They are then used with measured excitation power spectra to predict the response, and the result is compared with measured response power spectra. Agreement is generally good for low advance ratio, but discrepancies diverge with increasing advance ratio.
Cutaneous biotransformation of N-(4-bromobenzoyl)-S,S-dimethyliminosulfurane and its product, 4-bromobenzamide, leading to percutaneous penetration enhancement of drugs: initial evidence using hydrocortisone.

Abstract The role of the skin's metabolism of N-(4-bromobenzoyl)-S,S-dimethyliminosulfurane (DMBIS), an effective penetration enhancer, on its enhancement activity was investigated. It has been found that DMBIS hydrolyzes very fast in physiological buffer to 4-bromobenzamide (BBA), and even faster and almost completely in the presence of skin tissue. It was further shown that in the presence of skin from different species incubated at physiological conditions, the concentration of BBA (DMBIS' immediate product) dropped sharply to 70–80% in 10 min followed by a slower decrease of 0.35–0.50 μg/h. This metabolism was partially inhibited by a continuous application of iodine, and more profoundly, by iodoacetic acid (IAA) and dithiothreitol (DTT) combination treatment. This indicates that at least a part of the metabolism of BBA involves enzymes that are sensitive to reactions with their sulfhydryl groups. In an in vitro permeation study using human epidermis and conventional diffusion cells, we compared between the permeabilities of untreated epidermis and IAA/DTT-treated epidermis to hydrocortisone in the presence of BBA. Due to its metabolic inhibition, we noted a higher penetration of BBA through IAA/DTT-treated epidermis than through the untreated epidermis. Contrary to these results, the extent of the penetration of hydrocortisone was higher through the untreated epidermis with only 1.6 h lag time relative to its penetration through IAA/DTT-treated epidermis, which exhibited a lag time of 12.4 h. It is evident, therefore, that the skin enhancement activity of DMBIS/BBA depends on BBA metabolism in the skin, presumably through its in situ biotransformation into an active enhancer.
Diasporas as development partners for peace? The alliance between the Darfuri diaspora and the Save Darfur Coalition

There is increasing interest today in the relationship between diaspora groups and international development. As a stand-in for the domestic organisation in Keck and Sikkink’s model of a ‘transnational advocacy network’, diasporas serve as important sources of legitimacy and first-hand knowledge to support the ‘information politics’ of host country ngos; in turn, diasporas gain access to policy making around development and conflict resolution. But these alliances present a complicated picture of power and agency with unevenness across actors. Using field research on the US-based ngo Save Darfur Coalition and its partnership with the Darfuri diaspora, I argue that a host country ngo must balance its relationships across numerous stakeholders, including the diaspora, as well as short and long-term development needs. In addition, the strength of the alliance across actors may be influenced by the status of the diaspora and the home and host country contexts.
The Management of Primary Cancers of the Oropharynx: Combined Treatment or Irradiation Alone?

I t is common practice in many institutions to use primary surgical resection in combination with either preoperative or postoperative irradiation to treat primary squamous cell carcinomas arising from the oropharynx. It is usually assumed that the combined approach is superior to treatment by either surgery or irradiation alone, particularly for T3 and T4 cancers.‘m5 In some institutions, the apparent superiority of the combined approach can be attrib uted to irradiation-alone results that are inferior to those usually reported. For example, Dasmahapatra et a1,4 in noting “improved survival with combination therapy,” reported 5-year survival rates of 11% for stage III and 0% for stage IV tonsillar cancers after irradiation alone at the East Orange, NJ Veterans Administration Medical Center. Shrewsbury et al3 reported that 15% of patients with T3 and 0% of patients with T4 tonsillar cancers had no evidence of disease at 2 years after irradiation alone at the University of Minnesota. The poor results were partly due to reluctance to perform neck dissection(s) after high-dose irradiation; virtually all patients with clinically positive lymph node metastases died. Doyle et al,6 in a review of 155 patients treated at the British Columbia Cancer Control Agency, stated that for T3 and T4 tonsillar cancers a combination of irradiation and surgery “appears to be superior to radiotherapy alone”; however, the authors present no data to support their hypothesis because all of their patients were treated with irradiation alone. The policy at the University of Florida is to treat essentially all oropharyngeal primary cancers with irradiation alone to the primary site, with or without neck dissection(s) 4 to 6 weeks after completion of
Novel porous silicon integrated optical devices for sensing applications

The design, fabrication, and characterization of novel integrated optical sensors comprised of nanoporous silicon are presented. This work lays foundation for a new class of planar integrated photonic sensors with high sensitivity.
Cannabinoids and metabolites in expectorated oral fluid after 8 days of controlled around-the-clock oral THC administration

Oral fluid (OF) is an increasingly accepted matrix for drug testing programs, but questions remain about its usefulness for monitoring cannabinoids. Expectorated OF specimens (n = 360) were obtained from 10 adult daily cannabis smokers before, during, and after 37 20-mg oral Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) doses over 9 days to characterize cannabinoid disposition in this matrix. Specimens were extracted and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with electron-impact ionization for THC, 11-hydroxy-THC, cannabidiol, and cannabinol, and negative chemical ionization for 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC (THCCOOH). Linear ranges for THC, 11-hydroxy-THC, and cannabidiol were 0.25–50 ng/mL; cannabinol 1–50 ng/mL; and THCCOOH 5–500 pg/mL. THCCOOH was the most prevalent analyte in 344 specimens (96.9%), with concentrations up to 1,390.3 pg/mL. 11-hydroxy-THC, cannabidiol, and cannabinol were detected in 1, 1, and 3 specimens, respectively. THC was detected in only 13.8% of specimens. The highest THC concentrations were obtained at admission (median 1.4 ng/mL, range 0.3–113.6) from previously self-administered smoked cannabis. A total of 2.5 and 3.7% of specimens were THC-positive at the recommended Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2 ng/mL) and Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines (DRUID) (1 ng/mL) confirmation cutoffs, respectively. THC is currently the only analyte for monitoring cannabis exposure in OF; however, these data indicate chronic therapeutic oral THC administration and illicit oral THC use are unlikely to be identified with current guidelines. Measurement of THCCOOH may improve the detection and interpretation of OF cannabinoid tests and minimize the possibility of OF contamination from passive inhalation of cannabis smoke.
Is interstitial hyperthermia a safe and efficacious adjunct to radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer

Is interstitial hyperthermia a safe and efficacious adjunct to radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer?
Detection of procollagen biosynthesis using peptide-specific antibodies.

Abstract Peptides corresponding to selected sequences of the al chain of the COOH propeptide of type I and type III human procollagen were snythesized and used as antigens to develop polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies.The antibodies were shown to be epitope specific using a peptide-based solid phase enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay.The antibodies were specific for the appropriate procollagens and the COOH propeptides isolated from serum-free culture supernatants of human skin fibroblasts.The rabbit antisera directed to the type I synthetic peptide bound the intact pro collagen molecule and both the procollagen al(l} and a2(1} chains after the reduction of the disulfide bonds.In addition, the antisera bound intact type I COOH propeptide, generated by bacterial collagenase treatment of procollagen, and the individual chains of the propeptide after reduction.In contrast, a monoclonal antibody to the type I peptide was able to bind only to the reduced form of the COOH propeptide.Both rabbit polyclonal and murine monoclonal antibodies directed to the type III synthetic peptide bound the intact and the individual chains of type III procollagen as well as the intact and reduced forms of the type III COOH propeptide.The antibodies have been used to detect procollagen synthesis in two human osteosarcoma cell lines and the differential expression of pro collagen in the culture medium of rat lung fibroblasts grown in the presence or absence of glucocorticoids.
Scalybot: A Snake-Inspired Robot With Active Control of Friction

Snakes are one of the world’s most versatile locomotors, at ease slithering through rubble or ratcheting up vertical tree trunks. Their adaptations for movement across complex dry terrain thus serve naturally as inspirations for search-and-rescue robotics. In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we perform experiments on inclined surfaces to show a snake’s scales are critical anatomical features that enable climbing. We find corn snakes actively change their scale angle of attack by contracting their ventral muscles and lifting their bodies. We use this novel paradigm to design Scalybot, a two-link limbless robot with individually controlled sets of belly scales. The robot ascends styrofoam plates inclined up to 45°, demonstrating a climbing ability comparable to that of a corn snake in the same conditions. The robot uses individual servos to provide a spatial and temporal dependence of its belly friction, effectively anchoring the stationary part of its body while reducing frictional drag of its sliding section. The ability to actively modulate friction increases both the robot’s efficiency over horizontal surfaces and the limiting angles of inclination it can ascend.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Abstract: Data Mining Alternatives to Logistic Regression for Propensity Score Estimation: Neural Networks and Support Vector Machines.

Logistic regression (LR) has traditionally been the most frequently used method for modeling selection in propensity score (PS) analysis. The dominance of a single method is not for a lack of alter...
Primary repair of complete sternal cleft with pectoralis major muscle flaps

We report the successful coverage of a complete sternal cleft with exposed pericardium using bilateral pectoralis major muscle flaps in a newborn. The patient was transferred to our institution with nearly complete sternal aplasia, rectus diastasis, and only dessicated pericardium covering the visible heart. Complete closure without compromise of cardiac function was achieved at 2 days of age with bilateral pectoralis major muscle flaps and fasciocutaneous advancement flaps.
Is That All There Is? Taking Education to New Levels in the Social-Media Era

Higher education in the United States faces major challenges: increased competition from non-traditional players, online programs that are eroding regional monopolies, shifting demographics, the pe...
A novel acknowledgment scheme for space Internet

The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) employs an acknowledgment (ACK) mechanism for reliable transfer of information. Selective acknowledgment (SACK) and negative acknowledgment (NAK) are well-known acknowledgment schemes in the current Internet. Selective negative acknowledgment (SNACK) is a novel acknowledgment scheme which integrates the capabilities of both SACK and NAK and has been developed for space Internet. It is expected to have a detailed description of the SNACK scheme with the support of some experimental results. The paper provides a full description of the novel SNACK scheme, comparing it with the widely used SACK scheme. The description is supported by some experimental data obtained from file transfer tests using a space-to-ground link simulation (SGLS) test-bed. Sampled experimental results show that SNACK has no negative effects on throughput at a low BER, but makes better utilization of channel bandwidth and achieves significantly higher throughput in error prone links, such as satellite and wireless channels.
VizQL: a language for query, analysis and visualization

Conventional query languages such as SQL and MDX have limited formatting and visualization capabilities. Thus, although powerful queries can be composed, another layer of software is needed to report or present the results in a useful form to the analyst. VizQL™ is designed to fill that gap. VizQL evolved from the Polaris system at Stanford, which combined query, analysis and visualization into a single framework [1].VizQL is a formal language for describing tables, charts, graphs, maps, time series and tables of visualizations. These different types of visual representations are unified into one framework, making it easy to switch from one visual representation to another (e.g. from a list view to a cross-tab to a chart). Unlike current charting packages and like query languages, VizQL permits an unlimited number of picture expressions. Visualizations can thus be easily customized and controlled. VizQL is a declarative language. The desired picture is described; the low-level operations needed to retrieve the results, to perform analytical calculations, to map the results to a visual representation, and to render the image are generated automatically by the query analyzer. The query analyzer compiles VizQL expressions to SQL and MDX and thus VizQL can be used with relational databases and datacubes. The current implementation supports Hyperion Essbase, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Analysis Services, MySQL, Oracle, as well as desktop data sources such as CSV and Excel files. This analysis phase includes many optimizations that allow large databases to be browsed interactively. VizQL enables a new generation of visual analysis tools that closely couple query, analysis and visualization.
Uyak Complex, Kodiak Islands, Alaska: A Cretaceous subduction complex

The Uyak Complex is a chaotic assemblage of gray chert and argillite, wacke, greenstone, radiolarian chert, and gabbroic and ultramafic rocks. The simplest interpretation of these rocks is that the gabbroic and ultramafic rocks and greenstone represent basal oceanic crust upon which the radiolarian chert, gray chert and argillite, and wacke were deposited, respectively, at a mid-ocean rise, on the abyssal ocean floor, and in an oceanic trench. Fossils are scarce in the complex and range in age from mid-Permian to mid–Early Cretaceous. The Uyak Complex was emplaced by underthrusting to the northwest beneath lower Mesozoic metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks. During underthrusting, brittle rock types were broken into phacoids of all sizes and suspended in the less competent matrix of gray chert and argillite with their longest dimensions aligned subparallel to cataclastic foliation. Prehnite and pumpellyite developed extensively in lithologies of suitable composition. The Uyak Complex correlates to the northeast with a similar assemblage of deep-sea rocks on the Barren Islands and with the McHugh Complex on the Kenai Peninsula and near Anchorage. The Uyak-McHugh belt defines a probable subduction complex trending northeast for at least 600 km along the margin of southwestern Alaska. The time of emplacement of this melange is uncertain, but fossils present indicate that it occurred after mid–Early Cretaceous time. To the southeast, the Uyak is underthrust by deformed turbidites of the Kodiak Formation, which are interpreted to have been deposited in an oceanic trench and accreted to the Alaskan margin in Late Cretaceous time. The relationship between the Uyak Complex and Kodiak Formation is uncertain, but they may represent two phases, or two facies, of Late Cretaceous accretion. Two large bodies of schist, referred to as the Kodiak Islands schist terrane, occur along the northwest border of the Uyak. The Kodiak Islands schist terrane is a blueschist-bearing metamorphic belt that has yielded mainly Early Jurassic K-Ar mineral ages. Similarities in K-Ar ages, metamorphism, and tectonic setting support a correlation between the Kodiak Islands schists and the Seldovia schist terrane on southern Kenai Peninsula. The Upper Triassic Shuyak Formation structurally overlies the Kodiak Islands schist terrane and Uyak Complex but is separated from them by a long, narrow pluton emplaced in Early Jurassic time. The Shuyak is a little-deformed formation of volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks. It correlates with similar rocks on the Alaska and Kenai Peninsulas, which together outline a lower Mesozoic forearc basin; K-Ar ages show that much of the Alaska-Aleutian Range batholith was intruded coeval with deposition in this forearc basin. A likely interpretation of these rocks is that the Kodiak-Seldovia schists are the only vestige of a subduction complex emplaced along the margin of southwestern Alaska during the prominent early Mesozoic volcanoplutonic activity recorded on the Alaska and Kenai Peninsulas and the Kodiak Islands.
Attempting to Avoid Illusory Memories: Robust False Recognition of Associates Persists under Conditions of Explicit Warnings and Immediate Testing ☆ ☆☆

Abstract Roediger and McDermott (1995) showed that presentation of associated words can induce false recognition of a related, but nonpresented, associate. In three experiments, we placed this related associate in half of the study lists (but not in the other half) in an attempt to determine whether (and under what conditions) subjects could distinguish between cases in which the critical associate was and was not presented. Results suggest that subjects are quite poor at performing this straightforward task, even when explicitly informed of the false recognition phenomenon, instructed to pay careful attention to whether or not the critical linking associate was presented in the list, and given a 1-item recognition test immediately following each 15-word list. Although subjects were not able to perform accurately under these conditions, the warning instruction did attenuate the false recognition effect (relative to an uninformed condition). This illusion of memory appears to be remarkably robust and little affected by the instructional manipulations.
Recycled Writing: Assembling Actor Networks From Reusable Content

Drawing on a study of writers reusing content from one document to another, this study examines the rhetorical purpose of reuse. Writing reuse is predominantly studied through the literature on sin...
Reducing the Communication Required By DSRC-Based Vehicle Safety Systems

We present an adaptive communication scheme for cooperative active safety system (CASS). CASS uses information communicated from neighboring vehicles via wireless communication in order to actively evaluate driving situations and provide warnings or other forms of assistance to drivers. In CASS, we assume that vehicles are equipped with a GPS receiver, a dedicated short range communications (DSRC) transceiver, and in-vehicle sensors. The information exchanges between vehicles include position, speed, heading, and other vehicle kinematic and dynamic information, and the information is broadcast to all neighbors within a certain communication range. The literature surmises CASS may need a vehicle to broadcast information as often as every 100 msec which may lead to channel congestion resulting in message loss rates above 20%. Here we present a new communication design scheme, supported by simulations, which indicates that CASS could be enabled by broadcasting, on average, as little as once every 500 msec.
The Role of Park Proximity and Social Support in Shaping Park Visitation, Physical Activity, and Perceived Health Among Older Adults

Background: Health scholars purport that park proximity and social support promotes physical activity and health. However, few studies examine the combined contributions of these constructs in shaping physical activity and health. Purpose: In this study, the contributions of environmental and social characteristics in shaping park use, physical activity, and health are examined. Methods: A survey was distributed to 1515 older adults in Cleveland, Ohio. Results: Path analysis indicated that social support was directly related to health. Perceived park walking proximity was related to physical activity and health through park use frequency. Park proximity was directly related to park use duration. Conclusions: Results suggest that environmental and social characteristics contribute to physical activity and health, but perceptions may also be a prerequisite to park use, daily physical activity, and health.
The Innovator's License: A Latitude to Deviate from Category Norms

Abstract Firms often look for ways to improve the return on investment they earn from costly innovation strategies. The authors investigate a previously unexplored benefit of innovation that occurs when a brand's reputation as a provider of valued new offerings allows it to earn innovation credit, a form of customer-based brand equity. Innovation credit provides brands with the license or latitude to use strategies that violate category norms without the penalty (in the form of impaired attitudes) that consumers are shown to levy on less innovative brands. Consistent with the proposed theoretical framework, three studies demonstrate that innovative brands are granted the license to employ nonnormative strategies without sanction. In addition to providing evidence regarding the inferential mechanism underlying this licensing effect, Study 3 shows that, under certain conditions, innovative brands not only escape the penalty associated with using atypical strategies but are actually rewarded for utilizing su...
The relation between density and defect chemistry of crystalline solids

Abstract The conventional analysis of density data of defective crystalline solids has three disadvantages: (1) it does not show that a series of acceptable models can be derived from each acceptable simple model by additional shifts of atoms, (2) it does not show why descriptions of isolated point defects like vacancies or interstitials can be used also in massively defective materials. (3) it does not learn how to describe the defect chemistry when the experimental data are not in accordance with the simple models assumed. In this paper the defect chemistry of impure crystalline solutions is formulated in such a way that these three difficulties can be avoided. Starting with the detailed description of defective solids two generalizations are used. In the first one it is stressed that the number of basic defects only is important for the calculation of the density. Their charges and associations into larger units are irrelevant. The second generalization shows that only two special combinations of these basic defects are characteristic. These special combinations can be used to describe the density, the deviation from the stoichiometry, the solubility of an impurity and the total number of atoms of each kind in a unit cell. It is shown how the characteristic combinations can be derived from the experimental data by a straight line analysis without making assumptions.
Architectonics of the parietal and temporal association cortex in the strepsirhine primate Galago compared to the anthropoid primate Macaca

A number of higher order association areas have been described in the parietal and temporal cortex of large-brained anthropoid primates such as Macaca. However, little is known about the evolution of these areas, and the existence of homologous areas has not yet been clearly demonstrated in other mammalian groups. We addressed this issue by comparing the myelo- and cytoarchitecture of posterior association cortex in the anthropoid Macaca to that of the small-brained, strepsirhine (“prosimian”) primate Galag. Our results suggest that Galago possesses many, if not most, of the areas present in Macaca. We were able to identify regions in Galago which resemble Macaca posterior parietal area 7, superior temporal polysensory cortex (ST), inferotemporal visual cortex (IT), the temporoparietal auditory area (Tpt), and posterior parahippocampal cortex (areas TH and TF). Area 7, ST, and IT can each be subdivided further in Macaca, and for most of these subdivisions we were able to identify counterparts in Galago. However, we could not distinguish as many divisions of ST cortex in Galago as in Macaca, and it is possible that new areas arose in this region during anthropoid evolution. There also appear to be general differences in architectonic organization between these animals, with Macaca exhibiting greater development of pyramidal layer IIIc and of the internal granular layer (IV) across much of the parieto-temporal corte. These findings suggest that many, although possibly not all, of the parietal and temporal association areas present in the modern anthropoid Macaca evolved early in primate history, prior to the divergence of the lineages leading to strepsirhines and anthropoids.
Paleoecological response of ostracods to early Late Pleistocene lake-level changes in Lake Malawi, East Africa

Abstract Ostracod species from at least seven genera were recovered from drill cores recently collected at Lake Malawi, a large (29,500 km2) and deep (706 m) African rift valley lake located in the southern African tropics (9–14° S). These genera include Limnocythere, Candonopsis, Ilyocypris, Sclerocypris, Gomphocythere, possible Allocypria? and an unknown Cypridosine. Taphonomic variables such as the percentage of valve breakage, adult individuals, carbonate and oxidized coatings as well as associated mineralogy, can be used to delineate lake-level low and highstands. This record of lake-level fluctuations is correlated with paleoecological changes in ostracod communities throughout the core record of the past ∼ 145 ka. Two major assemblages found within the Lake Malawi cores include a Limnocythere-dominated shallow, saline/alkaline assemblage that occurred between 133 and 130 ka and between 118 and 90 ka and a deeper water Cypridopsine assemblage that lived in waters 10s to 100s of meters in depth and dominated the ostracod assemblage during intervals of lake-level transitions (136–133 ka, 129–128 ka and 86–63 ka), between the occurrence of the littoral assemblage and the appearance of indicators of bottom water anoxia. Changes in occurrences and abundances indicate variations in paleoecological affinities related to lake chemistry and oxygenation of bottom waters. The characteristics of the different lineages influence how that lineage is likely to respond to environmental variability such as lake-level fluctuations. Clades that include large numbers of endemic species in Lake Malawi tend to be specialists and thus more susceptible to environmental perturbations. On the other hand, cosmopolitan species within the lake all appear to be generalists, suggesting that they have high tolerances to environmental variability and therefore, these genera tend to be monospecific within the lake and are less likely to have radiated within the basin. The distribution of these ostracods can be used to evaluate hypotheses about the environmental history at the landscape-scale and their potential influence on species' distribution and diversification histories.
EVOLUTION OF A CATALYTICALLY EFFECTIVE MODEL ENZYME: THE IMPORTANCE OF TUNED CONFORMATIONAL FLUCTUATIONS

Possible causal connections between the dynamics of a thermally fluctuating model enzyme molecule and catalysis are explored. The model is motivated by observations from experiment and simulation that amino acid residues residing in different enzymatic domains may show markedly different degrees of conformational freedom. Consequently, we are interested in the catalytic efficacy of an enzyme as a function of long-range many-atom cooperative effects resulting from strong, moderate, and weak interactions between enzymatic residues. Here we show and quantify through molecular dynamics simulations how the number and distribution of these interactions affects an enzyme's conformational fluctuation dynamics and its effectiveness as a catalyst. For any given distribution of "stiff" and "loose" enzymatic domains, catalytic fitness is defined as the number of chemical events — specifically the number of times a catalytic residue and substrate surmount a chemical reaction barrier — during molecular dynamics simulation. Through mutation, recombination, and a selection procedure following the ideas of Darwinian evolution, a genetic algorithm drives a population of enzyme molecules to greater catalytic fitness by modifying the mix of stiff and loose interactions. Approximately 30,000 different enzyme molecules are generated by the genetic algorithm — each with a unique number and distribution of strong, moderate, and weak inter-residue interactions. While the catalytically least fit enzyme exhibits 16 chemical events, the fittest boasts 253. That point mutations far from the active-site chemistry in the fittest enzyme have a strong effect on the number of chemical events suggests that catalysis depends, in part, on long-range many-atom globally correlated dynamical fluctuations.
Compressive video recovery with upper and lower bound constraints

The recovery of sparse images from noisy, blurry, and potentially low-dimensional observations can be accomplished by solving an optimization problem that minimizes the least-squares error in data fidelity with a sparsity-promoting regularization term (the so-called l 2 − l 1 minimization problem). This paper focuses on the reconstruction of a video sequence of images where known pixel-intensity bounds exist at each video frame. It has been established that the l 2 − l 1 minimization problem can be solved efficiently using gradient projection, which was recently extended to solve general bound-constrained l 2 − l 1 minimization problems. Furthermore, the video reconstruction can be made more efficient by exploiting similarities between consecutive frames. In this paper, we propose a method for reconstructing a video sequence that takes advantage of the inter-frame correlations while constraining the solution to satisfy known a priori bounds, offering a higher potential for increasingly accurate reconstructions. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach, we have included the results of our numerical experiments.