cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Topological design of telecommunication networks-local access design methods

Computer communication networks and telecommunication systems are growing at an explosive rate. Some of the major factors influencing this phenomenal growth rate have been technology driven, deregulation of the telecommunication industry and the breakup of AT&T, product and service introductions and competition, new application areas, price reductions and improved services. Corporations have discovered how to use telecommunication-based systems and computer networks as a strategic competitive weapon. Modern computer networks consist of backbone networks which serve as major highways to transfer large volumes of communication traffic, and local access networks which feed traffic between the backbone network and end user nodes. The design of the local access network is a complex process which builds on many difficult combinatorial optimization problems. This paper surveys many of the problems, presents the state of the art in solving them, and demonstrates a variety of solution procedures. The paper concludes with a list of open problems and areas open for further investigation.
The association between serum ferritin and uric acid in humans.

Objective: Urate forms a coordination complex with Fe3+ which does not support electron transport. The only enzymatic source of urate is xanthine oxidoreductase. If a major purpose of xanthine oxidoreductase is the production of urate to function as an iron chelator and antioxidant, a system for coupling the activity of this enzyme to the availability of catalytically-active metal would be required. We tested the hypothesis that there is an association between iron availability and urate production in healthy humans by correlating serum concentrations of ferritin with uric acid levels.Materials and methods: The study population included 4932 females and 4794 males in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III. They were 20 years of age or older and in good health.Results: Serum concentrations of ferritin correlated positively with uric acid levels in healthy individuals (R2=0.41, p<0.001). This association was independent of an effect of gender, age, race/ethnic group, body mass, and alcohol...
Language therapy with a child with sensory integration dysfunction: a case study

The purpose of the present investigation was to design, implement, and measure the outcome of a language treatment programme for a school- age child with sensory integration dysfunction. Standardized tests and criterion-referenced measures were used to determine areas of difficulty and goals for treatment. Treatment was implemented on a twice-a-week basis for 32 weeks. Data were obtained every four weeks throughout the course of the treatment. Progress, although variable across objectives, was noted in each of the targeted areas. Results are discussed in terms of selecting targets from baseline data, how a sensory integration disorder can make an impact on language functions, and the importance of measuring outcomes.
R and D Planning Techniques

The R and D manager who seeks to improve his ability to plan for R and D has available a plethora of descriptive and normative guidance offered by practitioners and theorists respectively. Nevertheless, while R and D planning models frequently are reported, the value of such to the practising manager merits further study inasmuch as issues of effectiveness generally are unexplored. This paper reviews the R and D planning models appearing in the literature, organizes them into a taxonomy constructed along two dimensions, considers three commonly reported planning model types, and offers suggestions to the manager regarding preferred planning model characteristics. A classification of R and D planning models is presented which organizes planning models by planning direction: top down, bottom up, mixed; and level of analysis: individual project, research program, corporate research agenda, and national/international research goals. Classified R and D planning models are explored using paradigms gleaned from the R and D and the planning literatures. The quantifiability of assumptions, the extent of internal environmental variables considered, and the recognition of external environmental interdependencies provided standards against which three commonly occurring R and D planning models are evaluated. The value of available planning models to the manager of R and D is hypothesized as is his ability to improve planning efforts through model evaluation and selection. An agenda for future research on R and D planning is proposed, based on insights gleaned from the application of the evaluation criteria to the taxonomy.
Selective responses to tonic descending commands by temporal summation in a spinal motor pool

Motor responses of varying intensities rely on descending commands to heterogeneous pools of motoneurons. In vertebrates, numerous sources of descending excitatory input provide systematically more drive to progressively less excitable spinal motoneurons. While this presumably facilitates simultaneous activation of motor pools, it is unclear how selective patterns of recruitment could emerge from inputs weighted this way. Here, using in vivo electrophysiological and imaging approaches in larval zebrafish, we find that, despite weighted excitation, more excitable motoneurons are preferentially activated by a midbrain reticulospinal nucleus by virtue of longer membrane time constants that facilitate temporal summation of tonic drive. We confirm the utility of this phenomenon by assessing the activity of the midbrain and motoneuron populations during a light-driven behavior. Our findings demonstrate that weighted descending commands can generate selective motor responses by exploiting systematic differences in the biophysical properties of target motoneurons and their relative sensitivity to tonic input.
The Integration of Self-Determination Principles and Scientifically Informed Treatments is the Next Tier

We agree with Schneider's claim (2003, this issue) that humanistic ideas and approaches are important for therapeutic change. However, we reiterate that their importance lies primarily in the “how” of therapy, not in the “what” of therapy. Available now are a variety of relatively simple treatments whose worth for mitigating psychological suffering has been empirically documented, in the same rigorous way and with the same standards that the worth of new medical treatments must be documented. Thus, we argue that psychotherapy's next “tier” involves the marriage of such proven techniques with the humanistically informed motivational prescriptions of self-determination theory.
Drug effects on the electrochemical detection of norepinephrine with carbon fiber and diamond microelectrodes

Abstract Norepinephrine (NE) is a vasoconstricting neurotransmitter released from the sympathetic nerves that innervate the smooth muscle cells of arteries and veins. It is an important regulator of vascular tone. The molecule is electroactive and can be measured locally at the blood vessel surface using voltammetric or amperometric methods with both carbon fiber or boron-doped diamond microelectrodes. Several neuropharmacological agents are routinely employed in the study of noradrenergic neuroeffector transmission. With electrochemical methods, it is important to know (i) if a particular drug is electroactive at the potentials used to detect NE and or (ii) if exposure of the microelectrode to the drug causes any attenuation of the NE oxidation current because of drug adsorption and or fouling. We report herein on a cyclic voltammetric investigation of the electrochemical activity of several drugs commonly used to study sympathetic neuroeffector transmission, and how exposure to the drugs affects the electrode response sensitivity for NE. The performance of carbon fiber and diamond microelectrodes was compared. Results revealed that cocaine, idazoxan and PPADS (pyridoxal-phosphate-6-azophenyl-2′,4′-disulfonate) are electrochemically inactive at both microelectrodes at the potentials used to detect NE, and drug exposure has little effect on the NE oxidation current. On the other hand, exposure to capsaicin, prazosin, yohimbine and UK 14,304 produced varying degrees of NE oxidation current attenuation at both microelectrode types. Furthermore, detection of NE in the presence of prazosin or capsaicin is complicated by the fact that both drugs are oxidized near the potentials used for NE monitoring. When yohimbine and UK 14,304 are present, NE can be detected but the oxidation current is reduced. The results demonstrate that the effect of any drug on the electrode response sensitivity and stability should be ascertained before making in vitro or in vivo electrochemical measurements using carbon fiber or diamond microelectrodes.
Case 4–1991 A 57-year-old man requires complex management for surgery on a dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm

A 57-year-old man was referred from an outside hospital with the diagnosis of a dissecting thoracic aneurysm. Six weeks earlier he visited an emergency room because of the sudden onset of severe chest pain. Examination showed no significant physical abnormalities and no evidence of a myocardial infarction. He was discharged on oral nifedipine and nitroglycerin. Over the next several days, he continued to complain of intermittent chest pain, ankle edema, and a lo-lb weight gain. Two weeks after the initial episode, he again complained of acute, severe chest pain and shortness of breath. Emergency room examination showed hypertension and a widened mediastinum on chest x-ray leading to a presumptive diagnosis of a dissecting thoracic aneurysm. Computed axial tomography (CAT) showed a type III aneurysm starting at the left subclavian artery and continuing below the diaphragm. Cardiac catheterization with coronary angiography showed mild atherosclerotic plaqueing in all coronary arteries and an ejection fraction of approximately 40%. After angiography, he developed acute, nonoliguric renal failure that required hemodialysis for several days through a temporary venovenous catheter. One year before the present illness, during an evaluation for hypertension and claudication, he was found to have an occluded abdominal aorta, left renal artery stenosis, and a small left kidney. A left nephrectomy was performed but aortofemoral bypass was refused. On admission, the patient was alert and in no acute distress. His blood pressure was 180/80 mm Hg and heart rate was 84 beats/min with no palpable femoral or other lower extremity pulses. He weighed 63 kg. Neurological examination was normal. Abnormal laboratory analyses included hematocrit (28%) and creatinine (3.0 mg/dL). Before admission the patient had been taking regular oral
Markers of Failure to Thrive Among Older Hip Fracture Patients

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether there is a group of recent hip fracture patients who exhibit the signs of failure to thrive and to identify potential precursors to their decline in physical functioning. DESIGN: Prospective (nonintervention) study of hip fracture recovery; patients were assessed in the hospital and at 2, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months post-fracture. SETTING: Hip fracture patients admitted to one of eight Baltimore area hospitals from the community with a new fracture of the proximal femur between January 1, 1990, and June 15, 1991. PARTICIPANTS: Patients were 65 years of age and older and lived in the community before the fracture. A total of 804 patients were eligible for the study; the present study analyses were restricted to the 252 patients who survived 1 year and had a self-report assessment at 6 and 12 months post-fracture. MEASUREMENTS: A questionnaire administered during hospitalization assessed pre-fracture functional and health status and current affective and cognitive status. In-home interviews post-fracture ascertained dependence and difficulty with physical and instrumental activities of daily living. Abstraction of the medical records provided information about comorbidities, surgical procedure, and hospital length of stay. RESULTS: Patients who declined in ability to walk from 6 to 12 months post-fracture had greater use of health resources (more hospitalizations) and poorer physical functioning up to 2 years post-fracture. Impaired function in physical activities of daily living at 6 months, high glucose, calcium, and CO2 at admission, and low BUN and creatinine at admission were more prevalent among decliners than among non-decliners. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that certain older hip fracture patients begin to exhibit signs and symptoms of failure to thrive. About 10% of patients who survived at least 1 year after fracture could not retain their recovery level of functioning after 6 months and began to decline further. High glucose and CO2 and low BUN and creatinine on hospital admission were associated with later functional decline among hip fracture patients, but their clinical significance is uncertain. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:371–376, 1996.
Effect of alternating Ar and SF6/C4F8 gas flow in Si nano-structure plasma etching

Si is very reactive to normal plasma etchants such as fluorine (F) based chemicals and the reactions are inherently isotropic. To fabricate small and/or high aspect ratio nanoscale structures in Si, an anisotropic etching process is necessary. SF"6 combined with C"4F"8 has been demonstrated as a good gas combination for anisotropic Si etching. In this study, Ar gas was introduced into the etching chamber to improve Si etching rate. In addition to mixing Ar with F etching gases directly, an alternating Ar and F gas flow process is proposed. It is interesting to see that not only Si etching rate but also etching selectivity are improved by alternating Ar bombardment and SF"6/C"4F"8 etching steps. The Si etching rate is determined by the Ar treatment step in this new alternating Ar and F two step process.
Ciliated hepatic foregut cyst: A rare but increasingly reported liver cyst

We report a case of a ciliated hepatic foregut cyst (CHFC) in the left lobe of the liver in a 42-year-old woman. To date, only 60 cases of these respiratory epithelial lined hepatic cysts have been reported since first described by Friedrich in 1857. CHFC are believed to be congenitally derived from the embryonic foregut and are considered benign lesions that are most often unilocular. Recently, however, there has been documented malignant transformation in these cysts. The majority of patients with a CHFC are asymptomatic and the cyst is usually an incidental finding during abdominal imaging studies or during surgical exploration. Interestingly, 85% of the total number of cases of CHFC have been reported within the last two decades. This recent rise in case reports is likely explained by greater detection because of the dramatic rise in the use of abdominal imaging. In our case, however, ultrasound failed to demonstrate any lesion within the liver and on computed tomography the cyst was more consistent with a soft tissue mass. Therefore, pathologic evaluation was necessary for the correct diagnosis of this liver lesion and to exclude malignancy.
The Influence of mRNA Stability on Glucose Transporter (GLUT1) Gene Expression

One mechanism for modification of glucose transport activity occurs through regulation of the cellular content of transporter protein by alteration of transcript stability. Regulated mRNA decay has been shown to play an important role in control of posttranscriptional gene expression. Implicated, as a pivotal element in this regulation is the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of the message. Recent work from several labs has focused on sequence motifs within the 3'-UTR of glucose transporter (GLUT1) mRNA that serve as destabilizing or stabilizing elements and recognition of these elements by specific proteins. In this review, we address several critical studies each of which has identified elements in the GLUT1 3'-UTR that are involved in the control of transcript stability and demonstrated that these sequence motifs are recognized by specific binding proteins.
Radiation therapy after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer: evaluation of complications and influence of radiation timing on outcomes in a large, population-based cohort.

Purpose To evaluate the influence of timing of salvage and adjuvant radiation therapy on outcomes after prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Methods Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked database, we identified prostate cancer patients diagnosed during 1995–2007 who had one or more adverse pathological features after prostatectomy. The final cohort of 6,137 eligible patients included men who received prostatectomy alone (n = 4,509) or with adjuvant (n = 894) or salvage (n = 734) radiation therapy. Primary outcomes were genitourinary, gastrointestinal, and erectile dysfunction events and survival after treatment(s). Results Radiation therapy after prostatectomy was associated with higher rates of gastrointestinal and genitourinary events, but not erectile dysfunction. In adjusted models, earlier treatment with adjuvant radiation therapy was not associated with increased rates of genitourinary or erectile dysfunction events compared to delayed salvage radiation therapy. Early adjuvant radiation therapy was associated with lower rates of gastrointestinal events that salvage radiation therapy, with hazard ratios of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.67–0.95) for procedure-defined and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.59, 0.83) for diagnosis-defined events. There was no significant difference between ART and non-ART groups (SRT or RP alone) for overall survival (HR = 1.13 95% CI = (0.96, 1.34) p = 0.148). Conclusions Radiation therapy after prostatectomy is associated with increased rates of gastrointestinal and genitourinary events. However, earlier radiation therapy is not associated with higher rates of gastrointestinal, genitourinary or sexual events. These findings oppose the conventional belief that delaying radiation therapy reduces the risk of radiation-related complications.
Computer organization for array processing

In spite of recent advances in computer speeds, there are still problems which make even greater demands on computer capabilities. One such problem is that of global weather prediction. Here a three-dimensional grid covering the entire world must be stepped along through relatively short periods of simulated time to produce a forecast in a reasonable amount of real time. This type of problem with its demand for increased speed in processing large arrays of data illustrates the applicability of a computer designed specifically for array processing.
Synthesis of tritium labelled 4P-PDOT, a selective melatonin receptor antagonist

A selective MT2 melatonin receptor antagonist, 4-phenyl-2-propionamido-tetralin (4P-PDOT), was prepared as a tritium-labelled compound with high specific activity and radiochemical purity. Catalytic hydrogenation of a unique vinyl bromo precursor 10 was used to introduce the tritium. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Theoretical determination of the optimal fiber volume fraction and fiber‐matrix property compatibility of short fiber composites

Although the question of minimum or critical fiber volume fraction, beyond which a composite can then be strengthened due to addition of fibers, has already been dealt with by several investigators for both continuous and short fiber composites, a study of maximum or optimal fiber volume fraction at which the composite reaches its highest strength has not been reported. The present analysis has investigated this issue for short fiber case based on the well-known shear lag (the elastic stress transfer) theory. Using the relationships obtained, the minimum spacing between fibers is determined upon which the maximum fiber volume fraction can be calculated. The effects on the value of this maximum fiber volume fraction due to such factors as the mechanical properties of the fiber and matrix, the fiber aspect ratio, and fiber packing forms are discussed. Furthermore. Combined with the previous analysis on the minimum fiber volume fraction, this maximum fiber volume fraction is used to examine the property compatibility of fiber and matrix in forming a composite. This is deemed to be useful for composite design. Some examples are provided as well to illustrate the results.
Genetic Control Systems of Escherichia Coli Can Confer Inducible Expression of Cloned Genes in Coryneform Bacteria

Genetic Control Systems of Escherichia Coli Can Confer Inducible Expression of Cloned Genes in Coryneform Bacteria
The role of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in health and disease of the retina.

In this work we advance the hypothesis that omega-3 (o-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) exhibit cytoprotective and cytotherapeutic actions contributing to a number of anti-angiogenic and neuroprotective mechanisms within the retina. o-3 LCPUFAs may modulate metabolic processes and attenuate effects of environmental exposures that activate molecules implicated in pathogenesis of vasoproliferative and neurodegenerative retinal diseases. These processes and exposures include ischemia, chronic light exposure, oxidative stress, inflammation, cellular signaling mechanisms, and aging. A number of bioactive molecules within the retina affect, and are effected by such conditions. These molecules operate within complex systems and include compounds classified as eicosanoids, angiogenic factors, matrix metalloproteinases, reactive oxygen species, cyclic nucleotides, neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, pro-inflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokines, and inflammatory phospholipids. We discuss the relationship of LCPUFAs with these bioactivators and bioactive compounds in the context of three blinding retinal diseases of public health significance that exhibit both vascular and neural pathology. How is o-3 LCPUFA status related to retinal structure and function? Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a major dietary o-3 LCPUFA, is also a major structural lipid of retinal photoreceptor outer segment membranes. Biophysical and biochemical properties of DHA may affect photoreceptor membrane function by altering permeability, fluidity, thickness, and lipid phase properties. Tissue DHA status affects retinal cell signaling mechanisms involved in phototransduction. DHA may operate in signaling cascades to enhance activation of membrane-bound retinal proteins and may also be involved in rhodopsin regeneration. Tissue DHA insufficiency is associated with alterations in retinal function. Visual processing deficits have been ameliorated with DHA supplementation in some cases. What evidence exists to suggest that LCPUFAs modulate factors and processes implicated in diseases of the vascular and neural retina? Tissue status of LCPUFAs is modifiable by and dependent upon dietary intake. Certain LCPUFAs are selectively accreted and efficiently conserved within the neural retina. On the most basic level, o-3 LCPUFAs influence retinal cell gene expression, cellular differentiation, and cellular survival. DHA activates a number of nuclear hormone receptors that operate as transcription factors for molecules that modulate reduction-oxidation-sensitive and proinflammatory genes; these include the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-a (PPAR-a) and the retinoid X receptor. In the case of PPAR-a, this action is thought to prevent endothelial cell dysfunction and vascular remodeling through inhibition of: vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, inducible
Impact of a newspaper article on attitudes toward mental illness

The authors investigated the effect of reading a newspaper article reporting a violent crime committed by a mental patient (target article) on attitudes toward people with mental illnesses. The authors also investigated the effect of corrective information (prophylactic articles) on the attitudes of readers of the target article. Student participants responded to questionnaires which included the Community Attitudes Toward Mental Illness (CAMI) scales to assess their views of and reactions to people with mental illness. The authors found those reading the target article without first reading a prophylactic article reported harsher attitudes toward those with mental illness than participants who either read a prophylactic article prior to reading the target article or who read articles unrelated to mental illness. These findings support the assertion that negative media reports contribute to negative attitudes toward people with mental illnesses, and that corrective information may be effective in mitigating the effect of these negative reports. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cooperative Jahn-Teller induced phase transition of TbVO4: single crystal structure analyses of the tetragonal high temperature phase and the twinned orthorhombic phase below 33 K

The rare earth vanadate TbVO4, undergoes a crystallographic phase transition below 33 K induced by a cooperative Jahn-Teller effect. Twinning of the crystal occurs upon this transition from the tetragonal high temperature phase to the orthorhombic low temperature phase resulting in a domain structure. Single crystal x-ray analyses of the tetragonal and the twinned orthorhombic phase verify a reduction in the site symmetry of the Tb ion from D2d (m2-dodecahedral) for the high temperature phase to D2 (222-distorted dodecahedral) for the low temperature phase. Concomitantly, the space group symmetry is lowered from D194h (I41/amd) to D242h (Fddd). The twinned orthorhombic phase is described as domains related to each other by a 180? rotation about the orthorhombic [110] axis.
Asymmetric oscillations in cyclodextrin--a molecular dynamics study.

A 30-ps molecular dynamics simulation of motions of cyclodextrin is completed on the free molecule and with two model substrates. Even with its cyclic constraint, the molecule traversed through large conformational space, showing high flexibility. The asymmetric oscillations of the free molecule are evident from the time course behavior of the ratio of the second moments (anisotropic ratio) of the atomic motions along the first two principal axes. The study also shows the stability of the molecule derived from specific substrate. The preference of chair conformation by glucose is also evident from these studies.
Relations of cinder cones to the magmatic evolution of Mount Mazama, Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Abstract Cinder cones at Crater Lake are composed of high-alumina basaltic to andesitic scoria and lavas. The Williams Crater Complex, a basaltic cinder cone with andesitic to dacitic lava flows, stands on the western edge of the caldera, against an andesite flow from Mount Mazama. Bombs erupted from Williams Crater contain cores of banded andesite and dacite, similar to those erupted during the climatic eruption of Mount Mazama. Major- and trace-element variations exhibit an increase in incompatible elements and a decrease in compatible elements, consistent with crystal fractionation of olivine, plagioclase, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, and magnetite. LREE patterns in the rocks are irregular; each successive basalt is enriched in LREE relative to the preceding andesite. Compositional variations in the magmas of the cinder cones suggest that three magmatic processes were involved, partial melting, fractional crystallization, and magma mixing. Partial melting of more than one source produced primary basaltic magma(s). Subsequent mixing and fractional crystallization produced the more differentiated basaltic to andesitic magmas.
Quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography: Basic and clinical considerations

Although quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has been the goal of much research effort for a number of years, only recently has it received wide interest, especially for clinical applications. It has been increasingly recognized that the achievement of quantitative SPECT will increase the accuracy of measurements, such as dimensions of specific regions of interest, absolute amount of radioactivity, and dosimetry calculations, and substantially reduce reconstruction image artifacts and distortions, thus, greatly improving clinical diagnosis. This article provides a review of the definition of terms, major factors affecting SPECT quantitation and their degrading effects on SPECT image quality, and methods to compensate for these effects. Compensation methods include those that make certain approximations for ease of implementation and those that provide more accurate compensation by modeling the imaging process more exactly, usually at the cost of increased complexity and computational requirements. Different reconstruction and compensation methods may be compared through the use of phantom cardiac and brain SPECT studies. The clinical efficacy of the methods may be demonstrated by applying them to a clinical thallium-201 myocardial perfusion SPECT study. The results clearly demonstrate that, by modeling the imaging process and/or image degrading factors threedimensionally, quantitative reconstruction and compensation methods provide the best image quality and quantitative accuracy. Important research efforts and developmental work being conducted currently to bring quantitative SPECT into routine clinical use are also discussed.
Continuous material flow systems: analysis of marine ports handling bulk materials

Continuous material flow systems operating in bulk port marine terminals give rise to networks of mineral flows through nodes experiencing random stoppages. Material arrives at the system via trains and departs from the system via ships. Operational aspects of the material flow are quite varied and complicated. Therefore, a decomposition approximation method is proposed to study the steady-state behavior of the system to produce performance measures such as the long run pile levels, down time probabilities and the system throughput. Pseudo failure and repair rates of the subsystems are obtained and the subsystems are studied within an iterative algorithm. Numerical examples are provided.
Effect of crude lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli O127:B8 on the amebocyte-producing organ of Biomphalaria glabrata (Mollusca).

Abstract Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP) to which the internal defense system (IDS) of both vertebrates and invertebrates responds. We measured the mitotic response of the hematopoietic tissue of the schistosome-transmitting snail, Biomphalaria glabrata, to crude LPS from Escherichia coli 0127:B8. In a dose-response study, snails were injected with a range of concentrations of crude LPS, and mitotic figures were enumerated in histological sections of amebocyte-producing organ (APO) fixed at 24 h post-injection (PI) following a 6 h treatment with 0.1% colchicine. In APOs from Salvador strain snails, which are genetically resistant to infection with Schistosoma mansoni, LPS concentrations of 0.01 mg/ml and above triggered a large increase in mitotic activity, whereas in APOs from schistosome-susceptible NIH albino snails, concentrations of 0.1 mg/ml elicited a much smaller, but statistically significant increase. A time course study, without colchicine treatment, revealed that in Salvador APOs the mitotic response to 0.1 mg/ml occurred by 18 h PI, peaked at 24 h, and returned to control levels by 72 h; NIH albino APOs showed no detectible response. When Salvador APOs were exposed to crude LPS in vitro, no increase in mitotic activity occurred, a result suggesting the possible requirement for a peripheral tissue or hemolymph factor. The increased cell proliferation induced by crude LPS represents a novel systemic response of an invertebrate IDS to one or more PAMPs from a Gram-negative bacterium.
An integrated fuzzy-goal-programming-based framework for selecting suppliers in strategic alliance formation

Abstract There has been an exponential growth in the number of strategic alliances formed in the last decade between manufacturers and their suppliers. Yet 60–70% of these alliances fail in their first year. One of the reasons for such failure is the incompatibility of members of the alliance. Hence, there is a need for a tool to help decision makers to rate the compatibility of potential partners in a strategic alliance. This paper fulfills this requirement by presenting an integrated method for rating the compatibility of potential members of a strategic alliance. The method utilizes a model based on fuzzy logic/goal programming to analyze the vague, imprecise, and usually subjective information regarding the compatibility of potential suppliers that is available during the early formation of a strategic partnership. A sample case study is presented to demonstrate the application of the framework.
Enzymatic synthesis of glycerol 1-phosphate elevation in diabetic and fasted animals, compared with glucose-6-phosphatase and related enzyme activities

1. 1. The enzymatic activity levels of a number of related phosphotransferase and hydrolytic enzymes of liver and kidney microsomal membranes have been studied and compared in fed, fasted and diabetic rats. Enzymatic activities were measured both with and without in vitro activation. 2. 2. PPi-glycerol phosphotransferase, which has been shown to catalyze the synthesis of glycerol-i-P (d-α-glycerophosphate), was found to be approximately doubled in liver microsomes from 24-h-fasted rats and elevated more than 4-fold in fed diabetic rats over normal fed controls, when measured in preparations fully activated by pretreatment with NH4OH. In contrast, levels of soluble liver glycerokinase, which catalyzes the formation of glycerol-3-P, were not significantly different in fed, fasted and diabetic rats. 3. 3. When CTP or ATP was substituted for PPi as donor and glucose for glycerol as receptor, comparable elevations of phosphotransferase activities were observed with liver microsomes of fasted and diabetic animals. Parallel elevations were found with the microsomal membrane hydrolytic enzyme activities: glucose-6-phosphatase, inorganic pyrophosphatase and CTPase. The in vivo induced elevation in inorganic pyrophosphatase activity was observed even when this activity was inhibited by glucose or accelerated by glycerol. 4. 4. Both the transferase and hydrolase activities were also significantly increased in fasted and diabetic rats when assays were done on unactivated preparations, although the absolute enzymatic levels were several-fold lower than when fully activated in vitro. 5. 5. In vivo elevation of these enzymes in kidney was quantitatively less than in liver. 6. 6. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the phosphotransferase and hydrolase activities are properties of a single endoplasmic reticular membrane enzyme, usually called glucose-6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9), which is so oriented within the membrane that active sites for phosphate donor compounds are more accessible to substrate molecules than are acceptor sites. This particulate enzyme is relatively nonspecific with respect to phosphate donor and acceptor compounds, while exhibiting stereospecificity with respect to phosphorylation of primary hydroxyl groups. All of these reactions are subject to large parallel variations in response to in vivo stimuli.
The solution structure of the bacterial HSP70 chaperone protein domain DnaK(393-507) in complex with the peptide NRLLLTG.

The Hsp70 family of molecular chaperones participates in a number of cellular processes, including binding to nascent polypeptide chains and assistance in protein (re)folding and degradation. We present the solution structure of the substrate binding domain (residues 393–507) of the Escherichia coli Hsp70, DnaK, that is bound to the peptide NRLLLTG and compare it to the crystal structure of DnaK(389–607) bound to the same peptide. The construct discussed here does not contain the α-helical domain that characterizes earlier published peptide-bound structures of the Hsp70s. It is established that removing the α-helical domain in its entirety does not affect the primary interactions or structure of the DnaK(393–507) in complex with the peptide NRLLLTG. In particular, the arch that protects the substrate-binding cleft is also formed in the absence of the helical lid. 15N-relaxation measurements show that the peptide-bound form of DnaK(393–507) is relatively rigid. As compared to the peptide-free state, the peptide-bound state of the domain shows distinct, widespread, and contiguous differences in structure extending toward areas previously defined as important to the allosteric regulation of the Hsp70 chaperones.
Pilot investigation of a novel testing strategy for bleeding in ventricular assist device recipients.

Purpose A universal loss of von Willebrand factor (vWF) high-molecular-weight multimers (HMWM) has been demonstrated in continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (HeartMate II) recipients. However, no reliable clinical or laboratory predictors for an increased bleeding tendency in this patient population have been identified. This study evaluated the ability of a new automated latex particle-enhanced immunoturbidimetric vWF activity assay (ALPEIVA) to predict non-surgical bleeding risk in HeartMate II recipients. Methods As part of a prospective multicenter trial, pre-surgical, 7-day, and 30-day post-implantation blood samples were collected from 24 patients. ALPEIVA-assessed vWF activities were compared among patients with and without non-surgical bleeding complications after HeartMate II implantation. Additional laboratory testing included factor VIII activity (FVIII:C), vWF antigen (vWFAg), vWF ristocetin cofactor activity (vWF:RCo), and vWF multimer analysis. Results All 24 patients had HMWM losses after HeartMate II implantation. Five patients (20%) developed non-surgical bleeding complications between 14 days and 6 months after HeartMate II implantation. Among various laboratory variables, only mean ALPEIVA/vWFAg ratios (referred to as the "bleeding ratio") were significantly lower in patients with clinically relevant bleeding (mean, 0.70 ± 0.06) compared with patients without bleeding (mean, 0.78 ± 0.09; p = 0.02) when measured at 30 days. Conclusions The post-surgical bleeding ratio could potentially predict non-surgical bleeding risk and guide anti-platelet and anti-coagulation strategies in HeartMate II recipients.
Optimal Power Scheduling for Correlated Data Fusion in Wireless Sensor Networks via Constrained PSO

Optimal power scheduling for distributed detection in a Gaussian sensor network is addressed for both independent and correlated observations. We assume amplify-and-forward local processing at each node. The wireless link between sensors and the fusion center is assumed to undergo fading and coefficients are assumed to be available at the transmitting sensors. The objective is to minimize the total network power to achieve a desired fusion error probability at the fusion center. For i.i.d. observations, the optimal power allocation is derived analytically in closed form. When observations are correlated, first, an easy to optimize upper bound is derived for sufficiently small correlations and the power allocation scheme is derived accordingly. Next, an evolutionary computation technique based on particle swarm optimization is developed to find the optimal power allocation for arbitrary correlations. The optimal power scheduling scheme suggests that the sensors with poor observation quality and bad channels should be inactive to save the total power expenditure of the system. It is shown that the probability of fusion error performance based on the optimal power allocation scheme outperforms the uniform power allocation scheme especially when either the number of sensors is large or the local observation quality is good.
When Skeletons Are Geared for Speed: The Morphology, Biomechanics, and Energetics of Rapid Animal Motion

A skeleton amplifies the minute contractions of muscles to animate the body of an animal. The degree that a muscular contraction displaces an appendage is determined by the gearing provided by the joints of a skeleton. Species that move rapidly commonly possess joints with relatively high gears that produce a large output displacement. However, the speed of an appendage can depend on dynamics that obscure how this motion is influenced by the skeleton. The aim of this review is to resolve mechanical principles that govern the relationship between the gearing and speed of skeletal joints. Forward dynamic models of three rapid force-transmission systems were examined with simulations that varied the gearing of a joint. The leg of a locust, the raptorial appendage of a mantis shrimp, and the jaw of a toad are all driven by the conversion of stored elastic energy into kinetic energy. A locust achieves this conversion with high efficiency when it kicks and thereby applies nearly all stored energy into fast movement. This conversion is unaffected by differences in the leverage of the knee joint, as demonstrated by a maximum kicking speed that was found to be independent of gearing. In contrast, the mantis shrimp creates drag as it strikes toward a prey and thereby loses energy. As a consequence, high gears displace the raptorial appendage relatively far and yield slower motion than do low gears. The muscle that opens a toad's jaw also dissipates energy during ballistic capture of prey. This loss of energy is reduced when jaw opening occurs from the slower muscle contraction produced by a high gear within the jaw. Therefore, the speed of these lever systems is dictated by how gearing affects the efficiency of the conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy. In this way, the energetics of force transmission mediate the relationship between the gearing of a skeletal joint and the maximum speed of its motion.
Unsupervised target detection in hyperspectral images using projection pursuit

The authors present a projection pursuit (PP) approach to target detection. Unlike most of developed target detection algorithms that require statistical models such as linear mixture, the proposed PP is to project a high dimensional data set into a low dimensional data space while retaining desired information of interest. It utilizes a projection index to explore projections of interestingness. For target detection applications in hyperspectral imagery, an interesting structure of an image scene is the one caused by man-made targets in a large unknown background. Such targets can be viewed as anomalies in an image scene due to the fact that their size is relatively small compared to their background surroundings. As a result, detecting small targets in an unknown image scene is reduced to finding the outliers of background distributions. It is known that "skewness," is defined by normalized third moment of the sample distribution, measures the asymmetry of the distribution and "kurtosis" is defined by normalized fourth moment of the sample distribution measures the flatness of the distribution. They both are susceptible to outliers. So, using skewness and kurtosis as a base to design a projection index may be effective for target detection. In order to find an optimal projection index, an evolutionary algorithm is also developed to avoid trapping local optima. The hyperspectral image experiments show that the proposed PP method provides an effective means for target detection.
Massively parallel Monte Carlo for many-particle simulations on GPUs

Current trends in parallel processors call for the design of efficient massively parallel algorithms for scientific computing. Parallel algorithms for Monte Carlo simulations of thermodynamic ensembles of particles have received little attention because of the inherent serial nature of the statistical sampling. In this paper, we present a massively parallel method that obeys detailed balance and implement it for a system of hard disks on the GPU. We reproduce results of serial high-precision Monte Carlo runs to verify the method. This is a good test case because the hard disk equation of state over the range where the liquid transforms into the solid is particularly sensitive to small deviations away from the balance conditions. On a Tesla K20, our GPU implementation executes over one billion trial moves per second, which is 148 times faster than on a single Intel Xeon E5540 CPU core, enables 27 times better performance per dollar, and cuts energy usage by a factor of 13. With this improved performance we are able to calculate the equation of state for systems of up to one million hard disks. These large system sizes are required in order to probe the nature of the melting transition, which has been debated for the last forty years. In this paper we present the details of our computational method, and discuss the thermodynamics of hard disks separately in a companion paper.
Leukotriene A4 hydrolase: an anti-inflammatory role for a proinflammatory enzyme

Neutrophils represent a prominent source of pathology in an array of persistent pulmonary diseases. A recent article published in Science describes a novel anti-inflammatory pathway that degrades the neutrophil chemoattractant Pro-Gly-Pro (PGP) to limit neutrophilic inflammation of the lung. Degradation of PGP was mediated through the action of leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H), an enzyme classically recognised for its capacity to generate another neutrophil chemoattractant, leukotriene B4 (LTB4). The same enzyme therefore has opposing proinflammatory (LTB4 generation) and anti-inflammatory (PGP degradation) activities that govern neutrophilic inflammation. Intriguingly, cigarette smoke, a key risk factor for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, impedes PGP degradation but not LTB4 generation by LTA4H. Cigarette smoke therefore essentially converts LTA4H into an exclusively proinflammatory enzyme, whereby both PGP and LTB4 can drive persistent neutrophila observed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In recent years there has been significant pharmaceutical interest in the development of LTA4H inhibitors to alleviate LTB4-mediated pathologies. In light of these new findings, such strategies should be viewed with caution since they may inadvertently prevent PGP degradation and promote chronic neutrophilic inflammation.
Rural Crime and Social Capital

This study explores rural U.S. crime patterns with a focus on social capital. We use a triangulation of three core theories of crime including social disorganization, anomie/strain, and rational choice theories to develop a formal theory and an empirical framework. The role of four unique measures of social capital is explored in understanding patterns of rural crime using nonmetropolitan U.S. county data. The empirical results generally support the theoretical predictions and conclude that rural communities that pursue economic growth and development must be prepared to address the resulting upward pressures on crime. The results on social capital and crime provide numerous policy insights for rural communities.
Modeling of Plasma Etching Reactors Including Wafer Heating Effects

A comprehensive mathematical model of chlorine etching of polysilicon in a single‐wafer plasma reactor was developed from first principles. Wafer heat transport was included as an integral part of the analysis. The model provided the spatiotemporal variations of etchant concentration, wafer temperature, and etch rate. Under conditions of high etch rate and poor wafer cooling, etching was inherently transient. The polysilicon etch rate increased with time despite the fact that the atomic chlorine concentration decreased with time. This was due to wafer heating and the Arrhenius dependence of etch rate on temperature. Multichannel laser interferometry was developed to monitor the spatiotemporal variations of etch rate in real time. Measured etch rate transients compared favorably with model predictions. Results were sensitive to surface reaction parameters and to wafer back side cooling.
Laser detection of cardiovascular pulsation

The authors have developed a laser interferometer to measure skin surface vibration which provides information about the underlying vasculature. The results obtained from phantom studies showed that the system responded to the derivative of the pressure wave within a blood vessel phantom suggesting that such detectors can potentially reconstruct intravascular pressure waveforms noninvasively. >