cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Image compression in medical image databases using set redundancy

Summary form only given. Image compression is achieved by eliminating various types of redundancy that exist in the pixel values. Individual gray-scale images contain interpixel, psychovisual, and coding redundancy. However, sets of similar images contain an additional type of redundancy: the set redundancy. Set redundancy is the inter-image redundancy that results from the common information found in more than one image in the set. Set redundancy can be used to improve compression. Medical imaging is one of the best application areas for the enhanced compression model (ECM) and the set redundancy compression (SRC) methods. Medical images classified by modality and type of exam are very similar to one another, because of the standard procedures used in radiology. Therefore, medical image databases contain large amounts of set redundancy, which the ECM can efficiently reduce. Tests performed on a test database of CT brain scans showed significant compression improvement when the images were pre-processed with SRC methods to reduce set redundancy. The images were obtained from a random population of patients, and the tests were performed with the standard compression techniques used in radiology: Huffman encoding, arithmetic coding, and Lempel-Ziv compression. The best improvement resulted from combining the min-max predictive method with Huffman compression. In our tests we used genetic algorithms to identify the sets of similar images in the image database.
Radiographic considerations for the regional anatomy in the posterior mandible.

Background: Previous studies of the inferior alveolar nerve have used cadaveric specimens in small patient groups. The purpose of this study was to describe the anatomy in the posterior mandible with respect to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) using computed tomography (CT) images in a large patient population. We hypothesize that CT scans are an important component of a thorough treatment plan for minimizing risk to the IAN and optimizing surgical outcomes.Methods: CT scans of 195 patients (62 males and 133 females; age range: 22 to 88 years) were evaluated retrospectively. With the aid of computer software, cross-sectional images were examined at 5-mm increments distal to the mental foramen to the ascending ramus. Four measurements were made at each cross-sectional image. The distances from the IAN to the: 1) alveolar crest (CN); 2) buccal cortical plate (BN); 3) lingual cortical plate (LN); and 4) inferior border (IN) were measured.Results: Most measurements for males and females were significantly di...
Are Parliamentary Systems Better

The institutional differences between presidential and parliamentary rule are well known, yet the practical effects of these divergent constitutional arrangements within democratic polities have received scant attention. This article employs a global data set to test the relationship between a historical measure of parliamentary rule and 14 indicators ranging across three policy areas: political development, economic development, and human development. The study revealed a strong relationship between parliamentarism and good governance, particularly in the latter two policy areas. To the extent that these institutions influence the quality of governance, parliamentary systems may offer advantages over presidential systems of democratic rule.
Inactivation of Vacuolating Virus (SV40) by Formaldehyde

SummaryInactivation of SV40 with formaldehyde followed a biphasic curve with a levelling off after about 40 hours at 37°C leaving a residual fraction of virus which was resistant to further inactivation for the remainder of the 14-day observation period. Viable SV40 was detected in some lots of formalinized poliomyelitis and adenovirus vaccines.
Bioprosthetic Valve Thrombosis Versus Structural Failure: Clinical and Echocardiographic Predictors

Abstract Background Bioprosthetic valve thrombosis (BPVT) is considered uncommon; this may be related to the fact that it is often unrecognized. Recent data suggest that BPVT responds to vitamin K antagonists, emphasizing the need for reliable diagnosis. Objectives This study sought to determine the diagnostic features of BPVT and to formulate a diagnostic model for BPVT. Methods Cases of BPVT occurring between 1997 and 2013 were identified from the Mayo Clinic pathology database. Patients with BPVT were matched 1:2 for age, sex, and prosthesis position with patients whose valves were explanted for structural failure. We formulated a diagnostic model for BPVT using multivariate linear logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic. Results Among 397 consecutive cases of explanted bioprostheses, there were 46 cases of BPVT (11.6%; aortic 29, mitral 9, tricuspid 7, pulmonary 1), mean age was 63 years, and 68% were male. Thirty (65%) cases occurred >12 months post-implantation; median bioprosthetic valve longevity was 24 months (cases) versus 108 months (controls) (p 50% increase in mean echo-Doppler gradient from baseline within 5 years (odds ratio [OR]: 12.7), paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (OR: 5.19), subtherapeutic international normalized ratio (OR: 7.37), increased cusp thickness (OR: 12.2), and abnormal cusp mobility (OR: 6.94). Presence of all 5 diagnostic features was predictive of BPVT with 76% sensitivity, 93% specificity, 85% positive predictive value, and 89% negative predictive value (p Conclusions BPVT is not uncommon and can occur several years after surgery. A combination of clinical and echocardiographic features can reliably diagnose BPVT.
Regulatory Influences on the Glycosylation of Rhodopsin By Human and Bovine Retinas

The retina has assembled oligosaccharide chains on rhodopsin that are unlike those found in other asparagine-linked, complex class of glycoproteins in terms of their abridged size and limited number of sugars. We have examined the kinetic properties of two glycosyltransferases of the retina whose action would be required in order to synthesize oligosaccharide chains of rhodopsin which would be similar in structure to those found in other molecules of this type. We have examined the kinetics of N-acetylglucosaminyltrans-ferase II (GlcNAc-transferase II), required for branching, and galactosyltransferase, required for extending the oligosaccharide chain. Golgi-enriched preparations from human retina, bovine retina and rat liver were used as the enzyme sources and rhodopsin, opsin, and the oligosaccharide isolated from rhodopsin used as acceptors. From an evaluation of the Vmax/Km ratios it was observed that bovine and human retinas have very limited abilities compared to the rat liver to carry out the transfer of GlcNAc and galactose to these acceptors. In keeping with the presence of a relatively high concentration of galactosylated isomers found in human rhodopsin, human retinas had up to 13-fold greater activity of galactosyltransferase than did bovine retina. It was also apparent that the glycosyltransferases were not appreciably influenced by the polypeptide portion of the molecule. A further aspect of metabolic regulation was revealed with the observation that galactosylation of rhodopsin blocked the addition of GlcNAc and thus prevented branching of the oligosaccharide chain. It is suggested that these properties contribute to the assembly of the abridged structures that have been observed in the oligosaccharides of rhodopsins of all species thus far examined. The identification of the substrates and products of the reactions was carried out by chromatographic means.
Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition: Implications for Terrestrial Ecosystem Structure and Functioning

Acid rain research on terrestrial ecosystems has increasingly focused on the effects of inorganic nitrogen (N) deposition, both as nitric acid (HNO3) and ammonium (NH4 +, which can produce acidity in soils when oxidized). This is largely because acidification of sensitive catchments in the northeastern United States and elsewhere continued following the 1970 and 1990 amendments to the U.S. Clean Air Act (Likens and Lambert 1998). These amendments capped sulfur oxide (SOX), but not N oxide (NOX) emissions from electric utilities and industrial sources. Nevertheless, NOX control programs, focused on utility and industrial sources as well as on vehicle emissions, have stabilized if not decreased NOX emissions and resultant nitrate deposition in the eastern United States (See Driscoll et al., this volume). As a result, nitrate deposition has remained relatively stable in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada through the past decade, but has increased relative to sulfate deposition (Watmough et al. 2005). Ammonium deposition, due largely to ammonia (NH3) emissions from fertilized agroeco-systems and from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs, as in Galloway et al. 2003), accounts for 30 to >50% of inorganic N deposition on the land surface in North American and other industrialized regions of the world (Galloway et al. 2004); (Holland et al. 2005).
Lung Cancer Immunotherapy: Programmatic Development, Progress, and Perspectives

This chapter describes a decade of experience with lung cancer vaccine development at a single institution. Elements of review include rationale, developmental strategy, scientific approach relative to historical perspective, and clinical circumstance.
8.4 Post-silicon voltage-guard-band reduction in a 22nm graphics execution core using adaptive voltage scaling and dynamic power gating

A graphics execution core in 22nm combines SRAM array-assist circuits to lower intrinsic VMIN, retention flops to reduce leakage power during stall periods, and a fully integrated hybrid digital LDO/SCVR regulator to provide a cost-effective means to realize autonomous DVFS under a shared-rail scenario [1–2]. In a conventional design, a conservative voltage guard band (VGB) is added to the nominal supply of each die to guarantee its correct operation at target frequency in the presence of worst-case delay degradation induced by inverse-temperature dependency (ITD) [3], device aging, and voltage droop. This VGB is determined from post-silicon characterization as the voltage shift needed by the worst-case die, assuming extreme aging usage conditions, while running a power virus load. In this paper, we present a graphics execution core that uses an in-situ tunable replica circuit (TRC) [4–5] to monitor critical timing margin and trigger adaptive voltage scaling (AVS) as needed to dynamically adjust VCC during run time (Fig. 8.4.1). The TRC monitors slow variations in temperature and aging and provides a time-to-digital converter (TDC) code, representing the timing margin measurement, to the AVS controller. Based on the TDC code, the AVS controller communicates a new voltage ID (VID) to the external voltage regulator module (VRM) to maintain minimum VCC necessary to meet a given performance level.
Abstract 2797: Breast cancer methylomes establish an epigenomic foundation for metastasis

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Cancer-specific alterations in DNA methylation are hallmarks of human malignancies. The nature of the breast cancer epigenome and its effects on metastatic behavior remain obscure. To address this issue, we used genome-wide analysis to characterize the methylomes of breast cancers with diverse metastatic behavior. Here, we describe the identification of novel groups of breast tumors characterized by the presence or absence of coordinate hypermethylation at a large number of genes, demonstrating the existence of a breast-CpG island methylator phenotype (B-CIMP). B-CIMP imparts a distinct epigenomic profile and is a strong determinant of metastatic potential. Specifically, the presence of B-CIMP in tumors is associated with low metastatic risk and survival, and the absence of B-CIMP is associated with high metastatic risk and death. B-CIMP loci are highly enriched for genes comprising the metastasis transcriptome. Importantly, methylation at B-CIMP genes accounts for much of the transcriptomal diversity between breast cancers of varying prognosis, indicating a fundamental epigenomic contribution to metastasis. Comparison of the loci affected by B-CIMP with those affected by the hypermethylator phenotype in glioma and colon cancer reveals the presence of a CIMP signature shared by multiple human malignancies. These data provide a unifying epigenomic framework linking breast cancers with varying outcome and transcriptomic changes underlying metastasis. Our findings have significant implications for the understanding of breast cancer oncogenesis and for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for this common malignancy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2797. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2797
The Latent and Manifest Consequences of Work

ABSTRACT Jahoda's (1979) distinction between manifest and latent consequences of work was tested on samples of employed and unemployed persons to determine if such a dichotomy can help explain the psychosocial effects of unemployment. Confirmatory factor analysis on data from 393 individuals from two large American cities failed to support the two consequences of work proposed by Jahoda. Instead, these data indicate that an intrinsic versus extrinsic model of work rewards can more accurately account for the patterns among ratings. The model of best fit was equally accurate for the employed and unemployed samples, suggesting that these groups have similar reactions to and reasons for working (or wanting to work). These results indicate that more than financial loss is suffered when jobs are lost involuntarily, and that we can fully understand the debilitating effects of unemployment only when we recognize the full scope of reasons why people work.
Bernstein’s “Desired Future” and Physics of Human Movement

Bernstein’s concept of “desired future” has been recently developed within two approaches to the neural control of movement. Within the computational approach, this concept led to the ideas of predictive (direct) internal models. Within the physical approach, based on the referent configuration hypothesis and uncontrolled manifold hypothesis, this concept is reflected in two types of anticipatory motor phenomena, leading to net changes in task-specific performance variables and leading to changes in their stability. Typical examples are anticipatory postural adjustments and anticipatory synergy adjustments, respectively. Both may be seen as reflections of neural processes aimed at achieving a future state effectively given the external conditions and planned actions.
Cyclical comovements of the world equity indexes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study synchronization in stock index cycles across 82 countries and the linkage between macroeconomic and financial integration and stock market synchronization. Design/methodology/approach – The author document the synchronization structure of the world equity index cycles and its evolution over time. The author examine the explanatory power of various economic and financial variables on cycle comovements. Findings – Trade openness, capital openness, and an EU membership contribute to higher stock index cycle synchronization. Additionally, the macroeconomic and financial variables have asymmetric impacts on countries of different development levels. Originality/value – The author is the first to thoroughly chronicle the turning points, i.e., bear and bull regimes, of world equity indexes and empirically examine determinants of their cyclical comovement across nations.
A Model for Phase Transitions Under Dynamic Compression

An approach is described for simulating phase transitions among an arbitrary number of phases under dynamic compression. The time evolution of the phase fractions $${ \lambda _i}$$ is governed by the master equation, which naturally incorporates the constraints $$\sum _i \lambda _i =1$$ and $$ 0 \le \lambda _i \le 1$$ . The rates are taken to be strongly nonlinear functions of the thermodynamic driving forces. The implementation of the method is described, and illustrative applications to phase transitions in Zr are shown. The relation of the model to irreversible thermodynamics is discussed. A modification for the case where domain growth limits the transformation rate is described. This variant gives sigmoidal transformation-time curves, with the second phase fraction proportional to $$t^3$$ at early time.
A case of heart failure and diarrhoea

A 20-year-old man with no significant medical history presented with a 5-day history of intermittent chest pain and dyspnoea. He also reported a 3-month history of daily diarrhoea characterised by multiple, loose, watery, non-bloody stools. Physical examination was notable for tachycardia and a soft systolic murmur at the apex. Laboratory evaluation was significant for microcytic anaemia (serum iron 17 μg/dL; normal range 50–150 μg/dL) and an NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide) of 18 995 pg/mL (normal <51 pg/mL). A colonoscopy with random biopsies for evaluation of diarrhoea was unremarkable. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy demonstrated a scalloped and mosaic pattern in the second and …
A Bayesian Approach to Period Searching in Solar Coronal Loops

We have applied a Bayesian generalized Lomb–Scargle period searching algorithm to movies of coronal loop images obtained with the Hinode X-ray Telescope (XRT) to search for evidence of periodicities that would indicate resonant heating of the loops. The algorithm makes as its only assumption that there is a single sinusoidal signal within each light curve of the data. Both the amplitudes and noise are taken as free parameters. It is argued that this procedure should be used alongside Fourier and wavelet analyses to more accurately extract periodic intensity modulations in coronal loops. The data analyzed are from XRT Observation Program #129C: "MHD Wave Heating (Thin Filters)," which occurred during 2006 November 13 and focused on active region 10293, which included coronal loops. The first data set spans approximately 10 min with an average cadence of 2 s, 2'' per pixel resolution, and used the Al-mesh analysis filter. The second data set spans approximately 4 min with a 3 s average cadence, 1'' per pixel resolution, and used the Al-poly analysis filter. The final data set spans approximately 22 min at a 6 s average cadence, and used the Al-poly analysis filter. In total, 55 periods of sinusoidal coronal loop oscillations between 5.5 and 59.6 s are discussed, supporting proposals in the literature that resonant absorption of magnetic waves is a viable mechanism for depositing energy in the corona.
Team science: A qualitative study of benefits, challenges, and lessons learned

Abstract This qualitative study includes interviews with 9 team scientists to examine benefits, challenges, and lessons learned from team-based research in the social sciences. Data analyses were conducted using MaxQDA software to identify provisional and emergent themes. Benefits of team science included enhanced insights from multidisciplinary perspectives, increased scholarly productivity and impact, and mentoring of newer faculty by those with greater experience. Challenges of team science included working with individuals who had divergent philosophies and styles, increased time and effort needed to conduct the research, communicating around professional roles and responsibilities, and fit within the academic context. Lessons learned from the research included establishing relationships with potential team members prior to partnering with them, defining and documenting contributions of team members at the outset, examining institutional supports for team-based research and education, and clarifying processes around issues such as authorship and team membership. Implications are discussed as these relate to research, practice, and policy for team-based social science.
The Listeria monocytogenes Key Virulence Determinants hly and prfA are involved in Biofilm Formation and Aggregation but not Colonization of Fresh Produce

Listeria monocytogenes has been extensively studied as a model facultative intracellular pathogen. While the roles of major virulence factors in host-pathogen interactions have been extensively characterized, recent work suggests that some of these factors can also contribute to environmental proliferation of this pathogen. In this study, we characterized two non-hemolytic transposon mutants of strain 2011L-2858 (serotype 1/2b), implicated in the 2011 listeriosis outbreak via whole cantaloupe, for their capacity to form biofilms on polystyrene, aggregate, and colonize cantaloupe rind. One mutant harbored a single mariner-based transposon insertion in hly, encoding the hemolysin Listeriolysin O, while the other harbored a single insertion in prfA, encoding PrfA, a master regulator for hly and numerous other virulence genes. Biofilm formation was significantly reduced in the prfA mutant, and to a lesser extent, in the hly mutant. Inactivation of either hly or prfA significantly reduced L. monocytogenes aggregation. However, both mutants adhered similarly to the wildtype parental strain on cantaloupe rind at either 25 or 37°C. Furthermore, growth and competitive fitness of the mutants on cantaloupe rind was not significantly impacted at either temperature. The findings suggest that, in spite of their involvement in biofilm formation and aggregation, these key virulence determinants may not be required for the ability of L. monocytogenes to colonize fresh produce.
Determining the evolutionary forces shaping G × E.

Contents Summary 31 I. Introduction 31 II. The maintenance of genetic variation for plasticity 32 III. Why is there environmental variation for genetic effects? 33 IV. Conclusions 35 Acknowledgements 35 References 35 SUMMARY: Phenotypic plasticity is common in nature, yet we lack a comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary forces that shape genetic variation for plasticity. This endeavor is especially important because variation for plasticity will result in genotype-by-environment interactions (G × E), a crucial component of variation in quantitative traits. Here, I review our understanding of the evolutionary forces shaping G × E, focusing specifically on: what evolutionary forces maintain variation for plasticity; and what forces maintain different genetic architectures across environments. My specific goal is to show that genomic data can be leveraged to explain the maintenance of G × E by contrasting patterns of genetic variation for plasticity with neutral expectations.
Attachment of Chromosomes to Membranes in Bacteria and Animal Cells

It has been proposed that in bacteria the attachment of DNA to the cytoplasmic membrane serves to ensure proper chromosome segregation (Jacob et al., 1963). The lack of a mitotic apparatus has made this an appealing suggestion and the subject of considerable study. The methodology available--electron microscopy and cell fractionation--is not sufficiently developed to allow definitive conclusions about the nature and physiological importance of the connection between the two structures. Nevertheless, there are indications that DNA-membrane complexes may play a role in other functions than chromosome segregation, namely, replication, transcription, or the maintenance of the physical configuration of the DNA. We have recently reviewed these subjects in some detail (Leibowitz and Schaechter, 1975). In addition, the suggestion has been made that changes in the membrane provide the signal for initiation of DNA replication (Marvin, 1967; Helmstetter, 1974). The cell membrane appears to be directly involved in the replication and maturation of bacteriophages and other viruses. In these systems, the physiological role of the membrane is even less understood (for a review, see Siegel and Schaechter, 1973).
Evaluation of Highly Targeted dsRNA for the Treatment of Infectious Myonecrosis Virus (IMNV) in Litopenaeus vannamei

Double stranded RNA was synthesized in vitro with sequences corresponding to portions of the IMNV genome and were injected into shrimp 2 days after a lethal challenge with IMNV. This is the first time these methods have been used to treat IMNV infections in shrimp.
Making Americans: Schooling, Diversity, and Assimilation in the Twenty-First Century

How do schools teach American identity in light of immigration-driven diversity? This ethnographic study focuses on everyday nation-making at Castro Middle School, located in a city transformed by immigration. Building on theories of bidirectional assimilation, I show how assimilation can produce new definitions of Americanness more recognizable to immigrant communities, facilitating their national identification. At Castro, bidirectional assimilation supported African American students’ descriptions of Americans in multicultural terms and their own identification as American. Assimilation between the school and the larger Latino and Asian student populations, however, was limited because of a binary racial paradigm that excluded them from the national community. This study thus nuances the role of race as a barrier in the assimilation process, particularly as it unfolds in schools.
Answer to August 2019 Photo Quiz.

Answer: Loa loa. Based on the morphology seen on the blood smear, the patient was diagnosed with asymptomatic Loa loa infection. Loa loa filariasis is a parasitic infection endemic to the rainforests of Western and Central Africa, particularly common in Cameroon, Congo, and Nigeria. The parasite
Citation Management Software Raises Library Profile

Scholarly publishing is an important part of an academic medical career. In an academic medical center, there is a focus on research and publishing activity. Librarians know that a faculty member’s...
Optimal Off-line Experimentation for Games

Many business situations can be called “games” because outcomes depend on multiple decision makers with differing objectives. Yet, in many cases, the payoffs for all combinations of player options ...
A whole virion vaccine for COVID-19 produced via a novel inactivation method: results from animal challenge model studies

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has generated intense interest in the rapid development and evaluation of vaccine candidates for this disease and other emerging diseases. Several novel methods for preparing vaccine candidates are currently undergoing clinical evaluation in response to the urgent need to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In many cases, these methods rely on new approaches for vaccine production and immune stimulation. We report on the use of a novel method (SolaVAX™) for production of an inactivated vaccine candidate and the testing of that candidate in a hamster animal model for its ability to prevent infection upon challenge with SARS-CoV-2 virus. The studies employed in this work included an evaluation of the levels of neutralizing antibody produced post-vaccination, levels of specific antibody sub-types to RBD and spike protein that were generated, evaluation of viral shedding post-challenge, flow cytometric and single cell sequencing data on cellular fractions and histopathological evaluation of tissues post-challenge. The results from this study provide insight into the immunological responses occurring as a result of vaccination with the proposed vaccine candidate and the impact that adjuvant formulations, specifically developed to promote Th1 type immune responses, have on vaccine efficacy and protection against infection following challenge with live SARS-CoV-2. This data may have utility in the development of effective vaccine candidates broadly. Furthermore, the results suggest that preparation of a whole virion vaccine for COVID-19 using this specific photochemical method may have utility in the preparation of one such vaccine candidate. Author Summary We have developed a vaccine for COVID-19 which is prepared by a novel method for inactivation of a whole virion particle and tested it in a hamster animal model for its ability to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The impact of wind, solar, and other factors on the decline in wholesale power prices in the United States

Across multiple organized wholesale power markets in the United States, annual average prices declined by $19–64/MWh between 2008 and 2017 while retirements of thermal power plants accelerated. Several prominent changes over the last decade are often discussed as contributors to this decline in prices. These include growth in wind and solar, a reduction in the price of natural gas, and weakened load growth. Here we construct a fundamental supply curve model for each of seven organized wholesale market regions and use counterfactual simulations to assess the degree to which wind and solar—among other factors—have influenced wholesale electricity prices. We find that growth in wind and solar since 2008 reduced average annual wholesale electricity prices by less than $3/MWh. In contrast the decline in natural gas prices reduced wholesale prices by $7–53/MWh, depending on the region. This suggests that recent thermal-plant retirements in the U.S. are primarily due to low natural gas prices, not growth in wind and solar. Fully isolating the impact of individual factors, however, is limited by non-linear interactions between factors.
Reflections on Fairness in UNOS Allocation Policies

Periodic examination of UNOS’s policies is a useful feature of an ongoing effort to assure just and equitable allocation of lifesaving organs and to avoid potential exploitation by individuals. Yet, those whom the authors seek to protect - the majority of patients on the waiting lists and fortunate recipients - are in a morally awkward position because they have not indicated their willingness to donate organs prior to their ailments. Our comment explores this issue.
On BFSA Collision Resolution in LF, HF, and UHF RFID Networks

RFID radio frequency identification technology has gained popularity in a number of applications. Decreased cost of hardware components along with wide adoption of international RFID standards have led to the rise of this technology. One of the major factors associated with the implementation of RFID infrastructure is the cost of tags. RFID tags operating in the low frequency spectrum are widely used because they are the least expensive, but have a small implementation range. This paper presents an analysis of RFID performance across low frequency LF, high frequency HF, and ultra-high frequency UHF environments. The authors' evaluation is theoretical, using a passive-tag BFSA based simulation model that assumes 10 to 1,500 tags per reader and is created with OPNET Modeler 17. Ceteris paribus, the authors' results indicate that total census delay is lowest for UHF tags, while network throughput performance of LF tags is highest for large scale implementations of hundreds of tags in reader's range. A statistical analysis has been conducted on the findings for the three different sets.
Trees of Paradise and Pillars of the World: The Serial Stela Cycle of "18‐Rabbit‐God K," King of Copan

Trees of Paradise and Pillars of the World: The Serial Stela Cycle of "18-Rabbit-God K," King of Copan. Elizabeth A. Newsome. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2001. xx. 294 pp.
A formal model for context-free languages augmented with reduplication

A model is presented to characterize the class of languages obtained by adding reduplication to context-free languages. The model is a pushdown automaton augmented with the ability to check reduplication by using the stack in a new way. The class of languages generated is shown to lie strictly between the context-free languages and the indexed languages. The model appears capable of accommodating the sort of reduplications that have been observed to occur in natural languages, but it excludes many of the unnatural constructions that other formal models have permitted.
Characterization of the Cysteine-rich Region of the Caenorhabditiselegans Protein Unc-13 as a High Affinity Phorbol Ester Receptor ANALYSIS OF LIGAND-BINDING INTERACTIONS, LIPID COFACTOR REQUIREMENTS, AND INHIBITOR SENSITIVITY

Next Section Abstract The Caenorhabditiselegans Unc-13 protein is a novel member of the phorbol ester receptor family having a single cysteine-rich region with high homology to those present in protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes and the chimaerins. We expressed the cysteine-rich region of Unc-13 in Escherichiacoli and quantitatively analyzed its interactions with phorbol esters and related analogs, its phospholipid requirements, and its inhibitor sensitivity. [3H]Phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate [3H]PDBu bound with high affinity to the cysteine-rich region of Unc-13 (K= 1.3 ± 0.2 nM). This affinity is similar to that of other single cysteine-rich regions from PKC isozymes as well as n-chimaerin. As also described for PKC isozymes and n-chimaerin, Unc-13 bound diacylglycerol with an affinity about 2 orders of magnitude weaker than [3H]PDBu. Structure-activity analysis revealed significant but modest differences between recombinant cysteine-rich regions of Unc-13 and PKC . In addition, Unc-13 required slightly higher concentrations of phospholipid for reconstitution of [3H]PDBu binding. Calphostin C, a compound described as a selective inhibitor of PKC, was also able to inhibit [3H]PDBu binding to Unc-13, suggesting that this inhibitor is not able to distinguish between different classes of phorbol ester receptors. In conclusion, although our results revealed some differences in ligand and lipid cofactor sensitivities, Unc-13 represents a high affinity cellular target for the phorbol esters as well as for the lipid second messenger diacylglycerol, at least in C. elegans. The use of phorbol esters or some “specific” antagonists of PKC does not distinguish between cellular pathways involving different PKC isozymes or novel phorbol ester receptors such as n-chimaerin or Unc-13.
Application of data screening to drug exposure in large risk factor studies of birth defects

Background Birth defects are the leading cause of infant death. While causes of most are unknown, those that might be due to medication use are among the most preventable. This study describes an approach to identifying those medications that most warrant attention by using a “screen” program that calculates odds ratios for pairs of exposures and specific birth defects. Methods We discuss the development of this tool and illustrate its application to two large risk factor studies, the Slone Epidemiology Center's Birth Defects Study and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Birth Defects Prevention Study, ideal settings for the systematic study of risks and relative safety of drugs in relation to birth defects while recognizing the inherent limitations of such an approach. Results Suggestions for establishing criteria for exposures and outcomes that balance the need for specific details with the practical considerations of sample size and volume of output are presented. Selection of appropriate exposure reference categories and control groups is also discussed, as well as the need to address potential confounding. An example that motivated a detailed investigation of possible associations between a medication (butalbital) and selected specific birth defects is provided. Conclusion While screening programs such as the one described can be a valuable tool for exploring potential associations in large data bases, they must be applied with caution. The issue of multiple testing and chance findings is a major concern. While statistics are a necessary component, human judgment must be an integral part of the process. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Inverse Mapping Theorem

The main results of this section and of the next chapter are based on a simple geometric lemma.
Decomposition of some well-known variance reduction techniques

Proliferation of techniques and lack of unifying structure have hindred both study and application of variance reduction. We view any variance reduction technique (VRT) as a transformation from one experiment to another, which leads to an exhaustive taxonomy of VRTs. In this paper, seven familiar VRTs are expressed in our taxonomy as compositions of elemental transformations from six basic classes. Our objective is to use the reader's knowledge of these well-known techniques to illustrate the taxonomy.
The Constitution Commands It: Legislative Power in a Commission's World

The passage of Michigan’s “right-to-work” legislation sparked a controversy regarding the legislation’s application to the classified civil service. The controversy unearthed a much more fundamental confusion within Michigan’s legal realm: when can the Legislature validly usurp the Civil Service Commission’s authority and regulate the civil service? This Article provides useful insight concerning Michigan’s civil service system and Civil Service Commission – a unique government structure created by constitutional amendment. The Article provides a comprehensive analysis of the Civil Service Commission’s “plenary power,” and, more interestingly, it provides an original evaluation of the Michigan Legislature’s ability to regulate civil service employees. Finally, this Article proposes a novel and sound standard to determine when the Legislature may validly regulate the civil service and applies it to the passage of the “right-to-work” legislation.This Article also discusses the Michigan Court of Appeals decision in UAW v. Green made on January 29, 2014.
NMOS contact resistivity reduction with implants into silicides

NMOS contact resistivity (ρc) for NiPtSi was reduced by up to 50% by implanting either Se or P into the silicide film, followed by thermally recrystallizing the silicide and activating the implanted species. The silicide module integration included use of plasma pre-clean, a thin NiPt film, a low temperature soak anneal (RTP1), and millisecond laser anneals for post-implant anneals (RTP2 and RTP3). Additionally, experiments with Se implants into TiSi2 achieved 60% reduction in ρc with exclusive use of laser anneals (for both RTP1 and RTP2). The test structures included van der Pauw, transmission line model (TLM) and diodes, all of which are testable after silicidation to extract of silicide phase and sheet resistance (Rs), silicide/SD external resistance (Rext), ρc, and junction breakdown (Vbj). In order to mimic realistic CMOS process flows, contact chain structures testable after metal-1 were also used to obtain average resistance/contact and extract contact resistivity. The results in this work demonstrated adequate process window, while maintaining junction characteristics without degradation of Rs. Laser anneal steps were key enabler to achieve these results, and were designed to prevent dopant deactivation while minimizing diffusion of SD regions for USJ compatibility for sub-20 nm CMOS nodes. (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A simultaneous access queue

Abstract A high-performance simultaneous access first-in-first-out (FIFO) queue is designed in this paper. The design is capable of satisfying p individual accesses simultaneously. An intermix of p insert, delete, and no-op (no operation) accesses is processed in every constant time cycle. Simultaneous deletions are completed in a guaranteed worst case time of O(log p); i.e., deleted elements are returned in O(log p) time. For simultaneous insertions processors are free to perform other tasks immediately after the submission of accesses. The design also maintains the strict FIFO property; i.e., the k elements that have been inserted the longest are deleted when k delete accesses are issued simultaneously, where 0 \ k \ p . The design may be used to share work dynamically among multiprocessors.
High-resolution scanner for neuroanatomical analysis.

Abstract This paper describes the use of a high-resolution flatbed scanner for neuroanatomical studies. Individual neurons that had been labeled using gold intensified diaminobenzidine (DAB) could be resolved in thionin-stained rat brain sections. One of the strengths of this method is that it permits the simultaneous visualization of labeled cells and their position relative to underlying cytoarchitectonic structures, allowing for highly accurate neuroanatomical analysis. High resolution maps of complete rat brains (∼100 sections spaced at 250 μm intervals) can be obtained in 10 h. Since much of this method can be automated, the scanning of brain sections is approximately 50% faster than conventional X–Y mapping, camera lucida, or photographic procedures. The method may have many other applications, particularly in evaluating the distribution of other types of labeled cells. For example, Fos immunoreactive neurons, cells labeled with reporter genes such as β-galactosidase in brains from transgenic animals, and unique histological inclusions such as plaques found in Alzheimer's disease could all be directly imaged without a microscope. In addition, the exchange of primary data between labs via the Internet will provide additional opportunities for collaboration.
Comparative dynamics in the labor-managed model of the firm☆

Abstract A general intertemporal model of the labor-managed firm is developed, and a short-run and long-run comparative dynamic analysis is carried out. In the short-run, no perverse comparative dynamic results occur. In fact, the short-run comparative dynamic properties of the model closely resemble those of a static profit-maximizing firm. In contrast, the long-run comparative dynamics admit more general perversions than those so noted in the static literature, as the refutable implications are embodied in the cumulative discounted per capita demand and supply functions. The comparative dynamics, whether in the short- or long-run, are summarized in a symmetric positive semidefinite matrix.
What is empathy and can it be taught

Empathy is the "almost magical" emotion that persons or objects arouse in us as projections of our feelings. Empathy requires passion, more so than does equanimity, so long cherished by physicians. Medical students lose some of their empathy as they learn science and detachment, and hospital residents lose the remainder in the weariness of overwork and in the isolation of the intensive care units that modern hospitals have become. Conversations about experiences, discussions of patients and their human stories, more leisure and unstructured contemplation of the humanities help physicians to cherish empathy and to retain their passion. Physicians need rhetoric as much as knowledge, and they need stories as much as journals if they are to be more empathetic than computers.
Raman-induced Kerr effect with elliptical polarization*

Theoretical and experimental results are presented for the line shape of Raman-induced Kerr effect resonances observed with elliptical pump polarization. The line shape is sensitive to the ratio of the Kerr constant to the Raman tensor. Comparison of these results to those obtained by three-wave mixing reveals that the electronic contribution to the Kerr constant of benzene is 12%.
Modular containers for microcosm and process model studies on the fate and effects of aquatic contaminants

Abstract Container modules are described for the laboratory simulation of selected processes and ecosystems that are representative of lentic environments. Emphasis is placed on design features permitting mass balance accountability of contaminant residues and procedural cautions required for the proper use of the described systems in environmental simulations. Experiments on the efficiency of container modules for microbial mineralization studies were conducted using 14CNaHCO3, and acidification resulted in a 14CCO2 recovery of 97.3 ± 4.7% ( x ± SD ) . The trapping efficiency of pesticides volatilized from water and glass surfaces was investigated using the same module and the mean recoveries of 14C-fonofos and 14C-trifluralin were 114.2 ± 3.2% and 95.2 ± 3.5%, respectively. The mass balance capabilities of the system was also demonstrated for extended microcosm exposures to 14C-trifluralin.
Detection of a major stress protein using a peptide antibody

Abstract The synthesis of a major stress protein (hsp70) is induced by extremes of a wide variety of environmental variables, both physical and chemical. This protein of approximately 70 000 Da is a widespread ‘heat shock’ protein and is present in various isomorphs in many species. Nevertheless it is highly conserved among organisms from bacteria to man. The production of hsp70 in a natural population of amphipods ( Gammarus sp.) varied with ambient temperature. Protein extracts were probed on immunoblots using a polyclonal antibody, which we were given, made against a highly conserved peptide of hsp70. Relative protein production was estimated using reflectance scanning. These results and others using immunoblots, autoradiography and immunosorbence assays suggest that the stress protein response may be a useful quantitative and qualitative environmental indicator.
Relative contributions of peripheral and central sources to levels of IL-1α in the cerebral cortex of mice: assessment with species-specific enzyme immunoassays

Abstract The peripheral administration or release of cytokines is associated with central nervous system (CNS) effects that are often due to the actions of cytokines behind the blood–brain barrier (BBB). It is not known whether the majority of cytokine behind the BBB is derived from blood or is released from the CNS in response to peripheral signals. We addressed this question for interleukin-1 α (IL-1 α ) by infusing human IL-1 α (humIL-1 α ) into mice and measuring humIL-1 α and murine IL-1 α (murIL-1 α ) in cerebral cortex and serum with specific, sensitive enzyme immunoassays. In adult mice receiving 50 μ g/kg-24 h of humIL-1 α subcutaneously for 48 h, brain and blood samples contained humIL-1 α but no murIL-1 α . This shows that in our study blood-borne IL-1 α did not self-stimulate its release in blood or brain. The presence of humIL-1 α in brain could only have originated from blood, where it was administered; the brain/blood ratio of 0.126 ml/g indicates that at steady state, brain levels reach about 12% of blood levels. In neonatal mice, both murIL-1 α and humIL-1 α were detected in brain and blood after the acute subcutaneous injection of humIL-1 α . However, the vast majority of immunoactivity in blood and brain was humIL-1 α . These results show that most of the IL-1 α appearing in response to circulating IL-1 α in areas of the CNS behind the BBB is due to passage across the BBB and not to release from stores endogenous to the CNS.
Bacterial community composition and function along a river to reservoir transition

Bacteria in reservoir systems are controlled by a variety of factors. In this study, a lacustrine system with high primary production fed by a river with lower algal biomass was used to examine the relationship between bacterial community composition (BCC) and function under varying environmental conditions. Bacterial abundance, respiration, production, and growth efficiency were measured in the Cuyahoga River and Lake Rockwell reservoir in Ohio (USA). BCC was determined via terminal restriction length polymorphisms of 16S rRNA genes. Also, in laboratory experiments, bacterial communities were exposed to algal exudates and leaf leachates. Concurrently with physicochemical differences between lacustrine and riverine sites, there were differences in BCC that seemed unrelated to environmental conditions and DOC sources (color: chlorophyll a ratio). Functional attributes varied among dates but not sites, except for bacterial heterotrophic productivity. Overall, the source of DOC differed between the river and reservoir as did BCC. In contrast, bacterial functions, with the exception of productivity, were similar between the river and reservoir sites. Environmental variables (e.g., temperature, nutrient, and chlorophyll a) were correlated with differences in bacterial function. Differences in BCC did not coincide with functional differences in the field or controlled laboratory conditions suggesting that structure and function were uncoupled.