cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myocardial Remodeling Is Controlled by Myocyte-Targeted Gene Regulation of Phosphodiesterase Type 5

Objectives We tested the hypothesis that bi-directional, gene-targeted regulation of cardiomyocyte cyclic guanosine monophosphate–selective phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) influences maladaptive remodeling in hearts subjected to sustained pressure overload. Background PDE5 expression is up-regulated in human hypertrophied and failing hearts, and its inhibition (e.g., by sildenafil) stimulates protein kinase G activity, suppressing and reversing maladaptive hypertrophy, fibrosis, and contractile dysfunction. Sildenafil is currently being clinically tested for the treatment of heart failure. However, researchers of new studies have questioned the role of myocyte PDE5 and protein kinase G (PKG) to this process, proposing alternative targets and mechanisms. Methods Mice with doxycycline-controllable myocyte-specific PDE5 gene expression were generated (medium transgenic [TG] and high TG expression lines) and subjected to sustained pressure overload. Results Rest myocyte and heart function, histology, and molecular profiling were normal in both TG lines versus controls at 2 months of age. However, upon exposure to pressure overload (aortic banding), TG hearts developed more eccentric remodeling, maladaptive molecular signaling, depressed function, and amplified fibrosis with up-regulation of tissue growth factor signaling pathways. PKG activation was inhibited in TG myocytes versus controls. After establishing a severe cardiomyopathic state, high-TG mice received doxycycline to suppress PDE5 expression/activity only in myocytes. This in turn enhanced PKG activity and reversed all previously amplified maladaptive responses, despite sustained pressure overload. Sildenafil was also effective in this regard. Conclusions These data strongly support a primary role of myocyte PDE5 regulation to myocardial pathobiology and PDE5 targeting therapy in vivo and reveal a novel mechanism of myocyte-orchestrated extracellular matrix remodeling via PDE5/cyclic guanosine monophosphate–PKG regulatory pathways
Immunohistochemical Expression of Cell Cycle Proteins E2F-1, Cdk-2, Cyclin E, p27 kip1 , and Ki-67 in Normal Placenta and Gestational Trophoblastic Disease

The role of cell cycle protein expression in gestational trophoblastic disease is poorly understood. In this study we investigated the immunostaining patterns of G(1) restriction point and G(1)-S regulatory proteins E2F-1, Cdk2, cyclin E, p27(kip1), and the proliferation marker Ki-67 on routinely processed sections of 29 hydatidiform moles (10 partial moles and 19 complete moles, including 9 persistent moles), 7 choriocarcinomas, and 7 normal placentas. Ki-67 trophoblast staining decreased with increasing gestational age of the placenta, and showed maximal expression in gestational trophoblastic disease. Cyclin-dependent kinase activity, as reflected by Cdk2 expression patterns, also decreased with placental maturation. E2F-1 was uniquely expressed by trophoblasts of moles and choriocarcinoma. Cyclin E was maximally expressed by complete moles and choriocarcinomas, and showed an inverse relationship with the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(kip1). Abnormal trophoblastic proliferations may be mediated through interactions of Cdk-2, E2F-1, cyclin E, and p27(kip1). Overexpression of cyclin E was associated with more aggressive forms of gestational trophoblastic disease. However, we did not find distinguishing features between complete moles that spontaneously resolved after evacuation and persistent moles that required chemotherapy. The different expression patterns of cyclin E and E2F-1 in partial and complete moles may be useful in distinguishing these two entities. Furthermore, loss of p27(kip1) in malignant trophoblast may represent a necessary step in the development of choriocarcinoma.
A possible relation between the spin of hadrons and their isospin, strangeness and charm

The introduction of isospin by H]~IS~N~nG (1) to characterize the symmetry of the neutron and proton aIld the subsequent developments (2-8) associated with SU2, SUn, U3, SU3 and the quark models, have left the theory of elementary particles with the still-unsolved problem as to the origin of these internal symmetries as well as their broken character. Unlike the case with ordinary spin, isospin and its associated (( strong )) charges have not as yet emerged in any generally-accepted way as a consequence of a deeper analysis of the symmetry properties of space and space-time as described by the rotation group and the Lorentz-Poincard group (7). While it is certainly consistent with what is known to take the view that the space-time symmetries and the hadronie internal symmetries co-exist but are quite independent, it is also possible to take the opposite view and to see where it leads. This latter approach is followed here. ~Wnat I shall do is to give an empirical equation relating the spin of the hadrons to their isospin, strangeness and charm. I shall then present tables of the hadrons to show that the equation applies to all the observed hadrons for which the quantum numbers are known (s). For greater completeness, the F-mesons and the T(9440) have also been included in the tabulations although the quantum numbers are apparently still not completely settled (s). Also, although the intent ion of the analysis was to work with the observed hadrons, it turns out that the equation also applies to the quarks, and they are included in the tables. Since the photon formally fits in the same table with massive vector mesons it too has been included for suggestiveness. The approach to obtaining the spin equations below is quite heuristic. I t is the hope that a more theoretical basis will be found, perhaps in some nonclassical departures
The use of a fibrin tissue sealant during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy

The use of a fibrin tissue sealant in laparoscopic partial nephrectomy is described by authors from Chapel Hill. They used it in 15 patients after electrocauterization and argon-beam coagulation; it was helpful in haemotasis and in preventing urinary leak. OBJECTIVE To assess the feasibility and efficacy of commercially available fibrin tissue sealant as a haemostatic agent and collecting-system sealant during hand-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN). PATIENTS AND METHODS Fifteen consecutive patients underwent LPN for enhancing renal masses suspicious for renal cell carcinoma via a transperitoneal approach and with the use of a hand-assistance device. Monopolar electrocauterization and argon-beam coagulation were initially used to slow bleeding from the resection site. Through a laparoscopic applicator, TisseelTM fibrin sealant (Baxter Inc., Deerfield, IL) was applied to the transected partial nephrectomy bed while the surgeon's hand maintained adequate compression and partial haemostasis. No further haemostatic measures were required in any patient; the patients were evaluated for acute and delayed bleeding or urinary extravasation. RESULTS In all cases electrocauterization and argon-beam coagulation followed by the application of Tisseel was successful in obtaining strict haemostasis of the surgical bed, with no evidence of bleeding during or after surgery on immediate and extended follow-up. In addition, there was no evidence during or after surgery of any urinary leak. There were no immediate or delayed complications in any of the patients; a short-term outpatient follow-up (12–60 weeks) revealed no additional problems. CONCLUSIONS Conventional haemostatic measures of electrocauteriztion and argon-beam coagulation combined with commercial fibrin sealant allows successful haemostasis during LPN. In addition to haemostatic properties, fibrin sealants appear to have sealing properties that may help to prevent complications of urinary leakage by helping to seal or close the small defects in the urinary collecting system. The use of this compound may facilitate the ability of the urological laparoscopist during LPN.
Why School? A Review of Why School? Reclaiming Education for All of Us, by Mike Rose, The New Press, 2009

Why School? Reclaiming Education for All of Us is a small book packed with incisive commentary about contemporary public schooling writ large. Acclaimed author and long-time educator, Mike Rose, of...
Development and evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for the measurement of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in human urine.

Abstract An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was developed to quantitatively measure 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in human urine. Samples were diluted (1:5) with phosphate-buffered saline containing 0.05% Tween and 0.02% sodium azide, with analysis by a 96-microwell plate immunoassay format. No clean up was required as dilution step minimized sample interferences. Fifty urine samples were received without identifiers from a subset of pesticide applicators and their spouses in an EPA pesticide exposure study (PES) and analyzed by the ELISA method and a conventional gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) procedure. For the GC/MS analysis, urine samples were extracted with acidic dichloromethane (DCM); methylated by diazomethane and fractionated by a Florisil solid phase extraction (SPE) column prior to GC/MS detection. The percent relative standard deviation (%R.S.D.) of the 96-microwell plate triplicate assays ranged from 1.2 to 22% for the urine samples. Day-to-day variation of the assay results was within ±20%. Quantitative recoveries (>70%) of 2,4-D were obtained for the spiked urine samples by the ELISA method. Quantitative recoveries (>80%) of 2,4-D were also obtained for these samples by the GC/MS procedure. The overall method precision of these samples was within ±20% for both the ELISA and GC/MS methods. The estimated quantification limit for 2,4-D in urine was 30 ng/mL by ELISA and 0.2 ng/mL by GC/MS. A higher quantification limit for the ELISA method is partly due to the requirement of a 1:5 dilution to remove the urine sample matrix effect. The GC/MS method can accommodate a 10:1 concentration factor (10 mL of urine converted into 1 mL organic solvent for analysis) but requires extraction, methylation and clean up on a solid phase column. The immunoassay and GC/MS data were highly correlated, with a correlation coefficient of 0.94 and a slope of 1.00. Favorable results between the two methods were achieved despite the vast differences in sample preparation. Results indicated that the ELISA method could be used as a high throughput, quantitative monitoring tool for human urine samples to identify individuals with exposure to 2,4-D above the typical background levels.
Steady-state-current impedance spectroscopy of plasticized PVC membranes containing neutral ion carriers☆

Abstract Impedance spectroscopy measurements on plasticized PVC ion-selective membranes containing neutral carriers provided evidence for both bulk and interfacial features. Under steady-state currents, the systems showed concentration polarization of neutral carriers and ionic species. The shortage of neutral carriers at one of the interfaces was correlated with the presence of a low-frequency kinetic semi-circle and a Warburg impedance. The changes in ionic concentration profiles were associated with an increase in bulk membrane resistance and Warburg impedance.
Distinctive bioclimatic parameters of the subtropical-tropical andes

Among the mountain regions of the world the Andean highlands have a unique position. They show the highest elevation in subtropical-tropical latitudes and are populated for centuries. Strong sun-shadow contrasts and day-night thermal differences exist. The annual range of temperature is larger at 4, 000 m than at sea level. The atmospheric humidity is not so much a function of elevation than of the prevailing climatic regime and is characterized by large differences in space and time. The values of the cooling power are similar to those in the lowlands of the mid-latitudes and have a small daily range due to the high day-time temperatures and low nighttime wind speeds. At these altitudes the regular but especially the irregular pressure variation may assume major significance for the appearance of mountain sickness. Possible bioclimatic classifications have to specify if they refer to adjusted aboriginals, acclimatized residents, or casual travelers.
Nuclear energy states of 171Tm

Abstract The half-life of 171 Er, decaying by beta emission to 171 Tm, has been measured to be 7.8±0.2 h. Utilizing Ge(Li) detectors, the gamma-ray spectrum of 171 Er has been observed to contain 34 full energy peaks, four of them being interpreted to correspond to the presence of four unresolved gamma-ray doublets. The relative intensities of both the well-resolved quanta and the doublets have been measured. Good evidence has been obtained for the existence of excited states in the residual nucleus, 171 Tm, at 5, 117, 129, 425, 489, 637, 676, 737, 861, 913, 1000, 1226 and 1400 keV. Additional levels have been tentatively proposed at 966 and 1171 keV. The results of this paper, combined with those of earlier investigations, have been employed to provide spin values and parities for the energy states. Nilsson numbers have been assigned to some levels, and rotational characteristics to others.
Detection of an Anisotropic Soft X-ray Background Flux

Anisotropic soft X ray background flux detection, discussing extragalactic and possible galactic corona components
‘Smoothing’ Manifestations in Fourth Quarter Results of Operations: Some Empirical Evidence

‘Smoothing’ Manifestations in Fourth Quarter Results of Operations: Some Empirical Evidence The subject of smoothing of annual income numbers has occupied a good deal of the accounting literature. The finding of most studies was that managers of firms did behave as if they intended to impart a smoother trend to accounting earnings. The availability of quarterly reports provides us with an opportunity to gain insights into the timing of smoothing decisions. The paper tests the hypothesis that the observed first three quarters' results trigger actions by management during the fourth quarter that appear as smoothing behaviour. The findings indicate that the manifestations of end-of-year actions by managers are consistent with the possible attempt on their part to alter fourth quarter reported results so as to offset extreme deviations of the first three quarters' reported numbers from a given, predefined, ‘normal’ trend presumably deemed by managers to be desirable to report.
Average Weights of the Permanent Teeth, Including the Relative Amounts of Enamel to Dentin and Cementum

Average measurements of the human teeth, which were determined by G. V. Black (1), have been standard data available in textbooks for many years. A review of the dental literature, however, does not disclose a study of the weights of the permanent teeth. Occasional reports have been published, but these do not present a sufficient number of weights on each tooth type to allow the establishment of average figures. The present study was designed to provide such data. Following the determination of the individual tooth weights, representative specimens were selected, grouped according to tooth type, and separated into (a) enamel and (b) dentin and cementum portions. These fractions were then weighed. Such data is likewise provided in the present study.
Effect of an informatics for Evidence-based Practice Curriculum on nursing informatics competencies

Effective and appropriate use of information and communication technologies is an essential competency for all health care professionals. The purpose of this paper is to describe the effect of an evolving informatics for evidence-based practice (IEBP) curriculum on nursing informatics competencies in three student cohorts in the combined BS/MS program for non-nurses at the Columbia University School of Nursing. A repeated-measures, non-equivalent comparison group design was used to determine differences in self-rated informatics competencies pre- and post-IEBP and between cohorts at the end of the BS year of the combined BS/MS program. The types of Computer Skill competencies on which the students rated themselves as competent (> or =3) on admission were generic in nature and reflective of basic computer literacy. Informatics competencies increased significantly from admission to BS graduation in all areas for the class of 2002 and in all, but three areas, for the class of 2003. None of the three cohorts achieved competence in Computer Skills: Education despite curricular revisions. There were no significant differences between classes at the end of the BS year. Innovative educational approaches, such as the one described in this paper demonstrate promise as a method to achieve informatics competence. It is essential to integrate routine measurement of informatics competency into the curriculum so that approaches can be refined as needed to ensure informatics competent graduates.
Computation of global photochemistry with SMVGEAR II

Abstract A computer model was developed to simulate global gas-phase photochemistry. The model solves chemical equations with SMVGEAR II, a sparse-matrix, vectorized Gear-type code. To obtain SMVGEAR II, the original SMVGEAR code was modified to allow computation of different sets of chemical reactions for urban, free-tropospheric, and stratospheric regions during the same model run. SMVGEAR was also modified to allow grid cells in each region of the atmosphere to be reordered according to stiffness of the chemical equations, each time interval. Reordering speeds solutions by a factor of more than two compared to not reordering. Two 30 day simulations of chemistry coupled (with feedback) to radiation field calculations over a global grid, were performed. In one simulation, results were obtained for 49,680 grid cells (15-layers general circulation model grid), and in the other, results were obtained for 96,048 cells (29-layer grid). In both simulations, 200 “urban” (assumed below 900 mb) chemical equations were solved., 169 “free tropospheric” (225–900 mb) equations were solved, and 115 “stratospheric” (above 225 mb) equations were solved. The times required for the two 30 day simulations on a single processor of a Cray 90 were 6.2 and 11.6 h, respectively, at an average speed of approximately 362 megaflops.
Structure of the Absent in Melanoma 2 (AIM2) Pyrin Domain Provides Insights into the Mechanisms of AIM2 Autoinhibition and Inflammasome Assembly

Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) is a cytosolic double-stranded (dsDNA) sensor essential for innate immune responses against DNA viruses and bacteria such as Francisella and Listeria. Upon dsDNA engagement, the AIM2 amino-terminal pyrin domain (PYD) is responsible for downstream signaling to the adapter protein apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) through homotypic PYD-PYD interactions and the assembly of an inflammasome. Toward a better understanding of the AIM2 signaling mechanism, we determined the crystal structure of the human AIM2 PYD. The structure reveals a death domain fold with a short α3 helix that is buttressed by a highly conserved lysine residue at the α2 helix, which may stabilize the α3 helix for potential interaction with partner domains. The surface of the AIM2 PYD exhibits distinct charge distribution with highly acidic α1-α2 helices and highly basic α5-α6 helices. A prominent solvent-exposed hydrophobic patch formed by residues Phe-27 and Phe-28 at the α2 helix resembles a similar surface involved in the death effector domain homotypic interactions. Docking studies suggest that the AIM2 PYD may bind the AIM2 hematopoietic interferon-inducible nuclear (HIN) domain or ASC PYD using overlapping surface near the α2 helix. This may ensure that AIM2 interacts with the downstream adapter ASC only upon release of the autoinhibition by the dsDNA ligand. Our work thus unveils novel structural features of the AIM2 PYD and provides insights into the potential mechanisms of the PYD-HIN and PYD-PYD interactions important for AIM2 autoinhibition and inflammasome assembly.
Assessing the Five-Factor Model of Personality Description

Several approaches to assessing the dimensions of the five-factor model are reviewed and evaluated. The items in the assessment instrument may be adjectives or phrases, and the instrument itself may have been developed specifically to measure the five factors or may have been reinterpreted in terms of the five-factor model. Data are presented comparing an adjective-based measure of the model (Goldberg, 1990) with two phrase-based measures (Costa & McCrae, 1985; Hogan, 1986), and recommendations are made for the choice of an instrument in different research contexts. Allport's (1937) distinctions between the structure of the trait lexicon and the structure of personality in individuals are reiterated.
The puzzles of the prokineticin 2 pathway in human reproduction.

Abstract Prokineticin, 1 (PROK1) and prokineticin 2 (PROK2), are two closely related proteins that were identified as the mammalian homologs of their two amphibian homologs, mamba intestinal toxin (MIT-1) and Bv8. MIT-1 was initially identified as a non-toxic constituent in the venom of the black mamba snake (Dendroaspis polylepis) ( Joubert and Strydom, 1980 ) while Bv8 was identified in the skin secretion of the toad, Bombina variegate ( Mollay et al., 1999 ). All three homologs stimulate gastrointestinal motility thus accounting for their family name “prokineticins” ( Schweitz et al., 1990 , Schweitz et al., 1999 ). However, since its initial description, both PROK1 and PROK2 have been found to regulate a dazzling array of biological functions throughout the body. In particular, PROK1 acts as a potent angiogenic mitogen on endocrine vascular epithelium, thus earning its other name, Endocrine gland–vascular endothelial factor (EG–VEGF) ( LeCouter et al., 2002 ). In contrast, the PROK2 signaling pathway is a critical regulator of olfactory bulb morphogenesis and sexual maturation in mammals and this function is the focus of this review.
Transforming Minor Bodily Stigmas Through Holding Onto Grief A “Hair” Raising Possibility

This essay is an exploration in the process of queering hegemonic paradigms of grieving and body image. I use autoethnography to question my feelings about my own body hair and the sudden death of my mother. I show how experiences of sudden death not only allow us to reflect upon our current relationships and life stories, but help us transform them as well. I take the reader through my own contradictory history with body hair from childhood to the present, through times my mother helped me love it and times others pushed me to hate it. Ultimately, I argue that through writing a deceased loved one’s legacy on our own bodies and holding onto grief, we might not only reframe minor bodily stigmas but also transcend them.
Redd Site Selection and Spawning Habitat Use by Fall Chinook Salmon: The Importance of Geomorphic Features in Large Rivers

) spawning habitat. Information exists on the microhabitat characteristics that define suitable salmon spawning habitat. However, traditional spawning habitat models that use these characteristics to predict available spawning habitat are restricted because they can not account for the heterogeneous nature of rivers. We present a conceptual spawning habitat model for fall chinook salmon that describes how geomorphic features of river channels create hydraulic processes, including hyporheic flows, that influence where salmon spawn in unconstrained reaches of large mainstem alluvial rivers. Two case studies based on empirical data from fall chinook salmon spawning areas in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River are presented to illustrate important aspects of our conceptual model. We suggest that traditional habitat models and our conceptual model be combined to predict the limits of suitable fall chinook salmon spawning habitat. This approach can incorporate quantitative measures of river channel morphology, including general descriptors of geomorphic features at different spatial scales, in order to understand the processes influencing redd site selection and spawning habitat use. This information is needed in order to protect existing salmon spawning habitat in large rivers, as well as to recover habitat already lost.
Catalyst-Controlled Formal [4 + 3] Cycloaddition Applied to the Total Synthesis of (+)-Barekoxide and (−)-Barekol

The tandem cyclopropanation/Cope rearrangement between bicyclic dienes and siloxyvinyldiazoacetate, catalyzed by the dirhodium catalyst Rh2(R-PTAD)4, effectively accomplishes enantiodivergent [4 + 3] cycloadditions. The reaction proceeds by a cyclopropanation followed by a Cope rearrangement of the resulting divinylcyclopropane. This methodology was applied to the synthesis of (+)-barekoxide (1) and (−)-barekol (2).
Short dipole in a uniaxial medium

The paper considers the radiation properties of a short dipole in a lossy uniaxial medium. A quantity T(r) called the transmission parameter is defined in terms of the integrated Poynting vector on a spherical surface of radius r. The variation of T(r) is studied as a function of r. One of the main findings of the paper is that T(r) is inversely proportional to the half-length L of the dipole for r → 0, while it is proportional to L 2 for r → ∞. This behavior is explained in terms of the variation of the fields in the medium. One possible explanation of the much discussed paradoxical behavior of the input resistance of a short dipole is offered in the light of the results obtained in this paper.
Economic Performance, Trade Restrictiveness, and Efficiency

The paper addresses the question of whether trade restrictiveness impacts economic performance, via a trade restrictiveness index that is decomposable into a trade distortion and a domestic distortion component. The paper builds on the Anderson and Neary price index measure of trade distortion, in evaluating trade restrictiveness via a distance function approach. This is accomplished by adding a “dual” version to their trade restrictiveness price index, based on distance functions that scale output quantities. The authors compute the trade restrictiveness quantity index (TRQI) using a parametric frontier approach to model the production side of the economy, and a panel of information on the agricultural sector of a set of European Community countries. The results suggest that the use of TRQI makes a considerable difference to interpretations of the efficiency impact of agricultural trade policies in EC countries, as compared to policy-oriented aggregates or result-oriented measures of trade restrictiveness.
Associations between pain control self-efficacy, self-efficacy for communicating with physicians, and subsequent pain severity among cancer patients

Abstract Objective Coaching patients to be more active in health encounters may improve communication with physicians but does not necessarily improve health outcomes. We explored this discrepancy by examining relationships between self-efficacy for communicating with physicians and pain control self-efficacy and subsequent pain severity among cancer patients participating in a coaching trial. Methods We analyzed data from 244 English-speaking adults with various cancer types reporting significant pain, recruited from 49 oncology physicians’ offices. Mixed model linear regression examined relationships between post-intervention communication self-efficacy and pain control self-efficacy and subsequent pain severity over 12 weeks. Results Post-intervention pain control self-efficacy (but not communication self-efficacy) was significantly related to subsequent pain severity: a one standard deviation increase was associated with a 0.19 point decrease (95% confidence interval = −0.33, −0.04; p = 0.01) in pain severity over time, approximately 25% of the effect size of the influence of post-intervention pain on subsequent pain. Conclusion Among cancer patients enrolled in a coaching trial, post-intervention pain control self-efficacy, but not communication self-efficacy, was significantly related to subsequent pain severity. Practice implications Identifying behavioral mediators of cancer pain severity may lead to coaching interventions that are more effective in improving cancer pain control.
Functional integration of a metabolic network model and expression data without arbitrary thresholding

Motivation: Flux balance analysis (FBA) has been used extensively to analyze genome-scale, constraint-based models of metabolism in a variety of organisms. The predictive accuracy of such models has recently been improved through the integration of high-throughput expression profiles of metabolic genes and proteins. However, extensions of FBA often require that such data be discretized a priori into sets of genes or proteins that are either ‘on’ or ‘off’. This procedure requires selecting relatively subjective expression thresholds, often requiring several iterations and refinements to capture the expression dynamics and retain model functionality. Results: We present a method for mapping expression data from a set of environmental, genetic or temporal conditions onto a metabolic network model without the need for arbitrary expression thresholds. Metabolic Adjustment by Differential Expression (MADE) uses the statistical significance of changes in gene or protein expression to create a functional metabolic model that most accurately recapitulates the expression dynamics. MADE was used to generate a series of models that reflect the metabolic adjustments seen in the transition from fermentative-to glycerol-based respiration in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The calculated gene states match 98.7% of possible changes in expression, and the resulting models capture functional characteristics of the metabolic shift. Availability: MADE is implemented in Matlab and requires a mixed-integer linear program solver. Source code is freely available at http://www.bme.virginia.edu/csbl/downloads/. Contact: papin@virginia.edu Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A scalable synchronization protocol for large scale sensor networks and its applications

Synchronization is considered a particularly difficult task in wireless sensor networks due to its decentralized structure. Interestingly, synchrony has often been observed in networks of biological agents (e.g., synchronously flashing fireflies, or spiking of neurons). In this paper, we propose a bio-inspired network synchronization protocol for large scale sensor networks that emulates the simple strategies adopted by the biological agents. The strategy synchronizes pulsing devices that are led to emit their pulses periodically and simultaneously. The convergence to synchrony of our strategy follows from the theory of Mirollo and Strogatz, 1990, while the scalability is evident from the many examples existing in the natural world. When the nodes are within a single broadcast range, our key observation is that the dependence of the synchronization time on the number of nodes N is subject to a phase transition: for values of N beyond a specific threshold, the synchronization is nearly immediate; while for smaller N, the synchronization time decreases smoothly with respect to N. Interestingly, a tradeoff is observed between the total energy consumption and the time necessary to reach synchrony. We obtain an optimum operating point at the local minimum of the energy consumption curve that is associated to the phase transition phenomenon mentioned before. The proposed synchronization protocol is directly applied to the cooperative reach-back communications problem. The main advantages of the proposed method are its scalability and low complexity.
Sliding mode approach to PWM-controlled pneumatic systems

This paper presents a modeling and control design method for PWM-controlled pneumatic systems. Difficulties associated with servovalves typically used to continuously control pneumatic systems, in addition to a general lack,of analytic control design techniques available for MW controlled pneumatic systems, motivate the development, of a modeling and control design technique for PWM pneumatics. Specifically, the method presented here is to model a PWM-based pneumatic system using a state-space averaging approach. This provides the analytic machinery necessary to remove the discontinuities associated with switching and results in a model tractable to standard nonlinear control design techniques. Thereby, issues such as stability robustness and performance bandwidth may be addressed directly. The control of a single degree of freedom pneumatic positioning system illustrates this technique experimentally.
Distributed processing: requirements for an object-oriented approach

Substantial benefits, such as increased code reusability, simplified maintainability, and improved reliability can be attained through the proper use of object oriented languages. Often, languages which claim to offer concurrency and object oriented features have exhibited significant inadequacies which impose limitations on the benefits. In addition, it is evident that there is no existing standard used by the designers of these languages. The lack of this consistency presents difficulty for programmers who would like to take advantage of an object oriented approach to distributed processing. Therefore, we combine the requirements for object oriented programming with those for distributed processing. Several solutions which have been proposed in the literature for advertised problems in the combination of distributed processing and object oriented programming languages are discussed and evaluated with respect to the paradigm which we present. These solutions are used to extend an existing language (ABCL/R3) to demonstrate that these features are compatible.
Detect, manage, inform: a paradigm shift in the care of athletes with cardiac disorders?

Every once in a while you read an article that you know is truly a ‘landmark’. An article that presents new, original and impactful data to better the care of patients, and simultaneously serves to validate a practice model applied by many but with limited scientific data. Johnson and Ackerman1 present their findings on athletes with congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) and the outcomes of continued sports participation contrary to the 2005 guidelines of the 36th Bethesda Conference and the European Society of Cardiology.2 ,3 (link to article by Johnson) In over 650 athlete-years of follow-up after returning to sport with LQTS, there were no deaths and only one athlete with sport-related cardiac events involving appropriate VF-terminating implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shocks in a very-high-risk child (QTc>550 ms and history of resuscitated cardiac arrest). Everybody supports screening—AHA, ACC, ESC, IOC, FIFA, AMSSM, AAP, AAFP, NCAA… you name it. Major medical and sport governing organisations universally endorse cardiovascular screening …
Ultra-trace determination of mercury in water by cold-vapor generation isotope dilution mass spectrometry

Determination of total Hg at the ppt level in water using cold vapor generation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for calibration by isotope dilution (ID) with both sector field (SF-ICP-MS) and time-of-flight MS (ICP-TOF-MS) detection is described. Samples were reduced on-line in a flow injection manifold with SnCl2 to generate Hg vapor for both steady-state and transient sample introduction following gold trapping. No significant difference in final Hg concentrations was detected using either approach. Certified reference material ORMS-3 river water (NRCC, Ottawa, Canada) was used for method validation. Mercury concentrations of 12.75 ± 0.24 and 12.34 ± 0.11 pg g−1 (mean and one standard deviation, n = 4) were obtained using steady-state generation with SF-ICP-MS and ICP-TOF-MS, respectively, in agreement with the certified value of 12.6 ± 1.1 pg g−1 (combined uncertainty, k = 2). Concentrations of 12.55 ± 0.41 and 12.65 ± 0.30 pg g−1 (one standard deviation, n = 4) were obtained following gold trapping and SF-ICP-MS and ICP-TOF-MS detection, respectively. Compared with SF-ICP-MS, a 2-fold enhancement in the precision of the measured 200Hg/201Hg and 202Hg/201Hg ratios in a 100 ppt Hg standard solution was obtained using ICP-TOF-MS. Consequently, improved precisions of 0.87–2.33% RSD in Hg concentrations obtained by steady-state and transient signal acquisition, respectively, in ORMS-3 were obtained using ICP-TOF-MS, compared with 1.88–3.25% RSD obtained with SF-ICP-MS. Method detection limits (LODs, three times standard deviation) of 0.024 and 0.15 pg g−1 for Hg using direct CV and following gold trapping, respectively, were obtained using SF-ICP-MS. These were superior to corresponding LODs of 0.30 and 0.87 pg g−1 obtained using ICP-TOF-MS as a result of its 15-fold lower sensitivity.
No One Is Immune: A Community Education Partnership Addressing HIV/AIDS and Older Adults

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of new HIV diagnoses among people aged 50 to 64 in the United States, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in just 7 years (by 2015) 50% of those living with AIDS will be aged 50 or older. To address this public health concern, viable HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment options for individuals over the age of 50 are necessary. This article discusses the No One Is Immune initiative that planned, implemented, and coordinated evidence-based HIV/ AIDS prevention and education programs specifically tailored for middle-aged and older adults. Guided by the health belief model, an educational conference entitled “Sexuality, Medication, and HIV/AIDS in Middle and Later Adulthood” was conducted along with research activities that assessed HIV/AIDS knowledge gained using both qualitative and quantitative measures. This project can be replicated by other providers within the aging network.
Advocacy: translating injury research into policy

Advocacy is critical to the passage of injury prevention policies. We need look no further than motor vehicle safety laws and regulations to see the effect that such policies can have on injury morbidity and mortality. Policies can also influence research directions, funding priorities and organisational practices. In order to make sound policy, decision-makers need succinct, accurate and timely information. Policymakers and their staff may not read scientific journals, or know who to call for advice, but establishing personal contact can facilitate the use of scientific evidence.1 Educating policymakers about the science of injury and violence prevention, and advocating for the resources to support research and implementation, are essential but not sufficient. Advocacy also involves the broad discussion of possible solutions to problems. Injury and violence prevention researchers and practitioners are in the best position to inform policymakers about injury prevention policy solutions and …
A Secure Group Key Management Scheme for Wireless Cellular Networks

In wireless networks, secure multicast protocols are difficult to implement efficiently due to the dynamic nature of the multicast group and scarcity of bandwidth at the receiving and transmitting ends. Mobility is one of the most distinct features to be considered in a wireless network. Moving users onto the key tree causes extra key management resources even though they are still in service. To take care of frequent handoff between wireless access networks, it is necessary to reduce the number of rekeying messages and the size of the messages. In this paper, we design a key management tree such that neighbors on the key tree are also physical neighbors on the cellular network. By tracking the user location, we localize the delivery of rekeying messages to the users who need them. This lessens the amount of traffic in wireless and wired intervals of the network. The group key management scheme uses a pre-positioned secret sharing scheme.
On Distribution-Free Confidence Bounds for Pr{Y < X}

For X and Y unknown, distribution-free confidence intervals for Pr {Y < X} are obtained by means of the Chebyshev inequality and van Dantzig's upper bound for the variance of the Mann-Whitney statistic U. The (two-sided) intervals are reliable for small samples and are shorter than the upper bounds obtained by Birnbaum and McCarty, provided the confidence coefficient does not exceed .925 and the sample sizes are not too unequal.
ICP0, ICP4, or VP16 Expressed from Adenovirus Vectors Induces Reactivation of Latent Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 in Primary Cultures of Latently Infected Trigeminal Ganglion Cells

In a previous study, we demonstrated that infected-cell polypeptide 0 (ICP0) is necessary for the efficient reactivation of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in primary cultures of latently infected trigeminal ganglion (TG) cells (W. P. Halford and P. A. Schaffer, J. Virol. 75:3240-3249, 2001). The present study was undertaken to determine whether ICP0 is sufficient to trigger HSV-1 reactivation in latently infected TG cells. To test this hypothesis, replication-defective adenovirus vectors that express wild-type and mutant forms of ICP0 under the control of a tetracycline response element (TRE) promoter were constructed. Similar adenovirus vectors encoding wild-type ICP4, wild-type and mutant forms of the HSV-1 origin-binding protein (OBP), and wild-type and mutant forms of VP16 were also constructed. The TRE promoter was induced by coinfection of Vero cells with the test vector and an adenovirus vector that expresses the reverse tetracycline-regulated transactivator in the presence of doxycycline. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that transcription of the OBP gene in the adenovirus expression vector increased as a function of doxycycline concentration over a range of 0.1 to 10 microM. Likewise, Western blot analysis demonstrated that addition of 3 microM doxycycline to adenovirus vector-infected Vero cells resulted in a 100-fold increase in OBP expression. Wild-type forms of ICP0, ICP4, OBP, and VP16 expressed from adenovirus vectors were functional based on their ability to complement plaque formation in Vero cells by replication-defective HSV-1 strains with mutations in these genes. Adenovirus vectors that express wild-type forms of ICP0, ICP4, or VP16 induced reactivation of HSV-1 in 86% +/- 5%, 86% +/- 5%, and 97% +/- 5% of TG cell cultures, respectively (means +/- standard deviations). In contrast, vectors that express wild-type OBP or mutant forms of ICP0, OBP, or VP16 induced reactivation in 5% +/- 5%, 8% +/- 0%, 0% +/- 0%, and 13% +/- 6% of TG cell cultures, respectively. In control infections, an adenovirus vector expressed green fluorescent protein efficiently in TG neurons but did not induce HSV-1 reactivation. Therefore, expression of ICP0, ICP4, or VP16 is sufficient to induce HSV-1 reactivation in latently infected TG cell cultures. We conclude that this system provides a powerful tool for determining which cellular and viral proteins are sufficient to induce HSV-1 reactivation from neuronal latency.
Predicted Energy Resolution of a Running-Sum Algorithm for Microcalorimeters

The energy resolution of a high-pulse-rate filtering algorithm recently introduced by Hui Tan et al., based on running sums of TES microcalorimeter output streams, is predicted from average pulse shape and noise autocovariance. We compare with empirical resolution, and with optimal filtering predicted and empirical resolution, for a 55Fe source measured by multiplexed 2×4, 2×8, and 2×12 arrays of microcalorimeters.
Effects of additional prostaglandin F2α and estradiol-17β during Ovsynch in lactating dairy cows

This study was designed to evaluate whether decreasing circulating progesterone (P4) or increasing circulating estradiol-17beta (E2) near the time of artificial insemination (AI) in an Ovsynch protocol would increase pregnancies per AI (P/AI) in lactating dairy cows. Six hundred nineteen lactating Holstein cows (n = 772 inseminations) received Ovsynch (GnRH-7 d-PGF(2alpha)-56 h-GnRH-16 h-timed AI). Cows were randomized in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment of 4 treatments to receive or not receive 25 mg of PGF(2alpha) 24 h after the standard PGF(2alpha) of Ovsynch, or 0.5 mg of E2 at the time of the final GnRH of Ovsynch, or both. Blood samples were collected 24 h after normal PGF(2alpha) and at final GnRH to evaluate circulating P4. Ovarian ultrasound was done at final GnRH to determine preovulatory follicle size. Ovulation was confirmed by ultrasound 5 d after AI. Treatment with additional PGF(2alpha) increased the percentage of cows that had complete luteal regression (95.6%) compared with control cows (84.6%). In contrast, additional PGF(2alpha) had no detectable effect on P/AI (control = 41.5% vs. + PGF(2alpha) = 44.7%). Supplementation with E2 increased expression of estrus (84.4 vs. 37.2%), but had no effect on overall fertility and even tended to have a negative effect on fertility in cows that ovulated to the second GnRH (control = 51.5% vs. +E2 = 44.0%). Thus, additional treatments with PGF(2alpha) or E2 during Ovsynch can be used to increase synchronization and expression of estrus during Ovsynch, although the lack of improvement in fertility makes these treatments unwarranted.
THE INTEGRATION OF ANALYTICAL HIERARCHY PROCESS AND DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS IN A MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION-MAKING PROBLEM

This research focuses on developing a model that can be used to assess the performance of Small to Medium-Sized Manufacturing Enterprises (SMEs). The model will result from the integration of a decision tool called the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and a data analysis model called Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). This research demonstrates that by eliminating flaws and taking advantage of each methodology's specific characteristics in identifying and solving problems, the new integrated AHP/DEA model appears to be a logical and sensible solution in multi-criteria decision-making problem.
The Dimensions of Politics and Voter Behaviour in Preferential Systems: The Case of Australia

This project examines the dimensions of politics and voter preferences in Australia. Evidence from an empirical spatial analysis provides that Australian parties and voters are organised along a unidimensional socioeconomic continuum. Numerous individual-level factors, including party identification, ideology and a host of demographic and opinion variables, predict voters' positions along the continuum. Moreover, voter locations are shown to relate strongly to vote choice, demonstrating the importance of socioeconomic positions to voter behaviour in Australia. Finally, because this approach allows for a full examination of voter preference orderings, it is important to the study of voting behaviour and representation under preferential electoral institutions in Australia and elsewhere.