cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of rumen-protected methionine supplementation and bacterial lipopolysaccharide infusion on nitrogen metabolism and hormonal responses of growing beef steers.

Metabolic demand for sulfur-containing AA increases during inflammation in nonruminants. Therefore, Met supplementation may alleviate the negative effects of infection on N balance. Effects of gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and supplemental dietary Met on N balance, serum hormones and haptoglobin, and plasma urea-N and AA were evaluated in 20 Angus-cross steers (BW = 262 +/- 6.3 kg). Treatments (2 x 2 factorial) were infusion of no LPS (-LPS) or a prolonged low dose of LPS (+LPS) and dietary supplementation of no (-MET) or 14 g/d (+MET) of rumen-protected Met (providing 7.9 g/d of dl-Met). Steers were adapted to a roughage-based diet (DMI = 1.4% of BW daily) and supplemental Met for 14 d, and were then infused (1 mL/min via intravenous catheter) with LPS on d 1 (2 microg/kg of BW) and 3 (1 microg/kg of BW) of a 5-d collection period. Blood was collected on d 1, before LPS infusion, and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 24 h after LPS challenge. Diet samples, feed refusals, feces, and urine were collected daily for 5 d. Rectal temperature and serum concentrations of cortisol, prolactin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and haptoglobin increased, whereas thyroxine and triiodothyronine decreased for +LPS vs. -LPS steers (LPS x h; P or = 0.26) by LPS or Met. Plasma concentrations of Thr, Lys, Leu, Ile, Phe, Trp, Asn, Glu, and Orn decreased, plasma Ala increased, and Gly and Ser initially increased, then declined in +LPS vs. -LPS steers (LPS x h; P or = 0.24) N intake, fecal N excretion, or N digested, but resulted in greater (P < 0.01) urinary N excretion and less (P < 0.01) N retention. The absence of an LPS x Met interaction (P = 0.26) for N retention indicates that supplemental Met does not improve the N utilization of growing beef steers exposed to a gram-negative bacterial endotoxin. Decreases in plasma concentrations of several essential AA in +LPS steers suggest that metabolic demand for these AA likely increased in steers exposed to endotoxin.
Plasma testosterone levels and female transsexualism

There has been speculation that male hormone levels (specifically testosterone) are elevated in women who want to become men (female transsexuals). This study reports the levels of plasma testosterone, urinary 17-ketosterone, and urinary 17-ketogenic steroid in three female transsexuals and compares these levels with those of normal females and normal males. The study also reports plasma and urine levels during adrenal and ovarian stimulation and suppression studies. By these procedures, the endocrinological status of the female transsexuals was found to be the same as that of the typical female. Thus female transsexualism cannot be simply ascribed to altered levels of testosterone during adulthood.
Cocomposting of Crawfish and Agricultural Processing By-Products

Disposal of crawfish processing residuals (hereinafter, referred to as crawfish residuals) poses a challenging problem to the rapidly expanding crawfish industry. Cocomposting is examined as a waste management alternative to landfill disposal. Four agricultural processing by-products were evaluated for use as bulking agents in composting crawfish residuals: wood chips, rice hulls, bagasse, and bark. Approximately 5 to 6.5 volumes of each bulking agents were mixed with one volume of crawfish residuals in 0.3-m3 composting reactors. Compost temperature was continuously monitored, and moisture content was maintained within a desirable range. Samples were collected twice weekly throughout the 50-d composting process. Use of bagasse as a bulking agent led to the largest reduction in volatile solids (27.6 percent), organic C (55.3 percent), particle size (64.7 percent), and compost volume (52.8 percent). Finished compost using bagasse contained the greatest concentration of N (18.4 g N/kg and 160 mg NH4-N/kg). ...
Site of electron acceptance by 3,6-dichloro-2,5-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone and its relation to the bicarbonate effect on photosynthetic electron transport

Abstract The photosystem II electron acceptor 3,6-dichloro-2,5-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone [DCDMQ] is suggested to replace the second quinone-type two electron acceptor B (or R); the DCDMQ Hill reaction is sensitive to 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, but is insensitive to dry heptane extraction of thylakoids and other photosystem II inhibitors. Addition of HCO 3 − to CO 2 -depleted thylakoids in silicomolybdate, DCDMQ, diaminodurene and ferricyanide Hill reactions brought about 1,3,10 and 10 fold increase in the electron transport rates; these data confirm that HCO 3 − affects both Q − to B and B 2− to PQ reactions.
Protective and Risk Factors Associated with Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in the English-speaking Caribbean: A Literature Review

Abstract Purpose To identify risk and protective factors associated with adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) in the English-speaking Caribbean through a structured literature review. Methods Peer-reviewed articles published between January 1998 and December 2009 focused on the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents, aged 10–19 years, were included in this review. Articles were organized according to Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. Research gaps were also identified. Results A total of 30 studies assessed ASRH. At the individual level, gender, psychosocial well-being, and mental health were key factors associated with ASRH. Within the microsystem , the quality of the parent–adolescent relationship, the presence of violence, substance abuse or mental health problems in the family, and peer relationships were important determinants of ASRH. Within the macrosystem , cultural attitudes had an effect on youth's sexual behavior and generally, safer sex practices appear to be increasing. Within the chronosystem , a history of physical and sexual abuse was associated with several ASRH outcomes. Conclusion A research agenda that incorporates a multisystem approach and advocates for the inclusion of socially marginalized youth is needed to fully understand and adequately address ASRH in the Caribbean.
Investigations of diffusion-bonded stacked GaAs for infrared quasi-phase-matched parametric oscillation

We are developing the diffusion-bonded stacked (DBS) structure for quasi-phasematched interactions to meet the need for high- power nonlinear conversions in the infrared. In our preliminary investigations, we have compared optical and thermal properties of some potential DBS materials. Theoretical projections of device performance were compared for DBS GaAs and ZnSe and birefringent crystals ZnGeP2 and AgGaSe2 for both second- harmonic generation (SHG) of 10-micrometers radiation and 2-micrometers pumped optical parametric oscillators (OPOs). We are refining bonding processes for GaAs and have initial diffusion bonding results for ZnSe. We have fabricated and tested DBS GaAs structures for SHG, demonstrating that the crystal orientation is conserved during the bonding process, and that the nonlinear generation of the individual layers sums coherently. These studies indicate that DBS materials have potential for application in high-average-power OPOs.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Scattering and bound-state trajectories with effective quantum potentials

Fermion Molecular Dynamics (FMD)1 has been successful in understanding quantum mechanical processes through a simplified quasi-classical treatment using effective quantum potentials that are momentum dependent. These potentials mimic the Heisenberg Uncertainty and Pauli Exclusion principles by excluding the forbidden regions of phase space. Our study aimed at understanding the reason behind the success of this simplified treatment. As a first step, dynamic effects brought in by these potentials in electronic bound-states and scattering were studied. The trajectories differ considerably from their classical counterparts. We report the evolution of the combined momentum-dependent and Coulomb potential for different bound state trajectories which explain the stabilizing effect possible in this treatment. This could be the reason for longer ionization times predicted by FMD that are comparable to experimental results2. It is known that classical and quantum studies of Rutherford scattering cross sections result in identical results. We tested the effects of the effective quantum potential on the scattering process. The results differ considerably from classical/quantum results in the large angle scattering regime where the effective quantum potential dominates over the repulsive Coulomb. Non-physical oscillations in the scattering angle are observed indicating extreme sensitivity to the impact parameter for small impact parameters. In all the tests, conservation principles were not violated by the effective potentials.
Effects of Xylazine and Ketamine on Epinephrine‐lnduced Arrhythmia in the Dog

Ten dogs were studied to determine the effects of xylazine, ketamine, and xylazine combined with ketamine on the dosage of epinephrine required to produce ventricular arrhythmia. Untreated dogs required an arrhythmogenic dose (AD) of 5.88 +/- 2.85 micrograms/kg/min. The AD was 4.28 +/- 3.25 micrograms/kg/min in xylazine-treated dogs, 3.05 +/- 2.3 micrograms/kg/min in ketamine-treated dogs, and 2.96 +/- 1.95 micrograms/kg/min in xylazine/ketamine-treated dogs. The latter two dosages were significantly less than that of the controls (p less than 0.025). The duration of increased arrhythmogenicity was also examined. Four hours after drug administration, the AD for xylazine-treated dogs was decreased further to 3.87 +/- 2.52 micrograms/kg/min (p less than 0.05). Ketamine-treated dogs had returned partially to normal with an AD of 4.09 +/- 3.09 micrograms/kg/min, as had xylazine/ketamine-treated dogs, at 4.22 +/- 2.71 micrograms/kg/min.
Combination magnetic-Si(Li), swept-current electron spectrometer foron-line internal conversion spectroscopy

Abstract A special wide pass baffle and cooled Si(Li) detector system has been developed and tested for use with a Gerholm triangular field focussed, high transmission lens. The result is an electron spectrometer with an absolute efficiency of greater than two percent and with a transmission-independent energy resolution, dictated only by the quality of the Si(Li) detector and associated electronics. In addition, the instrument is free from γ-ray interferences and summing peaks. The current can be rapidly swept linearly in time to facilitate finding conversion-electron lines and also for use with short lived radio-active sources. The energy resolution is very insensitive to source geometry while the efficiecy for detection of conversion electrons is almost independent of energy. The instrument is being developed for on-line operation with an isotope separator.
Developmental Effects in the Masking-Level Difference

Adults and children (aged 5 years 1 month to 10 years 8 months) were tested in a masking-level difference (MLD) paradigm in which detection of brief signals was contrasted for signal placement in m...
Emotional dissonance in medical social work practice

Abstract This qualitative study examined several ecological aspects of medical social work practice that affect social workers' emotional well-being. Forty-seven medical social workers from seven hospitals participated in small group interviews in which practice experiences were explored. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze the data, with emotional dissonance emerging as a central theme. Community, family, and individual factors contributing to emotional dissonance are presented, and the effect of social support is examined. Implications for social work practice are discussed.
Pyridine analogs of (−)-cytisine and varenicline: cholinergic receptor probes

Abstract A series of bicyclic pyridine containing alkaloids related to (−)-cytisine and varenicline are described. Synthetic access via regioisomeric metalation of alkoxy- and halo-pyridines gains entry to all four isomeric [3.3.1]-bicyclic targets. Regioselective and sequential oxidative cleavage of dicyclopentadiene generates a related [3.2.1]-bicyclic analog.
Analytical modeling of tensile strength of particulate-filled composites

Based on Christen sen and Lo's (11) three-layer sphere model, a two-layer built-in model is proposed to represent particulate-filled composites. Following Papanico-laou and Bakos' (14) procedure for a particle embedded in an infinite matrix model and using the rule-of-mixtures approach, formulations estimating the tensile strength of particulate-filled composites are developed. Unlike Fapanicolaou and Bakos' formulations, the formulations developed in the present paper can characterize the effect of particle size, particle size distribution, and particle clustering on the tensile strength of the composites. A reasonable agreement is found between the predicted tensile strength and the experimental results found in the literature. Parameters affecting the tensile strength of particulate-filled composites are discussed via the calculated results.
Control of the viscous behavior of highly concentrated mullite suspensions for robocasting

Abstract Aqueous-mullite suspensions stabilized with an organic polyelectrolyte dispersant were characterized in terms of settling and rheological behaviors at solids concentrations as high as 60 vol.% (within 3 vol.% of the maximum consolidated density). The suspensions were cast into parts by a solid freeform fabrication technique termed robocasting and qualitatively characterized in terms of build behavior. Sedimentation and viscometry data were interpreted in view of knowledge of the interparticle forces. Through control of suspension pH and counter-ion addition, pseudoplastic mullite suspensions were created for use in the robocasting process. The suspensions were robocast at 52 vol.% solids and dried to yield a consolidated density of 55 vol.%. After firing to 1650 °C, robocast parts were greater than 96% dense.
Recent Trends in First-Year Survival for Black Brant Breeding in Southwestern Alaska

Abstract. We estimated first-year and adult survival of Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) from the Yukon—Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, to assess (1) the role that first-year survival plays in declining recruitment and in the local breeding population's decline since the early 1980s and (2) the potential role of subsistence harvest in declining first-year survival. We used band-recovery models in program Mark to estimate band-recovery rates and annual survival from 1986 to 2007. The only models of band recoveries that received support contained annual variation and an additive effect of sex on band-recovery rates. The two best-supported models of annual survival differentiated between first-year and older Black Brant. The best-supported model (Akaike weight = 0.69) included a linear trend in first-year survival, while the second best-supported model (Akaike weight = 0.20) included an effect of mean gosling mass on first-year survival. Band-recovery rates corresponded to harvest rates of ∼1%, indicating th...
Women, infants and children program prenatal participation and dietary intakes

Abstract In order to assess the diets of pregnant women before and after nutrition services (WIC supplemental foods and/or nutritional counseling), initial and subsequent dietary recalls were collected from 217 low-income women who were receiving prenatal care and WIC services at the Wilson-Greene District Health Department. Paired t-tests were used to compare the initial recall to the subsequent recall. Results were significant (P
UNDERSTANDING CO PRODUCTION BY SUCKLING RATS AFTER TIN-PROTOPORPHYRIN THERAPY: INTESTINAL SOURCES OF CO

In order to understand the lack of suppression of the suckling rat excretion rate of CO (VeCO) by tin-protoporphyrin (TP), except in association with broad-spectrum antibiotics [Posselt, et al. AJDC 140:147-150, 1986], we studied the role of intestinal CO sources in this model. The production of CO (VCOgut) by homogenates of Wistar rat intestine is highest in the suckling ileum, decreasing proximally; the gradient is reversed in the adult. After a single 25 umole TP/kg SQ dose, causing significant inhibition of hepatic and splenic heme oxygenase (HO), no difference in the VCOgut between saline- and TP-treated adults was observed. In sucklings, only the duodenal VCOgut was slightly reduced (p<.05). Treatment with ampicillin, kanamycin, and neomycin, with or without TP (up to 65 umole/kg), also did not suppress the VCOgut of adult or suckling rats. We conclude: 1) TP, at a dose which inhibits hepatic and splenic HO in adult and suckling rats, may not significantly decrease VCOgut; 2) the suppression of the suckling VeCO by TP and antibiotics cannot be explained by antibiotic-mediated inhibition of intestinal HO; 3) because heme is excreted into the intestine after TP treatment, the suppression of the VeCO by TP in adult rats suggests a comparatively decreased capacity of intestinal bacteria to produce CO.
Magnetometer-only Attitude Determination Using Novel Two-step Kalman Filter Approach

Determining spacecraft attitude in real time using only magnetometer data presents a challenging filtering problem. A flexible and computationally efficient method for solving the spacecraft attitude using only an inexpensive and reliablemagnetometerwould be a useful option for satellitemissions, particularly thosewithmodest budgets. The primary challenge is that magnetometers only instantaneously resolve two axes of the spacecraft attitude. Typically, magnetometers are used in conjunction with other sensors to resolve all three axes. However, by using a filter over an adequately long orbit arc, the magnetometer data can yield full attitude, and in real time. The methodpresented solves the problemusing a two-step extendedKalmanfilter. In thefirst step, themagneticfield data are filtered to obtain the magnetic field derivative vector, which is combined with the magnetic field vector in the second step to fully resolve the attitude. A baseline scenario is developed, and a parametric study is conducted using the parameters of interest.
Key Software Engineering Concepts for Project Success: The Use of "Boot Camp" to Establish Successful Software Projects

The use of project initiation techniques is not new to academia or industry. While successfully using "real world" projects to educate software engineers, the master of software engineering (MSE) program at Carnegie Mellon University has learned some key concepts and topics that make software project initiation more successful. We have found that project success is linked to issues surrounding how teams are formed and the specific guidance that they are initially provided. The MSE program uses a concept we call "boot camp" that focuses on some key areas of Software Process issues and Human Communication.
Disk system architectures for high performance computing

Following a brief review of the fundamentals of disk system architecture, the characteristics of the applications that demand high I/O system performance are described. Conventional ways to improve disk performance are discussed. New developments in disk array systems are introduced, and controller architectures are described. >
Fatty acid and phytosterol content of commercial saw palmetto supplements

Saw palmetto supplements are one of the most commonly consumed supplements by men with prostate cancer and/or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Some studies have found significant improvements in BPH and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) with saw palmetto supplementation, whereas others found no benefits. The variation in the efficacy in these trials may be a result of differences in the putative active components, fatty acids and phytosterols, of the saw palmetto supplements. To this end, we quantified the major fatty acids (laurate, myristate, palmitate, stearate, oleate, linoleate) and phytosterols (campesterol, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol) in 20 commercially available saw palmetto supplements using GC-FID and GC-MS, respectively. Samples were classified into liquids, powders, dried berries, and tinctures. Liquid saw palmetto supplements contained significantly higher (p < 0.05) concentrations of total fatty acids (908.5 mg/g), individual fatty acids, total phytosterols (2.04 mg/g), and individual phytosterols, than the other supplement categories. Powders contained significantly higher (p < 0.05) concentrations of total fatty acids than tinctures, which contain negligible amounts of fatty acids (46.3 mg/g) and phytosterols (0.10 mg/g). Our findings suggest that liquid saw palmetto supplements may be the best choice for individuals who want to take a saw palmetto supplement with the highest concentrations of both fatty acids and phytosterols.
True giant aneurysm of gastroduodenal artery.

Aneurysms affecting the splanchnic arteries are very rare, while the commonest location is splenic artery (10.4%); the gastroduodenal artery (GDA) remains the rarest site representing only 1.5% of more than 3000 reported splanchnic artery aneurysms (SAA) in literature since 1960. Though aneurysms of visceral arteries are rare, awareness and early treatment are important because the common presentation of aneurysmal rupture is associated with a high mortality rate. Majority of the GDA aneurysms documented in the literature are pseudoaneurysms associated with complications of acute or chronic pancreatitis. True giant GDA aneurysms are extremely rare, although there is no standard size criteria to define a giant GDA aneurysm, the term has been used in literature to describe aneurysms above 5 cm in size as shown in Table 1. Several cases of successful coil embolization of GDA pseudoaneurysms were already reported but we
Canopy‐scale δ13C of photosynthetic and respiratory CO2 fluxes: observations in forest biomes across the United States

The δ13C values of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) can be used to partition global patterns of CO2 source/sink relationships among terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems using the inversion technique. This approach is very sensitive to estimates of photosynthetic 13C discrimination by terrestrial vegetation (ΔA), and depends on δ13C values of respired CO2 fluxes (δ13CR). Here we show that by combining two independent data streams – the stable isotope ratios of atmospheric CO2 and eddy-covariance CO2 flux measurements – canopy scale estimates of ΔA can be successfully derived in terrestrial ecosystems. We also present the first weekly dataset of seasonal variations in δ13CR from dominant forest ecosystems in the United States between 2001 and 2003. Our observations indicate considerable summer-time variation in the weekly value of δ13CR within coniferous forests (4.0‰ and 5.4‰ at Wind River Canopy Crane Research Facility and Howland Forest, respectively, between May and September). The monthly mean values of δ13CR showed a smaller range (2–3‰), which appeared to significantly correlate with soil water availability. Values of δ13CR were less variable during the growing season at the deciduous forest (Harvard Forest). We suggest that the negative correlation between δ13CR and soil moisture content observed in the two coniferous forests should represent a general ecosystem response to the changes in the distribution of water resources because of climate change. Shifts in δ13CR and ΔA could be of sufficient magnitude globally to impact partitioning calculations of CO2 sinks between oceanic and terrestrial compartments.
Metallic nanoparticles for biomedical imaging

The plasmon resonance conditions in nano-sized materials leads to local field enhancement resulting in amplified response of various linear and nonlinear optical processes at the nano-scale. In this paper, metallic nanoparticles are imaged using several modalities - brightfield, confocal reflectance, two-photon, and second harmonic generation. Two examples are discussed - Au nanoparticles in the zebrafish spinal column, and Ag nanoparticles in fresh skin excisions. We show that the optical properties of noblemetal nanoparticles offer an attractive alternative to the fluorophore-based staining and labeling of biological samples, and have potential use in a wide range of biological and physical applications.
Electrical "hot spot" as a mechanism of defibrillation

The excitation threshold of isolated cardiac cells has been shown to be sensitive to the direction of applied electric field. To further explore this relationship, the authors developed a realistic two-dimensional finite element model of a cardiac cell. The model was used to determine the spatial distributions of transmembrane voltages produced by a uniform electric field applied across the cell. With a 5 V/cm field applied parallel to the cell axis, the maximum absolute transmembrane voltages measured at either end of the cell were 39.1 mV and 46.5 mV (signs depend on polarity of applied field), while 40.5 mV and 44.8 mV with the field perpendicular to the cell axis. More significantly however, the authors found that these highest potentials were concentrated at distinct sites on the membrane. Thus, the authors hypothesize that the depolarization of a cell due to the defibrillation shock initiates at one of these "hot spots" whose exact location depends on the direction and polarity of the field, and shape of the cell. The authors' computational results are in good agreement with experimental results suggesting that a nonuniform cell shape does have an important bearing on the subsequent excitation thresholds of that cell. >
Diversity in academic medicine no. 1 case for minority faculty development today.

For the past 20 years, the percentage of the American population consisting of nonwhite minorities has been steadily increasing. By 2050, these nonwhite minorities, taken together, are expected to become the majority. Meanwhile, despite almost 50 years of efforts to increase the representation of minorities in the healthcare professions, such representation remains grossly deficient. Among the underrepresented minorities are African and Hispanic Americans; Native Americans, Alaskans, and Pacific Islanders (including Hawaiians); and certain Asians (including Hmong, Vietnamese, and Cambodians). The underrepresentation of underrepresented minorities in the healthcare professions has a profoundly negative effect on public health, including serious racial and ethnic health disparities. These can be reduced only by increased recruitment and development of both underrepresented minority medical students and underrepresented minority medical school administrators and faculty. Underrepresented minority faculty development is deterred by barriers resulting from years of systematic segregation, discrimination, tradition, culture, and elitism in academic medicine. If these barriers can be overcome, the rewards will be great: improvements in public health, an expansion of the contemporary medical research agenda, and improvements in the teaching of both underrepresented minority and non–underrepresented minority students. Mt Sinai J Med 75:491–498, © 2008 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Kalman filter-based maximum a posteriori probability detection of boiling water reactor stability

A diagnostic system has been developed to determine the global system stability characteristics of an operating boiling water reactor (BWR) using the average power range monitor (APRM) signal as an input. A Kalman filter-based monitor is used to identify the stability characteristics of a BWR using an "M-ary" hypothesis testing scheme. Each hypothesis, i.e., system model with slightly different stability characteristics, is represented by one of several Kalman filters operating in parallel. In addition to calculating the current estimate of the system's states, the monitor also produces the a posteriori probability that each filter calculates an accurate state vector estimate given the measurements. The best estimate of the system stability corresponds to the Kalman filter producing the maximum a posteriori probability (MAP). Results suggest that a significant time savings, when compared to stability diagnoses performed via a more established technique (autoregressive modeling) requiring 30 min to 1 h worth of data, can be obtained using the MAP BWR stability monitor. MAP monitor diagnoses are typically performed in 20 to 30 s. Thus, the MAP monitor represents a novel approach for the detection of BWR instabilities.
Estimating clearing functions from simulation data

We examine the problem of estimating clearing functions that relate the expected output of a production resource as a function of its expected workload, from empirical data. We use a simulation model of a scaled-down wafer fabrication facility to generate the data and evaluate the performance of the resulting clearing functions. We compare several different regression approaches and report computational results.
On the Joint Synchronization of Clock Offset and Skew in RBS-Protocol

Motivated by the necessity of having a good clock synchronization amongst the nodes of wireless ad-hoc sensor networks, the joint maximum likelihood (JML) estimator for clock phase offset and skew under exponential noise model for reference broadcast synchronization (RBS) protocol is formulated and found via a direct algorithm. The Gibbs sampler is also proposed for joint clock phase offset and skew estimation and shown to provide superior performance relative to JML- estimator. Lower and upper bounds for the mean-square errors (MSE) of JML-estimator and Gibbs Sampler are introduced in terms of the MSE of the uniform minimum variance unbiased (UMVU) estimator and the conventional best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE), respectively.
Particle filtering for map-aided localization in sparse GPS environments

This study presents the PosteriorPose algorithm, a Bayesian particle filtering approach for augmenting GPS and inertial navigation solutions with vision-based measurements of nearby lanes and stoplines referenced against a known map of environmental features. These relative measurements are shown to improve the quality of the navigation solution when GPS is available, and they are shown to keep the navigation solution converged in extended GPS blackouts. Measurements are incorporated with careful hypothesis testing and error modeling to account for non-Gaussian errors committed by vision-based detection algorithms. The PosteriorPose algorithm is implemented and validated in real-time on Cornell University's 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge entry; experimental data is presented showing the algorithm outperforming a tightly- coupled GPS/inertial navigation solution both in full GPS coverage and in an extended GPS blackout.
Type-directed, whitespace-delimited parsing for embedded DSLs

Domain-specific languages improve ease-of-use, expressiveness and verifiability, but defining and using different DSLs within a single application remains difficult. We introduce an approach for embedded DSLs where 1) whitespace delimits DSL-governed blocks, and 2) the parsing and type checking phases occur in tandem so that the expected type of the block determines which domain-specific parser governs that block. We argue that this approach occupies a sweet spot, providing high expressiveness and ease-of-use while maintaining safe composability. We introduce the design, provide examples and describe an ongoing implementation of this strategy in the Wyvern programming language. We also discuss how a more conventional keyword-directed strategy for parsing of DSLs can arise as a special case of this type-directed strategy.
Characterization of TMPRSS2-ETS Gene Aberrations in Androgen-Independent Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Recurrent gene fusions between the androgen-regulated gene TMPRSS2 and the ETS transcription factor family members ERG, ETV1, and ETV4 have been identified as a critical event in prostate cancer development. In this study, we characterized the prevalence and diversity of these rearrangements in hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer. We used a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) split probe strategy to comprehensively evaluate TMPRSS2-ETS aberrations across 97 nonosseous metastatic sites of prostate cancer from 30 rapid autopsies of men who died of androgen-independent disease. Tissue microarrays were constructed representing multiple metastatic sites from each patient, and split signal FISH probes for TMPRSS2, ERG, ETV1, and ETV4 were used to assess for TMPRSS2-ETS rearrangements. In patients exhibiting these aberrations, multiple sites from an individual case harbored the same gene fusion molecular subtype suggesting clonal expansion of disease. The most common prostate cancer gene fusion, TMPRSS2-ERG, can be generated by the mechanism of interstitial deletion (Edel) about 39% to 60% of the time in clinically localized disease. Interestingly, we observed that all of the androgen-independent metastatic prostate cancer sites harboring TMPRSS2-ERG were associated with Edel. These findings suggest that TMPRSS2-ERG with Edel is an aggressive and, in this study, uniformly lethal molecular subtype of prostate cancer associated with androgen-independent disease.
KEY TO THE GRASSHOPPERS (ORTHOPTERA: ACRIDIDAE) OF FLORIDA

A dichotomous key is presented to aid in the identification of the adult stage of the 71 grasshopper species known to occur in Florida. Reflecting recent research one subspecies, Schistocerca alutacea rubiginosa (Scudder), has been elevated to species status Schistocerca rubiginosa (Harris) in this key.
Mansfield and Blackstone's Commentaries

N THE eighteenth century, a period when prose came to a higher excellence than it had yet attained in England, Blackstone, who lived from I723 to 1780, rendered an unparalleled service for jurisprudence' in writing the Commentaries, "the prose epic of the common law."2 It has been said of this work, published from 1765 to 1769 and based on lectures at Oxford from 1753 to I766,3 that the Continent derived. its knowledge of English law chiefly from it, that on it the study of law in England was based, and that in America the work was regarded as the repository of the common law.4 Of Mansfield, who lived from 1705 to 1793, it has been said that he was not only the greatest common law judge but the greatest judge in Anglo-American legal history.5 An eminent American legal scholar said of him that "he broke down the narrow barrier of the common law" and redeemed it from "feudal selfishness and barbarity," that "he was one of those great men raised up by Providence, at a fortunate moment, to effect a salutary revolution in the world," and that "he became, what he intended, the jurist of the commercial world.... ."6 What were the relations in eighteenth century London between these two, the scholarly Blackstone,7 the first university lecturer on the laws of
Intravenous Nicotine Self-Administration in Smokers: Dose-Response Function and Sex Differences.

Intravenous Nicotine Self-Administration in Smokers: Dose–Response Function and Sex Differences
Simultaneous three-dimensional velocimetry and thermometry in gaseous flows using the stereoscopic vibrationally excited nitric oxide monitoring technique

We present a demonstration of the simultaneous measurement of spatially resolved three-component velocity and temperature in gaseous flow fields using a variant of the vibrationally excited nitric oxide monitoring (VENOM) technique, based on planar laser induced fluorescence and molecular tagging velocimetry methods. Three-component velocity determinations were derived from two-dimensional molecular tagging velocity measurements employing sequential fluorescence image pairs obtained simultaneously by two cameras in stereoscopic configuration. Probing two different rotational states of nitric oxide (X2∏, υ′′=1), produced via fluorescence and collisional quenching from initial excitation to the A Σ+2 state, for the sequential velocimetry images allows simultaneous determination of the temperature field. Experimental measurements of velocity and temperature across an oblique shock result in mean values within 21 m/s for the three components of velocity and 20 K for planar temperature when compared to oblique shock calculations.
Abstract 3643: Phosphatidylserine-targeting antibody combined with Sorafenib has strong anti-tumor activity against human hepatocellular carcinomas in mice

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. The incidence of the HCC is increasing in the United States. HCC is refractory to most forms of therapy. Sorafenib is the only chemotherapeutic agent approved for the treatment of advanced HCC. Therefore, there is a huge unmet need for a new systemic therapy for HCC patients. A promising approach would be to combine sorafenib with bavituximab to treat HCC. Bavituximab is a vascular targeting antibody that is in Phase IIb clinical trials in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Bavituximab targets phosphatidylserine (PS), which is normally intracellular but becomes exposed on the external surface of vascular endothelium in tumors. Bavituximab binds to PS-expressing tumor vascular endothelial cells and causes monocytes and macrophages to attack the vessels by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). This results in death of tumor cells through deprivation of oxygen and nutrients. Chemotherapy and irradiation increase the exposure of PS on tumor vessels and enhance the anti-tumor activity of bavituximab-related antibodies in multiple rodent tumor models. We hypothesized that sorafenib would also induce exposure of PS on HCC vasculature because it interferes with anti-apoptotic signaling by VEGF and other angiogenic growth factors. We found that sorafenib induced PS exposure on human microvascular endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo. Treatment of mice bearing subcutaneous C3A, Huh7 or PLC/PRF/5 HCC tumors with sorafenib increased PS exposure on tumor vessels from 21% to 51% in PLC/PRF/5 tumors, from 22% to 67% in C3A tumors, and from 32% to 52% in Huh7 tumors. Combining a murine version of bavituximab with sorafenib significantly improved the anti-tumor effect in the PLC/PRF/5 xenograft model. The combination inhibited tumor growth by 95%, as compared with 80% for sorafenib alone (p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3643. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3643
Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus co-colonization rates with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile in critically ill veterans

A prospective study was conducted to identify risk factors for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, including co-colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile infection in patients admitted to the intensive care unit in 2 Veterans Affairs facilities. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile infection co-colonization were significant risk factors for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus colonization. Further studies are needed to identify measures for preventing co-colonization of these major organisms in veterans.
Sexual Dimorphism in Deutonymphs of Mites of the Family Parasitidae (Acari: Mesostigmata)

Female deutonymphs are recognized by a small, clear area surrounded by a raylike pattern in the posterior part of the sternal shield; males lack this feature.
A General Analysis Method for Singularities in Composite Structures

A general analysis methodology is developed to obtain accurate elasticity solutions of the singular stress fields in multi-material wedges associated with free edges, interfaces and delamination or matrix cracks in composite structures. Finite element structural analysis or other numerical methods are used to provide traction boundary conditions on a circular path encircling the vertex of the wedge. The singular elasticity solution of the region interior to the path is then determined by combining eigensolutions with an appropriate particular solution. In some cases the asymptotic solution determined by the dominant singular eigensolutiondeviates significantly from the full elasticity solution except in an extremely small neighborhood (of subatomic size) of the singularity. In such cases, realistic interface fracture and failure criteria should involve higher eigensolutions in addition to the asymptotic solution and the associated stress intensity factors. For an interface crack between two sectors of dissimilar elastic materials, it is found that the present analysis yields accurate results of the stress intensity factors and the energy release rate.
Mao's War against Nature: DEFORESTATION, FAMINE, AND UTOPIAN URGENCY

The Anti-rightist movement quashed freedom of speech by turning more than half a million people into political pariahs and allowed Mao to pursue the Great Leap Forward virtually unopposed. The growing population about which Ma Yinchu had cautioned was seen as providing extra hands to catapult China toward a brilliant socialist destiny. Construction of the dams Huang Wanli and others had opposed went forward rapidly, intended to harness the great rivers once and for all. Smaller water conservancy projects such as reservoirs, holding pools, wells, and irrigation canals also engaged the labor power of millions; in 1958 alone, some 580 million cubic meters of earth were moved. Urgently and rapidly, through extraordinary efforts, the Chinese people were tasked with overtaking Britain in steel production within fifteen years, raising agricultural yields, and achieving socialist transformation in the countryside by combining rural collectives into vast People's Communes. The conquest of nature and prosperity of humankind were believed to be at hand through the miracle of socialism. With the Great Leap Forward, the Maoist philosophy of voluntarism was given full expression in a great social mobilization. Although, like Marx, Mao held that human consciousness was shaped by material conditions, Mao also saw ideas as having the power to mobilize efforts to transform the material world. In the struggle for development, the will and energy of the masses would compensate for China's lack of sophisticated technology and equipment; ideas would unleash raw labor to conquer and remold nature.
Lipstick Bullets: Labour & Gender in Professional Gamer Self-Branding

With the growing professionalisation of electronic sports (or e-sports), the individuals who compete are, like their more ‘traditional’ sport counterparts, becoming celebrities. Actual competition is a fraction of the labour a professional gamer undertakes to earn a living and generate a self-brand – involving a complex arrangement of sponsorships, team-memberships, and digital reputation management. Indeed, taking part in e-sports can be understood as another mode of celebrity-creation within a particular fan community. A key vector to the persona formation of professional gamers is gender. Female professional gamers must navigate additional hurdles than their male counterparts in the creation and management of their self-brand and attempts to commoditise their personas. Female gamers carefully negotiate and perform their gender while maintaining their status as a competitor and influencer in gaming’s highly masculinised culture. This performativity places these young women in a precarious position not just in terms of economic stability, but also in terms of their gendered identity. This paper compares the online personas of professional gamers Matt “NaDeSHoT” Haag and Kelly “MrsViolence” Kelley, analysing their social media presences and mainstream media appearances. Reframing the labour of professional gamers as one of building a commodifiable work persona can help us better understand the economically precarious position in which young female gamers find themselves.
“Brain Magnet” Research Triangle Park and the Origins of the Creative City, 1953-19651

This essay aims to historicize urban theorist Richard Florida’s influential formulation of the “creative class” by focusing on the emergence of a high-tech economy in North Carolina’s Research Triangle metropolitan area. In the 1950s, a powerful coalition of academics, businesspeople, and politicians launched a plan to move the state away from its traditional reliance on low-wage industries by founding a research park between Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, believing that scientific firms would value the park’s proximity to several nearby colleges and universities. The essay argues that local boosters emphasized the area’s cultural opportunities and intellectual climate as major quality-of-life considerations not only for high-tech companies, but also the scientists and engineers that they hoped to employ. Research Triangle Park thus created a blueprint for subsequent development strategies—later promoted by Florida, among other scholars and consultants—that made arts, education, and other cultural inst...
Query Based Adaptive Re-ranking for Person Re-identification

Existing algorithms for person re-identification hardly model query variations across non-overlapping cameras. In this paper, we propose a query based adaptive re-ranking method to address this important issue. In our work, negative image pairs can be easily generated for each query under non-overlapping cameras. To infer query variations across cameras, nearest neighbors of the query positive match under two camera views are approximated and selected from positive matches in the training set. Locality preserving projections (LPP) are employed to ensure that each feature vector under one camera shares similar neighborhood structure with the corresponding positive match. Using existing re-identification algorithms as base score function, the optimal adaptive model is learnt by least-square regression with manifold regularization. Experimental results show that the proposed method can improve the ranking performance and outperforms other adaptive methods.
On Flow Authority Discovery in Social Networks.

A central characteristic of social networks is that it facilitates rapid dissemination of information between large groups of individuals. This paper will examine the problem of determination of information flow representatives, a small group of authoritative representatives to whom the dissemination of a piece of information leads to the maximum spread. Clearly, information flow is affected by a number of different structural factors such as the node degree, connectivity, intensity of information flow interaction and the global structural behavior of the underlying network. We will propose a stochastic information flow model, and use it to determine the authoritative representatives in the underlying social network. We will first design an accurate RankedReplace algorithm, and then use a Bayes probabilistic model in order to approximate the effectiveness of this algorithm with the use of a fast algorithm. We will examine the results on a number of real social network data sets, and show that the method is more effective than state-of-the-art methods.