cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diazo reagents with small steric footprints for simultaneous arming/SAR studies of alcohol-containing natural products via O-H insertion.

Natural products are essential tools for basic cellular studies leading to the identification of medically relevant protein targets and the discovery of potential therapeutic leads. The development of methods that enable mild and selective derivatization of natural products continues to be of significant interest for mining their information-rich content. Herein, we describe novel diazo reagents for simultaneous arming and structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies of alcohol-containing natural products with a small steric footprint, namely, an α-trifluoroethyl (HTFB) substituted reagent. The Rh(II)-catalyzed O–H insertion reaction of several natural products, including the potent translation inhibitor lactimidomycin, was investigated, and useful reactivity and both chemo- and site (chemosite) selectivities were observed. Differential binding to the known protein targets of both FK506 and fumagillol was demonstrated, validating the advantage of the smaller steric footprint of α-trifluoroethyl derivativ...
Dopaminergic influences on emotional decision making in euthymic bipolar patients.

We recently reported that the D2/D3 agonist pramipexole may have pro-cognitive effects in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder (BPD); however, the emergence of impulse-control disorders has been documented in Parkinson’s disease (PD) after pramipexole treatment. Performance on reward-based tasks is altered in healthy subjects after a single dose of pramipexole, but its potential to induce abnormalities in BPD patients is unknown. We assessed reward-dependent decision making in euthymic BPD patients pre- and post 8 weeks of treatment with pramipexole or placebo by using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The IGT requires subjects to choose among four card decks (two risky and two conservative) and is designed to promote learning to make advantageous (conservative) choices over time. Thirty-four BPD patients completed both assessments (18 placebo and 16 pramipexole). Baseline performance did not differ by treatment group (F=0.63; p=0.64); however, at week 8, BPD patients on pramipexole demonstrated a significantly greater tendency to make increasingly high-risk, high-reward choices across the five blocks, whereas the placebo group’s pattern was similar to that reported in healthy individuals (treatment × time × block interaction, p<0.05). Analyses of choice strategy using the expectancy valence model revealed that after 8 weeks on pramipexole, BPD patients attended more readily to feedback related to gains than to losses, which could explain the impaired learning. There were no significant changes in mood symptoms over the 8 weeks, and no increased propensity toward manic-like behaviors were reported. Our results suggest that the enhancement of dopaminergic activity influences risk-associated decision-making performance in euthymic BPD. The clinical implications remain unknown.
Reply to Jacobs and Manfredo: More support for a pervasive decline in nature-based recreation

Jacobs and Manfredo (1) assert that (i) some forms of nature recreation are increasing, giving wildlife viewing as example; (ii) U.S. environmentalism has remained positive in a narrow range since the 1980s; (iii) we must measure all forms of outdoor participation within the individual to be able to gauge trends; and (iv) the correspondence between outdoor recreation and biodiversity support is likely low. We feel that these assertions are not well supported.
Congenital lateral cervical cysts of infancy

The etiology of lateral cervical cysts in infancy is complex. The cysts are congenital in origin and are derived from the third or fourth branchial apparatus. The authors describe two cases of congenital lateral cervical cysts with an internal opening in the pyriform sinus and possible origin in the third branchial arch. The embryology, clinical presentation, and operative management of this condition is reviewed.
Protein kinase C activation downregulates the expression and function of the basolateral Na+/K+/2Cl(-) cotransporter.

The basolateral Na+/K+/2Cl(-) cotransporter (NKCC1) has been shown to be an independent regulatory site for electrogenic Cl(-) secretion. The proinflammatory phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), which activates protein kinase C (PKC), inhibits basal and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-stimulated NKCC1 activity in T84 intestinal epithelial cells and decreases the steady state levels of NKCC1 mRNA in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The levels of NKCC1 protein also fall in accordance with the NKCC1 mRNA transcript and these levels are unaffected by 4alpha-phorbol, which does not activate PKC. Inhibition of maximal (cAMP-stimulated) NKCC1 functional activity by PMA was first detected by 1 h, whereas decreases in the steady state levels of NKCC1 mRNA were not detectable until 4 h. NKCC1 mRNA expression recovers toward control levels with extended treatment of cells with PMA suggesting that the PMA effects on NKCC1 expression are mediated through activation of PKC. Although NKCC1 mRNA and protein levels return to control values after extended PMA exposure, NKCC1 functional activity does not recover. Immunofluorescence imaging suggest that the absence of functional recovery is due to failure of newly synthesized NKKC1 protein to reach the cell surface. We conclude that NKCC1 has the capacity to be regulated at the level of de novo expression by PKC, although decreased NKCC1 expression alone cannot account for either early or late loss of NKCC1 function.
Characterization of substructure resistance in asymmetric gas separation membranes

Gas permeation through a typical state-of-the-art membrane can be described by defining three morphological features: namely skin thickness, skin integrity, and substructure resistance. Traditional gas permeation measurements tend to characterize skin thickness and skin integrity, but not substructure resistance. This presents a serious obstacle to the optimization of advanced hollow fiber membranes, since as skin thicknesses are reduced, substructure resistance becomes an increasingly significant contribution to the overall permeation rate. This paper illustrates how substructure resistance can affect permeation properties and demonstrates a new technique for characterizing this frequently important morphological feature. The technique involves applying a constant transmembrane pressure while varying the average gas pressure within the membrane. Thus, the mean free path of gas molecules permeating through the substructure can be altered while maintaining a constant driving force for permeation. Such experiments characterize the magnitude of the substructure resistance, as well as provide insight into the governing transport mechanism. These constant driving force/variable pressure permeation measurements can estimate the average pressure or mean free path at the transition where substructure resistance becomes negligible. This can then be used to compare the morphological features of different membranes. This technique is demonstrated on well-defined coated ceramic membranes, asymmetric polymeric flat sheet membranes, and asymmetric polymeric hollow fiber membranes.
Nitrogen mineralization in soils from Michigan's Saginaw valley and thumb region

Abstract An accurate estimate of nitrogen (N) mineralized during the growing season is needed for agronomically and environmentally sound N fertilizer recommendations. The objective of this study was to evaluate mineralization potential (No) of the predominate soil series in the Saginaw Valley and Thumb region of Michigan with the goal of utilizing this information to formulate N fertilizer recommendations. Air‐dried samples representing 17 sites were incubated and NO3 and NH4 produced were measured periodically. These data were used to determine N‐mineralization potential (No) utilizing exponential and hyperbolic models. The initial hypothesis for this study was the existence of a unique No value for each soil series. If this were the case, then this measurement could be used to formulate soil series specific N recommendations. Results show there is as much variability in No values within soil series as between soil series. Consequently, utilizing a single Novalue for a soil series in formulating N recom...
Case-based reasoning(CBR) model for ultra-fast cooling in plate mill

New generation thermo-mechanical control process(TMCP) based on ultra-fast cooling is being widely adopted in plate mill to product high-performance steel material at low cost. Ultra-fast cooling system is complex because of optimizing the temperature control error generated by heat transfer mathematical model and process parameters. In order to simplify the system and improve the temperature control precision in ultra-fast cooling process, several existing models of case-based reasoning(CBR) model are reviewed. Combining with ultra-fast cooling process, a developed R5 CBR model is proposed, which mainly improves the case representation, similarity relation and retrieval module. Certainty factor is defined in semantics memory unit of plate case which provides not only internal data reliability but also product performance reliability. Similarity relation is improved by defined power index similarity membership function. Retrieval process is simplified and retrieval efficiency is improved apparently by windmill retrieval algorithm. The proposed CBR model is used for predicting the case of cooling strategy and its capability is superior to traditional process model. In order to perform comprehensive investigations on ultra-fast cooling process, different steel plates are considered for the experiment. The validation experiment and industrial production of proposed CBR model are carried out, which demonstrated that finish cooling temperature(FCT) error is controlled within ±25°C and quality rate of product is more than 97%. The proposed CBR model can simplify ultra-fast cooling system and give quality performance for steel product.
Sex bias in the newspaper treatment of male-centered and female-centered news stories

Differences in the newspaper treatment of men and women were examined in two sets of news stories collected a year apart, in the fall of 1976 and 1977. In both samples, coverage of women was more likely to include mention of personal appearance, marital status, and spouse than was coverage of men. These differences could not be attributed to the greater number of men in the news, nor to differences in the sections of the newspaper where stories about men and stories about women were usually found. They were equally true of locally written and national wire-service stories.
Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering from Pyridine Adsorbed on Thin Layers of Stainless Steel

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been detected for pyridine adsorbed onto the surface of thin (average thickness = 2.0 to 8.8 nm), continuous layers of stainless steel that were laser ablated onto roughened electrodes of silver. The experimental were performed on samples immersed in 0.1M KCl + 0.05M pyridine. The SER spectra changed with applied potential, and the intensities of the spectra decreased with increasing thickness of stainless steel. This procedure opens up SERS to the study of electrochemical phenomena at interfaces between alloys and a wide range of aqueous gaseous environments.
Does combined multichannel intraluminal esophageal impedance and manometry predict postoperative dysphagia after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication

SUMMARY Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) is an effective treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease; however, some patients develop dysphagia postoperatively. Manometry is used to evaluate disorders of peristalsis, but has not been proven useful to identify which patients may be at risk for postoperative dysphagia. Multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII) evaluates the effective clearance of a swallowed bolus through the esophagus. We hypothesized that MII combined with manometry may detect those patients most at risk of developing dysphagia after LNF. Between March 2003 and January 2007, 74 patients who agreed to participate in this study were prospectively enrolled. All patients completed a preoperative symptom questionnaire, MII/manometry, and 24-h pH monitoring. All patients underwent LNF. Symptom questionnaires were administered postoperatively at a median of 18 months (range: 6–46 months), and we defined dysphagia (both preoperatively and postoperatively) as occurring more than once a month with a severity ≥4 (0–10 Symptom Severity Index). Thirty-two patients (43%) reported preoperative dysphagia, but there was no significant difference in pH monitoring, lower esophageal sphincter pressure/relaxation, peristalsis, liquid or viscous bolus transit (MII), or bolus transit time (MII) between patients with and without preoperative dysphagia. In those patients reporting preoperative dysphagia, the severity of dysphagia improved significantly from 6.8 ± 2 to 2.6 ± 3.4 (P < 0.001) after LNF. Thirteen (17%) patients reported dysphagia postoperatively, 10 of whom (75%) reported some degree of preoperative dysphagia. The presence of postoperative dysphagia was significantly more common in patients with preoperative dysphagia (P= 0.01). Patients with postoperative dysphagia had similar lower esophageal sphincter pressure and relaxation, peristalsis, and esophageal clearance to those without dysphagia. Neither MII nor manometry predicts dysphagia in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease or its occurrence after LNF. The presence of dysphagia preoperatively is the only predictor of dysphagia after LNF.
Relaxing effect of nicorandil (N-2-(hydroxyethyl)-nicotinamide nitrate), a new anti-angina agent, on the isolated vascular smooth muscle.

Abstract To define the mode of the vasorelaxing action of nicorandil as compared to nitroglycerin, the effects of the agent on the contractile response to various stimulations in rabbit aorta, cat coronary arteries and rabbit basilar arteries were evaluated. Nicorandil had a greater relaxing effect on the maximum response to norepinephrine (NE) than on the potassium (K+) response on all vascular smooth muscles used. In coronary and basilar arteries, however, the inhibitory action of nitroglycerin was not different on the response to both agonists. In coronary and basilar arteries the maximum inhibition of the NE response by nicorandil was greater than that by nitroglycerin. Nicorandil (10−5 M) but not phentolamine (10−5 M) inhibited the PGF2α-induced contractiion of the aorta. Either nicorandil or nitroglycerin suppressed the response of the aorta to the transmural stimulation. In a Ca2+-free medium containing K+ (40 mM), nicorandil decreased the response to excess Ca2+ in all preparations wheareas, nifedipine (10−6-10−5 M) abolished it. Nitroglycerin, however, had no effect on the Ca2+ -induced contraction on basilar arteries. In a Ca2+ -free medium, the residual NE-induced contraction was inhibited by nicorandil or nitroglycerin but not by nefidipine. The combined treatment with nicorandil and nitroglycerin caused a stronger suppression of residual NE response that that of a single treatment with either agent suggesting the different site of action for the two agents. These results suggest that the mode of vasorelaxing action of nicorandil may be due to the alteration (inhibition) of Ca2+ kinetics in the cell.
Exploiting unlabeled data for improving accuracy of predictive data mining

Predictive data mining typically relies on labeled data without exploiting a much larger amount of available unlabeled data. We show that using unlabeled data can be beneficial in a range of important prediction problems and therefore should be an integral part of the learning process. Given an unlabeled dataset representative of the underlying distribution and a K-class labeled sample that might be biased, our approach is to learn K contrast classifiers each trained to discriminate a certain class of labeled data from the unlabeled population. We illustrate that contrast classifiers can be useful in one-class classification, outlier detection, density estimation, and learning from biased data. The advantages of the proposed approach are demonstrated by an extensive evaluation on synthetic data followed by real-life bioinformatics applications for (1) ranking PubMed articles by their relevance to protein disorder and (2) cost-effective enlargement of a disordered protein database.
Setting the Stage for Learning

(1977). Setting the Stage for Learning. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 16, Nonverbal, pp. 167-173.
Public scholarship as a vocation

The calling of public scholarship is inherently multifaceted, and often inherently controversial; public scholars have to accommodate different spheres of society, different cultural values and goods, and even different political agendas in their work. Unlike academic workers, public scholars rarely have the opportunity to do work that is driven primarily by intellectual agendas, yet they also have to sustain fidelity to the ideas, values and standards of the disciplines they practice – even when sustaining fidelity means criticizing the most cherished tenets of the disciplines themselves. To be successful, public scholarship must be animated by a pluralist conception of society, a vision of the social world that recognizes that all of us live among different and incompatible cultures and that even the cultures we claim as our own have incommensurate and incompatible standards.
“The Woman is Not Always the Bad Guy”: Dominant Discourse and Resistance in the Lives of Battered Women

Feminist scholars promote an advocacy and social change approach that is rooted in centering women's knowledge and suggestions for change. This article centers and analyzes suggestions made by women staying in shelters for women who have been battered and explores the ways their perspectives reflect individualized or structural discourse and their solutions concentrate needs at the level of survival, equality, or transformation. The article finds that women have a range of perspectives and suggestions, and feminist scholars are encouraged to understand and address these from women's multiple positions while continuing to grapple with how to promote social change to improve women's lives.
True for Your School? How Changing Reputations Alter Demand for Selective U.S. Colleges:

There is a comprehensive literature documenting how colleges’ tuition, financial aid packages, and academic reputations influence students’ application and enrollment decisions. Far less is known about how quality-of-life reputations and peer institutions’ reputations affect these decisions. This article investigates these issues using data from two prominent college guidebook series to measure changes in reputations. We use information published annually by the Princeton Review—the best-selling college guidebook that formally categorizes colleges based on both academic and quality-of-life indicators—and the U.S. News and World Report—the most famous rankings of U.S. undergraduate programs. Our findings suggest that changes in academic and quality-of-life reputations affect the number of applications received by a college and the academic competitiveness and geographic diversity of the ensuing incoming freshman class. Colleges receive fewer applications when peer universities earn high academic ratings. H...
Insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome: progress and paradoxes.

Over the past 20 years, it has been clearly documented that I) polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has major metabolic sequelae related to insulin resistance and 2) insulin resistance plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the reproductive abnormalities of the disorder, Women with PCOS are at significantly increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Studies in isolated adipocytes and in cultured skin tibroblasts from PCOS women have demonstrated intrinsic postbinding defects in insulin-mediated glucose metabolism. In tibroblasts, the mitogenic pathway of insulin action is intact, consistent with a selective defect in insulin signaling. While PCOS skeletal muscle is resistant to insulin in vivo, cultured muscle cells have normal insulin sensitivity, consistent with a major role of extrinsic factors in producing insulin resistance in this tissue. Excessive serine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor or downstream signaling proteins may be involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in PCOS. The putative serine kinase is extrinsic to the insulin receptor but its identity is unknown, The explanations for tissue-specific and signaling pathway-specific differences in insulin action in PCOS are unknown but may involve differential roles of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 and IRS-2 in insulin signal transduction.
Preschoolers with Complex Health-Care Needs: A Survey of Early Childhood Special Education Teachers in Virginia.

A survey questionnaire was completed by 234 early childhood special education teachers in Virginia. The study sought to identify the current status of preschoolers with complex health-care needs in early childhood special education (ECSE) classes. First, the study sought to identify basic information about the size of the locality, which health maintenance procedures were currently being conducted in classrooms, who was responsible for implementing these procedures, how training was conducted, and what policies were in place in school systems. Second, the survey sought to determine if a relationship existed between the size of the locality and the existence of formal written policies, and between the size of the locality and the type of training conducted. Third, the study included open-ended questions to determine which aspects of receiving a child with complex healthcare needs were most frightening to teachers and what helped most in the transition of that child into their classrooms. ECSE teachers repo...
MIMO channel capacity for the distributed antenna

We examine the multi-input multi-output (MIMO) channel capacity where one side of the link constitutes a largely spaced antenna array, e.g. distributed antenna system (DAS), which prompts the need to model the channel that has both microscopic and macroscopic fading. Specifically, we consider a MIMO system comprising M antennas co-located at one side of the link and N largely separated ports each with L antennas colocated within a port at the other, named as generalized distributed antenna system (GDAS). We assume independent macroscopic and microscopic fading between ports and common macroscopic but independent microscopic fading at each antenna in a port. Using a simple composite fading channel model, a Rayleigh-lognormal composite fading, the influence of the macroscopic diversity as well as the microscopic diversity on the channel capacity, especially the outage capacity, of the MIMO GDAS is investigated for both the uplink and the downlink.
The organ distribution of 125I-fibrin in the generalized Shwartzman reaction and its relation to leucocytes.

Summary. A quantitative method utilizing 125I-fibrinogen was used to study the deposition and distribution of fibrin in the generalized Shwartzman reaction (GSR). In control rabbits, intravenous injection of 125I-fibrinogen results in the deposition of a small quantity of radioactive material uniformly distributed among the organs examined. After two doses of endotoxin 24 hr apart, the total organ radioactivity was increased eight-fold, most of it being found in the spleen, followed in turn by the lungs, kidneys and liver. Extraction experiments showed that the radioactive material had the characteristics of stabilized fibrin. Autoradiography of kidney slices established the characteristic features of the GSR by demonstrating localization of radioactivity in the renal glomeruli. In animals treated with warfarin, heparin, streptokinase or nitrogen mustard, little or no radioactive fibrin was found in the organs. A highly significant (P<0.001) correlation was found between the fall in leucocyte count 3 hr after the second dose of endotoxin and the amount of fibrin deposited in the organs. No corresponding correlation was found with the platelet count. The association of fibrin deposition and leucocytes was supported by expcriments with 51Cr-labelled leucocytes which were found also to accumulate predominantly in the spleen. The findings suggest that fibrin deposition in the GSR occurs as a result of the local interaction of leucocytes with circulating fibrin monomer (FM). Accumulation of fibrin deposits is attributed to inhibition of fibrinolysis. It is concluded that the development of the GSR requires the simultaneous presence of at least three factors: FM, granulocytes and inhibition of fibrinolysis. The absence of any one of these factors is sufficient to prevent fibrin deposition in endotoxin treated animals.
Risk and Returns of Commercial Real Estate: A Property Level Analysis

This paper develops a novel empirical method that uses property level cash flow information to estimate the risk and return characteristics of private commercial real estate. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that this method is more accurate than the conventional index-based approach. Applying this method to 3,125 commercial properties (with estimated total value of $147 billion in 2009) invested by institutional investors between 1978 and 2009, this paper finds that the commercial real estate risk premium is positively related to the GDP growth rate and the change in the credit spread, and negatively related to the inflation rate, the stock market risk premium, and the change in the term spread. The sensitivities vary across property types and time. This paper also finds that the risk characteristics of commercial real estate vary across property types. While apartments have small positive loadings on all three Fama French factors, offices, industrial, and retail properties have insignificant loadings on the stock market risk premium, large positive loadings on SMB, and negative loadings on HML. The factor loadings also vary across time.
Adjusting forward error correction with quality scaling for streaming MPEG

Packet loss can severely impact streaming video quality. Repair techniques protect streaming video from packet loss but at the price of a reduced effective transmission rate when streaming a flow in a capacity constrained situation. This paper proposes an algorithm that optimizes the choice of Forward Error Correction (FEC) to repair packet loss for streaming MPEG videos under a capacity constraint with quality scaling. An analytic model is developed to estimate the video quality of streaming MPEG given a quality scaling level and a specific FEC strength. Given network conditions in terms of packet loss rate, the model searches the total variable space to find the combination of FEC and scaling that yields the optimal quality under the capacity constraint. Analysis over a range of network conditions indicates that adjusting FEC with quality scaling provides significant performance improvement.
The Circadian Protein BMAL1 Regulates Translation in Response to S6K1-Mediated Phosphorylation

The circadian timing system synchronizes cellular function by coordinating rhythmic transcription via a transcription-translational feedback loop. How the circadian system regulates gene expression at the translational level remains a mystery. Here, we show that the key circadian transcription factor BMAL1 associates with the translational machinery in the cytosol and promotes protein synthesis. The mTOR-effector kinase, ribosomal S6 protein kinase 1 (S6K1), an important regulator of translation, rhythmically phosphorylates BMAL1 at an evolutionarily conserved site. S6K1-mediated phosphorylation is critical for BMAL1 to both associate with the translational machinery and stimulate protein synthesis. Protein synthesis rates demonstrate circadian oscillations dependent on BMAL1. Thus, in addition to its critical role in circadian transcription, BMAL1 is a translation factor that links circadian timing and the mTOR signaling pathway. More broadly, these results expand the role of the circadian clock to the regulation of protein synthesis.
Absolute interferometric tests of spherical surfaces based on rotational and translational shears

Traceability of interferometric form measurements requires characterization of the reference wavefront. We investigate absolute tests for spherical surfaces where the form errors of both reference and test surface are estimated by minimizing the difference in measurements obtained at various positions and orientations of the test surface. This approach yields an estimate for the test surface errors without changing experimental settings, such as cavity length, that may affect the apparent reference errors. The method requires at least one translation of the test surface in the field of view and one rotation. Additional measurements provide redundancies to improve and characterize measurement uncertainties. The errors of the reference and test surface are estimated with pixel-level spatial resolution without assuming an underlying error model, such as a representation based on Zernike polynomials. The estimation algorithm consists of an iterative sequence of stitching steps, with the role of reference and test surface reversed for each step. Measurement uncertainties are evaluated using Monte-Carlo procedures and analysis of residual errors for experiments with redundant measurements. Key sources of measurement uncertainty are spatially correlated measurement errors resulting from errors in test surface location, image distortion, and environmental effects. Experimental results are presented comparing the method to a random ball test.
Effect of Evidence-based Clinical Decision Support on the Use and Yield of CT Pulmonary Angiographic Imaging in Hospitalized Patients.

Implementation of clinical decision support (CDS) on the basis of high-quality evidence was associated with a significant decrease in the use of CT pulmonary angiographic imaging for acute pulmonary embolism in hospitalized patients that occurred within the first 30 days after implementation of CDS.
Effects of Antemortem Injected Crude Papain in Chicken Muscle

The effects of antemortem injected crude papain in chicken muscle on muscle protein hydrolysis were investigated. White Leghorn hens were injected intravenously prior to slaughter with crude papain or heat denatured crude papain. Collagen solubility (hydroxyproline) at 60°C was 210% of the heat denatured crude papain control. SDS-PAGE revealed no difference between treatments. Crude papain was unable to penetrate intact cells at physiological temperatures. A small but significant increase in muscle TCA soluble tyrosine was observed due to antemortem papain treatment. Postmortem papain treatment resulted in a 14 fold increase in tyrosine. Little if any intracellular muscle protein hydrolysis occurred as a result of antemortem papain treatment. Collagen hydrolysis may be the major contributor to antemortem papain induced meat tenderness.
Auto-blocking matrix-multiplication or tracking BLAS3 performance from source code

An elementary, machine-independent, recursive algorithm for matrix multiplication C+=A*B provides implicit blocking at every level of the memory hierarchy and tests out faster than classically optimrd code, tracking hand-coded BLAS3 routines. Proof of concept is demonstrated by racing the in-place algorithm against manufacturer's hand-tuned BLAS3 routines; it can win.The recursive code bifurcates naturally at the top level into independent block-oriented processes, that each writes to a disjoint and contiguous region of memory. Experience has shown that the indexing vastly improves the patterns of memory access at all levels of the memory hierarchy, independently of the sizes of caches or pages and without ad hoc programming. It also exposed a weakness in SGI's C compilers that merrily unroll loops for the super-scalar R8000 processor, but do not analogously unfold the base cases of the most elementary recursions. Such deficiencies might deter future programmers from using this rich class of recursive algorithms.
Measurement of deubiquitinating enzyme activity via a suicidal HA-Ub-VS probe

Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) are a novel "drug-able" target for cervical cancer, and small-molecule inhibitors of DUBs are currently being evaluated as novel chemotherapeutic agents. In this chapter, we describe an enzyme activity assay to assess the selectivity of a putative small-molecule DUB inhibitor toward a subset of DUBs in cancer cell lines.
Hospitalists and family physicians: understanding opportunities and risks.

Background Emergence of the hospitalist as a specialist in inpatient medicine provides an opportunity to examine a new provider type and its relation to family physicians. Objectives To review the hospitalist literature to understand the hospitalist role, identify benefits and risks of the hospitalist model to family physicians, and discuss future opportunities to study and work with hospitalists.
Oxidative Stress and the Use of Antioxidants for Idiopathic OATs

Aim: To examine the effects of ROS and OS on male fertility and to evaluate the use of antioxidants as a means of treatment to improve fertilization rates in subfertile males suffering from idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (iOAT). Methods: Review of PubMed database. Results: Current research notes ROS-associated male factor infertility to be the most common potential etiology of impaired sperm quality. The various effects of these oxidants may be neutralized by antioxidants. Although antioxidant therapy has shown to potentially treat iOAT by improving semen parameters, its success remains limited. Our review calls for a deeper look and understanding of the type(s), dosage, and duration of antioxidant treatment used in order to apply its use in a clinical setting.
High Pressure Sales Tactics and Dead Trees: What to do with Promoters' Pre-Incorporation Contracts

Here is the transaction: two parties sign a contract, and one of them is the promoter, someone who intends to incorporate a business, but has not yet done so. At least one of the parties to the contract, and possibly both, expects the corporation to be formed and to perform the contractual obligations after incorporation. The agreement lists the corporation as a party to the contract, though maybe only as a corporation to be formed. More often than not these pre-incorporation contracts work out fine. The corporation to be formed is formed; both sides to the contract fulfill their obligations; and everyone is happy. But what should happen when the promoter backs down from the contract; the corporation is never formed; or once formed, it declines the contract? Because this involves a contract, the parties' intent should govern, but it is unlikely that the parties anticipated any of these contingencies. Is the promoter bound by the contract? Is the corporation bound after its formation? Are both bound? Is no one bound? This article examines the jurisprudence governing this area of contract law and proposes four rules to foster consistency and equity. These proposals balance the policies of sustaining promoter's pre-incorporation contracts as binding commercial obligations and preserving limited liability for the shareholders of American corporations. They also add some cogency and predictability to this murky corner of corporate law.
Development of safety control for hidden mode hybrid systems and verification in the multi-vehicle lab

In this thesis, we consider the safety control problem for Hidden Mode Hybrid Systems (HMHS), which are a special class of hybrid automata in which the mode is not available for control. For these systems, safety control is a problem with imperfect state information. We tackle this problem by introducing the notion of non-deterministic discrete information state and by then translating the problem to one with perfect state information. The perfect state information control problem is obtained by constructing a new hybrid automaton, whose discrete state is an estimate of the HMHS mode and is thus available for control. This problem is solved by computing the capture set and the least restrictive control map for the new hybrid automaton. Sufficient conditions for the termination of the algorithm that computes the capture set are provided. We show that the solved perfect state information control problem is equivalent to the original problem with imperfect state information under suitable assumptions on the original HMHS. A multi-vehicle roundabout test-bed is developed that employs scaled vehicles that are designed to have longitudinal dynamical response similar to a full scale vehicle. The application of the proposed formal hybrid control approach to the collision avoidance problem between an autonomous vehicle and a human driven vehicle at a traffic intersection is experimentally illustrated in the multi-vehicle test-bed. We model the human driving behavior through a hybrid automaton, whose current mode is determined by the driver's decisions. On the autonomous vehicle, we implement formal methods for safety control, in which a mode estimator identifies in real time the current human driving behavior and uses this information to update a hybrid feedback map. The experimental results demonstrate that the solution proposed in this thesis is substantially less conservative than solutions employing worst-case design. Furthermore, they also demonstrate that, in structured tasks, human behavior can be reliably modeled and recognized for safety-critical closed loop control applications.
A novel combination of drug therapy to protect residual hearing post cochlear implant surgery

AbstractConclusions A cocktail combining NAC, Mannitol, and Dexamethasone may be used to prevent loss of residual hearing post-implantation. There is a window of opportunity to treat the cochlea before the onset of cell death in HCs. Objective Inner ear trauma caused by cochlear implant electrode insertion trauma (EIT) initiates multiple molecular mechanisms in hair cells (HCs) or support cells (SCs), resulting in initiation of programmed cell death within the damaged tissues of the cochlea, which leads to loss of residual hearing. In earlier studies L-N-acetylcysteine (L-NAC), Mannitol, and dexamethasone have been shown independently to protect the HCs loss against different types of inner ear trauma. These three molecules have different otoprotective effects. The goal of this preliminary study is to test the efficacy of a combination of these molecules to enhance the otoprotection of HCs against EIT. Methods OC explants were dissected from P-3 rats and placed in serum-free media. Explants were divided i...
Benefits of integrated behavioral health services: The physician perspective.

Introduction There are benefits of integrating a behavioral health specialist in primary care; however, little is known about the physicians' perspectives. The purpose of this study was to explore primary care physicians' beliefs regarding the benefits of integrated care for both patients and themselves. Method Fifteen senior staff physicians and 78 residents completed surveys regarding their opinions of referring to a psychologist in a patient-centered medical home. Results The top reasons that physicians believed their patients followed through with a visit with an integrated psychologist included that they recommended it (79.5%) and that patients can be seen in the same primary care clinic (76.9%). The overwhelming majority of physicians were satisfied with having access to an integrated psychologist (97.4%). Physicians believed that integrated care directly improves patient care (93.8%), is a needed service (90.3%), and helps provide better care to patients (80.9%). In addition, physicians reported that having an integrated psychologist reduces their personal stress level (90.1%). Conclusion Primary care physicians may be motivated to integrate behavioral health services into their clinics knowing that other physicians believe that it directly and indirectly improves patient care and physician stress.
Virtual Senses

Products-to-be include Touch Color, a thermal digital device that lets visually impaired people visualize works of art by touch; Smart Cane, which combines with an ultrasonic sensor to help blind people navigate paths; glasses that measure time between blinks; virtual pets; and a device that uses sensors to smell.
The Importance of Technical Aspects in the Evaluation of Supplementary Indicators on Thallium-201 Myocardial Perfusion Scintigraphs Using Planar Imaging

We previously evaluated the usefulness of visual abnormalities on myocardial stress-perfusion scintigraphy (SPS) not related to the pattern of cardiac perfusion (1). These supplementary indicators (Sf) included: increased lung and ventricular basal uptake and a stress related increase in left ventricular size. In a study population of 72 randomly selected patients, artifac­ tual production of Sf was achieved by changes in our imaging parameters. Through increases in imaging intensities and time of acquisition, all Sf were created. Similar effects were ob­ served with increased count rates. Acquiring images at greater distances than direct patient contact affected ventricular si:.e and basal uptake. Angulation differences affected both these Sf and the interpretation of the extent of existing perfusion defects. Ventricular si:.e differences were seen when compari­ sons of stress images were done with the same redistribution projections acquired on a different camera system. Unless technical accuracy is assured there is risk in using Sf to help identify patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
The other Medieval French Alexander

En tenant compte du climat xenophobe des croisades cet article recense la reception de Cliges, roman de Chretien de Troyes dont la plus grande partie de l'action se passe en Grece, et explore les strategies dont l'auteur se serait servi pour en dejouer un mauvais accueil. On examine d'abord les idees que les Francs se faisaient des Grecs par le biais de la reception contemporaine de l' Eneide et du Roman d'Alexandre. On examine par la suite comment Cliges cadre avec ces perspectives. Cet article pose en principe que, par le truchement du pere de Cliges, prince grec strategiquement appele »Alexandre«, Chretien nuance l'image du traitre byzantin de la largesse et de la prouesse qu'incarnaient Alexandre le Grand, le roi Arthur, et les chevaliers de la Table Ronde. Le recit des aventures arthuriennes d'Alexandre n'a pas uniquement la fonction d'assurer un accueil favorable du roman mais aussi de presenter le heros eponyme comme exemple de la fusion de la culture occidentale et orientale au temps des croisades.
Notes on Some Little-Known Pygostenini (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)

Two species of Pygostenini (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Subfamily Aleocharinae) are redescribed and illustrated. Both species ( Pygostenus magnum Tottenham and Sympolemon rufobrunneus Tottenham) are also carefully compared with the other species in their respective genera. The lateral lobe of the male genitalia of Pygostenus magnum is illustrated and compared to similar structures in other genera. It is then concluded that the lateral lobe tends to strengthen the restricted concept of this genus as well as the phylogenetic position of that genus in relation to other related genera.
Abstract 1190: Differences in responsiveness of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant human bladder cancer cells to specific EGFR inhibitors

Bladder cancer is a common genitourinary malignant disease in the USA. EGFR and/or HER2 are overexpressed in these cancers, and EGFR/HER2 inhibitors are suggested as treatment. Gefitinib (i.e., Iressa) is a selective inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Lapatinib is a dual inhibitor of both the EGFR and HER2/neu (Human EGFR type 2) receptor. Both compounds compete with the binding of ATP to the tyrosine kinase domain of the respective receptors to inhibit autophosphorylation causing suppression of signal transduction. Unfortunately, resistance to these inhibitors is a problem. The purpose of this study was to compare the signaling pathway(s) induced by Gefitinib and Lapatinib, in UM-UC-5 (Gefitinib-sensitive) and UM-UC-14 (Gefitinib-resistant) bladder cancer cells and to identify molecular markers that might be useful predictors of efficacy. Each cell line was cultured to 90% confluence and then incubated 24 h in serum-free media. They were treated, respectively, with 2.5 μM Gefitinib or Lapatinib for 24 h and harvested. Cell lysates were subjected to Proteome Profiler™ Arrays (RD however, Lapatinib was able to suppress some MAP kinase signaling in the resistant line. Other notable differences included increased phosphorylation of p53, p27 and p70S6 kinase only by Lapatinib and decreased phosphorylation of eNOS only by Iressa in sensitive cells. Overall results suggest that human bladder cancer cells display some similarity but also marked heterogeneity in response to “specific” EGFR inhibitors ex vivo. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1190.
Residues of Heptachlor and Heptachlor Epoxide in Wheat Treated to Control the Wheat Stem Sawfly

Granular formulations of heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide were applied in the furrow at seeding time with a fertilizer attachment on a press drill (6-inch row spacing) or with a single-row belt seeder (12-inch row spacing). Ceres wheat was used with the press drill, and Thatcher wheat was used with the belt seeder. Treated plants were analyzed for residues of heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide by the gas chromatography method, and residues in green plants, straw, and grain samples were determined and compared with degree of control of the wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton, at harvest. Translocation of heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide in the wheat plant killed larvae of the wheat stem sawfly in the stem. The percentage of larvae killed in the stems was determined by noting the number of cut stems at harvesttime in the check and treated plots.
Hearing preservation after intracanalicular vestibular schwannoma radiosurgery.

Objective Tumor control, facial function preservation, and hearing preservation are important criteria for successful management of intracanalicular vestibular schwannomas, whether observation, microsurgery, or radiosurgery is chosen. We collected data prospectively to assess hearing preservation after intracanalicular vestibular schwannoma radiosurgery. Methods Between 1987 and 2003, 96 patients (65 men and 31 women) underwent gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for intracanalicular tumors. The median patient age was 54 years (range, 22-80 years). Hearing was graded using the Gardner-Robertson (GR) and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery classifications. Dose planning was performed on intraoperative stereotactic images using multiple 4-mm isocenters. The median tumor volume was 0.112 mm3 (range, 0.05-0.447 mm3), and the median margin dose was 13 Gy (range, 10-18 Gy). Results The mean and median audiologic follow-up periods were 42 months and 28 months (range, 12-144 months), respectively. Serviceable hearing was preserved in 31 of 40 (77.5%) patients with initial American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Class A hearing. Serviceable hearing was preserved in 40 of 79 (64.5%) patients with GR Grade I or II pre-SRS hearing. Ninety-two patients had GR Grade I, II, or III hearing before SRS, and GR Grade I, II, or III hearing was maintained in 78 patients (85%). Hearing grades improved in 7 patients. Facial and trigeminal nerve function was preserved in all patients. The tumor control rate (freedom from additional intervention) was 99.0% (95 of 96) at a median follow-up of 28 months (range, 12-144 months). One patient underwent tumor resection 18 months after radiosurgery. Conclusion SRS is a minimally invasive first-line management option for patients with intracanalicular tumors and provides high rates of hearing preservation with minimal morbidity.