cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bandwidth availability of m -level hierarchical multiprocessor systems

Abstract In previous work, we proposed an m-level hierarchical multiprocessor system. The proposed system reduces the network complexity by employing m levels of hierarchy. The system performance was analyzed, and the results showed that, for a higher rate of local requests, the system performed close to the crossbar system, and better than a typical multiple-bus system (with the number of buses equal to half the number of processors). In this paper, we study the effect of failures on the performance of the m-level hierarchical multiprocessor systems. We develop analytical modeling techniques to compute the reliability and the bandwidth availability of the m-levelsystem, for hierarchically nonuniform reference (HNR) and uniform reference (UR) models. The results obtained for the m-level system are compared with those of the crossbar and multiple-bus systems.
Association of liver abnormalities with carcass grading performance and value

The association of liver abnormalities with carcass grading performance, value, and dressed yield was evaluated on data from 76,191 carcasses housed in 2 databases. Liver abnormalities were as- signed as follows: normal = edible liver; A− = 1 to 2 small abscesses or inactive scars; A = 1 to 2 large abscesses or multiple small abscesses; A+ = multiple large abscesses; A+AD = liver adhered to gastrointes- tinal tract or diaphragm or both; A+OP = open liver abscess; cirrhosis; distoma; and telangiectasis. Overall liver abnormality rates among both databases were A− = 5.0%, A = 2.6%, A+ = 2.0%, A+AD = 2.7%, A+OP = 1.4%, cirrhosis = 0.1%, distoma = 5.4%, and telangiectasis = 0.3%, with 80.5% of livers being nor- mal. In database 1 (n = 3,936), BW was 33.3 kg less (P < 0.01) for carcasses with cirrhotic livers compared with carcasses with normal livers. Dressed yields for carcasses with A−, A+, A+AD, A+OP, and cirrhosis liver abnormalities were 0.28 to 0.89 percentage points less (P < 0.05) than carcasses with normal livers. In da- tabase 2 (n = 72,255), carcasses with A−, A+, A+AD, A+OP, cirrhosis, distoma, and telangiectasis liver ab- normalities had reduced (P < 0.05) HCW and reduced (P < 0.05) LM area as compared with carcasses with a normal liver. Less (P < 0.05) 12th-rib subcutaneous fat was observed for carcasses with A−, A, A+, A+AD, A+OP, cirrhosis, and distoma abnormalities compared with carcasses with normal livers. Estimated KPH was less (P < 0.05) for carcasses with A−, A+, A+AD, A+OP, cirrhosis, and distoma abnormalities. Calcu- lated yield grade was less (P < 0.05) for carcasses with A+AD, A+OP, cirrhosis, and distoma abnormalities compared with carcasses with normal livers. Marbling score of carcasses that had livers with A+AD or A+OP abscess scores or distoma was less (P < 0.05) than that of carcasses with normal livers. In database 2, market price per 45.35 kg did not differ (P = 0.32) among liver classification. Gross carcass value analyses indicated carcasses with A−, A, A+, A+AD, A+OP, cirrhosis, and distoma liver abnormalities were less valuable (P < 0.05) than carcasses with normal livers. These data delineate the association of liver abnormalities present at harvest with subsequent changes in carcass charac- teristics and ultimately lost carcass value.
Information processing of visual stimuli in an ‘extinguished’ field

Lesions of the right parieto-occipital cortex in man produce a variety of behavioural disturbances which interfere with the detection of, and orientation to external stimuli1. One striking example is extinction to double simultaneous stimulation (DSS), in which presentation of a single stimulus in any area of the visual field results in its accurate description, but lateralised simultaneous presentation of two stimuli, one in each field, results in the verbal description of only the stimulus in the right visual field (RVF)2. While extinction to DSS can also be demonstrated in other (non-visual) sensory modalites3, and is occasionally seen following left-hemisphere lesions4 our concern here is with visual extinction to DSS following right parieto-occipital lesions whose precise nature is poorly understood although variety of theories have been proposed to account for it5–7. One of the critical, yet unexplored questions about extinction concerns the fate of the extinguished stimulus. The following observations demonstrate that although the extinguished stimulus often goes completely unnoticed by the patient, the patients are able to utilise the extinguished stimulus in an interfield comparison task. Accurate same/different judgments between the visual fields could be made in situations in which the patients did not know the identity of, and at times even denied the presence of, the left field stimulus.
Does addition of anti-inflammatory agents to antimicrobial therapy reduce infertility after murine chlamydial salpingitis ?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Infertility after murine chlamydial salpingitis can be prevented by tetracycline treatment given before or at the time of infection. This study evaluates the efficacy and timing of tetracycline treatment and anti-inflammatory agents in the prevention of inflammation and subsequent infertility. STUDY DESIGN The left ovarian bursae and uterine horns were inoculated with the mouse pneumonitis strain of Chlamydia trachomatis. Mice were mated 54 days after inoculation. RESULTS Infected mice treated with tetracycline beginning 2 days after infection showed mild inflammation and no significant reduction in fertility. However, when tetracycline treatment was delayed until 5 days after infection, a moderate degree of inflammation and a significant reduction in fertility (P < 0.01) was noted. Treatment with ibuprofen, prostaglandin E1 (PGE-1), or hydrocortisone beginning day 2 post-inoculation did not significantly alter the degree of inflammation or subsequent fertility. Mean anti-chlamydial IgG titers were significantly lower in mice treated with either PGE1 or hydrocortisone compared with infected, untreated mice. CONCLUSION These results indicate that while early treatment of chlamydial salpingitis may prevent infertility, delay in treatment may result in significant inflammatory damage and infertility. There was no apparent benefit from the addition of anti-inflammatory agents.
Incidence and reasons for nonrevision reoperation after total knee arthroplasty.

Background A dramatic increase in the demand for TKA is expected. The current burden of revision TKA is well known but the incidence and etiology of nonrevision reoperations after primary TKA is not.
In vitro anti-hapten response to a lactoside-conjugated protein.

Abstract This paper describes the in vitro response of mouse lymphocytes to the hapten, azophenyl lactoside (Lac), coupled to the protein carrier, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, (KLH), and attempts to characterize and quantify the specific B and T cells involved. The system studied in detail has used spleen suspensions from mice which received Lac-KLH in complete adjuvant some months previously and a subsequent iv injection. The mean IgG plaque response of such cultures was about 15,000 with a corresponding IgM response about 5% of that value, similar in magnitude and Ig class distribution to in vivo responses. Primary responses were small, reflecting the low frequency of Lac precursors in normal mice. From dilution studies, we have estimated that the frequency of precursors specific for the Lac epitope in primed and normal mice is of the order of 10 −5 and 10 −7 , respectively. The clonal yield of plaques from a stimulated B cell was about 150, independent of T cell concentration. The Lac response was dependent on the presence of adherent cells. It also shows a stringent requirement for carrier-specific T cells, which could not be satisfied by nonspecific T cell products or the addition of B cell mitogens. We have found that both the IgM and the IgG Lac responses are dependent on specific T cell help.
Growth of Different Crystals Using a Modified Bridgman System

This paper studies the favorable growth conditions for the III-V and II-VI crystals such as InAs, InSb, GaSe, GaP, PbTe and CdTe by the Bridgman technique. Numerical simulations have been conducted to investigate the flow field, temperature distribution in relation to the solidification interface shape and growth conditions for various materials. It is concluded that the growth is strongly affected by melt convection; a strong convection may destroy the interface stability, resulting in failed growth. The Grashof and Prandtl numbers are identified as the key parameters affecting the growth interface stability. Based on these two parameters, a growth process map is developed to quantify the difficulty of growth for different materials by Bridgman technique. To accommodate the growth of large diameter crystal, a new growth system based on Bridgman configuration is proposed in which two hot-zone furnace is introduced and the feasibility of using this system to suppress the melt convection, subsequently generating favorable growth conditions has been confirmed from the numerical simulations.© 2007 ASME
Binary black hole mergers: Large kicks for generic spin orientations

Currently several laser-interferometric gravitational wave detectors such as TAMA [1], LIGO [2], and GEO [3] are already operating, while several others are in the planning or construction phase [4]. One of the most promising sources for these detectors are the inspirals and mergers of binary black holes. The gravitational waves radiated during the inspiral and merger of two black holes carry energy, linear momentum, and angular momentum fluxes. The radiated energy is positive and thus the system will always lose energy. Except in the case of certain highly symmetric situations, such as head-on collisions of equal mass nonspinning black holes, the system usually also loses angular momentum. Generic systems with either unequal masses or spins with no particular alignment will also radiate linear momentum, resulting in a nonzero residual velocity (also known as recoil or ‘‘kick’’) of the final black hole. The magnitude of this recoil is important in a variety of astrophysical scenarios, such as the cosmological evolution of supermassive black holes [5‐12] or the growth and retention of intermediate-mass black holes in dense stellar clusters [13‐19]. For a binary in almost circular orbit, the direction of the instantaneous linear momentum flux rotates in the orbital plane with the angular velocity of the system. Thus, when the binary goes through one orbital period, the average linear momentum flux will be close to zero. The only net effect comes from the fact that the inspiral orbits are not perfect circles. Most of the kick is thus accumulated during the last orbit and subsequent plunge of the two holes, when the motion of the two
Picosecond electro-optic sampling of electron-hole vertical transport in surface space charge fields

Abstract The longitudinal electro-optic effect in GaAs(100) is used to measure the dynamics of electron-hole pair separation in surface space charge fields present at GaAs/oxide interfaces. At low photocarrier injection, the rise time in the E field transient is a direct measurement of the charge transport across the space charge field which is found to be faster than 500 fs. The results demonstrate that the charge carriers are energetically unthermalized at the surface prior to the surface chemistry. This method is also found to be sensitive to 10 −5 of a monolayer of charged surface states.
Evidence of immunosuppression by Demodex canis.

Abstract Three clinically normal beagles, 3 beagles with localized demodectic mange (LDM), and 3 beagles with generalized demodectic mange (GDM) were investigated simultaneously 1–3 and 4–6 weeks from the appearance of the clinical signs. Blood clinical examination and reactivity of peripheral lymphocytes to Con A and PHA were investigated in the first instance, and reactivity to Con A, PHA, and LPS in the second. Eight aliquots were used in each blastogenesis assay for each dog. All dogs were negative for rheumatoid factor. The results of blastogenesis showed that many observations were distributed non-normally, and that not all dogs in each group responded homogeneously. Comparison of blastogenesis results between dogs demands careful statistical analysis. Responses to mitogens were normal in all dogs at 1–3 weeks except for the LDM dogs that showed an increased response to PHA. Only the response to Con A was moderately inhibited in the LDM dogs at 4–6 weeks. All responses were severely depressed in the GDM dogs at 4–6 weeks. This means that immunosuppression follows rather than precedes the clinical manifestations of GDM, and implies that the phenomenon is induced by the parasite or the host's reaction to it.
Comparison of rates of penetration through insect cuticle of amphiphylic analogs of insect pyrokinin neuropeptides

Rates of penetration through the cuticle of amphiphylic analogs, synthesized by addition of 6-phenylhexanoic acid or 9-fluoreneacetic acid or 1-pyrenebutyric acid to the amino terminus of the pentapeptide Phe-Thr-Pro-Arg-Leu-amide, were assessed by quantitative analysis using reversed phase liquid chromatography. The analogs effectively penetrated the cuticle of both the adult American cockroach and tobacco budworm moth. However, the amounts of analogs that penetrated the cuticle of the cockroach were significantly lower and the rates of penetration were slower than for moth cuticle. Penetration of the analogs through the cuticle was dependent upon the size of the lipidic attachment to the pentapeptide. The 6-phenylhexanoic acid analog penetrated most rapidly followed by the 9-fluoreneacetic acid analog and the 1-pyrenebutyric acid analog penetrated slowest. All of the analogs exhibited an initial rapid period of penetration lasting 2-3 h followed by the establishment of a steady slow release state which lasted between 9-24 h and was dependent upon both the size and surface area of the aromatic lipidic portion of the analog and species of insect to which the analog was applied. The results confirmed the hypothesis that the insect cuticle could be employed as a slow release device for delivery of analogs of insect neuropeptides.
Two ABC transporter systems participate in siderophore transport in the marine pathogen Vibrio anguillarum 775 (pJM1)

ORF40 (named fatE) in the Vibrio anguillarum pJM1 plasmid-encoding anguibactin iron transport systems is a homolog of ATPase genes involved in ferric-siderophore transport. Mutation of fatE did not affect ferric-anguibactin transport, indicating that there must be other ATPase gene(s) in addition to fatE. By searching the genomic sequence of V. anguillarum 775(pJM1), we identified a homolog of fatE named fvtE on chromosome 2. It is of interest that in this locus, we also identified homologs of fatB, fatC, and fatD that we named fvtB, fvtC and fvtD, respectively. The fvtE mutant still showed ferric-anguibactin transport, while the double fatE and fvtE mutation completely abolished the ferric-anguibactin transport indicating that fatE and fvtE are functional ATPase homologs for ferric-anguibactin transport. Furthermore, we demonstrate that fvtB, fvtC, fvtD, and fvtE are essential for ferric-vanchrobactin and ferric-enterobactin transport.
The relationship of locus of control, self-report measures, and feedback to the voluntary control of heart rate.

Forty internal and external locus of control subjects (Ss) were instructed to control their heart rate on 8 trial pairs. Each trial pair consisted of an increase and a decrease heart rate condition with the order being counterbalanced across Ss. On the last 4 heart rate control trials, the Ss were given visual feedback concerning the time interval between each heart beat via a light panel of 16 check lights. The major findings of this study were: (1) feedback significantly increased the magnitude of the IBI changes across all Ss; (2) locus of control differences were found across all trials with the internal locus of control Ss being able to increase their heart rate better than the external locus of control Ss, and the external locus of control Ss were better able to decrease heart rate as compared with the internals; and (3) self-report measures demonstrated that external and internal locus of control Ss adopted different strategies for controlling heart rate, and these strategies were related to previous psychophysiological research not requiring the direct control of heart rate.
An examination of the effect of tangible and social reinforcers on intelligence test performance of middle school students

The purpose of this study was to determine if intelligence quotient mean test scores of middle school students of different races, sexes, and socioeconomic classes could be significantly increased through the use of tangible and intangible rewards of money and praise. One hundred and thirty-five students from lower and middle socioeconomic classes were randomly assigned to three groups. The stratified groups, two experimental and one control, contained approximately the same number of male and female students. The students were identified as lower and middle socioeconomic class whites and lower socioeconomic blacks. Ten hypothesis were tested and the results supported the following: 1. Significant increases in the intelligence quotient test scores of lower class blacks were dependent upon monetary reward. 2. Significant increases in the intelligence quotient test scores of middle and lower class whites occurred when spoken verbal praise was administered. 3. The sequencing of money first and praise second led to significant increases in the scores of lower and middle class white females and middle class males.
Fine structure in the energy spectra of ultrasmall Au nanoparticles

We have studied tunneling into individual Au nanoparticles of estimated diameters 2-5 nm, at dilution refrigerator temperatures. The I-V curves indicate resonant tunneling via discrete energy levels of the particle. Unlike previously studied normal metal particles of Au and Al, in these samples we find that the lowest energy tunneling resonances are split into clusters of 2-10 subresonances. Such effects appear to be increasingly important in smaller grains, as might be expected from the larger characteristic energies.
Synthesis and Characterization of N1-(4-Toluenesulfonyl)-N1- (9-anthracenemethyl)triamines

A modular synthetic approach was developed to access triamines with varying tether lengths from commercially available aminoalkanols. Initial N-alkylation via reductive amination with anthracene-9-carbaldehyde provided the secondary amines in good yield. Subsequent ditosylation with excess TsCl yielded the respective bis-N,O-tosylates. The tosylates were reacted with excess putrescine to give the final triamines. X-ray crystallography revealed that the polyamine tail is preferentially oriented over the shielding cone of the anthracene ring.
Communists Among Us in a Market Economy: Accountancy in the People's Republic of China

Abstract China is undergoing a unique experience. Its strategy to move the country to a market economy is based on “marketization” instead of “privatization.” The state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are intended to continue to be the mainstay of the economy. The recent accounting reform, a 16-point economic stabilization policy, and the decision to maintain the dominance of the SOEs were all promulgated in the same month. To put the recent accounting reform in perspective, four stages in the development of accounting theory since the Communist Revolution are identified. The first stage is Mao Tse-Tung's initial society, where the control function of accounting, in its narrowest sense, was emphasized. The Counter Revolution with the Post-Revisionist Era relaxed, at the macroeconomic level, the notion of control. The third stage of opening up the Chinese economy to outside capital combines allocative techniques, albeit limited, with Western accounting concepts, all blended with Chinese cultural values. The current stage of macroeconomic liberalization of state enterprises, which accompanied a major macroeconomic stabilization program, is a result of a number of demonstration effects that has further exposed the Chinese economy to various outside factors. Accordingly, such recent accounting reform introduces the concept of equity capital, provides a relatively sharper distinction between product cost and period cost, realistically incorporates the capital maintenance concept and allows a limited number of Westernized accounting standards, mostly adapted to accommodate traditional Chinese values. Accounting forms an indispensable component of an overall economic policy.
Hand usage in a colony of bonnett monkeys,Macaca radiata

Handedness and its possible inheritance have been studied in a colony of 69Macaca radiata by observation of hand usage during daily feeding and foraging activities. Each animal was observed for the number of right- and left-handed actions made during two tasks: feeding and searching. Individual animals fell into one of three classes: significantly right-handed, significantly left-handed, and no significant preference. For analysis, handedness was considered as both a directional phenomenon (percentage right-handed usage) and a degree phenomenon (absolute deviation from 50∶50 hand usage). Feeding and searching were significantly correlated for both direction and degree. Therefore, laterality for handedness does exist in this primate species. A developmental aspect to laterality was suggested by the positive correlation of degree with age. No mother-offspring correlations were found for either direction or degree and half-sibships were not more similar for either. Thus, there is no evidence for a genetic component to either direction or degree of handedness.
The resonance Raman spectrum of the aniline radical cation

Abstract The time-resolved resonance Raman spectrum of the aniline radical cation has been observed using pulse radiolysis methods. This radical exhibits a large inverse secondary isotope effect on deuteration of the NH 2 group on the CN stretching frequency. Various spectral features indicate that this radical is structurally similar to the phenoxyl radical.
Use of Second-Generation Antiepileptic Drugs in the Pediatric Population

Epilepsy is common in the pediatric population. Nine second-generation antiepileptic drugs have been approved in the US for use in epilepsy over the past 15 years: felbamate, gabapentin, lamotrigine, topiramate, tiagabine, levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine, zonisamide, and pregabalin. Their use in pediatric patients is fairly widespread, despite most of these agents not having US FDA indications for use. Felbamate and gabapentin were the first two second-generation antiepileptic drugs to be approved in the US. Felbamate use has been limited because of the occurrence of hepatotoxicity and aplastic anemia. Although gabapentin is a fairly well tolerated antiepileptic drug, its use has also been limited as a result of inconsistent efficacy and concern about seizure exacerbation. Lamotrigine and topiramate are broad-spectrum antiepileptic drugs with efficacy in a wide variety of seizure types. Both agents have some tolerability concerns: rash with lamotrigine and neuropsychiatric events with topiramate. There are very little data on tiagabine use in children, but this agent appears to be effective and to have a good tolerability profile. Levetiracetam is a second-generation antiepileptic agent that is available intravenously. Considering its good efficacy, fast onset of action, and low incidence of serious adverse effects, its use in the acute setting could potentially increase. Oxcarbazepine and zonisamide have been relatively well studied in pediatric seizure patients, including use as monotherapy. Both agents have demonstrated good efficacy and tolerability for patients as young as 1 month old. Vigabatrin and rufinamide are currently not available in the US, but have been shown to have some success in other countries. Pregabalin is the newest antiepileptic agent, but lacks pediatric data currently.
Compositional determination of acidic species in illinois no. 6 coal extracts by electrospray ionization fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Coal acids constitute a source of corrosion in coal refining, and carboxylic acids are implicated in retrograde reactions in coal liquefaction. Here, we use electrospray ionization (ESI) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) to provide detailed molecular compositions of acidic species in a pyridine extract as well as in hexane-soluble (coal acids) and hexane-insoluble (acidic asphaltenes) fractions designed to concentrate the acidic components. All three extracts contain similar major heteroatomic classes. For a given heteroatomic class, asphaltenes > pyridine extract > coal acids in aromaticity; the combined acid fractions exhibit wider distributions in carbon number and double bond equivalents than the pyridine extract. Although the pyridine extract contains the widest variety of organics, additional acidic species are found in the other two extracts. The chemical compositions of coal acids are now accessible in unprecedented detail and promise to provide a starting poi...
Parametric instability of plasma waves in a magnetic field, due to high-frequency electric fields

We have observed experimentally the parameteric excitation of ion acoustic waves and cyclotron harmonic waves by a high-frequency electric field with frequencies near the harmonics of the cyclotron frequency. We have verified both the wave-vector and the frequency selection rules. The measured threshold fields and growth rates are in good agreement with theory.
Measurement of interstitial tissue compliance in skin flaps.

• Investigators speculate about the role of tissue pressure in skin flap necrosis as increased tissue pressure has been demonstrated to stop capillary blood flow in other conditions, both clinically and experimentally. Unfortunately, interstitial tissue pressure is difficult to measure by conventional methods. This article describes a new practical technique that measures interstitial tissue compliance as a correlate of interstitial tissue pressure. The instrument and method are described in detail. Tissue compliance was measured in normal dorsal skin and in modified McFarlane's skin flap in SpragueDawley rats. The skin flaps were measured at three sites (proximal, middle, and distal) at 2, 12, and 18 hours of age. The mean difference between the normal skin and all skin flaps was statistically significant. Within the skin flaps, there was a trend toward increased pressure with increasing age of the flap and distance from the flap base. These trends are statistically significant by the analysis of variance test. The data from this study support the validity of the technique and the hypothesis that increased interstitial tissue pressure is present in skin flaps. (Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg1988;114:1276-1279)
A Direct Coupling between Global and Internal Motions in a Single Domain Protein? MD Investigation of Extreme Scenarios

Proteins are not rigid molecules, but exhibit internal motions on timescales ranging from femto- to milliseconds and beyond. In solution, proteins also experience global translational and rotational motions, sometimes on timescales comparable to those of the internal fluctuations. The possibility that internal and global motions may be directly coupled has intriguing implications, given that enzymes and cell signaling proteins typically associate with binding partners and cellular scaffolds. Such processes alter their global motion and may affect protein function. Here, we present molecular dynamics simulations of extreme case scenarios to examine whether a possible relationship exists. In our model protein, a ubiquitin-like RhoGTPase binding domain of plexin-B1, we removed either internal or global motions. Comparisons with unrestrained simulations show that internal and global motions are not appreciably coupled in this single-domain protein. This lack of coupling is consistent with the observation that the dynamics of water around the protein, which is thought to permit, if not stimulate, internal dynamics, is also largely independent of global motion. We discuss implications of these results for the structure and function of proteins.
Micromechanical theory of the nonlinear behavior of ferroelectric ceramics

Ferroelectric and ferroelastic switching cause ferroelectric ceramics to depolarize and deform when subjected to excessive electric field or stress. Switching is the source of the classic butterfly shaped strain vs. electric field hysteresis loops and the corresponding electric displacement vs. electric field loops. It is also the source of a stress-strain curve with linear elastic behavior at low stress, non-linear switching strain at intermediate stress, and linear elastic behavior at high stress. In this work, a series of experiments on lead lanthanum zirconate titanate are modeled with a computer simulation of the ceramic microstructure. The polarization and strain for an individual grain are predicted from the imposed electric field and stress through a Preisach hysteresis model. The response of the bulk ceramic to applied loads is predicted by averaging the response of individual grains that are considered to be statistically random in orientation. The random orientation yields essential non-linear behavior of the observed strain and electric displacement hysteresis loops and the non-linear stress- strain curve for the polycrystalline ceramic. The linear piezoelectric effect opens up a butterfly shape to the strain vs. electric field hysteresis loop but the model fails to predict the observed effect of 90 degree(s) switching. The grain to grain residual stress and residual polarization are estimated from inclusion calculations. These are both a function of the remanent strain and remanent polarization of the ceramic. This constraint opposed switching but has little effect on the butterfly shape in the strain vs. electric field hysteresis loop.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Use of Next-Generation Sequencing as a Diagnostic Tool for Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome

Abstract Background The clinical presentation of congenital myasthenic syndromes is similar to many other neuromuscular disorders of infancy, and with 12 known discrete genetic forms of congenital myasthenic syndromes, both the diagnosis and treatment decisions present clinical challenges. Patient Description We report a 20-month-old boy with rapsyn deficiency. At birth, he presented with a weak cry, hypotonia, joint contractures, and facial deformity. Because of respiratory difficulty associated with muscle fatigue, he spent a total of 71 days in the neonatal intensive care unit and 47 days in the pediatric intensive care unit. Imaging study results were normal, along with a battery of metabolic tests and electrodiagnostic studies. A limited genetic evaluation for reversible cytochrome c oxidase deficiency was negative, as was the oligonucleotide microarray. A muscle biopsy demonstrated myofiber atrophy in a pattern consistent with early denervation. Based on nonspecific and nondiagnostic results, whole-exome (next generation) sequencing was performed. This study identified two confirmed pathogenic mutations in the RAPSN gene that are associated with congenital myasthenic syndrome (OMIM 608931). The patient was treated with pyridostigmine at 16 months of age, which resulted in a dramatic improvement in muscle tone and strength and a steady resolution of joint contractures. Four months after treatment was initiated, he was beginning to bear weight and was able to sit unsupported and vocalize full words. Conclusions This patient serves to highlight next-generation sequencing as an important diagnostic tool that can result in life-saving treatment.
Infectious Disease Outbreaks on Cruise Ships

Abstract Leisure travel by sea has existed since antiquity. Today's cruise ships serve as a gathering place for people in every age group from different countries and cultures. The closed environment aboard cruise ships, close contact among passengers and crew, and common sources of food and water provide ample opportunity for exposure to and transmission of infectious diseases. Of these, gastrointestinal and respiratory infections pose the greatest risk of outbreaks. Outbreaks on cruise ships present a public health concern, since infection is often easily spread, is difficult to control, and has the potential to disseminate pathogens. A collaborative effort between the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program and the cruise line industry has significantly reduced the incidence of passenger illness associated with infectious diseases.
Efficient RTL power estimation for large designs

The adoption of register-transfer level (RTL) sign-off in ASIC design methodologies, and the increasing scale of system-on-chip integration, are leading to unprecedented accuracy and efficiency demands on RT level estimation tools. In this work, we focus on the deployment of a simulation-based RTL power estimation tool in a commercial design flow, and describe several enhancements that improve its efficiency and scalability for large, industrial designs. We profile the computational effort involved in RTL power estimation, and propose a suite of acceleration techniques, including (i) transformation of the enhanced RTL description (functional model with annotations for power estimation) to be more simulator-friendly, (ii) computation vs. storage tradeoffs, and (iii) a novel variation of statistical sampling, called partitioned sampling. Our techniques result in an optimized allocation of the overall computational effort for power estimation and minimize the computational effort involved in the evaluation of power models. Extensive experimental results in the context of a commercial design flow have yielded promising results (e.g., up to 31/spl times/ reduction in power estimation time with negligible loss of accuracy) on industrial designs of up to 1.25 million transistors. In addition to accurate power estimation for an entire circuit, these acceleration techniques result in superior accuracy of local power estimates for individual components or small sub-circuits, compared to conventional sampling or test-bench compaction techniques.
Spruce plantation effects on soil moisture and chemical element distribution

Abstract Conflicting opinions are extant as to whether spruce has a favorable or unfavorable effect on soil fertility. This controversy was addressed at the Morton Arboretum in northeastern Illinois by collecting and comparing data on several dynamic and semi-static soil properties in a 48-year-old mixed spruce plantation with those from the surrounding native hardwood forests on the same soil type. Throughout May, the surface soil was drier in the spruce plantation. The entire B horizon, however, was significantly more moist in the spruce plantation than in the hardwood forests from late spring to fall. In the spruce plantation only, the dense, calcareous C horizon began to dry out rapidly in mid-June to a depth of 1.5 m and continued unabated until late summer despite surface soil moisture recharge episodes. The surface soil in the spruce plantation was significantly more acid and exhibited a significantly higher concentration of extractable manganese than the hardwood forest surface soil. Differential biocycling intensities are suggested as partial explanations of these chemical differences. Soils of the type studied are well suited to Picea abies compared to other species commonly planted on them. One rotation of Picea abies intermixed with Picea pungens may render the soil more suitable for other species which would be hindered by a less acid surface soil and a dense, calcareous C horizon not containing numerous old root channels formed by the previous generation of trees.
Biological Identification of Ampullary Adenocarcinomas

Ampullary adenocarcinomas have unique biologic and clinical features that result in its improved prognosis versus adenocarcinomas that arise from the distal bile ducts and pancreas. However the histological differentiation and identification of these tumors is not easily accomplished. Two abstracts at this year’s ASCO Annual Meeting describe attempts to identify unique methods for distinguishing these tumors. Abstract #4141 described a 92 gene RT-PCR assay that was used for molecular classification of patients with ampullary adenocarcinomas while Abstract #e15175 looked at mutational status of K- ras in patients with these tumors. The results of their abstracts will be discussed. Image: Tufts Medical Center Teddy Bear (Formerly F.A.O. Schwartz Teddy Bear) . Boston, MA, USA
Reversible work of formation of an embryo of a new phase within a uniform macroscopic mother phase

A thermodynamically consistent formalism is derived for calculating the reversible work needed to form a small amount of a new phase (embryo) within a uniform macroscopic mother phase. The treatment goes beyond the classic work of Gibbs, who solved the problem for the particular case in which the embryo is in equilibrium with the mother phase, constituting a so-called critical nucleus. The formalism results in a new expression for the reversible work of embryo formation, the extrema conditions for which yield the correct conditions of equilibrium between the critical nucleus and the mother phase, as well as Gibbs’ result for the reversible work needed to form the critical nucleus. The new expression for the work of embryo formation differs from the one commonly used in the nucleation literature. In order to extend the Gibbsian formalism to noncritical nuclei, it is necessary to introduce a constraint that prevents the free transfer of matter between the embryo and the mother phase. The present approach is valid in the limit in which curvature contributions to the interfacial energy can be neglected.
Some second-order vibrating systems cannot tolerate small time delays in their damping

The purpose of this work is to show that the finite-dimensional property of robustness with respect to small time delays does not hold for a general class of infinite-dimensional systems of a certain form. The abstract systems considered encompass many well-known types of damped hyperbolic partial differential equations whose damping operator is represented by a symmetric operator B such that A/sup -1/2/BA/sup -1/2/ is a compact operator in a suitable Hilbert space. It is shown that the abstract systems are not robust with respect to almost arbitrary time delays in the damping. >
Gene Expression and Genetic Variation in Response to Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Human Cells

The accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) results in the condition called “ER stress,” which induces the unfolded protein response (UPR), a complex cellular process that includes changes in expression of many genes. Failure to restore homeostasis in the ER is associated with human diseases. To identify the underlying changes in gene expression in response to ER stress, we induced ER stress in human B cells and then measured gene expression at ten time points. We followed up those results by studying cells from 60 unrelated people. We rediscovered genes that were known to play a role in the ER-stress response and uncovered several thousand genes that are not known to be involved. Two of these are VLDLR and INHBE, which showed significant increase in expression after ER stress in B cells and in primary fibroblasts. To study the links between UPR and disease susceptibility, we identified ER-stress-responsive genes that are associated with human diseases and assessed individual differences in the ER-stress response. Many of the UPR genes are associated with Mendelian disorders, such as Wolfram syndrome, and complex diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and diabetes. Data from two independent samples showed extensive individual variability in ER-stress response. Additional analyses with monozygotic twins revealed significant correlations within twin pairs in their responses to ER stress, thus showing evidence for heritable variation among individuals. These results have implications for basic understanding of ER function and its role in disease susceptibility.
Long-Run Monetary Neutrality and Contemporary Policy Analysis

Bennett T. McCallum Carnegie Mellon University and National Bureau of Economic Research Revised August 14, 2004 This paper was prepared for presentation at the Eleventh International Conference of the Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan, held in Tokyo on July 5-6, 2004. I am grateful to David Laidler and Edward Nelson for helpful comments.
The dynamics of animal social networks: analytical, conceptual, and theoretical advances

Social network analysis provides a broad and complex perspective on animal sociality that is widely applicable to almost any species. Recent applications demonstrate the utility of network analysis for advancing our understanding of the dynamics, selection pressures, development, and evolution of complex social systems. However, most studies of animal social networks rely primarily on a descriptive approach. To propel the field of animal social networks beyond exploratory analyses and to facilitate the integration of quantitative methods that allow for the testing of ecologically and evolutionarily relevant hypotheses, we review methodological and conceptual advances in network science, which are underutilized in studies of animal sociality. First, we highlight how the use of statistical modeling and triadic motifs analysis can advance our understanding of the processes that structure networks. Second, we discuss how the consideration of temporal changes and spatial constraints can shed light on the dynamics of social networks. Third, we consider how the study of variation at multiple scales can potentially transform our understanding of the structure and function of animal networks. We direct readers to analytical tools that facilitate the adoption of these new concepts and methods. Our goal is to provide behavioral ecologists with a toolbox of current methods that can stimulate novel insights into the ecological influences and evolutionary pressures structuring networks and advance our understanding of the proximate and ultimate processes that drive animal sociality.
How I Manage the Multiple-Ligament Injured (Dislocated) Knee

Knee dislocations are complex high-energy injuries that require skill and experience to manage successfully. Current reconstruction techniques allow us to reproduce the ligament anatomy well, but problems remain with arthrofibrosis, pain, and recurrent instability. However, results continue to improve as our reconstructions replicate the anatomy more precisely. This article focuses on how we diagnose knee dislocation patients and determine the appropriate surgical method needed for successful repair.
The Quest for a Magic Tumor Marker Continuing Saga in the Diagnosis of the Follicular Lesions of Thyroid

At present, the role of the traditional surgical pathologist is changing dramatically. The question posed by clinicians for any given lesion is no longer limited to “Is it benign or malignant?” The clinician also wants to know morphologic classification, histogenesis, anticipated behavior, and molecular alterations, all of which have been shown in one or multiple studies to represent biologic determinants. With the advent of this new era of modern pathology some investigators may even believe that the traditional evaluation of H&E
Nested PIFAs for Dual Mode of Operation: GPS and Global Communications

This letter demonstrates how two planar inverted F antennas (PIFAs) can be combined in a nested configuration. A nested antenna results from integrating two antennas into one without modifying the dimensions of the original antennas. The nested antenna has two feed inputs for two different frequencies of operation and share a common ground plane. This letter will discuss the design of nested PIFAs with frequencies of operation at both global positioning system (GPS; 1.575 GHz) and global ( 2.45 GHz ) modes of communication. Two separate antennas were first individually designed for the respective modes of operation. The antennas were then integrated into a single nested antenna. The integration affects the radiation patterns and the frequencies of operation. This letter discusses the performance of the individual antennas and the antennas in the nested configuration.
Observation of a doublet ferromagnetic resonance in cubic and hexagonal ferrites at millimeter wavelengths

Ferromagnetic resonance from two individual magnetic sublattices of ferromagnetic materials has been observed in the laboratory. Separate g-factor (gyromagnetic ratio) values were measured from the resonance experiment. A high signal-to-noise-ratio, millimeter-wave, broadband Fourier transform spectrometer and a high-intensity-field (140000-G) DC magnet were utilized for this measurement. >
HIV Risk Behaviors among Women in Methadone Maintenance Treatment

This article reports on the HIV risk behaviors of a sample of 158 women heroin addicts admitted into the Los Angeles Enhanced Methadone Maintenance Project. Risk behaviors for HIV were associated with age, lack of education, ethnicity, relationship with a drug user, HIV status, and higher scores on measures of illegal activity, suicidality, depression, polydrug use, and alcohol use. Significant reductions in number of male sex partners and needle-sharing partners were reported at follow-up, although frequency of condom use was unchanged. Methadone maintenance programs need to screen women for risk factors and assist them in developing new behavioral skills in order to implement a harm reduction approach to treatment.
Intelligent filtering algorithms for networked simulators

Data filtering is an important mechanism that can be used to achieve the real-time linkage among geographically distant local area network (LAN) sites. Two approaches for implementing data filtering within simulation networks, namely, filtering at reception and filtering at transmission, are described. Filtering at reception requires all frames to be transmitted onto the network backbone and later filtered by each receiving gateway to select those frames that are pertinent to the nodes served by this gateway. Filtering at transmission requires that frames originated by a node at a local network are filtered at the local gateway and are sent to other gateways only if they carry information relevant to other external nodes. >