cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High Frequency Performance Monitoring via Architectural Event Measurement

Obtaining detailed software execution information via hardware performance counters is a powerful analysis technique. The performance counters provide an effective method to monitor program behaviors; hence performance bottlenecks due to hardware architecture or software design and implementation can be identified, isolated and improved on. The granularity and overhead of the monitoring mechanism, however, are paramount to proper analysis. Many prior designs have been able to provide performance counter monitoring with inherited drawbacks such as intrusive code changes, a slow timer system, or the need for a kernel patch. In this paper, we present K-LEB (Kernel - Lineage of Event Behavior), a new monitoring mechanism that can produce precise, non-intrusive, low overhead, periodic performance counter data using a kernel module based design. Our proposed approach has been evaluated on three different case studies to demonstrate its effectiveness, correctness and efficiency. By moving the responsibility of timing to kernel space, K-LEB can gather periodic data at a 100μs rate, which is 100 times faster than other comparable performance counter monitoring approaches. At the same time, it reduces the monitoring overhead by at least 58.8%, and the difference between the recorded performance counter readings and those of other tools are less than 0.3%.
Effect of Exercise and Sham Exercise Trackers on Perceived Workout Intensity and Mood in College Students

Exercise is an essential contributor to both physical and mental health and is a significant part of a person’s overall lifestyle. With the increasing popularity of exercise trackers, researchers were interested in the effects of sham exercise trackers on perceptions of workouts and affect. Researchers predicted participants wearing a sham Fitbit band would report greater perceptions of workout intensity, challenge, and satisfaction compared to those without sham Fitbit bands. In addition, those wearing sham Fitbit bands were predicted to report greater positive affect and lower negative affect than those without bands. One hundred twenty student participants (60 in each group; one group with a sham Fitbit and one group with no Fitbit) were recruited from campus workout classes of Zumba, spinning, and body sculpting. Participants worked out and completed a PANAS survey, plus other workout perception questions. When using a sham Fitbit, participants believed the workout was more intense, physically challenging, and they were more satisfied with their workout. However, presence of a sham Fitbit band did not significantly affect mood. Results suggest that knowledge of wearing an exercise tracker, even without any workout data feedback, has an effect on workout perceptions, but has little effect on mood.
CRUFT: Context Recognition under Uncertainty using Fusion and Temporal Learning

Human context recognition (HCR), which involves determining a user’s current situation (or context), has long been an important task in context-aware systems. With the widespread ownership of smartphones, HCR methods that utilize signals from its built-in sensors have recently received increased attention. We propose Context Recognition under label Uncertainty using Fusion and Temporal Learning (CRUFT), a novel method to recognize a diverse set of smartphone user contexts, including long-term human activities, short-term human activities, and phone placement (pocket or bag in which the smartphone is carried). Context recognition is formulated as a multi-label classification task. CRUFT uses both handcrafted features and auto-learned deep learning features extracted from raw time-series data in two separate arms. The handcrafted arm includes a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), while the raw data arm utilizes a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) along with a Bi-Directional Long Short Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) model that exploits temporal correlations in the input stream. As smartphone sensor readings, assigned timestamps, and labels can be wrong sometimes, CRUFT integrates an uncertainty module. CRUFT outperforms the state-of-the-art baselines achieving 94.25% in overall Balanced Accuracy (BA), which improves the best performing baseline by 2.7%. Our detailed analyses demonstrate the non-trivial contributions of each component in CRUFT.
Role of social determinants of health in pneumococcal vaccination among high-risk adults.

OBJECTIVES To determine the influence of select social determinants of health on uptake of and time to pneumococcal vaccination among those deemed high-risk. METHODS Using nationwide claims data for years 2013-2016, adult patients (aged 18-64 years) were followed from their first diagnosis for a condition deeming them high-risk for invasive pneumococcal disease through the subsequent 365 days and observed for pneumococcal vaccination in outpatient clinics and pharmacies. Publicly-available data on select social determinants of health were incorporated into analyses, guided by the WHO vaccine hesitancy matrix. Controlling for baseline demographic and clinical characteristics, logistic regression determined predictors of vaccination and a general linear model compared days to being vaccinated. RESULTS A total of 173,712 patients were analyzed of which approximately one quarter (25.3%) were vaccinated against invasive pneumococcal disease within the first year of being deemed high risk, nearly all of which (98.5%) were received in outpatient clinics. The odds of vaccination were higher among urban residents (OR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.144-1.223), areas of higher health literacy (OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.019-1.025), and more Democratic-voting communities (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.23-1.88). Conversely, the likelihood of vaccination was particularly low in areas of higher poverty (OR: 0.14; 95% CI: 0.068-0.304) and with limited Internet access (OR: 0.14; 95% CI: 0.062-0.305) as well as among adults who did not also get a seasonal influenza vaccine (OR: 0.05; 95% CI: 0.048-0.052). Time to vaccination was longer in rural residents (B = 8.3, p < 0.0001) and communities with less Internet access (B = 75.6, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Social determinants may be influencing pneumococcal vaccine-seeking behavior among those deemed high-risk, but a more formal and comprehensive framework must be assessed to determine the full impact of these factors across vaccines recommended in adults.
Sorting the File Drawer: A Typology for Describing Unpublished Studies.

A typology of unpublished studies is presented to describe various types of unpublished studies and the reasons for their nonpublication. Reasons for nonpublication are classified by whether they s...
MT1-MMP-dependent ECM processing regulates laminB1 stability and mediates replication fork restart

Radiotherapy remains a mainstay of treatment for a majority of cancer patients. We have previously shown that the membrane bound matrix metalloproteinase MT1-MMP confers radio- and chemotherapy resistance to breast cancer via processing of the ECM and activation of integrinβ1/FAK signaling. Here, we further discovered that the nuclear envelope protein laminB1 is a potential target of integrinβ1/FAK. FAK interacts with laminB1 contributing to its stability. Stable laminB1 is found at replication forks (RFs) where it is likely to allow the proper positioning of RF protection factors, thus preventing RF degradation. Indeed, restoration of laminB1 expression rescues replication fork stalling and collapse that occurs upon MT1-MMP inhibition, and reduces DNA damage in breast cancer cells. Together, these data highlight a novel mechanism of laminB1 stability and replication fork restart via MT1-MMP dependent extracelluar matrix remodeling.
Biological Joint Loading and Exoskeleton Design

While assistive exoskeletons typically focus on the metric of metabolic cost, we hypothesize that exoskeletons of sufficient power density could also reduce knee joint loading, which is understood to be a risk factor for osteoarthritis. Using biomechanical locomotion data, we run a simple simulation of two types of exoskeletons: those that provide a parallel load-path to ground, and those that apply torque directly to the human knee joint. We find that the second type offers larger reductions at normal walking speeds and that the power density required for knee load reduction is much lower than for metabolic cost reduction.
Toward a Conception of Misinformation as Epistemic Violence

I develop four objections to the semantic corruption model, all premised on the fact that it renders misuses of “racist” and “woman” as true which should come out as false on any acceptable metasemantics. I go on to introduce the basic idea of an epistemic violence model for linguistic hijacking and controlling propositions. On this model, misuses are false but function to propagate misinformation and enable active ignorance that undergirds interlocking systems of oppression. I argue that an adequate theory of misinformation as epistemic violence must presuppose a metasemantics on which political opponents speak a shared language with shared meanings.
Tackling the Career Fair: Scaffolded Activities to Prepare Students for Recruitment

Location: Dewberry Hall As graduation looms, many students begin to worry that they will not marketable. Encouraging preparation for and attending the career fair can be a unique tool to empower students towards their futures. I encourage students to make an appointment for career services, to work on their resume, and start researching the job they hope to have. Many students feel deflated that a high number of careers in their field require a master's degree. While I also avidly encourage grad school, students whom are feeling the weight of 4+ years of school, debt, and other pressures, are often really discouraged at their job prospects. In my courses, I set out to do a few things: a) encourage and connect students with volunteer, community service, and potential internship options in their field, b) have them take a new look at their resume, highlighting unique skills and experiences that may not have previously related to their major, c) "practice" invaluable marketing, interview, professionalism, and presentation skills at the career fair, even if they are not actively looking for a job at this time. Students should be able to convey and demonstrate what they are learning in a way that is marketable, exhibiting a growing expertise in their field. Through the development of a personal elevator speech, a polished resume, and guidelines on professional code, students can feel more "ready" for life after graduation. By "shopping" the job fair and engaging in conversations with the vendors, they gain a perspective on what the ideal candidate looks like and how they can spend the next 3, 6 or more months "molding" some of their experiences and courses to the job they hope to have in the future. Faculty can use their own real-life experiences with first-time jobs and share the sometimes "bumpy" road to a "dream job." We can develop ways to help train and empower students whom we know will likely need a Masters in their field, but helping them use their current tools to gain more experience and exposure, in the meantime.
The Iron-Sulfur Proteins

The field of iron-sulfur proteins, the proteins containing iron complexed with sulfhydryl residues and in most cases with inorganic sulfur, can trace its beginnings to the 1950s. In fact, amazement has been expressed at the lateness of recognition of these ubiquitous components of various electron transport systems with microorganisms, plants, and animals (Beinert, 1973). At the time this chapter was written, however, numerous review articles, chapters in books, and books were available on the subject (e.g., Lovenberg, 1973, 1974, 1977; Hall et al., 1975; Orme-Johnson, 1973; Orme-Johnson and Orme-Johnson, 1978; Lippard, 1973, Yasunobu et al., 1976).
EFFECT OF ANAEROBIC GROWTH ON NITRATE REDUCTION BY STAPHYLOCOCCUS EPIDERMIDIS

Jacobs, N. J. (American Meat Institute Foundation, Chicago, Ill.), J. Johantges, and R. H. Deibel. Effect of anaerobic growth on nitrate reduction by Staphylococcus epidermidis. J. Bacteriol. 85:782-787. 1963.-In anaerobic cultures, a strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis failed to reduce nitrate, although nitrate was reduced in stationary cultures grown in the presence of air. Resting suspensions of cells grown in air reduced nitrate. Although suspensions of cells grown anaerobically did not reduce nitrate, the nitrate reductase enzyme was shown to be present. When the artificial electron carrier, benzyl viologen, was added to suspensions of cells grown anaerobically, nitrate was reduced, indicating that an electron carrier required for nitrate reduction was missing. The addition of hemin to the growth medium enabled anaerobic cultures to reduce nitrate.
Study of top-quark reconstruction with LCD Fast Simulation

We report the study of top-quark reconstruction in $e^+e^- \to t\bar{t}$ events at a 500 GeV linear collider using the LCD Fast Simulator. The final states of 6 jets as well as 4 jets and lepton are used. In order to reconstruct the jets, the performance of charged and neutral cluster separation are studied. We compare top-quark reconstruction for the LCD Small and LCD Large detectors, including the effect of varying the calorimeter granularity.
Circulating prolactin levels during the menstrual cycle: episodic release and diurnal variation.

Abstract Assessment of temporal relationship between levels of prolactin (PRL), gonadotropins, and ovarian steroids in 14 ovulatory cycles was made. Serum PRL concentrations were determined by a homologous radioimmunoassay. Our data showed that, although the highest mean PRL concentration was found on the day of LH-surge and the day after estrogen peak, a consistent pattern of circulating PRL in daily morning samples was not present in ovulatory cycles; variations in random fluctuation with erratic spikes were observed within cycles and between subjects. In two cycles studied, despite markedly elevated PRL levels (eightfold) induced by amphetamine, optimal ovulatory events occurred in terms of both hormonal patterns and luteal function. These findings implicate a lack of apparent physiologic role of PRL in the regulation of ovarian function in human subjects. The random daily fluctuation of PRL was further characterized in samples obtained at 10 to 30 minute intervals during different days of five ovulatory cycles and continuous sampling during day and night was made in three of five studies; a clear episodic nature of PRL release was disclosed. A circadian rhythm with marked elevation during sleep which was composed of multiple peaks with larger excursions than those found during waking periods was revealed. The event of sleep-induced PRL rise was initiated shortly (30 to 90 minutes) after the onset of sleep and ceased upon wakening. In one subject a quantitatively greater nocturnal PRL release around midcycle (eightfold) than during the follicular and the luteal phases (threefold) was found. These data would facilitate future elucidation of the inapparent role as well as the neuroendocrine regulation of PRL secretion during the human menstrual cycle.
Mitochondrial Monoamine Oxidase: MECHANISM OF INHIBITION BY PHENYLHYDRAZINE AND BY ARALKYLHYDRAZINES. ROLE OF ENZYMATIC OXIDATION

Abstract As an approach to the investigation of inhibiting effects of substituted hydrazines with monoamine oxidases, highly active bovine kidney mitochondrial oxidase was used to study the mechanism of phenylhydrazine-induced inactivation. Treatment of the enzyme under N2 with a 3-fold excess of inhibitor produced almost complete reduction of the enzyme flavin. Introduction of oxygen then caused 80% reoxidation of reduced flavin with equivalent restoration of enzyme activity. With oxygen present initially phenylhydrazine effected almost complete irreversible inhibition. It appears that the enzyme catalyzed the oxidation of phenylhydrazine producing a highly unstable product, phenyldiazene (phenyldiimide), which inactivated the enzyme irreversibly. Such an inactivation was observed with phenyldiazene itself, prepared in situ via the decarboxylation of phenylazoformate. Our evidence, including a Hammett study correlating the effects of nuclear substitution in phenylhydrazines with rates of hydrazine-induced inhibition (ρ = -1.9) suggests that initial phenylhydrazine reduction of the flavoenzyme is rate-determining in the over-all (aerobic) inhibition process. Inactivation of the enzyme in air by treatment with either phenylhydrazine or phenyldiazene generated a damaged "reduced type" flavin, stable to autoxidation. Use of [1-14C]phenylhydrazine with the oxidase gave a stable 14C-protein product (1.4 residues of inhibitor bound per enzyme subunit). It is concluded that enzyme inactivation involves the formation of a stable flavin-inhibitor adduct, apparently without involvement of enzyme sulfhydryl groups. Similar effects were observed on treatment of the enzyme with 2-phenylethylhydrazine and dl-1-methyl-2-phenylethylhydrazine, suggesting that inhibition of the oxidase with aralkylhydrazines also involves diazene intermediates. Phenylethylhydrazine, however, was extensively converted to phenylacetaldehyde hydrazone (phenylethylidene hydrazine) either through rearrangement of the derived diazene or less probably through oxidation by an alternate route. The hydrazone was inactive as an enzyme inhibitor. Thus, the parent hydrazine had produced only 5% of the inhibition effected by an equimolar quantity of phenylhydrazine or alternatively by 1-methyl-2-phenylethylhydrazine, where the 1-methyl group presumably blocked hydrazone formation. Benzylhydrazine, as inhibitor only slightly less effective than phenylhydrazine, was minimally oxidized to hydrazone.
Carfilzomib-induced nephrotoxcity.

To the Editor: We read with great interest your review on novel chemotherapeutic agent–associated nephrotoxicities in the onco-nephrology world.1 We would like to highlight that, with regard to carfilzomib-induced renal injury, there are now numerous cases being published with mechanisms ranging from pre-renal insult, tumor lysis–like phenomenon, to biopsy-proven thrombotic microangiopathy.2, 3, 4, 5 Given the various pathogenic mechanisms (Table 1) being proposed, kidney biopsy information might be critical. Although, in correspondence with many hematologists treating myeloma, the renal injury reported by them is transient with a quick recovery. In the two cases we had reported from our institution, the renal injury was transient and behaved as a ‘pre renal’ insult.2, 3 In addition, in one of our cases, we showed that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was protective in preventing carfilzomib-related renal injury when the patient was rechallenged with the chemotherapy agent. We postulate that NAC might be preventing a vasoconstriction-related renal injury.3
Gravity field fine structure estimation techniques for a spaceborne gravity gradiometer

Use of standard estimation techniques to recover geopotential fine structure from gradiometer data requires the adjustment of small subsets of parameters while constraining others to their a priori values in order to minimize the computational load. Here, gravitational anomalies are selected as a parametrization of the gravity field which permits such an approach. Techniques coupled with numerical results for a spaceborne gravity gradiometer mission simulation are described which demonstrate that if a satellite is in a polar/circular orbit at an altitude of 160 km, 1 deg mean free air gravity anomalies can be recovered to an accuracy of 0.4 mgal, where 1 mgal = 0.001 cm/sq s.
Efficient Graph-Based Semi-Supervised Learning of Structured Tagging Models

We describe a new scalable algorithm for semi-supervised training of conditional random fields (CRF) and its application to part-of-speech (POS) tagging. The algorithm uses a similarity graph to encourage similar n-grams to have similar POS tags. We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach on a domain adaptation task, where we assume that we have access to large amounts of unlabeled data from the target domain, but no additional labeled data. The similarity graph is used during training to smooth the state posteriors on the target domain. Standard inference can be used at test time. Our approach is able to scale to very large problems and yields significantly improved target domain accuracy.
The evolution of spread-spectrum multiple-access communications

This paper contains a brief history of electrical communications, emphasizing the emergence of multiple-access and spread-spectrum techniques. Events that led to the commercialization of spread-spectrum signalling are described. >
Numerical Study of InGaN based Photovoltaic by SCAPs Simulation

Abstract The necessity to find new forms of renewable energy is very important and urgent nowadays. The renewable sources of energy derived from the sun are one of the promising options. The photovoltaic cells as one of renewable energy sources have been largely studied in order to obtain cheap, efficient and secure PV cells. The conversion efficiency is the most important property in the PV domain. Indium gallium nitride (InGaN) alloys offer great potential for high-efﬁciency photovoltaics. We present numerical simulations of GaN/InGaN heterojunction solar cells by SCAPs simulation. The calculation of characteristic parameters: short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, and conversion efficiency. So, these simulations study the effect of indium content and thickness in these parameters. While the maximum efﬁciency of a p-n GaN/InGaN heterojunction solar cell with 0.2 indium composition is 2.78%, above an indium composition of 20%, the modeled heterojunction devices do not operate as solar cells.
Analytical ion exchange chromatography of proteins

A low-pressure system for analytical ion exchange chromatography of proteins is described. Elution of proteins is performed by salt gradient and protein concentration is monitored at 206 nm. Protein mixtures consisting of microgram amounts of each component can be quantitatively resolved in 40 min. Quantitation of results is done by integration of the peak areas using a digital recorder with a data processing system. The method was successfully used for separation of proteins different by 1 unit charge only.
Family Preservation: An Unidentified Approach in Elder Abuse Protection:

Currently family preservation is not recognized as a viable approach in elder abuse practice. Yet most elder abuse in domestic settings is perpetrated by family members, and, in cases in which elde...
Examining the motivation, perceived performance, and behavioral intentions of convention attendees: evidence from a regional conference.

Abstract This study assessed convention attendee motivations, performance evaluation, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions in a regional conference setting. Data was collected from conference attendees in the southeast United States. The findings revealed a five-dimension conference motivation: (1) activities and opportunities, (2) networking, (3) convenience of conference, (4) education benefits and (5) products and deals. Furthermore, the relationships between attendee's evaluation of conference performance, satisfaction judgment, and behavioral intention were examined. The relationships between educational activities, overall satisfaction, word-of-mouth, and intent to return were found to be significant. Recommendations to the meeting planners for conferences are provided based on the results.
Logistic Regression Approach to Predicting Truck Driver Turnover

The purpose of this study is to identify those constructs that lead to driver turnover. The theory of reasoned action (TRA), originating in the social psychology literature is the theoretical approach in this study. Interviews with drivers were conducted using the intercept method to develop a survey instrument. The survey was then administered to drivers at large truck stops. This study makes contributions on two fronts. From a managerial perspective the study results indicate that companies can use a technique such as this model as part of their driver retention efforts in order to create competitive advantage by increasing efficiency and cutting costs. The resulting logistic regression model, based on four factors, accounts for eighty eight percent of the variance and accurately predicts which drivers or driver classes are most at risk of turning over.
Intestinal Metaplasia of the Stomach

Abstract Intestinal metaplasia (IM) of the stomach is associated with a very small increased risk of developing gastric cancer. Endoscopic surveillance has been proposed and advocated for populations at risk. Risk factors for IM include Helicobacter pylori infection, high salt intake, smoking, alcohol consumption, and chronic bile reflux. IM tends to appear initially at the antrum–corpus junction, especially at the gastric angularis. As atrophy and metaplastic changes advance, they extend to the antrum and corpus. Gastric IM is categorized histopathologically into incomplete and complete types. Patients with incomplete IM should undergo endoscopic gastric mapping to define the extent of IM and rule out dysplasia or adenocarcinoma. In this video presentation, endoscopic and pathological findings in gastric IM and gastric mapping techniques has been described. This article is part of an expert video encyclopedia.
Debating group structure: How local, translocal, and national voluntary organizations promote democracy

Abstract America's changing civic universe has been the focus of great attention in recent years. A debate has ensued over what kinds of organizations made the United States a “nation of joiners.” Communitarian and social capital theorists assert that local organizations both anchored civic life in the U.S. in years past and hold the key to its future. Skocpol, on the other hand, insists that translocal organizations have historically proven most beneficial to democracy. This paper uses contemporary data to examine the merits of local, translocal, and national voluntary groups from the perspective of promoting civic and political engagement. Findings suggest that while strictly national organizations have few redeeming qualities, local and translocal groups promote civic engagement equally well. On this basis, the debate between Skocpol and the social capitalists and communitarians seems overblown. When it comes to the promotion of political engagement, however, translocal groups outperform their local counterparts.
High-order polytomous Boltzmann machine and forecasting time series I

We use the polytomous Boltzmann Machine for time series forecasting and prediction applications. We will simulate the polytomous Boltzmann Machine by using the binary Boltzmann Machine. We will show our software (1) can learn and predict the behavior of deterministic dynamic systems. Given enough training, the software can predict with 100% accuracy; (2) can learn and predict the behavior of the Markov chains (or probabilistic finite state machines). Given enough training, the software can predict with 100% accuracy.
Photometric titration of iron with ethylenediaminedi(o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid)

Fractional mg quantities of ferric iron in 100 ml of solution can be titrated at PH 3.5 with a solution of ethylenediaminedi(o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid). The end-point is found photo- metrically. Errors are generally under 1%, and a number of metals do not interfere. By scaling down the volume of the solution and the titrant concentration, the titration can be extended to μg quantities of iron, and mg quantities are also accessible by changing to a wave length where the sensitivity is not so great. The titration may be useful in certain applications.
Perioperative Complications with the Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid

OBJECTIVE: To discuss perioperative complications associated with the bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) and their management. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective review of 58 patients who underwent implantation of BAHA for unilateral conductive, mixed, or sensorineural hearing losses was performed at a tertiary referral center. RESULTS: Between September 2003 and June 2005, 58 patients underwent implantation of a BAHA. There were 30 female and 28 male patients, with a mean age of 48 years (range 8-80 years). Complications occurred in 19% (11/58) of patients. Most adverse events were seen early in the series. The most common complication, partial or complete loss of the skin graft, occurred in 10% (6/58) of patients. These were managed successfully with local wound care. Five percent (3/58) of patients had skin growth over the abutment. Two of these cases were managed with office debridement, whereas 1 patient required revision under general anesthesia. There was implant extrusion in 3% (2/58) of patients, and both of these patients later underwent successful reimplantation. All patients had their implant activated 3 months after surgery. There were no perioperative or postoperative deaths. CONCLUSION: Complications related to BAHA implantation are relatively minor and usually involve partial or complete loss of the skin graft. Most complications were successfully managed in the office.
Covariant smoothed particle hydrodynamics on a curved background.

We show that the smoothed-particle-hydrodynamics discretization technique is compatible with the principles of general relativity if the contact interactions are modeled by spatial smoothing functions in the local frame comoving with the fluid. We then develop a smoothed-particle-hydrodynamics algorithm to model a non-self-gravitating isentropic fluid on a curved background. The equations of the fluid are discretized using a kernel whose spatial support is of a constant proper width in the local comoving frame. The one-dimensional relativistic shock problem is used for testing this algorithm.
The Presence of a Cytoplasmic Estrogen Receptor in Sexually Mature Rabbit Epididymides: Comparison with the Estrogen Receptor in Immature Rabbit Epididymal Cytosol*

Cytosol prepared from epididymides of castrated adult rabbits contains an estrogen-specific binding component that sediments in the 4–5S region on 0.01 M KC1 sucrose gradients. The estrogen-specific binding component is not detectable on sucrose gradients unless the cytosol-[3H]estradiol mixture is first extracted with charcoal to remove uncomplexed and rapidly exchangeable ligand from the sample. The macromolecular bound [3H]estradiol that remains after charcoal extraction dissociates from the receptor with a dissociation half-time of greater than 24 h and is of high affinity (Kd = 6.5 ± 0.9 × 10-9 M). The estrogen receptor in the adult rabbit epididymis can also be demonstrated when charcoal-extracted samples are chromatographed on Sephadex G-200. Using this system, the major estrogen-specific binder has an apparent molecular weight of less than 200,000. In contrast, the epididymal estrogen receptor in sexually immature rabbits sediments as an 8S species on low salt gradients and has an apparent molecul...
Four-duct ligation

Sialorrhea is caused by poor neuromuscular control or excessive saliva production or both. Its associated social stigmatism can be devastating for families. Medical management options include biofeedback therapy, anticholinergic medications, and botulinum toxin injections. Although these medical options can be effective, their results are temporary, and patients often require lifelong therapy. The most common surgical options for sialorrhea include salivary duct ligation and salivary gland excision. Herein, 4-duct ligation can be a permanent solution to sialorrhea and has the advantage of no external incisions.
A model for calculating desert aerosol turbidity over the oceans from geostationary satellite data.

Abstract A technique has been developed to infer the optical thickness of Saharan dust from Synchronous Meteorological Satellite (SMS) brightness measurements at visible wavelengths. The scattering model consists of an air layer, a dust layer and a lower boundary of variable albedo. Single-scatter properties of the dust computed from Mie theory were the basis for calculations by plane-parallel theory of radiative transfer in the dust layer. Radiative interactions between air and dust layers and the lower boundary were calculated with an adding version of the doubling scheme. Optical thickness was determined from satellite brightness measurements through a lookup table produced by the adding program. SMS visible sensors were calibrated from the prelaunch calibration measurements and measurements of sun and space. Error analysis and tests indicate a potential accuracy of ∼0.1 unit of optical thickness. The main limits on accuracy are digitizing resolution of the SMS visible signals, and mistaking clouds for...
VACTERL anomalies in patients with esophageal atresia: an updated delineation of the spectrum and review of the literature.

The VACTERL complex refers to anomalies of the bony spinal column (V), atresias in the gastrointestinal tract (A), congenital heart lesions (C), tracheoesophageal defects (TE), renal and distal urinary tract anomalies (R) and limb lesions (L). The incidence of each of these components has not been precisely quantified in the recent literature and the full array of anomalies within each systemic class of the VACTERL complex has not been well described. Therefore, we reviewed our most recent 20-year experience of patients born with esophageal atresia to comprehensively delineate and accurately describe the type and incidence of associated lesions. A retrospective review was then conducted on all patients diagnosed with esophageal atresia between 1985 and 2005. Patient demographics recorded included gestational age, weight and gender. The specific types of lesions were carefully cataloged. The outcome measure recorded was survival. One hundred and twelve patients were diagnosed with esophageal atresia were identified during the study period. The gestational age range was 28–41 weeks with an average of 36.5 weeks. Average birth weight was 2,557 g (range 1,107–3,890). A male predominance was seen with 62 males and 50 females. The overall survival was 92.9%. The categorical breakdown of anomalies were vertebral (24.1%), atresia (14.3%), cardiac (32.1%), tracheoesophageal fistula (95.5%), urinary (17.0%), skeletal (16.1%) and other (10.8%). VACTERL anomalies are common in patients with esophageal atresia, however, they appear to have little impact on overall survival.
Allosteric modulation of metabotropic glutamate receptors: Structural insights and therapeutic potential

Allosteric modulation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represents a novel approach to the development of probes and therapeutics that is expected to enable subtype-specific regulation of central nervous system target receptors. The metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlus) are class C GPCRs that play important neuromodulatory roles throughout the brain, as such they are attractive targets for therapeutic intervention for a number of psychiatric and neurological disorders including anxiety, depression, Fragile X Syndrome, Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia. Over the last fifteen years, selective allosteric modulators have been identified for many members of the mGlu family. The vast majority of these allosteric modulators are thought to bind within the transmembrane-spanning domains of the receptors to enhance or inhibit functional responses. A combination of mutagenesis-based studies and pharmacological approaches are beginning to provide a better understanding of mGlu allosteric sites. Collectively, when mapped onto a homology model of the different mGlu subtypes based on the β2-adrenergic receptor, the previous mutagenesis studies suggest commonalities in the location of allosteric sites across different members of the mGlu family. In addition, there is evidence for multiple allosteric binding pockets within the transmembrane region that can interact to modulate one another. In the absence of a class C GPCR crystal structure, this approach has shown promise with respect to the interpretation of mutagenesis data and understanding structure-activity relationships of allosteric modulator pharmacophores.
Resveratrol decreases oxidative burst capacity and alters stimulated leukocyte cytokine production in vitro.

Abstract Introduction Resveratrol, a naturally-occurring phytophenol, has been shown to bolster immune surveillance and reverse immunosenescence in a dose dependent manner in rodents and humans. Although safety and pharmacokinetic studies have been completed in dogs, the immunomodulatory effects of resveratrol in dogs has not yet been investigated. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of resveratrol on canine innate immune system function in vitro. The hypothesis was that similar to other species, low concentrations of resveratrol would stimulate while high concentrations would depress innate immune system function. Methods Whole blood was collected from six healthy, adult, client-owned dogs and was incubated with resveratrol at final concentrations of 6000 ng ml−1, 3000 ng ml−1, 1000 ng ml−1, or control solution for 4 h. Following incubation, phagocytosis and oxidative burst were evaluated using flow cytometry, and LPS-, lipoteichoic acid (LTA) – and peptidoglycan (PG)-stimulated leukocyte production of TNF, IL-6, and IL-10 were measured using a canine specific multiplex assay. Results Phagocytosis was not altered by resveratrol at any concentration compared to control. However, while the number of PMNs capable of performing oxidative burst did not change, the robustness of the reaction following stimulation with Escherichia coli and PMA was reduced in a dose dependent manner. In addition, LPS-, LTA-, PG, and PBS-stimulated TNF production was increased following incubation with all concentrations of resveratrol compared to control, and this effect was dose dependent. LTA-stimulated IL-6 was increased with resveratrol compared to control. Furthermore, LTA-stimulated IL-10 was decreased with 6000 ng ml−1 and 3000 ng ml−1 concentrations of resveratrol and PG-stimulated IL-10 production was decreased with all concentrations of resveratrol compared to control. The LPS-, LTA-, and PG-stimulated TNF:IL-10 ratio was increased with 6000 ng ml−1 of resveratrol compared to control and lower resveratrol concentrations. Conclusion While resveratrol was sparing to PMN phagocytosis, it reduced the robustness of PMN oxidative burst. Resveratrol also increased pro-inflammatory and decreased anti-inflammatory leukocyte cytokine production capacity in vitro. These data suggest that resveratrol supplementation may depress oxidative burst reactions while promoting pro-inflammatory leukocyte cytokine production and decreasing anti-inflammatory cytokine production. Based on these findings, further in vivo study regarding the effects of resveratrol on PMN oxidative burst capability and leukocyte cytokine production capacity are indicated prior to routine supplementation.
An inverse obstacle scattering problem in a stratified medium

We discuss an inverse obstacle scattering problem, namely the problem of shape determination from scattering wave's far-field pattern, for sound-soft obstacle in a stratified medium in this paper. Two methods for approximating the solution of the inverse problem are discussed.
Crossing Boundaries: Collecting and Collaborating Globally A Conference Report on Fiesole 2004

Outlines some of the topics addressed at the sixth annual Fiesole Collection Development Retreat Series, entitled "Crossing Boundaries: Collecting and Collaborating Globally", held in March 2004. The conference covered issues in international scholarship, shared preservation and collection strategies, and funding.
Death and Personal History: Strategies of Identity Preservation

A major concern of those who study bereavement and survivorship is the reintegration of survivors into society. Implicit in this research is the notion that emotional attachment of survivor to deceased may continue for long periods of time after separation through death. This paper examines how the emotional attachment of survivor to deceased is socially accomplished. Before they die, people interpret and apportion cues to their personal identities for those who will survive. Conversely, survivors are left with images, materials, objects, and wishes of the deceased which must be sorted and selectively preserved. I analyze the actions of both parties as strategies of identity preservation.
Thermodynamic Modeling of Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite Beams

A thermodynamically consistent model to simulate the electromechanical response of ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) beams has been developed based on Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. Appropriate assumptions have been made and suitable forms for the Helmholtz free energy and the rate of dissipation have been chosen. The governing equations, describing the actuation and sensing behavior of IPMC strips in air, have been formulated using a set of kinematic assumptions, the power theorem, and the maximum rate of dissipation hypothesis, neglecting inertial effects. The model has been extended to solve for large deformations in IPMC cantilevers with certain loading conditions. The model has been shown to simulate the electromechanical responses of both Nafion and Flemion based IPMC strips. This includes the initial overshoot followed by a gradual back-relaxation observed in the tip deflection measurements of Nafion based IPMC strips under the application of a step voltage. It has been shown that a coupled convective heating term in the rate of dissipation function is crucial for simulating this overshoot and the back relaxation.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Occurrence of Amoebae on Oak Leaf Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa) and Boston Lettuce (L. sativa var. capitata)1

The colonization, distribution, population density, and species diversity of amoebae on leaves of Oak Leaf lettuce, Lactuca sativa var. crispa, and Boston lettuce, L. sativa var. capitata, were investigated. The role of soil in the colonization of Oak Leaf lettuce was determined by comparing numbers of amoebae present on basal leaves (those that pass through soil) with numbers on wrapped leaves (those that do not pass through soil). Amoebae were present in ten samples of basal leaves and ranged from 154–1510/g of leaf tissue. Wrapped leaves failed to yield amoebae in seven of ten trials and contained <4 amoebae/g of tissue. Mean values for the population density of amoebae on Oak Leaf basal leaves and Boston lettuce leaves were 484 ± 133 and 453 ± 93, respectively. The distribution of amoebae on green and white parts of leaves from both kinds of lettuce was studied. The occurrence of amoebae on rinsed, unrinsed, visibly clean, and visibly dirty samples of Boston lettuce leaves was established.
Intrinsic limitations in the use of electroantennograms to bioassay male pheromones in lepidoptera.

BEHAVIOURAL assays for the male pheromone of Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are difficult to carry out because the female apparently lacks an overt behavioural response and mating only occurs at night in very dim illumination. Grant used the electroantennogram (EAG) as an assay1, but although this technique has developed into a useful tool to bioassay female sex pheromones in Lepidoptera, it does not seem to be a biologically meaningful approach to this receptor system.
Asymptotic freedom and the running charge in high-temperature quantum chromodynamics

The implications of asymptotic freedom for thermal gauge theories are elucidated in the context of recent attempts to calculate the non-abelian running charge at high temperatures. It is argued that the thermodynamical breakdown of manifest Lorentz invariance limits the usefulness of the concept of a running charge. Instead a well-defined fixed charge is shown to exist, vanishing asymptotically with the temperature, which is the natural choice for an expansion parameter.
Influence of cherry tissue on lipid oxidation and heterocyclic aromatic amine formation in ground beef patties.

The effects of tart cherry tissue added at an 11.5% level on the oxidation of lipids in raw and cooked ground beef patties and on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) in the fried patties were investigated. Oxidation was significantly influenced by the addition of tissue from two varieties of tart cherries, Montmorency and Balaton. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances values for raw and cooked ground beef patties containing cherry tissue were significantly (p < 0.05) smaller than those for the control beef patties. Cholesterol oxidation was also influenced by the presence of cherry tissue. After 4 days of refrigerated storage, cholesterol oxides represented 5.2% of the total cholesterol content of cooked control beef patties and 2.0 and 1.7% of the total cholesterol in patties containing Montmorency and Balaton cherry tissue, respectively. The formation of mutagenic/carcinogenic HAAs during frying of the patties was inhibited by components in the cherry tissue. The concentrations of 2-a...
TIMED/GUVI observation of solar illumination effect on auroral energy deposition

[1] It has been established that the local nighttime aurora is more intense in winter or darkness than in summer or sunlight. Here we expand previous work to confirm empirical relationships between energy flux and average energy of aurora and solar zenith angle (SZA) and ionospheric photoconductance by analyzing ∼6 years (2002–2007) of FUV auroral images acquired from the Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) on board NASA's Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite. The total number of auroral images, north and south combined, is 55,675. The B3C auroral transport code is used to extract auroral parameters, assuming pure electron precipitation. It is found that the mean energy and energy flux carried by precipitating electrons (>0.25 erg/cm2 s) increase monotonically with SZA for SZA less than ∼108° (corresponding to an EUV shadow height of ∼430 km). The rate of increase is most pronounced in the premidnight sector, where the energy flux rate is ∼0.04 erg/cm2 s/deg and the mean energy rate is ∼0.02 keV/deg. The auroral power is anticorrelated with the ionospheric Pedersen photoconductance for all local times, with the steepest drop (−0.2 gw/mho) in the midnight sector. These results are stronger than those for the simple cases of “sunlight” versus “darkness” and/or “summer” versus “winter” used in previous work for the solar illumination effect. While the present result cannot distinguish known mechanisms, we suggest that more than one mechanism is responsible for the observed sunlight effect.
Modulation of CREB activity by the Rho GTPase regulates cell and organism size during mouse embryonic development

Rho GTPases regulate several aspects of tissue morphogenesis during animal development. We found that mice lacking the Rho-inhibitory protein, p190-B RhoGAP, are 30% reduced in size and exhibit developmental defects strikingly similar to those seen in mice lacking the CREB transcription factor. In p190-B RhoGAP-deficient mice, CREB phosphorylation is substantially reduced in embryonic tissues. Embryo-derived cells contain abnormally high levels of active Rho protein, are reduced in size, and exhibit defects in CREB activation upon exposure to insulin or IGF-1. The cell size defect is rescued by expression of constitutively activated CREB, and in wild-type cells, expression of activated Rho or dominant-negative CREB results in reduced cell size. Together, these results suggest that activity of the Rho GTPase modulates a signal from insulin/IGFs to CREB that determines cell size and animal size during embryogenesis.