cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Speckle noise reduction in quantitative optical metrology techniques by application of the discrete wavelet transformation

Effective suppression of speckle noise content in interferometric data images can help in improving accuracy and resolution of the results obtained with interferometric optical metrology techniques. In this paper, novel speckle noise reduction algorithms based on the discrete wavelet transformation are presented. The algorithms proceed by: (a) estimating the noise level contained in the interferograms of interest, (b) selecting wavelet families, (c) applying the wavelet transformation using the selected families, (d) wavelet thresholding, and (e) applying the inverse wavelet transformation, producing denoised interferograms. The algorithms are applied to the different stages of the processing procedures utilized for generation of quantitative speckle correlation interferometry data of fiber-optic based opto-electronic holography (FOBOEH) techniques, allowing identification of optimal processing conditions. It is shown that wavelet algorithms are effective for speckle noise reduction while preserving image features otherwise faded with other algorithms.
Considering Eventfulness as an Explanation for Locally Mediated Peak Oil Narratives

Social location is typically thought to shape narratives, but in this article, I provide evidence that events and narrative environment make a difference. I analyze peak oil accounts from two Internet blogs for evidence of continuity and disruption. I identify six types of narratives that mediate bloggers' interpretations and add to the complex conditions of narrativity.
Early intervention for perinatal depression

Objective This study was undertaken to design a process that effectively identifies and facilitates early intervention for women in an obstetrics clinic who are at risk for postpartum depression. Study design Under this new program, labeled ISIS (Identify, Screen, Intervene, Support), we educated our new obstetric patients and clinic staff about postpartum depression through patient education classes, departmental lectures, and handouts. Then, we implemented simple procedures to identify risk factors for depression at intake and screened for depressive symptoms at the 32-week visit using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). In addition, we facilitated treatment of at-risk or symptomatic patients with the introduction of a social work consultant in the clinic setting. Results In an obstetric chart review, 75% of our patients were screened for depression in pregnancy. Ten percent of these women demonstrated symptoms of depression warranting further evaluation. Conclusion Preliminary data from our multidisciplinary approach suggest that educating, screening, and appropriately treating or referring these women can take place in a busy obstetric clinic.
Human axillary secretions influence women's menstrual cycles: The role of donor extract of females

Menstrual synchrony in human females has previously been demonstrated among women attending a predominantly female university as well as among women attending coeducational universities. In each of these studies, women who spent the most time together were most likely to show the menstrual synchrony. In this experiment, the possibility that substances in axillary secretions might mediate this effect was tested using a prospective, double-blind research design and a combined axillary extract from a group of female donors. Female subjects who reported themselves to have normal (29.5 +/- 3 day) cycles were exposed to the axillary extracts or blank/ethanol for 10 to 13 weeks. Recipients of the axillary extracts showed a significant reduction in "days' difference in menses onset" relative to the donor cycle, no change was evident for recipients of blank/ethanol. These results demonstrate that constituents from the axillary region of donor females can shift the time of menstrual onset of another group to conform with the donors' cycle and that this effect can occur even in the absence of social contact.
Isolation and characterization of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1β in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract The hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), a heterodimer composed of α and β subunits, plays an important role in the cellular response to O2 deprivation. In this paper, Drosophila HIF-1β (dHIF-1β) homolog is cloned and characterized. Further, Northern analyses showed that dHIF-1α and dHIF-1β expressed their highest level at an embryonic stage. From the pupal stage on, their expression was sharply reduced and maintained at a steady level. Anoxia treatment up-regulated the expression of the both α and β subunits. Over-expression of dHIF-1α in transgenic embryos resulted in embryonic lethality, while over-expression of dHIF-1β significantly prolonged fly recovery time from a 5-min anoxic stupor. The cloning and characterization dHIF-1β reported in this paper provide a framework for further genetic dissection of the HIF-1 complex in its role in the cellular or tissue response to O2 deprivation.
Use of the stark effect on optically pumped molecular lasers to measure collisional linewidths

Abstract A new technique for measuring the linewidth of many high J, K rotational lines is presented. The method utilized the Stark effect on optically-pumped molecular lasers. Formulas are given for calculating linewidths from experimentally measured electric field strengths.
Ucigame, a java library for games

Ucigame (pronounced OO-see-GAH-me) is a Java package that supports the programming of 2D sprite-based computer games. Designed for novice programmers, it enables students in an introductory class to write computer games that have animated sprites, music and sound effects, and event-driven keyboard and mouse handling. Ucigame has also been used successfully in a senior-level class for experienced programmers.
Managerial guidelines for trade show effectiveness

Abstract This article examines some managerial aspects of successful trade show promotions. In particular, trade show objectives, advantages, preshow and postshow campaigns, and exhibit evaluation are stressed.
Mass Conserving Cavitation Effects in Squeeze-Film Journal Bearings Subjected to Fully Reversing Loads

This paper presents a study of cavitation effects associated with the performance of fluid-film journal bearings subjected to fully-reversing sinusoidal loading. Employing an established mass-conserving cavitation algorithm, it is observed that periodic time histories of journal eccentricity and maximum film pressure are strongly influenced by the process of cavitation formation and collapse. Good agreement of predicted and experimental results is obtained over a large range of loads for cavitation threshold pressure values typically associated with vapor cavitation.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
U.S. West Coast Surface Heat Fluxes, Wind Stress, and Wind Stress Curl from a Mesoscale Model

Abstract Monthly averages of numerical model fields are beneficial for depicting patterns in surface forcing such as sensible and latent heat fluxes, wind stress, and wind stress curl over data-sparse ocean regions. Grid resolutions less than 10 km provide the necessary mesoscale detail to characterize the impact of a complex coastline and coastal topography. In the present study a high-resolution mesoscale model is employed to reveal patterns in low-level winds, temperature, relative humidity, sea surface temperature as well as surface fluxes, over the eastern Pacific and along the U.S. west coast. Hourly output from successive 12-h forecasts are averaged to obtain monthly mean patterns from each season of 1999. The averages yield information on interactions between the ocean and the overlying atmosphere and on the influence of coastal terrain forcing in addition to their month-to-month variability. The spring to summer transition is characterized by a dramatic shift in near-surface winds, temperature, a...
Troubleshooting interactive complexity bugs in wireless sensor networks using data mining techniques

This article presents a tool for uncovering bugs due to interactive complexity in networked sensing applications. Such bugs are not localized to one component that is faulty, but rather result from complex and unexpected interactions between multiple often individually nonfaulty components. Moreover, the manifestations of these bugs are often not repeatable, making them particularly hard to find, as the particular sequence of events that invokes the bug may not be easy to reconstruct. Because of the distributed nature of failure scenarios, our tool looks for sequences of events that may be responsible for faulty behavior, as opposed to localized bugs such as a bad pointer in a module. We identified several challenges in applying discriminative sequence mining for root cause analysis when the system fails to perform as expected and presented our solutions to those challenges. We also present two alternative schemes, namely, two-stage mining and the progressive discriminative sequence mining to address the scalability challenge. An extensible framework is developed where a front-end collects runtime data logs of the system being debugged and an offline back-end uses frequent discriminative pattern mining to uncover likely causes of failure. We provided several case studies where we applied our tool successfully to troubleshoot the cause of the problem. We uncovered a kernel-level race condition bug in the LiteOS operating system and a protocol design bug in the directed diffusion protocol. We also presented a case study of debugging a multichannel MAC protocol that was found to exhibit corner cases of poor performance (worse than single-channel MAC). The tool helped to uncover event sequences that lead to a highly degraded mode of operation. Fixing the problem significantly improved the performance of the protocol. We also evaluated the extensions presented in this article. Finally, we provided a detailed analysis of tool overhead in terms of memory requirements and impact on the running application.
Transient analysis of flexible multi-body systems. Part II: application to aircraft landing

This investigation presents a method for transient analysis of a large-scale multi-body aircraft consisting of interconnected rigid and flexible bodies that undergo large angular rotations. Elastic components of the aircraft are discretized using the finite element method. The system equations of motion and nonlinear algebraic constraint equations describing joints between different components are written in the Lagrangian formulation using a finite set of coupled reference and modal coordinates. The system differential equations of motion and algebraic constraint equations are computer-generated and integrated forward in time using an explicit-implicit direct numerical integration algorithm coupled with a Newton-Raphson type iteration in order to check on constraint violations. Impact and intermittent motion events are accounted for by using a generalized momentum balance that predict jump discontinuities in the generalized velocities as well as jump discontinuities in the system reaction forces. The formulation presented and the computer program developed are used to simulate the impact between the landing gear and the runway. The method is also used to predict the dynamic behavior of the aircraft during the traverse of an abrupt elevation change in the runway.
Characterization of Ultrathin Films of γ-Al2O3 and the Chemistry of 1,3-Butadiene on NiAl(001) and γ-Al2O3

Ultrathin films of γ-Al2O3 grown on NiAl(001) were studied using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). Growth of the ultrathin oxide films with water produces a hydroxylated surface, as confirmed by vibrational spectroscopy. Also, exposure of a film grown with O2, to H2O following growth results in OH groups on the surface. Following adsorption at 170 K, the OH-stretching mode is observed (HREELS) as a relatively narrow band at 3690 cm-1 with a broad, low-intensity shoulder to lower frequencies, indicative of isolated OH groups bridge-bonded to aluminum sites and a small degree of OH hydrogen-bonding. The hydrogen-bonded species are removed by warming above 210 K. Adsorption and reaction of 1,3-butadiene on NiAl(001), and thin films of γ-Al2O3, have been studied using HREELS, laser-induced desorption coupled with Fourier transform mass spectroscopy (LID-FTMS), AES, and LEED. We find that at 170 K, the 1,3-...
A statistical theory for powder EPR in distributed systems

p, whose principal elements are random variables. The p and g tensors are not necessarily colinear. The observed EPR linewidth results from a distribution in the effective g value as a function of (a) the joint distribution function of the elements of the p tensor and (b) the spatial relationship between the two principal axis systems involved. The theory is reformulated in terms of matrices that facilitate a direct comparison with earlier work. Two previous theories of g strain represent different subsets of the general theory, namely, the case of zero rotation between axis systems and the case with nonzero rotation and full correlation between elements of the p
Neurophysiologic Correlates of Side Effects in Normal Subjects Randomized to Venlafaxine or Placebo

Adverse events reported in the context of medication administration may be due to pharmacodynamic and/or nonpharmacodynamic effects (eg, nocebo phenomena). Neurophysiological substrates of side effects may be examined in placebo-controlled antidepressant treatment trials. We explored the relationship between side effects and regional neurophysiologic changes in normal subjects receiving a 1-week placebo lead-in followed by 4 weeks randomized treatment with placebo (n=15) or venlafaxine IR (n=17). Quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) cordance measures were obtained before and during treatment, and side effects were assessed weekly using semistructured interviews. Side effect burden, characterized as the mean number of side effects per postrandomization visit, correlated significantly with neurophysiologic changes in the antidepressant group but not the placebo group. Medication group side effects were negatively correlated with changes in prefrontal cordance at end of placebo lead-in (r=−0.67, p<0.003), at 2 weeks (r=−0.77, p<0.002), and at 4 weeks (r=−0.77, p<0.004) post randomization. After controlling for the prefrontal change at the end of placebo lead-in, postrandomization brain changes did not further explain side effect burden. Changes in prefrontal brain function associated with later antidepressant side effects were observed during placebo lead-in—prior to the administration of medication. Prefrontal brain function during brief placebo administration may help explain susceptibility to the development of antidepressant side effects. Results of these exploratory hypothesis-generating analyses should be considered tentative until replicated.
Characterizing isoparaffin transport properties with Stokes-Einstein relationships

We present extensive molecular dynamics simulation results for self-diffusion and viscosity for isoparaffins between C6 and C16 and examine the ability of several forms of Stokes−Einstein relationships to link the transport properties in a coherent framework. Based on a hydrodynamic model for drag past prolate ellipsoids in the slip limit, much of the variation between diffusion and viscosity can be explained as a function of molecular structure. For pure species, we demonstrate how one can exploit the linearity of the Stokes−Einstein relationship to make quantitative, extrapolative predictions of viscosity from computer simulations based on the self-diffusion coefficient and systematic characterization of the molecule's gyration ellipsoid.
Are Alcoholics Less Deserving of Liver Transplants

When does behavior trigger a lesser claim to medical resources? When does chronic drinking, for example, mean that one has a lesser claim to a liver transplant? Only when one's behavior becomes a callous indifference to others' needs--when one knows the consequences of heavy drinking and knows that by drinking one may end up depriving someone else of a liver.
Reduction of biological activity of murine recombinant interleukin-1β by selective deamidation at asparagine-149

Abstract A biologically active preparation of murine recombinant interleukin-1β (mIL-1β) fromEscherichia coli cell lysates contained two forms of mIL-1β with pI 8.7 and pI 8.1, respectively. Treatment with 0.1 M Tris, pH 8.5, at 37°C for 35 h converted the pI 8.7 form to the pI 8.1 form by the selective deamidation of an asparagine residue (Asn149) in the mIL-1β molecule. Deamidated mIL-1β had 3- to 5-fold lower co-mitogenic activity and receptor affinity than the unmodified form.
Quantitative aspects of ribosomal RNA synthesis during ovarian development in two mutants of Drosophia melanogaster

A quantitative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis procedure for the analysis of microgram quantities of RNA has been developed. The method was used to determine the rates of rRNA synthesis and the molar ratios of various RNA species in Drosophila females homozygous for either of two X chromosome inversions that result in sterility of the females and produce lethality in X/0 males. Evidence is presented that in these genotypes the rate of rRNA synthesis during oogenesis is unimpaired but the mature oocyte has a 10–12% reduction in rRNA content.
The effects of bismuth breast shields in conjunction with automatic tube current modulation in CT imaging

There are mechanisms within CT scanners and shielding that can be used to lower dose to patients. The objective of our study was to evaluate the dose changes and image quality with and without a breast shield for multidetector CT of the chest with angular tube current modulation. An anthropomorphic 5-year-old phantom was scanned with and without bismuth breast shielding and with and without angular tube current modulation. Image quality was assessed by measuring signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio as well as measuring qualitatively. ANOVA single-factor p-value analysis of paired datasets was used for the statistical analysis. The breast shielding and angular tube current modulation resulted in a dose reduction to 85% for the breast and 90% overall. Although no qualitative differences were noted with and without the breast shielding used with angular tube current modulation, there were statistically significant differences in the contrast-to-noise ratio and CT numbers. When used with angular tube current modulation, breast shields influence the contrast-to-noise ratio and CT numbers, and therefore should not be used for chest CT. Greater dose reduction can be obtained by reducing the reference mAs (or reference noise index).
Tumor necrosis factor production and receptor expression by a human malignant glioma cell line, D54-MG.

Abstract Human malignant gliomas possess some of the same immune-related functions as astrocytes do. For instance, they are capable of secreting various immunoregulatory molecules and expressing HLA-DR antigens on their surface. The human malignant glioma cell line, D54-MG, was used to investigate the proliferation effects of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and the expression of specific surface receptors for TNF-α. Additionally, we were interested in examining whether D54-MG cells are capable of synthesizing and secreting biologically active TNF-α. D54-MG cells responded in a mitogenic fashion upon incubation with TNF-α for 48 h under serum-free conditions. 125I-labeled TNF-α was used in this study to investigate the expression of receptors specific for TNF-α on D54-MG cells. Scatchard analysis of our receptor binding data produced curvilinear plots indicating there are two distinct receptor sites for TNF-α. From these data, we calculated that there are approximately 3500 high affinity and 24,666 low affinity binding sites per cell. Pretreating these cells with interferon-γ (IFN-γ) resulted in a 2-fold increase in the number of high affinity binding sites and a moderate increase in the number of low affinity binding sites, with no appreciable change in binding affinity (Kd) of either site. D54-MG cells were unable to constitutively secrete TNF-α; however, upon stimulation, these cells synthesize and secrete biologically active TNF-α. Polyclonal antisera reactive with human macrophage-derived TNF-α neutralized the cytotoxicity of D54-MG-derived TNF-α, demonstrating that the cytotoxic activity was in fact due to TNF-α. Our observations indicate that TNF-α could act in an autocrine fashion to induce the proliferation of this malignant glioma cell line and that TNF-α exerts its effect by binding to specific TNF-α receptors whose expression was enhanced by IFN-γ.
Body dissatisfaction among White and African American male and female college students

Abstract Body size perception has been shown to be highly influenced by cultural factors including race. This study assessed body size perceptions of a convenience sample of college students (N=630). Included in a paper-and-pencil survey were current height and weight (body mass index (BMI)=wt [kg]/ht2 [m]), perceived BMI, desired MI and perceptions of BMIs desired by others. Also assessed were perceptions of underweight, acceptable weight and overweight/obesity. African American females were found to have a higher current BMI than Whites (P≤.001), higher desired BMI (P≤.001) and higher BMI perceived to be desired by others (P≤.001). African American and White males did not differ on any of these measures. Most (83%) underweight (BMI
The cost of being a woman: a national study of health care utilization and expenditures for female-specific conditions.

Purpose An important component of women's health care is for conditions that are exclusive to women, yet little research has addressed the economic impact of health care for these conditions. The purpose of this study was to describe health care utilization for female-specific conditions, the incremental expenditures attributable to these conditions, and the overall incremental expenditures across the lifespan. Methods We analyzed 3 years of a nationally representative survey of the US noninstitutionalized population, the 2000–2002 National Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, which included 25,361 females aged ≥14, representing 38,170 person-years. Results More than one fifth of women (21.2%) reported having a female-specific condition during a 1-year period, the most common of which were gynecologic disorders (7.4%); pregnancy-related conditions (6.4%); and menopausal symptoms (5.3%). The mean increment in annual total expenditures attributable to female-specific conditions ranged from $483 for menopausal disorders to $3,896 for female cancers. The annual total health care expenditures of women with female-specific conditions were estimated to be $108 billion, of which >40% ($43.3 billion) was attributable to female-specific conditions. Women with female-specific conditions who had no health insurance were less likely to have visited a doctor ( p = .0002), filled a prescription ( p = .001), and been hospitalized ( p = .0001) for these conditions, but more likely to have visited an emergency department ( p = .02) seeking treatment for these conditions. Conclusions In this nationally representative sample of American women aged ≥14, female-specific conditions were common and substantially increased costs of health care.
EDGE EXTRACTION ALGORITHM FOR FEATHER SEXING POULTRY CHICKS

ABSTRACT An investigation of methods to automate poultry chick sexing was performed and, as a result of the study, an algorithm for machine vision feather sexing was developed. The algorithm uses edge detection techniques applied to digitized images of the wing tips of feather-sexed chicks. Feather shaft lengths extracted by this method were then used to develop sample statistics to classify an individual image. A data set of 200 images (100 male and 100 female) was constructed, and various statistical tests were investigated to determine the accuracy of the algorithm for the sexing operation. Accuracies ranged from 50% to 89%, with the highest obtained from discriminant analysis. Several improvements are possible which may make such a technique a viable process for automating the sexing operation.
Clinical evaluation of highly pathogenic tick‐borne flavivirus infection in the mouse model

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using clinical parameters to demonstrate disease progression and differentiate between Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus (OHFV) and Russian spring-summer encephalitis virus (RSSEV) infection in the mouse model. Adult C57BL/6 and balb/c mice were infected with either OHFV or RSSEV by footpad inoculation and their temperature, body weight, clinical signs complete blood count, and blood chemistries were evaluated for up to 15 days post-infection (dpi). Clinical evaluation showed that OHFV infection seriously affects balb/c mice, which had shorter average survival times (ASTs) than other groups. On the contrary, RSSEV infection of C57BL/6 mice was more severe than in balb/c mice. During these studies, the development of fever was not observed and the body weight of OHFV infected balb/c and C57BL/6 mice began to decline sharply starting from day 7 and 8, respectively, which correlated with disease onset. Peak increase of globulin and neutrophils was demonstrated after 9 dpi in OHFV infected mice; however, the lymphocyte number was not affected. Viremia was undetectable in these animals with either virus infection, but virus was found in most organs tested. These results indicate marked differences in the clinical signs, pathology, and immune response of mice infected with either OHFV or RSSEV and further validate the use of this mouse model system to evaluate human disease.
5.1.1 Reusable Specification Components for Model‐Based System‐Engineering

Many modern, complex systems follow common design principles where the system is broken down into various subsystems and components. For example, every spacecraft requires a number of subsystems such as attitude determination and control, power, thermal, communications and propulsion. These subsystems have common functionalities and similar interactions, rendering them suitable for representation with a reusable specification architecture. Their similarities can be used to create a system-engineering environment specific to modeling that particular system, its subsystems and the subsystems' interactions. Based on this hypothesis, a domain-specific specification architecture has been developed that is tailored for cross-disciplinary use by systems and software engineers.
Research on Thermal Characteristic and Thermal Compensation Technology of Spindle System of CNC Machine Tool

The paper mainly studies the thermal characteristic and methods of thermal compensation of the spindle system of a precision turning center. The three-dimensional model of spindle system is constructed and meshed by ANSYS Workbench. The boundary condition and heat source of the spindle system are computed by relevant theory and the results are applied to the finite element model. By comparing results of FEM and experiment, the boundary condition is adjusted if necessary to make the analysis results be similar to experimental results. Then the temperature field is used as a load to calculate the thermal deformation. Two ways of changing boundary condition of spindle system have been analyzed to find their influence on spindle thermal deformation, which are changing air flowing speed around headstock and setting up a cooling jacket at the front surface of the headstock respectively.
EFFECTS OF COGNITIVE AND EXPERIENTIAL GROUP THERAPY ON SELF-EFFICACY AND PERCEPTIONS OF EMPLOYABILITY OF CHEMICALLY DEPENDENT WOMEN

This quasi-experimental study assessed effects of cognitive and experiential group therapy on self-efficacy and perceptions of employability for 52 chemically dependent adult women. The sample was 98% African American. Therapy consisted of six 90-min group sessions held twice weekly. The participants were pre- and posttested with the Self-Efficacy Scale (M. Sherer et al., 1982) and the Ghiselli Self-Description Inventory (E. E. Ghiselli, 1975). After the intervention, the cognitive group had significantly higher levels than the experiential group of social self-efficacy and need for self-actualization, an indicator of aspiration for employment. General self-efficacy and decisiveness, indicators of employability, significantly increased over time for both groups. Interventions to enhance people's belief in their ability to successfully perform tasks and control outcomes, promote personal growth, teach responsibility, and enhance self-awareness could be used to develop employability skills that reduce recidivism.
Promoting the health of frontier caregiving grandparents: a demonstration project evaluation.

Column Editor: Bonnie Gance-Cleveland Family-Centered Care provides a forum for sharing information about basic components of caring for children and families, including respect, information sharing, collaboration, family-to-family support, and confidence building.
The Sigma Chromatic Number of a Graph

For a nontrivial connected graph G, let $${c: V(G)\to {{\mathbb N}}}$$be a vertex coloring of G, where adjacent vertices may be colored the same. For a vertex v of G, let N(v) denote the set of vertices adjacent to v. The color sum σ(v) of v is the sum of the colors of the vertices in N(v). If σ(u) ≠ σ(v) for every two adjacent vertices u and v of G, then c is called a sigma coloring of G. The minimum number of colors required in a sigma coloring of a graph G is called its sigma chromatic number σ(G). The sigma chromatic number of a graph G never exceeds its chromatic number χ(G) and for every pair a, b of positive integers with a ≤ b, there exists a connected graph G with σ(G) = a and χ(G) = b. There is a connected graph G of order n with σ(G) = k for every pair k, n of positive integers with k ≤n if and only if k ≠ n − 1. Several other results concerning sigma chromatic numbers are presented.
Ostα-/- mice exhibit altered expression of intestinal lipid absorption genes, resistance to age-related weight gain, and modestly improved insulin sensitivity

The organic solute transporter OSTα-OSTβ is a key transporter for the efflux of bile acids across the basolateral membrane of ileocytes and the subsequent return of bile acids to the liver. Ostα(-/-) mice exhibit reduced bile acid pools and impaired lipid absorption. In this study, wild-type and Ostα(-/-) mice were characterized at 5 and 12 mo of age. Ostα(-/-) mice were resistant to age-related weight gain, body fat accumulation, and liver and muscle lipid accumulation, and male Ostα(-/-) mice lived slightly longer than wild-type mice. Caloric intake and activity levels were similar for Ostα(-/-) and wild-type male mice. Fecal lipid excretion was increased in Ostα(-/-) mice, indicating that a defect in lipid absorption contributes to decreased fat accumulation. Analysis of genes involved in intestinal lipid absorption revealed changes consistent with decreased dietary lipid absorption in Ostα(-/-) animals. Hepatic expression of cholesterol synthetic genes was upregulated in Ostα(-/-) mice, showing that increased cholesterol synthesis partially compensated for reduced dietary cholesterol absorption. Glucose tolerance was improved in male Ostα(-/-) mice, and insulin sensitivity was improved in male and female Ostα(-/-) mice. Akt phosphorylation was measured in liver and muscle tissue from mice after acute administration of insulin. Insulin responses were significantly larger in male and female Ostα(-/-) than wild-type mice. These findings indicate that loss of OSTα-OSTβ protects against age-related weight gain and insulin resistance.
Argument Status and PP-Attachment

Prepositional phrase attachment was investigated in temporarily ambiguous sentences. Both attachment site (noun phrase or verb phrase) and argument status (argument or adjunct) were manipulated to test the hypothesis that arguments are processed differently than adjuncts. Contrary to this hypothesis, some previous research suggested that arguments and adjuncts are initially processed in the same manner, following a general bias to attach prepositional phrases to the verb phrase whenever possible [Clifton, Speer, & Abney (1991) Journal of Memory and Language, 30, 251-271]. The current study supports the hypothesis for differential processing, even during the initial stages of syntactic analysis. In an eye movement experiment, readers spent less first-pass time on argument prepositional phrases (PPs) than adjunct PPs. The results support a view in which a noun's or verb's argument structure can facilitate the analysis of its arguments.
Cardiac implantable electronic device removal in patients with left ventricular assist device associated infections.

CIED Removal in LVAD Infections Introduction Heart failure patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are at risk for infection. Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are commonly present in these patients. The course of infections in patients with an LVAD and a CIED is not well described. Methods and Results We identified 6 patients with a durable LVAD that underwent CIED removal because of an LVAD associated infection (LVADI). Patient and infection characteristics, management strategy, and clinical outcomes are described. All 6 patients were male, and the mean age was 59.6 years (range 43–72). Four of 6 patients had an ischemic cardiomyopathy, and 3 patients were diabetic. The median creatinine clearance for patients was 40.5 mg/dL (range 19–65). Five of 6 patients had a continuous flow LVAD placed as destination therapy. Four of 6 patients had a previous LVADI managed medically before the current infection leading to CIED removal. The indication for CIED removal was a bloodstream infection in 5 of 6 patients. Three of these patients had potential vegetations identified by echocardiography on device leads. The mean implanted age of the removed leads was 62 months (range 1–179), and 1 of the 6 patients experienced a procedural complication (hematoma) from CIED removal. Four of 6 patients that underwent CIED removal for an LVADI had recurrence of infection. Five of 6 patients died during the initial presentation or from repeat presentation for infection. Conclusion Despite CIED removal for an LVADI, recurrent infections are common and mortality remains high.
Deadlock avoidance in Petri nets with uncontrollable transitions

Results in the literature have provided efficient control synthesis techniques for the problem of deadlock avoidance in Petri nets. These results are shown to fit within an established framework for the enforcement of linear constraints on the marking behavior of a net. Framing the problem in this way allows uncontrollable and of unobservable transitions to be included in the plant model when deadlock avoidance is performed.
Ultraviolet acousto-optic laser scanner for fast, graded, multi-site photolysis of caged neurotransmitter to investigate dendritic integration

An acousto-optic scanner for a pulsed-UV laser has been developed to enable multi-site photolysis of caged neurotransmitter in user-defined spatio-temporal patterns. This overcomes a significant obstacle in the study of dendritic integration of non-sensory central neurons. Here, we report that the system has been extended to permit graded release of neurotransmitter at each stimulation site, and that the energy available for photolysis is sufficient to simulate a full range of physiological stimulus strengths.
Detection of CXCR4 receptors on cell surface using a fluorescent metal nanoshell

Fluorescence cell imaging can be used for disease diagnosis and cellular signal transduction. Using a metal nanoshell as molecular imaging agent, we develop a cellular model system to detect CXCR4 chemokine receptor on T-lymphatic cell surface. These metal nanoshells are observed to express enhanced emission intensity and shortened lifetimes due to the near-field interactions. They are covalently bound with anti-CXCR4 monoclonal antibodies for immunoreactions with the target sites of the CXCR4 receptors on the CEM-SS cells. The fluorescence intensity and lifetime cell images are recorded with a time-resolved confocal microscopy. As expected, the emission signals from the metal nanoshells are clearly isolated from the cellular autofluorescence due to strong intensities and distinctive lifetimes. The number of emission spots on the single cell image is estimated by direct count to the emission signals. Analyzing a pool of cell images, a maximal count number is obtained in a range of 200±50. Because there is an average of approximately 6000 binding sites on the cell surface, we estimate that one emission spot from the metal nanoshell may represent approximately 30 CXCR5 receptors. In addition, the CXCR4 receptors are estimated to distribute on approximately 70% area of the cell surface.
Gammaherpesviruses and Lymphoproliferative Disorders

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), formally designated human herpesvirus 4 (HHV-4) and 8 (HHV-8), respectively, are viruses that can cause a variety of cancers in humans. EBV is found in non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphomas, as well as in lymphoproliferative disorders, which occur more commonly but not exclusively in individuals with immunodeficiency. EBV also causes nonlymphoid malignancies such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma. KSHV causes primary effusion lymphomas, multicentric Castleman's disease, and Kaposi's sarcoma. The frequency of lymphoid malignancies related to infection by one of these two herpesviruses is greatly increased in individuals with immunodeficiency, whether primary or acquired, for example, as a consequence of HIV infection and AIDS or in the case of therapeutic immunosuppression for organ transplantation. Our current understanding indicates that EBV and KSHV contribute to lymphomagenesis by affecting genomic stability and by subverting the cellular molecula...
DIFFERENCES IN ARRANGING FACULTY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH DEANS AND CHAIRS

A systematic approach of interviews, questionnaires, and follow-ups was used with deans and chairpeople to introduce faculty development programs to a doctoral degree granting university. This approach to initiating programs via management (and not faculty) had several practical advantages, and it provided insights about possible generalities of how deans and chairs resist and facilitate developmental proposals. Deans in this sample responded with more emotional distance, but with greater readiness to conceptualize applications and to make helpful arrangements (e.g., schedule workshops with specific groups of faculty). Chairs, in contrast, typically reacted defensively, at least in the short run, often discounting faculty problems or the likelihood that help could or should be effectively administered.
Survey of fall detection and daily activity monitoring techniques

The risk of sustaining heavy injuries through accidental falls creates a major medical problem for elderly people. This paper conducts a survey of the various automatic techniques and methods proposed to detect falls and anomalies in movements of the elderly, through monitoring of their daily life activities. These methods can be broadly divided into three main categories: 1) Video Analysis Based; 2) Acoustic and Ambience Sensor Based; and 3) Kinematic Sensor Based. This paper critically analyzes the various proposed methodologies, comparing their strengths and weaknesses. We further propose our own technique for fall detection and monitoring of common daily life activities (walking, running, sitting, standing, and lying down), through a novel approach that provides a low cost solution and ensures the safety and security of the elderly without restricting them to confined surroundings.
Seismic Design Aspects of Vertically Irregular Reinforced Concrete Buildings

Abstract Seismic building codes such as the Uniform Building Code (UBC) do not allow the equivalent lateral force (ELF) procedure to be used for structures with vertical irregularities. The purpose of this study is to investigate the definition of irregular structures for different vertical irregularities: stiffness, strength, mass, and that due to the presence of nonstructural masonry infills. An ensemble of 78 buildings with various interstory stiffness, strength, and mass ratios is considered for a detailed parametric study. The lateral force-resisting systems (LFRS) considered are special moment-resisting frames (SMRF). These LFRS are designed based on the forces obtained from the ELF procedure. The results from linear and nonlinear dynamic analyses of these engineered buildings exhibit that most structures considered in this study performed well when subjected to the design earthquake. Hence, the restrictions on the applicability of the equivalent lateral force procedure are unnecessarily conservativ...
Genome-wide pathway analysis of memory impairment in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort implicates gene candidates, canonical pathways, and networks

Memory deficits are prominent features of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The genetic architecture underlying these memory deficits likely involves the combined effects of multiple genetic variants operative within numerous biological pathways. In order to identify functional pathways associated with memory impairment, we performed a pathway enrichment analysis on genome-wide association data from 742 Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) participants. A composite measure of memory was generated as the phenotype for this analysis by applying modern psychometric theory to item-level data from the ADNI neuropsychological test battery. Using the GSA-SNP software tool, we identified 27 canonical, expertly-curated pathways with enrichment (FDR-corrected p-value < 0.05) against this composite memory score. Processes classically understood to be involved in memory consolidation, such as neurotransmitter receptor-mediated calcium signaling and long-term potentiation, were highly represented among the enriched pathways. In addition, pathways related to cell adhesion, neuronal differentiation and guided outgrowth, and glucose- and inflammation-related signaling were also enriched. Among genes that were highly-represented in these enriched pathways, we found indications of coordinated relationships, including one large gene set that is subject to regulation by the SP1 transcription factor, and another set that displays co-localized expression in normal brain tissue along with known AD risk genes. These results 1) demonstrate that psychometrically-derived composite memory scores are an effective phenotype for genetic investigations of memory impairment and 2) highlight the promise of pathway analysis in elucidating key mechanistic targets for future studies and for therapeutic interventions.
Enumeration of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells for reconstitution following myeloablative therapy.

The CD34+ cell fraction of bone marrow and blood contains the hematopoietic stem cells required for marrow reconstitution following myeloablative therapy. Because they are present in small numbers, accurate quantification is often difficult. We have developed a reproducible and sensitive flow cytometric method for CD34+ enumeration of both bone marrow harvests and peripheral blood stem cell collections. The total numbers of harvested cells are enumerated by particle counting. A measured aliquot is stained with two FITC-labeled anti-CD34 antibodies, one directed against 8G12 and the other against QBend epitope. To eliminate cells committed to mature lineages (lin+), the suspension is counterstained with a cocktail of PE-labeled antibodies including CD3 (T cells), CD19 (B cells), CD11b (neutrophils), and CD14 (monocytes). Particles < μm in diameter are excluded by use of a standard bead gate. Regions are established using unstained U937 cells to set the vertical axis and PE stained U937 cells for the horizontal axis. Because of the low numbers of CD34+ cells, 20,000 events/sample are analyzed. Dilutions of KG-1A tumor cells (CD34+) in U937 cells showed a threshold of detection of 0.1% CD34+ lin- cells. Duplicate samples varied by <10%. Initial studies indicate that this procedure can be reliably used to measure CD34+ lin-cells in blood, pheresis products, and bone marrow harvests. This CD34 enumeration procedure should result in increased consistency in enumerating this stem cell population. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Nonlinear Imputation of Pao2/Fio2 From Spo2/Fio2 Among Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Background ARDS is an important clinical problem. The definition of ARDS requires testing of arterial blood gas to define the ratio of Pa o 2 to F io 2 (Pa o 2 /F io 2 ratio). However, many patients with ARDS do not undergo blood gas measurement, which may result in underdiagnosis of the condition. As a consequence, a method for estimating Pa o 2 on the basis of noninvasive measurements is desirable. Methods Using data from three ARDS Network studies, we analyzed the enrollment arterial blood gas measurements to compare nonlinear with linear and log-linear imputation methods of estimating Pa o 2 from percent saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen as measured by pulse oximetry (Sp o 2 ). We compared mortality on the basis of various measured and imputed Pa o 2 /F io 2 ratio cutoffs to ensure clinical equivalence. Results We studied 1,184 patients, in 707 of whom the Sp o 2 ≤ 96%. Nonlinear imputation from the Sp o 2 /F io 2 ratio resulted in lower error than linear or log-linear imputation ( P o 2 ≤ 96% but was equivalent to log-linear imputation in all patients. Ninety-day hospital mortality was 26% to 30%, depending on the Pa o 2 /F io 2 ratio, whether nonlinearly imputed or measured. On multivariate regression, the association between imputed and measured Pa o 2 varied by use of vasopressors and Sp o 2 . Conclusions A nonlinear equation more accurately imputes Pa o 2 /F io 2 from Sp o 2 /F io 2 than linear or log-linear equations, with similar observed hospital mortality depending on Sp o 2 /F io 2 ratio vs measured Pa o 2 /F io 2 ratios. While further refinement through prospective validation is indicated, a nonlinear imputation appears superior to prior approaches to imputation.
A hydrophobic surface is essential to inhibit the aggregation of a tau-protein-derived hexapeptide.

This paper seeks to understand how a macrocyclic β-sheet peptide inhibits the aggregation of the tau-protein-derived peptide Ac-VQIVYK-NH2 (AcPHF6). Previous studies established that macrocyclic β-sheet peptide 1 inhibits AcPHF6 aggregation, while the sequence isomer in which the lysine and leucine residues at positions R6 and R7 are swapped has little effect on AcPHF6 aggregation. The current studies find that positions R1, R3, and R7 are especially sensitive to mutations. Reducing hydrophobicity at these positions substantially diminishes inhibition. Although position R5 is not sensitive to mutations that reduce hydrophobicity, it is sensitive to mutations that increase hydrophobicity. Enhanced hydrophobicity at this position substantially enhances inhibition. These studies establish that the hydrophobic surface comprising residues R1, R3, and R7 is crucial to the inhibition process and that the residue R5, which shares this surface, is also important. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that hydro...