cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fragile X Premutation

Whereas full mutation CGG-repeat expansions (>200 repeats) of the fragile X gene (FMR1) give rise to the neurodevelopmental disorder, fragile X syndrome (FXS); smaller, ‘premutation’ expansions (55 to 200 repeats) are now gaining increasing recognition as the basis for a spectrum of clinical involvement, from neurodevelopmental problems; to mid-adult disorders, such as primary ovarian insufficiency and mood and psychiatric disorders; to the late-adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder, fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). The premutation disorders are thought to arise through a molecular mechanism involving toxicity of the elevated levels of expanded CGG-repeat mRNA (‘RNA toxicity’), a process that is entirely distinct from the FMR1 protein-deficiency that gives rise to FXS. However, despite the importance of the spectrum of clinical disorders associated with the premutation, and a high prevalence rate (1 in 130 to 250 females and 1 in 250 to 810 males), relatively little attention has been paid to these disorders and there is a general lack of awareness among clinicians as to the distinction between the premutation disorders and FXS. To address this lack of awareness, an international conference on the premutation was held in Perugia, Italy, in June 2013. The conference covered the expanding range of clinical involvement, refinements of the assessments and tools for characterizing such involvement, and the rapidly expanding understanding of the pathogenic molecular and cellular mechanisms that give rise to the spectrum of involvement among premutation carriers. All of these advances support ongoing efforts to develop new targeted treatments for the premutation disorders. As an outgrowth of the meeting, papers were solicited from the conference attendees such that groups of scientists and clinicians would develop works that broadly covered the topics of the meeting. The following papers represent that effort.
A comparison of information theoretic functions for tracking maneuvering targets

Several information theoretic functions have been proposed in the literature to assess the information value of sensor measurements a posteriori, that is, after measurements have been obtained from one or more targets. Sensor planning algorithms, however, require that the value of future sensor measurements be computed a priori, based on available models and prior information. An approach was recently presented by the authors for estimating the expected information value of future sensor measurements in target classification problems. The approach derives expected information theoretic functions from probabilistic models of the sensors and the targets, conditioned on prior information. In this paper, the approach is extended to the problem of sensor planning for tracking maneuvering targets. The approach is illustrated for a sensor that obeys an exponential power law model of received isotropic energy, and a target that obeys a Markov motion model. The performance of five information theoretic functions is compared through numerical simulations, and the results show that the objective function based on conditional mutual information leads to the most effective sensor planning strategy.
Measuring capacity development and reform in the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force

International police have been deployed on a number of peacekeeping missions, but providing capacity development and assisting in reform of local police in war-torn nations are only a relatively recent undertaking. The process of police reform is complicated because of the inherent difficulty in evaluating the impact of a development programme on police service delivery performance. This study reports on the results of a pilot survey of international police managers assessment of the level of competency of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force following the introduction of a capacity development programme 3 years earlier. The results indicate that although the local police had improved operationally, and in some cases to an international standard, the Force had lower capability in strategic administration.
Immunology: Zoster vaccine and biologic agents: time to question a paradigm?

Vaccination for the prevention of herpes zoster with the attenuated live vaccine is currently not recommended for patients with rheumatic diseases while they are receiving biologic agents, but new evidence calls the validity of this guidance into question. Is it time to rethink the use of the herpes zoster vaccine in these patients?
Design of 60kV, 2Ons Solid-state Pulse Generator Based on Magnetic Reactor Driven Diode Opening Switch

Here we present the design and implementation of a magnetic reactor driven diode opening switch (DOS) pulse generator, which is capable of delivering 20ns wide, 60 kV amplitude pulses into a 200 Omega load at a repetition rate of 1 kHz. The pulse generator is also capable of working without a diode stage to generate 100 ns 30 kV pulses into the same load. The generator consists of 3 isolated units with distinct functions. The first is an IGBT switched LC resonator, which generates a 2.3 mus wide 18 kV amplitude pulse into the next stage. The second unit is a 2-stage magnetic reactor using a saturable inductor wound on low-loss nanocrystalline core, which compresses the pulse width to 200 ns with the same amplitude. The compressed pulse can be directly delivered to a 200 Omega load through a 1:2 transformer and generate 100 ns wide 30 kV amplitude pulses. The output of the magnetic compression stage can also be fed into a diode output stage through the same saturable transformer for further compression. The DOS output unit utilizes 6 series connected VMI fast recovery diodes as opening switch to commute 300 A current into the load and produces 60kV 20ns pulses. The all-solid-state design helps to get reproducible pulses and reliable, long-life operation
Adolescent Substance-Use Frequency Following Self-Help Group Attendance and Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment

Despite the heterogeneity of posttreatment outcomes, the likelihood of relapse is often dependent on several factors, including participation in continuing care services such as self-help groups. However, few studies have examined the use of self-help groups among adolescent outpatients. Therefore, in this study, investigators examined self-help group attendance among male and female adolescents during the three-month time period immediately following outpatient substance abuse treatment. Gender differences were found in regard to self-efficacy, coping, and severity of substance-related problems. A path model indicated that environmental risk provided the greatest total effect on substance-use frequency. Implications for research and practice are reviewed.
Large-scale analysis of antisense transcription in wheat using the Affymetrix GeneChip Wheat Genome Array

Natural antisense transcripts (NATs) are transcripts of the opposite DNA strand to the sense-strand either at the same locus (cis-encoded) or a different locus (trans-encoded). They can affect gene expression at multiple stages including transcription, RNA processing and transport, and translation. NATs give rise to sense-antisense transcript pairs and the number of these identified has escalated greatly with the availability of DNA sequencing resources and public databases. Traditionally, NATs were identified by the alignment of full-length cDNAs or expressed sequence tags to genome sequences, but an alternative method for large-scale detection of sense-antisense transcript pairs involves the use of microarrays. In this study we developed a novel protocol to assay sense- and antisense-strand transcription on the 55 K Affymetrix GeneChip Wheat Genome Array, which is a 3' in vitro transcription (3'IVT) expression array. We selected five different tissue types for assay to enable maximum discovery, and used the 'Chinese Spring' wheat genotype because most of the wheat GeneChip probe sequences were based on its genomic sequence. This study is the first report of using a 3'IVT expression array to discover the expression of natural sense-antisense transcript pairs, and may be considered as proof-of-concept. By using alternative target preparation schemes, both the sense- and antisense-strand derived transcripts were labeled and hybridized to the Wheat GeneChip. Quality assurance verified that successful hybridization did occur in the antisense-strand assay. A stringent threshold for positive hybridization was applied, which resulted in the identification of 110 sense-antisense transcript pairs, as well as 80 potentially antisense-specific transcripts. Strand-specific RT-PCR validated the microarray observations, and showed that antisense transcription is likely to be tissue specific. For the annotated sense-antisense transcript pairs, analysis of the gene ontology terms showed a significant over-representation of transcripts involved in energy production. These included several representations of ATP synthase, photosystem proteins and RUBISCO, which indicated that photosynthesis is likely to be regulated by antisense transcripts. This study demonstrated the novel use of an adapted labeling protocol and a 3'IVT GeneChip array for large-scale identification of antisense transcription in wheat. The results show that antisense transcription is relatively abundant in wheat, and may affect the expression of valuable agronomic phenotypes. Future work should select potentially interesting transcript pairs for further functional characterization to determine biological activity.
Zeros of Hypergeometric Functions and the Norm of a Composition Operator

Let φ be an analytic self-map of the unit disk; let Cφ denote the corresponding composition operator acting on the Hardy space H2. Although the precise value of ∥Cφ∥ is quite difficult to calculate, some progress has been made in the case when φ is a linear fractional map. A recent paper by Basor and Retsek demonstrates a connection between the norm of such an operator and the zeros of a particular hypergeometric series. Here we will pursue this line of inquiry further. We shall appeal to several results relating to hypergeometric series — many of which are quite old — to deduce more information about the norm of a composition operator, in particular about the spectrum of Cφ*Cφ. Furthermore, we will use our knowledge of composition operators to establish an apparently new result pertaining to the zeros of hypergeometric series.
Heterogeneity in MYC-induced mammary tumors contributes to escape from oncogene dependence.

A hallmark of human cancer is heterogeneity, reflecting the complex series of changes resulting in the activation of oncogenes coupled with inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. Breast cancer is no exception and indeed, many studies have revealed considerable complexity and heterogeneity in the population of primary breast tumors and substantial changes in a recurrent breast tumor that has acquired drug resistance. We have made use of a Myc-inducible transgenic mouse model of breast cancer in which elimination of Myc activity following tumor development initially leads to a regression of a subset of tumors generally followed by de novo Myc-independent growth. We have observed that tumors that grow independent of MYC expression have gene profiles and histologies that are distinct from the primary tumors and have acquired features resembling epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and “tumor initiating” cells. Analyses of the genetic pathways underlying these histological changes revealed a strong correlation between activation of the Ras, TGFβ, and TNFα pathways with Myc-independent growth. Collectively, the data reveal genetic alterations that underlie an escape from Myc-dependent growth and tumor progression that may parallel what occurs in human cancers as they acquire drug resistance.
Multiple Factors in the Development of the Expert Counselor and Therapist

Expertise in counseling and therapy is both desirable and elusive. Increasing our knowledge about expertise in counseling and therapy enhances understanding of the role it plays in our profession. This understanding has the potential to improve the training of counselors and therapists. Yet expertise in counseling and therapy appears to be a multifaceted and dynamic concept needing further definition and description. In this article, we outline challenges faced trying to describe expertise in counseling and therapy and present research-based factors that contribute to developing expertise in counseling and therapy. Important factors include: experience, personal characteristics of the counselor and therapist, cultural competence, and comfort with ambiguity.
Effects of pregnancy on the renal and pulmonary manifestations in women with tuberous sclerosis complex.

Purpose: To determine whether pregnancy increases the risk of renal or pulmonary complications in women with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Methods: We surveyed female members of the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance and reviewed the files of adult women seen in our genetics clinics for complications of TSC. Results: Among 145 individuals, there was no significant difference in incidence of renal and pulmonary involvement between the pregnant and never-pregnant groups, although there were differences in age at diagnosis (25 vs. 16) and current age (41 vs. 35). There was no significant difference in the rate of renal complications (57% vs. 67%, P = 0.62) or pneumothorax (40% vs. 38%, P = 1.00) for the pregnant and never-pregnant groups, respectively. Pregnancy loss in women with TSC did not differ from population risks. Conclusions: Pregnancy does not increase the risk of developing renal or pulmonary complications in women with TSC.
Diets for Laying Chickens during Hot Weather The Protein level of the diet

Abstract DEATH from heat prostration is of rather common occurrence in most flocks of laying chickens during the summer in regions where maximum air temperatures are high. Because they believe it will lessen this kind of mortality, some commercial poultrymen, who feed both mash and whole grain to their laying flocks during the rest of the year, discontinue the feeding of grain during hot weather on the assumption that it is more “heating” or “fattening” than mash. This practice, which results in the diet of laying chickens being higher in protein during hot weather than it is during most of the year, seemed to be based on conjecture rather than on substantiated results that had proved it to be worth while. The writer, therefore, was interested in determining if the protein content of their diet does have any effect on the mortality rate among laying chickens in hot weather Consequently, four . . .
Stable isotope studies of metasomatic Ca-Fe-Al-Si skarns and associated metamorphic and igneous rocks, Osgood Mountains, Nevada

Garnet-pyroxene skarns were formed 90 m.y. B.P. in the Osgood Mountains at or near contacts of grandiorite with calcareous rocks of the Cambrian Preble Formation. The metasomatic replacement followed contact metamorphic recrystallization of the Preble. The sources, temperature, and variation in H2O/CO2 ratios of the metasomatic fluid are interpreted from 269 analyses of oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur isotopes in whole rocks, minerals and inclusion fluids. Skarns formed in three mineralogical stages. Oxygen isotope data indicate that temperatures during the crystallization of garnet, pyroxene and wollastonite (Stage I) were least 550 ° C, and that the metasomatic fluid had an $${\text{X}}_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} } $$ ≦ 0.035 in the massive skarns, and ≦ 0.12 in vein skarns up to 3 cm thick. Pore fluids in isotopic equilibrium with garnet in calc-silicate metamorphic rocks, on the other hand, had $${\text{X}}_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} } $$ ≦ 0.15. The metasomatic fluids of Stage I were derived primarily from the crystallizing magma. The isotopic composition of magmatic water was δ18O =+9.0, δD= −30 to −45. Oxygen isotope temperatures of greater than 620 ° C were determined for the granodiorite. Isotopic and chemical equilibria between mineral surfaces and the metasomatic fluid were approached simultaneously in parts of the skarn several meters or more apart, while isotopic and chemical disequilibria (i.e. zoning) have been preserved between 20 to 40 μm-thick zones in grandite garnet. More Fe-, or andradite-rich garnet crystallized in more H2O-rich C-O-H fluids ( $${\text{X}}_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} } $$ ≦ 0.01) than present with grossularite-rich garnet ( $${\text{X}}_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} } $$ ≦ 0.035). Stage II was marked by the replacement of garnet and pyroxene by quartz, amphibole, plagioclase, epidote, magnetite, and calcite. Many of the replacement reactions took place over a relatively narrow range in temperature (480–550 ° C), as indicated by 18O fractionations between quartz and amphibole. Meteoric water comprised 20 to 50% of the metasomatic fluid during Stage II. Calcite was formed along with pyrite, minor pyrrhotite, and chalcopyrite during Stage III, although the crystallization of pyrite and calcite had begun earlier, during Stages I and II, respectively. Carbon and sulfur isotope compositions of calcite and pyrite indicate a magmatic source for most of the C and S in the metasomatic fluids of Stage III. By the end of Stage III, meteoric water constituted as much as 100% of the metasomatic fluid. Minerals from grandiorite and skarn do not show large depletions in 18O because the oxygen isotope composition of the metasomatic fluid was buffered by the calcareous wall rocks and the grandiorite. Meteoric water in the vicinity of the Osgood Mountains during the Late Crectaceous (δ18Ocale. ≃ −14.0, δD = − 107) was slightly enriched in 18O and D relative to present-day meteoric water (δ18O = 15.9, δD = − 117)
Volume matching with application in medical treatment planning

Brachytherapy is an advanced cancer treatment method in which radioactive sources (seeds) are permanently placed in or near a tumor, giving a high radiation dose to the tumor while reducing the radiation exposure of the surrounding healthy tissues. The computation of seeds placement is a difficult problem that requires a significant amount of time to solve. One possible approach to get close to real time treatment planning is to reuse existing treatment plans, or precomputed solutions, if possible, since related tumors may have similar shape and size. In this paper we address the problem of matching an input object (tumor) against a repository of model objects associated with known treatment plans such that the overlap volume is maximized. We refer to the matching of objects based on maximum overlap as volume matching.
Baroclinic effects and tides on the Cape Hatteras continental shelf

[1] Seasonal variability has been identified on the shelf near Cape Hatteras in the semidiurnal and diurnal frequency bands. Large summertime semidiurnal currents appear to be an M2 internal tide whose propagation shoreward is supported by strong Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) seasonal stratification. At the southern limit of the MAB, strong MAB stratification gives way to weaker seasonal stratification in the South Atlantic Bight (SAB), and the M2 internal tide propagates shoreward less effectively. Strong diurnal variability appears in K1 and O1 components in summer, achieving magnitudes as large as the M2. The diurnal components are typically much smaller than M2 in winter. However, this summer signal is unlikely to be a diurnal internal tide since at these latitudes (34.5–36.5N) the diurnal frequency is subinertial. Coastally trapped waves (CTWs) are presented as a mechanism to explain the increased variability in the diurnal band under summertime stratification. Alongshore southward propagation of the diurnal variability is evident from moorings on the middle and outer shelf (phase speed of 2.1–2.6 m/s along the 60-m isobath) as far south as Cape Hatteras, but little energy in this band propagates past Cape Hatteras. While diurnal band CTW propagation will not occur at this latitude under well-mixed conditions, stratification could cause those frequencies to become available for a given wave number, as described in the work of Brink (1990). Estimates of the Huthnance (1978) stratification and slope parameter A, and the Burger number S, suggest the summertime diurnal signal is consistent with baroclinic CTWs. If so, these are the first observations of diurnal CTWs at Cape Hatteras.
Impact of acute whole-body cold exposure with concurrent isometric handgrip exercise on aortic pressure waveform characteristics.

Adverse cardiovascular events are more prevalent during winter and in people that exercise/work in cold temperatures. Since pulse wave analysis indices, aortic systolic blood pressure (ASBP), augmentation index (AIx), and wasted left ventricular pressure energy (ΔE w), are stronger predictors of cardiovascular events and myocardial performance than brachial blood pressure (BP), we sought to evaluate the aortic hemodynamic responses during cold exposure with concurrent isometric handgrip exercise (IHG). In a crossover randomized fashion, 20 healthy normotensive men (22.1 ± 2 years) were evaluated, by means of radial applanation tonometry, inside an environmental chamber in the supine position at cold (4 °C) and temperate (24 °C) conditions. Following a 30-min equilibration period, measurements were performed during pre-exercise baseline (REST), in the last 90 s of a 3-min IHG at 30 % maximal voluntary contraction, and 3 min immediately after the finalization of IHG bout (recovery, REC). At REST, brachial systolic BP (BSBP) (12 ± 2 mmHg; P < 0.01), ASBP (14 ± 3 mmHg; P < 0.01), AIx (11 ± 3 %; P < 0.05), and ΔE w (737 ± 128 dynes s/cm2; P < 0.01) were higher in 4 °C compared to 24 °C trial. Compared to REST, IHG significantly increased (P < 0.01) BSBP, ASBP, AIx, and ΔEw, while BSBP and ASBP remained elevated during REC (P < 0.01). Compared to REST and temperate, AIx (11 ± 3 %) and ΔE w (793 ± 145 dynes s/cm2; P < 0.01) were higher during IHG and cold, while BSBP and ASBP were elevated during REC and cold. AIx and ΔE w returned to REST values in both trials, but AIx (11 ± 4 %; P < 0.05) and ΔE w (656 ± 132 dynes s/cm2; P < 0.05) were higher in the cold. Cold exposure with concurrent IHG induces a significant increase in aortic hemodynamic markers, which may evoke adverse cardiovascular events.
Foundress associations in polistine wasps: dominance hierarchies and the evolution of social behavior

Interactions among female paper wasps of newly founded colonies suggest that dominance relations assign social (reproductive) roles to siblings in a way advantageous to both dominants and subordinates. In various social animals dominance relations may have been an important prerequisite for the evolution of a division of labor between reproductive and nonreproductive (or less reproductive) adults.
The effect of hexamethonium bromide upon coronary flow, cardiac work and cardiac efficiency in normotensive and renal hypertensive dogs.

Hexamethonium bromide in normotensive and renal hypertensive dogs resulted in significant reductions in arterial blood pressure, cardiac output and cardiac work. The decrease in cardiac output relative to that in blood pressure suggests that the blood pressure reduction was largely due to the decrease in cardiac output. There was a decrease in coronary flow accompanied by an increase in myocardial oxygen extraction of such Degrees that cardiac oxygen consumption remained unchanged. Since myocardial oxygen consumption remained unchanged despite the decrease in cardiac work the calculated cardiac efficiency was decreased.
Are Sports Betting Markets Prediction Markets?: Evidence From a New Test

Researchers commonly use sports betting lines as predictions of the outcome of sporting events. Betting houses set betting lines conditional on bettors ex ante beliefs about game outcomes, which implies that the predictive power of the sports betting market could be an unintended consequence of betting house profit maximization. Using this insight, the authors propose a new test of the predictive power of the sports betting market, which incorporates a seldom-used piece of complementary betting information: the over/under—the predicted sum of scores for a game. Since the over/under has the same market properties as the betting line, it should be similarly predictive about the actual outcome, while if bettors have different beliefs about this game feature it need not be predictive. Using the universe of betting lines and over/unders on National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college football, and NCAA college basketball games fr...
Advances in the Assessment of Refractory Epilepsy

The assessment of patients with refractory epilepsy presents both a challenge and an opportunity. The use of appropriate instruments to carefully and consistently measure a patient's seizure type and frequency, hormonal function, and medication side effects and the impact of those variables on quality of life ensures consistent, standardized assessment. A patient's epilepsy then can be classified as refractory based on any combination of factors that preclude a reasonably normal life-style by current practice standards, given the person's capabilities. Diagnostic studies and treatment strategies should address all significant adverse findings resulting from the assessment process. Accurate diagnosis of seizure type usually requires electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring. Postictal hormonal assays and periodic measurements of estrogen and progesterone may be useful diagnostically in a selected group of patients. Awareness of a patient's compliance history, environmental stressors, and seizure triggers may reduce seizure frequency without a change in medication. For patients with medication intolerance, the usual strategy is to modify the medication regimen or treatment schedule to minimize side effects while maximizing seizure control and compliance. For most patients, monotherapy provides a greater therapeutic window than combination therapy. Devising an effective and safe therapeutic regimen is an ongoing process and can be lengthy depending on seizure type(s), frequency, and temporal pattern; anticonvulsant pharmacokinetics; drug interactions and side effects; patient's life-style; and other factors. Serial measurements of quality-of-life variables may assist in the process. Rapid strides have been recently made, and as the pace of new antiepileptic drug development quickens and surgical centers become more widely available, clinicians will need to redefine refractoriness as the expectations improve for patients with epilepsy.
On energy-minimization in ferromagnetism controlled by applied fields

In this paper, we study the minimization problem for a “no-exchange” energy in ferromagnetism with applied field taken as a control parameter. We show that any feasible magnetization configuration can be realized as energy-minimizer for some energy with an appropriately adjusted applied field. Similar results are also obtained for the minimizers of the dual functionals controlled by applied fields. Special interesting cases are studied for certain applied fields and physical domains.
Transbiological bodies: Mine, yours, ours

Recently, an unspectacular eruption on Trans-Academics, a low-volume and usually low-key list serve of announcements and research queries, caught my eye. A user rallied against a previous post that...
Small-strain behavior of granular soils. I: Model for cemented and uncemented sands and gravels

A simple formulation is presented that predicts the nonlinear small strain behavior of cemented and uncemented granular soils. Its performance is evaluated through the comparison of model predictions to results from laboratory tests. A companion paper evaluates the performance of this model implemented in a site response analysis code through comparison with the measured response at two sites. The formulation for the maximum shear modulus, Gmax , which is selected through the evaluation of existing formulations and data, is presented with the hysteretic model developed to describe the shear modulus reduction and damping increase with increasing strains. Few parameters are needed to predict the small strain response, and correlations between model parameters and index properties of granular materials are presented when possible. The model, SimSoil, is shown to capture the cyclic response for sands and gravels with varying densities over a wide range of pressures measured in laboratory tests, including case...
A Typology of Career Wife Roles

As interest in work-family linkages has increased, researchers have focused on the two-pcrson career and dual-career couples. These limited foci have obscured the fact that wives of professionals fill a variety of' achievement roles relative to market production. In order to identify these roles and promote more exact work-family research, this article presents a typology of carccr wife achievement roles. The categories of "homemaker," 'background supporter," "teamworker," "parallel worker," and "non-parallel worker" were derived from the career wife literature and comprise a continuum from lesser to greater direct participation in market production.
Effect of a Novel Catechol Copolymer on Cuticle Sclerotization by the American Cockroach

A new biologically active copolymer containing catechol and succinic acid has been synthesized. This polymer is highly soluble in water and stable at neutral (physiological) pH. An injection of the copolymer into the haemocoel of American cockroaches was lethal. Newly-ecdysed (molted) cockroaches could tolerate only 0.6 mg while interecdysial animals died after injection of 1 mg. The copolymer contains catechol with a free beta carbon which is similar in structure to the natural cuticle sclerotization (hardening) agents. Experiments show that the copolymer appears to bind cuticle protein precursors which could be related to the lethal effect of this agent.
Nomad: a demonstration of the transforming chassis

During the Summer of 1997, Nomad, a planetary-relevant mobile robot, was driven via satellite link for more than 125 miles in the Atacama Desert of Chile by novice operators in North America, demonstrating many technologies relevant to robotic exploration of the planets. An innovative "transforming" chassis was demonstrated which uses a simple linkage to change the footprint of the vehicle from a stowed to a deployed position. This linkage also enables both double Ackennan and point-turn steering. This paper presents details on the design of the transforming chassis including kinematic analysis used in low and high level control.
A Fast-Locking Digital Phase-Locked Loop

A conventional digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) is designed using (Baker et al., 2003) to operate at 1GHz using 0.18 mum CMOS technology; its lock time is 4.19 mus. By adding a coarse/fine tuning control unit composed of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and a counter as well as switching the currents of the charge pump, a fast-locking DPLL results, with a lock time of 1.02 mus, i.e. an improvement by a factor of 4. Simulations for both DPLLs verified the performance improvement due to using a fast-locking technique
An efficient modeling of the multi-gigabit SSO interference to the pre-driver in the weak power supply system based on the charge exchange domain partitioning technique with intentionally utilizing high power supply impedance

A mitigation of the multi-gigabit SSO noise interference from the I/O buffer to the pre-driver in a DDR4 interface is demonstrated by utilizing a parasitic low-pass noise filter inside the low-cost wire-bonding packages. By optimizing the mutual inductance between I/O driver's and pre-driver's power supplies, the on-die decoupling capacitance of the 32bit DDR4 interface operating at 2133Mbps has been successfully reduced by 66–75% with keeping signal quality. A scaling issue in the SSO noise interference analysis is also addressed in this study by employing a domain partitioning technique based on whether individual power supply is closed or open system on the electrical charge. The design study has demonstrated the advantage of the low-cost wire-bonding packages when used for multi-gigabit single-ended interface, which also suggests the design direction and possibility of the over-2Gbps DDR interface with the wire-bonding packages.
The Semantics of -ship Suffixation

L'A. explore les conditions semantiques de la suffixation anglaise en -ship sur les noms communs de personne : airmanship, friendship, etc. Il montre d'une part que ce suffixe est sensible a la distinction entre predicat permanent et predicat temporaire, d'autre part que cette sensibilite constitue une propriete lexicale du suffixe, et enfin que la semantique de la base selectionne le sens specifique du suffixe -ship
Utilizing multimodal cues to automatically evaluate public speaking performance

Public speaking, an important type of oral communication, is critical to success in both learning and career development. However, there is a lack of tools to efficiently and economically evaluate presenters' verbal and nonverbal behaviors. The recent advancements in automated scoring and multimodal sensing technologies may address this issue. We report a study on the development of an automated scoring model for public speaking performance using multimodal cues. A multimodal presentation corpus containing 14 subjects' 56 presentations has been recorded using a Microsoft Kinect depth camera. Task design, rubric development, and human rating were conducted according to standards in educational assessment. A rich set of multimodal features has been extracted from head poses, eye gazes, facial expressions, motion traces, speech signal, and transcripts. The model building experiment shows that jointly using both lexical/speech and visual features achieves more accurate scoring, which suggests the feasibility of using multimodal technologies in the assessment of public speaking skills.
Is the brain reward system a mechanism of the association of sleep and pain

Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA *Author for correspondence: Tel.: +1 410 550 7901; pfinan1@jhu.edu
Unfired Brandon Gunflints from the Presidio Santa María de Galve, Pensacola, Florida

A cache of 1,239 unfired Brandon gunflints was recovered at the Presidio Santa Maria de Galve site in Pensacola, Florida. Composed of both gray spall and blade gunflints, this assemblage is unique in terms of its size and the fact that none of the gunflints showed evidence of firing or reworking. Although precise dating of the cache based on documentary, archaeological, and internal gunflint data is problematic, it is believed to have originated in the early-19th century. This mint-condition assemblage provides a rare opportunity to explore the dimensional characteristics of historic English gunflints before they were subjected to the reduction processes of firing and resharpening. Descriptive data are presented and compared with other gunflint collections, and the significance of the formal and temporal characteristics of this assemblage is discussed.
Al Hirschfeld's NINA as a prototype search task for studying perceptual error in radiology

Artist Al Hirschfeld has been hiding the word NINA (his daughter's name) in line drawings of theatrical scenes that have appeared in the New York Times for over 50 years. This paper shows how Hirschfeld's search task of finding the name NINA in his drawings illustrates basic perceptual principles of detection, discrimination and decision-making commonly encountered in radiology search tasks. Hirschfeld's hiding of NINA is typically accomplished by camouflaging the letters of the name and blending them into scenic background details such as wisps of hair and folds of clothing. In a similar way, pulmonary nodules and breast lesions are camouflaged by anatomic features of the chest or breast image. Hirschfeld's hidden NINAs are sometimes missed because they are integrated into a Gestalt overview rather than differentiated from background features during focal scanning. This may be similar to overlooking an obvious nodule behind the heart in a chest x-ray image. Because it is a search game, Hirschfeld assigns a number to each drawing to indicate how many NINAs he has hidden so as not to frustrate his viewers. In the radiologists' task, the number of targets detected in a medical image is determined by combining perceptual input with probabilities generated from clinical history and viewing experience. Thus, in the absence of truth, searching for abnormalities in x-ray images creates opportunities for recognition and decision errors (e.g. false positives and false negatives). We illustrate how camouflage decreases the conspicuity of both artistic and radiographic targets, compare detection performance of radiologists with lay persons searching for NINAs, and, show similarities and differences between scanning strategies of the two groups based on eye-position data.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The significance of intravasal azoospermia during vasovasostomy: answer to a surgical dilemma.

The presence of sperm in the intravasal fluid during vasovasostomy is an indication that the procedure will be successful in a large percentage of cases. Intravasal azoospermia (IVA) raises the possibility of an additional obstruction caused by fibrosis of the epididymis a pressure related effect of vasectomy. The frequency of epididymal fibrosis may be related to the obstruction interval the time between vasectomy and reversal. 161 microsurgical vasovasostomies were reviewed. In each case the presence or absence of sperm in the intravasal fluid was determined and when present microscopic morphology and degree of motility were noted. 20 of the 161 patients had bilateral IVA; 10 were available for longterm follow-up. The obstruction interval ranged from 4-12 years with an average of 7.5 years. 6 cases with an average obstruction of 7 years gained a normal sperm count within 1 year of the operation. The 4 cases remaining azoospermic had an average obstruction interval of 8.25 years. Gross appearance of the intravasal fluid was recorded for each of the 10 cases. For patients who gained a normal sperm count the fluid was watery in 3 vasa opalescent in 3 vasa and creamy in 6. In cases remaining azoospermic intravasal fluid was opalescent in 4 and creamy in 4. The data indicate that for obstruction intervals of less than 12 years IVA during vasovasostomy is not usually associated with epididymal fibrosis and is reversible in over 1/2 of the cases. Therefore finding IVA is not necessarily an indication for vasoepididymostomy. The tunica vaginalis should be opened and the epididymis inspected. Obstruction is characterized by the presence of a specific area of fibrosis with homogeneous proximal dilatation of the epididymal tubule which is visualized through the epididymal capsule and filled with creamy or white fluid. If the epididymis is not clearly obstructed IVA is not an indication for vasoepididymostomy especially at the shorter intervals. At longer intervals more than 12 years a higher degree of suspicion of epididymal sclerosis is appropriate.
Impact of Dioryctria amatella on Seed Yields of Maturing Slash and Loblolly Pine Cones In Mississippi Seed Orchards

Data on seed yields from cones of slash pines, Pinus elloittii Englem, and loblolly pines, P. taeda L., infested with Dioryctria amatella (Hulst) larvae were obtained from 2 seed orchards in Mississippi. Infested cones of slash pine yielded an average of 4.96 seeds per cone as compared with an average yield of 37.76 seeds per non-infested cone. Infested loblolly cones yielded an average of 11.80 seeds per cone and noninfested cones yielded an average of 54.31 seeds per cone. The differences in yields were statistically significant at the 0.01% level of probability.
A Multistage Social Learning Model of the Influences of Family and Peers upon Adolescent Substance Abuse

A multistage social learning model of parental and peer influences on substance abuse is proposed. Building upon the work of Bandura (1977) and Patterson (1986), but also drawing from theory and research on coping and value socialization, the model provides an explanatory framework for many of the well-established empirical generalizations concerning drug use and also generates a number of new hypotheses. While the model provides an explanation for initiation into substance use, it is primarily concerned with identifying those factors which cause adolescents to escalate their involvement with substances. Significantly, in the course of tracing the etiology of heavy substance use, the model identifies possible causal mechanisms related to two other adolescent social problems, viz., depression and delinquency, and specifies the manner in which these phenomena are related to substance use.
Patient preference for the pre-anesthesia evaluation: Telephone versus in-office assessment

Abstract Study objective Pre-anesthesia evaluation (PAE) is designed to reduce patient and family anxiety, identify pre-existing health issues, avoid surgical delays, minimize costs, and tailor an anesthetic plan. If PAE requires a clinic visit, patients must take time off work and may incur travel and childcare costs. A telephone-based Preoperative Assessment Clinic can minimize patient inconvenience, while maintaining high-quality patient care and improving efficiency. We assessed patient satisfaction with a telephone PAE and determined whether patients preferred a telephone PAE or a conventional clinic visit. Design Prospective, institutional review board–approved study. Setting University hospital. Patients We conducted an IRB-approved telephone survey of 75 adult, post-operative patients. Interventions Telephone survey. Measurements Patients were asked about their preference for a telephone PAE over an in-person evaluation. Survey questions included assessment of patient satisfaction with their anesthesia evaluation, operation, and anesthetic delivered. Delays and day of surgery cancellations were reviewed. Main results The majority (97%) of patients stated they preferred a telephone PAE. Patient satisfaction was unaffected by driving distance (30±54 mi), ASA physical status or duration of surgery (169±159 min). Even patients who were not satisfied with their anesthetic (N=5) still preferred the telephone-based PAE. No increase in surgical delays or cancellation was noted. Conclusion The majority of patients in this survey preferred a telephone PAE. Given the large catchment area of our hospital of nine counties, telephone-based interviews add to patient convenience and likely increase compliance with the PAE. Even patients who live in close proximity to our hospital (
Detection of Driver Fatigue Based on Multi-physiological Signals in Wireless Body Area Network

Driver fatigue was detected using electroencephalograph, electromyography and respiration signals,w hich w ere collected w irelessly. The approximate entropies of the three signals w ere selected as features,and the reduction of feature dimensions w as achieved by principle component analysis. Statistical analyses w ere then given to both original features and principle components and an evaluation model for driver fatigue w as established using regression equation. The experimental results w ere evaluated by cross validation and the accuracy w as more than 90% based on data fusion method. The results verify that the model is effective in detecting driver fatigue.
Abstract P1-15-07: The neuroprotective aminopropyl carbazole, P7C3-A20, prevents paclitaxel-induced pain

Paclitaxel (PTX), a microtubule-targeting anticancer agent, produces a debilitating peripheral neuropathy that is accompanied by neuropathic pain. Currently, there are only marginally effective therapeutic interventions available. Consequently, patients are forced to reduce or discontinue life-saving chemotherapy to cope with the pain. Recently, a newly identified agent, P7C3-A20, was found to be protective in several models of neurodegeneration, including Parkinson9s disease and traumatic brain injury. Given that PTX triggers progressive degeneration of peripheral afferent neurons, this study was performed to evaluate the potential neuroprotective efficacy of P7C3-A20 in rodent models of PTX-induced peripheral neuropathy. P7C3-A20 (10 mg/kg) or vehicle (Cremophor EL/DMSO/5% Dextrose; 1:1:3) was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) to Sprague-Dawley rats (250-300 g) everyday over a 28-day experimental paradigm. Following two days of treatment with P7C3-A20 or vehicle, rats also received 3 injections of PTX (11.7 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle (Cremophor EL/DMSO/5% Dextrose; i.p.) administered every other day. Treatment with P7C3-A20 did not alter body weights or leukocyte counts in control or PTX-treated rats. PTX treatment increased sensitivity to mechanical and cold stimulation (allodynia) of the hindpaw, evidence of peripheral neuropathy. Notably, P7C3-A20 treatment prevented the development of allodynia in response to PTX. Immunohistochemical analysis of paw biopsies indicated that P7C3-A20 prevented PTX-mediated degeneration of terminal nerve endings. Collectively, these data suggest that P7C3-A30 prevented the neurotoxic effects of PTX on peripheral sensory neurons. A xenograft tumor model of triple negative breast cancer was then used to determine whether P7C3-A20 diminished the antitumoral efficacy of PTX. MDA-MB-231 tumors were bilaterally implanted into flanks of female athymic nude mice and allowed to grow for 3 weeks prior to treatment. Using the same treatment protocol as the rats, tumor-bearing mice received daily treatment with P7C3-A20 (20 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle for 16 days. P7C3-A20 did not alter PTX-mediated inhibition of tumor growth. Furthermore, P7C3-A20 prevented PTX-induced mechanical allodynia in the mice. Taken together, this work indicates that P7C3-A20 prevents PTX-induced neuropathic damage without diminishing its antitumoral efficacy. P7C3-A20 may be an exciting new candidate to prevent peripheral neuropathy in patients undergoing cancer treatment with PTX. Citation Format: LoCoco PM, Risinger AL, Mooberry SL, Berg KA, Clarke WP. The neuroprotective aminopropyl carbazole, P7C3-A20, prevents paclitaxel-induced pain. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-15-07.