cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Molecular Model for Lithium’s Bioactive Form

Abstract Lithium carbonate, a drug for the treatment of bipolar disorder, provides mood stability to mitigate recurrent episodes of mania and/or depression. Despite its long-term and widespread use, the mechanism by which lithium acts to elicit these psychological changes has remained unknown. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods, in this study we characterized the association of lithium with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and identified a bimetallic (Mg·Li) ATP complex. Lithium's affinity to form this complex was found to be relatively high ( K d ∼1.6 mM) compared with other monovalent cations and relevant, considering lithium dosing and physiological concentrations of Mg 2+ and ATP. The ATP·Mg·Li complex reveals, for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, that lithium can associate with magnesium-bound phosphate sites and then act to modulate purine receptor activity in neuronal cells, suggesting a molecular mode for in vivo lithium action.
A Developmental Transcriptome Map for Allotetraploid Arachis hypogaea .

The advent of the genome sequences of Arachis duranensis and Arachis ipaensis has ushered in a new era for peanut genomics. With the goal of producing a gene atlas for cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea), 22 different tissue types and ontogenies that represent the full development of peanut were sequenced, including a complete reproductive series from flower to peg elongation and peg tip immersion in the soil to fully mature seed. Using a genome-guided assembly pipeline, a homeolog-specific transcriptome assembly for Arachis hypogaea was assembled and its accuracy was validated. The assembly was used to annotate 21 developmental co-expression networks as tools for gene discovery. Using a set of 8,816 putative homeologous gene pairs, homeolog expression bias was documented, and although bias was mostly balanced, there were striking differences in expression bias in a tissue-specific context. Over 9,000 alterative splicing events and over 6,000 non coding RNAs were further identified and profiled in a developmental context. Together, this work represents a major new resource for cultivated peanut and will be integrated into peanutbase.org as an available resource for all peanut researchers.
Independent component analysis with feature selective filtering

In this contribution, we propose a feature selective filtering scheme for independent component analysis (ICA) to improve the estimation of the sources of interest (SOI), i.e., sources that have certain desired features in their sample space. As an example, we show that ICA with a smooth filtering scheme can improve the estimation of the smooth image sources from a mixture of images, as well as the estimation of a smooth visual activation map in a hybrid functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data set. Hence, the technique can potentially be used in the analysis of fMRI data to improve the ICA estimation of functional activation regions that are expected to be smooth
Fungal endotipsitis: A case report and literature review.

Endotipsitis is a broad term used to describe sustained and clinically significant bacteremia or fungemia from a suspected vegetation or thrombus within the transjugular intrahepatic portosytemic shunt (TIPS) device. Endotipsitis is a rare infection in post-TIPS patients and given the diagnostic challenges, there is a need to establish formal diagnostic criteria. Bacterial causes of endotipsitis have been well documented in the literature, but few fungal-associated etiologies have been published to date. With this paucity of data, treatment strategies are lacking regarding the role of antifungal duration, the aggressiveness of medical therapy, and the role of liver transplantation. We present a case of Candida-associated endotipsitis and suggest a need for preferred management strategies in an effort to decrease the significant morbidity and mortality of the infection.
Bridging Knowledge Gaps to Understand How Zika Virus Exposure and Infection Affect Child Development.

Importance The Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic has profoundly affected the lives of children and families across the Americas. As the number of children born with ZIKV-related complications continues to grow, the long-term developmental trajectory for these children and the effect on their families remains largely unknown. In September 2016, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and partner National Institutes of Health institutes convened a workshop to develop a research agenda to improve the evaluation, monitoring, and management of neonates, infants, or children affected by ZIKV and its complications. The agenda also aims to optimally address the prospective effect of ZIKV exposure on the developing child. Observations The full clinical spectrum of congenital ZIKV syndrome has yet to be elucidated. In addition to the well-described anatomic and neurologic manifestations, clinicians are now describing infants with exaggerated primitive reflexes, epilepsy, acquired hydrocephalus and microcephaly, neurodevelopmental delay, gastrointestinal motility problems, and respiratory complications, such as pneumonia. While we are still learning more about the myriad clinical presentations in these severely affected children, it is also paramount to address the larger proportion of ZIKV-exposed infants who are asymptomatic at birth but, we assume, may develop problems later in life. The available evidence for neurologic, neurodevelopmental, neurobehavioral, auditory, and vision assessments and management for infants with congenital ZIKV syndrome was critically evaluated. Lessons from other congenital infections provide valuable clues about the complexities of management and the optimal approaches for evaluating, treating, and caring for the children, which include engaging and involving parents and caregivers in their treatment. Conclusions and Relevance Rigorous research is key to improving the identification of ZIKV-infected mothers and babies. Research also is critical to increasing basic understanding of the neuropathogenesis of congenital ZIKV disease and of the spectrum of clinical presentations of ZIKV infection so that agents to prevent and treat this devastating disease can be rapidly developed and studied.
“Her English ensign tied upside down”: Carnival as a means of anticolonial resistance in Emmanuel Appadocca:

This article focuses on Michel Maxwell Philip’s mid-nineteenth-century novel Emmanuel Appadocca (1854), which draws upon the cultural institution of carnival to critique British colonialism and adv...
Preoperative Hypoalbuminemia is a Risk Factor for Early and Late Mortality in Patients Undergoing Endovascular Juxtarenal and Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

Background Advances in endovascular aneurysm repair now allow surgeons to treat high-risk patients with complex aortic aneurysms. Stringent selection criteria for repair exist from an anatomic and technical perspective; however, there is a paucity of literature examining frailty in patients being evaluated for fenestrated and branched endovascular aortic repair (FEVAR). As a marker of frailty well supported in the literature, we hypothesized that preoperative hypoalbuminemia would increase risk for short-term mortality after endovascular juxtarenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Methods One thousand eighty nine consecutive patients with juxtarenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms considered high risk for open surgery from a single institution who underwent FEVAR from 2001 to 2014 were included in the study. Risk factors for all-cause mortality were identified via a Cox regression model on time to death. Results The patients with severe hypoalbuminemia (albumin P = 0.025, odds ratio [OR]: 4.967 (95% CI: 1.385–17.814, normal versus severe) and 2-year mortality P = 0.006, OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.05–5.73, normal versus severe), as well as increased 30-day complication rates P = 0.026, OR: 1.91, 95% CI: 0.9–4.17, normal versus severe). A univariate analysis for 30-day mortality revealed no significant difference in median age: 75.1 vs. 72.5 years (alive at 30 days (Q1, Q3: 69.8, 80.1) versus expired (Q1, Q3: 69.3, 77.8), P = 0.24. Conclusions Patients with hypoalbuminemia have significantly increased mortality risk. Albumin level is regulated by nutritional intake and inflammation due to chronic disease, which make it a useful part of a preoperative frailty assessment. Further studies are needed to identify whether optimizing nutrition status will affect albumin levels or decrease mortality.
Parameterization of aerosol scavenging due to atmospheric ionization under varying relative humidity

Simulations and parameterizations of the modulation of aerosol scavenging by electric charges on particles and droplets for different relative humidities have been made for 3 µm radii droplets and a wide range of particle radii. For droplets and particles with opposite-sign charges, the attractive Coulomb force increases the collision rate coefficients above values due to other forces. With same-sign charges, the repulsive Coulomb force decreases the rate coefficients, and the short-range attractive image forces become important. The phoretic forces are attractive for relative humidity less than 100% and repulsive for relative humidity greater than 100%, and have increasing overall effect for particle radii up to about 1 µm. There is an analytic solution for rate coefficients if only inverse square forces are present, but due to the presence of image forces, and for larger particles the intercept, weight and the flow around the particle affecting the droplet trajectory, the simulated results usually depart far from the analytic solution. We give simple empirical parameterization formulas for some cases, and more complex parameterizations for more exact fits to the simulated results. The results can be used in cloud models with growing droplets, as in updrafts, as well as with evaporating droplets in downdrafts. There is considered to be little scavenging of uncharged ice-forming nuclei in updrafts, but with charged ice-forming nuclei it is possible for scavenging in updrafts in cold clouds to produce contact ice nucleation. Scavenging in updrafts below the freezing level produces immersion nuclei that promote enhanced freezing as droplets rise above it.
Distributed regularized primal-dual method

We study a deterministic primal-dual subgradient method for distributed optimization of a separable objective function with global inequality constraints. To control the norm of dual variables, we augment the Lagrangian function with a regularizer on dual variables. Specifically, we show that under a certain restriction on the step size of the underlying algorithm, the norm of dual variables is inversely proportional to the regularizer's curvature. We leverage this result to bound the consensus terms and subsequently establish the convergence rate of the distributed primal-dual algorithm. We also establish an asymptotic decay rate on the norm of the constraint violation. We exhibit a tension between the convergence rate of the underlying algorithm and the decay rate associated with the constraint violation. Specifically, we show that when one of the inequality constraints is binding at optimal solutions, improving the convergence rate in the objective value deteriorates the decay rate of the constraint violation bound and vice versa. However, in the case that one optimal solution satisfies the inequality constraints strictly, the tension vanishes.
Planning ideas that matter: Livability, territoriality, governance, and reflective practice

Planning Ideas That Matter is a product of a weekly symposium commemorating the 75th anniversary of the city planning program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). While “planning” co...
THE STRUCTURE AND FRACTAL DIMENSION OF CLUSTER-CLUSTER AGGREGATES

In contrast to diffusion-limited aggregates, the aggregates formed by cluster-cluster collisions appear to be much more tenuous and less isotropic. In addition the dependence of their fractal dimensions D on the fractal dimensions dW of the cluster walk is weak. A Flory-type argument is upt forward to explain these observations. It is argued that the relevant length scale is the typical interpenetration depth of the clusters on collision l~R2(d-D)/d, where R is the average end-to-end distance of a cluster. Using this length scale one finds self-consistently that D=d(4d+3)/(9d-2) for D dc, independent of dw. Also the resulting aggregates are anisotropic, the principal radii of gyration obeying R||/R⊥=2.
Showpiece: ISnap demonstration

This showpiece will present iSnap, an extension of the block-based, novice programming environment Snap!, which supports struggling students by providing on-demand hints and feedback that help them complete programming assignments. iSnap extends the existing syntactic scaffolding offered by block-based programming to additionally support the implementation of programming tasks. Research on iSnap has explored questions of how visual programming environments can better support learners, the impact of this support, and how learners seek and use computer-based help. The showpiece will consist of an interactive demonstration of iSnap, including the user interface experienced by students and the data-driven algorithm used to automatically generate the programming feedback.
Evidence on the importance of cognitive ability tests for NFL quarterbacks: what are the relationships among Wonderlic scores, draft positions and NFL performance outcomes?

Employing data on National Football League (NFL) quarterbacks drafted between 2002 and 2012, the authors consider whether factors correlated with a quarterback being more productive in the NFL are ...
The Strange Fruit of American Political Development

What is the relationship between black social movements, state violence, and political development in the United States? Today, this question is especially important given the staggering number of ...
Additional treatments, satisfaction, symptoms and quality of life in women 1 year after vaginal and abdominal pelvic organ prolapse repair.

To evaluate additional treatments, symptoms, satisfaction and quality of life 1 year after vaginal and abdominal pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair. Adult women enrolled in a prospective POP database were reviewed. Baseline and outcomes data 1 year after surgery were collected including the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI) and mailed surveys. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, Fisher’s exact tests and t tests. Of 222 women, 147 (66%) had vaginal and 75 (34%) had abdominal repair. Vaginal group patients were older (64.1 vs. 59.7 years; p = 0.003), but other demographic characteristics did not differ. Vaginal group patients had lower baseline anterior and apical prolapse grades (anterior 2.7 vs. 3.1, p = 0.003; apical 2.1 vs. 3.1, p < 0.001). Baseline PFDI scores were similar. Scores improved significantly for both groups after 1 year, but 1-year PFDI scores were significantly higher in the vaginal group (45.6 vs. 32.6, p = 0.032). Scores were not different when adjusted for age and prolapse grade (p = 0.24). At 1 year, most patients in the vaginal and abdominal groups reported moderately/markedly improved overall symptoms (72/108 vs. 50/60, p = 0.030) and quality of life (89/101 vs. 54/59, p = 0.601). Most were satisfied with surgery (68/101 vs. 48/59, p = 0.067). Retreatment rates (pelvic floor physical therapy, medications, coping strategies, surgical procedures) were similar (34/109 vs. 15/62, p = 0.381). Vaginal mesh use did not affect additional treatments, patient satisfaction or symptoms. Although symptoms improve and most women are satisfied with surgery, about one in four women have additional therapy in the first year after POP repair.
Engineering and Business Management: The Odd Couple

This chapter has four main parts: the first sketches the changing relationship between engineering and business management; the second describes some differences between the response of business schools to this relationship and the response of engineering schools, especially the difference in their respective courses in “ethics”; the third part draws from the first two a statement of a major problem in relations between engineers and business managers, that is, combining business-management-as-a-mercenary-calling with engineering-as-a-profession; the fourth part proposes a response for business schools to that problem, especially the introduction of the concept of “managing with professionals”. Engineers and business managers work together best when they understand the value of the ways in which they differ.
Build Orientation Effects on Texture and Mechanical Properties of Selective Laser Melting Inconel 718

The production of components via selective laser melting (SLM) metal additive manufacturing results in microstructures unique to the process that are highly dependent on laser processing parameters and orientation of part geometry relative to the build direction. This study investigates the variation in tensile properties of SLM Inconel 718 at varying angles with respect to build direction. ASTM E8 tensile specimens were built in XY, Z, and B+45 from Z orientations to near-net shape, HIP and heat treated, and tensile tested at room temperature. Orientation dependence of mechanical properties was observed; Z samples had the lowest strength and highest elongation, while XY samples had the highest strength and lowest elongation. Optical, SEM, and EBSD analysis were conducted to probe for microstructure variation that could be the cause of the difference in mechanical properties. Analysis of pole figures and grain maps suggests a preferred grain texture and twinning orientation that aligns with the build direction, which may contribute to the anisotropic enhancement in ductility.
The Proof Assistant as an Integrated Development Environment

We discuss the potential of doing program development, code generation, application-specific modelling, and verification entirely within a proof assistant.
Hypertonic saline versus mannitol for the treatment of increased intracranial pressure in traumatic brain injury.

Background Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) occurring after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. If appropriate treatments are not initiated, brain herniation can occur and lead to death. Previously, the Brain Trauma Foundation recommended mannitol as the first-choice hyperosmolar agent. However, in 2016, they retracted this recommendation, citing a lack of sufficient supporting evidence. Current research shows that hypertonic saline (HTS) also decreases ICP. Objectives To compare the efficacy of HTS and mannitol in lowering ICP in patients with TBI. Data sources A search was conducted up to June 1, 2019, using PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science. Selected articles compared mannitol and HTS in adults with TBI, with the measured outcome of reduced ICP. Four meta-analyses, three randomized controlled trials, and one retrospective cohort study met the inclusion criteria. Conclusions Hypertonic saline is an effective alternative to mannitol for increased ICP. Three studies suggested HTS may be superior to mannitol. Conclusions were limited by sample size and methodological differences, such as varying concentrations and doses, and inclusion of patients without TBI in their studies. Implications for practice Evidence demonstrates HTS to be as effective as mannitol for ICP reduction. Further research in a large multicenter clinical trial is needed to compare these two agents for superiority in the management of increased ICP. Providers should consider the properties of each agent, adverse effects, and potential benefits when selecting a hyperosmotic agent.
The portuguese colonial press and the Estado Novo

This essay discusses the Boletim Geral das Colonias (General Bulletin of the Colonies), which was renamed and continued to appear as the Boletim Geral do Ultramar (General Bulletin of the Overseas) , as an informative vehicle about the field of art and letters during the Portuguese Colonial Empire. Based on the monthly publication of the section ‘Arts and Letters,’ which began in February 1948, this study explores the sudden integration of a space dedicated to literary and cultural divulgation into such a publication. It furtherly discusses the form in which it was transmitted to the public; the advantages of this type of divulgation within the Portuguese colonial space; the dynamics between center and the peripheries; and, in a wider sense, how this space contributed to the construction of a cultural imaginary about the colonies and about the colonizer.
Rosetta: A Robust Space-Time Optimized Range Filter for Key-Value Stores

We introduce Rosetta, a probabilistic range filter designed specifically for LSM-tree based key-value stores. The core intuition is that we can sacrifice filter probe time because it is not visible in end-to-end key-value store performance, which in turn allows us to significantly reduce the filter false positive rate for every level of the tree. Rosetta indexes all binary prefixes of a key using a hierarchically arranged set of Bloom filters. It then converts each range query into multiple probes, one for each non-overlapping binary prefix. Rosetta has the ability to track workload patterns and adopt a beneficial tuning for each individual LSM-tree run by adjusting the number of Bloom filters it uses and how memory is spread among them to optimize the FPR/CPU cost balance. We show how to integrate Rosetta in a full system, RocksDB, and we demonstrate that it brings as much as a 40x improvement compared to default RocksDB and 2-5x improvement compared to state-of-the-art range filters in a variety of workloads and across different levels of the memory hierarchy (memory, SSD, hard disk). We also show that, unlike state-of-the-art filters, Rosetta brings a net benefit in RocksDB's overall performance, i.e., it improves range queries without losing any performance for point queries.
Boundaries of Thought

A consideration of boundaries of thought, how boundaries of thought may be expanded, and the relation of boundaries of thought to metaphysics.
Loss of p27Kip1 leads to expansion of CD4+ effector memory T cells and accelerates colitis-associated colon cancer in mice with a T cell lineage restricted deletion of Smad4.

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27Kip1 is a tumor suppressor whose intrinsic activity in cancer cells correlates with tumor aggressiveness, invasiveness, and impaired tumor cell differentiat...
Climate-induced lake drying causes heterogeneous reductions in waterfowl species richness

Lake size has declined on breeding grounds for international populations of waterfowl. Our objectives were to (1) model the relationship between waterfowl species richness and lake size; (2) use the model and trends in lake size to project historical, contemporary, and future richness at 2500+ lakes; (3) evaluate mechanisms for the species–area relationship (SAR); and (4) identify species most vulnerable to shrinking lakes. Monte Carlo simulations of the richness model were used to generate projections. Correlations between richness and both lake size and habitat diversity were compared to identify mechanisms for the SAR. Patterns of nestedness were used to identify vulnerable species. Species richness was greatest at lakes that were larger, closer to rivers, had more wetlands along their perimeters and were within 5 km of a large lake. Average richness per lake was projected to decline by 11 % from 1986 to 2050 but was heterogeneous across sub-regions and lakes. Richness in sub-regions with species-rich lakes was projected to remain stable, while richness in the sub-region with species-poor lakes was projected to decline. Lake size had a greater effect on richness than did habitat diversity, suggesting that large lakes have more species because they provide more habitat but not more habitat types. The vulnerability of species to shrinking lakes was related to species rarity rather than foraging guild. Our maps of projected changes in species richness and rank-ordered list of species most vulnerable to shrinking lakes can be used to identify targets for conservation or monitoring.
Operational performance analysis of passive acoustic monitoring for killer whales

For the planned tidal turbine site in Puget Sound, WA, the main concern is to protect Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) due to their Endangered Species Act status. A passive acoustic monitoring system is proposed because the whales emit vocalizations that can be detected by a passive system. The algorithm for detection is implemented in two stages. The first stage is an energy detector designed to detect candidate signals. The second stage is a spectral classifier that is designed to reduce false alarms. The evaluation presented here of the detection algorithm incoprporates behavioral models of the species of interest, environmental models of noise levels and potential false alarm sources to provide a realistic characterization of expected operational performance.
HIGH RESOLUTION PARTICLE SIZE ANALYSIS OF COATING MATERIALS

The particle size and particle size distribution (PSD) of paints, inks etc. fundamentally affect coating performance. Small changes in the PSD can often dramatically alter product performance. Popular sizing methods based on laser light scattering and laser diffraction are fast, but have inherently low resolution. The Disc Centrifuge is a device which uses a rapidly spinning disc to determine the sedimentation time and, ultimately, the particle size of colloidal suspensions. This device requires no calibration since it relies on Stokes1 law for centrifugal sedimentation. Recent advances in disc centrifuge design and data analysis mean that these devices can now yield high resolution results in the size range 0.01 to tens of micrometres. The basics of the disc centrifuge are outlined and data are presented which illustrate the utility of the technique to latex and carbon black size analysis.
A structured light method for sensing alignment during automated truss assembly

Visual processing is an important link in the control of an intelligent robotic system. The principle and construction of a structured light pattern for aligning two cylindrical beams axially is described. A TV camera is used to process the light and shadow information to obtain equations of the axes of the cylindrical beams using triangulation. The amount and direction in which the cylindrical beams are to be moved to align them is then computed. The feedback obtained from this system is proposed to be used in two ways: (1) teleoperated robotic mode; and (2) fully automatic mode. >
Symmetric and r-symmetric tropical polynomials and rational functions

Abstract A tropical polynomial in nr variables, divided into blocks of r variables each, is r-symmetric if it is invariant under the action of S n that permutes the blocks. For r = 1 we call these symmetric tropical polynomials. We can define r-symmetric and symmetric tropical rational functions in a similar manner. In this paper we identify generators for the sets of symmetric tropical polynomials and rational functions. While r-symmetric tropical polynomials are not finitely generated for r ≥ 2 , we show that r-symmetric tropical rational functions are and provide a list of generators.
Ladders and Bushes: The Problem of Caseloads and Studying Court Activities over Time

The “litigation explosion” has been a frequent topic of concern in both academic circles and the popular press. This idea draws its polemical power from the assumption that litigation rates were lower in the past. But we presently know little about long-term trends in court activity. This article is a critical review of the existing literature on long-term litigation trends and the social development model which scholars have posited to explain changes in litigation patterns. Whether courts are indeed facing imminent crisis because of an explosion is still very much an open question; the extant literature offers no proof of an explosion. The available data do suggest, however, that previous studies may have been overly optimistic in expecting litigation trends to follow any single pattern. The questions about litigation rates will remain open until we are able to gain a fuller understanding of the trends in court activity over time.
PALS: Efficient Or-Parallelism on Beowulf Clusters

This paper describes the development of the PALS system, an implementation of Prolog capable of efficiently exploiting or-parallelism on distributed-memory platforms--specifically Beowulf clusters. PALS makes use of a novel technique, called incremental stack-splitting. The technique proposed builds on the stack-splitting approach, previously described by the authors and experimentally validated on shared-memory systems, which in turn is an evolution of the stack-copying method used in a variety of parallel logic and constraint systems--e.g., MUSE, YAP, and Penny. The PALS system is the first distributed or-parallel implementation of Prolog based on the stack-splitting method ever realized. The results presented confirm the superiority of this method as a simple yet effective technique to transition from shared-memory to distributed-memory systems. PALS extends stack-splitting by combining it with incremental copying; the paper provides a description of the implementation of PALS, including details of how distributed scheduling is handled. We also investigate methodologies to effectively support order-sensitive predicates (e.g., side-effects) in the context of the stack-splitting scheme. Experimental results obtained from running PALS on both Shared Memory and Beowulf systems are presented and analyzed.
Multiple eccrine poromas in the paw of a dog

A 5-year-old, spayed female boxer dog presented to the referring veterinarian with a year-long history of swelling, ulceration and pain in the pawpad of the fourth digit of the right forelimb. Histologically, the pawpad was expanded by a mass composed of small polygonal cells forming broad bands and trabeculae within the lower epidermis that often infiltrated and replaced the overlying keratinocytes and that extended into the dermis. Lobules of eccrine glands within the deep dermis occasionally had one or more eccrine ducts that were lined by neoplastic ductal epithelial cells that formed papillary projections lined by one to two layers of neoplastic cells. Approximately 1 month after amputation of the fourth digit pad, several smaller nodular masses developed in multiple digital pads and the metacarpal pad of the same paw. All of the neoplasms were histologically identical to eccrine poroma (juxtaepidermal acrospiroma), a common benign neoplasm in humans that originates from the acrosyringium and upper dermal duct of eccrine glands. To the authors' knowledge this is the first report documenting an eccrine poroma in a dog.
Performances of autoregressive spectrum estimators based on three-term recurrence

The performance of two fast algorithms for estimating the power spectral density of an autoregressive process is analyzed. The algorithms perform similarly to the Burg algorithm, but require only two-thirds as many multiplications as the most efficient implementation of the Burg algorithm. This allows the high resolution associated with the Burg alogorithml to be obtained using many fewer computations. One algorithm is the deterministic form of the split lattice algorithm adjoined to the split Levinson recursions; however, its resolution is relatively poor. The other algorithm corrects a bias in the first algorithm and has resolution similar to the Burg algorithm. >
General framework for fault tolerance from ISO/ITU Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP)

The ISO Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP) is a software engineering enabler for the software architecture of distributed systems. It addresses the non-functional properties of distributed systems in terms of a framework of concepts, structuring rules, semantics and mechanisms. One such property is fault tolerance (FT). This paper provides a view of how RM-ODP addresses the FT framework. RM-ODP defines a model of FT and different recovery mechanisms that include recovery of an object, a group of objects, an interface, a binding, a bound interface, etc. Mechanisms for FT include a distinguished FT control object for the management of FT, replication, checkpoint/recovery, relocation, migration, and several transparencies to hide the FT mechanisms from the application developer. System-defined policies and schemata drive the FT. A brief comparison of this with the emerging proposal for a fault-tolerant version of the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) is also provided.
Pregnancy among US women: differences by presence, type, and complexity of disability

Background Approximately 12% of women of reproductive age have some type of disability. Very little is known about sexual and reproductive health issues among women with disabilities, including what proportion of women with disabilities experience pregnancy. Data on pregnancy are important to inform needs for preconception and pregnancy care for women with disabilities. Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the occurrence of pregnancy among women with various types of disability and with differing levels of disability complexity, compared with women without disabilities, in a nationally representative sample. Study Design We conducted cross-sectional analyses of 2008–2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey annualized data to estimate the proportion of women aged 18–44 years with and without disabilities who reported a pregnancy during 1 year of participation on the survey panel. We used a multivariable logistic regression to test the association of pregnancy with presence, type, and complexity of disability, controlling for other factors associated with pregnancy. Results Similar proportions of women with and without disabilities reported a pregnancy (10.8% vs 12.3%, with 95% confidence intervals overlapping). Women with the most complex disabilities (those that impact activities such as self-care and work) were less likely to have been pregnant (adjusted odds ratio, 0.69, 95% confidence interval, 0.52–0.93), but women whose disabilities affected only basic actions (seeing, hearing, movement, cognition) did not differ significantly from women with no disabilities. Conclusion Women with a variety of types of disabilities experience pregnancy. Greater attention is needed to the reproductive health care needs of this population to ensure appropriate contraceptive, preconception, and perinatal care.
Tools for Mapping and Merging Ontologies

Researchers in the ontology-design field have developed the content for ontologies in many domain areas. This distributed nature of ontology development has led to a large number of ontologies covering overlapping domains. In order for these ontologies to be reused, they first need to be merged or aligned to one another. We developed a set of tools to support semi-automatic ontology merging: iPrompt is an interactive ontology merging tool that guides the user through the merging process, presenting him with suggestions for next steps and identifying inconsistencies and potential problems. AnchorPrompt uses a graph structure of ontologies to find correlation between concepts and to provide additional information for iPrompt. we present the tools and results of our evaluation of the tools. We discuss other tools and approaches for mapping between ontologies, both in the field of ontology design and database-schema integration.
Investigating the feasibility of using partial least squares as a method of extracting salient information for the evaluation of digital breast tomosynthesis

Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) has shown promise for improving the detection of breast cancer, but it has not yet been fully optimized due to a large space of system parameters to explore. A task-based statistical approach 1 is a rigorous method for evaluating and optimizing this promising imaging technique with the use of optimal observers such as the Hotelling observer (HO). However, the high data dimensionality found in DBT has been the bottleneck for the use of a task-based approach in DBT evaluation. To reduce data dimensionality while extracting salient information for performing a given task, efficient channels have to be used for the HO. In the past few years, 2D Laguerre-Gauss (LG) channels, which are a complete basis for stationary backgrounds and rotationally symmetric signals, have been utilized for DBT evaluation 2, 3 . But since background and signal statistics from DBT data are neither stationary nor rotationally symmetric, LG channels may not be efficient in providing reliable performance trends as a function of system parameters. Recently, partial least squares (PLS) has been shown to generate efficient channels for the Hotelling observer in detection tasks involving random backgrounds and signals. 4 In this study, we investigate the use of PLS as a method for extracting salient information from DBT in order to better evaluate such systems.
DECREASED TRABECULAR SMOOTH MUSCLE AND CAVEOLIN-1 EXPRESSION IN THE PENILE TISSUE OF AGED RATS

Purpose: Because decreased trabecular smooth muscle content is reportedly associated with vasculogenic impotence in men, we performed a rodent study to investigate the effect of aging on trabecular smooth muscle content and caveolin-1 protein expression in penile smooth muscle cells.Materials and Methods: In 6 young (age 3 months) and 6 old (age 24 months) rats erectile function was evaluated by cavernous nerve stimulation. At sacrifice penile tissue samples were collected for Western blot analysis, Masson’s trichrome staining, caveolin-1 immunostaining and electron microscopy. The percent of smooth muscle in the trabecular tissue was assessed by computer assisted image analysis.Results: In the aged rats mean intracavernous pressure plus or minus standard deviation was decreased (70 ± 8.8 versus 107 ± 12.3 cm. water) and the latency period was increased (7.8 ± 1.2 versus 4.5 ± 0.5 seconds) significantly compared to values in the young rats (p <0.001). The mean ratio of trabecular smooth muscle-to-connecti...
On the electron spin polarization observed in TREPR experiments involving hydroxyl and sulfate radicals

Hydrogen peroxide and the persulfate dianion both undergo photochemical cleavage reactions in aqueous solution, creating a pair of hydroxyl (HO•) or sulfate anion ( ) radicals, respectively. These ...
Understanding phenomenological approaches to data analysis.

philosophical or methodological congruence with the nuances of the approach. data analysis, however, may perplex readers and lead to confusion when researchers fail to elucidate the rationale for their choices or the analytic steps taken. Thus readers should have an understanding of various phenomenological approaches. This article will compare four phenomenological approaches by Moustakas, Colaizzi, Giorgi, and van Kaam to data analysis commonly found in research reports.
Are the Optical Luminosity Fluctuations of 3C 273 Random

WE have shown1 that a light curve similar to that of the quasi-stellar source 3C 273 can be generated by a superposition of unit light curves occurring at random times. Gudzenko, Ozernoy and Chertoprud2 have argued (1) that the distribution of the observed luminosities should be expected to be Gaussian on our model, and (2) that the observed distribution is not Gaussian, so that the luminosity curve cannot be regarded as the superposition of random events. The purpose of this communication is to question the validity of both arguments and to show that the luminosity record may still be considered to be of random origin.
Development of the reproductive system of Caenorhabditis elegans

A morphological study of the growth and the development of the reproductive system of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been carried out. When the first stage larva hatches from the egg it contains four primordial gonadial cells. These cells proliferate and form the entire adult reproductive system, consisting of approximately 2500 nuclei, in 45 hr at 25°C. Several distinctive morphological featues of gonadogenesis and early embryogenesis that are recognizable in the compound microscope can be used to chart the development of the nematode. The mature gonad presents a linear developmental axis both temporally and morphologically of the formation of oocytes, fertilization, and the early stages of embryogenesis. The structure of the adult ovary indicates that the cytoplasm of each newly formed oocyte is derived from a common core of cytoplasm within the multinuclear ovary.
A comparison of shipper and carrier relationship strength

Purpose – Prior research has primarily examined interorganizational relationships from the supplier or customer side or using dyadic pairs. The study aims to offer a comparison of carrier and shipper relationship views using a hybrid research method examining the relationship from both points of view by sampling both populations independently with identical surveys.Design/methodology/approach – Mail surveys were used to collect data from the two samples. Invariance tests were conducted, and the model was analyzed using structural equation modeling (AMOS 5.0).Findings – Invariance tests of the measurement instrument and comparisons of specific results show that, in the context of shippers and carriers, relationships – specifically trust and commitment and the contribution of dependence to relationship strength – are perceived differently.Research limitations/implications – Empirically supporting significant differences in theoretical relationship constructs between the two participants in an interorganizat...
Effects on gastrointestinal functions and symptoms of serotonergic psychoactive agents used in functional gastrointestinal diseases

The effects of antidepressants on the gastrointestinal tract may contribute to their potential efficacy in functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome; buspirone, a prototype 5-HT1A agonist, enhances gastric accommodation and reduces postprandial symptoms in response to a challenge meal. Paroxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, accelerates small bowel but not colonic transit, and this property may not be relevant to improve gut function in functional gastrointestinal disorders. Venlafaxine, a prototype serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, enhances gastric accommodation, increases colonic compliance and reduces sensations to distension; however, it is associated with adverse effects that reduce its applicability in treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders. Tricyclic antidepressants reduce sensations in response to food, including nausea, and delay gastric emptying, especially in females. Buspirone appears efficacious in functional dyspepsia; amitriptyline was not efficacious in a large trial of children with functional gastrointestinal disorders. Clinical trials of antidepressants for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome are generally small. The recommendations of efficacy and number needed to treat from meta-analyses are suspect, and more prospective trials are needed in patients without diagnosed psychiatric diseases. Antidepressants appear to be more effective in the treatment of patients with anxiety or depression, but larger prospective trials assessing both clinical and pharmacodynamic effects on gut sensorimotor function are needed.
Disasters will happen - are you ready?

This article describes the important considerations and critical steps necessary to develop and maintain a credible disaster response capability based on the experience of a major telecommunication services provider.
A demographic analysis of the Wisconsin Regional Primate Center rhesus colony, 1962-1982.

A detailed demographic analysis was made of the Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center rhesus colony from vital statistics recorded over a 20-year period. Techniques used were based on demographic and epidemiological methods developed for human populations, which provide the potential for making standardized measurements within captive primate colonies. A life table based on 1,086 deaths showed an abnormally high survivorship at the older ages, probably caused by a tendency to retain especially robust animals for breeding purposes. During the period of study, 2,194 animals were removed for sale or research. Removal rates were relatively uniform across ages. Age-specific fertility rates based on 1,616 births occurring during the second decade showed a relatively rapid increase in births from about age 2 through age 12, with peak fertility persisting until about age 20. Vital events showed significant seasonality, with a birth peak in April and May. Analysis of the stable age structure (excluding removal) showed an intrinsic growth rate of 6.3%. With removal rates added, the growth rate dropped to -0.3%. Although the use of these methods is probably warranted onlyby the level of detail found in captive colony records, analysis of captive colonies can provide information relevant to the demography of wild primates.
Streptomyces coelicolor oxidase (SCO2837p): A new free radical metalloenzyme secreted by Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

The SCO2837 open-reading frame is located within the conserved central core region of the Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) genome, which contains genes required for essential cellular functions. SCO2837 protein (SCO2837p) expressed by Pichia pastoris is a copper metalloenzyme, catalyzing the oxidation of simple alcohols to aldehydes and reduction of dioxygen to hydrogen peroxide. Distinct optical absorption spectra are observed for oxidized and one-electron reduced holoenzyme, and a free radical EPR signal is present in the oxidized apoprotein, characteristic of the Tyr-Cys redox cofactor previously reported for fungal secretory radical copper oxidases, galactose oxidase and glyoxal oxidase, with which it shares weak sequence similarity. SCO2837p was detected in the growth medium of both S. coelicolor and a recombinant expression host (Streptomyces lividans TK64) by Western blotting, with the expression level dependent on the nature of the carbon source. This represents the first characterized example of a prokaryotic radical copper oxidase.
Distributed model predictive control of an experimental four-tank system

Abstract A distributed model predictive control (DMPC) framework is proposed. The physical plant structure and the plant mathematical model are used to partition the system into self-sufficient estimation and control nodes. Local measurements at the nodes are used to estimate the relevant plant states. This information is then used in the model predictive control calculations. Communication among relevant nodes during estimation and control calculations provides improvement over the performance of completely decentralized controllers. The DMPC framework is demonstrated for the level control of an experimental four-tank system. The performance of the DMPC system for disturbance rejection is compared with other control configurations. The results indicate that the proposed framework provides significant improvement over completely decentralized MPC controllers, and approaches the performance of a fully centralized design.
Hg(II)...Pd(II) metallophilic interactions.

Reaction of bis(pentafluorophenyl)mercury (1) with the Pd(II) complexes [Pd(salophen)] (I, salophen = N,N′-disalicylidene-o-phenylenediaminate) and [Pd(N^C)(OAc)]2 (II, N^C = (2-(2-pyridyl)phenyl-C,N)) leads to the formation of the supramolecular complexes [1−(I)2] and [1−(II)2] in which the mercury synthon is sandwiched by two molecules of the palladium complex. These complexes, whose formation can be observed in solution by UV−vis spectroscopy, have been fully characterized. The short Hg−Pd distances of 3.2841(2) A in [1−(I)2] and 3.1065(8) A in [1−(II)2] indicate the presence of a Hg−Pd metallophilic interaction which, at least for [1−(II)2], is complemented by a Pd(II)→Hg(II) donor−or component.