cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficient Approach to Correct Read Alignment for Pseudogene Abundance Estimates

RNA-Sequencing has been the leading technology to quantify expression of thousands of genes simultaneously. The data analysis of an RNA-Seq experiment starts from aligning short reads to the reference genome/transcriptome or reconstructed transcriptome. However, current aligners lack the sensitivity to distinguish reads that come from homologous regions of an genome. One group of these homologies is the paralog pseudogenes. Pseudogenes arise from duplication of a set of protein coding genes, and have been considered as degraded paralogs in the genome due to their lost of functionality. Recent studies have provided evidence to support their novel regulatory roles in biological processes. With the growing interests in quantifying the expression level of pseudogenes at different tissues or cell lines, it is critical to have a sensitive method that can correctly align ambiguous reads and accurately estimate the expression level among homologous genes. Previously in PseudoLasso, we proposed a linear regression approach to learn read alignment behaviors, and to leverage this knowledge for abundance estimation and alignment correction. In this paper, we extend the work of PseudoLasso by grouping the homologous genomic regions into different communities using a community detection algorithm, followed by building a linear regression model separately for each community. The results show that this approach is able to retain the same accuracy as PseudoLasso. By breaking the genome into smaller homologous communities, the running time is improved from quadratic growth to linear with respect to the number of genes.
Electrocaloric response in a relaxor ferroelectric polymer at temperatures far below the dielectric maximum

ABSTRACTRelaxor ferroelectric polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride–trifluoroethylene–chlorofluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE-CFE)) and its blends have been shown to exhibit a giant electrocaloric effect (ECE) over a broad temperature range, e.g. from 0 to 50 °C. Here, a special calorimeter was designed to directly characterize the heat absorbed QECE due to ECE cooling of the blend of P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) with P(VDF-TrFE) 65/35 mol% copolymer down to −15 °C, which covers the temperature range for many refrigeration applications. From QECE, the isothermal entropy change ΔS and adiabatic temperature change ΔT are deduced. The data reveal that at −15 °C the relaxor terpolymer/copolymer blend generates ΔS = 23.0J kg−1 K−1 and ΔT = 5.1K under 100 MV/m, which are still more than 65% of the ECE at room temperature. This temperature is far below the dielectric peak temperature of the relaxor blend and the results reveal the promise of the relaxor polymers for a broad range of EC cooling applications.
Photoconductivity in electrically stressed dielectrics

We have observed the flow of large photoconduction currents through thin sheets of polyimide insulation in which a high electric field was produced. With low fields and without illumination the test dielectric (Type H Kapton) is an excellent electrical insulator. The initial observation was made by chance by one of us (H. V. C.).
Double-resonance ionization mass spectrometry with high-resolution cw lasers

Resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) is recognized as an extremely sensitive and selective method of atomic detection. The use of continuous lasers offers two distinct advantages over pulsed lasers for RIMS studies. The continuous duty cycle permits higher ion yields without space-charge effects and, therefore, often gives better sensitivity. In our experiments, two counterpropagating single-frequency cw dye lasers are used to populate a highly excited state which is then ionized by the absorption of a photon from either a 100-W cw NdrYAG or a 50-W CO2 laser. The two- photon excitation to the Rydberg state is resonantly enhanced by tuning the first dye laser to (or near) one of the atomic resonance lines. Thus far, we have observed ionization efficiencies of a few tenths of a percent using short-lived upper states. In planned experiments, which should be completed by the time of this meeting, using high Rydberg states (n ≥ 20) and a cw CO2 laser for ionization, we expect efficiencies to approach unity due to the increased lifetime of the higher state and the increased IR photon flux.
The “box”ing match: Narratives from queer adults growing up through the heterosexual matrix

ABSTRACTUsing queer theories of sexuality and gender, this study centers on “coming out” stories of ten queer adults. Engaging Butler's heterosexual matrix (1990) as an analytic tool, stories are analyzed with respect to agency and positioning. Findings suggest that participants' positioning and agency were largely affected by gender identity and expression (i.e., inside or beyond the gender binary). Findings further suggest that the heterosexual matrix was a primary and troublesome framework for all participants as they navigated the complex process of becoming. This article argues that teachers must be supported to offer queer frameworks to create safe and affirming schools.
Digital and Economic Inclusion: How Internet Adoption Impacts Banking Status

Financial technology (fintech), including mobile money services, peer-to-peer lending, and mobile insurance is promised as a means to economic inclusion for the un(der)banked. These online financial services, however, require Internet access, adoption, and digital literacy. Given the important interdependencies between banking and Internet adoption in the United States, this paper merges datasets from FDIC’s June 2015 Unbanked and Underbanked survey and NTIA’s July 2015 Computer and Internet Use survey to study the issue more closely. While the process of merging CPS supplements at the household level is fairly straightforward, treating sampling weights and variance raises some complications. Our paper proposes a methodology for merging CPS supplements and addressing these issues. The merged dataset shows a strong relationship between the un(der)banked and the level of Internet activity, as measured both through the type of Internet service(s) used and the types of devices used by the household. For example, nearly half (47 percent) of unbanked households do not have a fixed or mobile Internet connection. Likewise, while less than 40 percent of the unbanked households rely on multiple types of devices, roughly 75 percent of the underbanked and banked households use multiple types of devices. Results suggest that, to successfully expand financial inclusion in the US, fintech could require Internet access, adoption, and digital literacy training.
The Climate Change and Rwandan Coffee Sector

This paper provides a detailed overview of the current situation of the coffee sector in the Rwandan economy and identifies the possible challenges that the sector is currently facing. The study has identified the economic and the livelihood indicators for farmers who are engaged in coffee production and also gives the Rwandan coffee sector’ situation and its position in the global coffee market. Also, the research has found out that in Rwanda, nearly 500,000 farmers produce coffee along with other crops, notably beans, savory banana and corn and found out that in 2012, coffee accounted for almost 30 percent of Rwanda’s total export revenue. On the other hand, the study revealed that the sector throughout all the coffee production process, has undergone different challenges especially climate change as it is reported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal resources. A low yield was reported in 2007 and climate variability was quoted among the causes. Insufficient rainfall in the last three months of 2006 (the period of coffee flowering) proceeding the short dry season in the first two months of 2007 was recorded. The reduced rainfall was also poorly distributed across coffee growing regions in Rwanda. In addition, the research revealed that even though the area under coffee production is increasing, the coffee production is decreasing due to unexpected climate change and variability in current years and also the improper use of chemical fertilizers by coffee farmers is very critical. The study concluded that adding value to the coffee supply chain of Rwanda is adding direct economic benefits and important indirect social benefits to the lives of individuals and to the health of communities in Rwanda. Moreover, more effort should continue to raise the profile of the Rwandan coffee sector suggesting that proper use of chemical fertilizers, solid marketing channels and climate change adaptations measures would be the fair ways of making the sector more profitable and considering national targets to increase coffee export revenues, a few simple measures to improve the performance of the sector could have substantial effects on the country’s economic growth.
On extended long short-term memory and dependent bidirectional recurrent neural network

Abstract In this work, we first analyze the memory behavior in three recurrent neural networks (RNN) cells; namely, the simple RNN (SRN), the long short-term memory (LSTM) and the gated recurrent unit (GRU), where the memory is defined as a function that maps previous elements in a sequence to the current output. Our study shows that all three of them suffer rapid memory decay. Then, to alleviate this effect, we introduce trainable scaling factors that act like an attention mechanism to adjust memory decay adaptively. The new design is called the extended LSTM (ELSTM). Finally, to design a system that is robust to previous erroneous predictions, we propose a dependent bidirectional recurrent neural network (DBRNN). Extensive experiments are conducted on different language tasks to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed ELSTM and DBRNN solutions. The ELTSM has achieved up to 30% increase in the labeled attachment score (LAS) as compared to LSTM and GRU in the dependency parsing (DP) task. Our models also outperform other state-of-the-art models such as bi-attention [1] and convolutional sequence to sequence (convseq2seq) [2] by close to 10% in the LAS.
Using adaptive comparative judgment for student formative feedback and learning during a middle school design project

While design-based pedagogies have increasingly been emphasized, the assessment of design projects remains difficult due to the large number of potentially “correct” solutions. Adaptive comparative judgment (ACJ), an approach based on assessors/judges working through a series of paired comparisons and selecting the better of two items, has demonstrated high levels of inter-rater reliability with design projects. Efforts towards using ACJ for assessing design have largely centered on summative assessment. However, evidence suggests that ACJ may be a powerful tool for formative assessment and design learning when undertaken by students. Therefore, this study investigated middle school students participated in ACJ at the midpoint and conclusion of a design project, both receiving and providing feedback to/from their peers through the ACJ process. Findings demonstrated promise for using ACJ, as a formative assessment and feedback tool, to improve student learning and achievement.
Effect of Calphostin C (PKC inhibitor) on daunorubicin resistance in P388/ADR and HL60/AR cells: reversal of drug resistance possibly via P-glycoprotein

Calphostin C is a potent and specific inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC). In this investigation we examined the effect of Calphostin C (without prior exposure to light) on daunorubicin (DNR) accumulation and sensitivity to DNR in multidrug-resistant (MDR) murine leukemia P388/ADR and human myeloid leukemia HL60/AR cells. P388/ADR cells overexpress P-glycoprotein, whereas HL60/AR cells lack any expression of P-glycoprotein (both at mRNA and protein levels). Calphostin C, in a concentration-dependent manner, increased the accumulation of DNR in P388/ADR cells and partially reversed (threefold) the DNR resistance in P388/ADR cells but had no effect on either of the parameters in HL60/AR cells. Calphostin C-induced increased accumulation of DNR in P388/ADR cells was due to increased uptake and decreased efflux of DNR. Furthermore, Calphostin C increased the uptake and decreased the efflux of rhodamine 123 (a substrate for P-gp) in P388/ADR cells but had no such effect in P388 cells. In addition, Calphostin C without exposure to light did not inhibit PKC activity in any of the cell lines studied. Taken together, these data suggest that Calphostin C may reverse drug resistance via P-glycoprotein independently of its effect on PKC activity. Therefore, any data regarding the effect of Calphostin C on the reversal of MDR should be interpreted in the light of these findings.
Considerations of Autocatalytic Criticality of Fissile Materials in Geologic Respositories

Potential routes to autocatalytic criticality in geologic repositories are systematically assessed. If highly enriched uranium (HEU) or 239Pu are transported and deposited in concentrations similar...
The Initial Encounter

The adolescent patient poses special problems in the delivery of health services to women. These problems are attitudinal on the part of the practicing physician, the feelings of the adolescent herself, and the environment in which the program of health care is delivered. Most offices are not set up or designed for the adolescent patient. If possible, special hours should be set aside for the management of the adolescent female. It is not conducive to a comfortable relationship if the youngster must wait her turn in a reception room crowded with older women many of whom may be pregnant. Much of the conversation which occurs in this setting is inappropriate and sometimes distressing. Although it is not always advisable, it is helpful if she be accompanied by a parent, preferably the mother or a close relative.
Parallel and distributed finite element analysis of structures

Parallel processing has been perceived as a means of achieving the necessary computational power for the realistic simulation of structural engineering applications. The finite element method has played a prominent role in structural engineering. This paper describes several approaches that have been used to parallelise the finite element analysis of structures. Particular emphasis is placed in parallel finite element methods for structural dynamics. A number of concurrent algorithms based on domain decomposition and substructuring techniques are described. Issues related to how workload balancing among processors in a parallel or distributed computer environment affects parallel performance are discussed. This discussion ranges from automatic domain partitioning algorithms to dynamic load balancing techniques. Finally, an object-oriented environment that has been developed to facilitate and promote the reuse, rapid prototyping and portability of parallel finite element software is described.
Novel Machine-Learning Model for Estimating Construction Costs Considering Economic Variables and Indexes

AbstractIn addition to materials, labor, equipment, and method, construction cost depends on many other factors such as the project locality, type, construction duration, scheduling, and the extent...
Opioid prescribing for acute postoperative pain after cutaneous surgery.

Background Little information is available to predict which patients require opioid analgesia following cutaneous surgery. When opioids are indicated, information regarding the optimal opioid agent selection and dosage is lacking. Objective To make recommendations for opioid prescription after cutaneous surgery. Methods A PubMed literature search was conducted to review the available literature. Recommendations are presented on the basis of available evidence and the opinion of the authors. Results Most patients undergoing cutaneous surgery do not require opioid analgesia. For those who do, the duration of pain warranting opioid analgesia is generally less than 36 hours. Opioid refill requests warrant a follow-up visit to ascertain the cause of ongoing pain after excisional procedures. Limitations The recommendations are not based on prospective randomized trials. Conclusions The presented recommendations for opioid prescription practice are derived from available evidence, recommendations, and expert opinion.
Resilient Restoration for Distribution System Operators when Facing Extreme Events

In this paper, we propose a comprehensive framework to provide resilient restoration decisions for the distribution system operator (DSO) under extreme events. Our objective is to maximize the system resilience by minimizing time slots required for load restoration. Bat algorithm is used to handle nonlinear and discrete characteristics of the proposed framework. Extensive simulation results show that the approach we proposed can ensure the resilience of the distributed system.
The Exceptional Learner: Preparing All Teachers for Tomorrow’s Classroom

The infusion of technology into preservice teacher education should be a major priority for teacher education programs across the country, especially in the area of special education where technology integration can be beneficial to student development. This article describes how we have begun to integrate the Internet and World Wide Web into an Exceptional Learner course in hopes of expanding the instructional use of technology in regular and special education classrooms.
Brief Report: Participation of Black and African-American Families in Autism Research

Black and African-American families are underrepresented in research on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and few studies have explored how to increase their involvement. To address this gap in the literature, this study explored the perspectives of 22 Black families raising children with ASD in order to identify facilitators and barriers to research participation; as well as suggestions to increase their involvement in ASD studies. Facilitators to research involvement included a desire to contribute to ASD research inclusive of Black families; to seek information and support for child and/or caregiver; and, to engage with culturally responsive research team members. Barriers to research involvement included stigma; denial, shame, and/or embarrassment; distrust of the research process; lack of time/interest; and research material inaccessibility or literacy issues.
Unusual State Capital Punishments

This article argues that many of the states that retain the death penalty currently violate their own constitutions because their use of the death penalty is unusual. Specifically, the death penalty in some states, particularly when assessed in an intra-state manner examining its use across counties, suggests that the rareness of its use might mean that it has become an unusual punishment. As a result, this article explores the twenty-six capital states that proscribe unusual punishments and categorizes them based on the likelihood that their utilization of the death penalty violates their state constitution. Part I of the article explains the concept of unusualness under the Eighth Amendment as developed by the United States Supreme Court in its capital cases. In Part II, the article explores the Eighth Amendment analogues in state constitutions that similarly prohibit unusual punishments and the conjunctive and disjunctive language of the state constitutions, before demonstrating how the Eighth Amendment approach could translate to the analysis of unusualness under state constitutional law. Part III then examines the states that have unusual proscriptions in their state constitutions, and categorizes the states based on the likelihood that their use of the death penalty violates their state constitution. Finally, in Part IV, the article argues for an expansive application of state constitutions to bar unusual state capital punishments, exploring the policy reasons supporting this analytical move.
Pneumothorax: “Hmmm, I Guess Dr. Heimlich Had More Than One Maneuver!”

Tension pneumothorax with hemodynamic instability, jugular venous distension, and tracheal deviation is a medical emergency. This must be both recognized and treated with either an anterior needle decompression, axillary decompression, or finger thoracostomy without waiting for imaging.
Frasier: A Film Noir Comedy

Frasier, a television series (1993–2004), evolved from the film noir tradition, but as a comedy rather than as tragedy. This also represents the tendency of television to mute the existential crisi...
And Nothing but the Truth: an Exploration of Perjury

Perjury is a deception that occurs within the legal system. Research indicates that legal personnel, including police officers, detectives, and secret service agents, detect deception slightly above chance levels (Bond and DePaulo 2006). Scant research has been conducted to examine the frequencies and motivations of perjury. Thus, we conducted two studies to explore the rates of perjury and incentives to engage in perjury. Study one examined the reported frequencies of perjury, finding that it occurs in 29.9% of the interactions with legal personnel. Study two was designed to examine perjury-like behaviors using the Ariely (2012) shredder paradigm. Over half (54%) of participants in study 2 engaged in perjury-like behaviors and those who received money as an incentive were equally likely to engage in perjury behaviors as those who did not. Implications for practitioners and researchers are discussed.
Affirmative Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training With Sexual Minority Veterans

Abstract Minority stress theory posits that unique stressors create an invalidating environment, which places sexual minority individuals at increased risk for psychiatric morbidity. Sexual minority veterans’ experience of minority stressors results in elevated levels of emotion dysregulation, anxiety, depression, and suicidality. Clinical interventions designed to address minority stress and treat emotional dysregulation and related disorders among sexual minority veterans are warranted. Professional guidelines recommend the adaptation of evidence-based treatments to address the unique features of sexual minority and veteran mental health. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a treatment for emotion dysregulation and related problems that addresses an invalidating environment, which is an appropriate framework for sexual minorities. The current research adapts the Emotion Regulation module of DBT Skills Training. This adaptation highlights minority stress as part of the invalidating environment and adds new teaching points to address the unique features of sexual minority mental health to create Affirmative DBT Skills Training. Six sexual minority veterans completed Affirmative DBT Skills Training meeting on a weekly basis for 10 consecutive weeks. Before and after treatment, participants completed measures of emotion regulation, anxiety, and depression as well as assessments of minority stress processes. Affirmative DBT Skills Training was well received in this sample. Results suggest that the intervention was effective in decreasing emotion dysregulation and symptoms of depression. These findings suggest Affirmative DBT Skills Training is a promising treatment, although more research is warranted, particularly given the small sample size and lack of a control group.
Using genomic resources for linkage analysis in Peromyscus with an application for characterizing Dominant Spot

Peromyscus are the most common mammalian species in North America and are widely used in both laboratory and field studies. The deer mouse, P. maniculatus and the old-field mouse, P. polionotus, are closely related and can generate viable and fertile hybrid offspring. The ability to generate hybrid offspring, coupled with developing genomic resources, enables researchers to conduct linkage analysis studies to identify genomic loci associated with specific traits. We used available genomic data to identify DNA polymorphisms between P. maniculatus and P. polionotus and used the polymorphic data to identify the range of genetic complexity that underlies physiological and behavioral differences between the species, including cholesterol metabolism and genes associated with autism. In addition, we used the polymorphic data to conduct a candidate gene linkage analysis for the Dominant spot trait and determined that Dominant spot is linked to a region of chromosome 20 that contains a strong candidate gene, Sox10. During the linkage analysis, we found that the spot size varied quantitively in affected Peromyscus based on genetic background. The expanding genomic resources for Peromyscus facilitate their use in linkage analysis studies, enabling the identification of loci associated with specific traits. More specifically, we have linked a coat color spotting phenotype, Dominant spot, with Sox10, a member the neural crest gene regulatory network, and that there are likely two genetic modifiers that interact with Dominant spot. These results establish Peromyscus as a model system for identifying new alleles of the neural crest gene regulatory network.
College student engagement with mental health apps: analysis of barriers to sustained use.

College students’demand for mental health resources is straining the services offered by colleges. While mobile apps demonstrate potential to help, students’ engagement with these apps remains low....
Unusual Endocrinopathies in 18q Deletion Syndrome: Pseudoparathyroidism and Hyper-/Hypo-Thyroidism

Abstract Objective To describe new and unusual endocrinopathies in children with de novo 18q deletion (18q-) syndrome. Methods We describe 2 patients who have atypical thyroid conditions and 1 who also developed symptomatic hypocalcemia. Results The first patient developed hyperthyroidism at the age of 3 years, with a free thyroxine level of 3.9 (range, 0.8-1.8) ng/dL. Thyroid peroxidase antibodies were 262 (range, 0-32) IU/mL, and thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin antibodies were 384% (range, 0-139%). On low-dose methimazole treatment, she developed hypothyroidism. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level was 163 (range, 0.4-4.5) mIU/mL. Moreover, she later developed growth hormone deficiency. The second patient developed hypothyroidism at the age of 4 years, with a TSH level of 46 mIU/mL. However, TSH remained elevated at levels of 10 to 24 mIU/mL for 3 years, despite appropriate treatment, suggesting TSH resistance. She then developed hypocalcemic seizures and was diagnosed with pseudohypoparathyroidism. Her total calcium level was 6.6 (range, 8.5-10.5) mg/dL and parathyroid hormone level was 432 (range, 15-65) pg/dL. Conclusion The first patient had a mixed picture of autoimmune hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, requiring a combination of methimazole and levothyroxine to achieve a euthyroid state. For the second patient, the mild TSH resistance was possibly the early suggestion of a parathyroid hormone resistant state. Although growth hormone deficiency and hypothyroidism are common in patients with 18q- syndrome, the occurrence of hyperthyroidism due to Graves’ disease with the coexistence of Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism is rare. Pseudohypoparathyroidism has not yet been reported in patients with 18q- syndrome.
Antisocial personality disorder as a predictor of polydrug use: a longitudinal study of the dual mediating roles of deviant peer association and self-control among juvenile offenders.

Antisocial personality disorder (APD) has been linked to increased risk for polydrug use (PU). However, there is a dearth of research focusing on the mechanisms underlying this risk.To examine the ...
Biosequence time–frequency processing: Pathogen detection and identification

Diagnostic information obtained from antibodies binding to random peptide sequences is now feasible using immunosignaturing, a recently developed microarray technology. The success of this technology is highly dependent upon the use of advanced algorithms to analyze the random sequence peptide arrays and to process variations in antibody profiles to discriminate between pathogens. This work presents the use of time–frequency signal processing methods for immunosignaturing. In particular, highly-localized waveforms and their parameters are used to uniquely map random peptide sequences and their properties in the time–frequency plane. Advanced time–frequency signal processing techniques are then applied for estimating antigenic determinants or epitope candidates for detecting and identifying potential pathogens.
Isolation and Biochemical Characterization of Amyloid Plaques and Paired Helical Filaments

Extracellular deposits of amyloid fibrils in the form of parenchymal plaques and cerebrovascular lesions, as well as intracellular accumulation of paired-helical filaments in the form of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) in selected neuronal populations are the main neuropathologic hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Amyloid fibrils composed of polymeric structures of the amyloid-beta (Abeta) concentrate at the center of senile plaques and accumulate in the walls of cerebral blood vessels, exhibiting extensive Congo red/thioflavin S staining. Intraneuronal NFT are composed of building blocks of aberrantly hyperphosphorylated species of the microtubule-associated protein tau, which accumulate in the perinuclear cytoplasm of vulnerable neurons in the form of paired helical filaments (PHF). This unit presents a variety of protocols for the isolation, biochemical analysis, and characterization of amyloid fibrils and neurofibrillary tangles.
Chapter 3 Flow cytometric analysis of cell shrinkage and monovalent ions during apoptosis

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the use of flow cytometry to examine cell shrinkage, a fundamental characteristic of apoptosis, and its combination with other fluorescent markers and cell size related to other features of the cell death process. Flow cytometry is a relatively fast and easy way to determine changes in cell size during apoptosis. The chapter observes and assesses the variations in the physical characteristics of a cell with the flow cytometry by examining changes in its light-scattering properties. A change in the light-scattering property of a cell in the forward direction is a direct measure of cell size; a decrease or increase in forward scatter indicates a decrease or increase in cell size, respectively. Additionally, a change in light scatter at a 90 ° angle is a measure of cell density or granularity. When a cell undergoes apoptosis, the cell shrinks, with an observed decrease in forward-scattered light. There are many advantages to using flow cytometry to determine changes in cell size during apoptosis. Flow cytometry allows for a very rapid and simple analysis of cell size. The chapter concludes with these distinct populations of apoptotic cells that can be isolated and examined at various times during the cell death process.
Simulating student programmers

A cognitive model of student programmers is presented. The model is based on protocol studies of students writing Pascal programs, and is implemented in a computer simulation program. The claim of this paper is that a computational cognitive model of student program generation fits within a generate-test-and-debug (GTD) problem solving architecture in which impasse/repair knowledge plays a key role. The claim is supported by showing how the model provides a useful descriptive account of the way students write alternative programs.
Space Transformation Based Approach for Effective Content-Based Image Retrieval

In this paper, we extend the work done by Choubey and Raghavan, which proposed an approach to content-based image retrieval that uses the space transformation methods proposed by Goldfarb to transform the original low-level image space into a feature space, where images are represented as vectors of high-level features that enable efficient query processing. The resulting retrieval system consists of three phases: database population, online addition and image retrieval. In the current work, we investigate issues relating to online addition of new images, during database population phase, in incremental stages. The results show that our approach is effective in retrieving images even when the image database is dynamic.
Spline thin-shell simulation of manifold surfaces

It has been technically challenging to effectively model and simulate elastic deformation of spline-based, thin-shell objects of complicated topology. This is primarily because traditional FEM are typically defined upon planar domain, therefore incapable of constructing complicated, smooth spline surfaces without patching/trimming. Moreover, at least C1 continuity is required for the convergence of FEM solutions in thin-shell simulation. In this paper, we develop a new paradigm which elegantly integrates the thin-shell FEM simulation with geometric design of arbitrary manifold spline surfaces. In particular, we systematically extend the triangular B-spline FEM from planar domains to manifold domains. The deformation is represented as a linear combination of triangular B-splines over shell surfaces, then the dynamics of thin-shell simulation is computed through the minimization of Kirchhoff-Love energy. The advantages given by our paradigm are: FEM simulation of arbitrary manifold without meshing and data conversion, and the integrated approach for geometric design and dynamic simulation/analysis. Our system also provides a level-of-detail sculpting tool to manipulate the overall shapes of thin-shell surfaces for effective design. The proposed framework has been evaluated on a set of spline models of various topologies, and the results demonstrate its efficacy in physics-based modeling, interactive shape design and finite-element simulation.
Evaluation of an inexpensive calcium absorption index in healthy older men and women.

Summary Objective Calcium absorption is an important determinant of calcium retention and bone metabolism. However, most methods of measuring calcium absorption, including the well-established dual stable isotope method, are costly and cumbersome to implement. We evaluated whether an oral calcium tolerance test (OCTT), which involves measuring calcium excretion in a fasting 2-h urine collection and two 2-h collections following an oral calcium dose, may be a useful index of calcium absorption in older adults consuming a fixed calcium intake of 30 mmol/day. Design After a 10-day metabolic diet containing 30 mmol/day of calcium, subjects had calcium absorption measured using the dual stable isotope method and the OCTT. Participants Eleven healthy subjects aged 54–74 years. Measurements Fractional calcium absorption (FCA), calcium excretion in a fasting 2-h urine collection and two 2-h collections in response to a 10-mmol calcium dose (total intake 30 mmol/day). Results Calcium excretion from several combinations of the urine collections was examined in relation to FCA. The most predictive of FCA was calcium excretion 4 h following the calcium dose. This measure was significantly correlated with FCA (r = 0·735, P = 0·010), fitting 54% of the variability in FCA. Conclusion Urinary calcium excretion during the 4 h after a 10-mmol calcium dose is a useful index of calcium absorption among older adults consuming recommended calcium intakes. This test is inexpensive, easy to implement and potentially useful in large clinical studies.
Intrinsic images by Fisher linear discriminant

Intrinsic image decomposition is useful for improving the performance of such image understanding tasks as segmentation and object recognition. We present a new intrinsic image decomposition algorithm using the Fisher Linear Discriminant based on the assumptions of Lambertian surfaces, approximately Planckian lighting, and narrowband camera sensors. The Fisher Linear Discriminant not only considers the within-sensor data as convergent as possible but also treats the between-sensor data as separate as possible. The experimental results on real-world data show good performance of this algorithm.
Village Values: Negotiating Identity, Gender, and Resistance in Urban Russian Life-Cycle Rituals

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby Year: 2008 Pages: 310 Publisher: Slavica Publishers ISBN: 978-0-89357-353-9 (soft cover).
Perceptually based waterfilling for watermarking

Presents a common ground between information theoretic and perceptually based approaches to watermarking. A perceptually based iterative waterfilling algorithm that achieves information theoretic watermarking capacity within perceptual distortion constraints is proposed. Image watermarking is considered for experimental analysis. Experimental results are presented to explain how the proposed algorithm achieves a trade-off between information theoretic capacity, robustness and perceptual distortion. Some general observations about the visual quality of an image and its information theoretic capacity are also made.
Chapter 22. Chemokines as Therapeutic Targets

Publisher Summary It is apparent that the chemokines, whose primary functions are the control of leukocyte chemotaxis and activation, play a central role in leukocyte trafficking. Therefore, they are likely to be very important mediators in disease processes that depend on leukocyte infiltration and damage. This chapter discusses the most recent advances and discoveries regarding chemokines, concentrating on their structure and function and their receptors, in vitro and in vivo biological activities, and how the modulation of their activity might present new therapeutic opportunities. The main focus is on the known human proteins. Chemokines are divided into two distinct families, the C–X–C class and the C–C class, referring to the presence or absence of an amino acid between the first pair of conserved cysteine residues at the amino-terminus. Based on their biological activity, the chemokines have been postulated to play a pivotal role in the extravasation and subsequent infiltration of leukocytes into sites of inflammation and immune reactivity. Given their immune cell infiltrating properties, the chemokines have the potential to be used as therapeutic vaccines against tumors by enhancing immune responses to tumors.
Linear and logarithmic capacities in associative neural networks

A model of associate memory incorporating global linearity and pointwise nonlinearities in a state space of n-dimensional binary vectors is considered. Attention is focused on the ability to store a prescribed set of state vectors as attractors within the model. Within the framework of such associative nets, a specific strategy for information storage that utilizes the spectrum of a linear operator is considered in some detail. Comparisons are made between this spectral strategy and a prior scheme that utilizes the sum of Kronecker outer products of the prescribed set of state vectors, which are to function nominally as memories. The storage capacity of the spectral strategy is linear in n (the dimension of the state space under consideration), whereas an asymptotic result of n/4 log n holds for the storage capacity of the outer product scheme. Computer-simulated results show that the spectral strategy stores information more efficiently. The preprocessing costs incurred in the two algorithms are estimated, and recursive strategies are developed for their computation. >
Appropriate Blood Pressure Control in NIDDM (ABCD) Trial

The ABCD (Appropriate Blood Pressure Control in Diabetes) Trial is a large, prospective, randomized clinical trial of 950 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) designed to compare the effects of intensive blood pressure control with moderate control on the prevention and progression of diabetic nephropathy, retinopathy, cardiovascular disease, and neuropathy in NIDDM. The secondary objective is to determine equivalency of the effects of a calcium channel blocker (nisoldipine) and an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor (enalapril) as a first-line antihypertensive agent in the prevention and/or progression of these diabetic vascular complications. The study consists of two study populations aged 40–74 years, 470 hypertensive patients (diastolic blood pressure of ≥ 90.0 mmHg at time of randomization) and 480 normotensive patients (diastolic blood pressure of 80.0 mmHg at time of randomization). The study duration is 5 years and is scheduled to end in May of 1998. Patients are randomized to receive either intensive antihypertensive drug therapy or moderate antihypertensive drug therapy. Patients are also randomized to nisoldipine or enalapril, with open-label medications added if further blood pressure control is necessary. The primary outcome measure is glomerular filtration rate as assessed by 24-h creatinine clearance. Secondary outcome measures are urinary albumin excretion, left ventricular hypertrophy, retinopathy, and neuropathy. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality will also be evaluated. Given the data showing the impact of hypertension on complications in NIDDM, the ABCD Trial is designed to determine if intensive antihypertensive therapy will be more efficacious than moderate antihypertensive therapy on the outcome of diabetic complications in NIDDM. [Diabetologia (1996) 39: 1646–1654]
Skill or diploma? The potential influence of skill‐based pay systems on sources of skills acquisition and degree programs

A degree or diploma has traditionally served as a general criterion for hiring and pay decisions. This approach is inconsistent with emerging skill‐ or competency‐based compensations systems. Such systems only recognize and pay for the skill or competency required by the task to which an employee is assigned. As employers adopt skill‐based pay systems, it is reasonable to ask whether they will continue to use degrees and diplomas in their hiring and pay decisions. A shift away from the diploma as a criterion for hiring and pay decision may influence educational systems to offer both diplomas and skills acquisition programs.
Stereochemistry of the decarboxylation of l-ornithine with ornithine decarboxylase from mouse kidney

Abstract Using highly purified ornithine decarboxylase isolated from androgen-treated mice, [1 R - 2 H]putrescine was generated by the decarboxylation of l -ornithine in D 2 O, and [1 S - 2 H]putrescine was generated from [2- 2 H]ornithine by carrying out the decarboxylation in H 2 O. Chirality of the putrescines was then determined from the 200-MHz 1 H NMR spectra of their bis-camphanamides in the presence of Eu(fod) 3 . These results demonstrated that decarboxylation had taken place with retention of configuration.
Parallelizing the execution of sequential scripts

Scripting is often used in science to create applications via the composition of existing programs. Parallel scripting systems allow the creation of such applications, but each system introduces the need to adopt a somewhat specialized programming model. We present an alternative scripting approach, AMFS Shell, that lets programmers express parallel scripting applications via minor extensions to existing sequential scripting languages, such as Bash, and then execute them in-memory on large-scale computers. We define a small set of commands between the scripts and a parallel scripting runtime system, so that programmers can compose their scripts in a familiar scripting language. The underlying AMFS implements both collective (fast file movement) and functional (transformation based on content) file management. Tasks are handled by AMFS's built-in execution engine. AMFS Shell is expressive enough for a wide range of applications, and the framework can run such applications efficiently on large-scale computers.
Technical Note[cmUse of a Snare Wire to Perform Nephrostomy Access in the Presence of Obstructive Staghorn Calculi

We describe a technique for gaining access to the central collecting system via a chosen calyx, utilizing an alternative entry point to that calyx. An Amplatz nitinol loop snare is then used to convert this access to a traditional approach.
Laws of the iterated logarithm for intersections of random walks on Z4

Abstract Let X = {Xn, n ≥ 1}, X′ = {X′n, n ≥ 1} be two independent copies of a symmetric random walk in Z4 with finite third moment. In this paper we study the asymptotics of In, the number of intersections up to step n of the paths of X and X′ as n → ∞. Our main result is (1) lim sup I n log (n) log 3 (n) = 1 2π 2 |Q| 1 2 a.s. where Q denotes the covariance matrix of X1. A similar result holds for Jn, the number of points in the intersection of the ranges of X and X′ up to step n.
On the Global Epidemic of CVD and Why Household Air Pollution Matters

Almost one-half of the world’s population, 3 billion people, who live in poverty, burn biomass or coal as fuel for cooking and heating inside their homes. The indoor fires release products of incomplete combustion into the air that cause such an intense degree of smoky indoor air that nearly 2 million people, mostly women and children, die every year from this exposure. The deaths from household air pollution (HAP) are currently attributed to 3 diseases: 1) acute pneumonia in children under age 5; 2) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and 3) lung cancer in adults, mostly women. The mortality risks from HAP will likely be updated in 2012 to include increasing evidence for significant cardiovascular risks that may almost double the estimated annual mortality from HAP. In the past few years, there has been progressive awareness of the importance of HAP in the global burden of disease and in its contribution to the global epidemic of noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. HAP represents a preventable environmental cause of noncommunicable diseases and its associated morbidity and mortality. In part, as a result of this increasing awareness, there has been development of a major publiceprivate partnership, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. The Global Alliance consists of hundreds of partners including countries, nongovernmental organizations, and manufacturers with the goal to have 100 million homes adopt clean household energy by the year 2020. As this global partnership continues to evolve, this provides a unique opportunity for scientists, clinicians, and partners in the Global Alliance and other global organizations to prevent cardiovascular-related
VIBRATION EIGENFREQUENCY ANALYSIS OF A SINGLE-LINK FLEXIBLE MANIPULATOR

Abstract We analyse the vibration eigenfrequencies of a flexible slewing beam with a payload attached at one end. A wave propagation method (WPM) is used. There are four types of waves which propagate along a beam—two dispersive waves travelling in opposite directions, and two evanescent waves near the endpoints. We add a fifth time-harmonic function corresponding to oscillation of the beam at the payload end. We show that the large frequencies are asymptotically identical to those for the clamped–free beam, independent of the payload. For small eigenfrequencies, we incorporate WPM with a perturbation iteration procedure, the results of which agree well with “exact” values which result from solving a transcendental equation cited elsewhere in the literature.