cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a model system to study fuel autoxidation in supercritical media: decomposition kinetics of 2,2′-azobis(isobutyronitrile) in supercritical carbon dioxide

Abstract A high pressure reactor has been constructed and used for in situ spectroscopic measurements of reaction kinetics in supercritical fluids. The thermal decomposition of 2,2′-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) was studied as part of an effort to characterize free-radical autoxidation of hydrocarbon fuels under supercritical conditions. The findings show that AIBN decomposes both thermally and photochemically in SC-CO2 to form the 2-cyano-2-propyl free radical which dimerizes to form tetramethylsuccinic dinitrile and dimethyl-N-(2-cyano-2-propyl) ketenimine. Examination of the decomposition kinetics of the ketenimine revealed that it was photochemically stable in the kinetic reactor, but decomposed thermally to form the dinitrile.
Effect of Collision Narrowing on Atmospheric Transmittance

The effect of collision narrowing on inhomogeneous, long-path atmospheric transmittance is discussed. The different temperature and pressure dependence of the collision narrowing and the collision broadening contributions to the absorption line shape can result in a significant change in calculated values of both the absolute and relative transmitted intensity. Illustrative calculations are presented for a narrow-band source that is resonant with selected absorption lines of CO2 and is transmitted along a variety of atmospheric paths.
Design procedures of high speed low loss fiberoptic links

Losses in short-haul broadband fiber-optic links are primarily due to many characteristics of electrooptic devices. In particular, electrical mismatch at the electrical/optical interfaces have been the dominant source of loss. Losses can be significantly reduced and link performance enhanced by reactive matching of the laser and detector modules. The steps in the design of low-loss fiber-optic links are presented, which are on the basis of (1) two-tier deembedding of laser and photodiodes from test fixtures and (2) reactively matching them to a standard 50-ohm system. These concepts are demonstrated by design of a link operating at 0.5 to 1 GHz using reactively matched optical transmitter and receiver modules.
The SAGA continues: expanding the cellular role of a transcriptional co-activator complex

Throughout the last decade, great advances have been made in our understanding of how DNA-templated cellular processes occur in the native chromatin environment. Proteins that regulate transcription, replication, DNA repair, mitosis and other processes must be targeted to specific regions of the genome and granted access to DNA, which is normally tightly packaged in the higher-order chromatin structure of eukaryotic nuclei. Massive multiprotein complexes have been discovered, which facilitate access to DNA and recruitment of downstream effectors through three distinct mechanisms: chemical modification of histone amino-acid residues, ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling and histone exchange. The yeast Spt-Ada-Gcn5-Acetyl transferase (SAGA) transcriptional co-activator complex regulates numerous cellular processes through coordination of multiple histone post-translational modifications. SAGA is known to generate and interact with a number of histone modifications, including acetylation, methylation, ubiquitylation and phosphorylation. Although best characterized for its role in regulating transcriptional activation, SAGA is also required for optimal transcription elongation, mRNA export and perhaps nucleotide excision repair. Here, we discuss findings from recent years that have elucidated the function of this 1.8-MDa complex in multiple cellular processes, and how misregulation of the homologous complexes in humans may ultimately play a role in development of disease.
Differentiation of SRB States

Abstract:Let f be a diffeomorphism of a manifold M, and ρf a (generalized) SRB state for f. If supp ρf is a hyperbolic compact set we show that the map is differentiable in a suitable functional setup, and we compute the derivative. When supp ρf is an attractor, the derivative is given by where X is the vector field . This formula can be extended to time dependent situations and also, at least formally, to nonuniformly hyperbolic situations. The above results will find their use in the study of the Onsager reciprocity relations and the fluctuation-dissipation formula of nonequilibrium statistical mechanics.
Colonoscopic Findings and Tumor Site Do Not Predict Bowel Obstruction During Medical Treatment of Stage IV Colorectal Cancer

Background.Intheabsenceofsymptomsrelatedtotheir primary tumor, patients with stage IV colorectal cancer can undergo medical treatment with their primary tumor in situ. In these patients, bowel obstruction is the mostcommonprimarytumor-relatedcomplication.We hypothesized that left-sided, circumferential, near-obstructing lesions and/or inability to advance the colonoscope beyond the primary tumor are associated with symptomatic bowel obstruction and are indications for prophylactic primary tumor resection (PTR) or colonic diversion. Patients and Methods. The medical oncology database
Potential Chemoprotectant Activity of 3′‐Azido‐3′‐deoxythymidine (AZT) and 2′,3′‐Dideoxycytidine (DDC) against Ricin Toxicity in Chinese Hamster Ovary and Macrophage J774A.1 Cell Cultures

The protein toxin ricin is one of the most toxic substances known. No specific chemoprotective agents are available against ricin or similar protein toxins. Previous investigations have suggested that deoxynucleoside analogs may be effective in decreasing the toxicity of ricin. We have therefore examined the effects of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) and 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (DDC) in decreasing the cytotoxicity of ricin in J774A.1 macrophage and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in culture by assessing the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) from the cells, as well as decreased cell viability. The results clearly indicate that DDC provided partial protection against ricin toxicity in both cell culture systems based on the leakage of LDH and AST. Concentration-dependent effects between 10 -10 and 10 -4 g ml -1 were produced. Under similar conditions, AZT had no effect on the toxicity of ricin in these two cell culture systems. When assessing cell viability, DDC almost doubled the viability of both CHO and J774A.1 cells at a concentration of 10 -4 g ml -1 in the presence of ricin. The results demonstrate that DDC but not AZT exhibits a chemoprotective effect against ricin toxicity in the two cell culture systems employed.
Contralesional “Mirror Image” Neuralgia Caused by Unilateral Sural Nerve Biopsy

AbstractUnilateral neural insult may occasionally lead to chronic symptoms (e.g., pain, edema) not only at the site of the insult but also at the corresponding “mirror image” contralateral site. Mirror-symptoms are poorly understood and often go unrecognized, or are attributed to altered patterns of use. A case/discussion involving mirror symptoms is presented.
Design for steering accuracy in antenna arrays using shared optical phase shifters

Uniform linear phased arrays where many radiating elements share a relatively small number of phase shifters are investigated. Such architectures arise in arrays which derive the time delays in the signal paths from a small group of independent phase shifters. In particular, a true time-delay device which has been suggested recently for optically controlled arrays is used as the basic phase shifter. Different architectures, viz. alternative procedures of deriving the necessary time delay for each antenna in the face of phase-shifter inaccuracies, are examined. The variance of the steered beam's direction is used as the performance criterion. The direction-optimal architecture is obtained by means of quadratic programming, and is shown not to be unique. The nonuniqueness of the optimal architecture is exploited to improve other characteristics of the array's beam shape, and the optimal solution is shown to compare favorably with a suboptimal interleaved solution which is easier to implement. >
Endocrine effects of combined somatostatin analog and bromocriptine therapy in women with advanced breast cancer.

In this pilot clinical trial conducted in 10 postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer, we evaluated the endocrine effects and toxicity of combined somatostatin analog and dopaminergic therapy in the attempt to suppress both growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) secretion. The patients' mean age was 63 years (range: 54–77) and the average number of previous treatments was 4.8 ± 2 (SD). All patients were treated with the somatostatin analog SMS 201-995 (100–200µg s.c. in a.m. and h.s.) and bromocriptine (2.5 mg orally twice a day). During treatment, GH levels following provocative testing (either L-DOPA or insulininduced hypoglycemia) were suppressed in 7/9 patients. Basal somatomedin-S (Sm-C) levels declined in 6/9 women. Both GH and Sm-C levels decreased in 4 patients, while in the remaining 5 only one of the two parameters was lowered on treatment. PRL secretion (during provocative TRH testing) was almost totally abolished in 8/9 patients. The treatment did not affect circulating levels of FSH, LH, E1, E2, E1-S, T4, T3RU, or cortisol. Seven patients experienced no side effects. Nausea occurred in 3, but was severe enough in only one to require discontinuation of therapy. One patient experienced disease stabilization consisting of < 50% regression of skin nodules and pleural effusion, a decline in CEA titer, and an improved performance status lasting 7 months. We conclude that combined SMS 201-995 and bromocriptine therapy is safe and frequently suppresses GH and PRL secretion. Its role in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer should be tested in patients with less advanced disease.
Curvature of super diff(S1)/S1

Abstract Motivated by the work of Bowick and Rajeev, we calculate the curvature of the infinite-dimensional flag manifolds Diff(S 1 )/S 1 and Super Diff(S 1 )/S 1 using standard finite-dimensional coset space techniques. We regularize the infinity by ζ-function regularization and recover the conformal and superconformal anomalies respectively for a specific choice of the torsion.
Hyperbolicity, Discontinuities and Numerics of the Two-Fluid Model

In flow situations where multiple material phases are found at scales that cannot be resolved by direct numerical simulation, the dynamics can be described by effective-field, or coarse-grain models [1-3]. Here we are concerned with the flow involving two compressible fluids (at least one of them moving at high Mach number), the basic formulation of the so-called two-fluid model, and the numerical issues that arise from the well-known non-hyperbolic and non-conservative characters of this model. Of particular interest is the application of this model to flows with steep gradients in flow quantities and material densities, as occurring in high-speed, disperse flows [4]. These, in conjunction with the numerical issues just noted, can cause numerical difficulties, such as spurious oscillations and non-convergence of solutions. The “remedy” of incorporating adequate amounts of numerical diffusion is not an option.
On the surgical treatment of solitary cysts of the kidney

The paper presents a surgical method of treatment of solitary cysts of the kidney situated deep in the renal parenchyma. The procedure consists in filling up the lumen of the cyst with a widely pedunculated lobe of perineal adipose tissue. The authors give descriptions and radiological documentation of 3 patients in whom a solitary cyst of the central renal area was found. Postoperative X-ray control showed a complete regression of compressive signs and a normal arrangement of renal calyces
An Evaluation of Lightning and Corona Discharge on Thunderstorm Air and Precipitation Chemistry

This study synthesizes literature to provide a best estimate for the integrated effect of cloud-to-ground lightning, intracloud lightning, and corona discharge on air and precipitation chemistry for an idealized thunderstorm. The cloud volume concentration of NO (the predominant chemical species produced by lightning), assuming all flashes occurred simultaneously in an undiluted, idealized storm volume of 1.5×103 km3, is approximately 0.8 ppbv at STP. Uncertainties are discussed, and assumptions used in this estimate are evaluated and compared to the literature for consistency. Also, NO production values (an average of field, theoretical, and laboratory observations) are used to scale theoretical estimates of other chemical species produced by lightning that can be scavenged by precipitation. The maximum concentrations of these pollutants in rain water are estimated by assuming complete removal of these select, acid rain related species and found to be insignificant.
Management of the Western Flower Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Fruiting Vegetables

ABSTRACT Feeding by the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), causes damage to the fruits of vegetables, and the species is the key vector of Tomato spotted wilt virus. Frankliniella tritici (Fitch) and Frankliniella bispinosa (Morgan) are not pests of fruiting vegetables. Both species compete with F. occidentalis. Effective management of F. occidentalis in pepper integrates conservation of natural populations of the predator, Orius insidiosus (Say), with the use of reduced-risk insecticides such as spinetoram for the control of western flower thrips and other pests. Naturally occurring O. insidiosus are very effective predators and their effectiveness is predictable based on the number of the predator relative to the number of thrips prey. Populations of F. occidentalis resurge when natural enemies and competing thrips are killed. Some insecticides especially pyrethroids have beneficial effects on the development and reproduction of F. occidentalis. The predator O. insidiosus does...
Adaptation of the Reitboeck method of multiple microelectrode recording to the neocortex of the waking monkey.

We adapted to the neocortex of waking monkeys a method for multiple microelectrode recording devised by Reitboeck. A sliding platform allows micropositioning of 7 electrodes independently, in 2 microns steps. Microelectrodes are quartz glass filaments (80 microns o.d.) with central metal cores (30 microns) of tungsten-platinum alloy. Filaments are drawn in a high temperature chamber, and ground to the desired form and tip size. The microdrive is held over the region to be explored, and the microelectrodes passed through 300 microns o.d. guide tubes fixed in implant thimbles of chosen size an and x - y arrangement of tubes, sealed by an O-ring into a small craniotomy opening. A microprocessor controlled recording system provides gain, noise and wave-shape filtering, impedance testing, and differential amplitude discrimination for each channel. Electrode movement is obtained via the microprocessor which displays and updates on the console terminal the electrode depth, impedance, and the channel assignment of each electrode. A second microprocessor based system is used to collect, buffer, and encode in real time all event data, which are transferred whenever convenient to a minicomputer that controls the experiment. Exploratory recordings were made in the posterior parietal, somatic sensory, and motor cortical areas. The system has now been used successfully in a number of investigations.
Non-cardinal color mechanism strength differs across color planes but not across subjects

This study tested two hypotheses: (1) that non-cardinal color mechanisms may be due to individual differences: some subjects have them (or have stronger ones), while other subjects do not; and (2) that non-cardinal mechanisms may be stronger in the isoluminant plane of color space than in the two planes with luminance. Five to six subjects per color plane were tested on three psychophysical paradigms: adaptation, noise masking, and plaid coherence. There were no consistent individual differences in non-cardinal mechanism strength across the three paradigms. In group-averaged data, non-cardinal mechanisms appear to be weaker in the two planes with luminance than in the isoluminant plane.
Constitutive modeling of superplastic deformation. Part I: Theory and experiments

Abstract In this work, we investigate the mechanical behavior of superplastic materials under various loading conditions and examine the nature of anisotropy. This and other phenomena are modeled within a continuum theory of viscoplasticity which includes an overstress function, ‘yield surface’ and internal variables. Anisotropic hardening is represented by an internal stress tensor whose evolution (including plastic spin) consists of hardening, dynamic recovery, and static recovery terms. The ‘dynamic’ yield surface (within a viscoplasticity formulation) is assumed to be isotropic and depends on both J2 and J3. Various experiments on a PbSn superplastic alloy including tension, jump test, stress relaxation, fixed-end torsion, and combined tension-torsion tests were performed and the results are used to calibrate and verify the theoretical model. It is shown that the isotropic dynamic surface can successfully model the uniaxial behavior of superplastic deformation, including stress relaxation, and produces axial stresses in fixed-end torsion.
Acute Stroke Imaging: What Clinicians Need to Know

Advances in technology and software applications have contributed to new imaging modalities and strategies in the evaluation of patients with suspected acute cerebral infarction. Routine computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been the standard studies in stroke imaging, which have been complemented by CT and MR angiography, diffusion-weighted MR imaging, and cerebral perfusion studies, while conventional angiography is typically reserved for intra-arterial therapy. The purpose of this article is to review the variety of imaging studies available in the acute stroke setting, and to discuss the utility of each and the pertinent associated main findings. The appropriateness of which study and when each should be ordered is also discussed. At the conclusion of this article, the reader should have a more clear understanding of the neuroimaging modalities available for acute stroke imaging.
Worship Discourse and White Race-Based Policy Attitudes

The current study relies upon the 2004 National Politics Study to examine the association between exposure to race-based messages within places of worship and White race-based policy attitudes. The present study challenges the notion that, for White Americans, religiosity inevitably leads to racial prejudice. Rather, we argue, as others have, that religion exists on a continuum that spans from reinforcing to challenging the status quo of social inequality. Our findings suggests that the extent to which Whites discuss race along with the potential need for public policy solutions to address racial inequality within worship spaces, worship attendance contributes to support for public policies aimed at reducing racial inequality. On the other hand, apolitical and non-structural racial discussions within worship settings do seemingly little to move many Whites to challenge dominant idealistic perceptions of race that eschews public policy interventions as solutions to racial inequality.
Using a global magnetohydrodynamic model to study the start of the substorm recovery phase

[1] Magnetospheric substorms are a key manifestation of the transfer of energy from the solar wind to the Earth. Substorms consist of a loading of energy from the solar wind via magnetic reconnection and then a rapid release of that energy. One of the results of this energy release is the intense brightening of the aurora observed in the Earth's high-latitude regions. At some point, the dissipation of energy peaks and the system recovers. This paper focuses on addressing the question of what causes the transition to the recovery phase of the substorm typically defined by the retreat of the substorm magnetic reconnection site, or neutral line, in the magnetotail. One suggested hypothesis is that the expansion of the dipolarization of the magnetic field in the inner magnetosphere causes the neutral line to move tailward. We use the Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry magnetohydrodynamic code to model seven substorms to examine what causes the neutral line retreat in the simulation. We conclude that while the simulation reproduces the substorms with the loading and unloading of energy, the retreat of the neutral line is a directly driven process that is controlled by the solar wind.
Factors affecting the use and selection of antidepressants in the elderly.

Depression is a common problem for the elderly. It is critical that clinicians become aware of this fact and that appropriate therapy is prescribed. Both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy play roles in the treatment of depression in these patients. The appropriate use of medications requires an understanding of factors specific to the elderly that affect their selection and use of these medications. In particular, concurrent medical conditions, potential drug–drug interactions and pharmacokinetic changes need to be considered. The intent of this paper is to describe these factors and suggest some guidelines for the appropriate use of antidepressants in the elderly.
Differential responses of Bolivian timber species to prescribed fire and other gap treatments

We followed the establishment and growth response of 13 commercial tree species to canopy opening, above-ground biomass removal, and experimental burns of low and high intensities in a lowland dry forest in Bolivia. Three patterns of response to treatments were observed among the most abundant commercial tree species. (1) Shade-intolerant species regenerated mostly from seed and had the highest survival and growth rates following high-intensity burns. (2) Shade-tolerant species were abundant in gap control and plant removal treatments. Treatments had little effect on the height growth of these species. (3) Individuals of root sprouting species were most abundant following plant removal and low-intensity burn treatments. Treatments had little effect on the height growth of these species. The wide variation in species’ responses to gap treatments found in this study not only reinforces the concept that species are distributed along a continuum of shade-tolerance levels, but that other aspects of species’ biology, such as seed dispersal type or sprouting behavior, further differentiate regeneration strategies. The variety of regeneration strategies found among the species at this forest site will require a flexible management scheme that mixes more intensive silvicultural treatments such as prescribed burning with less intensive treatments.
Morphological and anatomical studies of the seedlings of Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.

The study includes the germination type, morphology and anatomy of the seedlings of Ipomoea aquatica FORSK. Anatomy of root, hypocotyl, epicotyl, cotyledons and first leaf including stomata are described in detail. Die Studie beschaftigt sich mit dem Keimverhalten, der Morphologie und Anatomie der Samen von Ipomoea aquatica FORSK. Im einzelnen beschrieben werden die Wurzel, das Hypokotyl, Epikotyl, die Kotyledonen sowie das erste Blatt einschlieslich seiner Stomata.
Lymphoid subpopulations of peripheral blood and spleen in untreated Hodgkin's disease

A panel of monoclonal antibodies with well-defined specificities were used as probes to investigate the phenotypes and lineage of circulating lymphoid cells and splenocytes in untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease. A significant relative and absolute reduction in T cells (anti-T3+) was found only in patients with B-symptoms. There was no alteration in the fraction of helper (anti-T4+) or cytotoxic/suppressor (anti-T5+) T cells circulating in peripheral blood when compared to normals, nor was there activation of these cells as measured by the development of surface Ia (anti-I1+). Circulating T cell subsets were not altered 5 to 14 days after splenectomy. Splenic T cells were increased equally in involved and uninvolved spleen when compared with control spleens obtained from accident victims. These findings indicate that abnormal T cell function in Hodgkin's disease may be the result of subtle alterations in T cells or non-T immunoregulatory mechanisms.
A solution method of equilibrium equations for large structural systems

Abstract In this paper, computational effort and disc storage requirements are optimized for static analysis of large structures using the nested dissection numbering scheme. The locations of nonzero elements of the associated sparse stiffness matrices before and after matrix factorization are predicted and preserved first. A modified active column method is then presented to perform the factorization of the stiffness matrix and perform the forward reduction and backward subsitution of the load vectors. The arithmetic operations and backup storage of zero elements are thus avoided. Simply supported plates divided into large number of finite elements are used as examples to illustrate the efficiency of the algorithms developed.
Association of race and socioeconomic status with the use of endovascular repair to treat thoracic aortic diseases

Objective Descending thoracic aortic diseases may be treated with either open thoracic aortic repair or thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Previous studies have demonstrated that race and socioeconomic status (SES) affect access to care and treatment allocation in vascular surgery. We hypothesized that racial minorities and lower SES patients have decreased propensity to have their thoracic aortic disease treated with TEVAR. Methods Weighted discharge records for patients who underwent either open thoracic aortic repair or TEVAR between 2005 and 2008 were evaluated using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Patient records were stratified by therapeutic intervention (open repair vs TEVAR). Differences in baseline comorbidities, race, and SES were compared. To account for the effects of comorbidities and other factors, hierarchical logistic regression modeling was used to determine the likelihood for TEVAR performance based on differences in patients' race and SES. Results A total of 60,784 thoracic repairs were analyzed, the majority (79.4%) of which were open repairs. The most common race was white (78.2%), followed by black (9.1%), Hispanic (5.7%), Asian or Pacific Islander (2.9%), and Native American (0.7%). Patients were divided into quartiles according to SES with 20.6% of patients in the lowest SES quartile, 24.3% in the second quartile, 26.4% in the third quartile, and 28.8% in the highest SES quartile. Indications for treatment were similar for both treatment groups. After adjusting for multiple patient and hospital factors, race and SES were significantly associated with treatment modality for thoracic aortic disease. Black, Hispanic, and Native American populations had increased adjusted odds ratios of TEVAR performance compared with white patients. Similarly, lower SES correlated with increased use of TEVAR. Conclusions Contrary to our initial hypothesis, racial minorities (Black, Hispanic, and Native American) and patients with lower median household incomes have a greater association with the performance for TEVAR after accounting for patient comorbid disease, indication for treatment, payer status, and hospital volume. These results indicate that traditional racial disparities do not persist in TEVAR allocation.
Calibration and test of an active conformal phased array

A free-space calibration technique has been developed for testing active conformal phased arrays. The method is applicable to both receive and transmit operation. The key to the technique is to be able to turn on one T/R (transmit/receive) module at a time while all others are switched off and all radiators are connected to loads internal to the T/R module. This enables the insertion amplitude and phase to be determined and adjusted in the mutual coupling environment of neighboring radiators; i.e., the actual embedded element pattern is present. By using the digital phase shifters in the module, the phase front of the array is collimated. Also, if the module has amplitude control, the desired aperture illumination distribution can be realized. Details of phase and amplitude calibration are described. >
Children's beliefs about smoking

Children's beliefs about smoking were examined in a multi-ethnic urban sample of 4th through 7th grade children. Results showed that, relative to those in earlier grades, children in higher grades held more positive beliefs about the positive outcomes of smoking and the long-term negative consequences of smoking, but there was no association between grade level and beliefs about the immediate negative consequences of smoking. Children in higher grades also perceived more favorable norms toward smoking. There were few gender or race/ethnicity differences at these ages in children's beliefs about smoking. These outcome and normative beliefs were related to smoking behavior. Of the nine beliefs about the effects of smoking, all but two were significantly related to smoking behavior.
Self-reconstructing technique for expert system-based analog IC designs

The flexible-architecture approach to expert-system-based analog IC designs is presented. The self-reconstructing technique which uses circuit primitives as replacement parts in a design is described. The expert system used is capable of making an intelligent initial choice among circuits of fixed architecture as well as reconstructing the selected circuit to better satisfy a given set of performance specifications. Software implementation and experimental results are shown to demonstrate the power of the approach. >
Differing Conformational Pathways Before and After Chemistry for Insertion of dATP versus dCTP Opposite 8-OxoG in DNA Polymerase β

To elucidate how human DNA polymerase b (pol b) discriminates dATP from dCTP when processing 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), we analyze a series of dynamics simulations before and after the chemical step with dATP and dCTP opposite an 8-oxoG template started from partially open complexes of pol b. Analyses reveal that the thumb closing of pol b before chemistry is hampered when the incorrect nucleotide dATP is bound opposite 8-oxoG; the unfavorable interaction between active-site residue Tyr 271 and dATP that causes an anti to syn change in the 8-oxoG (syn):dATP complex explains this slow motion, in contrast to the 8-oxoG (anti ):dCTP system. Such differences in conformational pathways before chemistry for mismatched versus matched complexes help explain the preference for correct insertion across 8-oxoG by pol b. Together with reference studies with a nonlesioned G template, we propose that 8-oxoG leads to lower efficiency in pol b's incorporation of dCTP compared with G by affecting the requisite active-site geometry for the chemical reaction before chemistry. Furthermore, because the active site is far from ready for the chemical reaction after partial closing or even full thumb closing, we suggest that pol b is tightly controlled not only by the chemical step but also by a closely related requirement for subtle active-site rearrangements after thumb movement but before chemistry.
Fluorescence-based optical sensor design for molecularly imprinted polymers

Abstract A Monte Carlo model was developed to analyze the sensitivity and the performance of a fluorescence-based molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor. The MIP sensor consisted of highly cross-linked polyurethane containing anthracene binding sites coated on a transparent substrate. The optical properties of MIPs, the quantum yields of anthracene within MIPs, and the fluorescence of MIPs were measured. The rebinding capacity of the MIPs was about 1 μmol/g or roughly seven times binding rate of non-imprinted polymers. The MIP fluorescence emission at 404 nm was measured for thicknesses ranging from 100 to 2000 μm containing templated anthracene concentrations ranging from 60 to 600 ppm for excitation at 358 nm. The emission agreed with model predictions within 15%. This sensing system could only distinguish anthracene down to 15 ppm due to fluorescence from the polymer matrix. To make a fluorescence-based MIP sensor that is capable of detecting one part per billion analyte concentration with a 200 μm thick MIP film, our model suggests that imprinted polymers would need to have an absorption coefficient less than 0.001 cm −1 , or have a quantum yield 10 5 times lower than that of the analyte at the detection wavelength.
Epigenetic markers for newborn congenital heart defect (CHD).

AbstractObjective: Our objective was to determine whether there were significant differences in genome-wide DNA methylation in newborns with major congenital heart defect (CHD) compared to controls. We also evaluated methylation of cytosines in CpG motifs for the detection of these CHDs.Methods: Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis was performed on DNA from 60 newborns with various CHDs, including hypoplastic left heart syndrome, ventricular septal deficit, atrial septal defect, pulmonary stenosis, coarctation of the aorta and Tetralogy of Fallot, and 32 controls.Results: Highly significant differences in cytosine methylation were seen in a large number of genes throughout the genome for all CHD categories. Gene ontology analysis of CHD overall indicated over-represented biological processes involving cell development and differentiation, and anatomical structure morphogenesis. Methylation of individual cytosines in CpG motifs had high diagnostic accuracy for the detection of CHD. For example, for coarcta...
Aerobic exercise reduces depressive symptoms in patients with chronic heart failure.

Question: Does exercise training reduce depressive symptoms in patients with chronic heart failure compared with guideline-based usual care? Patients: 2322 Stable patients with chronic heart failure participating in the Heart Failure—A Controlled Trail Investigating Outcomes of Exercise Training (HF-ACTION) trial who completed the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) at baseline. Possible BDI-II scores range from 0 to 63; scores of ≥14 were considered clinically significant depressive symptoms. Among participants, BDI-II scores ranged from 0 to 59 (median 8), and 28% had clinically significant depressive symptoms. Setting: 82 Medical centres in the USA, Canada and France; April 2003 to February 2007. Intervention: Aerobic exercise versus usual care alone. Participants randomised to aerobic exercise were provided with a treadmill or exercise bicycle and received three supervised exercise sessions per week for 3 months (90 min/week), transitioning to home-based unsupervised exercise (goal 120 min/week) for the next 9 months. Usual care participants were not given a formal exercise prescription. All participants received self-management educational materials and regular follow-up phone calls. Outcomes: Change in depressive symptoms after 3 months exercise (primary outcome, end of the …
On Appropriate Assumptions to Mine Data Streams: Analysis and Practice

Recent years have witnessed an increasing number of studies in stream mining, which aim at building an accurate model for continuously arriving data. Somehow most existing work makes the implicit assumption that the training data and the yet-to-come testing data are always sampled from the "same distribution", and yet this "same distribution" evolves over time. We demonstrate that this may not be true, and one actually may never know either "how" or "when" the distribution changes. Thus, a model that fits well on the observed distribution can have unsatisfactory accuracy on the incoming data. Practically, one can just assume the bare minimum that learning from observed data is better than both random guessing and always predicting exactly the same class label. Importantly, we formally and experimentally demonstrate the robustness of a model averaging and simple voting-based framework for data streams, particularly when incoming data "continuously follows significantly different" distributions. On a real streaming data, this framework reduces the expected error of baseline models by 60%, and remains the most accurate compared to those baseline models.
Real-time swept source optical coherence tomography imaging of the human airway using a microelectromechanical system endoscope and digital signal processor

A fast-scan-rate swept laser for optical coherence tomography (OCT) is suitable to record and analyze a 3-D image volume. However, the whole OCT system speed is limited by data streaming, processing, and storage. In this case, postprocessing is a common technique. Endoscopic clinical applications prefer onsite diagnosis, which requires a real-time technique. Parallel digital signal processors were applied to stream and process data directly from a data digitizer. A real-time system with 20-kHz axial line speed, which was limited only by our swept laser scan rate, was implemented. To couple with the system speed, an endoscope based on an improved 3-D microelectromechanical motor (diameter 1.5 mm, length 9.4 mm) was developed. In vivo 3-D imaging of the human airway was demonstrated.
Digital signal processing course innovations for power electronics practice

This paper describes a new course on digital signal processing for power electronics practice for undergraduate students of Electronics Engineering at Federico Santa Maria University of Technology. A comprehensive program was designed to develop practical experience on power electronics by employing a low-cost complete DSP-based module, based on the Texas Instruments TMS320F24I digital signal processor, developed by two graduate students. This new program has been successfully applied in lab activities on power electronics equipment such as single-phase inverters, single-phase boost rectifier and others. Two applications are described with methods and tools. Strengths and weaknesses of the proposed approach are analyzed integrating teachers 'perspectives and students feedback.
Patient Identification Error Among Prostate Needle Core Biopsy Specimens—Are We Ready for a DNA Time-Out?

Purpose: Patient identification errors in surgical pathology often involve switches of prostate or breast needle core biopsy specimens among patients. We assessed strategies for decreasing the occurrence of these uncommon and yet potentially catastrophic events. Materials and Methods: Root cause analyses were performed following 3 cases of patient identification error involving prostate needle core biopsy specimens. Results: Patient identification errors in surgical pathology result from slips and lapses of automatic human action that may occur at numerous steps during pre-laboratory, laboratory and post-laboratory work flow processes. Conclusions: Patient identification errors among prostate needle biopsies may be difficult to entirely prevent through the optimization of work flow processes. A DNA time-out, whereby DNA polymorphic microsatellite analysis is used to confirm patient identification before radiation therapy or radical surgery, may eliminate patient identification errors among needle biopsies.
Performance evaluation of scene registration and stereo matching for cartographic feature extraction

Three major areas in the development of competent 3-D scene interpretation system are discussed. First, the importance of accurate automatic scene registration and the difficulty in automated extraction and matching of scene reference points are described. Second, the authors describe two stereo matching algorithms, S1, which is an area-based matcher previously used in the SPAM system, and S2, which is a feature-based matching algorithm based on hierarchical waveform matching. Third, the authors introduce several performance evaluation metrics that made it possible to measure the quality of the overall scene recovery, the building disparity estimate, and the quality and sharpness of the building delineations. Such manually generated scene reference models are critical for understanding strengths and weaknesses of various matching algorithms and in the incremental development of improvements to existing algorithms. Experiments were performed on difficult examples of aerial imagery. >
The Lure of the Virtual

Although organizational scholars have begun to study virtual work, they have yet to fully grapple with its diversity. We draw on semiotics to distinguish among three types of virtual work (virtual teams, remote control, and simulations) based on what it is that a technology makes virtual and whether work is done with oron, through, or within representations. Of the three types, simulations have been least studied, yet they have the greatest potential to change work's historically tight coupling to physical objects. Through a case study of an automobile manufacturer, we show how digital simulation technologies prompted a shift from symbolic to iconic representation of vehicle performance. The increasing verisimilitude of iconic simulation models altered workers' dependence on each other and on physical objects, leading management to confound operating within representations with operating with oron representations. With this mistaken understanding, and lured by the virtual, managers organized simulation work in virtual teams, thereby distancing workers from the physical referents of their models and making it difficult to empirically validate models. From this case study, we draw implications for the study of virtual work by examining how changes to work organization vary by type of virtual work.
Interactions between Sires in Artificial Insemination and Management of Dairy Herds

Summary No interactions of practical importance were found between sires and herd environments classified by level of production, location, days dry, calving interval, or type of housing. The analyses included 8,638 Holstein and 1,872 Guernsey daughters of 193 and 139 A.I. bulls in 1,211 Holstein and 356 Guernsey herds tested in Michigan DHIA. Small differential responses of daughters of A.I. bulls in different herds were found within classifications, but these appear unimportant in selecting between bulls in A.I., except to require a few more daughters for a specified accuracy in evaluating the genetic abilities of the bulls. The ranking of the sires will generally be the same in any of the environments examined.
Risk factors for shooting gallery use and cessation among intravenous drug users.

BACKGROUND. Shooting galleries, locations where intravenous drug users (IVDUs) can rent or borrow needles and syringes, are a high-risk environment for HIV-1 transmission. This study investigates risk factors for lifetime attendance at shooting galleries and differentiates characteristics of those who continue to frequent shooting galleries and those who have stopped. METHODS. We interviewed 2615 active IVDUs in Baltimore in 1988 and 1989 and determined patterns of IV drug use, sociodemographics, and HIV-1 serostatus as related to persistence vs cessation of shooting gallery use. RESULTS. Over half (52%) of active IVDUs reported ever using a shooting gallery, with 33% reporting use within the prior 3 months. In multivariate analysis, lifetime shooting gallery use was associated with male gender, homosexuality/bisexuality, low socioeconomic status, Black race, and heavier drug involvement. Persistent shooting gallery users were more frequently male, homosexual/bisexual, homeless, less educated, and started...
Murine model of Clostridium difficile infection with aged gnotobiotic C57BL/6 mice and a BI/NAP1 strain

The increased incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in older adults (age, ≥65 years) corresponds with the emergence of the BI/NAP1 strain, making elucidation of the host immune response extremely important. We therefore infected germ-free C57BL/6 mice aged 7-14 months with a BI/NAP1 strain and monitored the mice for response. Infected mice were moribund 48-72 h after infection and developed gross and histological cecitis and colitis and elevated concentrations of keratinocyte chemoattractant, interleukin 1β, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and decreased levels of interferon γ, interleukin 12 p40, interleukin 12 p70, and interleukin 10 compared with controls. We conclude that aged, germ-free C57BL/6 mice are susceptible to fulminant CDI from a BI/NAP1 strain and represent a novel model to further elucidate the host immune response to acute CDI.
A comparative study of the effects of four motor-stimulating agents on canine jejunal spike bursts. The use of a computer program to analyze spike burst spread.

The intestinal myoelectric effects of four motor-stimulating drugs were compared in conscious dogs. Dogs were fed a standardized 400-kcal meal, and the myoelectric activity was monitored before and after drug administration. Graded doses of metoclopramide, cisapride, bethanechol, and cholecystokinin (CCK) were compared by means of a computer program to identify spike bursts and determine their frequency, duration, and length of migration. Bethanechol and CCK produced the greatest increase in myoelectric activity in terms of spike burst frequency and duration but the least in terms of length of spike burst spread. Metoclopramide had minimal measurable myoelectric effects. Cisapride had the greatest effect on the length of spike burst migration but little effect on spike burst frequency and duration. The results suggest that cisapride is a more efficient prokinetic agent than bethanechol, CCK, or metoclopramide. The greater length of spike burst spread caused by cisapride was associated with a more rapid ra...
Effect of Temperature on the Cationic Photopolymerization of Epoxides

The effects of temperature on the photoinitiated cationic ring‐opening polymerizations of a number of different epoxide monomers were studied with the aid of a modified optical pyrometer instrument. Depending on the structures of the epoxide monomer, various behaviors were observed. The results were interpreted as due to steric and electronic features inherent in the structures of the monomers that affect the stabilization of the secondary oxonium ions, which are formed as intermediates in these polymerizations. At one extreme, cycloaliphatic epoxides such as cyclohexene oxide give highly reactive oxonium intermediates that exhibit high rates of polymerization even at subambient temperatures. At the other extreme, alkyl glycidyl ethers produce oxonium ion intermediates, which are so stable that they do not spontaneously react to form polymer at room temperature. By manipulation of the structure of the epoxide monomer, novel monomers with tailored reactivities can be prepared.