cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microbial abundance and diversity patterns associated with sediments and carbonates from the methane seep environments of Hydrate Ridge, OR

Methane seeps are among the most productive habitats along continental margins, as anaerobic methane-oxidizing euryarchaeaota and sulfur-metabolizing deltaproteobacteria form the biological base of a dynamic deep-sea ecosystem. The degree of methane seepage therefore represents one important variable in ecosystem dynamics, and the recent discovery of carbonate-hosted endolithic methanotrophy exposes another potentially discriminating factor: physical substrate type. Methanotrophic microbial communities have been detected within diverse seep-associated habitats, including unlithified sediments, protolithic carbonate nodules, and lithified carbonate slabs and chemoherms of distinct mineralogies. However, a systematic assessment of the diversity and community structure associated with these different habitats has been lacking. In this study, microbial aggregate analysis, microbial abundance quantification, mineralogical identification, and archaeal and bacterial 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were used to deconvolve the relationships between seepage activity, substrate type, and microbial community structure. We report prevalent methane-oxidizing archaeal lineages in both active and low-activity seep settings, and a strong community dependence on both seepage activity and substrate type. Statistical treatments of relative taxa abundances indicate that archaeal community structure is more dependent on the degree of methane seepage than physical substrate type; bacterial assemblages appear to be more strongly influenced by the type of colonization substrate than seepage activity. These findings provide a window into the determinants of community structure and function, improving our understanding of potential elemental cycling at seep sites.
On perturbation theory and an algorithm for maximal clique enumeration in uncertain and noisy graphs

The maximal clique enumeration (MCE) problem can be used to find very tightly-coupled collections of objects inside a network or graph of relationships. However, when such networks are based on noisy or uncertain data, the solutions to the MCE problem for several closely related graphs may be necessary to accurately define the collections.Thus, we propose an algorithm that efficiently solves the MCE problem on altered, or perturbed, graphs. The algorithm utilizes the enumeration of a baseline graph and identifies only those maximal cliques that the perturbation adds and/or removes. We detail the algorithm and the underlying theory required to guarantee correctness. Further, we report average runtime speedups of 7 and 9 for our algorithm over traditional enumeration techniques in the cases of adding and removing edges, respectively, from graphs constructed from protein interaction data.
Bark beetle olfaction: Pheromone receptor system in Dendroctonus frontalis

Abstract Differential adaptation of antennal olfactory acceptors and electroantennogram (EAG) techniques were used to describe the acceptor population for pheromones and host compounds. All acceptors appeared to have some degree of specificity for the pheromone, frontalin. This conclusion was verified by both EAG and single unit recordings. The oxygen containing pheromones occupied a larger percentage of the acceptors than the hydrocarbon host tree terpenes. Pheromones produced by one sex occupied a larger percentage of the pheromone acceptors in the opposite sex. Single unit recordings indicated a chiral acceptor. (-)-Exo-brevicomin stimulation elicited a greater number of impulses in the cells recorded than equal quantities of the (+)-enantiomer. Electrophysiological data correlated well with behavioral roles attributed the compounds tested.
Molecular Typing of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli Isolated from Various Retail Meats by MLST and PFGE

Campylobacter species are one of the leading causes of foodborne disease in the United States. Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are the two main species of concern to human health and cause approximately 95% of human infections. Molecular typing methods, such as pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) are often used to source track foodborne bacterial pathogens. The aim of the present study was to compare PFGE and MLST in typing strains of C. jejuni and C. coli that were isolated from different Oklahoma retail meat sources. A total of 47 Campylobacter isolates (28 C. jejuni and 19 C. coli) isolated from various retail meat samples (beef, beef livers, pork, chicken, turkey, chicken livers, and chicken gizzards) were subjected to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). PFGE was able to group the 47 Campylobacter isolates into two major clusters (one for C. jejuni and one for C. coli) but failed to differentiate the isolates according to their source. MLST revealed 21 different sequence types (STs) that belonged to eight different clonal complexes. Twelve of the screened Campylobacter isolates (8 C. jejuni and 4 C. coli) did not show any defined STs. All the defined STs of C. coli isolates belonged to ST-828 complex. The majority of C. jejuni isolates belonged to ST-353, ST-607, ST-52, ST-61, and ST-21 complexes. It is worthy to mention that, while the majority of Campylobacter isolates in this study showed STs that are commonly associated with human infections along with other sources, most of the STs from chicken livers were solely reported in human cases. In conclusion, retail meat Campylobacter isolates tested in this study particularly those from chicken livers showed relatedness to STs commonly associated with humans. Molecular typing, particularly MLST, proved to be a helpful tool in suggesting this relatedness to Campylobacter human isolates.
The reachability and dexterity of elbow and dual‐elbow robot manipulators

The objective of this article is to highlight the reachability and dexterity of dual-elbow manipulators and provide a comparative evaluation of their capabilities. By necessity, dual-elbow robots are compared to elbow manipulators, the de facto standard of industrial applications. Although it is well established that the ideal elbow and dual elbow geometries are comparable in terms of workspace optimization, it is shown that the corresponding realistic geometries exhibit distinct properties. Realistic dual-elbow and elbow manipulators are investigated and the effects of manufacturing distortions on the flexibility and workspace utilization of the two geometries are quantified and contrasted. Realistic dual-elbow geometries are shown to provide, in general, better reachability and dexterity, especially for manipulators with a large structural frame, and to be less sensitive to parallelism errors. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Picosecond pulse generation in Nd:BEL with a high-frequency acousto-optic mode locker

By using a high-frequency acousto-optic mode locker, 7.5-ps FWHM pulses were obtained from a diode-pumped Nd:BEL laser. After the pulses were compressed with a fiber–grating compressor, 1.0-ps FWHM pulse durations were achieved.
Application of partially balanced block designs to factorial experiments

In this paper we present partially balanced block designs with Fp and Cp association schemes. These designs play a great role in the experimental theory since they can be applied to factorial experiments. A particular stress is put on the formulation of association schemes p and Cp, presentation of exemplary constructions of these designs and their analysis of variance. The presented considerations are abundantly illustrated with examples.
Searching for Pareto-Optimal Settlements in Negotiations: The Extreme Payoffs Method

Decision-making analysts are generally familiar with the maximin and minimax criteria used in the selection of alternative courses of action when payoffs depend on different states of nature. This paper applies these criteria to the collaborative negotiation problem in which two parties negotiate the resolution of several issues each with defined payoffs, and where the alternative choices for each party are qualitative attributes or non-differentiable variables. The proposed method assumes that the negotiators do not know each otherâ€™s payoffs and are generally unwilling to disclose information about their preferences. The search procedure for Pareto-optimal settlements and the role of the mediator in assisting the parties to achieve an improved negotiated agreement are analyzed and illustrated through an example.
In vitro immunomodulation of a whole blood IFN-γ release assay enhances T cell responses in subjects with latent tuberculosis infection.

Background Activation of innate immunity via pathogen recognition receptors (PRR) modulates adaptive immune responses. PRR ligands are being exploited as vaccine adjuvants and as therapeutics, but their utility in diagnostics has not been explored. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release assays (IGRAs) are functional T cell assays used to diagnose latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI); however, novel approaches are needed to improve their sensitivity. Methods In vitro immunomodulation of a whole blood IGRA (QuantiFERON®-TB GOLD In-Tube) with Toll-like receptor agonists poly(I:C), LPS, and imiquimod was performed on blood from subjects with LTBI and negative controls. Results In vitro immunomodulation significantly enhanced the response of T cells stimulated with M. tuberculosis antigens from subjects with LTBI but not from uninfected controls. Immunomodulation of IGRA revealed T cell responses in subjects with LTBI whose T cells otherwise do not respond to in vitro stimulation with antigens alone. Similar to their in vivo functions, addition of poly(I:C) and LPS to whole blood induced secretion of inflammatory cytokines and IFN-α and enhanced the surface expression of antigen presenting and costimulatory molecules on antigen presenting cells. Conclusions In vitro immunomodulation of whole blood IGRA may be an effective strategy for enhancing the sensitivity of T cells for diagnosis of LTBI.
The relationship between social class and national board scores of students in a medical school

Abstract Social class and average grade in college were studied in relation to the National Board Examination Scores and academic performance in the four year program at one medical school. The study findings indicate the following: 1. (1) The social class background and the average grade in college of the study subjects were not related either to scores obtained in the National Board Examinations or to academic performance in the four years at the medical school in which the research was conducted. 2. (2) Average grade in college was not related either to academic performance in the four years of medical training or to the scores obtained by the respondents in the National Board Examinations. Thus, within this restricted sample the findings of this study revealed that social class and average grade in college were not related to the National Board Examination Scores and to academic performance in the 4 year period of a medical school program.
Spatial patterns of aquatic habitat richness in the Upper Mississippi River floodplain, USA

Abstract Interactions among hydrology and geomorphology create shifting mosaics of aquatic habitat patches in large river floodplains (e.g., main and side channels, floodplain lakes, and shallow backwater areas) and the connectivity among these habitat patches underpins high levels of biotic diversity and productivity. However, the diversity and connectivity among the habitats of most floodplain rivers have been negatively impacted by hydrologic and structural modifications that support commercial navigation and control flooding. We therefore tested the hypothesis that the rate of increase in patch richness (# of types) with increasing scale reflects anthropogenic modifications to habitat diversity and connectivity in a large floodplain river, the Upper Mississippi River (UMR). To do this, we calculated the number of aquatic habitat patch types within neighborhoods surrounding each of the ≈19 million 5-m aquatic pixels of the UMR for multiple neighborhood sizes (1–100 ha). For all of the 87 river-reach focal areas we examined, changes in habitat richness (R) with increasing neighborhood length (L, # pixels) were characterized by a fractal-like power function R = Lz (R2 > 0.92 (P
The use of glutaraldehyde fixation to analyze the mechanism of factor catalyzed reassociation of eukaryotic ribosomal subunits.

Abstract Glutaraldehyde fixation was used to analyze the mechanism of reassociation of ribosomal subunits catalyzed by a factor in rat liver cytosol. Unstable 40S–60S couples formed spontaneously in buffer alone; the couples were dissociated by hydrostatic pressure during centrifugation unless they were fixed with glutaraldehyde. Increased numbers of stable 80S ribosomes were formed in the presence of poly (U), Phe-tRNA and G-25 fraction (which contains the initiation factor EIF-1). The factor would seem then to both increase formation of 80S ribosomes and stabilize the monomer. An additional effect of the factor is to inhibit the formation of the unstable 40S–60S couples which form in the presence of Phe-tRNA alone.
Initial Study of Controller/Automation Integration for NextGen Separation Assurance

This paper describes an initial human-in-the-loop part-task study on service providerbased automated separation assurance for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The study varied levels of trajectory-based separation assurance automation from manual trial planning to fully automated conflict resolution over 1x, 2x and 3x traffic densities. The experiment was conducted in the Airspace Operations Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Center in August 2007. In this study envisioned trajectory based operations for the NextGen were simulated. The ground-side automation was responsible for conflict detection. Four recently retired air traffic controllers and five aviation knowledgeable students participated and were responsible for resolving potential conflicts between aircraft with varying levels of automation. Two combined sectors engaged participants in solving conflicts between an average of 30 (1x), 60 (2x), and 90 (3x) aircraft during the 30 minute long simulation runs, resulting in approximately 6 (1x), 42 (2x) and 90 (3x) conflicts per run. The within subjects design gave operators access to a fast manual trial planning function in half the human-in-the-loop runs. During the other half of the runs participants could also interact with the advanced airspace concepts’ conflict resolution algorithm developed at NASA Ames Research Center. The controllers could use the algorithm to request a conflict resolution trajectory and uplink it unchanged, modify the resolution trajectory using the trial planner and then uplink it, or cancel the modification. The analysis shows that in the simulated part-task setting the 2x density was very manageable and adequate for the interactive mode and was somewhat manageable with a manual trial planner. 3x density was somewhat manageable interactively, but would not pass the “spill your coffee” test. 3x density was unmanageable using the trial planning function alone and resulted in many separation violations. Objective and subjective data indicate that the conflict resolution automation was highly acceptable across traffic levels and provided efficient trajectory changes at high traffic densities. The conflict resolution automation reduced the average and the peak workload significantly. In this paper the problem, method, and key findings will be presented. This research is an initial step towards addressing the challenges associated with human/system integration for ground-based NextGen separation assurance and was funded by the Separation Assurance element of NASA’s Next Generation Air Transportation – Airspace Project.
Ubiquinone accumulates in the mitochondria of yeast mutated in the ubiquinone binding protein, Qcr8p

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the trans-membrane helix of Qcr8p, the ubiquinone binding protein of complex III, contributes to the Q binding site. In wild-type cells, residue 62 of the helix is non-polar (proline). Substitution of proline 62 with a polar, uncharged residue does not impair the ability of the cells to respire, complex III assembly is unaffected, ubiquinone occupancy of the Q binding site is unchanged, and mitochondrial ubiquinone levels are in the wild-type range. Substitution with a +1 charged residue is associated with partial respiratory competence, impaired complex III assembly, and loss of cytochrome b. Although ubiquinone occupancy of the Q binding site is similar to wild-type, total mitochondrial ubiquinone doubled in these mutants. Mutants with a +2 charged substitution at position 62 are unable to respire. These results suggest that the accumulation of ubiquinone in the mitochondria may be a compensatory mechanism for impaired electron transport at cytochrome b.
Trophic ecology of dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus (Actinopterygii, Epinephelidae) in littoral and neritic habitats of southern Brazil as elucidated by stomach contents and stable isotope analyses

Groupers are large-bodied fishes with broad global distribution and commercial and ecological importance. Many grouper species are endangered, but information on trophic ecology of groupers outside the Mediterranean Sea is limited. We integrated stomach contents analyses (SCA) and stable isotope analyses (SIA) to test the hypotheses that diets of dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus differ between littoral and neritic zones in the southwestern Atlantic, but exhibit similar ontogenetic shifts in prey size and consumption of fishes. SCA were dominated by fishes, crabs, and shrimp and differed significantly between habitats, but prey size and consumption of fishes increased with grouper body size at both sites. Grouper stable isotope ratios were similar between sites and among size classes, but integrating SCA and SIA distinguished ingested versus assimilated dietary components, improved dietary resolution, and provided a more comprehensive assessment of grouper in the food webs. Dusky grouper integrate benthic and pelagic trophic pathways, as well as estuarine and marine food webs via consumption of migratory prey. Our findings have applications to other threatened grouper populations, for example, in managing fragmented populations or for reserve designs considering inclusion of artificial substrates as grouper habitat, and more broadly for approaches examining trophic ecology of generalist predators.
Implementation of an agile maintenance mechanic assignment methodology

The objective of this research was to develop a decision support system (DSS) to study the impact of introducing new equipment into a medical apparel plant from a maintenance organizational structure perspective. This system will enable the company to determine if their capacity is sufficient to meet current maintenance challenges. The DSS contains two database sets that describe equipment and maintenance resource profiles. The equipment profile specifies data such as mean time to failures, mean time to repairs, and minimum mechanic skill level required to fix each machine group. Similarly, maintenance-resource profile reports information about the mechanic staff, such as number and type of certifications received, education level, and experience. The DSS will then use this information to minimize machine downtime by assigning the highest skilled mechanics to machines with higher complexity and product value. A modified version of the simplex method, the transportation problem, was used to perform the optimization. The DSS was built using the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) language contained in the Microsoft Excel environment. A case study was developed from current existing data. The analysis consisted of forty-two machine groups and six mechanic categories with ten skill levels. Results showed that only 56% of the mechanic workforce was utilized. Thus, the company had available resources for meeting future maintenance requirements.
Reduced additions to river phosphorus for three years following implementation of a lawn fertilizer ordinance

Abstract Water quality data collected weekly from May to September 2008–2010 show statistically significant reductions in total phosphorus (TP), dissolved phosphorus (DP), and soluble molybdate-reactive phosphorus (SRP) following implementation of a municipal ordinance limiting the application of lawn fertilizers containing phosphorus (P). No reductions were seen at an upstream control river site not affected by the ordinance. Nontarget analytes including nitrate, silica, colored dissolved organic matter, specific conductance, and pH did not change systematically at experimental sites as did P. The data were compared with a multiyear historical dataset at weekly and subweekly resolution that preceded the ordinance. Mean concentrations of the 3 P analytes were lower than those of the reference period in 43 of 45 comparisons, and statistically significant reductions were observed in one or more of these analytes from June to September, but not in May. A statistical model that incorporated temporal effects, ...
Evaluating Behavioral and Emotional Disorders with the CBCL, TRF, and YSR Cross-Informant Scales:

A model of multiaxial empirically based assessment is described that incorporates standardized rating scales for obtaining parent, teacher, and self-reports of behavioral and emotional problems. Special emphasis is placed on the cross-informant scales of the 1991 scoring profiles for the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Teacher's Report Form (TRF), and Youth Self-Report (YSR). Their application to the federal special education definition of Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) is illustrated in a case example. Data from multiple sources are applied to criteria for SED to determine eligibility for special education services.
Wide-Angle High Resolution SAR Imaging and Robust Automatic Target Recognition of Civilian Vehicles

This paper focuses on wide-angle synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging and automatic target recognition of civilian vehicles. A recently proposed hybrid data adaptive method is applied to generate accurate and sparse SAR images of civilian vehicles. We combine projection slice theorem (PST) with 2-D FFT to obtain a more accurate pose estimation than the established PST. Given the so-obtained pose estimates, the horizontal and vertical cumulative-sum-vector (CSV) profiles are utilized to focus the SAR image only on the vehicle of current interest. The corresponding vertical CSV is used as a simple feature for automatic target recognition (ATR). We adopt the local learning based feature selection for ATR. The effectiveness of the entire chain of imaging, pose estimation, feature extraction, and ATR methods is verified using the experimentation results based on the publicly available GOTCHA SAR data set. We demonstrate that the high resolution SAR imaging results in much improved ATR performance compared to the conventional SAR imaging.
DIABETES AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

As a systemic disorder, diabetes affects both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Virtually every aspect of the nervous system and its supporting structures, from the cerebral cortex to the effector organs, may be involved with the complications of diabetes. These involvements are caused by the direct effect of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia and attempts at their control; hyperglycemia-induced metabolic derangements; neurochemical alterations; serum lipid changes; and vascular, coagulation, and thrombotic abnormalities. Other neurologic conditions may be associated with, but not caused by, diabetes, including Friederich's ataxia and myotonic muscular dystrophy, and, in some cases, similar immunopathogenetic mechanisms may be shared (e.g., stiff-man syndrome and type I diabetes.) This article deals specifically with the complications of diabetes on the nervous system.
Maternal note-taking and infant care: a pilot randomised controlled trial

Design A pilot randomised controlled trial was conducted with postpartum mothers to assess the feasibility and impact of note-taking during newborn teaching. Controls received standard teaching; the intervention group received pen and paper to take notes. Subjects were called 2 days post-discharge to assess infant sleep position, breastfeeding, car seat use, satisfaction and information recall. Results 126 mothers were randomised. There was a consistent trend that intervention subjects were more likely to report infant supine sleep position (88% vs 78%, relative risks (RR) 1.13; 95% CI 0.95 to 1.34), breastfeeding (96% vs 86%, RR 1.11; 95% CI 0.99 to 1.25) and correct car seat use (98% vs 87%, RR 1.12; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.25). Satisfaction and information recall did not differ. Among first-time mothers, intervention subjects were significantly more likely to report infant supine sleep position (95% vs 65%, RR 1.46; 95% CI 1.06 to 2.00). Conclusions Maternal note-taking is feasible and potentially efficacious in promoting desirable infant care.
Prediction of the RM values of selected methyl esters of higher fatty acids in RPTLC

Methyl laurate, methyl myristate, methyl palmitate, methyl isostearate, methyl stearate, and methyl arachidate have been separated by RPTLC on kieselguhr F 254 impregnated with different amounts of paraffin oil, using two different mobile phases. The R M values of these compounds for all the stationary phases and mobile phases investigated could be correlated with the dipole moments of the mobile phases, with the percentage impregnation of the stationary phase, and with numerical values of one topological index from among those based on the distance matrix ( W , A , ° B , 1 B ) or on the adjacency matrix ( 1 X , 1 X v ). The theoretical partition coefficient (log P ) for methyl isostearate was calculated from R M values or from one of the topological indexes mentioned above.
Prognostic significance of QRS duration and morphology

QRS duration and morphology, evaluated via a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), represent an opportunity to derive useful prognostic information regarding the risk of subsequent cardiac events or therapeutic outcomes. Prolonged QRS duration, and the presence of intraventricular conduction abnormalities, usually indicate the presence of changes in the myocardium due to underlying heart disease. Prolonged QRS duration is often associated with depressed ejection fraction or enlarged left ventricular volumes, but several studies have demonstrated that this simple ECG measure provides independent prognostic value, after adjusting for relevant clinical covariates. Post-infarction patients with prolonged QRS duration have a significantly increased risk of mortality, although data associating QRS prolongation specifically with sudden death is less supportive. In non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, there is no evidence that QRS duration has prognostic significance in predicting mortality or sudden death. Prolonged QRS duration, and especially presence of left bundle branch block, seems to predict a benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy in both ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy patients. Therefore, QRS duration and morphology should not only be considered a predictor of death or sudden death in patients after myocardial infarction, and in those suspected of coronary artery disease, but also as a predictor of benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with heart failure, whether of an ischemic or non-ischemic origin.
Particle segregation by Stokes number for small neutrally buoyant spheres in a fluid

It is a commonly observed phenomenon that spherical particles with inertia in an incompressible fluid do not behave as ideal tracers. Due to the inertia of the particle, the planar dynamics are described in a four-dimensional phase space and thus can differ considerably from the ideal tracer dynamics. Using finite-time Lyapunov exponents, we compute the sensitivity of the final position of a particle with respect to its initial velocity, relative to the fluid, and thus partition the relative velocity subspace at each point in configuration space. The computations are done at every point in the relative velocity subspace, thus giving a sensitivity field. The Stokes number, being a measure of the independence of the particle from the underlying fluid flow, acts as a parameter in determining the variation in these partitions. We demonstrate how this partition framework can be used to segregate particles by Stokes number in a fluid. The fluid model used for demonstration is a two-dimensional cellular flow.
A 12.5 GHz RF matrix amplifier in 180nm SOI CMOS

The design and implementation of an RF broadband amplifier in 180nm SOI CMOS is described. Using a parasitic-aware design and optimization methodology based on particle swarm optimization techniques, the RF matrix amplifier achieves a 15.1 dB forward gain (S/sub 21/) over a 12.5GHz bandwidth. It dissipates 233mW.
Ecotoxicologic change at a remediated superfund site in San Francisco, California, USA.

Lauritzen Channel is an industrial waterway adjacent to the former United Heckathorn facility in the inner Richmond Harbor area of San Francisco Bay, California, USA. Marine sediments at this Superfund site were dredged from late 1996 through early 1997 to remove the primary chemicals of concern: DDT, and dieldrin. This study assessed the Lauritzen Channel marine environment immediately before and approximately one year after the dredging of sediments. The study included chemical analysis of sediments, tissue concentrations of transplanted mussels, toxicity testing of sediment samples, and characterization of benthic community structure. Results indicated that sediment toxicity to bivalve larvae ( Mytilus galloprovincialis) decreased in postre- mediation samples, but that toxicity to the amphipod Eohaustorius estuariusincreased significantly. Assessment of benthos at this site suggested a transitional benthic community structure. In addition, postremediation sediments remained contaminated by a variety of organic chemical compounds, including DDT, dieldrin, chlordane, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated bi- phenyls. Tissue concentrations of DDT and dieldrin in mussels (M. galloprovincialis) were lower than those in preremediation samples, indicating that although sediment concentrations of organochlorine pesticides remained high, concentrations of these chemicals in the water column were reduced after dredging. This study demonstrates that the components of the site assessment were useful in determining effectiveness of the remediation activities.
Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Ganciclovir in Patients with Normal and Impaired Renal Function

The pharmacokinetics of ganciclovir was evaluated in 21 patients with life- or sight-threatening cytomegalovirus infections. Thirteen patients had normal renal function and eight patients had various degrees of renal insufficiency. Most patients received 5 mg of ganciclovir/kg as a 1-hour intravenous infusion twice daily for periods of up to 2 weeks. Quantification of ganciclovir was assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay. In patients with normal renal function, a biexponential decay of ganciclovir from plasma was observed, with an initial distribution half-life (t1/2) of 0.76 +/- 0.67 hour and a terminal elimination t1/2 of 3.60 +/- 1.40 hours. A large fraction of the administered dose was excreted in urine, and total clearance of ganciclovir correlated well with creatinine clearance. In patients with renal insufficiency who were receiving 5 mg of ganciclovir/kg, the terminal elimination t1/2 of ganciclovir was markedly increased (11.50 +/- 3.90 hours), as compared with values obtained in patients with normal renal function. Hemodialysis efficiently reduced levels of ganciclovir in plasma by approximately 53.0% +/- 11.5%, a finding that indicates this drug should be administered after dialysis.
Prostate-Specific Antigen Testing: Good or Bad?

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening is not the panacea that enthusiasts hoped for, but it is not worthless. Men who have elevated PSA need to be aware that a prostate biopsy can identify both clinically significant and insignificant cancers and that intervention can affect quality of life. The oncologist can provide expert guidance, but once a patient understands the risks and benefits, only he can make the choice to be screened or not.
Exogenous Factors Affecting Respiration in Tetrahymena pyriformis

SYNOPSIS. Respiration of Tetrahymena pyriformis W, grown in Proteose peptone-glucose medium, was determined by Warburg's direct and indirect methods. The Qo2 varied inversely with cell concentration under exogenous conditions (cells in conditioned medium, i.e., one which had supported growth) as determined by both methods, and under endogenous conditions (washed cells suspended in salts solution) when determined by the indirect method. Endogenous respiration, measured by the direct method, was low but independent of cell concentration. Respiration, determined by the direct method, was little affected by lowered O2 availability, but varied directly with nutrient availability. The inhibitor, malonate, which also stimulates respiration at greater dilutions, inhibited respiration at 10−2M when present with low cell concentrations, but stimulated at high cell concentrations. The reduced respiration at higher cell concentrations is thought less due to lack of O2 than to CO2 accumulation and competition for nutrients. Consideration of these variables is essential in comparing data from the literature.
The dual nature of ecosystem dynamics

Mechanistic simulation modeling has not generally delivered on its promise to turn ecology into more of a “hard” science. Rather, it appears that deeper insights into ecosystem functioning may derive from a new set of metaphysical assumptions about how nature functions. Force laws from physics are fundamentally incompatible with the heterogeneity and uniqueness that characterizes ecosystems. Instead, coherence, selection and centripetality are imparted to ecological systems by concatenations of beneficial processes—a generalized form of autocatalysis. These structure-enhancing configurations of processes are opposed by the ineluctable tendency of structure to decay (as required by the second law of thermodynamics). The dual nature of this agonism can be quantified using information theory, which also can be used to measure the potential of the system for further evolution. The balance point for these countervailing tendencies seems to coincide with the state of maximal potential for the system to evolve. In an ostensible paradox, the same locus seems to attract stable, persistent system configurations.
The Structure of a Near Coincidence Σ=5, [001] Twist Boundary in Silicon

The dislocation structure of a near coincidence Σ=5 twist boundary in silicon was studied using transmission electron microscopy. Secondary dislocations, with localized cores, were observed in the boundary accommodating a small deviation (<.5°) from perfect coincidence. The O-lattice theory for general low angle boundaries was extended to calculate the expected dislocation content of near coincidence boundaries. Comparison between predictions and observations was used to deduce information on the primary dislocation structure of the boundary.
Negative Ion Source Tests for H- Injection at the Brookhaven AGS

A magnetron ion source of Fermilab design has been adapted to provide an H- beam of 40 mA for acceleration in the Brookhaven 200 MeV Linac and injection into the AGS. The source operates at a repetition rate of 5 Hz and produces pulses of up to 250 ?sec duration. Source stability, beam current and emittance have been studied as a function of several external source parameters. Beam emittance has been measured for two values of field gradient in the combined function magnet following the source. Evidence of neutralization of the space charge potential of the H- beam has been noted. In the focussing plane the emittance was smaller by a factor of 2 for the higher magnet gradient.
Inclusive sum rules for isotopic spin

Abstract Inclusive sum rules for non-abelian symmetry generators and in particular for isospin are studied. A compact formalism is introduced which allows to exaract in a simple way all the consequences of invaraince properties.
Construction of good LDPC codes using dilation matrices

A new method is given to construct low-density parity check codes the graphs of which are of designed girth. We give examples to illustrate the new method, and also present performance diagrams that suggest that these codes are as good as random codes in low SNR, and preferable to random codes at higher SNR.
Effect of insecticide treatments on root lodging and yields of maize in controlled infestations of western corn rootworms (Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae)

Granular soil insecticides were applied at planting time to plots of maize ( Zea Mays L.) infested with known populations of eggs of western corn rootworm, Diabrotica vtrgifera vtrgifera LeConte, to determine how treatments protected plants from root lodging and yield loss caused by larval feeding. The percentage of lodged plants increased significantly with increases in egg density. Percentage lodging in untreated plots also differed significantly between years, and there was a significant year-by-egg density interaction. Insecticides significantly reduced root lodging, but lodging in carbofuran-treated plots was greater than in all other treatments. Percentage yield loss caused by larval feeding was consistent each year for each egg density, and yield loss was significantly greater in plots infested with higher egg densities. Terbufos and isofenphos were not consistent in preventing yield loss; these insecticides caused a significant year-by-treatment interaction. As main effects, yield protection by insecticides was consistent each year, and the insecticides did not differ in their ability to protect yield. Yields in treated plots infested with 300 and 600 eggs per 0.3 m of row did not differ significantly from untreated plots; however, yields in treated plots infested with 1,200 and 2,400 eggs per 0.3 m of row were significantly higher when insecticides were used. Correlations between root damage ratings and yields of untreated plants were highly significant. For insecticide-treated plots, root damage ratings were not significantly correlated with yield, which suggests that root damage ratings are poor criteria for evaluating insecticide efficacy.
The role of nuclear factor-κb in the biology and treatment of multiple myeloma

Increased nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB activity is associated with enhanced tumor cell survival in multiple myeloma (MM). The function of NF-kappaB is inhibited through binding to its inhibitor, IkappaB. Release of activated NF-kappaB follows proteasome-mediated degradation of IkappaBalpha resulting from phosphorylation of the inhibitor and finally conjugation with ubiquitin. We report that myeloma tumor cells show enhanced NF-kappaB activity. In addition, these patients possess polymorphisms of IkappaBalpha at sites important in the degradation of the inhibitor protein. Exposure of myeloma cells to chemotherapy leads to an increase in IkappaBalpha phosphorylation and reduces the levels of this inhibitor of NF-kappaB function. Chemoresistant myeloma cell-lines have increased NF-kappaB activity compared to sensitive lines. An inhibitor of NF-kappaB activity, the proteasome inhibitor PS-341 (Millenium Inc, Boston, MA), showed consistent antitumor activity against chemoresistant and sensitive myeloma cells. The sensitivity of chemoresistant myeloma cells to chemotherapeutic agents was markedly increased (100,000- to 1,000,000-fold) when combined with a noncytotoxic dose of PS-341. In contrast, this combination had little growth inhibitory effect on normal hematopoietic cells. Similar effects were observed using a dominant negative super-repressor for IkappaBalpha. These results suggest that inhibition of NF-kappaB with PS-341 may overcome chemoresistance and allow doses of chemotherapeutic agents to be markedly reduced with antitumor effects without significant toxicity.
Clustering Algorithms: a Review

A review of clustering concepts and algorithms is provided emphasizing: (a) output cluster structure, (b) input data kind, and (c) criterion. A dozen cluster structures is considered including those used in either supervised or unsupervised learning or both. The techniques discussed cover such algorithms as nearest neighbor, K-Means (moving centers), agglomerative clustering, conceptual clustering, EM-algorithm, high-density clustering, and back-propagation. Interpretation is considered as achieving clustering goals (partly, via presentation of the same data with both extensional and intensional forms of cluster structures).
ICA analysis of face color for health applications

Continuous health status updates can be useful in providingwarning signs for health problems, especially in caring for aging populations. Techniques in computer vision and statistical analysis can provide a way to automatically and remotely evaluate certain aspects of a person’s health condition. This paper describes a method for using Independent Component Analysis to analyze face color to identify potential problems. This method can be implemented using a low-cost web-camera combined with available open-source libraries.
Scalable posterior approximations for large-scale Bayesian inverse problems via likelihood-informed parameter and state reduction

Two major bottlenecks to the solution of large-scale Bayesian inverse problems are the scaling of posterior sampling algorithms to high-dimensional parameter spaces and the computational cost of forward model evaluations. Yet incomplete or noisy data, the state variation and parameter dependence of the forward model, and correlations in the prior collectively provide useful structure that can be exploited for dimension reduction in this setting-both in the parameter space of the inverse problem and in the state space of the forward model. To this end, we show how to jointly construct low-dimensional subspaces of the parameter space and the state space in order to accelerate the Bayesian solution of the inverse problem. As a byproduct of state dimension reduction, we also show how to identify low-dimensional subspaces of the data in problems with high-dimensional observations. These subspaces enable approximation of the posterior as a product of two factors: (i) a projection of the posterior onto a low-dimensional parameter subspace, wherein the original likelihood is replaced by an approximation involving a reduced model; and (ii) the marginal prior distribution on the high-dimensional complement of the parameter subspace. We present and compare several strategies for constructing these subspaces using only a limited number of forward and adjoint model simulations. The resulting posterior approximations can rapidly be characterized using standard sampling techniques, e.g., Markov chain Monte Carlo. Two numerical examples demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of our approach: inversion of an integral equation in atmospheric remote sensing, where the data dimension is very high; and the inference of a heterogeneous transmissivity field in a groundwater system, which involves a partial differential equation forward model with high dimensional state and parameters.
Trial by YouTube

Media campaigns against professors exercising their academic freedom to teach are being addressed in eerily similar ways. At Michigan State University in the first week of September 2013, and at the University of Kansas two weeks later, tenured professors were suspended from their teaching duties by administrative action without due process. Although suspension has long been regarded as a disciplinary measure short of dismissal, in the new atmosphere of social media blitzkrieg, the action is represented as a rescue operation to protect the teaching professor from cameras, clamor, and death threats. At the same time, some administrators suggest that the professors who have offended the sensibilities of some of their students may have poisoned the learning environment. The authors review and defend academic freedom in the new climate.
New drugs in acute myeloid leukemia

The standard therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has not changed meaningfully for the past four decades. Improvements in supportive care and modifications to the dose and schedule of existing agents have led to steady improvements in outcomes. However, developing new therapies for AML has been challenging. Although there have been advances in understanding the biology of AML, translating this knowledge to viable treatments has been slow. Active research is currently ongoing to address this important need and several promising drug candidates are currently in the pipeline. Here, we review some of the most advanced and promising compounds that are currently in clinical trials and may have the potential to be part of our future armamentarium. These drug candidates range from cytotoxic chemotherapies, targeted small-molecule inhibitors, and monoclonal antibodies.
EFFECT OF TETRACYCLINE ON THE CYTOLOGY OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS.

The results of Hash et al (1964) strongly suggest that an immediate and extensive impairment of protein synthesis is the primary mechanism of antimicrobial action of tetracycline (TC) in Staphylococcus aureus. Inhibited cells continue to synthesize nucleic acid and cell wall for some time, but cessation of these processes and all other observed effects are considered to be secondary to inhibition of protein formation. In an earlier work Hash and Davies (1962) investigated with an electron microscope the cytological effects of TC on S. aureus. They reported that after exposure to the drug the cells were larger with a greater electron density, no transverse septa were evident, and the cell walls were thicker. However, the low resolution and final magnification (about 16,000 X) of their published electron micrographs do not permit a thorough examination of the cytoplasm of drug-treated cells. The work reported below was undertaken to obtain higher resolution electron micrographs of S. aureus before and after exposure of the cells to TC.
Jointly learning data-dependent label and locality-preserving projections

This paper describes a novel framework to jointly learn data-dependent label and locality-preserving projections. Given a set of data instances from multiple classes, the proposed approach can automatically learn which classes are more similar to each other, and construct discriminative features using both labeled and unlabeled data to map similar classes to similar locations in a lower dimensional space. In contrast to linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and its variants, which can only return c-1 features for a problem with c classes, the proposed approach can generate d features, where d is bounded only by the number of the input features. We describe and evaluate the new approach both theoretically and experimentally, and compare its performance with other state of the art methods.
Omega-limit sets for shift spaces and unimodal maps

Abstract This paper investigates the structure of points u ∈ A N that are such that the omega-limit set ω ( u , σ ) is precisely X , where X ⊆ A N is an internally transitive shift space. We then use those results to study the possible structures of the omega-limit set of the turning point for a unimodal map. Examples are provided of unimodal maps f where no iterate of the turning point c is recurrent and ω ( c , f ) is either a minimal Cantor set or properly contains a minimal Cantor set.
The Association Between Marijuana Usage and Discrimination Among Adult Black Men

Black men may use marijuana as an externalizing coping mechanism to handle the chronic stress of discrimination. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between everyday and major disc...