cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coupling data understanding with software reuse

Reuse of information requires an ability to understand data gathered from the web and to integrate that data with knowledge and reusable programs. We describe systems that allow a user to capture and understand data from the web and rapidly and easily write programs to analyze the data and combine it with other data. A data grokker parses data, inferring the data types of its fields both from field names and from values of the data itself; this produces both a local set of usable data and a set of data type descriptions that link the data to known types. The known types have knowledge and reusable procedures that can be inherited and used with the data. Web pages that perform calculations or data lookup can be treated as remote procedure calls, allowing calculations, proprietary data and real-time data to be used. We have developed a graphical programming system that can specialize reusable programs for use with data from the web, allowing rapid and easy construction of programs for custom analysis of web data. These systems are illustrated with examples.
Watermarking integer linear programming solutions

Linear programming (LP) in its many forms has proven to be an indispensable tool for expressing and solving optimization problems in numerous domains. We propose the first set of generic watermarking techniques for integer-LP (ILP). The proof of authorship by watermarking is achieved by introducing additional constraints to limit the solution space and can be used as effective means of intellectual property protection (IPP) and authentication. We classify and analyze the types of constraints in the ILP watermarking domain and show how ILP formulations provide more degrees of freedom for embedding signatures than other existing approaches. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed ILP watermarking techniques, the generic discussion is further concretized using two examples, namely satisfiability and scheduling.
Quadruply Bonded Dimetal Units Supported by 2,4,6-Triisopropylbenzoates MM(TiPB)4 (MM = Mo2, MoW, and W2): Preparation and Photophysical Properties

The preparation and characterization (elemental analysis, 1H NMR, and cyclic voltammetry) of the new compounds MM(TiPB)4, where MM = MoW and W2 and TiPB = 2,4,6-triisopropylbenzoate, are reported. Together with Mo2(TiPB)4, previously reported by Cotton et al. (Inorg. Chem. 2002, 41, 1639), the new compounds have been studied by electronic absorption, steady-state emission, and transient absorption spectroscopy (femtosecond and nanosecond). The compounds show strong absorptions in the visible region of the spectrum that are assigned to MMδ to arylcarboxylate π* transitions, 1MLCT. Each compound also shows luminescence from two excited states, assigned as the 1MLCT and 3MMδδ* states. The energy of the emission from the 1MLCT state follows the energy ordering MM = Mo2 > MoW > W2, but the emission from the 3MMδδ* state follows the inverse order: MM = W2 > MoW > Mo2. Evidence is presented to support the view that the lower energy emission in each case arises from the 3MMδδ* state. Lifetimes of the 1MLCT states...
Design and performance of the DARHT second axis accelerator

The Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facility (DARHT) at Los Alamos National Laboratory consists of two linear induction accelerators at right angles to each other. The First Axis, operating since 1999, produces a nominal 20-MeV, 2 kA single pulse with 60 ns width. In contrast, the DARHT Second Axis produces up to four pulses in a variable pulse format by slicing micro-pulses out of a longer pulse (∼1.6 microseconds flattop) of nominal beam energy and current of 17 MeV and 1.8 kA respectively. Bremsstrahlung x-rays are produced by focusing the electron beam-pulses onto a high-Z target. The DARHT Facility achieved full operational status in FY2010 with the successful execution of five dual-axis experiments, including an explosively driven flyer plate and four integrated weapon hydrotests. This paper focuses on the second axis accelerator and its components. The injector consists of an 88 stage Marx delivering 2.5 MV to a 6.25 inch diameter thermionic cathode. A crowbar switch in the Marx tank can shorten the 2 µs pulse to as little as 200 ns. The beam is accelerated in a Linear Induction Accelerator (LIA) consisting of 74 cells operating at a total of 14.5 MV, delivering a beam of ∼17 MeV and ∼1.6 µs flattop at the accelerator exit. Each cell is driven by an individual Pulse Forming Network (PFN) tuned to provide voltage regulation of ±1%. The design and performance of the injector, accelerator cells and PFNs are described herein.
Unconventional Genomic Architecture in the Budding Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Masks the Nested Antisense Gene NAG1

The genomic architecture of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is typical of other eukaryotes in that genes are spatially organized into discrete and nonoverlapping units. Inherent in this organizational model is the assumption that protein-coding sequences do not overlap completely. Here, we present evidence to the contrary, defining a previously overlooked yeast gene, NAG1 (for nested antisense gene) nested entirely within the coding sequence of the YGR031W open reading frame in an antisense orientation on the opposite strand. NAG1 encodes a 19-kDa protein, detected by Western blotting of hemagglutinin (HA)-tagged Nag1p with anti-HA antibodies and by β-galactosidase analysis of a NAG1-lacZ fusion. NAG1 is evolutionarily conserved as a unit with YGR031W in bacteria and fungi. Unlike the YGR031WP protein product, however, which localizes to the mitochondria, Nag1p localizes to the cell periphery, exhibiting properties consistent with those of a plasma membrane protein. Phenotypic analysis of a site-directed mutant (nag1-1) disruptive for NAG1 but silent with respect to YGR031W, defines a role for NAG1 in yeast cell wall biogenesis; microarray profiling of nag1-1 indicates decreased expression of genes contributing to cell wall organization, and the nag1-1 mutant is hypersensitive to the cell wall-perturbing agent calcofluor white. Furthermore, production of Nag1p is dependent upon the presence of the cell wall integrity pathway mitogen-activated protein kinase Slt2p and its downstream transcription factor Rlm1p. Thus, NAG1 is important for two reasons. First, it contributes to yeast cell wall biogenesis. Second, its genomic context is novel, raising the possibility that other nested protein-coding genes may exist in eukaryotic genomes.
Coherent control of excited state vibrational coherences in the dye LD690 in solution

We demonstrate control of excited state wave packets in LD690 by spectral and phase shaping of the pump pulses. Blue detuned, positively chirped pulses maximize the excited state coherences and slow down the vibrational dephasing.
Interaction engineering: taming of the CSMA

Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) protocols are unable to effectively arbitrate the medium in multi-hop wireless networks; problems such as hidden and exposed terminals occur frequently leading to collisions, poor performance and unfairness. CSMA networks can be optimized by careful tuning of transceiver parameters, such as transmission power and carrier sensing threshold, to maximize transmission concurrency while minimizing collisions. Existing approaches optimize these parameters by considering only some aspects of CSMA operation (e.g., considering only PHY parameters such as SINR), thus leading to suboptimal solutions. We present a new approach that leverages recent insights into the behavior of CSMA networks. Specifically, this recent work identifies that links interfere only in a few discrete interaction modes at the MAC-layer. Each interaction mode determines how the interacting links interfere with each other and leads to different performance and fairness behavior. The proposed methodology controls the transciever parameters to convert the destructive interactions into constructive ones; we call this approach Interaction Engineering. The global optimization problem is computationally infeasible and requires central solution. Therefore, we first formulate an interaction engineering model that computes the parameters based on one-to-one interaction between the links. Second, we extend the model into a distributed interaction-aware MAC protocol (I-MAC). Testbed and simulation results show that collisions and retransmissions are almost completely eliminated, leading to large improvements in throughput and delay.
Effects of inhalant nitrites on VEGF expression: a feasible link to Kaposi's sarcoma?

Because inhalant nitrites (commonly known as “poppers”) were thought to be rapidly cleared from the body, the lay literature has somewhat downplayed their toxicity. However, scientific reports have documented their immunosuppressive effects in animals, and epidemiological studies have implicated their use with the development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in humans. Because inhalant nitrites are exogenous nitric oxide donors, we hypothesized that these substances of abuse might exert part of their toxicological effects through this biochemical product, which has been shown to alter gene regulation and angiogenesis. In a series of studies, we showed that acute and chronic in vivo exposure to isobutyl nitrite (a representative inhalant nitrite) produced significant tissue-dependent alterations in the expression of a number of cancer- and angiogenesis-related genes in mice. In particular, hepatic mRNA and protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was significantly stimulated. The in vivo growth rate of a subcutaneous VEGF-responsive tumor was also shown to be accelerated by inhalant nitrite exposure. Because the development of KS is extensively linked to VEGF and its receptors, the purported link between inhalant nitrites and KS may be explained mechanistically, at least in part, through the stimulation of VEGF expression by these inhalants.
Implementation of a fast reconfigurable array for tissue impedance characterization

Various tissue properties have been used in the past and present as metrics which can serve to discriminate healthy from diseased tissue. Electromagnetic absorption (of x-rays and optical signals), scattering of near-infrared light, and electrical impedance are a few such parameters. In order to serve as discriminants for diseased (e.g., neoplastic) tissue, the characteristics of these tissues must first be precisely determined. In this paper, we consider the electrical impedance properties of tissues and cell aggregates, and present the design of a reconfigurable electrode array which is capable of providing a well-defined electromagnetic interface to the tissue under study, for characterization in the 0.01–30 MHz range. The configuration of array elements may be easily changed under digital control, allowing for various electromagnetic field configurations to be applied to the tissue under study. The array is designed to interface to four-point as well as two-point impedance instrumentation, and may be used for two-dimensional bioimaging systems based on electrical impedances. The design may be scaled to higher frequencies and smaller dimensions, allowing for studies of electrical properties at the cellular level.
Quality of life in patients with chronic diseases

OBJECTIVES: A quality of life assessment is of great importance for patients with chronic diseases, because problems caused by specific diseases impact specific areas of their lives. The goal of this work was to determine, in which areas select diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ischemic disease of the lower extremities and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) affect patients’ quality of life. METHODS: The Czech version of the WHOQOL-100 instrument and specific standardized questionnaires for individual diseases: EuroQol, EQ-5D-5L, IBDQ, PAQ were used to assess quality of life. This paper presents the results of the WHOQOL-100 questionnaire. In total, 5 research samples were put together. The first sample consisted of 200 respondents with rheumatoid arthritis (RA); the second sample included 100 respondents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); the third sample was comprised of 404 respondents with ischemic disease of the lower extremities (IDLE); the fourth sample consisted of 449 respondents with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); and the fifth sample was represented by 1,456 healthy respondents. The acquired data were then statistically analyzed. A statistical data analysis was performed in two steps. In the first step descriptive statistical analyses were performed in the SASD program (absolute and relative frequencies of respondents’ answers, median values and variability characteristics). In the second step differences in means of the subjectivelyperceived quality of life in patients with individual diseases and in control group were tested using the Mann-Whitney U test and the non-parametric Wilcoxon pair test. These analyses were computed in the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) program. RESULTS: The results show that a statistically significant difference in average domain score values was found between the healthy population and patients diagnosed with RA in the domains of “physical health”, “level of independence”, “environment”, and “spirituality/religion/personal beliefs”. A statistically significant difference was found in all domains for patients with IDLE and COPD. A statistically significant difference was found in four domains for patients with IBD, namely those of “physical health”, “level of independence”, “social relationships” and “spirituality/religion/personal beliefs”. CONCLUSION: All therapeutic and nursing interventions that can contribute to improving QoL in poorly performing domains should be utilized.
DNA Mixture Statistics

Abstract Crime scene evidence can produce mixed DNA profiles from more than one individual. These mixtures can be challenging to interpret and may never be unambiguously separated depending on the short tandem repeat (STR) alleles present in the profile of the individual components. An indistinguishable mixture is a DNA profile where major and minor(s) components cannot be ascertained with confidence. In addition, partial profiles where entire loci have dropped out sometimes occur due to the presence of degraded DNA or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitors.
Diagnostic Criteria for Pediatric MS

Investigators at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago review the diagnostic criteria for pediatric multiple sclerosis, the differential diagnosis, the 2010 McDonald criteria, and Callen criteria.
ICP and Biomechanical Responses After Closed Impact Injury to the Spinal Cord

Impact injury to the spine carries with it a tremendous release of energy, a portion of which is absorbed and transmitted by the cerebrospinal fluid. In a previous study (Hung et al. 1975) using an open impact injury model (anesthesia, laminectomy, impact at T9 vertebral level and F=5.85 × 105 dynes), the CSF pressure wave generated immediately after impact 2.0 cm cephalad to the impact site reached a maximal of 50 mm Hg.
Energiestoffwechsel des thermophilen Bakteriums Bacillus stearothermophilus während kontinuierlicher Kultur im Phauxostat

Nach Coultate und Sundaram [1] ist das aerobe Wachstum des thermophilen Bakteriums Bacillus stearothermophilus in diskontinuierlicher Kultur weniger effizient bei hoheren Temperaturen als bei niedrigen. Obwohl die Wachstumsrate bei 60 °C dreimal hoher ist als bei 41 °C [2], war der Wert des Ertragskoeffizienten Yx/s mit Glukose als Substrat nur halb so gros als bei 41 °C. Die grosere Produktivitat einer Kultur bei hoheren Temperaturen, die wegen des schnelleren Wachstums erwartet werden konnte, wird aber teilweise auf Grund einer Abnahme des energetischen Wirkungsgrades herabgesetzt. Coultate und Sundaram fuhren dieses Phanomen sowohl auf eine fortschreitende Storung zwischen „nicht-oxidativen und oxidativen Phasen des Glukose-Stoffwechsels bei hoheren Temperaturen“ als auch auf eine Entkoppelung der Energieerhaltung und Respiration zuruck.
Beyond the Intensive Care Unit (ICU): Countywide Impact of Universal ICU Staphylococcus aureus Decolonization

A recent trial showed that universal decolonization in adult intensive care units (ICUs) resulted in greater reductions in all bloodstream infections and clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) than either targeted decolonization or screening and isolation. Since regional health-care facilities are highly interconnected through patient-sharing, focusing on individual ICUs may miss the broader impact of decolonization. Using our Regional Healthcare Ecosystem Analyst simulation model of all health-care facilities in Orange County, California, we evaluated the impact of chlorhexidine baths and mupirocin on all ICU admissions when universal decolonization was implemented for 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of ICU beds countywide (compared with screening and contact precautions). Direct benefits were substantial in ICUs implementing decolonization (a median 60% relative reduction in MRSA prevalence). When 100% of countywide ICU beds were decolonized, there were spillover effects in general wards, long-term acute-care facilities, and nursing homes resulting in median 8.0%, 3.0%, and 1.9% relative MRSA reductions at 1 year, respectively. MRSA prevalence decreased by a relative 3.2% countywide, with similar effects for methicillin-susceptible S. aureus. We showed that a large proportion of decolonization's benefits are missed when accounting only for ICU impact. Approximately 70% of the countywide cases of MRSA carriage averted after 1 year of universal ICU decolonization were outside the ICU.
Flow Structure in the Gap between Two Bluff Bodies

The flow in the gap between two bluff bodies that together resemble a model tractortrailer is investigated using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). The velocity field in the gap is experimentally observed to persist for periods of time in an essentially symmetric state or in an asymmetric state. A classification of velocity fields based on a Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) of the flow is performed and the two most energetic basic states are shown to be these same symmetric and asymmetric states. As the flow moves between symmetric and asymmetric conditions, the contribution of the various eigenmodes is demonstrated. Flow states in the symmetric condition can be further subdivided into those transitional states which mark a movement of the flow between asymmetries and those symmetric steady states in which the flow may rest for longer periods of time.
Cost Reduction and Increased Productivity in Clinical Chemistry

Between 1965 and 1985, the Consumer Price Index for medical items increased 4.5 times in the United States. During the same 20 years, at our institution's chemistry laboratories, the productivity (reported as number of tests/technologist/year) increased from 14,000 to 73,500. When expressed in constant 1965 dollars, salary per test was reduced from $0.60 to $0.13, supplies cost per test from $0.09 to $0.06, and the total cost per test from $0.69 to $0.19.
The Sterilization Characteristics of Chlorine Dioxide in the Reuse of Treated Water in Circulating Water System of Power Plant

This paper analyzes the characteristics of the treated water as the power plant cooling water,contrasts the sterilization features of chlorine and chlorine dioxide to this kind of water and analyzes the chemical changes of chlorine dioxide with the nitrobacteria existed in the water.Based on the practice,it is certain that chlorine dioxide has an unique sterilization action in the reuse of treated water in circulating water of power plant.
Exposure to myeloid and other mammalian cells increases Neisseria gonorrhoeae O2 utilization. Implications for pathogenesis

O2 consumption induced by combining gonococci (GC) and neutrophils (PMN) was much higher than the sum of the two components’ individuals rates, suggesting PMN stimulated GC O2 uptake. The effect was independent of GC piliation, colony opacity, or serum resistance. The promyelocytic HL-60 cell line (which cannot undergo a “respiratory burst”) induced a 2–3 fold increase in GC O2 consumption, independent of GC phenotype. This appears secondary to a low molecular weight factor(s) released by the cells which may be similar to that previously described in human serum.
The frond architecture of Sphenopteris pottsvillea (White) Gastaldo and Boersma

Recently collected specimens allow a better characterization of the frond architecture of Sphenopteris pottsvillea (White) Gastaldo and Boersma from the Plateau and Warrior Coalfields, Alabama. The bipartite frond consists of a naked petiole of moderate length (>0.3 m) and two pinnule-bearing sections. The angle of rachial bifurcation varies from 35? to 65?, with no one angle of divergence dominating the sample population. Basal exterior lateral rachises develop first, are oblong in outline, and do not possess spine-like prolongations. Lateral rachises develop alternately along each pinnule-bearing section. Pinnule-bearing sections of the described leaf fragment exceed 0.5 m in length, and the dimensions of an entire frond probably approached 2.0 m.
Checklist of genus- and species-group names of the false limpets Siphonaria (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Euthyneura)

Not since Hubendick’s 1946 Systematic Monograph of the Patelliformia has a comprehensive taxonomic work been com-pleted on the genus of false-limpets Siphonaria, distributed worldwide, except in the northern Atlantic. A checklist of allsupra-specific names associated with Siphonaria is established. A checklist of all species-group names is provided as welland their nomenclatural status is discussed (available, not available, permanently invalid). Of the 270 species-group namesincluded in the checklist, 205 are available and not permanently invalid. All other names are either not available or avail-able but permanently invalid. The geographic distribution of the type localities is also presented; of the 205 species-group names that are available and not permanently invalid, 62 are from the tropical and subtropical Indo-West Pacific.
The Proposals and Observations of the Institutions

Again, in constrast with the conspiracy of silence surrounding the ratification of the Treaty on European Union, the wealth of observations about the functioning of the agreement and proposals for the IGC are both healthy and re-assuring. Among the different bodies which have made observations and proposals, the most important are the Council of Ministers, the Commission, the Court of Justice, the BEUC (Bureau Europeen des Unions de Consommateurs), the Reflection Group, and the European Trade Union Confederation. It is the Council’s report which we will first examine.
Herpes Simplex Virus Reactivation After Hemispherectomy for Intractable Seizures

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic report a 23-month-old immunocompetent boy with reactivated herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSE) after a subtotal hemispherectomy for seizures related to HSE-associated right middle cerebral artery infarction at 7 months of age.
Information Graphics in Multimodal Documents

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Role of Information Graphics in Multimodal Documents Methodology for Processing Information Graphics Implementation of Our Message Recognition System Related Work Conclusion Acknowledgment
Passive Acoustic Mapping with the Angular Spectrum Method

In the present proof of principle study, we evaluated the homogenous angular spectrum method for passive acoustic mapping (AS-PAM) of microbubble oscillations using simulated and experimental data. In the simulated data we assessed the ability of AS-PAM to form 3D maps of a single and multiple point sources. Then, in the two dimensional limit, we compared the 2D maps from AS-PAM with alternative frequency and time domain passive acoustic mapping (FD- and TD-PAM) approaches. Finally, we assessed the ability of AS-PAM to visualize microbubble activity in vivo with data obtained during 8 different experiments of FUS-induced blood-brain barrier disruption in 3 nonhuman primates, using a clinical MR-guided FUS system. Our in silico results demonstrate AS-PAM can be used to perform 3D passive acoustic mapping. 2D AS-PAM as compared to FD- PAM and TD-PAM is 10 and 200 times faster respectively and has similar sensitivity, resolution, and localization accuracy, even when the noise was 10-fold higher than the signal. In-vivo , the AS-PAM reconstructions of emissions at frequency bands pertinent to the different types of microbubble oscillations were also found to be more sensitive than TD-PAM. AS-PAM of harmonic-only components predicted safe blood-brain barrier disruption, whereas AS-PAM of broadband emissions correctly identified MR-evident tissue damage. The disparity (3.2 mm) in the location of the cavitation activity between the three methods was within their resolution limits. These data clearly demonstrate that AS-PAM is a sensitive and fast approach for PAM, thus providing a clinically relevant method to guide therapeutic ultrasound procedures.
Abstract A66: Molecular profiling of regulatory T cells in a genetic mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma

The clinical success of immune checkpoint blockade in the treatment of various cancer types provides proof-of-principle that targeting immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment is an effective therapeutic strategy. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a CD4+ T lymphocyte population that may play a dominant role in impairing anti-tumor immune responses. Characterized by their expression of the transcriptional regulator FOXP3, Tregs can inhibit adaptive immune responses through the production of inhibitory cytokines, direct cell killing, competition with other T cell subsets for antigen or other substrates, and suppression of antigen presentation. To recapitulate the strong immunosuppression observed in endogenous tumors, we have used an autochthonous, inducible mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma previously generated in the Jacks lab that is driven by expression of oncogenic KrasG12D and loss of p53 (KP model). Indeed, tumor development in the KP model is accompanied by an expansion of lung-resident Tregs, and previous work in the lab has shown that this population actively restrains anti-tumor T cell responses. In this study, we have transcriptionally profiled lung Tregs in the KP model to identify pathways to preferentially target Tregs in tumor-bearing lungs. We have shown that lung Tregs have a distinct transcriptional phenotype that shares characteristics with that of previously described “effector” Treg populations in a variety of tissue and inflammatory contexts. Furthermore, the KP lung Treg gene signature is associated with survival when applied to the bulk transcriptomes of various tumor types, and is better correlated with patient outcome in lung adenocarcinoma than a number of immune parameters, including mutation burden and expression of CD8A, FOXP3, and GZMA. Together, our data demonstrate that a gene expression signature drawn from cancer-associated Tregs with a distinct, functional phenotype may be useful as a biomarker for clinical outcomes in multiple tumor types. Citation Format: Amy Li, Arjun Bhutkar, Nikhil S. Joshi, Tyler E. Jacks. Molecular profiling of regulatory T cells in a genetic mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2016 Oct 20-23; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2017;5(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A66.
Transition to bluff-body dynamics in the wake of vertical-axis wind turbines

We present experimental data to demonstrate that the far wake of a vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) exhibits features that are quantitatively similar to that of a circular cylinder with the same aspect ratio. For a fixed Reynolds number (Re ≈ 0.8 × 10^5) and variable tip-speed ratio, two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (PIV) is used to measure the velocity field in the wake of four different laboratory-scale models: a 2-bladed, 3-bladed and 5-bladed VAWT, as well as a circular cylinder. With these measurements, we use spectral analysis and proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) to evaluate statistics of the velocity field and investigate the large-scale coherent motions of the wake. In all cases, we observe three distinct regions in the VAWT wake: (i) the near wake, where periodic blade vortex shedding dominates; (ii) a transition region, where growth of a shear-layer instability occurs; (iii) the far wake, where bluff-body wake oscillations dominate. We define a dynamic solidity parameter, σ_D , that relates the characteristic scales of the flow to the streamwise transition location in the wake. In general, we find that increasing σ_D leads to an earlier transition, a greater initial velocity deficit and a faster rate of recovery in the wake. We propose a coordinate transformation using σ_D in which the minimum velocity recovery profiles of the VAWT wake closely match that of the cylinder wake. The results have implications for manipulating VAWT wake recovery within a wind farm.
Cuba's Banking Sector Transformations: Causes and Prospects for the Future

During the last three decades of the Cold War, Cuba had one of the most collectivized, egalitarian, and subsidized economies within the Socialist Bloc. The disintegration of the Soviet Union and its Eastern European allies in the early 1990s resulted in a severe multidimensional economic crisis for the island.1 The magnitude of this external sector shock prompted the Cuban leadership to implement a series of structural reforms to reinsert the country into the world economy, while preserving the socialist character of the Cuban revolution.2 The structural and organizational reforms implemented in the banking sector since the mid 1990s were among the most notable of these policy measures.This paper examines the transformation of Cuba's banking sector from the onset of the "Special Period" to the present.3 Section one outlines the principal measures implemented to modernize the Cuban banking system during the 1995-1997 period. Section two describes the institutional reforms that took place during the "era of...
Secured Transactions History: The Impact of Textile Machinery on the Chattel Mortgage Acts of the Northeast

The Salgo court held that an election inspector, in a corporate proxy vote, was empowered with discretion to determine the validity of votes through a review of the transfer books. This decision marked a change from the standard course of American cases, which previously confined the inspector’s ability to a strict ministerial duty. An inspector’s discretion to review votes was limited under this interpretation. By limiting his inquiry to the transfer books, Salgo allowed the inspector to determine the validity of votes, but not who could vote. Although the court did not apply the broader view of granting the inspector judicial review, as exercised in other jurisdictions through statutes authorizing that standard, the court did not foreclose the possibility that mandamus could lie in an action where the inspector’s functions were purely ministerial, or where quo warranto was an inadequate remedy. By broadening the authority of election inspectors and guarding the possibility of future judicial review through mandamus or quo warranto, the court intended to limit litigation and encourage corporate stability during the uncertainty of the proxy vote process.
Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers for depression: Many candidates, few finalists.

Abstract Background Recent research has highlighted the potential of microRNAs to serve as physiological indicators of disease process among clinically depressed patients. Methods In a comprehensive literature search through PubMed, we identified 23 articles comparing circulating (blood, plasma, or serum) microRNA expression levels in depressed versus healthy human subjects. Six studies examining circulatory microRNA expression through animal models of depression were also identified through the search and details of each study were outlined. A meta-analytic evaluation of these studies was not considered feasible, given the absence of concordance in the literature to date. Results A total of 178 specific microRNA candidates were identified in the human studies as significantly expressed among depressed samples. Ninety-seven of these microRNAs were upregulated, 75 were downregulated, and 6 showed mixed expression in depressed samples. Few microRNAs were consistently expressed across studies; the most consistent evidence was for microRNA-132, with replication in 4 different studies. Among animal studies, 2 studies investigated microRNA-16 through distinct stress-induced depression models. Limitations Structural variations in microRNA sequences, methodological inconsistencies in technology used among studies to measure microRNA expression levels, differences in the clinical severity and forms of depression among subjects, and the overall paucity of studies make it difficult to ascertain any robust, preliminary targets deserving of biomarker potential. Conclusions Ongoing research needs to address this high rate of non-replication as well as the methodological and reporting challenges of microRNA experimentation in order to determine valid effect sizes for the more proliferative candidates associated with depression.
The behavioral component of the ram effect: the influence of ram sexual behavior on the induction of estrus in anovulatory ewes.

The objective of this study was to test whether the sexual behavior of the ram affects the ram effect. Rams exhibiting either high (HP) or low (LP) levels of sexual performance (on the basis of serving capacity tests) were exposed to 89 anestrous ewes for 28 d. Thirty-two anestrous ewes were not exposed to rams. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of estrus induction by HP (n = 4) vs LP (n = 4) rams. Plasma progesterone concentration was used as an index of ovarian activity. Groups of ewes were exposed to either an HP or an LP ram in a .32-ha pasture. Courtship behaviors of rams were recorded for 6 h on the initial day of exposure and for 30-min periods on alternate days thereafter. A greater percentage of ewes exposed to HP rams ovulated (95%) compared with ewes exposed to LP rams (78%) (P < .02). On the 1st d of exposure, the HP rams exhibited more courtship behavior and spent more time near the ewes (P < .04). The HP rams spent more time within 1 m of ewes during the 28-d exposure. There were no differences in the amount of contact with rams (LP or HP) between rise in progesterone indicate of ovulation tended to occur earlier (P = .06) in ewes penned with HP rams. A greater percentage of ewes exposed to LP rams (P = .03) had early elevations of progesterone with no concurrent sexual behavior. These data imply that in addition to a pheromone the sexual behavior of the ram may be important in initiating ovarian cycle activity.
Atrial Fibrillation: Public Health Implications

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in the United States, affecting 2.3 million Americans. AF is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and poor quality of life. AF and its treatments result in high healthcare resource use and costs. Objective To develop a framework for public health action for the prevention, detection, and control of AF. Methods A literature search was conducted via MEDLINE and CINAHL for the 1990–2004 period. Key words included atrial fibrillation, epidemiology, prevention, detection, treatment, and public health. Results Published data predict a substantial increase in the prevalence of AF due to improved survival of people with coronary heart disease; increasing prevalence of hypertension, heart failure, and diabetes; and the aging of the American population. Low public awareness of AF and quality-of-care issues related to detection, control, and management are evident. Conclusions Awareness, early detection and treatment, improved patient self-management, and attention by public health programs are essential to reduce the burden of AF. Partnerships among professional nursing and medical organizations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and patient advocacy groups represent another important approach to improving public health outcomes for AF. Hospitalizations for AF and controversies over optimal treatment strategies (e.g., rate vs rhythm control) underscore the need for both public health and applied research.
Synthesis, Structure, and Extraction Properties of paco -Calix[4]arene Crown-6 Ethers

anti-25,27-Bis-n-octyloxycalix[4]arene, the paco-isomer of25,27-bis-n-octyloxycalix[4]arene crown-6 ether, and the paco- and1,3-alt isomers of 25,27-bis-n-octyloxycalix[4]arene t-butylbenzocrown-6 ether were prepared. The crystal structures of anti-25,27-bis-n-octyloxycalix[4]arene, paco-25,27-bis-n-octyloxycalix[4]arene crown-6, and 1,3-alt-25,27-bis-n-octyloxycalix[4]arene crown-6 were determined and thesolution structure of anti-25,27-bis-n-octyloxycalix[4]arene was studied by 2D- and VT-NMR. The extraction of alkali metal nitrates by thepaco-25,27-bis-n-octyloxycalix[4]arene crown-6 and t-butylbenzocrown-6 ethers in 1,2-dichloroethane was compared to that of the corresponding 1,3-alt isomers.
Gene Expression and Regulation

The unique feature of DNA is that it is duplicated at cell division, with one copy going to each daughter cell. The genomic information that makes us what we are is thus faithfully passed into each new cell. The process of DNA replication is coupled with DNA repair systems to make certain that errors in copying are corrected, or that the copy is destroyed. Mitosis is the overall act of cell division involving sorting out of the duplicated DNA on chromosomes into each daughter. Meiosis is a very special form of mitosis used to produce haploid germ cells. The regulation of gene expression shows that DNA not only carries information; DNA also contains regulatory elements that control the flow of information. Mutations are errors in DNA; some are bad, many are the source of our ability to evolve to a changing environment.
Multicrossover Randomized Controlled Trial Designs in Alzheimer Disease.

Conventional parallel group randomized controlled clinical trials (RCT) in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are too large, long, expensive and insensitive to clinical change to meet the urgent need for an effective treatment. While providing good evidence for a treatment’s benefit, parallel group RCTs in AD must have very large samples and broad measures of change to accommodate the marked heterogeneity of demographics, genetics, symptoms, pathophysiologies, comorbidities and rates of progression. Multi-crossover, placebo-controlled, double-blind RCTs, including those with sample sizes as small as a single subject (“N-of-1”), are robust designs wherein subjects serve as their own controls in repeated blocks of randomly sequenced crossover treatments. Heterogeneities are inherently controlled and the sensitivity, specificity and clinical relevance of outcomes can be enhanced further by including personalized outcome measures for each individual. Multi-crossover N-of-1 RCTs enable unbiased estimation of efficacy for single subjects, and joint analysis of multiple N-of-1 trials enables estimation of efficacy for populations with much smaller sample sizes than those needed in conventional parallel group studies. It is important to identify carryover effects and natural history time trends to achieve unbiased estimation and testing of the treatment effect. We assert that in AD, multi-crossover RCTs offer many advantages over standard parallel group trials for drugs or other treatments with suitable mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; despite the fact that they are almost never conducted. They may be especially useful for therapies directed at symptomatic improvement of cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms, but also can be used in early phase studies of disease modifying treatments with biomarker outcome measures.
A dual modeling approach to automatic segmentation of cerebral T2 hyperintensities and T1 black holes in multiple sclerosis

Abstract Background and purpose Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is crucial for in vivo detection and characterization of white matter lesions (WML) in multiple sclerosis (MS). The most widely established MRI outcome measure is the volume of hyperintense lesions on T2-weighted images (T2L). Unfortunately, T2L are non-specific for the level of tissue destruction and show a weak relationship to clinical status. Interest in lesions that appear hypointense on T1-weighted images (T1L) (“black holes”) has grown because T1L provide more specificity for axonal loss and a closer link to neurologic disability. The technical difficulty of T1L segmentation has led investigators to rely on time-consuming manual assessments prone to inter- and intra-rater variability. This study aims to develop an automatic T1L segmentation approach, adapted from a T2L segmentation algorithm. Materials and methods T1, T2, and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences were acquired from 40 MS subjects at 3 Tesla (3 T). T2L and T1L were manually segmented. A Method for Inter-Modal Segmentation Analysis (MIMoSA) was then employed. Results Using cross-validation, MIMoSA proved to be robust for segmenting both T2L and T1L. For T2L, a Sorensen-Dice coefficient (DSC) of 0.66 and partial AUC (pAUC) up to 1% false positive rate of 0.70 were achieved. For T1L, 0.53 DSC and 0.64 pAUC were achieved. Manual and MIMoSA segmented volumes were correlated and resulted in 0.88 for T1L and 0.95 for T2L. The correlation between Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores and manual versus automatic volumes were similar for T1L (0.32 manual vs. 0.34 MIMoSA), T2L (0.33 vs. 0.32), and the T1L/T2L ratio (0.33 vs 0.33). Conclusions Though originally designed to segment T2L, MIMoSA performs well for segmenting T1 black holes in patients with MS.
Human Detection in Infrared Imagery using Gradient and Texture Features and Super-pixel Segmentation

Many human detection algorithms are able to detect humans in various environmental conditions with high accuracy, but they lack the ability to give the exact region of where the human is located (usual detections as a bounding box). The proposed algorithm utilizes a two-stage approach for human detection: gradient and texture features and super-pixel segmentation. The first stage is a high accuracy human detection algorithm that uses gradient information through the Histogram of Oriented Gradients and texture information through the center-symmetric local binary pattern. Various binning strategies help keep the inherent structure embedded in the features, which provide enough information for robust detection of the humans in the scene. The second stage is the SLIC super-pixel segmentation algorithm to find the actual regions of the person that are not background information. The bounding box is assumed to have surrounding background information with foreground information as the human. The second stage characterizes the background information surrounding the human and deletes and super-pixel information that contains background information, which then groups the remaining foreground information into a convex hull representation. The algorithm is shown to create a better representation of the human detection for analysis of scenes as compared to normal detection strategies.
The two Achilles heels of surgical randomized controlled trials: differences in surgical skills and reporting of average performance

Randomized controlled trials of surgery are fundamentally different from randomized controlled trials of medications because it is difficult to blind or mask a surgical procedure or perform “sham” operations. An additional challenge is the variation in skills and surgical proficiency of participating centers and surgeons. Addressing heterogeneity in surgical proficiency remains of paramount importance, especially when randomized controlled trials involve a new or complex procedure such as minimally invasive radical surgery. In the presence of such heterogeneity, it is very cumbersome to evaluate objectively and monitor surgical skills so that most trials simply report associations that are averaged across surgeons and hospitals/centers. Such reporting is not transparent because the rates of complications and adverse outcomes are reported only as averages, and these averages may not apply to the individual participating surgeons or centers. These factors, coupled with the inherent nongeneralizability of findings from such randomized controlled trials, because of the strict inclusion and exclusion criteria for enrollment, may lead to conclusions that no longer apply to real life for individual surgeons or centers. Case in point is a recently published noninferiority randomized controlled trial that reported that minimally invasive radical hysterectomy was associated with lower rates of disease-free survival (86% vs 96.5% at 4.5 years) and overall survival (93.8% vs 99% at 3 years) than open abdominal radical hysterectomy in patients with cervical cancer. However, randomized controlled trials that involve 2 competing complex or new procedures may be affected by tremendous confounding because of variations in surgical proficiency and also nonstandardization for other confounding factors such as patient selection categories (ie, stage of cancer) and adjuvant postoperative therapies that may affect long-term survival. The purpose of this Viewpoint is not to provide an exhaustive review of the trial's shortcomings but to use it as an illustration to focus on 2 challenging areas that most randomized controlled trials of a new complex surgical procedure suffer from: (1) unadjusting or not correcting for surgical skill variability and (2) nontransparent reporting of averaged results. We provide suggestions to overcome these deficiencies through robust methods and statistical approaches.
Inferring neuronal ionic conductances from membrane potentials using CNNs

The neuron is the fundamental unit of computation in the nervous system, and different neuron types produce different temporal patterns of voltage fluctuations in response to input currents. Understanding the mechanism of single neuron firing patterns requires accurate knowledge of the spatial densities of diverse ion channels along the membrane. However, direct measurements of these microscopic variables are difficult to obtain experimentally. Alternatively, one can attempt to infer those microscopic variables from the membrane potential (a mesoscopic variable), or features thereof, which are more experimentally tractable. One approach in this direction is to infer the ionic densities as parameters of a neuronal model. Traditionally this is done using a Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) method to minimize the differences between features extracted from a simulated neuron9s membrane potential and the same features extracted from target data. Here, we use Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to directly regress generative parameters (e.g., ionic conductances, membrane resistance, etc.,) from simulated time-varying membrane potentials in response to an input stimulus. We simulated diverse neuron models of increasing complexity (Izikivich: 4 parameters; Hodgkin-Huxley: 7 parameters; Mainen-Sejnowski: 10 parameters) with a large range of variation in the underlying parameter values. We show that hyperparameter optimized CNNs can accurately infer the values of generative variables for these neuron models, and that these results far surpass the previous state-of-the-art method (MOO). We discuss the benefits of optimizing the CNN architecture, improvements in accuracy with additional training data, and some observed limitations. Based on these results, we propose that CNNs may be able to infer the spatial distribution of diverse ionic densities from spatially resolved measurements of neuronal membrane potentials (e.g. voltage imaging).